During the structural restoration of a 13th-century Shiva temple in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, conservators discovered a hidden stone receptacle containing five copper-plate land grants. The plates, issued during the reign of the Yadava dynasty, detail the donation of several surrounding villages to the temple for its maintenance and the performance of daily rituals. These records provide an invaluable snapshot of the socio-economic structure of the Deccan during the medieval period.
The temple itself, a classic example of the Hemadpanti style, is undergoing a major overhaul to repair its dry-masonry roof. The discovery of the plates occurred while removing a loose stone slab near the base of the Nandi pavilion. Experts are now translating the Sanskrit and Old Marathi inscriptions on the plates, which mention several place names that are still in use today, offering a rare continuity of local history.