VIJAYAWADA: A rare sculpture of Ganesha in fighting posture was found at the famous Chennakesava temple in Macherla of Palnadu district, said E Sivanagi Reddy, archaeologist and CEO, Pleach India Foundation.
As part of the awareness programme ‘Preserve Heritage for Posterity’, Reddy conducted a thorough survey in and around Macherla on Sunday and examined an unusual Ganesha sculpture carved on the central part of the Ranga Mandapa pillar.
He revealed that the panel was delineated with the narrative of Durasada Vadha (killing of Durasada, a demon) in which Ganesha killed the demon after a tough fight as mentioned in Ganesha Purana. Unlike the images of Ganesha generally seen seated in Lalitasana, this image holding Parasu (battle axe) and Ankusa (goad) in two hands and fighting the demon with another two hands is standing in Alidhasana, only one-of-its-kind posture.
The archaeologist also said that two more similar and contemporary sculptures of Ganesha engaged in killing the demon Durasada were found at Pachchala Someswara temple in Pangal of Nalgonda district and Rama temple at Sattenapalli in Palnadu district, which belong to the 12th century AD.
Sivanagi Reddy added that Mandali Buddha Prasad, former Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, also visited the rare Ganesha sculpture in Chennakesava temple and felt the need to give enough publicity to the narrative sculpture that holds a lot of archaeological and historical significance.
Sivanagi appealed to the temple authorities to arrange a signboard inside the temple complex with iconographic and historical details. Pandit Bejjanki Jagannadhacharyulu, historian Pavuluri Satishbabu and sculptor Chennupati Srinivasachary from Durgi participated in the programme.