Rare 11th-Century Ganesha Idol Discovered
Karimnagar: An important archaeological find came to light here; A rare 11th-century stone idol of Lord Ganesh here was recently discovered by Dr. It was detected by Samaleti Mahesh during inspection of ancient statues found near a temple currently under renovation in Vallampatla village of Maddur mandal of Siddipet district.
The centerpiece of the find is a huge ‘Chaturbhuja’ (four-armed) statue of Ganesha, 1.80 meters tall. This impressive stone carving depicts the deity in Lalitasana (a relaxed royal pose). The intricate workmanship shows Ganesha holding a parasu (battle axe) and a flower in his upper hand, while holding a broken tooth and a modak (sweet) in his lower hands. Its body is gracefully turned to the left, a traditional feature in this type of carving.
Further examination of the statue revealed unique ornamental details that helped date the piece. The idol attributes include a Nagabandham (snake belt) around the navel and a Jandhyam (sacred thread) visible on the shoulder. His vehicle, the mouse, is clearly depicted at the base of the one and a half meter structure. Based on these decorative styles and the particular form of stonework, experts determined that the idol dates back to the Chalukya period, around 1,000 years ago. Historians believe that this discovery is extremely important for understanding the religious landscape of ancient Telangana.
Dr. According to Mahesh, the existence of such a rare and majestic statue of Ganesha shows that Kalamukha Shaivism and Ganapatya traditions were once very prominent in this region. He added that the find highlights Vallampatla as an area of historical importance reflecting the rich cultural and architectural heritage of the 11th century.
