1,600-Year-Old Ganesha Statues Unearthed In Andhra Pradesh's Guntur
The small statues appear to have been carved from red sandstone or Chintamani stone.
Published : July 24, 2026 at 6:58 PM IST
Mangalagiri: Two small Ganesha idols, believed to be nearly 1,600 years old, were found in an agricultural field in Kaja village in Mangalagiri Mandal of Guntur district recently.
The discovery has thrown a fresh light into the region's rich archaeological heritage.
According to Dr Emani Sivanagi Reddy, CEO of the Pleach India Foundation and a noted archaeological researcher, the idols were accidentally unearthed when farmer Simhadri Venkatarama Reddy was ploughing his field.
The plough struck a mound, leading to the discovery of the ancient sculptures.
The idols measure 3 cm and 5 cm in height and 2 cm and 4 cm in width, respectively.
They appear to have been carved from red sandstone (Chintamani stone).
Alongside the idols, researchers also found pottery shards in red, black, black-and-red, greenish-grey, and brown colours.
Based on their characteristics, the pottery fragments have been dated to the 1st to 4th centuries CE.
Dr Reddy noted that the newly discovered idols closely resemble the marble Ganesha idol at the Kapoteshwara Temple in Chejarla, Palnadu district, Andhra Pradesh.
Based on this stylistic similarity, he attributed the idols to the period of the Ananda Gotrika dynasty, which ruled from Kandarapura (present-day Chejarla) during the 4th century CE.
Describing the find as archaeologically significant, Dr Reddy urged farmer Simhadri Venkatarama Reddy to preserve the idols and associated artifacts carefully so they can contribute to future historical and archaeological research.
The discovery offers fresh evidence of the region's ancient cultural and religious traditions and highlights the possibility of uncovering more archaeological remains in the area through systematic exploration.
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