Historic Konkani Inscription Discovered in Goa
Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery in Goa. They found the first archaeological evidence ever recorded in the Konkani language. This remarkable find came from an inscription on the back of a stone sculpture of Kalbhairav.
A Long-Awaited Discovery
Until now, archaeological explorations across the Konkani-speaking regions of India had never uncovered any inscriptions in Konkani. Previous discoveries only revealed writings in Kannada, Marathi, or Sanskrit. This changed dramatically with the latest find.
The Archaeological Survey of India's epigraphy branch in Mysuru has now confirmed the inscription dates to 1583 CE. Experts determined the writing is indeed Konkani after carefully deciphering it through an enstampage process.
The Recovery and Study
Workers retrieved the statue back in 2010 from the temple tank of Shree Chamundeshwari temple in Vargao, Bicholim. They recognized its significant heritage value immediately. Professor Rohit Phalgaonkar supervised the sculpture's salvage operation from the temple tank.
Later, Professor Phalgaonkar included the artefact in the museum display at Sant Sohirobanath Ambiye Government College in Virnoda, Pernem. "We conducted an exploration of the Shree Chamundeshwari temple tank in 2010," Phalgaonkar explained. "Tushar Tople, the temple committee president, supported our work. That exploration revealed this Kalbhairav sculpture with a three-line inscription behind it."
"We only began to understand the inscription's true value when we opened the museum and started studying all the sculptures," he added.
Deciphering the Inscription
The museum officially opened last year. During this time, epigraphist Aditya Singhi Reddy from ASI Mysuru's epigraphy branch visited the site. Recognizing the writing's importance as a vital link to Konkani heritage, they decided to create an enstampage of the inscription.
"The closest we previously came to a Konkani inscription was near the Gomateshwar idol in Shravanbelagola, Karnataka," Phalgaonkar noted. "However, experts still cannot definitively confirm that inscription as Konkani. Doubts remain about its linguistic origin."
"The inscription we discovered now was specifically created for Piligao, Bicholim. What makes this inscription particularly special is its historical significance. For the first time in Konkani history, we found words like 'Goyem' and 'Goyaantu.' People commonly use these terms in the Konkani language even today to refer to Goa," he emphasized.
Significant Linguistic Evidence
All earlier inscriptions referred to Goa only by names like Gopake, Gove, or Gopakapattanne. This discovery marks the first reference to 'Goyem' in archaeological records.
"This evidence holds tremendous importance for Goa's history," Phalgaonkar stated. "Adding 'tu' to create Goyaantu represents something unique to modern-day Konkani. This linguistic feature proves the inscription is Konkani beyond any reasonable doubt."
Inscription Details and Meaning
The inscription mentions the sculpture's date as '1505 sake' according to the Hindu calendar. This corresponds to 1583 CE in the common era.
Archaeologists found the inscription difficult to decipher with the naked eye. They employed the enstampage process to reveal its contents. The writing shows that a person named Govind Shet installed the statue of Bhairav and Govnath.
"The inscription also mentions a second date of 1579 CE," Phalgaonkar explained. "This possibly indicates the year when craftsmen began creating the sculpture. They likely installed it in 1583. Essentially, the inscription describes the making and installation of a sculpture. Such descriptions appear commonly on many sculptures."
"What makes this inscription special is the use of words Goyem and Goyaantu. These terms appear twice in the writing. Their repeated use means we cannot dismiss them as mere mistakes," he concluded.
Academic Recognition
Researchers presented a paper about this inscription at the Golden Jubilee event of the Epigraphical Society of India in Kolkata. The society will subsequently publish the paper in its journal, ensuring wider academic recognition of this significant discovery.
