Latest news with #KavaliChandrakanth
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
Putting Telangana's hidden history on the map
HYDERABAD: Where history meets mythology and ancient trees stand as silent witnesses to past tragedies, Hyderabad-based heritage enthusiast Kavali Chandrakanth has found his calling. Since 2017, he has travelled across Telangana, documenting crumbling forts, forgotten temples and heritage trees — sites often overlooked but rich in cultural significance. Through over 23,000 photographs and nearly 3,900 videos uploaded to Google Maps, his mission is to preserve these fading traces of the past and push local authorities to recognise and protect them. Speaking to TNIE, Chandrakanth says his aim is not only to showcase forgotten monuments but also ancient trees that have played significant roles in local history. One example is the tamarind tree at Osmania General Hospital, which saved around 150 people during the 1908 Musi River floods in Hyderabad. These stories, he says, deserve a place in public memory. Through his initiative Mapography, Chandrakanth recently exhibited his work at the State Art Gallery in Madhapur, including his latest find, a medieval rock art site in Mahbubnagar. He continues to upload photos to Google Maps and Wikimedia so that more people can discover these sites. Speaking about how it all began, the 31-year-old photographer and Google Local Guide says, 'My interest in heritage goes back to school days in Addakal mandal, Mahbubnagar, where we went on heritage tours every year. As I grew up, I began fieldwork and came across incredible structures and stories that few knew about. That's when I decided to document and share them on one platform.' One of his most memorable experiences was documenting the dilapidated condition of a school building in Peddamunagalachedu, Addakal mandal. After he shared the images with local leaders, the Addakal ZPTC stepped in, funding a new seven-classroom building at Rs 35 lakh. During the inauguration, Chandrakanth hosted his first photo exhibition, Pragathi Pathamlo Peddamunagalachedu, showcasing the village's development journey. Since then, he has geo-tagged all 14 villages in Addakal mandal and documented temples, monuments and historical landmarks across Telangana that previously had no online presence. His work has reached a wide audience, with more than 409 million views online. The idea for Mapography exhibitions, he says, took shape after a meeting with Dr Mamidi Harikrishna, director of Language and Culture, Government of Telangana, who encouraged him to exhibit his work. Chandrakanth now hopes to formally approach the government to preserve both old monuments and historically significant trees and initiate regular maintenance to protect them.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Medieval rock art site discovered in Mahabubnagar
Hyderabad: A new rock art site, believed to be from the medieval period, has been discovered at Peddagutta in Jeenugarala village of Mahabubnagar district. The red pigment paintings, found by Kavali Chandrakanth, a member of the Kotha Telanganacharitrabrundam, show a sequence that includes a human figure at the bottom, a square turtle figure above and vertical ladder-like lines near a chariot-shaped structure when viewed from bottom to top. According to Bandi Muralidhar Reddy and Sriramoju Haragopal, fellow researchers from the same historical group, these paintings belong to the historical period, specifically the Middle Ages. The markings, in which one figure appears to be embedded in another, suggests that the site may once have served as a sacred space for a local community. Signs of early settlements near rock art Alongside the painted rocks, remnants of ancient human habitation have been observed nearby, including burial traces and early settlements. Chandrakanth notes that further exploration could lead to significant insights into prehistoric human activity in the region. Telangana is home to over a hundred rock art sites, many dating back to the Mesolithic period. Often created using natural dyes mixed with tree resins and animal fats, these artworks depict daily life — hunting, dancing and ritual scenes — on rock outcrops, cave ceilings and shelters. Unlike painted works, bruisings were carved with stone tools. Notable sites in areas such as Pandavulagutta have even revealed 'x-ray' style paintings depicting internal organs, a rare artistic expression in prehistoric rock art . The newly discovered Jeenugarala site now adds another piece to Telangana's growing archive of ancient visual culture.
