A local heritage conservation group in Andhra Pradesh has identified an unrecorded 9th-century shrine dedicated to Lord Ganesha in the rural outskirts of Chittoor. Attributed to the Bana dynasty, the temple is notable for its innovative foundation technique where stone pillars are shaped to resemble elephant tusks, a symbolic architectural tribute to the deity. The shrine's granite walls contain Grantha inscriptions detailing the donation of land by a local chieftain for the maintenance of temple lamps.
The discovery is particularly significant as it provides a rare look at the artistic transition between the late Pallava and early Chola styles in the border regions of the Deccan. Current preservation work involves the removal of invasive vegetation and the chemical cleaning of the basalt Shikhara to reveal faded narrative friezes of the elephant-headed god.