Traces of Early Stone Age at Ramagiri Fort

Karimnagar: Traces of the Early Stone Age, including a stone structure resembling a stadium, have been found in the historic Ramagiri Fort in Karimnagar district, noted historian Divyanapalli Satyanarayana has claimed. The stadium of 40 metres high and 50 metres in diameter had only one entrance.

He says rain water used to enter the stadium from only one side which was identified as ‘Pandava Lanka’. The stadium was built in such a way that a person entering it could not see those on the top but those sitting on the top portion could view the person. Satyanarayana claimed that the Fort existed during the reign of the Pandavas, quoting local residents. Drawings, paintings and giant caves in the Fort showed that people had built houses and lived there. People also resided in natural caves which existed around the stadium.

These people while relaxing drew images giving shape to their imagination. However, 90 per cent of these drawings were damaged. The remaining 10 per cent threw light on the people’s style of living.

He said the Pandava Lanka area reflected the red and white drawings drawn by the residents. A Siva temple and an idol of Lord Hanuman adjacent to the temple have also been shown in the drawings. He claimed that local residents had wiped out the early stone drawings and replaced them with those of the Pandavas, Droupadi, Lord Krishna, Garuthmanthudu, Narada and Lord Ganesh.

These residents, according to Satyanarayana, while drawing these portraits threw below a high hillock, which still carried the red colour.

The hillock was proof that the caves and drawings belonged to the Early Stone Age.

He asserts that well-known archaeologist V V Krishna Sastri had confirmed that the red and white drawings belonged to the Early Stone Age. The historian has appealed to the State Tourism and Archaeology departments to preserve these Early Stone Age items for the benefit of future generations.