Hyderabad, Mar 10 (PTI) A rare Jain sculpture of 'Sthapanacharya', dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries, was found in Telangana's Siddipet district, according to a history researcher.

The sculpture was noticed at Nangunur village in the district by Kolipaka Srinivas, a member and researcher of 'Kotha Telangana Charitra Brindam' (a group working on Telangana's history).

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The sculpture depicts a Jain saint holding a book, a Vyasapeetha and his disciples.

This represents 'Sthapanacharya' and such sculptures are identified as Jain educational centres such as 'Pustakagachha' and 'Saraswathigachha'.

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A sculpture carved with a Jain saint holding a book, a Vyasapeetha, and disciples is called a Sthapanacharya, Srinivas said on Monday.

He told PTI that he was aware of the presence of the sculpture at a Hanuman temple in the village earlier but half of it was inside the earth. The sculpture was taken out during the reconstruction of the temple recently and he noticed it on Sunday, he said.

Before the advent of idol worship in Jainism, there was the worship of symbols. Among them, the Dharmachakra, Manastambha, Silapatam, Ayagapatta, Stupas, Panchaparameshti Siddhachakra, Ashtamangalas, Triratna, Chaityavriksha, Nandeeshvaradweepam, Charanapadukas, Nishidhus, and Sthapanacharya are important, he said.

A sculpture carved with a Jain saint holding a book, a Vyasapeetha, and disciples is called a Sthapanacharya.

The convenor of the history group, Sriramoju Haragopal, who examined it, identified it to be a rare Jain sculpture, dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries.

Noted historian Emani Shivanagi Reddy confirmed it.

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