By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, June 23: Doctors at a city hospital encountered a very rare case of chicken pox complication affecting three vital body organ systems.
Chicken pox, normally a harmless health nuisance, turns life-threatening in the rarest of rare cases. A 14-year-old boy from Nanded in Maharashtra was brought to a city hospital with severe complications of chicken pox leading to failure of kidneys and problems in blood circulatory and nervous systems. The child was put on dialysis and has not recovered from the complications.
"Kidney failure requiring dialysis is very rarely encountered as a complication of chicken pox infection. Case reports are very few from across the world, and most pertain to older children and adults who generally succumb to the complications. The boy had involvement of three organ systems (the brain, the heart and blood vascular system and the kidneys)," says Dr VSV Prasad, consultant paediatrician at Lotus Hospitals.
A normally mild illness causing a rash and low grade fever, chicken pox or varicella infection in medical parlance, can cause deadly complications. Certain complications can be lethal due to this seemingly mild infection. Affecting mostly children in the age group of one to nine years, it passes off in the vast majority as an inconvenience and a few days of loss of schooling in most children, Dr Prasad said.
A vaccine is available to prevent this viral disease and should be offered to individuals who do not contract this infection in early childhood and those whose immune function is compromised, he suggested.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Wedding blues: WHO guidelines throw spanner in AP government's plans on mandatory HIV test
June 3, 2006
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, June 2: The State government's ambitious move to make pre-marital AIDS test compulsory for couples may not materialise what with the World Health Organisation coming out with a set of new guidelines recommending member nations not to press for any mandatory tests.
This in effect means that HIV testing should be done purely on voluntary basis and there should be no compulsory tag attached to it. If the State government goes ahead with the legislation, it will be violating the international health rules.
The guidelines released jointly by WHO and UNAIDS on May 30 point out that all HIV testing must be "voluntary, confidential, and undertaken with the patient's consent". They also prohibit governments from going in for mandatory or compulsory tests on unwilling people or patients.
Though the previous Telugu Desam government mooted the idea of compulsory AIDS test for couples before marriage, it had to back track following uproar from human rights groups. But the present Congress government has decided to go ahead with the legislation in the "larger interests of society".
The State government has also prepared a draft Bill and according to official sources Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy is particular about enacting the legislation at the earliest. The Goa State government came out with a similar legislation but later withdrew it following protests.
As per the new WHO recommendations, patients have the right to decline the test. "They should not be tested for HIV against their will, without their knowledge, without adequate information or without receiving their test results," the guidelines state.
Moreover, the governments should provide patients with support to avoid potential negative consequences of knowing and disclosing their HIV status, such as discrimination or violence.
State AIDS Control deputy director Ch Prabhakar told this correspondent that they were pressing more on counselling HIV patients and targeted groups to create awareness about the problem before moving ahead with any legislation.
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, June 2: The State government's ambitious move to make pre-marital AIDS test compulsory for couples may not materialise what with the World Health Organisation coming out with a set of new guidelines recommending member nations not to press for any mandatory tests.
This in effect means that HIV testing should be done purely on voluntary basis and there should be no compulsory tag attached to it. If the State government goes ahead with the legislation, it will be violating the international health rules.
The guidelines released jointly by WHO and UNAIDS on May 30 point out that all HIV testing must be "voluntary, confidential, and undertaken with the patient's consent". They also prohibit governments from going in for mandatory or compulsory tests on unwilling people or patients.
Though the previous Telugu Desam government mooted the idea of compulsory AIDS test for couples before marriage, it had to back track following uproar from human rights groups. But the present Congress government has decided to go ahead with the legislation in the "larger interests of society".
The State government has also prepared a draft Bill and according to official sources Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy is particular about enacting the legislation at the earliest. The Goa State government came out with a similar legislation but later withdrew it following protests.
As per the new WHO recommendations, patients have the right to decline the test. "They should not be tested for HIV against their will, without their knowledge, without adequate information or without receiving their test results," the guidelines state.
Moreover, the governments should provide patients with support to avoid potential negative consequences of knowing and disclosing their HIV status, such as discrimination or violence.
State AIDS Control deputy director Ch Prabhakar told this correspondent that they were pressing more on counselling HIV patients and targeted groups to create awareness about the problem before moving ahead with any legislation.
