The mystery shrouding the discovery of bones at the ancient temple of Lord Vedanarayana Swami at Nagalapuram on Tuesday was unravelled with the archaeologists stating that they were that of a horse that might have been sacrificed at the time of the temple’s construction during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) launched digging work at the temple complex a week ago for construction of ‘vahana mandapams’. On Tuesday, the workers noticed splinter bones, which led to speculation about human sacrifice.
The construction of the temple had been commissioned by Sri Krishnadevaraya, the emperor of the Vijayanagara empire, in the early 16th century. As per the inscription found in the temple, the work on the dexterous edifice continued for about a century.
J. Vijay Kumar, former Deputy Director (Archaeology and Museums), who also worked as the Chief Museum Officer with the TTD, on Wednesday conducted a study at the temple complex.
During the five-hour exercise, his team, comprising technical supervisor Sivakumar, studied the condition of the bones and their varied sizes. The presence of teeth and the position of the burial in a crescent shape led to the conclusion that the skeletal remains were that of a horse.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Vijay Kumar said the workers camping at the temple site during construction some five centuries ago might have used horses for their transportation in the forested area.
“Going by the crescent shaped burial and at the south-western direction ( vayavya ), it was possible that the horse might have been sacrificed before commencing the construction work. In the traditional temple architecture, each direction has its own significance, and Nagalapuram temple also witnessed several phases in construction,” he said.
Mr. Vijay Kumar said construction of the Nagalapuram temple, named after Nagalamba, the mother of the emperor, was taken up during the closing years of the architectural glory of South Indian temples.
“The best period of temple construction in South India was between the 12th and 14th centuries. Later, it passed through a lean phase, before coming to a close in 300 years. Study at the digging site suggested that 500 years ago the engineers had planned the construction in a mysteriously scientific manner. They had tested the soil and granite thoroughly,” he added.
With the mystery unravelled, people of Nagalapuram mandal headquarters and surrounding villages heaved a sigh of relief.
Mr. Vijay Kumar said he advised the temple authorities to perform “samprokshanam” (cleansing) at the burial site and go ahead with the construction activity.
