A copperplate preserved in the Mallikarjuna Swamy temple at Srisailam mentions Halley’s Comet

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) – The first Indian reference to Halley’s Comet has been found in a copperplate inscription from the Vijayanagara Empire. The inscription is dated 1456 and is preserved in the Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple at Srisailam. It mentions a land grant by Vijayanagara king Mallikarjuna. The description of the comet in this inscription matches exactly that of Halley’s Comet. Halley’s Comet appears every 76 years. It was seen in India in the year 1986. This inscription is the first known evidence of a comet in India.

The inscription is in Sanskrit and written in Nagari script. The inscription mentions a comet and a subsequent meteor shower, which coincides with the events of 28 June 1456 (1378 CE). This inscription is part of a collection of 21 unpublished copperplates from the Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple at Srisailam.