Shaivite Idols found in Sriperumbudur

SRIPERUMBUDUR: A number of Amman statues, sculpted works of swami Somakandar, a valampuri conch, an assortment Hindu ritual accessories, a thiruvadi padam (divine footwear) and a number of pooja utensils were unearthed in Kunagarampakkam near Sriperumbudur on Sunday.Local devotees were involved in the reconstruction of an existing century-old, dilapidated temple dedicated to Kunamparar Easvarar. As a prelude to the construction, the temple committee had brought a group of religious scholars (Girivala Kuzhu) from Thiruvannamalai who were on Sunday chanting bhajans to the deity of the new Saivite temple under construction. As the disciples were squatting on the ground, one of them sensed a metal-like object protruding above the earth. The committee members soon decided to dig the area in search of more artifacts.Meanwhile, the statues are not Panchalog as earlier said, and made of fine clay, they might date back to a maximum of hundred years, experts opined. Sriperumbudur police have alerted the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct studies on the site. All the items were found within a depth of five feet. Later, poojas were offered to the new found idols.