Padurivarigudem is located in the Nalgonda district of Telangana, India. In modern times, archaeologists have discovered an ancient menhir, a memorial from the Iron Age, in Padurivarigudem.
The menhir is a structure that is 11 feet high and was built as a memorial for warriors or tribal leaders in the region. Some other remnants have been found in Guntur city as well. E. Siva Nagi Reddy, chief archaeology officer, and his associates uncovered the massive menhir. They have done studies on it and confirmed that it is an ancient structure whose history roots back to 1000 BC.
“Based on the information received from T. Saidulu, president of the local Vivekananda Youth Association, the associates of the archaeological department visited the spot on Thursday and confirmed that the menhir belongs to the Megalithic period.
The menhir is 11 feet tall, six feet in width, and goes six feet deep into the soil. The massive stone slab was installed during the Iron Age as a memorial to tribal lords or warriors in the region. T. Saidulu, president of the local Vivekananda Youth Association has also mentioned “It reveals the collective efforts of the ancient iron-smelting community”.
The team of archaeologists has also examined around 20 circular burial stones from the Megalithic age, near the Chinna Cheruvu, a tank located in Chandupatla village. The experts have concluded that the burial sites and the marking stones are prone to damage because of active agricultural operations in the area.
Mr. Nagi Reddy said he has requested the Telangana state government to actively protect the unique menhir, as it stands as testimony to the history of Telangana from the Iron Age.
Similar menhirs have been found in the districts of Nalgonda and Guntur in recent years. The site where the megalithic artifacts were uncovered was not of particular significance in the Kakatiya Empire. But the site is close to Chandupatla, where Kakatiya ruler Rani Rudrama Devi is believed to have died.
