Aihole Inscription
Aihole Inscription is a 7th-century CE Sanskrit inscription at Aihole, Karnataka, authored by the Chalukya court poet Ravikirti.
Overview
The Aihole Inscription (also known as the Meguti inscription) is a celebrated 7th-century Sanskrit inscription at the Jain Meguti temple at Aihole, Karnataka. It is one of the most important inscriptions in Indian history for its precise dating and its role in the development of Indian literary criticism.
Historical Context
The inscription dates to 634 CE (Saka year 556) and was composed by Ravikirti, the court poet of the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II. It records the construction of the Meguti Jain temple and contains a famous passage discussing literary merit (kavya-guna), making it an important text in Indian literary theory. The inscription provides one of the most precisely dated events in early Indian history.
Features/Significance
The inscription is in Sanskrit using the Kannada script (Halegannada). It is celebrated for its precise date (634 CE) and for its literary-critical passage, which discusses the qualities of good poetry (upama, pada-madhurya, artha-gambhirya). The inscription also records a solar eclipse observable at Aihole on a specific date, providing an important chronological anchor. The Meguti temple, built in 634 CE, is the oldest dated structure at Aihole.
Modern Status
The inscription is preserved at the Meguti temple, Aihole. The nearby Group of Monuments at Pattadakal is the UNESCO World Heritage Site; Aihole and Badami are on India’s UNESCO tentative list. The site is maintained by the ASI.
Verification Notes
- Dated 634 CE (Saka 556); Ravikirti’s authorship.
- UNESCO World Heritage Site: Pattadakal (1987); Aihole on tentative list.
- Precise astronomical dating: solar eclipse observed at Aihole.
- Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).