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Hathigumpha Inscription

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description Hathigumpha Inscription Overview

The Hathigumpha Inscription is a Brahmi inscription carved in the Hathigumpha, or Elephant Cave, in the Udayagiri hills near Bhubaneswar in Odisha, India. Written in Prakrit, it presents a year-by-year account of the reign and achievements of Kharavela, a ruler of Kalinga, including public works, military expeditions, religious patronage, and court activities. Its damaged and sometimes ambiguous text is an important source for the political and religious history of eastern India, generally associated with the first century BC.

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Who is Kharavela, and why is the Hathigumpha Inscription important?

Kharavela was a ruler of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga, located in modern-day Odisha, India, and the Hathigumpha Inscription is the primary source of information about his reign. The inscription provides a year-by-year account of his military campaigns, public works, and achievements, making it one of the most important historical records of ancient eastern India.

What language and script is the Hathigumpha Inscription written in?

The inscription is written in Prakrit using the Brahmi script. It dates to roughly the 1st or 2nd century BCE, though the exact dates of Kharavela's reign remain debated among historians.

Where is the Hathigumpha Inscription located?

The inscription is carved into the wall of the Hathigumpha, meaning 'Elephant Cave,' in the Udayagiri hills near Bhubaneswar in Odisha, India. The Udayagiri and Khandagiri cave complex contains numerous ancient Jain cave monuments, of which the Hathigumpha is among the most historically significant.

What does the Hathigumpha Inscription say about Kharavela's military conquests?

The inscription describes campaigns in multiple directions, including expeditions against the Satavahanas in the west and conflicts with rulers in the Gangetic plain. It mentions his recovery of a Jain relic taken from Kalinga by a former king, presenting Kharavela as both a warrior and a patron of Jainism.

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