India has 780 languages and 22 of them are official languages recognized by the Indian constitution. Among them, 11 have classical status. These languages have a rich history and complex literary traditions. One such language is the musical-sounding Telugu. While the birth of a language can't always be pinpointed, the origin of its script can often be traced. So, Join me as we journey to the birthplace of the Telugu script.


        Many scripts used by Indian languages trace their origins to the Brahmi script. This script emerged during the reign of King Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. As it traveled south over time, it evolved significantly, giving rise to various regional scripts.

       Most evidence of these early scripts has been found at Buddhist monuments, such as stupas. One such monument I visited is in a small village called Bhattiprolu in Andhra Pradesh. It is a small village in the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh just a few kilometers away from the Bay of Bengal. 

Buddhist Stupa at Bhattiprolu, Andhra Pradesh.

        In the late 19th century, several English archaeologists, including Sir Walter Elliot, Boswell, and Bühler, conducted extensive excavations in the village and found a complex of Buddhist stupas dating back to the 2nd century BCE. When the structures were unearthed, a stone tablet containing inscriptions in a peculiar form of the Brahmi script was found. Further excavations revealed a copper vessel, which in turn contained two smaller vessels—one silver and one golden. The most interesting and astonishing findings were jewels and beads, along with the relics of Gautama Buddha (Śarīra Dhātu) found in the golden casket.

Stone tablet containing the inscription


   As Ashokan Brahmi made its way south, significant changes to the structure of its letters took place. Many letters found here look different from the original Brahmi script. The name given to this new script is Bhattiprolu Brahmi. According to several sources, this script might be the parent of the Kadamba script. It is widely accepted that the modern Telugu and Kannada scripts evolved from the Kadamba script.

Ancient stupa and its surroundings

        It was a cool summer evening when I visited the stupa. Most of the stupa is damaged and the stone tablet or the relic caskets found during the excavations were nowhere to be seen. 

Bhattiprolu is located in the Bapatla district of Andhra Pradesh. The stupa is now maintained by the Archaeology Department and is well preserved. You can make a short visit to the stupa when exploring nearby places such as Chirala Beach, Hamsaladeevi Beach, or the Mopidevi Subrahmanyeswara Temple.

Google Maps link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Xsxyd8yLF8rnrwF57


Other Places to see in the region:

1. Chaturmukha Brahmalingeshwara Swami Temple, Chebrolu.
2. Cheerala Beach. 
3. Hamsaladeevi Beach
4. Mopidevi Subrahmanyeswara Temple.

   If you guys know Telugu and love to watch this place in a video format, watch it on my YouTube channel here and please do subscribe: 
https://youtu.be/YWiJ4I1eX2w?si=CIvUdjND6gyXwdKu

Wishing you a happy and wonderful trip!

See you guys in the next blog.