LiDAR survey to find hidden monuments of Lakkundi

There is a view that Lakkundi’s known monuments may only be part of its larger archaeological story and that it may contain more than is apparent and revealed on the surface. | Photo credit: file photo

The Department of Archeology Museums and Heritage (DAMH) will collaborate with the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru to search for monuments that may have been obscured by time in the Lakkundi landscape, which was a prominent urban center between the 10th and 12th centuries AD, in Gadag district.

Indeed, local tradition guarantees the presence of 101 wells and 101 temples, most of which are hidden and therefore not visible. There is a view that Lakkundi’s known monuments may only be part of its larger archaeological story and that it may contain more than is apparent and revealed on the surface.

To decipher this, DAMH has engaged NIAS, which will use state-of-the-art digital and scientific technologies to document archaeological sites. The outcome at the end of six months is expected to provide a more accurate picture of the heritage landscape.

The MoU was signed on August 27 and will pave the way for the use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) surveys, GIS mapping, remote sensing, ground-based radar (GPR), drone documentation, photogrammetry, according to A. Devaraju, Commissioner, DAMH.

Discussion with ISRO

He said the issue was first discussed by then minister HK Patil with former ISRO chairman Kiran Kumar, who mooted the idea of ​​using LiDAR and suggested that NIAS could be made operational. NIAS senior officials recently gave a presentation on the use of LiDAR and other digital technologies in archaeological excavations to map and pinpoint artifacts, if any, under vegetation or in an added way.

NIAS will study old photographs, conduct remote sensing and scan the area to identify potential locations of buried or hidden structures.

The information could then help the department narrow down sites for excavations, rather than relying on conventional surveys covering a large area, officials said.

In accordance with the MoU, a Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) will be constituted by the two institutions to oversee the operations. Officials said the initiative will serve as a new blueprint for the sustainable development, conservation and management of monuments and cultural heritage sites.

Recorded as Lokki-Gundi in inscriptions, Lakkundi occupies an important position in Indian architectural history. The monuments that have been preserved belong to the Kalyana-Chalukya period, which ruled the Deccan region and South India between the 10th and 12th centuries AD. Art historians argue that the temples exhibit a hybrid or Vesara style which is a mixture of Nagara, Dravida and Bhumija styles.

The project assumes significance as the state government is preparing a DPR to propose Lakkundi for inclusion in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

In other places

Similar technology-based studies are proposed for the ancient sites of Nagavi, the site of the ancient seat of learning, in Chittapur, Kalaburagi district and Rajghatta near Doddaballapur. “Once the Lakkundi exercise is completed, we plan to involve NIAS in similar studies in Nagavi and Rajghatta as well,” said Mr. Devaraju.

(The writer is a freelance journalist)

Published – 02 Sep 2026 0:24 IST