Rare Jain Tirthankara foot sculpture unearthed in Telangana’s Kolanupaka

Hyderabad: The Someshwara Temple, an ancient shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva at Kolanupaka in Yadadri Bhongir district, will now be housing rare inscriptions and sculptures including a recently unearthed right foot sculpture of a Jain Tirthankara. The temple complex is all set to be restored soon under the supervision of Dr. E Siva Nagi Reddy-Sthapathi, […]

Hyderabad: The Someshwara Temple, an ancient shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva at Kolanupaka in Yadadri Bhongir district, will now be housing rare inscriptions and sculptures including a recently unearthed right foot sculpture of a Jain Tirthankara.

The temple complex is all set to be restored soon under the supervision of Dr. E Siva Nagi Reddy-Sthapathi, an archaeologist and chief executive officer of Pleach India Foundation. According to the archaeologist, the statues of deities, rare hero stones, inscriptions, and a right foot sculpture found to be of a Jain Tirthankara would be put in their proper places.

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“So far, only a few feet sculptures of Jain Tirthankaras have been unearthed in the State. Two big pairs were earlier found at Gollatha Temple in Mahabubnagar district. Three were unearthed at Bhainsa town in the Nirmal district. A similar one can be seen at Kandhar in Maharashtra,” said Sriramoju Haragopal, convener of Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam.

Haragopal and other members including Kumaraswamy, Vijayakumar, and Somireddy unearthed the foot sculpture at Kolanupaka while Siva Nagi Reddy confirmed it as one of a Jain Tirthankara.
“The foot found at Kolanupaka is a very rare one. Nupuram and decorations on toes can be seen. The left foot sculpture is yet to be found,” Haragopal added.

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