The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Ruins of ancient fort discovered

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Ruins of ancient fort discovered

M.L. Melly Maitreyi

Experts convinced it is major archaeological find based on some relics, evidences collected

Fort located in Ichoda mandal, 42 km off NH-7
Decorated pottery traced to Satavahana period

Interesting find: Piece of decorated pottery with ‘Cheveron’ features. (Right) A cobbled pathway leading to the fort.

HYDERABAD: Ruins of a very ancient fort in Adilabad district discovered and believed to be of Pre-Satavahana era created a buzz among archaeology circles as it could unravel valuable archaeological and historical data.

Tucked away in the deep forest, the fort located on the edge of picturesque water falls at Bazarhatnoor, a small village in Ichoda mandal, 42 km off the National Highway-7, was first noticed by Adilabad divisional officer Mahender Reddy.

The village about 20 km away from Maharashtra border has three impressive gorges and waterfalls close to Kadam river and on the edge of the water falls stands the fort, recount V.V. Krishna Shastry, former Director, Archaeology, Jitendra Babu, expert on inscriptions, Jaikrishna, historian and Dr. D.Raja Reddy, numismatist.

The team that keeps tracking heritage and archaeological sites to unravel the hidden wealth of information visited the site recently and came back convinced that it could be a major archaeological find based on some relics and evidences they could collect.

The four-member group found the fort wall, a kilometre long cobbled stone-pathway leading to the fort, a temple in the centre, big bricks and decorated pottery that could be traced to Satavahana period, a stone pillar with carvings of Buddhist ‘Jataka’ stories and pre-historic implements.

It certainly appears to be one of the most ancient forts built with locally available rocks and divided into three segments including the ‘citadel’ where the royalty lived. Another impressive feature was Kadam river flowing through the fort (as in Gandikota fort (Kadapa) through which flows river Pennar) which probably served as the water source and moat, Mr.Krishna Shastry told The Hindu.

The cobbled pathway leading to the fort, its strategic location, formidable fortification indicate it could be an extremely important fort and so also the pottery with ‘Cheveron’ features noticed in ancient period pottery.

Archaeology department Director P. Chenna Reddy said the site would be further examined and necessary measures initiated to preserve it.

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