Kilibhani Copper-plate of the Semavamsi King Mahi-Bhavagupta I Janamejaya

Summary

The article by D.C. Sircar and P.C. Rath introduces a newly discovered Kilibhani copper‑plate charter issued by the Semavamsi king Mahi‑Bhavagupta Janamejaya I of Odisha. The authors present a critical text and translation of the Sanskrit charter, which records a land grant to Brahmanas and gives details of the donor’s genealogy. The inscription begins with an invocation to Siva and lists Janamejaya’s ancestors, including Mahasivagupta, establishing the Semavamsi lineage. The grant describes the donated village’s location, boundaries, and exemptions from taxes, and stipulates the duties of the donees. Through careful palaeographic analysis, the authors date the charter to the late 9th or early 10th century CE. They compare the language and style with other Semavamsi and Bhauma‑Kara records, noting similarities in royal epithets and administrative terms. The article discusses the political significance of Janamejaya’s reign in consolidating Semavamsi power in central Odisha and the role of such grants in legitimising royal authority and supporting Brahmanical religious establishments. By situating the Kilibhani charter within the broader epigraphic corpus, the study contributes to our understanding of early medieval Odisha’s socio‑political landscape, land‑tenure systems and cultural interactions.