Rare Renati Chola era inscription unearthed

Topics Covered: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Rare Renati Chola era inscription unearthed:

Context:

This rare inscription was recently unearthed from a remote village of Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh.

Key points:

• It was found engraved on a dolomite slab and shale.
• The inscription was written in archaic Telugu.
• It was assigned to the 8th Century A.D., when the region was under the rule of the Chola Maharaja of Renadu.

What this inscription reveals?

It throws light on the record of a gift of six marttus (a measuring unit) of land gifted to a person.

The last lines of the inscription are indicative of the priority given to morality in those days.

• “It says the people who safeguard this inscription for future generations will acquire the status of conducting Aswamedha Yaga, and those destroying it will incur sin equivalent to causing a death in Varanasi”.

Who were Renati Cholas?

• The Telugu Cholas of Renadu (also called as Renati Cholas) ruled over Renadu region, the present day Cuddapah district.
• They were originally independent, later forced to the suzerainty of the Eastern Chalukyas.
• They had the unique honour of using the Telugu language in their inscriptions belonging to the 7th and 8th centuries.
• The earliest of this family was Nandivarman (500 AD) who claimed descent from the family of Karikala and the Kasyapa gotra.
• Their territory extended over the whole of Cuddapah district and the adjoining areas of Anantapur, Kurnool and Chittoor districts.

Relevant points for exams:

Chola Local Administration:

• The most important feature of the Chola administration was the local administration at districts, towns and villages level.
• Uttaramerur inscriptions speak much about the Chola administration.
• Village autonomy was the most unique feature of Chola administrative system.
• Nadu was one of the important administrative units of the Cholas. Nadus had representative assemblies. The heads of the Nadus were called Nattars.
• The council of Nadu was called Nattavai.

Variyams:

Village Assemblies carried on village administration effectively with the help of variyams.

The male members of the society were the members of these variyams.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. Renati Cholas ruled over?
2. Important rulers.
3. About Chalukyas.
4. Uttaramerur inscriptions are related to?
5. Local administration under Renati Cholas.

Mains Link:

Who were Renati Cholas? Write a note on local administration during their rule.

Sources: the Hindu.