13th-Century Sculptures Highlight Keshavapatnam’s Kakatiya-Era Heritage
KARIMNAGAR, Telangana: Rock-cut sculptures of Ganesha, Naga deities and Kala Bhairava in Keshavapatnam village of Telangana’s Karimnagar district are drawing attention to the area’s medieval heritage, with a local historian attributing the carvings to the Kakatiya period.
The sculptures are located in fields on the outskirts of Keshavapatnam, a village in Shankarapatnam mandal. The most prominent is a large Ganesha carved into a boulder locally known as “Ganapathigundu,” near the foothills of Bayyannagutta.
The boulder measures about 12 feet by 12 feet, while the Ganesha figure itself is approximately 8 feet by 8 feet, according to a report by The New Indian Express citing historian and researcher Karipe Rajkumar.
The four-armed Ganesha is depicted seated in Lalitasana, with a serpent ornament around the abdomen. The carving also includes Mushika, the deity’s traditional mouse vehicle, and depicts Ganesha with attributes including an axe, or parashu, and a noose, or pasha.
Several Naga sculptures are located near Ganapathigundu. They are depicted holding a sword in the right hand and a shield in the left.
Rajkumar said the serpent deities were traditionally worshipped and that devotees commissioned Naga sculptures as offerings after the fulfilment of vows. He suggested that their weapons may symbolize a protective role.
Another notable carving in the area depicts Kala Bhairava and is cut into a large boulder. Rajkumar dates that sculpture, along with the Ganesha and Naga carvings, to around the 13th century.
The collection could provide clues to Keshavapatnam’s religious importance during the Kakatiya era. Rajkumar said the elaborate carvings suggest the settlement may have served as a significant religious centre during that period.
Keshavapatnam is officially listed by the Karimnagar district administration as one of the villages of Shankarapatnam mandal. The surrounding area contains other surviving evidence of medieval history. Nearby Molangur is home to a Kakatiya-era fort that was inspected by archaeology and police officials in March 2026 after reports of illegal digging near ancient structures.
The sculptures add to the physical record of the Kakatiya period preserved across present-day Telangana. Their location in an open landscape also underscores the importance of documenting and protecting archaeological remains outside established monuments and temple complexes.
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