Columnar Basalt site found in Asifabad

They look like temple pillars sans sculptures: heritage enthusiast

The discovery of columns which look like temple pillars minus sculptures has turned out to be a find that shines light on Telangana’s rich geological heritage.

“They looked like temple pillars, but there was no sculptures or carvings. That led me to use Google Lens which showed that it is a ‘columnar basalt’,” said Tirupati Gite, the heritage enthusiast who discovered the site in Asifabad district’s Karameri village.

Once Mr. Gite identified the geological formation that was found on a hillock about 2 kilometres from the road in a forested area, he got in touch with S. Haragopal, who leads the Kotha Charitra Telangana Brundam.

“This site with columnar basalt should be protected so that it does not come under agriculture or destroyed in some other development activity. It can be conserved and turned into a heritage site,” said Mr. Haragopal. 

While earlier sites strewn with columnar basalt have been found in Adilabad, Konkan, Madhya Pradesh and other parts of the country, the discovery in Asifabad adds to the State’s geological diversity.

From the batholith of Bhongir to the 2,500 million-year-old rock formations surrounding Hyderabad, to the 65 million-year-old basaltic formation, the State has a full spread of geological attractions.