Bhadrak: Two antique Lord Buddha idols have been unearthed in the Bhadrak district on Friday. In the last few months a number of ancient idols of different Hindu Gods were unearthed from the Baitarani River.
The idols of Lord Buddha were recovered by locals along with one Pritam Mohanty, a native of Mudhipada village while carrying out sand lifting works. Mohanty took the collection and kept it at his home.
However, after learning about the discovery, a member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and researcher of a local museum in Buddha/Boudha Vihar, Biswambar Rout obtained the idols from Mohanty and later handed them over to the local museum.
Meanwhile, people from all over the region thronged the museum to witness the rare discovery. The recovery of such a big number of ancient idols from the River has become the talk of the town these days.
As per the preliminary study of the two idols, the one with the head is Harsmukh Buddha while the other is Gajmukh Singhasan idol of Buddha Goddess. In the second idol which is missing its lower part, the Goddess could be seen seated on a throne flanked by two Gandharvas on either side holding garlands in their hands.
It is speculated that both the sculptures date back around the 8th century. The researchers have also informed that the idols are made from Khondalite stone and they strongly believe that it belongs to the era of Bhaumik Sashan in Solampur’s Boudha Vihar.
