INTACH organises talk on Rock Art in Coastal Karnataka

INTACH organises talk on Rock Art in Coastal Karnataka

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, August 21, 2023: Mangaluru Chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) organised a lecture on "Rock Art in Coastal Karnataka," by Prof. Murugeshi T., on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 6:00 PM at Kodialguthu Centre for Art and Culture, Kodailguthu West, Bangaru Guthu Road, Mangaluru. Prof. Murugeshi T. is a renowned researcher and an authority on prehistoric rock art in this region. He recently retired as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, MSRS College, Shirva.

In his address, Prof. Murugeshi said that when he was a young lecturer, he was encouraged by the late Dr. B. Vasantha Shetty, Vice Principal and Head of the Department of History and Archaeology at St. Mary’s Syrian College, Brahmavara, to actively pursue archaeological exploration of the coastal region. "Dr. Vasantha Shetty told me that there is very little archaeological documentation of this region and I should pursue it as I am a trained archaeologist. I got to work immediately and gathered all the scholarly works pertaining to the Tulunadu region," he said.

"The first thing I noticed was that there was absolutely no mention of the Tulunadu region in the elaborate history of India. This was because there was hardly any research undertaken on the ancient history of this region, and it was generally assumed that the local history started with the megalithic period, which goes back about 3000 years. But this is not true, as my explorations during the last two decades have found evidence of human presence in this region since about 10,000 BC," he informed.

Prof. Murugeshi observed that the first serious studies of this region were undertaken only during the seventies by five scholars, namely, Dr. P. Gururaj Bhat, Dr. A. Sundara, Dr. B. Vasantha Shetty, Dr. H. R. Raghunath Bhat, and Dr. P. P. Shirodkar. "I visited the prehistoric sites discovered by these researchers and was shocked to learn that some are no more. An important site mentioned by Dr. A. Sundara is encroached upon by humans and covered by concrete houses. Another site discovered by Dr. H. R. Raghunath Bhat is submerged under water due to a mini dam. In contrast, many such sites in Goa have been made into monuments and have become tourist attractions," he said.

Speaking about his own discovery of extensive rock art in Buddhana Jedu near Kundapur, he said that he became curious about the unusual place name when he saw it mentioned in a newspaper article and decided to explore the terrain. "After interacting with the local folk, I found nearly fifty petroglyphs bearing animal, human and abstract geometrical designs. Since these designs are strikingly similar to mesolithic designs found in Russia and on a few Harappan pottery pieces, it raises questions about a possible connection between these people," he said.

At Avalakki Pare, a grazing land in a reserve forest near Kollur, his team found 19 rock etchings depicting hunting scenes and tools associated with a food gathering society dating to about 12,000 years ago, he said. His team has also undertaken exploration in Subrahmanya and in places like Gavali, Palli and Attur-Kundaje in Udupi district. His studies have covered the entire Tulunadu region up to Goa as it was a continuous region in the past.

Subhas Chandra Basu, Convener of INTACH, Mangaluru Chapter, welcomed the gathering. Sharvani Bhat introduced the guest.