MYSORE, INDIA, July 20, 2019 (Star of Mysore): Villagers of Arasinakere in Jayapura Hobli of Mysuru taluk have unearthed two giant statues of Nandi (bulls) in a nondescript field that was so far marooned in water. The statues are monolithic and were buried deep inside the earth. Interestingly, the name of the village Arasinakere, translated to English means King’s Lake. Villagers say that the Lake was frequently visited by Jayachamaraja Wadiyar ( 1919-1974) during the end of his rule. While one Nandi statue measures 15ft in length and 12 ft in height, the other statue is smaller. The horns of the Nandis were observed by the villagers and following this, villagers started offering pujas to them. The statues were excavated yesterday using earthmovers in a four-day long operation.
Mysuru Heritage Committee member Prof. N.S. Rangaraju, who is also the Convener of Mysuru Chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said that a villager had told him about the statues and he had visited the spot about 18 months ago. But as the spot was fully filled with water then, he could not see the statues. However, he said that he has seen the photographs of the statues. As per the available photographs, it can be said that the sculptures are incomplete as sculptures around the eyes and ears are not distinct. Also, there are no carvings of rope, chain and a bell around the neck of the statues as can be generally found in other Nandi statues. Besides, the face-to-face location of the statues too is surprising. Whether there was a Shiva temple at the spot or were these statues meant for relocation to any other place can throw more light on the statues, he said.