Bhandaripokhari: Two idols of Lord Buddha made up of Khondalite stone (a typical foliated metamorphic rock) have been recovered from Baitarani riverbed near Mudhapada village of Sholampur panchayat under Bhandaripokhari block in Bhadrak district, an official said.
The idols comprise of a large-sized head of Lord Buddha and another half-broken Boudha goddess. The excavated idols were later handed over to authorities of Boudha Vihar museum at Sholampur Tuesday afternoon, the official added.
Interestingly, the stone idols date back to Eighth and Ninth Century and were carved during the days when Bhouma-Kara dynasty rulers reigned over the territory, a researcher Ekadasi Padhy claimed.
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According to sources, a local man named Pritam Mohanty, son of Narendra Mohanty from Mudhapada village in Bhadrak noticed the stone-made idols while quarrying sand from Baitarani riverbed.
Later, Pritam took the idols (a large-sized head of Buddha and another half-broken Boudha goddess) to his home. On being informed by a local youth Suratha Das another researcher Biswambar Rout reached the house and thoroughly scrutinised the idols, a source stated.
Pritam’s family wanted the idols to be exhibited at the nearby museum. The two idols were handed over in presence of Umakanta Panda, Chittaranjan Panda and Kamalakanta Nayak.
PNN