Threat looms over Telangana’s tallest Jain idol due to quarrying

Hyderabad: Telangana’s tallest Vardhaman Mahavir Jain Tirthankar stone sculpture is under threat of quarrying activity at Nangunuru village and mandal in Siddipet district.

Senior Archaeologist E Sivanagireddy said that based on the information given by Sriramoju Haragopal, Convenor and Ahobilam Karunakar, Member of Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam, Dr Reddy inspected the Jain sculpture erected on a low lying hillock located towards the south side of the village on Wednesday and noticed quarrying activity all-around the 9.0 ft high and 3.5 ft wide Mahavira granite sculpture standing in stiff (Kayotsarga) posture that too sunken into the ground upto the knee level.

Nagi Reddy said that the sculpture representing the Digambara sect of Jainism without any clothes on the body which bears an ushnisha (cranial protrubance) on the head was a unique feature of Tirthankara iconography and dated to 9th century CE (Rastrakuta period). He also noticed another small sculpture of Mahavira carved on a slab at the foot of the hillock left uncared in the bushes and one more Jaina sculpture in the premises of local Anjaneya temple, which reveals that Nangunuru village was a prominent Jain centre during the Rastrakuta rule. Presence of brickbats and potsherds nearby the gigantic Mahavira sculpture attests the fact that there was a Jain basadi (monastery).

Reddy sensitised the villagers on the historical significance of the Jain sculpture and appealed to preserve it for posterity by saving it from quarrying activity. Old Temple Renovation Trust Chairman RK Jain, Ahobilam Karunakar, Pawan and B Sudhakar Singh also participated in the programme.