VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh State Department of Archaeology and Museums has identified many types of megalithic burials, including stone circles, cairns, dolmen, menhir dolmenoids, anthropomorphic, cist burials etc., mostly in Madanapalli, Punganur, Vayalpadu, S Kota, Kuppam, Pileru, Palamaner mandals of Chittoor district, said Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy.
Kishan Reddy gave the reply to a question raised by YSRC MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy in the Rajya Sabha recently.
Prabhakar Reddy sought to know whether the Centre is aware of the anthropomorphic burial sites marked by representation of human form above the megalithic burials in Mallayyagaripalle between Chandragiri and Dornakambala near Tirupati and the efforts made by the Centre to protect their heritage.
The MP also sought to know the steps taken by the Centre to protect endangered megalithic monument in Palem village near Kallur, which is locally called Devarayeddu.
Kishan Reddy said the the megalithic burials in Mallayyagaripalle between Chandragiri and Dornakambala and in Palem are not the Centrally Protected Monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India.
However, the said sites are under the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Andhra Pradesh, he said.
He added that different types of megalithic burials at Palem, locally known as Devarayeddu, are being worshipped by the people.