In a major discovery in Telangana, archaeologists excavated a rare life-size stucco Buddhist sculpture in Phanigiri, Suryapet district. About 1.73 m in height and 35 cm in width, the figurine represents one of the Bodhisattvas belonging to the Jathaka Chakra. According to government officials, the sculpture is also one of the largest Buddhist stucco sculptures unearthed in India till date.
Sharing the news on Twitter, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Archaeology, V Srinivas Goud, wrote that “the stucco figure is a masterpiece & will be preserved and displayed to create awareness about the great history of Telangana.”
The figurine was kept for media display at the Centenary Heritage Museum in Hyderabad on Monday. The minister also said that he will speak to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and make sure that that the structure is conserved.
According to officials from the heritage department, the stucco sculpture was found facing the ground on the north-eastern side of the Buddhist site at Phanigiri, and was brought to Hyderabad for mending and conservation. It is currently at the Department of Heritage in Gunfoundry.