Kurumathur inscription

Kurumathur inscription (871 AD), also romanized as Kurumattur, is a mid-9th century inscription from Kurumathur, near Areacode in Kerala, south India.^[1] The Sanskrit inscription in Pallava Grantha script is engraved on a loose granite slab from the Kurumathoor Vishnu Temple.^[2][1][3] It is one of the rare Sanskrit inscriptions from Kerala.^[2]

Kurumathur Inscription
Kurumattur inscription (9th century AD)
Material	Granite
Writing	Sanskrit
Created	871 AD; Kerala
Present location	Kurumathoor Vishnu temple

The inscription relates to the rule of medieval Chera king Rama Rajasekhara (9th century AD) in north-central Kerala.^[2][4] It is dated to 24 May 871 AD as a Kali Day chronogram. Composed in shardula-vikridita metre in Sanskrit, the three-stanza inscription states that the king Rajasekhara belonged to the "illustrious" Ikshvaku dynasty of lord Rama.^[1] It wishes that king Rajasekhara's glory be spread across the oceans. Further, he is praised as "having ruled the country with justice and never deviated from the Laws of Manu".^[1] During the "righteous rule" of Rajasekhara, twelve Brahmanas constructed a temple pond and also installed an idol of god Vishnu in the temple [the Kurumathoor Vishnu Temple].^[1][3]

The record was excavated during a renovation of Kurumathoor Vishnu temple (south of Areacode) in February, 2011.^[1][3] The discovery of the inscription was first reported by M. R. Raghava Varier.^[2] The record notably helped historians to revise the medieval Chera chronology (locating Rama Rajasekhara after king Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara).^[4]