Monday, May 29, 2006
All about liquid paraffin
2006
By Syed Akbar
====================
Liquid paraffin as purgative
====================
1. It is harmful to consume liquid paraffin internally as a purgative.
2. It may cause cancer if used repeatedly (proved only in animal studies).
3. Not recommended for children, pregnant women and breast feeding mothers.
4. Active adults may use liquid paraffin internally. Those with little mobility should not use it.
================================
Liquid paraffin is harmless as skin ointment
================================
1. Liquid paraffin in neither acidic nor alkaline with pH value being neutral.
2. It is cheaper and efficient skin emollient.
3. Can be used on tender skin of babies as young as one month.
4. Doctors all over the world have been using liquid paraffin for nearly 100 years.
5. No country in the world has banned liquid paraffin as an skin ointment.
6. No research has ever shown liquid paraffin to cause cancer. It has no carcinogenic agents.
7. Best source of smoothing agent for persons with dry skin and cracked skin.
8. It is better than coconut oil.
9. It can be mixed with water for bath.
10. Liquid paraffin is nothing but a petroleum product, technically known as petrolatum or mineral oil in layman's language.
11. It is transparent, colourless, and odourless.
======================
Side-effects of liquid paraffin
======================
1. No major side-effect except causing skin rashes in extremely sensitive persons.
2. In persons with oily skin liquid paraffin may cause inflammation of hair follicles.
3. It may cause acne in persons with oily skin.
4. Liquid paraffin may cause hair splits if mixed with coconut oil.
--------------------
The Food and Drug Administration of Maharashtra government has kicked off a row when it declared that liquid paraffin will cause cancer as it contains carcinogenic agents. The FDA even issued notices to leading pharmaceutical companies including Johnson & Johnson, Himayala, Himani and Wipro for using liquid paraffin in baby oil.
Senior dermatologists in the city question the FDA's unilateral action in declaring liquid paraffin as carcinogenic. They wonder if what the FDA says is true, why have not the USA or European countries banned liquid paraffin. Several leading US pharmaceutical companies use liquid paraffin as base in their products.
"This is the first time we are hearing about the presence of so-called cancer-causing agents in liquid paraffin. It is absolutely safe as an skin ointment. We have never received any complaints against any drug with liquid paraffin as its base or one of the constituents", points out a senior official of the State Drug Control Department.
Stating that the controversy is needless, senior dermatologist Dr Satyanath Patnaik says liquid paraffin can even be applied safely as an eye ointment. Liquid paraffin is used in opthalmology as a lubricant for the outer surface of the eye to treat dry conditions. There are no known harmful effects when this medicine is used by even pregnant or breast feeding mothers.
Dr Patnaik wonders what had prompted the FDA, Maharashtra, to declare liquid paraffin as carcinogenic. "We recommend liquid paraffin very often. In fact, we conducted a research on liquid paraffin. We found it absolutely safe on skin. Even babies can use it", he clarifies.
Though there have been no known serious reactions to liquid paraffin, dermatologists suggest that only persons with dry skin use it as a soothing or moisturising agent. It may like any greasy agent cause foliculitis if used excessively.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Sukhruta Reddy says the fears of FDA are unfounded. Liquid paraffin is absolutely safe when applied externally. In some persons, it may cause eye irritation and its prolonged and/or repeated contact with the skin may cause irritation including dermatitis. "This is quite normal. Even coconut oil if applied extensively will affect the skin as it leads to the growth of bacteria.
LP plays as a natural barrier and helps in the healing of cracks", she points out.
Since LP is non-greasy with a neutral pH value it can be applied safely on the skin even on tender skin of babies. "We even ask patients to add LP to bath water. Allergic reactions are very rare. In sensitive patients it may block sweat pores as it acts as an occlusive. Harmful steroids can be made safer by adding them to liquid paraffin", Sukhruta Reddy clarifies.
Dermatologists in the country use LP liberally, says Dr G Manmohan, assistant professor of dermatology, Osmania Hospital. "I far as I know no country in the world has banned LP. Many pharmaceutical companies in the USA and Europe use LP in their products. We have been using it for decades in our hospitals with no reported cases of cancer. It is cheaper and non-toxic. It is useful for persons with dry skin. In persons with oily skin it may cause skin infections. Excessive use may lead to foliculitis.", Dr Manmohan observes.
