12th century Ganesha idol under threat at Nagarkurnool’s Lingala

A 12th-century black granite Ganesha idol, known as the Kanduru Chola Ganesha, lies endangered near Lingala in Nagarkurnool. Archaeologist E Sivanagireddy, citing a 1167 CE inscription, confirmed its historical value and urged immediate preservation efforts.

Nagarkurnool: A beautiful black granite Ganesha sculpture belonging to the 12th century CE is under serious threat at Lingala in the district. It is popularly known as Kanduru Chola Ganesha idol.

Based on the information shared by Mahesh, an ex-MPTC, noted Archaeologist E Sivanagireddy visited the site where a Trikuta (triple shrine) temple is in ruins. It is just one km away from Lingala and the sculpture is almost covered by the trunk of a huge tree.

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The archaeologist noticed a broken piece of an inscription dated to 30 April, 1167 CE issued by Tondaya son of Gokarna-II of the Kanduru Chola lineage. It records construction of a Trikuta temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Siva and Surya and also the donation of the village Lingala to a temple at Somasila located on the left bank of the River Krishna, he said.

Based on the inscription and the iconographical features, the Ganesa idol dates back to the 12th century. In view of the historical significance of the Ganesha sculpture, he appealed to the public to rescue it from getting damaged and save it for posterity. A broken image of Bhadrakali also lies nearby and cries for attention, he added.