A village in Karnataka took a surprising turn with an unusual archaeological finding. In a recent survey in Lakkundi, Gadang district, one memorable finding shocked the locals. An epigraphist descended into a pit to examine a recently discovered 8-foot, 12th-century stone tablet with a cryptic warning, “Preserve me or face wrath”. The inscription after scrubbing with white powder was revealed to be in Helagannada (old Kannada writing).
This was all a part of a 3-day ‘relic discovery drive’ conducted by the state Department of Archaeology, museums, and Heritage that also involved locals from November 22 this year. Lakkundi, also known as Lokkugundi, is the center of history with its centuries-old temples, stepwells, and relics.
In an interview, an Epigraphist told the print media, "The inscription on the tablet is fragmented. The context is not known. What can be understood is that saving the shasana (tablet) entails blessing and not saving it, can lead to destruction."
Over 300 coins and 900 artifacts have been recovered by officials. To further explore the site, excavations are planned to commence by the end of December. A temple converted into a house will be acquired with a compensation of INR 18.5 lakh. Additionally, the authorities aim to develop a comprehensive master plan for the core and buffer zones of Lakkundi and are working on a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for tourism development. The ultimate goal is to nominate Lakkundi as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the government will submit a proposal to the Centre within three months to add it to the tentative list.
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