Is the first inscription in Telugu, the Kalamalla inscription, missing?
10 Apr, 2013An application was filed with the Egmore Museum in Chennai under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking to know whether the Kalamalla inscription was kept for public viewing and the details about the steps taken to protect the historical anecdote.
The reply, provided by the museum assistant director, said that the inscription was present in the museum. After receiving the reply, the applicant filed another RTI application with the Indian Archaeological Department in Hyderabad enquiring about the inscription. The department confirmed in the reply that the inscription was the first in Telugu language but admitted that it was not in their possession. The reply said that the only information about the inscription with them is that a research was conducted on it by two historians in 1947-48.
The inscription belongs to the Chola King Dhanunjaya Varma dating back to 575 AD and was found in Kalamalla village of Kadapa district in 1904 AD. It was then sent to Egmore Museum for preservation. Telugu is said to have got official language status on the basis of the inscription.