200 Yr Old Eluru Inscription Records Tulabhara Gift of Gold and Gems

ELURU: A historic inscription at the Sri Chennakesava Swamy Temple in Sanivarapupeta, Eluru, preserves a remarkable account of a tulabhara ceremony held more than two centuries ago, recording a zamindar's donation of gold and precious stones and their distribution among priests, dancers, musicians and other temple personnel.

The inscription is carved on a step of the mukha mandapa on the northern side of the temple. Written in Telugu script and using a mixture of Sanskrit and Telugu, the record dates the ceremony to October 28, 1808.

According to the inscription, Sri Nrusimha Appa Rao performed a tulabhara, a ritual in which a donor is weighed against valuable material intended for religious donation. The record states that fine gold and navaratnas, or nine precious gems, corresponding to his weight were donated. What makes the inscription especially interesting is its account of what happened to that wealth. Rather than recording only an offering placed in the temple treasury, the inscription says the donated material was distributed among people providing services to the temple, including principal priests, women performing dance services, musicians and other temple personnel.

The inscription therefore provides evidence extending beyond religious ritual. It offers a glimpse of the network of people whose livelihoods and artistic work were connected with temples in the early 19th century.

Recent coverage has described the inscription as having come to light at the temple, but the record was known to archaeological authorities well before 2026. TV9 Telugu reports that it was officially documented in the 2013-14 archaeological epigraphy annual report as entry No. 43. The current significance is renewed public attention to its contents rather than the first discovery of the stone.

For Telugu Americans, the Sanivarapupeta record offers an unusually human glimpse into history. Rather than commemorating a conquest or royal succession, it records a religious ceremony and the people who benefited from it. More than two centuries later, the inscription remains on the temple structure.