Renovation works led to discovery of a rectangular stone slab bearing an inscription of king Deva Raya II (1425–1446 AD) of the Vijayanagar Empire (1336–1646) at the Mahalingeshwara and Kalinga temple at Kalavara village, West India.

The temple is known for the worship of King Cobra. The epigraph is written in Kannada script and language. A few words in Telugu were also found. It has 38 lines in all. The rectangular slab measures about 1.37 metres in height and 0.61 metres in  width. It contains an abstract representation (Shivalinga) of the Hindu deity, Shiva, surrounded by a ring of light in the centre (prabhavali). A seated cow is on the left and a lamp post and a small sword as a royal insignia are depicted on the right.

According to researchers the inscription begins with the invocation of Lord Ganesha, Saraswathi and Lord Shiva. Then, the date of the record is written in saka year 1360, Siddharti savatsara, Su 5, which correlates with 1438 AD, October 23, Thursday. The text refers to the Emperor Deva Raya II of Sangama dynasty with the usual dynastic epithets and with his own title – Gajabetegara or a hunter of elephant. Two other officials are mentioned later, Duggana Nayaka and Tirumale Bhandari Nayaka. Modern day places are also mentioned by their former names: Kalaura (present Kalavara), Kandaura (present Kandavara) and Edahadi.

(after Bangalore Mirror)