Amaravati, November 24, 2025: Renovation work at the Kasi Vishwanath Temple in Rambhotlapalem village, Cherukupalli mandal of Bapatla district, has revealed a rare 12th-century inscription in Sanskrit and Telugu script, chronicling a gold donation by a Velanati chief's associate for perpetual temple lamps.
The stone slab, dated to Saka 1083 Pushya (1161 CE), records Srivara Preggada close aide to Velanati ruler Gonka II gifting 16 Biruda Gadyalu (special-occasion gold coins) to God Pandeswara Deva, with the offering handed to Kamakadera Boyundu for ghee supply to ensure eternal illumination.
Gonka II (1132–1161 CE), a key Velanati figure, supported Chola king Kulottunga II in battles like the Godavari campaign that wrested lands from the Kalyani Chalukyas, making this find a window into medieval Deccan power dynamics. Resident Sitarama Sarma spotted the inscription during garbhagriha repairs and alerted the Archaeological Survey of India, whose Mysore epigraphy director Dr. K. Munirathnam Reddy confirmed its authenticity after on-site examination. Reddy described it as a "valuable record" illuminating Gonka II's patronage and the Velanati kingdom's cultural contributions, a Telugu-speaking dynasty that flourished in the Krishna-Godavari basin.
The discovery, one of few detailing Gonka II's era, enriches Andhra's historical tapestry, where Velanati rulers bridged Chola and Kakatiya influences through military alliances and temple endowments. ASI plans digitization for wider study, while temple officials hail it as a divine sign amid restoration efforts.
