Digitization and Recognition of Kannada Inscription Dynasty

Abstract

Indian inscriptions are incredibly diverse in content. They range from royal edicts announcing new laws or victories, to grants of land or money to temples and scholars, to records of trade guilds, merchant routes, tax regulations, and treaties. Many inscriptions are poetic in nature, composed in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu, and they often blend political history with literary beauty. They not only inform us about the rulers but also about the lives of ordinary people — farmers, artisans, merchants, priests, and poets — who together created the cultural fabric of India. Equally important is the role inscriptions played in tracing the evolution of languages and scripts. From Brahmi and Kharoshthi in early centuries to Nagari, Grantha, and Kannada in later times, inscriptions show how written communication changed with society. Without them, much of India’s linguistic history would remain obscure. However, these invaluable records face challenges of erosion, vandalism, neglect, and environmental damage. Palm-leaf manuscripts decay in humid climates, paper becomes fragile with time, and even the hardest stone carvings wear away under centuries of exposure to natural elements. Therefore, preservation and digital documentation are urgent needs of the present era. The goal of this research is to identify the era of ancient Kannada language inscription using machine learning techniques. The Dynasty Prediction system is designed to provide end-to-end functionality, including real-time prediction, model deployment, and dataset handling.