About two kilometres away from Kondapur mandal headquarters, a 100-acre area with wild shrubbery and plants is likely to be dismissed off as just another dry patch of land. But beneath it lies hidden many a secret of the Satavahana dynasty.
Kondapur has been in news of late, in the run-up to the January 12 release of actor-turned-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna’s mega-budget 100th movie Gautamiputra Sathakarni . During a programme in Karimnagar district recently, Mr. Balakrishna mentioned that Kotilingala in Karimnagar district and Kondapur in Sangareddy district were both under the rule of Satakarni.
The residents of Kondapur, where an archaeological museum was established by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), say that the government has completely neglected the village’s development. Even the excavation work that was taken up in 2009 was stopped midway . The excavation was taken up in only two or three acres of land and after collecting some material which was deemed important, it was covered again with sand and plastic sheets so that the dug-up places are not damaged due to rain, and movement of humans and cattle in that place. Two security guards were appointed by the ASI to protect it from any encroachment or damage.
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“This place, located about 20 km away from the district headquarters and 70 km from the State capital, has the potential to become a tourist destination. But both the Union and State governments are completely neglecting the place for reasons best known to them. History takes us to our roots and how can it be neglected?” asks A. Ilaiah, a resident of the village. “When the cinema industry is trying to unearth more fascinating facts about Satakarni and promote these areas, why not the government?” asked K. Yadagiri, another resident of the village.