41. Dinajpur Pillar Inscription. 
By RamA Prasap CuHanpa, B.A, 
Communicated by the Hon. Mr. Justice MUKERJI. 
The stone pillar, 8’—4” in height, that bears this short in- 
scription in three lines, embodying a single stanza in Sardula- 
bikridita metre, now stands in the garden infront of the palace of 
the Maharaja of Dinajpur. The pillar was brought to Dinajpur 
by Maharaja Ramnathin theeighteenth century. The ra ae 
was published by Westmacott with Dr. Rajendra Lala Mitra’s 
translation and comments, and a crude howe 4 in the ina 
Ant., Vol. I, pp. 127-128. Dr. Mitra’s translation was criticised 
by Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar in a letter published along with 
Westmacott’s paper, which drew forth a reply from Dr. Mitra, 
and a rejoinder from Dr. Bhandarkar. The controversy rested 
tions. Itis Ss ee noticed by the late Dr. Bloch in the Annual 
Report of the Archaeological Survey, Bengal Circle, for the 
year 1900-1901, where he wrongly reads Gaudapati as ‘Si 'dapati. 
Drs. Mitra and Bhandarkar failed to come to any agreement as 
to the meaning of the compound Kunjaraghatavarsena, the 
former taking it in the sense Or ‘in the year 888 ’’, and the 
the Kamboja family; and it is possible, with the help of the 
letters and historical data furnished by other documents, to 
approximately ascertain the date of this unknown Gauda king, 
and relies recover a forgotten chapter of the early history of 
Bengal. 
The letters are very carefully and beautifully incised. 
While discussing the peculiarities of the letters of the Khalim- 
pur grant of Dharmapala,’ Dr. Kielhorn sual the following 
peculiarities slivers & like pa, ma and sa are mostly open . 
the top, and the lower part of ma Ghronshout ; is formed by 
straight arm, pointing in a forward direction to the left, aca 
shows nowhere a loop or round knob. He then observes in a 
note :—‘‘ In the Ghisrawa inscription of the time of Dévapala 
(Ind. Ant., "Vol. XVII, p. 309, plate) the m with the atte is still 
1 Ep. Ind., vol. iv, p. 243, 
