Rare Four-Sided Buddha Parinirvana Pillar Found in Adilabad

A rare four-sided stone pillar with a Buddha Parinirvana sculpture was found in Bhimsari village in Adilabad district, Telangana, in June 2026. The pillar carries four half-relief carvings on its sides and combines Buddhist, Vaishnavite, and Shaivite motifs on a single monument.

Buddha Parinirvana in Indian Art

The Parinirvana of Buddha refers to the final passing away of Gautama Buddha after his death at Kushinagar. In sculpture, Buddha Parinirvana is usually shown as a reclining figure, with the body lying on the right side and the right hand placed under the head. The depiction on the Adilabad pillar follows the iconographic description found in the Parinibbana Sutta, a Pali Buddhist text. Parinirvana images are found in Buddhist art across India, including stone reliefs, temple panels, and monolithic sculptures.

Features of the Adilabad Pillar

The pillar has four distinct sides with different religious and martial figures. One side shows Buddha in Parinirvana posture, another shows Vishnu Sayana Murti, a third shows a heroic warrior figure, and the fourth shows Uma Lingana Murti, which depicts Shiva embracing Uma or Parvati. The combination of these figures on one pillar makes the monument unusual in the context of Telangana’s archaeological record. Similar Buddha Parinirvana sculptures have been recorded in Telangana, including at Bhimeshwara Temple in Vemulawada.

Archaeological and Historical Context

Historians have placed the sculpture in the 10th century CE on stylistic grounds. The 10th century CE in the Deccan region saw the coexistence of Buddhist, Shaivite, and Vaishnavite traditions in temple and sculptural art. The discovery was made by Roddavaru Prithviraj, a history lecturer and member of the Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam. The carvings were later examined by Sriramoju Haragopal and Dr. E. Sivanagi Reddy, both associated with historical and heritage research in Telangana.

Important Facts for Exams

• Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh is the site associated with the Mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha.
• The Parinibbana Sutta belongs to the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism.
• Vishnu Sayana Murti depicts Vishnu in a reclining posture, usually associated with cosmic rest.
• Uma Lingana Murti is a Shaivite iconographic form showing Shiva with Uma or Parvati.

Telangana Heritage Record

The Adilabad pillar is the first known monument of its kind in Telangana with Buddhist, Vaishnavite, and Shaivite imagery on one stone pillar. The find adds a dated example of multi-religious sculptural tradition in the medieval Deccan.