>Monkbot: Task 18 (cosmetic): eval 2 templates: del empty params (6×);

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Task 18 (cosmetic): eval 2 templates: del empty params (6×);

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Orphan|date=January 2019}}

[[File:Bagaha copperplate inscription.gif|thumb|'''[[Bagaha]]''' '''Copperplate Inscription of King Suryaditya, 1020 CE.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|title=Copper-plate Grants from Bihar|journal=Epigraphica Indica|volume=XXXV|pages=130–35}}</ref>''']]
The [[Bagaha]] Copperplate [[inscription]] is a documented record of donation of a village inscribed on a copper plate in 1020 CE. This was commissioned during the rule of King Suryaditya. It is one of the earliest known documented found written in [[Sanskrit]]. Moreover, this early [[Medieval India]]n [[inscription]] is one of the oldest copperplate obtained in northern region of India. This was obtained from [[Bagaha]], [[West Champaran district|West Champaran]], [[Bihar]] by S. V. Sohni in 1962.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Inscriptions of Bihar (From earliest times to the middle of 13th Century)|last=Sahai|first=B.|publisher=Ramanand Vidya Bhavan|year=1983|location=Patna|pages=127–29.}}</ref>

== Description ==
This inscription is written in 33 rows. Copperplate size is 39.8 cm (Width) x 38.5 (length). The inscription is written in [[Sanskrit]] language with the ancient style of [[Devanagari]] script. Two lines are inscribed at the backside of the copperplate.

This copperplate [[inscription]] describes about a land donation that was commissioned by King Suryaditya, who was descended of King Mālyaketu. From the details of [[inscription]] it is known that the name of King Suryaditya's father was King Hansarāja and grandfather was King Helarājā Vārāha. It is mentioned that the king had donated the village named Vanapalli to a [[Brahmin]] named Yaśāditya. According to [[inscription]], the village of Vanapallī is located in the region named Vyālisi-viṣya, which is located in the zone named Darda-[[Gandaki River|Gandaki]] Maṇḍala. A [[Brahmin]] named Yaśāditya, the recipient of this donation, is said to be born in Sāvarṇya gotra (clan) and is son of Vaṭṭho and grandson Āḍavi. They were native residents of a village named Usiya and originally belonged to a village named Cela.
The day of donation is mentioned as Friday, the 14th day of the bright fortnight of first lunar month of [[Chaitra]] in [[Vikram Samvat]] 1077. As per the [[gregorian calendar]] this date corresponds to 11 March 1020 CE.

== Geographical place-names identified in inscription ==
From this copper it is evident that in the 10th century this region was named as Darda-[[Gandaki River|Gandaki]]. The [[Sanskrit]] word darda means 'mountain'. At present, the area of Bagaha is located on the banks of [[Gandaki River|Gandaki]] in the lowland region of the Himalayas, so it is natural for the area to be called Darda- Ganḍki Maṇḍala in the 10th century.

The [[inscription]] mentions about a [[Brahmin]] named Yashaditya as the recipient of donated village named Vanapalli. The [[Sanskrit]] word ''palli'' means ‘village’. At present, the area of [[Bagaha]] has the only forest sanctuary called Valmiki Tiger Reserve located in Valmiki Nagar area. There are many small villages still existing within the forest area of Valmiki Nagar. It is possible that one of such villages was given in donation.

The term ''vyālisi-viṣaya'' mentioned in this [[inscription]] appears to be an administrative term. It might be an under which forty two administrative units were governed. In the textual sources of [[medieval India]], the Dard-[[Gandaki River|Gandaki]] Maṇḍala was mentioned in various scriptures and pilgrim-related texts under the name of Tīr-bhukta (current name [[Tirhut division|Tirhut]]). As the rivers used to play an important role in the identification and naming of a place in ancient times, Tīr-bhukta was the region of western shore of [[Gandaki River|Gandaki]] river, which was expanded till its confluence with the Ganges, at present day [[Sonpur, Bihar|Sonpur]] in [[Vaishali district]] of [[Sonpur, Bihar|Bihar]]. As this area was located (Snk. ''bhukta'') on the banks (Snk. ''tīr'') of the [[Gandaki River|Gandaki]], its name was given Tīra-bhukta. The present name of this region, [[Tirhut division|Tirhut]], is [[Apabhraṃśa]] of its [[Sanskrit]] name Tīra-bhukta.

== Linguistic description of the place-names and peoples-name mentioned in the inscription ==
In this copperplate inscription:
* The name of recipient [[Brahmin]] (Yaśāditya), the donor king (Suryaditya) and the name of king's ancestors (Mālyaketu, Helarājā Vārāha, Hansarāj) are mentioned in [[Sanskrit]].
* The names of ancestors of the recipient [[Brahmin]] (Āḍvaī, Vaṭṭho) are in [[Prakrit]].
* Details of the places-names related to the donated village (Vanapallī , Vyālisi-viṣya, Darda-Ganḍki Maṇḍala) are in [[Sanskrit]].
* The names of the places related to the residence (Usiya, Cela) of the recipient [[Brahmin]] are in [[Prakrit]].

== Other local references ==
According to the genealogical records of the villagers of Pathkauli village, located in [[Bagaha]], [[West Champaran district|West Champaran]], [[Bihar]], in the 12th century, this area was governed by low local [[Brahmin]] brothers, Damodar [[Pathak]] and Bhupal [[Pathak]]. Their mortuary shrines are still under worship at [[:hi:ब्रह्म-स्थान, पठकौली|Braham Stan]] of Pathkauli and at Rajgadhi shrine [http://ssprajgadhi.in/] in the village of Naurangia, near [[Valmiki Nagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Valmiki Nagar]]. People of [[Tharu people|Tharu]] community worship the shrine of Bhupal [[Pathak]] as ''chaurā'', a small mound built of mud.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
*'Copper-plate Grants from Bihar', ''Epigraphica Indica, XXXV'', 1962–63, pp. 130–35.
*Sahai, Bhagwant, ''The Inscriptions of Bihar (From earliest times to the middle of 13th Century)'', Ramanand Vidya Bhavan, Patna, 1983, 127-29.

[[Category:Inscriptions]]

Bagaha Copperplate inscription - Revision history

>Monkbot: Task 18 (cosmetic): eval 2 templates: del empty params (6×);