Raghunathapalli (Jangaon): Eight cannon balls from the 17th century were unearthed near the Khilashapur Fort in Raghunathapalli on Thursday. Officials of the Revenue and Archaeology Departments are yet to take any action to preserve them, but workers who found them began offering prayers to Dhana Maisamma. Local villagers have turned up in large numbers to see the cannon balls.
“The workers believe that they have angered the goddess by disturbing her hidden treasure; and so they are performing prayers begging for her mercy,” said Dasthagiri, a local.
This historic fort has a security tower called the Buruju built of mud with stone fortification on all sides. The cannon balls were found near the north side of the fort, during cleaning work being done under the EGS.
Some workers who were digging through the uneven surfaces outside the fort wall, found the balls. The field assistant, Srinivas, said that he had informed higher officials about the discovery, and stopped work in the vicinity of the site
Locals think that the balls could be from the 17th century, when Sarvai Papanna was besieged; he was eventually executed in 1710. G. Ganga Devi, the Assistant Director of the State Archaeology Department, said that according to the Treasure Trove Act, local revenue officials would have to preserve the cannon balls at a police station initially.
“The Archaeology Department will take possession of the balls after receiving a report from the Tahsildhar,” she said. Historians say that such cannon balls are not to be found in the museums at Warangal, Karimnagar or Hyderabad, and so they need to be preserved.
