JOIN USRelics dug up near H'bad point to Vedic faith links
Archaeologists have uncovered a huge brick structure and a massive-sized urn at Kondapur, 25 km west of Hyderabad, which they claim indicate conclusively the existence of a prosperous brahmanic culture, more particularly of the Vedic period.
The year-long excavations by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) spread over 81 acres in this satellite town abutting the hi-tech city and the IT corridor have thrown up interesting features. They comprise some brick structures in the western extreme of the main mound, which yielded authentic evidence of a non-Buddhist sect.
It is a vast complex having a circular shrine facing south with one entrance and surrounded by rectangular chambers and fire altars – three metres in depth having 37 courses of burnt bricks of different shapes -- triangular and damaru-shaped -- behind the chambers.
G Maheswari, ASI superintending archaeologist, who led a team of 15 members including three students from JNU and Central University of Hyderabad, said “the finding represents the existence of a brahmanic culture. The fire altars yielded significant evidence of fire activities in them along with full pots - five in number (may be kalasa) with stamped impressions of a trident, purnakalasa,” she said.
The temple complex yielded plenty of animal bone fragments, perhaps indicating sacrificial rituals and pottery articles such as bowls, sprinklers, spouted vessels and iron implements like spearheads and knives.
“In the same complex in the vicinity of the circular structure, Lajja Gouri (Goddess of fertility) and a few cult objects made of iron were found,” Maheswari said.
The excavations indicate that Kondapur was not just a Buddhist site, but pointed to a religion with evidence of the performance of Vedic rites. “Till date we have recorded 2,000 relics including pottery, iron objects and also other antiquities,” the archaelogist said.
The Kondapur excavations will be closed by the end of May.