As part of their important exercise ‘Tracking the Satavahanas’, a team of School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) at Nidamanur here visited the historic Kondaveedu Fort in the Guntur district and Mukkollupadu village near Nuzvid on Saturday and found them in a state of utter neglect.
Tracking the Satavahanas is aimed at restoring the past glory of ancient monuments in the Capital region of Andhra Pradesh by first letting people know the rich legacy they have inherited over hundreds of years, and then taking up curative work with the help of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and State Department of Archaeology and Museums.
SPA Director N. Sridharan who led the team of young architects and designers, told The Hindu that it was imperative to ‘rebuild history’ in the form of a new State-level museum having declared Amaravati as the Capital city of Andhra Pradesh.
Construction of the new museum was of particular significance due to the fact that not only Satavahanas but many other dynasties also had ruled the region and left their priceless possessions, which today lie exposed to the vagaries of nature.
Mr. Sridharan pointed out that valuable sculptures were found every where on the Kondaveedu Fort premises and local urchins spoiled the heritage site. Remnants of the reign of various dynasties were also found at the nearby Chengizkhanpet village.
At Mukkollupadu, idols dating back to Satavahana period were found strewn all over the hamlet. The village secretariat was asked to keep the idols at Panchayat office to let people know about the historic land that has become their abode. Things were expected to move with Vijayawada City Police Commissioner A.B. Venkateswara Rao taking the village for adoption recently.
Mr. Sridharan said he was surprised to find traces of the historic past of Satavahanas in places as far as Kotilingala village in Karimnagar district.
Such was the expanse of the Satavahanas, and the condition of antiques in Srikakulam village in Ghantasala mandal of Krishna district, which was their first Capital city, is not a cause for cheer either.
A team of School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) visited the historic Kondaveedu Fort in the Guntur district and Mukkollupadu village near Nuzvid on Saturday and found them in a state of utter neglect
