Two 4th century Ganesha idols found in a field at Kaza near Amaravati

Farmer Simhadri Venkatarama Reddy (left) and archaeologist E. Sivanagireddy with Ganesha idols found at Kaza village in Guntur district on Thursday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

According to archaeologist and executive director of Pleach India Foundation E. Sivanagireddy, two small idols of Ganesha dating to the 4th century AD, carved from red sandstone, surfaced in an agricultural field during plowing at Kaza village in Mangalagiri mandal of Guntur district.

Acting on information from Simhadri Venkataram Reddy, a farmer of the village, Mr. Sivanagireddy visited the site on Thursday (July 23, 2026) and examined the idols. The idols measuring 5 cm x 3 cm and 4 cm x 2 cm have two hands, holding a modaka in the left hand and a dantu (broken tusk) in the right hand. They have bare bellies and elephant heads and are seated in lalitasana, reflecting the iconography and artistic style of the Ananda Gotrik period. The idols resemble a limestone image of Ganesha from the same period found at Chejarla, the capital of the Ananda Gotrik dynasty.

Mr. Sivanagireddy said the limestone Sivalinga with a carved image of Ardhanarisvara Shiva preserved in the Anandeswara temple at Pedakonduru village in Duggirala mandal also belonged to the same period, indicating that the area around Kaza was under the rule of Ananda Gotrik. Shards of red, black and brown ware from the Satavahana, Ikshvaku and Ananda Gotrik periods were also found. He asked the landowner to preserve the idols for posterity.

Published – 24 Jul 2026 13:18 IST