Esa Bin Abdul Rehman Rangareddy

Ina significant archaeological discovery, a Hyderabad-based historian has uncovered four deep rock-carved grooves of prehistoric importance inside Mrugavani National Park at Chilkur, under Moinabad in Rangareddy district. Experts note that a detailed investigation by the Department of Archaeology and Museums is required to formally establish the age and significance of the site.

On Wednesday, during a safari visit, historian Dr. Satyanarayana Dyavanapalli discovered the four deep grooves on a rock surface near the Banda Juvvi Watch Tower inside Mrugavani National Park. Local details provided by B. Anand Kumar, Administrative Officer of the Rangareddy Forest Department, further highlighted the historical potential of the location. According to Dr. Dyavanapalli, the discovery points to possible prehistoric human activity on the city's outskirts and underscores the urgent need for a systematic archaeological investigation.

The four grooves, each measuring approximately one foot in length and two to four inches in depth, were found on a plateau-like rock formation within a dense forest area overlooking nearby valleys. The surrounding landscape features natural water sources and elevated plateaus bordered by massive boulders, creating ideal conditions to support hunting and gathering activities by prehistoric human communities. The dimensions and wear of the grooves suggest the rock face was repeatedly used for grinding or sharpening stone tools, axes, and hunting implements. Historians hypothesize a potential link to Neolithic-period activities dating back to the fifth millennium BCE, though scientific verification remains essential to establish exact origin, function, and chronology. Adding further weight to the site's significance, another rock-art location was identified roughly one kilometer away near the Forest Trek Park. There, a distinctive rock formation resembling a snake's hood bears several ochre-colored paintings depicting representations of a turtle, a tamed animal, dynamic hunting scenes, arrows, border-line designs, and a symbolic representation of a phratry, which is a social subdivision of an ancient community. Dr. Dyavanapalli maintained that these paintings offer valuable clues about the cultural expressions, social organization, and survival activities of the early inhabitants, though establishing their age and direct relationship to the grooves at Banda Juvvi requires specialist research.

Emphasizing the collective cultural value of these discoveries, Dr. Dyavanapalli urged the Telangana Department of Archaeology and Museums to undertake a comprehensive survey around the Banda Juvvi Watch Tower and adjacent rock-art sites in Chilkur. He noted that a systematic investigation could reveal further evidence and firmly establish the antiquity of prehistoric human settlements near Hyderabad.