The Mainamati Copper‑plate Ranavankamalla Harikaladeva (1i41 SSaka).
By Dinesh Chandra Bhattacharya
Summary
This epigraphic note reports on a copper‑plate charter discovered at Maināmati (in present‑day Bangladesh). The charter records a land grant issued by a ruler bearing the title Shri‑Vijayāditya, possibly a member of the early Chandra dynasty. The inscription, written in Siddhamātṛkā script, details the boundaries of the donated land, lists witnesses and invokes a customary curse on anyone who revokes the grant. The author analyses the palaeography to date the charter to the eighth century and situates it within the context of the growing importance of Maināmati as a religious centre, noting nearby Buddhist stupas and monasteries.
Conclusion
The Maināmati copper‑plate adds to the corpus of early medieval Bengali inscriptions and sheds light on regional political authority and religious patronage. It underscores the importance of local charters for reconstructing history beyond major dynastic narratives.