Nanded: Base of Chalukyan-Era Lord Shiv Temple Unearthed in Nanded's Hottal Village

In a significant archaeological discovery, the base of a Lord Shiv temple has been uncovered during conservation work at Hottal village in Nanded district, an official said.

Hottal, known for its temples from the Chalukyan era, has yielded three stone inscriptions mentioning the contributions of donors who helped construct these temples around 1070 AD, the official added.

This area, once the capital of the Kalyani Chalukyas, is famous for its temple complex adorned with intricate sculptures.

Discovered while clearing debris

As part of the ongoing conservation work on some of these historic temples, a team of archaeology department officials discovered the temple base while clearing debris near a temple under restoration.

"Four trenches were dug to ascertain the structure and uncovered the base of a Lord Shiv temple, complete with a Shivling. Additionally, we found a substantial number of bricks, indicating that bricks were used in the temple construction here," Amol Gote, the in-charge of the Nanded division of the state Archaeology Department, told PTI.