Telangana Plans Excavation At Key Heritage Site In Chada Village

The Telangana government will ask permission from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to begin excavation at Chada village to see whether this historic site played a prominent role as a Buddhist centre.

The erstwhile Nalgonda district has many early historic sites like Phanigiri, Vardhamanukota and Gajulabanda, etc and Chada village is in the newly formed Yadadri-Bhvanagiri district, which was earlier part of Nalgonda.

Due to availability of many early historic sites in the vicinity, it can be inferred that this region was important.

The Telangana Heritage Department in a statement said the site was first reported by its technical staff in 2003 and it is spread across 10 acres.

During the course of surface exploration, successive teams have found mounds, brick bats, pot shades, limestone stumps, limestone Buddha statue, fragments of decorated lime panels, lotus medallion and one small inscription (Brahmi script), the statement said.

It said the evidence of limestone panels suggested that this site might have played a prominent Buddhist site.

By taking up excavation at this site, it will help in establishing relation with nearby Buddhist sites such as Phanigiri, Gujulabanda, Vardhaman Kota and Thirumalagiri, which are located on Alera or Bikkeru river, just 20 km away from the site.

The department said it wants to carry out excavation this site in the 2023-24 "field season" to understand the constructional patrons of the structures, and cultural life of the people who had lived in this part of the region.