A major restoration project led by the Telangana State Department of Archaeology at a 12th-century Kalyani Chalukya Trikuta temple has yielded an extraordinary find. During the desilting of the temple's northern courtyard, engineers discovered a series of three interconnected ritual cisterns lined with thin sheets of oxidized silver. This is the first recorded instance of precious metal lining being used in hydraulic temple architecture in the Deccan, likely intended for purifying water used in high-status consecration ceremonies.
The restoration team also uncovered a hidden inscription on the underside of a fallen Navaranga pillar, which details the names of the master stonemasons and the specific geometric ratios used to align the temple with the Summer Solstice. These findings provide new insights into the advanced metallurgical and astronomical knowledge of the Later Chalukyan period. The silver-lined cisterns are now being stabilized using non-invasive chemical preservatives to prevent further degradation.