09-06-2025
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.'