By Syed Akbar
====================
Liquid paraffin as purgative
====================
1. It is harmful to consume liquid paraffin internally as a purgative.
2. It may cause cancer if used repeatedly (proved only in animal studies).
3. Not recommended for children, pregnant women and breast feeding mothers.
4. Active adults may use liquid paraffin internally. Those with little mobility should not use it.
================================
Liquid paraffin is harmless as skin ointment
================================
1. Liquid paraffin in neither acidic nor alkaline with pH value being neutral.
2. It is cheaper and efficient skin emollient.
3. Can be used on tender skin of babies as young as one month.
4. Doctors all over the world have been using liquid paraffin for nearly 100 years.
5. No country in the world has banned liquid paraffin as an skin ointment.
6. No research has ever shown liquid paraffin to cause cancer. It has no carcinogenic agents.
7. Best source of smoothing agent for persons with dry skin and cracked skin.
8. It is better than coconut oil.
9. It can be mixed with water for bath.
10. Liquid paraffin is nothing but a petroleum product, technically known as petrolatum or mineral oil in layman's language.
11. It is transparent, colourless, and odourless.
======================
Side-effects of liquid paraffin
======================
1. No major side-effect except causing skin rashes in extremely sensitive persons.
2. In persons with oily skin liquid paraffin may cause inflammation of hair follicles.
3. It may cause acne in persons with oily skin.
4. Liquid paraffin may cause hair splits if mixed with coconut oil.
--------------------
The Food and Drug Administration of Maharashtra government has kicked off a row when it declared that liquid paraffin will cause cancer as it contains carcinogenic agents. The FDA even issued notices to leading pharmaceutical companies including Johnson & Johnson, Himayala, Himani and Wipro for using liquid paraffin in baby oil.
Senior dermatologists in the city question the FDA's unilateral action in declaring liquid paraffin as carcinogenic. They wonder if what the FDA says is true, why have not the USA or European countries banned liquid paraffin. Several leading US pharmaceutical companies use liquid paraffin as base in their products.
"This is the first time we are hearing about the presence of so-called cancer-causing agents in liquid paraffin. It is absolutely safe as an skin ointment. We have never received any complaints against any drug with liquid paraffin as its base or one of the constituents", points out a senior official of the State Drug Control Department.
Stating that the controversy is needless, senior dermatologist Dr Satyanath Patnaik says liquid paraffin can even be applied safely as an eye ointment. Liquid paraffin is used in opthalmology as a lubricant for the outer surface of the eye to treat dry conditions. There are no known harmful effects when this medicine is used by even pregnant or breast feeding mothers.
Dr Patnaik wonders what had prompted the FDA, Maharashtra, to declare liquid paraffin as carcinogenic. "We recommend liquid paraffin very often. In fact, we conducted a research on liquid paraffin. We found it absolutely safe on skin. Even babies can use it", he clarifies.
Though there have been no known serious reactions to liquid paraffin, dermatologists suggest that only persons with dry skin use it as a soothing or moisturising agent. It may like any greasy agent cause foliculitis if used excessively.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Sukhruta Reddy says the fears of FDA are unfounded. Liquid paraffin is absolutely safe when applied externally. In some persons, it may cause eye irritation and its prolonged and/or repeated contact with the skin may cause irritation including dermatitis. "This is quite normal. Even coconut oil if applied extensively will affect the skin as it leads to the growth of bacteria.
LP plays as a natural barrier and helps in the healing of cracks", she points out.
Since LP is non-greasy with a neutral pH value it can be applied safely on the skin even on tender skin of babies. "We even ask patients to add LP to bath water. Allergic reactions are very rare. In sensitive patients it may block sweat pores as it acts as an occlusive. Harmful steroids can be made safer by adding them to liquid paraffin", Sukhruta Reddy clarifies.
Dermatologists in the country use LP liberally, says Dr G Manmohan, assistant professor of dermatology, Osmania Hospital. "I far as I know no country in the world has banned LP. Many pharmaceutical companies in the USA and Europe use LP in their products. We have been using it for decades in our hospitals with no reported cases of cancer. It is cheaper and non-toxic. It is useful for persons with dry skin. In persons with oily skin it may cause skin infections. Excessive use may lead to foliculitis.", Dr Manmohan observes.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Stringent rules on bio-fertilisers
April 22, 2006
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, April 21: The State government has come out with stringent rules on bio-fertilisers including compulsory registration of manufacturers to protect the interests of farmers, who are increasingly turning to natural manures following their bad experiences with chemical fertilisers.
Manufacturers and marketers of bio-fertilisers and organic fertilisers will now have to register themselves with the agricultural department on or before May 31. The new amended rules to the Fertiliser Control Order - 2006 will come into force from June 1.
