Rare Vishwakarma statue found in Nizamabad dist

Nizamabad: A rare figurine of Viswakarma was found in Nizamabad district. Boggula Sankara Reddy, an executive member of Public Research Institute of History (PRIHA), and an avid field researcher, found out this figurine in November first week under a tree in the surroundings of Shiva temple in Kurnapalli village of Edapalli mandal.

PRIHA Vice-President Dr Damaraju Surya Kumar said that it is a rare finding of Vishwakarma statue. Viswa Brahmins worship Viswakarma as their God. Dr Surya Kumar opined that the shape and design of the statue reveals that it belonged to Chalukya- Kakatiyas period.

The singularity of the statue is the presence of Mammayi Goddess beside Viswakarma. Though Mammayi Goddess temples exist in Peddapalli and Ibrahimpatnam in Telangana, it is for the first time that a statue with both of them was found. The Goddess carrying an ingot ball in her hand is a telling symbol of the artisans' profession. Giving more confirmation to the finding, Viswakarma's legendary vahana (vehicle)- exquisitely sculpted swan- 2 inch in length and 2 inch breadth- too was found near the village tank in Kurnapalli.

Viswakarma was a doyen of metallurgy and sculpture in ancient India. PRIHA president Perambadur Jaikishan said that such a rare finding of Vishwakarma statue is not surprising because Telangana was a bastion of metallurgy and iron and wootz steel thrived since ages. There would be more such amazing findings if field surveys are conducted intensively and extensively in Nizamabad district, he added.

Dr Hidola, who found out a Vishwakarma statue for the first time in Mupparam village of Warangal district, urged the government to preserve and care for this rare statue and to record the finding by the Heritage department.

Village sarpanch Sarita Ravinder Goud, VRO Ashok, VRA Sravan Kumar, village temple committee chairman Surender Reddy helped in finding the rare statue.