# Mepara Inscription

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{{Infobox artifact
| name = 
| native_name_lang = Malayalam
| material = Granite
| writing = Tamil
| created = Early 11th century AD; [Idukki District](/source/Idukki_District)
| location = K. P. Tilagar Estate, Mepara
| image = Western Ghats Tea Plantations Kerala India 2014.jpg
| image_size = 
| native_name = 
| image_caption = Rajakumari village
}}

'''Mepara Inscription''' (early 11th century AD) is medieval [Chola](/source/Chola_Empire) inscription on a menhir on a lateritic hillock in K. P. Tilagar Estate, Meppara, near Rajakumari in [Idukki District](/source/Idukki_District), Kerala.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Kumar |first=Ajith |date=2017 |title=Chola Inscription on a Menhir from Mepara, Rajakumari Panchayat, Idukki District, Kerala |url=https://www.academia.edu/34564119/Chola_inscription_on_a_Menhir_from_Mepara_Rajakumari_Panchayat_Idukki_district_Kerala#:~:text=Recently%20deciphered%20inscription%20from%20Mepara,to%20the%20earlier%20megalithic%20phase. |journal=Tamiḻiyal: Journal of Tamil Studies |publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies |volume=95 |pages=78-85 |issn=0022-4855}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Vannan |first=Gokul |date=2017 |title=Engraving Reveals Chola's Spice Ambitions |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/020417/madurai-engraving-reveals-cholas-spice-ambitions.html |work=Deccan Chronicle}}</ref> It is one of the rare Chola inscriptions from Kerala.<ref name=":0" /> The record is dated in the 10th regnal year of [Rajendra I](/source/Rajendra_I) (ruled 1012-14 AD).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Vidyadharan |first=Sovi |date=2017 |title=Inscription Reveals Idukki’s Rare Tryst with Cholas in Kerala |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2017/Mar/07/inscription-reveals-idukkis-rare-tryst-with-cholas-in-kerala-1578469.html |work=The New Indian Express}}</ref>
== Description ==
[Rajendra I](/source/Rajendra_I) (ruled 1012-14 AD) is known to have controlled the Kerala region in early 11th century AD.'''<ref name=":22">{{Cite book |url=https://global.oup.com/academic/product/a-concise-history-of-south-india-9780198099772?cc=us&lang=en& |title=A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-19-809977-2 |editor-last=Karashima |editor-first=Noboru |pages=125–26 |chapter=The Balance of Two Powers}}</ref>''' Other medieval [Chola](/source/Chola_Empire) records from Kerala include [Thirumittacode Inscription](/source/Thirumittacode_inscription) ([Pattambi](/source/Pattambi)),<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Narayanan |first=M. G. S. |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Perum%C4%81%E1%B8%B7s_of_Kerala/0YDCngEACAAJ?hl=en |title=Perumals of Kerala |publisher=CosmoBooks |year=2013 |location=Thrissur (Kerala) |pages=455 and 460–61 |chapter=Index to Chera Inscriptions |orig-year=1972}}</ref> and the Eramam Inscription ([Payyanur](/source/Payyanur)).<ref name=":02" />

Some members of the local community worship the granite menhir (6m x 5 m x 30cm), occasionally with stone lamps and metal bells. It is at times called "Bhimankallu" by the local population. The inscription was first noted by John Ochanthuruth in the 1990s and deciphered by historians Ajit Kumar, K. Rajan and S. Bala Murugan, and S. Siva in 2017.<ref name=":0" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}
Category:Chola Empire
Category:Tamil inscriptions
Category:11th-century inscriptions

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mepara Inscription](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mepara_Inscription) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mepara_Inscription?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.