Buddhist pillars with Prakrit inscriptions found in Nageswara temple premises
VIJAYAWADA: Five Buddhist pillars with Prakrit inscriptions were found in the premises of the Sri Durga Nageswara temple at Pedakallepalli, a temple town on the banks of the Krishna at Avanigadda mandal in Krishna district on Saturday. The artefacts were found during a survey conducted by Dr E. Sivanagi Reddy, archaeologist and CEO of The Cultural Centre of Vijayawada, and R. Mallikarjuna Rao, Amaravati Dhyana Buddha sculptor, on Saturday.
The Buddhist pillars carved with half medallion motifs and Prakrit inscriptions were spotted in the circumambulatory path, beams of the pavilion and Nandi sthambha of the 12th century Shaivaite temple. The pillars carved out of Palnadu limestone belong to a Buddhist arama (monastery) and were datable to the first century AD and the Satavahana era, Dr Reddy said.
The temple, originally built in the 12th century AD, was renovated by local chieftains Yarlagadda Ramanna and Nageswara Naidu in 1782 and 1796, according to inscriptions at the temple. It is thought that the Buddhist pillars were appropriated and used as beams of the mahamandapa and the Nandi pillar at that time.
There are 10 inscriptions dated to 1186, 1236, 1281, 1292, 1782 and 1796 AD which register the construction of the temple and gifts and grants made by the Velanati chiefs of that period, Prataparudra, the last ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty, and the Yarlagadda chiefs of the Challapalli zamindari. Another Palnadu limestone pillar with three Prakrit inscriptions in the Brahmi script, locally known as the Truth Pillar, lying on the south side of the temple, was used as a support to a Naga sculpture.
Dr Reddy sensitised the priests, temple staff and local youth on the possibilities of preserving the pillars. A special campaign on cleaning the pillars and inscription slabs at many temples involving local communities and temple authorities will be initiated for which the Cultural Centre would offer technical support.
