Anantapur: Hidden treasure hunters damage math in Rolla mandal

Anantapur: Hunters of ‘hidden treasure’ have tried to damage the historic math in Girinayanakanapalli abutting Ratnagiri area in Rolla mandal of Satya Sai district.

Historian Paramesh from Rathnagiri recently noticed that the treasure hunters dug the land in several parts of Gavi Mutt in Ratnagiri area, familiar with historic notes of several dynasties and which had given shelter to poets of Vijayanagar dynasty after the Talikota war.

As per belief, there was shifting of valuable diamonds and gold from Hampi towards Penukonda and Rathnagiri soon after the attack by Muslim rulers on Hampi, the Vijayanagar capital. The treasure hunters are targeting monuments with improper and fake documents and are destroying the structures including temples at hill top areas and in historic sites in Rayalaseema region.

“Even after five centuries, the tradition of destroying the historic sites and temples by the treasure hunters is continuing. The monuments are a part of the culture and history but are being damaged by these gangs,” Paramesh lamented and stressed the need for the governments to protect the historic monuments from these men.

The hunters dug at historic Gavi Mutt in Ratnagiri premises but left the place empty-handed.

Notably, a self-styled baba from Peunkonda had reportedly tried to dig out hidden treasures from the summer capital of Vijayanagar Penukonda in Satya Sai district. The baba died of health issues at an early age while his ashram was left abandoned thereafter. Most of this portion was of the central archaeological department.