Scientists investigating stone inscriptions from the Church of Panniyanka Durg Bhagavathi. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The recent rehearsals of the Archeology Department of Keral revealed that the temple of Durg Bhagavathi in the Panniyankara in Kozhikode is connected with the legacy of the three kings of the Chera.
According to the sources of the department, it was the late historian MGS Narayanan, who first read and deciphered three stone inscriptions obtained from the temple, which had close ties with the history of Pythiri Kings and Zamorins even in later years. He clearly identified the stone inscriptions belonging to the Bhaskara Ravivarman era among the NL 962 and AD 1021 and Ravi Kotha Rajasimhan, who ruled between AD 1021 and AD 1036. He concluded that he could also belong to the era of one of the Cheer Kings, probably Kotha Ravi, in the eighth year of his reign.
These inscriptions maintained at the University of Calicut were recently reviewed by the research team led by K. Krishnaraj, the museum officer of Pazhassi Raja Archaeological Museum, Kozhikode. It was revealed that the above inscription actually belonged to the era of Kotha Ravi and was written in the 27th year of his reign in 910 NL. The department officials said this was now the oldest of the inscriptions found from the Virgin Mountains. Mr. Krishhnaj pointed out that stone inscriptions belonging to the three different kings of Chera were previously found from very few places, such as the temple of Nedumpuram Thali in the district of Thrissur and the temple of Vaman Moorth in Thrikkar in the Ernakulum district. “Now he can also say that the reference,” he said.
Mr. Manmadhan, head of the History Department, and KS Madhavan and VV Haridas, Professors, University of Calicut, were also part of a team that studied inscriptions. E. Dinesan, Director, Archaeology Department, said that such findings and their interpretations would be published and made available to scientists, history students and people.
Published – 4th August 2025 20:20
