Pallava Grants Records
Pallava Grants Records are a collection of copper plate inscriptions documenting land grants and donations by the Pallava dynasty of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India.
Overview
The Pallava grants include approximately 50 known copper plate inscriptions dating from the 4th to 9th centuries CE. They document land grants to Brahmins, temples, and Buddhist monasteries across the Tondaimandalam region.
Historical Context
The earliest Pallava grants are from the reign of Shivaskandavarman (c. 275-300 CE) and are written in Prakrit. Later grants, from the reign of Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I, are in Sanskrit. The grants document the Pallava administrative system, revenue practices, and the spread of Brahmanical culture in South India. The Kanchipuram region was the Pallava capital and a major center of Buddhist and Hindu learning.
Features/Significance
The Pallava grants are among the earliest copper plate inscriptions in South India. They document the transition from Prakrit to Sanskrit as an administrative language. The grants provide evidence of the agrahara (land grant) system and the role of Brahmins in Pallava administration. The Pallava Grantha script used in the grants influenced the development of South Indian scripts.
Modern Status
The grants are distributed among museums in India, including the Government Museum, Chennai, and the Asiatic Society, Mumbai. They remain key sources for Pallava history and South Indian epigraphy.
Verification Notes
- Approximately 50 known copper plate grants
- Dates: 4th-9th centuries CE
- Transition from Prakrit to Sanskrit documented