First Indian epigraphical reference to Halley’s comet

A remarkable discovery has brought to light the first Indian epigraphical reference to Halley’s Comet, found in a copper plate inscription from the Vijayanagara period, dated 1456 CE. This significant artifact is preserved at the Srisailam Mallikarjunaswamy temple in Andhra Pradesh.

Key Details of the Discovery

• The inscription, penned in Sanskrit using the Nagari script, explicitly mentions the appearance of a comet (dhūmakētu) followed by a meteor shower. These celestial events historically align with the documented appearance of Halley’s Comet in 1456.
• The inscription records a land grant made by the Vijayanagara ruler Mallikarjuna to a Vedic scholar.
• This grant, dated Śaka 1378, Dhātru Āshāḍha ba. 11 (corresponding to Monday, June 28, 1456 CE), was specifically issued to “mitigate the great calamity believed to arise due to the appearance of a comet (dhūmakētu mahōtpāta śāntyartham), and the associated meteor shower (Prakāśyāya mahōtpāta śāntyartham).”
• The king donated a village named Simgapura to Limgaṇarya, a Vedic scholar from Kaḍiyalapura, as an agrahāra (a land grant to Brahmins).

Significance of the Find

• While ancient and medieval Indian texts contain references to dhumaketus (comets), this newly discovered inscription is the first inscriptional record of such an event.
• The precision of the year mentioned in the inscription, coupled with the description of the comet’s appearance, perfectly matches the established historical record of Halley’s Comet’s visit in 1456.
• The discovery was made during a meticulous “line by line” editing process of 21 previously unpublished copper plate charters held by the Srisailam temple authorities.

(Source: TH)