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Hans India
09-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
Ancient headless Buddha idol and rock-cut caves discovered
Mangaluru: A corroded, headless statue of the Buddha, believed to date back to the 4th–6th century CE, has been discovered in a temple tank near the historic Kadri Manjunatha Temple in Mangaluru. Alongside the sculpture, a cluster of ancient rock-cut caves has also been identified, offering fresh evidence of the region's once-flourishing Buddhist heritage. The discovery was made by Prof. T. Murugeshi, a retired archaeologist and former associate professor of Ancient History and Archaeology at MSRS College, Shirva. The Buddha image was found submerged in a water tank and retrieved with permission from the temple authorities. Though partially damaged, the statue remains notable for its meditative grace. The seated Buddha, missing its head and right hand, is shown in Padmasana (lotus position) with both palms resting in the classic Dhyana Mudra (gesture of meditation). Faint traces of a robe across the chest and a lotus pedestal suggest it is a Dhyani Buddha, commonly associated with Mahayana Buddhism. 'The iconography and posture are unmistakably Mahayanist,' said Prof. Murugeshi. 'This figure may well have been the presiding deity of an earlier Buddhist shrine at the site, long before it became a Shaiva-Vaishnava centre.' The adjacent caves, carved into laterite rock above the temple tank, add further depth to the site's historical importance. The three caves feature square rooms, raised plinths, porthole-style and square entrances, and sloped roofs with drainage holes — features pointing to their use as ancient monastic dwellings. The latest findings are expected to reshape scholarly understanding of Mangaluru's religious history. The region, now a major port city, was once home to vibrant Buddhist communities. Inscriptions dating to the 10th century — including one by the Alupa king Kundavarma found at Kadri — had earlier hinted at such a presence, but conclusive archaeological evidence had remained elusive. 'This discovery settles the long-standing debate over whether Kadri was a Buddhist centre. The evidence is now undeniable,' Prof. Murugeshi said. He noted that the Buddha statue bears stylistic similarities to a 6th-century image found in Goa's Colvale region, now displayed at the Heras Institute in Mumbai. The archaeologist credited his fieldwork team — comprising students and research assistants from MSRS College, University College Mangaluru, and Manipal University — and thanked temple administrator Arun Kumar for facilitating the study. Prof. Murugeshi has appealed to the Karnataka Department of Archaeology to recover and preserve the artefacts, describing them as 'priceless markers of our shared cultural past.'
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Ancient sculpture found during archaeological explorations in Kadri
Mangaluru: During recent archaeological explorations in Kadri, researchers uncovered a damaged Buddha statue alongside several significant cave structures, according to Prof T Murugeshi, formerly an associate professor in ancient history and archaeology. The statue was discovered submerged in a water tank situated near the Kadri Manjunatha Temple in a neglected condition. With approval from the temple authorities, it was retrieved from the water for detailed examination. The sculpture has sustained damage, with its head and right hand severed from the main structure. The statue was in a Padmasana position on a Padma Peetha in Dhyana Mudra. The garment draped across the left shoulder rested flatly upon the chest, with its appearance being barely noticeable, Prof Murugeshi stated in a release. "This sculpture under study is identified as Dhyani Buddha. The Buddha image is about 68 cm in height and 48 cm in width, including the prop of the image. The Buddha image is stylistically datable to the 4th-6th century AD," Murugeshi stated. Further, he said a group of three rock-cut caves found above the eastern side of Kadri tanks is of curious interest. The first one from the right is about eight feet in height and has a semi-circular entrance. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10 Signs Your Dog Loves You More Than Anything Liseer Read More Undo It has a single square room with a small provision for a lamp. The middle and third ones have high plinths and two square entrances with single square rooms. The nature of the caves clearly indicates that they were used for residential purposes, he explained. Shreyas Kolpe, a PhD student of Manipal University, Shreyas, assistant lecturer in ancient history & archaeology, MSRS College, Shirva, Karthik, a postgraduate student in archaeology from University College, Mangaluru, and Ravindra Kushwaha, a graduate student in archaeology at MSRS College, Shirva, helped him in the fieldwork, he stated.
