Taltali Plate of Dharmmamahadevi
By Krishna Chandra Panigrahi, Ghanashyam Das
Summary
Taltali Plate of Dharmmamahadevi documents the discovery and analysis of a copper-plate charter issued by Queen Dharmmamahadevi of the 9th-century Bhauma-Kara dynasty in Odisha. Unearthed during house construction near Taltali village in Angul district, the single plate measures about 12 by 8 inches and bears a long Sanskrit inscription in the eastern Siddhamātṛkā script. Mr. Radhamohan Gadanayak informed Professor G.S. Das of the Provincial Museum at Cuttack, who had impressions taken before returning the plate to its owner. The article provides a transliteration and translation of the 36 lines, noting orthographic peculiarities such as the substitution of vallabha-pada for gauravapada, confusion between va and ba, and occasional omission of sandhi. Issued from the victorious camp at Guheśvarapataka, the charter proclaims Dharmmamahadevi—styled Paramamaheshvari and Mahārājādhirāja—as the ruling queen. It records a land grant to Brahmanas, specifying the donated village’s boundaries, tax exemptions and penalties for future infringers. Laudatory verses praise Santikaradeva II (alias Gayada), recounting his victories and generosity, while tracing the genealogy of the Bhauma dynasty. By comparing this record with the Angul Plate and other charters, the article clarifies succession: after Santikaradeva II, the throne passed to his wife Vakulamahadevi and subsequently to Dharmmamahadevi, not directly to a son. This helps reconstruct the later Bhauma chronology and underscores the agency of royal women. The plate reveals administrative procedures, royal titulature and socio-religious practices in early medieval Odisha, illustrating how queens wielded sovereign authority and supported Brahmanical beneficiaries."
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Conclusion
The Taltali copper-plate charter confirms that Dharmmamahadevi ruled in her own right within the Bhauma-Kara dynasty and issued land grants to Brahmanas. Its detailed provisions and poetic genealogy illuminate administrative practices and succession, while the palaeographic features help date it to the 9th century. By documenting this inscription, the article enhances understanding of eastern India’s political history and highlights the significant role of royal women in governance and patronage.