TIRUCHI, INDIA, March 2 , 2003: Six stone statues, including those of Mahavira, Jeyshtadevi and Muruga, have been unearthed from a field in Gundur near here where it is believed there was once a temple. The two and a half feet high by two feet wide icon of Mahavira, seated on a throne in a meditative posture, was said to be rare. The idols of Sridevi, Bhoodevi and Vishnu indicated that a temple dedicated to Vishnu existed in the past at the site, a view supported by the presence of a Siva temple in the vicinity. The presence of “nilothpala” in hand suggested that the three idols belonged to the early Vijayanagar period. The site was identified about two years ago and permission had been granted for the unearthing and safe custody of the statues in the museum.
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