Why in news
Telangana’s tallest stone sculpture of Jain Tirthankara Vardhman Mahavira is located in Nangunuru village, Siddipet district, but it is under threat due to quarrying activity.
Archaeologist inspected the sculpture after receiving information from local historians, and discovered another small Mahavira sculpture at the foot of the hillock.
Details of the sculpture
The sculpture, 9 feet high and 3.5 feet wide, depicts Mahavira in a Kayotsarga posture and is partially buried in the ground up to the knee level.
The sculpture represents the Digambara sect of Jainism and is believed to date back to the 9th Century CE during the Rashtrakuta period.
The presence of brick bats and potsherds near the sculpture suggests a Jain monastery (basadi) once existed in the area.
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