13th Century AD Marakamma idol identified in Siddipet village

KTCB member Kolipaka Sriniva claimed to have identified a rare sculpture of Marakamma, a mother goddess, at Velkatur village in Siddipet.

Siddipet: The Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam (KTCB) member Kolipaka Srinivas has claimed to have identified a rare sculpture of Marakamma, a mother goddess, at Velkatur village in Siddipet Urban Mandal recently. The 13th century idol was having a three line Telugu inscription on the sculpture’s pedestal which reads that the Marakamma idol was installed on June 14, 1225 by the villagers.

According to KTCB Convenor Sriramoju Haragopal, the inscription could have been written in 13th Century Telugu. The nearly 800-year-old sculpture had remained buried for years on the outskirts of Velkatur. The villagers unearthed the sculpture recently. Recognising it as goddess Bulalkshmi idol, the villagers were preparing to build a temple at the same location. However, the visit of young member of KTCB Kolipaka Srinivas helped to identify the sculpture as of Marakamma.

---

The four-armed deity holds drum and trident in her para (back) hands and sword and blood vessels in her real (front) hands. On the head of the deity is a ‘karandamakutam’. The earrings are large. There are necklaces around the neck and serpent ornaments on her arms. Below the two joined knees are the heads of two demons. Varaha is carved as the vehicle of the deity. Haragopal said the deity is Marakamma in the form of Chamundi but not Bhulakshmi.