పరిరక్షించుకుందాం

Kotilingala site under threat
KOTILINGALA (KARIMNAGAR DT): Historians and numismatists have alleged that the State Archaeology department was destroying the vital evidences of the Satavahana dynasty with the unscientific and haphazard excavation works by deploying unskilled personnel at the Kotilingala site in Karimnagar district.
Crusade
Numismatists Dr. D. Raja Reddy and Suryanarayana and historian K. Jithendra Babu, who have launched a crusade to protect the historic Kotilingala temple shrine from submergence from the Sripada Yellampalli project, have visited the historic Kotilingala excavation site in Velgatoor mandal on Saturday.
During their visit, they found that the excavation was done in a most unscientific manner without supervision of the experts.
They alleged that the State Archaeology department had entrusted the excavation works to a civil contractor, who in turn deployed farm labourers for the excavation works. “The Kotilingala, the only pre-Satavahana historic site and capital of both pre and early Satavahana dynasty, is on the verge of extinction, one with the ongoing Sripada Yellampalli project and another with the neglect of the State Archaeology department,” said D. Raja Reddy, a numismatist of Hyderabad.
The Kotilingala site, located on the shores of river Godavari, is abundant with the historic evidence of the Indian civilisation as was evident with the recent excavation done by the State Archeology department. During the last month, the State Archaeology department conducted excavations works and discovered ancient Buddha Chaitanya, two wells, huge constructions, idols, coins and other treasure trove.
"Kotilingala: This early historic site is located in Peddapalli Taluk of Karimnagar district. Excavations at the place exposed brick built wells, drains, granaries, apsidal houses with rubble foundations, early historic pottery, Brahmi label inscriptions, beads, a good number of punch marked coins, pre Satavahana and Satavahana coins. Other antiquities include dice, bangle pieces, moulds, beads of semi precious and terracottas, ivory combs, weights, shell bangles, terracotta figures etc" If anybody has more information about this place, please give some references.
About my query on Kotilingala, there is some information in "History of Andhras up to 1565 AD" by J. Durgaprasad which is downloadable: http://202.41.85.234:8000/gw_44_5/hi-res/hcu_images/G2.pdf (reference kindly given by J. K. Mohana Rao garu of RB). The coins found in Kondapur and Kotilingala refer to Simuka Satavahana, supposedly the founder of Satavahana dynasty. This seems to indicate that Satavahanas ruled parts of current A.P. from the earlist days (Though Satavahanas have been also called Andhras, there seem to be some questions about whether they were orignally based in Maharashtra or Bellary). One of the experts who studied these coins (perhaps one of the excavators) is P.V. Parabrahma Sastry. There is a book of essays in his honour: https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no35925.htm It seems that Telangana has been the centre of Andhra for a long time. This gives me a rough start of study which can be pursued later. I hope that this may be of interest to some others.

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Kotalingala village faces threat from Yellampally
M.L.Melly Maitreyi
The site excavation holds key to pre-Sathavahana history
There is no recorded history of early Andhra kings
Kotalingala coins prove antiquity of Telugu language
HYDERABAD: Are we on the verge of losing a treasure trove of archaeological evidence to the early history of Andhra Kings whose territory extended up to Central India much before the well-documented Sathavahana period?
The answer could be an unfortunate ‘yes’ if Kotalingala village in Karimnagar district, with tell-tale evidences of archaeological proof that can throw more light about the pre-Sathavahana period, is submerged by Yellampally project. This, even before a proposed thorough investigation of site is taken up by the government.
Time is running out as the project is progressing well and the villagers are to be shifted to pave way for the work. Though the Archaeology Department carried out excavations in a haphazard manner during 1978 -83 which resulted in finding of 450 coins, gold beads, pottery, decorative art of pre-Sathavahana period, a report was published only last year.
But the much-needed resurvey and systematic excavation of the 120-acre site at Kotalingala with remnants of fort, stupa, ancient Siva temple, open wells and connecting channels to know more about pre-Sathavahana period, not documented anywhere, is still hanging fire.
Significant discovery
The discovery of the coins of pre-Sathavahana and Sathavahana period in 1978 is considered significant in the numismatics history of South India as for the first time it showed that the inscribed coins belonged to Gobada, first Andhra King who ruled from Kotalingala and others followed by Satavahana kings.
Gobada is acknowledged as the first king who issued inscribed coins in the Andhra region, says numismatist D.Raja Reddy who did extensive research and brought out several publications along with P.Suryanarayana Reddy giving a clear description of these coins.
There is no recorded history of early Andhra kings and the Puranas only talk about Sathavahanas, referred to as Andhra Bhruthyas, who actually succeeded Andhra Kings but it was never conclusively proved till the discovery of Kotilingala coins, Dr. Reddy explained.
Just as Nagarjuna Konda and Amaravathi were preserved for posterity as a mark of contribution of Ikshvakus, who ruled a small territory in Krishna delta only for 100 years, Kotilingala fort site, the place from where Sathavahanas ruled up to Gwalior, comprising half of India at one time, should be preserved and protected.
The excavation could throw up valuable inputs just like Harappan excavations, Dr. Reddy says.
Kotalingala coins also came handy in proving the antiquity of Telugu in comparison to other Dravidian languages and the government has also published a book on it written by Dr. Reddy.

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History in peril in the path of progress?
K.M. Dayashankar
HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW?: Will Koteshwara Siddeshwara temple in Koti Lingala village bite the dust? - Photo: R. Raju
KARIMNAGAR: The historic Sri Koteshwara - Siddeshwara Swamy temple, located on the banks of the Godavari, in Koti Lingala village of Velgatoor mandal is facing submergence with the construction of Sripada Sagar (Yellampalli) project in Ramagundam mandal.
It is stated that the project backwaters touch the steps of the temple and submerge 110 acres of agricultural land. Several houses will also be submerged along the shores of the river. The State Archaeology Department identified this ancient temple as a protected site, which is surrounded by huge mountains with flora and fauna on the tri-junction of the Godavari and two other rivulets, as this village was considered Satavahana dynasty's first capital city. The department had recovered ancient scriptures of second century from the munulagutta (hillock) of the village.
The Satavahanas used the shores of the Godavari for transportation of goods and other materials from their capital as was evident with a wharf constructed with the bricks on the shores. It is also said that Buddhists and Jain monks resided in surrounding hillocks of this village. The rare Thrimukha coin (Lord Rama, Sita and Laxmana) was recovered from this site.
Sidewall along Godavari shores
Telangana Intellectuals' Forum members — Gopu Linga Reddy, A. Malla Reddy and P. Ravinder — and others visited the temple on Thursday, inspected the shores of the river and other ancient sites in the village.
They suggested to the Government to construct a huge sidewall along the shores of the Godavari to avoid submergence of the temple and village. They urged the Government to introduce boating facilities from the project site to the temple. Expressing concern over poor payment of compensation to the land oustees, they urged the Government to provide Rs. 5 lakh per acre to each farmer. They also urged the Government to expedite the relief and rehabilitation package.
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