Principal Secretary inspected Phanigiri Buddhist site for International Expo

Hyderabad: Principal Secretary (Tourism) Sandeep Kumar Sultania inspected the Phanigiri excavated Buddhist site, Nagaram mandal of Suryapet district on Sunday.

The principal secretary was accompanied by 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 it was sent for a special exhibition named titled ‘Tree and Serpent,’ Early Buddhist art in India 200 BCE-400 CE, at Metropolitan Museum, New York of USA and National Museum, Seoul of South Korea that would be held on July 17 to November 13 and December 22 to April 14, 2024.

The sculptures that are selected are Ayaka or courtyard enclosure lime panel (Ikshvaku period), Torana lintel with lion-makara terminal (Ikshavaku period) and Torana lintel with elephant-makara terminal (Ikshavaku period). During the visit, The Principal Secretary inspected this Buddhist site belong to the period 1st century BC to 3rd century CE and structures explored from excavations such as Mahastupa, Votive stupas, Viharas, Congregation hall, Chaityagrihas, and others.

Minister for Tourism, Culture and Archaeology V Srinivas Goud and Sandeep Kumar Sultania, Principal Secretary will attend the Inaugural session of exhibition in New York on July 17 and will make a presentation on the historical importance of the Phanigiri Buddhist site and sculptures selected for exhibition.