A rare Vishnu idol was unearthed from a pond in East Bardhaman. The incident drew a huge crowd from the surrounding area, prompting police and academic intervention.
The Vishnu idol emerged during the renovation process of the pond. A commotion erupted in the Bhebo area of Barar village under Durgapur gram panchayat in Memari police station of East Bardhaman. The discovery of this idol sparked excitement throughout the entire village.
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The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon. Villagers believe it to be a very ancient Vishnu idol. They carefully lifted the idol, cleaned it, and placed it in a temple.
News of the idol's discovery reached the Memari police station. On Friday morning, Memari police arrived at Barar village. Using a vehicle from a local ashram, police recovered the idol and took it to the Memari police station. Later, the archaeology department of Burdwan University was informed.
Ancient Vishnu idol found during excavation
Historians have reported that after closely examining the ancient black stone idol, it is a classical 'Sthanak' idol of Lord Vishnu. Considering its overall ornamentation and the intricate style of stone carving, it can be identified as a specimen of artistic style from the Pala and Sena era of the tenth to twelfth centuries. The idol's posture is arranged in 'Samabhanga' mudra, meaning the deity stands upright, which was a primary medium for expressing divine majesty in sculptures of that period.
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One of the key characteristics of the Pala-Sena era sculptures is intricate jewellery ornamentation. Here the perfectly carved necklaces, the sacred thread, and a tall crown on the head, which reflects the artistic sensibility of ancient Bengal.
Pala-Sena era artistic features identified
This four-armed Vishnu idol has the 'Kaumodaki' mace in the upper right hand and the 'Sudarshan Chakra' in the upper left hand. However, it is known that a portion of the left hand was damaged during this excavation. Police will investigate how the idol reached that location.
