Ancient Jain sculptures unearthed in Bejagam village of Siddipet

Two ancient sculptures of Jain Tirthankara Mahavira, dating back to the 8th–11th centuries, were discovered in Bejagam village, Siddipet. Historian Kolipaka Srinivas and KTCB have urged villagers to help preserve these rare relics of Telangana's Jain heritage.

Siddipet: Historian Kolipaka Srinivas from the Kotha Telanganacharitra Brundam (KTCB) has identified two sculptures of Vardhamana Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankara, belonging to different periods, in Bejagam village of Gajwel mandal in Siddipet district.

The first sculpture, located in Raya Cheruvu, depicts Mahavira with an ushnisha (a crown-like feature) on his head. Carved from black corite stone, the sculpture, which has a serene face, dates back to the 8th–9th centuries. The second sculpture, which was found broken and discarded near the Hanuman temple in the village, has a round face with a smaller ushnisha and was carved in a style from the 10th–11th centuries.

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Earlier, an inscription dated 1072 CE, from the reign of Kalyani Chalukya ruler Bhuvanaikamalla Deva, was found, documenting a donation to the deity of Bejagam by Pampa Permanadigal. Another fragment of an inscription from the same period exists, suggesting that the ‘Bejagam deity’ referred to could be a Jain Tirthankara.

Members of the KTCB urged villagers to relocate the sculpture from the lake to its embankment to preserve the idol and protect their village’s history.

Additionally, Bejagam has Nandi idols, a Shivalinga, and sculptures of Ganesha, Bhairava, Naga stones, and hero stones associated with a Shiva temple. The name ‘Bejagam’ is believed to have originated from Vaijnath, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.