Kurnool: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) discovered an inscription of Kayastha chief Tripurarideva in Telugu at a tank in Yerragondapalem, Prakasam district. This inscription, (dated Durmati, Adhika Ashadham) June 20, 1261, is engraved on a sluice slab found on the southern side of the tank (cheruvu).
It records the gift of sugarcane fields and dry lands below the tank in the temple village, Paramesvari, to the members who perform the Rangabhoga festivity in the temple of Ashtasakti, located within the Mahadeva temple complex, by the chief priest Potajiya and five other members as per the king's orders. The inscription also notes that the maintenance of the tank was entrusted to these members.
This inscription is significant as it highlights the importance of regular tank maintenance. In modern times, the neglect of such water bodies, including tanks and lakes, and their encroachment, is a major factor contributing to the flooding of several cities and towns.
