Ancient Telugu inscription discovered at Simhachalam temple

Visakhapatnam:During recent conservation efforts, epigraphists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) uncovered a Telugu inscription on the wall above the statue of Lord Hanuman at the 13th-century Simhachalam temple, dedicated to Varaha Lakshmi Nrusimha Swamy.Led by Dr. MVR Varma of ASI, Mysore, the team also explored sites in Puri, Odisha, and Jami in Vizianagaram district.

The inscription, dating back to the 16th century CE, details the construction of the Hanuman temple by a Kurma Mudali, son of Tammu Mudali, under the guidance of Lord Jagannath of Puri.INTACH volunteer K. Sai Kumar noted that the Mudalis, from the potter community of Odisha, likely needed assistance from locals to engrave the inscription, as they were not fluent in Telugu.

Most inscriptions at Simhachalam are in Odiya, reflecting the temple's historical ties to the Eastern Ganga dynasty.Perched 300 meters above sea level, Simhachalam is one of 32 Narasimha temples in Andhra Pradesh and a significant pilgrimage center, known for its rich Vaishnavism heritage alongside the temples of Srikurmam and Jagannath in Puri.