Archive · 31 Jan 2026
Rare Naga Bonam Sculpture Discovered in Karimnagar
A very old and special sculpture was found in a place called Potlapalli in Karimnagar.
This sculpture shows a snake god with a special pot called a Bonam pot, which is used in a traditional ritual.
The sculpture is very old, from a time called the Rashtrakuta period.
It is special because it shows that people used to offer food to the snake god, not just to other gods and goddesses.
This helps us understand more about the history and culture of Telangana.
The sculpture is different from others because it is not fully raised but is a bit flat.
Historians are excited because it is one of the oldest examples of this kind of ritual in Telangana.
A rare Naga Bonam sculpture was discovered in Potlapalli, Karimnagar, depicting a five-hooded human-serpent deity with a Bonam pot.
The sculpture provides evidence that the Bonam tradition was also dedicated to the serpent god, not just to goddesses like Poshamma and Katta Masavva.
The artistic style suggests the sculpture dates back to the Rashtrakuta period, making it one of the oldest known representations of the Bonam tradition in Telangana.
The sculpture is a rare semi-relief work, unlike most Naga sculptures which are executed in high relief.
The discovery strengthens the understanding of Telangana's cultural identity and confirms the long-standing practice of the Bonam tradition.
- Who
- Kolipaka Srinivas (KTCB member)
- What
- A rare Naga Bonam sculpture depicting a five-hooded human-serpent deity with a Bonam pot
- When
- Not specified
- Where
- Potlapalli, Husnabad constituency, Karimnagar
- Why
- To provide evidence of the Bonam tradition dedicated to the serpent god and to highlight the historical roots of Telangana's cultural identity
- Location
- Potlapalli, Husnabad constituency, Karimnagar
- Discoverer
- Kolipaka Srinivas (KTCB member)
- Deity Depicted
- Five-hooded human-serpent deity (Nara–Naga)
- Artistic Style
- Semi-relief work
- Historical Period
- Rashtrakuta period
- Significance
- Oldest known archaeological representation of the Bonam tradition in Telangana