karaikkal

Ancient metal idols of deities were unearthed while workers were digging a pond belonging to a Chola-era temple near Tirunallar in Karaikal district on Wednesday evening, officials said.

The ancient Lakshminarayana Perumal temple is located at Sethur village near Tirunallar.

The temple is believed to have been built during the later Chola-era (12th century A.D).

The rural development department has undertaken desilting work on the pond belonging to the temple.

When workers were digging the pond on Wednesday, they found some metal objects and immediately informed revenue and police department officials.

Karaikal North Superintendent of Police Raghunayagam, Tirunallar Tahsildar Poyyadhamurthyand other officials rushed to the spot and the pond was dug in their presence.

"Two metal idols of Varadaharajaperumal andNavaneethakrishnan have been unearthed so far. The idols look ancient and might be belonging to the Lakshminarayana Perumal temple itself.

It is not immediately known if the idols have been made of panchaloha (of five metals).

The antiquity value and other details would be known only after archaeological examination," Poyyadhamurthy said.

The idols have been handed over to the Karaikal Deputy Collector.

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