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17th century idols surface from Retam river in Mandsaur as water level drops

INDORE: Centuries old idols of Lord Shiva and other deities surfaced from bed of Retam river after its water-level decreased in Mandsaur on Wednesday. The incident surprised locals as well as the administration, who in turn collected the stone sculptures and shifted it to the museum.


According to the nodal officer at district tourism and archaeology department Dr JK Jain, the idols of Shiv-Parivar including a four-faceted Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Ganesha and Nandi.

“In primary investigation, we have found the idols to be from 17th or 18th Century but are fragmented,” he said.


Dr Jain said that the idols were found lying on the bank of Retam river in Gadgil Dam of Malhargarh tehsil.

“Water-level of the river in this dam goes down every year during summer but the idols have been found for the first time,” he said, adding that all the idols were found lying adjacent at the same place and chances are that a priest of some temple would have immersed it after fragmentation, probably the last year’s flood.

The administration is investigating if the idols could have washed away in last year’s flood and come to the ‘dead-end’ of the dam.

“The idols are centuries-old but are a great example of fine art. The idols have been made out of stones, probably for a temple,” the nodal officer said, adding that they had collected the idols with the help of locals and kept it in the city museum.

He said that Mandsaur was a city of archaeological importance with many historic monuments, caves, rock paintings, idols, etc.

“Mandsaur’s famous eight-faceted Pashupatinath Shivlinga is also stated to have emerged from Shivana river. A local resident had found the idol and it was later shifted to a temple on Shivana river’s bank around 60 years ago,” said Dr Jain, adding that the Shivalinga was made of a special stone and was around 500-year-old.

Collector Manoj Kumar Pushp told TOI that for special efforts were being made to promote Mandsaur as archaeological-historical-religious tourism spot. “We have many places to visit by the archaeology-history lovers,” said the collector, adding that the idols found at Retam river’s bank had been collected and placed safely in the museum while further investigation to establish its source was underway.

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