Brahmapur: A rare 147-year-old Odia copper plate inscription, or tamra-phalaka, discovered in Gunupur town has opened a fascinating window into the region’s socio-cultural and administrative history of the late 19th century.
The historic document, dating back to October 2, 1879, is believed to be the first known royal charter associated with the Bishama Cuttack royal family.
The valuable antiquity was recovered from the house of Hrushikesh Ratha at Brahman Street, Gunupur, by local researcher Akshaya Das and Ramanaguda Tehsildar Dr Pranakrishna Panigrahi. The inscription was subsequently deciphered for the first time by noted epigraphist Bishnu Mohan Adhikari.
According to Adhikari, the copper plate was engraved on October 2, 1879, corresponding to Ashwina Shukla Trayodashi, a Monday considered auspicious in the traditional calendar.
The inscription records an official land-grant deed (patta) issued by Thataraja Ramachandra of the Bishama Cuttack royal house. The grant relates to Pitambara Pur Sasana, a dedicated Brahmin settlement within the Bishama Cuttack taluka, and formally records its grant to Gadadhar Rath.
One of the most striking features of the copper plate is its bilingual character. The front bears the principal text in the Odia language and script, while the reverse contains formal Sanskrit verses (shlokas).
The document provides a rare glimpse into the system of land grants, religious settlements and administrative practices followed by local feudatory rulers during the latter part of the 19th century.
Epigraphists consider the discovery particularly significant as it is reportedly the first known sananda (royal charter) connected with the Bishama Cuttack royal family. The inscription could therefore prove valuable to historians and researchers seeking to reconstruct the political, social and cultural landscape of the region during that period.
The preservation and detailed study of the copper plate are expected to throw further light on the history of Bishama Cuttack, Gunupur and the surrounding region, adding a rare and tangible chapter to Odisha’s rich epigraphic heritage.