Those violating the FCO like selling or manufacture of spurious or substandard bio-fertilisers or organic fertilisers will attract imprisonment up to seven years and fine. Minor offences will attract jail sentence up to one year and fine.
The State government first introduced legislation a couple of months ago and inspired by the Act, the Central government issued orders extending Fertiliser Control Order to the entire country. The new legislation covers bio-fertilisers like rhizobium, phosphate solubilising bacteria, azotobacter and azospirillum while organic fertilisers include city compost, vermi-compost and pressmud.
Agriculture Commissioner Poonam Malakondaiah said the State has about 60 bio-fertiliser and organic fertiliser manufacturing units and in the absence of any regulations so far, farmers have been losing heavily because of spurious or substandard fertilisers.
"All our efforts to promote bio-fertilisers in the State have yielded little results because of spurious commodity available in the market. Now that we have come out with stringent rules and compulsory registration, farmers will go in for bio-fertilisers on a massive scale," she told reporters on Friday.
The State government has notified FCO laboratory at Rajendranagar for analysis of bio-fertilisers and organic fertilisers.
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, April 21: The State government has come out with stringent rules on bio-fertilisers including compulsory registration of manufacturers to protect the interests of farmers, who are increasingly turning to natural manures following their bad experiences with chemical fertilisers.
Manufacturers and marketers of bio-fertilisers and organic fertilisers will now have to register themselves with the agricultural department on or before May 31. The new amended rules to the Fertiliser Control Order - 2006 will come into force from June 1.
Those violating the FCO like selling or manufacture of spurious or substandard bio-fertilisers or organic fertilisers will attract imprisonment up to seven years and fine. Minor offences will attract jail sentence up to one year and fine.
The State government first introduced legislation a couple of months ago and inspired by the Act, the Central government issued orders extending Fertiliser Control Order to the entire country. The new legislation covers bio-fertilisers like rhizobium, phosphate solubilising bacteria, azotobacter and azospirillum while organic fertilisers include city compost, vermi-compost and pressmud.
Agriculture Commissioner Poonam Malakondaiah said the State has about 60 bio-fertiliser and organic fertiliser manufacturing units and in the absence of any regulations so far, farmers have been losing heavily because of spurious or substandard fertilisers.
"All our efforts to promote bio-fertilisers in the State have yielded little results because of spurious commodity available in the market. Now that we have come out with stringent rules and compulsory registration, farmers will go in for bio-fertilisers on a massive scale," she told reporters on Friday.
The State government has notified FCO laboratory at Rajendranagar for analysis of bio-fertilisers and organic fertilisers.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Ecological crisis in India: Change in rain pattern in Ranga Reddy district
Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, April 17: A severe ecological crisis is looming large over the neighbouring Ranga Reddy district with a change in rain pattern and steep fall in groundwater table in several places.
This summer is going to be worst-ever dry season in the past one decade what with 70 per cent of the borewells and surface water bodies drying up early. As Rangareddy district surrounds Hyderabad, the adverse environmental impact is likely to be felt equally on the State Capital.
Water levels in and around Hyderabad city have gone down almost by five metres over a period of two years. The fall was quite steep during 2004-2005 due to excessive drawal of underground water and the failure of the rainwater harvesting structures.
Earlier, borewells used to go dry only during summer. Now most of the dug wells remain dry throughout the year. According to a research study by Indo-French Ground Water Project, even electric motors, in many areas in Ranga Reddy district where the study was carried out, pump water for 45 seconds and run without water for the next 60 seconds.
The study noted that there had been a shift in the climatic conditions in the area. "Both time and space variability of rainfall has changed and it is becoming unfavourable. Ponds and tanks have become evaporative bodies. Fluoride levels in groundwater are much higher than the WHO safe limit for drinking for the whole year", the report stated.
The research study reveals that since the underground system and the problem associated with it is complex, heterogeneous and variable, corrective measures do not work and if they do, they are not foolproof.
Most of the rainwater harvesting structures constructed by the previous Telugu Desam government have failed to deliver the goods and even the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India has found fault with the State government for its bad planning and execution.
All over the State the fall in the ground water levels ranged from five to 10 metres with Kadapa, Chittoor, Anantapur, Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Prakasam districts being the worst affected.
Hyderabad, April 17: A severe ecological crisis is looming large over the neighbouring Ranga Reddy district with a change in rain pattern and steep fall in groundwater table in several places.
