Khammam district encompassing several megalithic sites spread in hundreds of acres mainly along the banks of Kinnerasani and Munneru rivulets stands out as a preferred destination for tourists, particularly those interested to delve into the hoary past of the region.
The town-based SR&BGNR Government Degree and PG College has around 20 megalithic monuments spread across its vast campus.
The institution earned a distinctive image as a centre of academic learning and a heritage site owing to its prized possessions – megalithic monuments of immense archaeological significance.
An archaeological excavation conducted by the history students of the college under the aegis of Prof. K.P. Rao of University of Hyderabad, on the campus in 2012 led to finding of a variety of megalithic artefacts like shreds of pottery, iron implements and skeletal remains.
Some of the remnants of the megalithic era including an iron sickle and dagger were subsequently shifted to the museum at UoH in the State capital.
The NCC block in the SR&BGNR College presently showcases a range of megalithic artefacts excavated from the monuments on the college campus. The district administration has mooted setting up of a museum on the college campus to preserve and exhibit these artefacts.
A unique megalithic site having the earliest stone sculptures dating back to over 3,000 years was discovered by a team of history students headed by Prof. Rao at Padugonigudem in Gundala mandal in 2011.
Located on a hill called Rakasi Mitta in the forest area around 125 km from Khammam, the site has several megalithic monuments, including anthropomorphic statues (human-like statues) strewn across a vast area near Padugonigudem.
A few rare statues carved out of sand stone with female features were found at the site, indicating that stone carving tradition flourished in the region around 1,000 BC.
Megalithic sites were also found around Kachanapalli and Galaba villages in the same mandal.
They are scattered in Yellendu, Gundala, Khammam, Madhira, Palvancha and a few other mandals in the district, says Associate NCC Officer Lt John Milton, who teaches history at SR&BGNR College.
Anthropomorphic statues have a striking feature of the megalithic monuments such as stone circles and dolmenoid cists discovered at Padugonigudem in the district, he remarks.
A few samples of the pottery shreds excavated from the college campus were subjected to elemental analysis using X-ray Emission Spectroscopy by Dr. Daisy Joseph, scientific officer, at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai last year.
The historical site on the sprawling SR&BGNR College campus is the ideal place to set up a museum to promote megalithic studies and familiarise the younger generation with the hoary past, says Chandrasekhar of Khammam.
“The Telangana government should safeguard these sites situated in the remote areas of Gundala and other mandals from the stone quarrying mafia,” he suggests.
