HYDERABAD: Members of the Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam have discovered idols dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries CE at Patigadda in Sugur village of Pebbair.
Byroju Chandrasekhar, a member of the group, told TNIE, “One of the idols depicts a scholar in royal attire, sitting in Shiva Tantric yoga asana with a ‘Ghantamu’ (pen) in his right hand and a book in his left hand. Carved in the 10th and 11th centuries, this sculpture is a Panditagallu. Scholars have Panditagallu just like heroes have Veeragallu. This sculpture is different from the Panditagallu found in the past.”
Another rare sculpture from the 15th century, depicting a female devotee of Shaivism engaging in self-immolation, was also found. “This woman is sitting in Padmasana with Anjali Mudra. She has a crown of rudrakshas on her head, rudrakshas on her shoulders and sceptres on her forearms. The ears are cupped, and her loose hair falls on her shoulders. This half-naked woman wears a Shivalinga on her head. Earlier, the history team had identified similar female self-immolation sculptures in Kanchari Malyala village and the canopies of Siddipet district. However, Sugur’s sculpture of the female suicide is different from them,” he added.