Telugu Chola sculpture found in neglected condition in Nalgonda

Nalgonda: A mutilated black basalt stone sculpture of Nandi was found lying in the bushes on the outskirts of Ghattuppal in Nalgonda. Based on the information given by Puranamatham Vidyasagar and Avvari Srinivas of Markandeswara temple committee, noted archaeologist E Sivanagi Reddy visited the spot and noticed that the sculpture in two pieces -body and head – were in broken condition.

According to him the five feet long, 2.6 ft wide and three feet height Nandi sculpture was dislocated from the ruins of a Siva temple situated close to Vinayaka Bavi ( Vinayaka well) belonging to the Kanduru Cholas era, who ruled from Pangal near Nalgonda in 12 the century CE and decorated with jewelry and ornamental ropes .

The archaeologist sensitised the Committee members of Markandeswara temple on the historical significance of the sculpture and appealed them to preserve it for posterity. He also suggested them to shift it to the local temple and erect it on a pedastal with proper labeling.