800 year old idols unearthed at Ongole

Three antique idols and a hero stone belonging to the medieval period have been unearthed, according to State Archaeology department in-charge Assistant Director T. John Kamalakar.

Hero statue being moved to Kanaparthis Museum from Ongole on Monday 
[Credit: Kommuri Srinivas/The Hindu]

While the hero stone and Narasimha swamy idol were unearthed from the Fort Street here, the idols of Parvathi and Parameswara were recovered from a site near the RISE College on the city outskirts.

“The idols belonged to 12th or 13th century,” John Kamalakar told The Hindu.

They would be preserved for posterity at the State Archaeological Museum, named after Prakasam Pantulu at Kanaparthi.

"The department proposes to develop the museum further with the 14th Finance Commission grants,” he said.

A caretaker of the archaeological resources, G.V. Subba Rao said the artefacts at the museum provided a lot of information about, among other dynasties, the Satavahanas, Eastern Chalukyas, Sangamas and Cholas. “It is for the first time, antique idols are unearthed in the city,” said researchers Jyothi Chandramouli and M.V.S. Sastry.

Author: S. Murali | Source: The Hindu [December 30, 2014]