God Varaha dating back to the Ganga dynasty ruling era in Odisha has been discovered from an earthen mound located amidst the paddy fields of Purbakachha village under Salepur Tahasil in Cuttack district
By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:An ancient idol, believed to have been hidden underground to protect it from the attacks of invaders, has now been excavated and recovered by heritage enthusiasts. This rare stone idol of God Varaha dating back to the Ganga dynasty ruling era in Odisha has been discovered from an earthen mound located amidst the paddy fields of Purbakachha village under Salepur Tahasil in Cuttack district.
The mound, situated near the Chandan Pushkarini pond of Purbakachha village, had long remained covered with dense vegetation. Local heritage enthusiast Biswajit Singh first noticed a portion of the idol’s head protruding from the soil amidst the bushes and subsequently informed Nrupati Nihar Siala, a member of the Rediscover Lost Heritage Trust (RLHT). Based on the information, a heritage exploration team of RLHT visited Purbakachha on Sunday, the 17th May, and with the assistance of local heritage enthusiasts, carefully excavated and recovered the ancient sculpture from beneath the earth.
The idol has now been safely placed at the Kapileswar Mahadev Temple of Purbakachha village. Among those who participated in this exploration and heritage preservation effort were Nrupati Nihar Siala, Ashutosh Acharya, Durgaprasad Nayak, Barada Prasad Jena, Biswajit Singh, Deepak Kumar Nayak, along with several other local heritage enthusiasts.
Providing further details regarding the historic discovery, RLHT member Nrupati Nihar Siala stated that only a small portion of the approximately three-foot-high Varaha idol was visible above the surface before the heritage team excavated the complete sculpture. Based on its artistic and structural style, the idol is believed to belong to the reign of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. However, several parts of the sculpture have suffered erosion and damage due to remaining buried underground in an unprotected condition for many years. Local traditions hold that the ancient Lakshmi Narasimha Temple of Purbakachha was attacked and destroyed by the iconoclast Kalapahada in 16th Century CE.
It is believed that during those turbulent times, many sacred idols were concealed at different locations to protect them from destruction. Evidence supporting this belief can still be seen today, as a massive and graceful idol of God Lakshmi Narasimha remains merged within the water of Chandan Pokhari at Purbakachha. A few years ago, when the pond had completely dried up, the idol became visible. According to Nihar, this under water idol could possibly be the original and oldest deity of the ancient Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, while the recently recovered Varaha idol may have once served as a subsidiary deity of the same temple complex.
Heritage researcher and founding member of the Rediscover Lost Heritage Trust (RLHT), Deepak Kumar Nayak, who also participated in the exploration, stated that the Salepur region, situated not far from the historic city of Cuttack — the former capital of Odisha — is immensely rich in ancient archaeological heritage. Historical evidence suggests that during the rule of the Ganga and Suryavamshi dynasties from Cuttack, numerous Narasimha temples were established around this region.
In this context, the Narasimha shrines located at Lunahara, Purushottampur, Kishinapur, Tarito and surrounding areas of Salepur are particularly noteworthy. During the excavation near the Varaha idol at Purbakachha, the team also discovered fragments of a large earthen pot, which may once have been used for storing important materials or valuables in ancient times.
Local residents have further informed the researchers that three to four additional earthen mounds situated within the paddy fields of Purbakachha may still contain buried ancient idols and archaeological remains. Shri Nayak has urged the State Archaeology Department to take cognizance of these findings and undertake systematic archaeological excavations in the area. He has also demanded that the massive submerged idol of Lakshmi Narasimha presently lying within the waters of Chandan Pokhari be carefully recovered and preserved for future generations.
