1,000-yr-old Perumal idol found in Sriperumbudur
6 Apr 2009, 0450 hrs IST, D Madhavan, TNN
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...und-in-Sriperumbudur/articleshow/4363394.cms:
KANCHEEPURAM: They were just deepening a pond to earn the Rs 80 a day promised under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. But when
the villagers from Keeranallur Panchayat in Sriperumbudur, 55 km from Chennai, dug up a stone idol on Saturday afternoon, little did they know that they had unearthed a 1,000-year-old treasure.
"We found the idol by accident around 1 pm on Saturday when the group was working," Karpagam Anbarasan, president, Keeranallur village panchayat, told The Times of India on Sunday. "We started deepening the pond, one of six in our village, on Friday. This is the first time an ancient idol has been found in our village. It's a privilege," she said.
A state government archaeological official who inspected the idol, found at a depth of 10 feet, said it must be at least 1,000 years old.
An inscription, written in ancient Tamil and Hindi, in a culvert along the main road that connects Keeranallur with Kancheepuram, describes a treasure to be found in the village. "We believe this idol is part of that treasure mentioned in the ancient inscription," Karpagam said.
Sriperumbudur, incidentally, is the birth place of saint Ramanujam, who propagated Vaishnavism from here. Perumal is the main deity worshipped by Vaishnaviites. A decade ago, three ancient idols of Perumal and Amman and a stone statue of Nandhi were found in Sriperumbudur.
The Perumal idol found on Saturday, about three-feet tall and 1.5 feet wide and made of white stone, seems to be complete, with no damage to its structure. Sources in the state archaeological department said such white stone idols were usually made in the northern part of the state in Tirutani. The department will take possession of the idol in a couple of days, after which they will conduct tests to ascertain its exact age, the sources added.
Once the idol was found, the villagers informed panchayat president Karpagam, who in turn contacted Sriperumbudur tahsildar T Mohanraj and revenue inspector S Manogaran. The idol is currently in the Sriperumbudur taluk office. "We have sent a report about the idol to the Kancheepuram collector, Santosh K Misra," officials in the Sriperumbudur taluk said. "When we get a communication from the district officials, we will hand the idol over to them, who will give it the archaeological department. Finally, it will be displayed in the museum in Kancheepuram," they said.
Ironically, the three idols found a decade ago have been lying in the taluk office since then despite repeated reminders to the district administration. Officials said the old idols would be handed over with the new find.
[email protected]
6 Apr 2009, 0450 hrs IST, D Madhavan, TNN
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...und-in-Sriperumbudur/articleshow/4363394.cms:
KANCHEEPURAM: They were just deepening a pond to earn the Rs 80 a day promised under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. But when
the villagers from Keeranallur Panchayat in Sriperumbudur, 55 km from Chennai, dug up a stone idol on Saturday afternoon, little did they know that they had unearthed a 1,000-year-old treasure.
"We found the idol by accident around 1 pm on Saturday when the group was working," Karpagam Anbarasan, president, Keeranallur village panchayat, told The Times of India on Sunday. "We started deepening the pond, one of six in our village, on Friday. This is the first time an ancient idol has been found in our village. It's a privilege," she said.
A state government archaeological official who inspected the idol, found at a depth of 10 feet, said it must be at least 1,000 years old.
An inscription, written in ancient Tamil and Hindi, in a culvert along the main road that connects Keeranallur with Kancheepuram, describes a treasure to be found in the village. "We believe this idol is part of that treasure mentioned in the ancient inscription," Karpagam said.
Sriperumbudur, incidentally, is the birth place of saint Ramanujam, who propagated Vaishnavism from here. Perumal is the main deity worshipped by Vaishnaviites. A decade ago, three ancient idols of Perumal and Amman and a stone statue of Nandhi were found in Sriperumbudur.
The Perumal idol found on Saturday, about three-feet tall and 1.5 feet wide and made of white stone, seems to be complete, with no damage to its structure. Sources in the state archaeological department said such white stone idols were usually made in the northern part of the state in Tirutani. The department will take possession of the idol in a couple of days, after which they will conduct tests to ascertain its exact age, the sources added.
Once the idol was found, the villagers informed panchayat president Karpagam, who in turn contacted Sriperumbudur tahsildar T Mohanraj and revenue inspector S Manogaran. The idol is currently in the Sriperumbudur taluk office. "We have sent a report about the idol to the Kancheepuram collector, Santosh K Misra," officials in the Sriperumbudur taluk said. "When we get a communication from the district officials, we will hand the idol over to them, who will give it the archaeological department. Finally, it will be displayed in the museum in Kancheepuram," they said.
Ironically, the three idols found a decade ago have been lying in the taluk office since then despite repeated reminders to the district administration. Officials said the old idols would be handed over with the new find.
[email protected]