Snippets of Information
Location - Geographical areas / Infrastructure
Lakkundi in Gadag taluk, Karnataka
* 19 Jan 2026
Lakkundi village is located around 12km from Gadag and 70km
from Hubballi along the Hubballi–Hosapete highway. The place was ruled
by the Kalyana Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, Kalachuris,
Vijayanagar kings and Danachintamani Attimabbe. The land is not only
famous for sculptures, it is believed that the place has a lot of gold,
silver, diamond and other treasures buried under it.
The first excavation was done in 2004-05 in the southern part of the
Prabhu Devar Mutt in Lakkundi, which unearthed many inscriptions and
monuments from the Kalyana Chalukya period. Another round of excavations
were carried out in 2024 and 2025, and the collected historical
artefacts inscriptions have been kept in an open museum.
Source: Hopes high as excavation begins inKarnataka's Lakkundi, Raghottam Koppar, newindianexpress.com, 18 Jan 2026
* 19 Jan 2026
The excavation is being carried out systematically under the joint
supervision of the Department of Archaeology, the Department of Tourism,
and the Lakkundi Development Authority, ensuring both academic rigour
and preservation of heritage.
Rare and remarkable historical traces from the Kalyani Chalukya period,
hidden beneath layers of soil for centuries, are now gradually coming to
light. An important archaeological object was discovered - a rare metal
bell found at a depth of about one and a half feet.
Several important artifacts have been uncovered within the premises of
the Kote Veerabhadreshwara temple. Notably, a uniquely designed
Shivalinga and its pedestal were discovered inside the fort wall.
Another find - A stone sculpture featuring a serpent’s hood with a
Nagamani (serpent gem).
The appearance of a large cobra, approximately eight metres long, near
the excavation site on Sunday during the new moon created fear and
anxiety among villagers. Local folklore suggests that cobras often
appear in places where treasure or valuable items are buried. Due to the
snake’s presence, workers temporarily halted excavation for over half
an hour, ensuring both safety and respect for local beliefs.
Source: Lakkundi excavation: Rare Kalyani Chalukya artifacts unearthed;
Shivalinga and serpent seal discovered, newsable.asianetnews.com, 19 Jan
2026
* 19 Jan 2026
The group of monuments at Lakkundi, and temples from surrounding places,
dating from the early the 10th to 12th centuries CE and built during
the period of Kalyana Chaluykas or Western Chalukyas, are in the process
of being finalised for inclusion in the UNESCO’s tentative list of
World Heritage Sites.
Source: The government has tied up with INTACH, which is now finetuning the proposal by R. Krishna Kumar, The Hindu, 1 May 2025
* 19 Jan 2026
Photo Source: deccanherald.com, Credit: DH photo Gadag
Gangavva Basavaraj Ritti of Lakkundi discovered the gold ornaments on
Saturday while excavation work was underway to build a house.
Gold ornaments, weighing around half kg, hidden in a copper pot, were
discovered while digging for the foundation at a plot in Lakkundi, Gadag
district. The 470 grams of gold ornaments are not a buried treasure, but ornaments hidden
by earlier generations for safety, officials of the Archaeological
Department have clarified.
Source: Gold ornaments found at Lakkundi not treasure: Archaeologists, deccanherald.com, 13 January 2026
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