Indian Epigraphy c15.t17.5

c15.t17.5

There was formerly no clue for fixing the commencement of the Gaṅga era excepting the palaeography of Gaṅga inscriptions. The discovery of the Santa Bommali plates² (dated in the year 520 in the reign of Devendravarman, son of Anantavarman) and the Mandasa plates³ (dated Śaka 917⁴ in the reign of Anantavarman), both belonging to the Kadamba chief Dharmakheḍi, son of Bhīmakheḍi, has been of great help. As Anantavarman of both the records is apparently identical, Śaka 917=995 A.D. is some years earlier than the Gaṅga year 520. The era thus started some years later than 995—520=475 A.D., i.e. about the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century A.D. On the basis of this clue, R. Subha Rao⁵ fixed 494-95 as the initial year of the era, while J.C. Ghosh⁶ calculated certain dates of the Gaṅga records and came to the conclusion that the era started in 496 A.D. Subba Rao accepted the view.⁷ On astronomical grounds, B.V. Krishna Rao⁸ suggested that the Gaṅga era started on Amānta Bhādrapada-badi 13 in Śaka 419 (497-98 A.D.), while V.V. Mirashi⁹ concludes that it commenced on *Amānta* Caitra-sudi 1 in the expired Śaka year 420, i.e. the 14th March 498 A.D. Among other views based on the same clue mention may be made of those of M. Somasekhara Sarma¹ and R. C. Majumdar.² According to Sarma, the era started sometime between June and January in Śaka 426-27 or 504-05 A.D. Majumdar places the beginning of the era about the third quarter of the 6th century A.D.