Indian Epigraphy c6.s2.19

c6.s2.19

The work of the reconstruction of the early period of Indian history was inaugurated by European scholars in the 18th century. Later on, Indians also became interested in the subject. The credit for the decipherment of early Indian inscriptions, written in the Brāhmī and Kharoṣṭhī alphabets, which paved the way of epigraphical and historical studies in India, is due to scholars like Prinsep, Lassen, Norris and Cunningham. Indian epigraphic studies also owe a great debt to many other European savants like G. Bühler, E. Senart, F. Kielhorn, E. Hultzsch, L. Rice, W. Elliot, J.F. Fleet and L.D. Barnett as well as to Indian scholars like Bhagwanlal Indraji, R.L. Mitra, R.G. Bhandarkar, R. D. Banerji, P. N. Bhattacharya, D. R. Bhandarkar, H. P. Sastri, V. Venkayya, H. Krishna Sastri, N. G. Majumdar, N. P. Chakravarti and others. Amongst the above European scholars, the most outstanding contributions to Indian epigraphic studies are those of Bühler, Kielhorn, Fleet and Hultzsch. Among Indian epigraphists, the contributions of D.R. Bhandarkar and N. G. Majumdar are conspicuous while Venkayya and Krishna Sastri were good in dealing with South Indian inscriptions.¹