Hyderabad: A rare stone pillar bearing a Buddha Parinirvana sculpture, alongside representations of Hindu deities and a warrior figure, has been identified in Bhimsari village of Adilabad district by members of Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam (KTCB).Historians say the find is unique as it combines diverse religious motifs on all four faces of a single pillar — the first such discovery reported from Telangana.The sculpture was first noticed by history lecturer Roddavaru Prithviraj, a member of KTCB. The stone pillar contains half-relief carvings on all four sides.After examining the pillar, group’s convenor Sriramoju Haragopal identified the figure on one face as Buddha in the Parinirvana posture — depicting the final passing of the Buddha.“The reclining Buddha is lying turned to his right side, with his right hand placed under his head. This is exactly the Buddha Parinirvana sculpture as described in the ‘Parinibbana Sutta’,” Haragopal said.Historian E Sivanagi Reddy, CEO of Pleach India Foundation, who also examined the sculpture, confirmed that it depicts Buddha Parinirvana.He noted that Buddha Parinirvana sculptures had previously been found in Telangana, including one carved on the adhisthana, or base, of the Bhimeshwara temple in Vemulawada.The Bhimsari discovery adds to the growing corpus of Buddhist remains identified across Telangana. However, unlike the earlier example cited by the historian, the Bhimsari sculpture forms part of a four-sided pillar carrying figures associated with different religious traditions, making it particularly significant.Religious motifsOne side of the pillar depicts Buddha in the Parinirvana posture. Another carries a half-relief sculpture of Vishnu Sayana Murti, showing Vishnu in a reclining position. A third face features a heroic warrior dressed in royal attire and holding a sword.The fourth side bears an image of Uma Lingana Murti, depicting Shiva embracing Uma, or Parvati.Members of the history group said it was rare to find such varied religious iconography carved on a single stone pillar. According to them, the Bhimsari pillar represents the first reported example in Telangana where Buddhist and Hindu motifs, along with a warrior figure, appear together on all four faces of a single sculpted monument.
