Menhirs, the Iron Age monuments, wallow in neglect

The details about life and culture will be reflected in the burial process of that civilization. In the history of many civilizations, some are influential, some are dominating and some are proven to be better than all others. The historians and archaeologists believe that civilization has flourished in today's Prakasam district, and they show the huge stone pillars in Kanigiri Mandal as proof that this particular civilization is from the Iron Age.

The historians found that there are more than 100 pillars erected in a 25 acres square area of land with varying heights and breadth at the ground level, at the north-east corner of the Nelatur Gollapalli village in the Kanigiri Mandal of Prakasam district. These pillars are standing still like tombstones for the dead but left with only a few of them to study. The noted historian from the district Vidvan Jyothi Chandramouli was awestruck when he found that these tombstones are installed thousands of years ago but are continuously subjected to the negligence of locals. He understood in the conversations with the locals that several similar rocks are removed from the earth and used for various constructions needs. He said that similar menhirs are also observed in Godlagattu and Ganga Donakonda in the district.

Emani Sivanagireddy, the noted historian in the state and CEO of the Pleach India Foundation visited the Nelatur Gollapalli along with a few others and found that these huge pillars are erected in the memory of the dead in the megalithic period. He said that the stone structures are called 'menhirs', and the places like these are called 'avenues' in archaeological parlance. He observed that the pebbles spread across the entire area are poured as heaps in front of the 'menhirs' indicating the place as an Iron Age burial ground. He said that the 'menhirs' vary in shape and size measuring 3 to 4 feet at the base and 6 to 10 feet in height above the ground and 4 to 5 feet deep buried in the ground and having a thickness of 9 to 18 inches.

As part of the 'Preserve Heritage for Posterity' program by the Pleach India Foundation, Dr Sivanagi Reddy along with Dr Jyothi Chandramouli conducted occasional sensitization programs for the local people on the archaeological significance of the Iron Age monuments. Sivanagi Reddy said that it is unfortunate that these archaeological remains which bear the significance of not only the Prakasam district but also the state of Andhra Pradesh, are misused by the local people for building material. He said that the locals revealed that profuse quantity of pot shreds including red-ware, black-ware, black and red-ware along with iron implements were seen at the time of earth diggings for the construction of irrigation canal and road, a long time ago. Dr Chandramouli and Dr Sivanagi Reddy appealed to the state and central governments to initiate action to declare the site as protected and safeguard the monuments for posterity before the priceless heritage is lost once for all.