'Titlagarh was base of Rashtrakuta kings'

Newindpress, 15th July, 2008

BALANGIR: Historians have inferred from the two sets of copper plate grants found from Tel river near Taresingha (now Kalahandi district) that kings of Rashtrakuta dynasty had set up their capital at modern Udepur near Titilagarh of Balangir district in 9th century AD.At a later stage, the remnants of Rashtrakuta kingdom, as the copper plate mentioned, were found from Udepur and its nearby villages Kumuda and Sihini. The remnants of some architectural monuments, Shiva and Vishnu temples and statues of gods and goddesses were found in the villages near Udepur.Deciphering the copper plates, eminent historian Sadananda Agrawal said the most important of the sculptures of Rashtrakuta were Saptamatruka and Vairav images. As the Rashtrakutas were mostly Shiva and Vishnu devotees, ruins of Shiva and Vishnu temples are mostly found in that area. Agrawal claimed that further archaeological exploration will unfold many other aspects of the dynasty. Agrawal said, ‘‘Between the river ‘Under’ and the hill side of Kumuda village there are still many sandy structures. All the villages in that area contain ruins of Rashtrakuta dynasty.Copper plates, which mention about the dynasty, are still found in river belts.’’ The recent sets of copper plates, dating back to 9th century AD, were issued by king Bhanurajdev, informed Agrawal.He observed that since Udepur used to be the capital town of Rashtrakuta kings and they were either Shaivites or Vaishnavites, they had built such temples. He sought the intervention of State Archaeology for the preservation of the temples, monuments and sculptures.