Guttala Drought Inscription | 22 May 2025

Source: TH 

A rare Kannada inscription discovered in Haveri, Karnataka, marks the first known historical record in India to document a mass humanitarian disaster (6,307 deaths) due to bara" (drought), dating back to 18th August 1539 CE. 

• The bodies were buried after paying respects to God Basaveshwara. It is India’s earliest known inscription explicitly recording the human toll of a natural disaster. 
  • Inscriptions are texts carved on durable materials like stone or metal, serving as historical records to commemorate events, royal decrees, donations, or victories. 
• Notable Inscriptions in Karnataka: 
  • Maski Rock Edict (3rd Century BCE): One of Ashoka’s minor edicts, it first uses the title "Devanampriya" (Beloved of the Gods) for Ashoka. 
  • Aihole Inscription (634 CE): Composed by Ravikirti in Sanskrit, it records Pulakeshin II victories, including over Harshavardhana. 
  • Halmidi Inscription (450 CE): It is the oldest known Kannada inscription, and written in early Kannada script and poetic form.  
    • It mentions Kadamba king Kakusthavarma and has 16 lines carved on a sandstone slab.