Sirpur Gandhesvara Temple Inscription
Summary
Katare publishes a full edition of the Gandhesvara Temple inscription from Sirpur (Sripura), discovered by Beglar in 1878 but previously only briefly noted and poorly photographed. The inscription, carved on a broken slab built into the temple wall, comprises fourteen lines of Sanskrit verse in northern Indian script; it is dated to Mahasivagupta Balarjuna’s reign and may belong to the 6th–7th century. The record begins with admonitory verses extolling virtuous deeds and names the composer Sumangala, son of Taradatta, and the engraver Visugana. The second part praises Siva and records that Jorjjaraka instituted a perpetual offering of flowers for the worship of the god Gandharvvesvara (now Gandhesvara), with garland-makers of Navahatta supplying flowers while resident there. The inscription thus confirms the temple’s dedication and provides evidence of religious endowments. Katare notes that the composer Sumangala authored other prasastis and that Sirpur under Mahasivagupta was a thriving religious centre supporting Saiva, Vaisnava, Buddhist and Jain institutions. The edition corrects earlier misreadings and clarifies the inscription’s historical significance.
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Conclusion
Katare’s edition rescues the Sirpur Gandhesvara inscription from obscurity. It reveals that under Mahasivagupta Balarjuna a donor named Jorjjaraka endowed flowers for worship of Gandharvvesvara, and that the composer and engraver were Sumangala and Visugana. By dating the record to the 6th–7th century and situating it within Sirpur’s multi-religious landscape the study enriches our understanding of religious patronage in early medieval India.