- Sannati is a small village on the banks of the Bhima River in Kalaburagi’s Chittapur Taluka (Gulbarga).
- In 1994, ASI began excavations in the adjoining village of Kanaganahalli, finding astonishing antiques.
- Among the discoveries was the Adholoka Maha Chaitya, or the Great Stupa of the Netherworlds.
- It dates back to the Maurya and Satavahana dynasties.
Key findings
- The Maha Stupa measures 22 metres in diameter and 17 metres in height.
- It had beautiful ornamentation and architectural grandeur, representing historic workmanship and spiritual veneration.
- The digs revealed a stone sculpture of Emperor Ashoka flanked by his queens and entourage, offering a rare peek into Mauryan history.
- The stone picture is thought to be the only surviving image of the Mauryan Emperor with the inscription ‘Raya Asoko’ in Brahmi on it.
- Furthermore, around 250 Brahmi inscriptions, Prakrit-language dome slabs describing Jataka stories, and drum slabs embellished with Dharma-Chakras were uncovered.
- According to the inscriptions, it was patronised by the Hinayana and Mahayana branches of Buddhism in the third and fourth century AD, respectively.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/sannati-ancient-buddhist-site-finally-in-focus-after-20-years/article65619746.ece