This summer is going to be worst-ever dry season in the past one decade what with 70 per cent of the borewells and surface water bodies drying up early. As Rangareddy district surrounds Hyderabad, the adverse environmental impact is likely to be felt equally on the State Capital.
Water levels in and around Hyderabad city have gone down almost by five metres over a period of two years. The fall was quite steep during 2004-2005 due to excessive drawal of underground water and the failure of the rainwater harvesting structures.
Earlier, borewells used to go dry only during summer. Now most of the dug wells remain dry throughout the year. According to a research study by Indo-French Ground Water Project, even electric motors, in many areas in Ranga Reddy district where the study was carried out, pump water for 45 seconds and run without water for the next 60 seconds.
The study noted that there had been a shift in the climatic conditions in the area. "Both time and space variability of rainfall has changed and it is becoming unfavourable. Ponds and tanks have become evaporative bodies. Fluoride levels in groundwater are much higher than the WHO safe limit for drinking for the whole year", the report stated.
The research study reveals that since the underground system and the problem associated with it is complex, heterogeneous and variable, corrective measures do not work and if they do, they are not foolproof.
Most of the rainwater harvesting structures constructed by the previous Telugu Desam government have failed to deliver the goods and even the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India has found fault with the State government for its bad planning and execution.
All over the State the fall in the ground water levels ranged from five to 10 metres with Kadapa, Chittoor, Anantapur, Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Prakasam districts being the worst affected.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Kottur: Archaeological survey of India on a "treasure hunt"
April 15, 2006
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, April 14: The Archaeological Survey of India is on a "treasure hunt" in the nondescript Kotturu village of Visakhapatnam district searching Buddhist ruins for priceless artefacts, inscriptions and ancient gold and silver coins.
Kotturu is one of the six new archaeological sites selected by the Central government for excavations that are likely to throw a deep insight into the lifestyles of people dating back to second century BC. The ASI will dig up "mounds" in and around Kotturu that have so far been the target of vandals seeking treasure throve.
The Central government has decided to go in for a thorough excavation of the "mounds" in Kotturu after archaeologists discovered stone inscriptions containing Telugu words in Brahmi script about 2200 years old. Earlier excavations at the site brought out 107 gold coins, silver coins, pearls, diamonds and gems stored in a small vessel. The vessel was hidden in a rectangular container.
According to officials at the ASI office in Hyderabad, the excavations on Buddhist "mounds" will also throw more light on the language spoken by Buddhist monks and local people in those times. A rock edict in Brahmi script contained the words, "Tambayya Danam", which in Telugu means "donated by Tambayya".
Tambayya was believed to be a Telugu noble who had donated gold ornaments and precious stones to Buddhist monks towards charity. Tambayya's donation includes 21 silver and gold flowers and two gold containers.
Ever since the discovery of the rock edict, the interest of archaeologists and linguistics has gone up on the "mounds" in Kotturu. The edict has pushed the age of Telugu language by at least 800 years. Earlier, Telugu was thought to be evolved around the sixth. The latest evidence now shows that Telugu is as old as 2200 years.
Like Sanskrit, Tamil and Kannada, the literature of Telugu has been in vogue for over 1500 years. Some archaeologists have been arguing that Telugu is more than 2000 years old. The first Telugu words can be observed in Ikshavakula inscriptions. Nagarjuna Hill inscriptions of 250 AD contain Telugu words. But the Kotturu inscriptions have come in as the first ever "solid evidence" to prove that Telugu was spoken even before the start of the common era.
The Kotturu "mounds" are similar in structure to the internationally famous "Salihundam", a Buddhist site in Srikakulam district. Salihundam is an ancient settlement containing a maha stupa, votive stupas, chaityas, platforms and viharas. Here the inscriptions date back to the second century AD. The Kotturu "mounds" are four hundred years older than the Salihundam and archaeologists expect more "surprises" during the excavations.
Kotturu and surrounding areas as also the ancient sites along the river Krishna in Krishna and Godavari districts had played an important role in the spread of Buddhism from India to Sumatra, China and other countries in the Far East.
The "mounds" are locally known as "Dhana Dibbalu" (mounds of treasure) in local parlance. There are Chaitya Grihas or halls of worship built of brick. Similar ruins are also found in Andhra Pradesh at places like Guntapalli near Vijayawada, Nagarjunakonda and Amaravathi in Guntur district. But these mounds are 100 years older than the Kotturu mounds.
