Ancient cave, Veeragallu sculpture found on hillock in Vikarabad

The discoveries were made by workers engaged by a private company that was carrying out mining on Somnathanuni Gutta on the outskirts of Velchal, which is surrounded by dozens of hillocks.

Vikarabad: In a rare discovery, the sculpture of a hunting Veeragallu, suspected to be from the 10th-11th Century AD was found at a mining site at Velchal village of Mominpet Mandal recently. Apart from the rare sculpture, a small cave on the top of the hillock, suspected to have been carved out between the 1st and 5th Century AD, was also discovered.

The discoveries were made by workers engaged by a private company that was carrying out mining on Somnathanuni Gutta on the outskirts of Velchal, which is surrounded by dozens of hillocks.

The labourers found the Veeragallu scultpure, which has a bow in the left hand and a boomerang in the right. A penknife was found around the waist. While a sculpture of a goddess was carved into the left side of the Veeragallu, there are smaller carvings of his women assistants. Two hunting dogs were carved below the goddess sculpture. Initially, the mining labourers and villagers thought the sculpture was of Lord Rama, but Archaeology experts identified it as a hunting Veeragallu.

Speaking to Telangana Today, a villager Golla Venkatesham said the hillock, located close to a tank, was called Somnathu Gutta by the villagers. He said that there used to be a scultpure of a beheaded god until a few years ago, but it had disappeared now after mining became quite rampant in the area.

The cave, which looks like a place for offering prayers to local gods, has no sculptures.

Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam (KTCB) founder Sriramoju Haragopal said it could have been carved out some 1,500 to 2,000 years ago. People might have also used it as a habitation initially and later converted it into a praying place. However, these facts could be confirmed after personal visits to the site, he said.

The locals have appealed to experts from the Department of Archaeology and Museums to visit the spot and to protect the area by preventing further mining activities.