Staff, students discover rare sculpture of bullock cart

The release informed that there are various references regarding several naval expeditions sent by the rulers of Egypt to the distant and mysterious land of Punt.
This reference of Punt is identified as Punnata by some scholars. Ptolemy called it Pounnata.

According to an inscription of 300 AD, it is said to be adorned by rivers Kaveri and Kapini.
Punnata rulers were having matrimonial relations with Kadambas and Gangas. All these evidences indicate the antiquity of Punnata.  

Keerthipura or present day Kittur was the capital city of Punnata. But major portion of Kittur submerged in the Kabini back water. Ravirameshwara temple of Kittur is the only monument existing today there. The temple is supposed to be built during the time of Punnata ruler Ravidatta, so that, it was called as Ravirameshwara.

The rare sculpture of the bullock cart was found on the left side of the road which leads to the temple, the release stated.
The twin bull bullock cart is made out of granite and is about 2 feet in height.

“We have seen bullock carts and chariots from Shatavahana period but as panel figures.
The discovered one is an independent sculpture that displayed the person who rides the cart with “chavati” or a whip in his right hand and holds controlling reins of bulls in his left hand. Simple wheels of the cart displayed on both sides and having arch shaped covering. Even today similar carts are widely used in weddings and festivals at the villages,” he said.

Rare sculpture

Prof. Murugeshi and Karnataka Ithihasa Academy Vice President Dr B Rajashekharappa were of the opinion that the sculpture dates back to the 10th century.
However, Dr A Sundara, the former head of the department of Ancient Indian History and Epigraphy (Dharwad University) opines that the discovered sculpture was a rare kind of memorial figure and dates back to the Vijayanagara period.

Though there are differences in dating the sculpture, all the scholars unanimously accepted that it was a rare sculpture.

Lecturers at the Government First Grade College (H D Kote) Prof Ushadevi, Savitha,
Shekar and students of history of the same college are mainly responsible for this notable discovery, the release added.