Lankamala Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Siddavatam forest range, was once celebrated for its abundant biodiversity. It has gained recognition as an important historical site following recent archaeological discoveries.
A research team, led by Siddavatam Forest Range Officer K Kalavathi and Dr K Munirathnam Reddy, Director of Epigraphy at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Mysore, has discovered ancient inscriptions and prehistoric rock art. These findings, dating from the 4th to the 16th century CE, suggest that Lankamala was a prominent Shaivite pilgrimage site frequented by devotees from North India.
During a routine inspection in December 2024, Kalavathi came across rock inscriptions and carvings in the forest areas of Siddavatam, Madduru, Konduru, and Rolabodu. After reporting her findings, Dr Munirathnam obtained the necessary permissions to conduct an in-depth study. A team of experts from Bengaluru and Chennai, including Yesubabu, Meka V. Raghavendra Varma, and Kalavathi, conducted a three-day exploration from February 27 to March 1. Their research focused on Gopalaswami Konda, located at an elevation of 3,200 feet, where they documented 12 label inscriptions in Siddhamatrika, Shankha script, and Devanagari.
The inscriptions, dating back to the sixth century CE, display Kushan-era craftsmanship and were carved using a distinctive thumb-engraving technique. The inclusion of North Indian names such as Sri Vishishta Kankanadhadi, Yedharmaja, and Chandrahasa further supports the idea that pilgrims travelled long distances to visit the temples of Lankamala. Additionally, researchers identified an ancient pilgrimage route connecting two Shaivite temples, highlighting the site’s religious importance.
On the second day of their exploration, the team discovered 15 more label inscriptions, including 14 in the rare Shankha script and one in Brahmi. This marks the first-ever discovery of Shankha script inscriptions in the Rayalaseema region. A particularly notable find was two inscriptions on the same rock, one in Brahmi from the 4th century and the other in Shankha script from the 6th century. These inscriptions offer valuable insights into the evolution of writing styles in South India.
The research team embarked on a challenging 12-kilometer trek through rugged terrain, scaling a steep 600-meter hill near the Akkadevatala Temple. Despite the lack of communication signals, they pressed on and discovered a total of 28 inscriptions, confirming human presence in the region from the 4th to the 16th centuries CE. Dr Munirathnam highlighted that this is the first time in 140 years that label inscriptions have been found within a wildlife sanctuary. The inscriptions, written in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Brahmi, and Devanagari, were likely created by devotees to mark their visits.
On the third day of their exploration, the team uncovered three rock shelters, one of which contained prehistoric rock paintings. The artwork, featuring animals, geometric patterns, and human figures, was created using red ochre, kaolin, animal fat, and crushed bones, preserving the pigments for thousands of years. The site is thought to date back to the Megalithic (Iron Age) and Early Historic periods (2500 BCE – 2nd century CE). Given the importance of these findings, the Archaeological Survey of India plans to publish a comprehensive research volume documenting both the inscriptions and the prehistoric paintings.
