Telangana: Ancient pillars found in utter neglect at Moinabad

The two square pillars which were found by the archaeologists in a neglected condition were carved with Jain Tirthankara sculptures and inscriptions

Hyderabad: Archaeologists found two square pillars, which are carved with Jain Tirthankara sculptures and inscriptions, in a neglected condition at Enikepalli village of Moinabad mandal in Rangareddy district.

Based on the information shared by P Srinath Reddy, a young archaeologist and heritage activist, noted archeologist E Sivanagireddy inspected the spot. After the inspection, he said that the two pillars, including one granite and another black basalt, were carved with four Jain Tirthankaras, namely, Adinatha, Neminatha, Parshvanatha and Vardhamana Mahavira seated in meditation on the four sides and decorated with Keerthimukhas on the topside.

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The inscriptions were in Telugu-Kannada script on both the pillars. They could not be deciphered as they were fitted in the masonry walls of the sluice in the village tank. The visible part of an inscription refers to a Jain Basadi (monastery) located close to Chilkur, a prominent Jain Centre during the Rastrakuta and Vemulawada Chalukyan times ( 9th-10th centuries CE) and the details can be known only after the pillars were removed from the sluice and estampages on them, he said.

Sivanagireddy further opined that the Jain Tirthankara slabs might have been brought from a local dilapidated Jain temple and fitted to the sluice some 100 years ago. In view of the archaeological importance of the Jain sculptural pillars and inscriptions, he made an appeal to the villagers to protect them for posterity by removing from the sluice and installing on pedestals with proper labeling and historical details.