Ancient rock art discovered near Babbu Swamy Shrine in Mangaluru

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 19, 2024: The first evidence of rock art in Mangaluru city has been discovered near the Boloor Panne Koteda Babbu Swamy shrine, according to T. Murugeshi, retired Associate Professor of Ancient History and Archaeology at MSRS College, Shirva.

Mr. Murugeshi reported that the rock art consists of a pair of human footprints found on a natural stone boulder near the shrine. He suggested that these footprints might date back to the first or second century A.D. "This finding prompts us to reconsider the origins of Babbu Swamy, a revered local legend," he remarked.

This discovery is part of an ongoing project to reconstruct the history of Babbu Swamy, undertaken in collaboration with the Minchinabavi Kordabbu Trust, Padubidri, Udupi district. "This finding encourages the search for similar art forms near other Babbu Swamy shrines," Mr. Murugeshi added.

He explained that rock art, which includes paintings and carvings on rocks, serves as undeniable cognitive evidence of prehistoric societies. In 2009, he identified a significant rock art site in Buddhanajeddu, Udupi district, featuring more than 20 footprints on a laterite surface from the first or second century A.D. Additionally, the Buddhanajeddu site contained pottery and stone tools from the Neolithic period.