Along with Kotturu mounds, the ASI has taken up excavations at ancient sites in Chaturbhuj Nala (Mandsaur district) and Gondarmau (Bhopal district) in Madhya Pradesh, Aragarh (Puri district) in Orissa and Sanauli, Baghpat and Latiya (Ghazipur district) in Uttar Pradesh.
The other oldest Telugu inscription is from 633 AD. The Telugu literature begins with an 11th-century translation of the Sanskrit classic Mahabharata.
Telugu words appear in the Maharashtri Prakrit anthology of poems (the Gathasaptashathi) collected by the first century BC Satavahana King Hala. Telugu speakers were probably the oldest peoples inhabiting the land between Krishna and Godavari. ASI officials hope that the Kotturu findings are likely to give a historical look to the Telugu language and the traditions and culture of the Telugu-speaking people.
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, April 14: The Archaeological Survey of India is on a "treasure hunt" in the nondescript Kotturu village of Visakhapatnam district searching Buddhist ruins for priceless artefacts, inscriptions and ancient gold and silver coins.
Kotturu is one of the six new archaeological sites selected by the Central government for excavations that are likely to throw a deep insight into the lifestyles of people dating back to second century BC. The ASI will dig up "mounds" in and around Kotturu that have so far been the target of vandals seeking treasure throve.
The Central government has decided to go in for a thorough excavation of the "mounds" in Kotturu after archaeologists discovered stone inscriptions containing Telugu words in Brahmi script about 2200 years old. Earlier excavations at the site brought out 107 gold coins, silver coins, pearls, diamonds and gems stored in a small vessel. The vessel was hidden in a rectangular container.
According to officials at the ASI office in Hyderabad, the excavations on Buddhist "mounds" will also throw more light on the language spoken by Buddhist monks and local people in those times. A rock edict in Brahmi script contained the words, "Tambayya Danam", which in Telugu means "donated by Tambayya".
Tambayya was believed to be a Telugu noble who had donated gold ornaments and precious stones to Buddhist monks towards charity. Tambayya's donation includes 21 silver and gold flowers and two gold containers.
Ever since the discovery of the rock edict, the interest of archaeologists and linguistics has gone up on the "mounds" in Kotturu. The edict has pushed the age of Telugu language by at least 800 years. Earlier, Telugu was thought to be evolved around the sixth. The latest evidence now shows that Telugu is as old as 2200 years.
Like Sanskrit, Tamil and Kannada, the literature of Telugu has been in vogue for over 1500 years. Some archaeologists have been arguing that Telugu is more than 2000 years old. The first Telugu words can be observed in Ikshavakula inscriptions. Nagarjuna Hill inscriptions of 250 AD contain Telugu words. But the Kotturu inscriptions have come in as the first ever "solid evidence" to prove that Telugu was spoken even before the start of the common era.
The Kotturu "mounds" are similar in structure to the internationally famous "Salihundam", a Buddhist site in Srikakulam district. Salihundam is an ancient settlement containing a maha stupa, votive stupas, chaityas, platforms and viharas. Here the inscriptions date back to the second century AD. The Kotturu "mounds" are four hundred years older than the Salihundam and archaeologists expect more "surprises" during the excavations.
Kotturu and surrounding areas as also the ancient sites along the river Krishna in Krishna and Godavari districts had played an important role in the spread of Buddhism from India to Sumatra, China and other countries in the Far East.
The "mounds" are locally known as "Dhana Dibbalu" (mounds of treasure) in local parlance. There are Chaitya Grihas or halls of worship built of brick. Similar ruins are also found in Andhra Pradesh at places like Guntapalli near Vijayawada, Nagarjunakonda and Amaravathi in Guntur district. But these mounds are 100 years older than the Kotturu mounds.
Along with Kotturu mounds, the ASI has taken up excavations at ancient sites in Chaturbhuj Nala (Mandsaur district) and Gondarmau (Bhopal district) in Madhya Pradesh, Aragarh (Puri district) in Orissa and Sanauli, Baghpat and Latiya (Ghazipur district) in Uttar Pradesh.
The other oldest Telugu inscription is from 633 AD. The Telugu literature begins with an 11th-century translation of the Sanskrit classic Mahabharata.
Telugu words appear in the Maharashtri Prakrit anthology of poems (the Gathasaptashathi) collected by the first century BC Satavahana King Hala. Telugu speakers were probably the oldest peoples inhabiting the land between Krishna and Godavari. ASI officials hope that the Kotturu findings are likely to give a historical look to the Telugu language and the traditions and culture of the Telugu-speaking people.
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