In a remarkable discovery, a rare metal murti of Bhagwan Vishnu was found during a house construction in the Tiruvarur district, near Mannargudi, on June 23, 2024. This district, known for its rich historical and cultural heritage, once again finds itself in the spotlight with this significant archaeological find.
The incident occurred on Sanjivee Street in Modern Nagar, where Shiva, also known as Natarajan, was constructing a house on his vacant land. M. Ramamurthy, tasked with digging a ditch for a sewage tank, unearthed the metal idol buried in the soil. The discovery was promptly reported to the Mannargudi Police Station and the District Collector’s office.
District Collector K. Mahesh Kumar and Police Inspector Velayutham inspected the site and identified the statue as an ancient depiction of Perumal (another name for Vishnu). Standing one and a half feet tall and weighing approximately 5 kg, the statue, along with its accompanying arch (Thiruvatchi), was handed over to the District Collector’s office for further examination.
Initial assessments suggest that the idol belongs to the later Chola era, possibly dating back to the 12th century. Made of panchaloha (a traditional five-metal alloy), the idol’s discovery adds to the rich tapestry of artifacts from this historically significant period. The site of the find is notably close to the ancient Gopiyar Kolapralyam Maharishi temple, further hinting at the region’s deep-rooted religious significance.
The archaeological department is set to conduct a thorough investigation to uncover more details about the idol’s origin and historical significance. The discovery has sparked excitement among local devotees and historians alike.
A local devotee, Maali Kalyani, expressed her joy, saying, “The discovery of the Vishnu idol near the ancient Perumal temple coincides with the ongoing renovations of the thousand-year-old Rajagopala Swamy temple. This find is a delightful blessing for the devotees.”
This is not the first time that Tiruvarur district has yielded such treasures. Recently, Mohammed Faizal stumbled upon several ancient Panchaloha idols and artifacts from the Chola era while constructing a house in Kolirayanpettai village near Papanasam. Similarly, in April, a flower shop owner named Marimuthu discovered an ancient murti of Bhagwan Ram while excavating the foundation for his house in Perumalakaram, another village in the district.
Tiruvarur, part of the erstwhile undivided Thanjavur district, is fondly called the rice bowl of the south and was the seat of the Chola kingdom. The region is a treasure trove of rare idols, temple artifacts, and jewelry, often buried due to natural calamities or historical upheavals. Unfortunately, the once fertile lands have suffered from water scarcity as Karnataka has restricted the flow of the Cauvery River, and extensive concretization has reduced the arable land for commercial use.
The recent discovery in Tiruvarur adds to the rich archaeological and cultural heritage of the district, underscoring its historical importance and continuing legacy.
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