Mandhal

This set of five copper plates were discovered during archaeological excavations undertaken at Māṇḍhaḷ by the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Nagpur University. These plates were discovered with two other Vākāṭaka copper plate charters (IN00183 and IN00189). Each charter was complete with ring and seal attached. This charter, inscribed on four plates, records the donation of the village Govasāhikā to four Brāhmaṇas, including two – Maheśvarasvāmin and Brahmasvāmin – who are also mentioned in the Māṇḍhaḷ copper plate charter of Pṛithivīṣeṇa II, year 2 (IN00189). Shastri (1997: 99-103) argues that the three plates found at this site record donations by two Vākāṭaka kings to two generations of the same family.

The charter consists of four plates, which were found in an earthen vessel during excavations, along with two other Vākāṭaka period copper plate inscriptions. The charter was issued in the second year of Pṛithivīṣeṇa II’s reign and was found complete with ring and seal, providing the earliest known complete example of a copper plate charter from the reign of Pṛithivīṣeṇa II. The charter records the donation of the village Kurubhajjaka by its chief to three brothers, Maheśvarasvāmin, Agnisvāmin and Brahmasvāmin, sons of Māṭrisvāmin. Two of these brothers are also the benefactors of the Māṇḍhaḷ copper plate of Pṛithivīṣeṇa II, year 10 (IN00190) and Māṭrisvāmin was the donee of the Māṇḍhaḷ copper plate of Pravarasena II, year 17  (IN00183).