Archive · 2 Nov 2025
12th Century Ganesha Idol Trapped in Tree at Nagarkurnool Temple
Imagine a very old statue of an elephant god, Ganesha, made of black stone from about 900 years ago.
This statue is at a temple that's falling apart in a village called Lingala.
The crazy part is, a big tree has grown right through the middle of the statue, trapping it!
An expert who studies old things found the statue and also found an old piece of writing from that time.
This writing tells us the temple was for three gods and that the village was important a long time ago.
The expert is asking people to help save the Ganesha statue before the tree damages it even more.
It's like a lost treasure that needs protecting!
A 12th-century black granite Lord Ganesha idol is trapped inside a tree trunk at a ruined Trikuta temple in Lingala, Nagarkurnool district.
An archaeologist, Dr E. Sivanagi Reddy, identified the idol and a broken inscription dating to 1167 CE.
The inscription, issued by Tondaya of the Kanduru Chola lineage, indicates the temple was dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva, and Surya.
The inscription also mentions Lingala village being donated to a temple at Somasila on the banks of the Krishna River.
Appeals have been made to save the historically significant sculpture from further damage.
- Who
- An archaeologist and CEO of Pleach India Foundation, Dr E. Sivanagi Reddy, has identified the idol and inscription.
- What
- A 12th-century black granite Lord Ganesha idol is trapped within the trunk of a tree at a ruined Trikuta temple. A broken inscription from 1167 CE, also discovered, provides historical context.
- When
- The idol and inscription date back to the 12th century CE.
- Where
- Lingala village in the Nagarkurnool district, at a ruined Trikuta temple.
- Why
- The idol is being damaged by the tree trunk it is trapped within, prompting calls for its preservation.
- Sculpture Material
- Black Granite
- Century
- 12th Century CE
- Location
- Lingala, Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, India
- Temple Type
- Trikuta Temple (dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva, and Surya)
- Inscription Date
- 1167 CE
- Inscription Ruler
- Tondaya, son of Gokarna-2 of the Kanduru Chola lineage