Rare Dhanvantari sculpture found in Mahabubabad
MAHABUBABAD: A rare sculpture of Dhanvantari in the post-Kakatiya style has been identified on the banks of Pakala Vagu in Gudur, the mandal headquarters of Mahabubabad district. The discovery was made by Telangana Heritage Department official Mallu Nayak.
Statue features identified
The two-armed statue stands on a lotus pedestal in a balanced posture. It holds a water vessel in the right hand and a conch in the left. The figure is adorned with a necklace, garlands, bracelets, and anklets, and wears a loincloth.
Accompanying the figure are Chakra Purusha, the personification of the discus, and Gada Devi, the personification of the mace. Based on these iconographic features, the sculpture has been identified as Dhanvantari. Unlike typical representations, which are heavily ornamented, this sculpture is relatively simple.
Belongs to post-Kakatiya period
The statue is free-standing without external support. Scholars have concluded that its stylistic elements place it in the post-Kakatiya period. Suparna Mahi (T Mahesh, Addanki) assisted in the identification of its iconography.
Call for preservation
The Kotha Telanganacharitrabrundam has urged the Telangana Heritage Department to move the sculpture from the Pakala Vagu riverbank to the Warangal Archaeological Museum for protection and preservation.
The sculpture description was provided by Sriramoju Haragopal, convener of the Kotha Telanganacharitrabrundam.
Photography: Mallu Nayak, Telangana Heritage Department, Hyderabad.
