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 later Vākāṭaka copper plate charters. Each charter was complete with ring and seal attached. This charter was issued from Pravarapura and it records the donation of the village Mayasagrāma in favour of Upādhyāya Māṭrisvāmin by Pravarasena II. The charter dates to the 16th and 17th year of Pravarasena II reign, with the first date recording the year when the donation was made and the second year recording when the charter was written and issued. According to the inscription one third of the religious merit of the donation is to go to Ājnākabhaṭṭārikā, mother of Narendrarāja, although it is not known who these two people are. According to Shastri, the identification of Mayasagrāma is not possible at present, but it is also not possible to rule out Māṇḍhaḷ as the possible location of the ancient village.

This set of four copper plates was discovered during the ploughing of a field in the village of Māṇḍhaḷ in 1982. The plates date to the 5th year of Rudrasena II’s reign and record the donation of four villages, Selludraha, Achchhabhallikā, Suragrāmakā and Aragrāmakā, which were used as a Brāhmaṇa settlement, occupied by Brāhmaṇa’s from different sects. The charter was written by Senāpati Vibhīshaṇa for Rudrasena II, and is stated to have been issued by the king himself following a command from Viṣṇu. Records so far do not specify in which field the copper plates were discovered.