HYDERABAD: In a major discovery, a sculpture of Lord Buddha along with the remnants of Satavahana era bricks which were part of a Buddhist monastery were discovered in Bhainsa town by K Murali, a History lecturer at Government Degree College in Nirmal.
The sculpture was recovered from a minor irrigation tank behind Bouddha Vihar near Siddhardha Nagar in Bhainsa town. Ancient bricks discovered around this area measuring between four and 14 inches have revealed that Bhainsa was a spiritual centre for Buddhism even before the Satavahanas ruled this region in the 1st century CE.
This sculpture of Buddha’s, which is 10 inches tall and eight inches wide, has been found along with a red sandstone which was used to carve the sculpture. Buddha can be seen meditating, sitting in the ‘Dharma Chakra Parivarthana’ pose in the sculpture.
According to S Haragopal, convener, Kotha Telangana Charithra Brundam and Dr E Sivanagireddy, historian and archaeologist, the sculpture has many similarities with those unearthed in Nagarjunakonda and Phanigiri Buddhist sites in the past. They have estimated that the sculpture could have been dated around 3rd century CE.
Even in the past, a farmer named Son Ba, a resident of Bhainsa, had informed historians that there were many brick structures in his garden, which he had removed unknowingly in the past. This is a significant discovery, as it re-establishes the fact that Buddhism was practised in Bhainsa in the ancient times and that it used to be a spiritual centre for Buddhist monks.
Buddha seen in Dharma Chakra pose
This sculpture of Buddha’s, which is 10 inches tall and eight inches wide, shows the enlightened one in a mediational pose