KARIMNAGAR: The Bommalamma Gutta hill shrine, built during the reign of Vemulawada Chalukya King Arikesari II, has once again made headlines after a historian found several tools belonging to the new stone age (Neolithic) era from the hill shrine area a few days back. The new stone age tools were reportedly excavated by one Reddy Ratnkar, a researcher and historian, who visited hill shrine area at Kurikyal village under Ramadugu mandal in the district.
According to the historian, during a visit to the hill shrine, he found some ancient tools and after further inspections he understood that they were used by people during the Neolithic and Mesolithic eras. Speaking to Express, Reddy Ratnkar said that he has found several tools like stone axe, colour stones and clay tools from the area. After studying the collected materials, Ratnakar opined that people belonging to Neolithic and Mesolithic eras must have made shelter on the hill shrines even before the area became the Vemulawada Chalukya kingdom.
He also noted that the Bommalamma Gutta hill shrine has hundreds of stories accompanied with its history. The first Telugu-Kannada poem was found by historians from the hill shrine and is said to have been penned during AD 946. The stanzas of the poem were in Telugu, Kannada and Sanskrit languages. Apart from this, a sculpture of Jain goddess Chakreshwari Devi, about 14-feet high, was also found from the area by excavators. The hill shrine became famous because of its connection with Kannada’s Adi Kavi (poet) Pampa. The Telugu-Kannada poem that was found from the hill shrine was taken into consideration when Telugu language got ancient status.
However, due to lack of proper care and protection, the foot prints of Chakreshwari Devi got razed a few years back.
Historians have been requesting the development of the hillock as a tourism destination since then, so that the ancient aspects of the area get preserved. However, the authorities have not taken any bid in this regard and there is no proper approach road to the hillock even now.