Quarrying operations in Nangunuru village and Mandal in Siddipet district pose a danger to Telangana’s tallest Vardhaman Mahavir Jain Tirthankar stone sculpture.

Based on the information provided by Sriramoju Haragopal, Convenor, and Ahobilam Karunakar, Member of Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam, Senior Archaeologist E Sivanagireddy said that during his Wednesday inspection of the Jain sculpture situated on a low-lying hillock near the village’s south side, he observed quarrying activity surrounding the 9.0-foot-tall by 3.5-foot-wide Mahavira granite sculpture, which was sunken into the ground up to knee level.

According to Nagi Reddy, the sculpture, which dates to the 9th century CE (Rastrakuta dynasty), depicts the Digambara sect of Jainism without any clothing on the body and has an ushnisha (cranial protrubance) on the head. It is a distinctive aspect of Tirthankara iconography. He also saw another Jaina sculpture on the grounds of the nearby Anjaneya temple and another minor sculpture of Mahavira etched on a slab at the base of the mound that had been abandoned in the bushes. These findings indicate that Nangunuru hamlet was a major Jain hub during Rastrakuta control. The existence of a Jain basadi (monastery) is confirmed by the brickbats and potsherds found next to the enormous Mahavira sculpture.

Reddy made the locals aware of the Jain sculpture’s historical importance and urged them to protect it from quarrying so that it may be preserved for future generations. Pawan, B Sudhakar Singh, Ahobilam Karunakar, and RK Jain, Chairman of the Old Temple Renovation Trust, also took part in the event.