Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 4: Prof T Murugeshi, an archaeologist researcher, said that a broken stone image of Lord Vishnumurthy was found in a discarded well inside the forest within the limits of Badagabettu panchayat in the taluk.

During the search launched by the department of ancient history and archaeology of the department of Mulky Sundaram Shetty College, Shirva between January 24 and 31, this image was found. In the right hand of the image, a foetus is found while the left hand is resting on the waist. A damaged mace also was found. The right backside hand portion is severed and could not be found. In the left back hand, an attractive conch is found, he stated.

The image has ornaments in the ears and neck. There is an attractive sacred thread, ornament around the waist, and a Ksustubha chain that hangs till the knee. The image is very attractive with a crown on the head. Its arms have armlets, and bracelets. The image also has a belt with clothes complete with ornaments. Parts of the severed feet were found in the pedestal of the sanctorum of a dilapidated temple in the forest, he revealed.

There is aureole on the back. The image is four feet tall. On the basis of its looks and style, its period has been determined as 12th century. Before Madhwacharya, the Bhagawath sect was popular in Tulunadu, and this theory is evidenced by this image. The image is very attractive and it represented the finesse of sculpture prevailing then in the coast. Search is on, he added.

Final year BA archaeology students Kavya, Bhavya, Shreyas, Nagaraj, Rajesh, Gautham and locals Ganesh Acharya and Ganesh Saralebettu cooperated with the team, he stated.