Rare sculpture of Mahishasura Mardini surfaces in Siddipet district

Hyderabad: The members of Kotha Telangana Charitra Brindam (KTCB), a group of amateur archaeologists, recently made an extraordinary discovery in the village of Arepally, located in the Siddipet district of Telangana. Their remarkable find was a 1300 years old rare sculpture of Mahishasura Mardini, a significant deity in Hindu mythology. The statue of the Goddess was kept inside a local Venkateshwara temple.

According to the information provided by its members Ahobilam Karunakar, Vemuganti Murali, and Mohammad Naseeruddin, a group comprising A. Prabhakar, Dr. E. Sivanagireddy, S. Jaikishan, Sriramoju Haragopal, and Md. Naseeruddin visited Arepalli village on June 30, 2023 to examine the rare find, the sculpture of Mahishasura Mardini.

Speaking to The Hans India, Sriramoju Haragopal, Convenor KTCB, said, “The stone sculpture that was discovered measures 18x10x2 cm in height, width, and thickness. It was found inside the local Venkateshwara temple along with a tiny image of Alwar (18th century) and is considered a rare find. The sculpture represents the Goddess Mahishasura Mardini and portrays her with four hands. While the right hand on the back is holding a chakra, the left back hand has a conch.

The front left hand of the Goddess grasps the tail of Mahishasura, the demon, indicating her firm control over him and the imminent victory of good over evil. With her front right hand, she wields a spear, piercing the body of the demon, signifying her role as the protector and destroyer of evil forces.”

When asked about the period to which the sculpture belongs, Haragopal in the group, suggested that it was likely from the early Chalukyan period, specifically the 7th century. The absence of elaborate headgear and minimal ornaments on the Goddess’s body are key factors indicating the possible time period. During the early Chalukyan period, artistic representations often showcased a more simplistic and less ornate style compared to later periods.

It is the first known sculpture of Mahishasura Mardini from the Badami Chalukyan era reported in Telangana thus far. It is significant as it is a unique and previously undocumented representation of the deity within the region. Pulakesi I and his descendants are referred to as Chalukyas of Badami who ruled over an empire that comprised the entire States of Karnataka, Telangana and most of Andhra Pradesh in the Deccan.

Two sculptures depicting Mahishasuramardhini, one from the 5th century and another from the same period, were unearthed in separate locations. The first sculpture was discovered during the Keesaragutta Excavations, while the second one was recently found at Panagal by Dr. E. Sivanagireddy and D. Suryakumar. Additionally, the team examined a Jain Chaumukh dating back to the 9th century CE. This remarkable sculpture, coated with vibrant colors, was positioned in front of the Venkateshwara temple.