Hathigumpha inscription
| Hathigumpha inscription | |
|---|---|
| Material | Stone, rock-cut |
| Writing | Prakrit |
| Created | 2nd century BCE- 1st century CE |
| Period/culture | Kalinga |
| Place | Udayagiri Hills, Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
| Present location | 20°15′47″N 85°47′08″E / 20.26306°N 85.78556°E |
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Location of inscription | |
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The Hathigumpha Inscription (pronounced: ɦɑːt̪ʰiːgumpʰɑː) is a seventeen line inscription in a Prakrit language incised in Brahmi script in a cavern called Hathigumpha in Udayagiri hills, near Bhubaneswar in Odisha, India. Dated between the second century BCE and the first century CE, it was inscribed by the Jain king Kharavela of the Kalinga kingdom.
The Hathigumpha Inscription presents, among other topics, a biographical sketch of a king in the eastern region of ancient India (now part of and near Odisha). It also includes information on religious values, public infrastructure projects, military expeditions and their purposes, society and culture. Paleographically, the inscription dates from the middle of the first century BCE to the early first century CE.