Newsroom, March 22, 2026: Archaeologists highlight a 1,000-year-old hero stone sculpture, dated to the Rashtrakuta period around the 10th century CE, lying neglected near the Beerappa temple in Manchirevula village, Gandipet mandal, Ranga Reddy district, Telangana.
The stone depicts a warrior holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, with an unusual snake hood rising above the head, marking its Shaiva affiliation and iconographic value.
Expert inspection by archaeologist E. Sivanagireddy stresses the need for immediate preservation to protect this glimpse into medieval South Indian history. Similar calls echo across the region for neglected heritage sites.
