Sandeep Kumar Sultania, IAS, the Director of Department of Heritage Telangana / Principal Secretary to Government, Tourism, Culture and Archaeology has inspected the Phanigiri Excavated Buddhist Site, Nagaram mandal of Suryapet district today on 2-7-2023 at 3-00 PM along with Archaeology Deputy Directors of Technical, Conservation and Museum branches, Village Sarpanch and Panchayat Raj department officials in connection with valuable Buddhist sculptures explored from this site and sent for special exhibition proposed titled “Tree & Serpent”, Early Buddhist art in India 200 BCE-400 CE, at Metropolitan Museum, New York of USA and National Museum, Seoul of South Korea during 17th July 2023 to 13th November 2023 and 22nd December 2023 to 14th April 2024 respectively.
The Principal Secretary has inspected this Buddhist site belongs to period 1st century BC to 3rd century CE and structures explored from excavations such as Mahastupa, Votive stupas, Viharas, Congregation hall, Chaityagrihas etc.
The selected sculptures found from this Buddhist site proposed for exhibition are;1. Ayaka or courtyard enclosure lime panel (Ikshvaku period),2. Torana lintel with lion-makara terminal (Ikshavaku period) and 3. Torana lintel with elephant-makara terminal (Ikshavaku period).
The Honorable Minister for Tourism, Culture and Archaeology and the Principal Secretary will attend the Inaugural session of this exhibition at New York on 17th July 2023 representing the Government of Telangana and make presentation on the the historical importance of Phanigiri Buddhist site and sculptures selected for exhibition.
