10th century Kadamba inscription written in Kannada and Sanskrit found in Goa

Subject: History

Section: Ancient India

Context:

An inscription written in Kannada and Sanskrit and said to be of 10^th century A.D. Kadamba period has been discovered in the Mahadeva temple at Cacoda in southern Goa.

About Kadamba Dynasty (345-535 C.E.)

Founder – The Kadamba dynasty is believed to have been founded by Mayurasharma, who was originally a feudatory of the Pallavas, a prominent dynasty of South India.
Capital – The early capital of the Kadamba dynasty was Banavasi, located in present-day Karnataka.Later, the capital was shifted to Vaijayanti (modern-day Banavasi).
Extent – The Kadamba dynasty was an ancient Indian dynasty that ruled over parts of South India, particularly the present-day Karnataka region, from the 4th to the 6th centuries CE.
End – The Kadamba kingdom came to an end with Pulakeshin II’s capture of Banavasi during the reign of Ajavarman.

Kadambas of Goa

They were the subordinates of Chalukyas of Kalyana.
Chalukyan emperor Tailapa II appointed Kadamba Shasthadeva as mahamandaleshwara of Goa for his help in overthrowing the Rashtrakutas.
Kadamba Shasthadeva conquered the city of Chandavara from the Shilaharas in 960 A.D and later, he conquered the port of Gopakapattana (present Goa).
Gundayya, the son of Talara Nevayya, may have participated in this battle, and won the port at the cost of his life.
His father may have erected a memorial stone with the inscription in the temple of Mahadev of Cacoda to commemorate the heroic fight of his son.

The Inscription

The inscription was discovered in the Mahadeva temple at Cacoda in southern Goa.
It is in the literary style of Talangre inscription of Jayasimha I of the same period.
Message – Talara Nevayya’s son Gundayya having taken a vow to fulfil his father’s desire of capturing a gopura of the port of Goa, fought and died after fulfilling his father’s wish.
The record is composed as a vocal statement on the death of his son from the mouth of a lamenting father.