Two Jain Inscriptions in the Lucknow Museum
Summary
D. C. Sircar re‑examines impressions of two Jain stone inscriptions preserved in the Uttar Pradesh State Museum, Lucknow. The first record, from Darbat and dated Vikrama Saṃvat 1132 (1075 CE), was previously interpreted as showing the authority of a Kacchapaghāta ruler over Mahoba; Sircar demonstrates that the inscription actually refers to the Candella king Kīrtivarman, son of Vijayapāla, and commemorates an image set up by hereditary ministers. The article notes that Candella inscriptions and the history of the Jhansi–Hamīrpur region make it improbable that a Kalachuri or Kacchapaghāta prince held sway there in 1075. The second inscription, from an unspecified site, contains verses invoking the Jinas and lists donors but has been misread in earlier publications; Sircar corrects readings of several letters and offers emended translations and annotations. By comparing these inscriptions with other Candella and Kalachuri epigraphs, the author clarifies chronologies and genealogies and underscores the need for careful epigraphic study. The note thus corrects previous errors, attributes the inscriptions to the proper historical context and contributes new data on eleventh‑century Jain patronage in Bundelkhand.
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Conclusion
By re‑reading two Jain inscriptions from the Lucknow Museum, the author rectifies earlier misinterpretations and shows that the records pertain to the Candella king Kīrtivarman and to local ministerial patrons. The corrections refine our understanding of Jain patronage and political control in eleventh‑century Bundelkhand.