Dr Sivanagi Reddy traces India’s heritage through archaeology, temple conservation and inscriptions

HYDERABAD: Archaeologist and heritage conservationist Dr Emani Sivanagi Reddy says archaeology gives people a tangible connection with history by bringing inscriptions, artefacts, ancient settlements and temple engineering to life. Speaking in an interview with Telugu Post, Reddy, who has worked in archaeology, traditional architecture and temple conservation for more than four decades, recalled excavations, temple [...]<strong>HYDERABAD:</strong> Archaeologist and heritage conservationist Dr Emani Sivanagi Reddy says archaeology gives people a tangible connection with history by bringing inscriptions, artefacts, ancient settlements and temple engineering to life. Speaking in an interview with Telugu Post, Reddy, who has worked in archaeology, traditional architecture and temple conservation for more than four decades, recalled excavations, temple transplantation projects and discoveries that, he said, had changed his understanding of India’s past. Independent profiles also describe his work in archaeology and the transplantation of more than 100 heritage temples. <h3>Archaeology turns textbook history into tangible evidence</h3> Reddy said history learnt from textbooks often remained abstract until archaeological evidence gave it a physical form. He cited excavations yielding material associated with the Indus Valley Civilisation, Satavahanas, Ikshvakus and Vishnukundinas, along with stone tools from the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic ages. At Kondapur, he recalled the discovery of beads, ornaments, coins, terracotta figurines and toy carts. The finds, he said, provided a direct connection with everyday life during the Satavahana period. Reddy said a handmade clay bead dating back about 2,000 years could be more significant to an archaeologist than a modern diamond because it represented an object made and used by a person in the past. He also recalled excavations at Chinna Marur and Jatprole, where a double burial of a man and woman was found, with a copper anklet preserved on the woman's skeleton. At Karapakula near Wanaparthy, archaeologists found an ancient copper bell that Reddy said may have been attached to a hunting dog or bull. At Serupally near Alampur, excavations revealed an Iron Age circular hut with a hearth in the southeast corner and a floor paved with flat limestone slabs. Reddy said the finding contributed to his research for his PhD on the architectural and technological aspects of ancient Andhra. <h3>Temple conservation revealed sophisticated engineering</h3> Reddy said his training as a sthapati helped him understand temple structures from an architectural and engineering perspective. He recalled the guidance of Dr V. V. Krishna Sastry, who encouraged him to study archaeology and examine monuments systematically rather than merely viewing them as places of worship. During restoration work, he said, dismantling temple roofs exposed techniques involving massive stone slabs, iron clamps, dowels and precisely cut joints. He referred to the stone jointing as "Sandhi Bandhanam". The transplantation of temples from the Somasila area before submergence under the Srisailam Project presented major technical challenges, he said. The process involved detailed documentation, measured drawings, photographs and systematic numbering of every stone block before dismantling and reconstruction. Reddy said variations in floor levels and irregular roof slabs often made reconstruction difficult. Ancient stones could not simply be cut or filled with modern cement, forcing conservation teams to dismantle and rebuild sections when alignments were incorrect. He said the Somasila temples represented several historical periods, including the Chalukya, Rashtrakuta, Kalyani Chalukya, Kakatiya and Vijayanagara eras. Excavation beneath one temple foundation also revealed a prehistoric Iron Age burial, he recalled. At Keesaragutta, excavations conducted between 1978 and 1984 revealed what Reddy described as a Vishnukundina fortress and capital, including fortifications, a palace complex, drainage structures, residential areas and five brick temples. <h3>Yali, Amaravati and Koh-i-Noor linked to wider history</h3> Reddy rejected the popular explanation that the Yali, a mythical temple creature, was created by combining the Chinese dragon with the Indian lion. He said the Vyala or Yali was rooted in Indian Silpa Sastras and was a composite mythical animal incorporating elements such as the lion, elephant, Makara and serpent. Cultural exchanges with foreign regions did occur, he said, but the explanation linking the Yali directly to Chinese merchants was an exaggeration. He also explained the technique behind Hampi sculptures showing a loose stone ball inside a lion's mouth. According to Reddy, sculptors left a spherical mass inside the mouth and gradually detached it with fine chisels through narrow spaces between the teeth. On Amaravati, Reddy said archaeological evidence showed a history stretching from prehistoric periods to the Mauryan and Satavahana eras. He described the Amaravati School of Art as a highly developed sculptural tradition and pointed to evidence of artistic and cultural links with Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. He said excavations at Nagarjunakonda had revealed a monastery associated with Sri Lankan Buddhist monks, while Amaravati-style sculptures had been found in other parts of India and Southeast Asia. On the Koh-i-Noor, Reddy said the diamond was found in the Kollur mines along the Krishna river basin and later passed through several ruling powers before reaching Maharaja Ranjit Singh and, after the British annexation of Punjab, the British royal family. These historical claims were made by Reddy in the interview. Reddy also dismissed as folklore the popular claim of a secret underground tunnel linking Khammam Fort with Warangal Fort, saying the distance made such a tunnel physically and geologically impossible. <h3>Kakatiyas left lasting mark on Telugu culture</h3> Reddy said successive dynasties had shaped Telugu society, but credited the Kakatiyas with reuniting Telugu-speaking regions after centuries of political fragmentation. He pointed to interconnected tank systems, including those associated with Ramappa, Pakhal and Laknavaram, as examples of Kakatiya irrigation and water-management practices. He said later Qutb Shahi and Nizam rule added Persian and Urdu influences, particularly in Telangana, contributing to what he described as a composite cultural tradition. Reddy said inscriptions remained essential to reconstructing such history. He cited inscriptions from Nagarjunakonda, Bayyaram and Begum Bazar as examples of records that helped establish political and dynastic histories. He said the Bayyaram Tank Inscription helped establish a genealogy of Kakatiya rulers, while the copper plate inscription of Pulakeshin II found in Begum Bazar indicated Chalukya control of the region by 612 AD. <h3>Heritage protection needs decentralisation, public participation</h3> Reddy proposed five reforms for heritage administration: decentralising authority, simplifying rules for visitors, rotating museum exhibits, strengthening staffing and maintenance, and encouraging corporate and public participation. He said district-level archaeology officials should have greater authority to respond to emergencies involving endangered monuments and announce discoveries. He also argued that visitors should be encouraged to photograph heritage sites instead of facing unnecessary restrictions, saying photographs could help promote monuments. Reddy proposed rotating museum displays to bring artefacts stored away from public view to visitors' attention. He said many protected monuments lacked adequate caretaking, resulting in weeds, neglect and vandalism. Corporate Social Responsibility funding, he added, could supplement government efforts. "These monuments belong to all of us; they are symbols of our shared identity," Reddy said.