Rashtrakuta‑Era Hero Stone At Manchirevula In Neglect
The hero stone, carved in Alidhasana posture, depicts a warrior adorned with ornaments, holding a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left, poised for battle.
HYDERABAD: A thousand‑year‑old Rashtrakuta‑era hero stone in Manchirevula is crying for attention as it is weathering due to continuous exposure to sun and pollution. The sculpture, with Saiva affiliation, is located on the left side of the Beerappa temple.
The hero stone, carved in Alidhasana posture, depicts a warrior adorned with ornaments, holding a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left, poised for battle. A unique feature of the sculpture is a snake with its hood open above the hero’s head — a motif rarely seen in hero stones.
Pleach India Foundation CEO and archaeologist E. Sivanagi Reddy, who inspected the sculpture, said its style and features reveal that it dates back to the Rashtrakuta period (10th century CE). He noted that the existence of the sculpture proves Rangareddy district was part of the Rashtrakuta domain, and stressed that its historical significance requires immediate protection.
Sivanagi Reddy appealed to the priests of the Virabhadra temple and local authorities to take steps to safeguard and shelter the sculpture to preserve its importance. P. Srinath Reddy, Sivakrishna and Sagar were also part of the team that inspected the site.