| Gajah Mada inscription | |
| Material: | Stone |
| Created: | 14th century |
| Discovered: | Singosari, Malang, East Java, Indonesia |
| Location: | National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta |
| Registration: | D 111 |
Gajah Mada inscription also known as Singhasari inscription, is an inscription written in old Javanese script, dated to 1273 Saka which corresponds to 1351 CE. This was in the period of the empire of Majapahit. The inscription was discovered in the Singosari district, Malang Regency, East Java. The inscription is now preserved in the National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta under inventory number D 111.[1] [2] The inscription was carved on a smooth surface, and the letters are clearly legible.[1]
This inscription is called the Gajah Mada inscription because it mentions Mpu Mada, the famed mahapatih (prime minister) of the 14th century Majapahit kingdom. The inscription states that the mahapatih himself commissioned this inscription — a political authority typically reserved only for monarchs. This indicates the importance of Gajah Mada's position within the kingdom, that he even had the right to issue his own inscriptions.[1]
This inscription was written to commemorate the 1351 restoration of a funerary caitya temple dedicated to King Kertanegara of Singhasari who died in 1214 Saka or 1292 CE, carried out by Mahapatih Gajah Mada.[3] The first half of this inscription provides a very detailed date, including the astronomical position of the celestial bodies. The second half explains the purpose of this inscription, which is the construction of a caitya for the priests and Gajah Mada's predecessor, who perished when Kertanegara was killed by the king of Kediri. The temple mentioned in this inscription is most probably one of the buildings within the syncretic Shivaist-Buddhist Singhasari temple complex, the main building of which commemorates Kertanagara. This inscription was discovered near this temple.[3]
Translation by Jessy Blom (adepted from a Dutch translation by Brandes):