ANANTAPUR: Three Vijayanagara-era temples were spotted in the agricultural fields near Mallela and Kondapuram villages in Gorantla Mandal of Sri Sathya Sai district.
In a statement issued on Sunday, historian MyNaa Swamy explained that Siva and Vishnu temples were spotted near Mallela village, 8 km from Gorantla. Another Vishnu temple was found in a completely dilapidated state in Kondapuram, 9 km from Gorantla.
Based on the architecture, MyNaa Swamy, said the three temples belong to the Vijayanagara period and added that a big hero stone was also unearthed from under a tree on the eastern side of Kondapuram.
An inscription on a hero stone by Vijayanagara emperor Sadasivaraya (1543 CE) in Kondapuram highlighted the donation of land to the Chennakesava temple at Penukonda. After analysing the inscription written in Kannada, the historian said, Nayankara activist Dalavai Krishnanappa Nayaka donated the village of Chernur in 1543 CE.