Hyderabad: Megalithic rock art site found in cave in Sircilla

HYDERABAD:  An ancient rock-art site from the Megalithic period was discovered by archaeology enthusiasts atop a hillock locally called ‘Burkagutta’ on the outskirts of Venkatapuram village of Yellareddipet Mandal in Rajanna-Sircilla district.

Alle Ramesh Rajanna, a member of Kotha Telangana Charithra Brundam has identified a cave which has been revered as an abode of Lord Narasimha by locals, where the rock art was found. There were overlapping images found on the walls of the cave, which included a lizard, and anthropomorphic figures, among others. There were geometric figures like circles, triangles, vertical and horizontal lines, a human figure with raised arms, and a drawing pattern denoting six limbs.

“There were also paintings of two dogs and some discoloured and unrecognisable images mostly whitewashed by the devotees of Narasimha Swamy, as they didn’t understand their archaeological significance,” S Haragopal, Convener, Kotha Telangana Charithra Brundam told Express. He also compared the paintings of lizard and anthropomorphic figures found on this site, with those found in Ontigundu in Khammam district in the past.

Rock art expert B Muralidhar Reddy has opined that the paintings could date back to the Megalithic era (1000 BC and 100 AD). Historians are requesting the State government to initiate the preservation of the temple through the Department of Heritage Telangana so that the rock art could be preserved as well.