GUNTUR: The members of Cultural Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravati (CCVA) found an ancient idol of Jain Tirthankara in shrubs near Basavalingam temple in Macherla of Guntur district.The CCVA members stumbled upon the idol when they visited Basavalingam temple as part of ‘Preserve Heritage for Posterity’ on Tuesday.
The idol is made of black granite stone. It is 5 feet in height and 3 feet in width. The CCVA members identified that the idol is of Suparshvanatha’s, the seventh Jain Tirthankara.The idol belongs to 11th Century AD and reflects the Kalyani Chalukya style of art and iconography.
Though people of Macherla mostly followed Saivism and Vaishnavism sects, Jainism too prevailed in the town during 10th to 12th century AD. The CCVA members requested the newly-elected MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy to take steps to shift the idol of the seventh Jain Tirthankara to Chennakesava Swamy temple and safeguard it.