Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Feb 12: A rare granite idol of Lajja Gauri was found fixed on the road in Barkur village of Udupi district, according to information furnished by Shivakant Bajpai, superintendent archaeologist of ASI Bengaluru circle. It is believed to be from the sixth century.

Lajja Gauri is said to be a fertility symbol. The idol is rare, though very popular among certain cults.

Dr Bajpai, who is on a tour of the coastal districts, said that he first came across the image when it went viral on social media.

He subsequently traced it to a public road in Barkur, which is an ancient historical town of coastal Karnataka.

“It was the ancient capital of the Alupa kingdom and a seat of power for several centuries. This is a very important idol and hundreds of vehicles pass over it every day. We are rescuing it and I have issued an order to my local in-charge to keep it in safe custody. I have also sent a mail in this regard to the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of the district,” he said.

Acting on the instructions, Brahmavar tahasildar Kiran G Gaurayya, former president of Barkur gram panchayat B Shantharam Shetty, Brahmavar police sub-inspector Raghavendra, head of department of History at Rukmini Shedthi Memorial National Government First Grade College Aryan Kumar H R, superintendent archaeologist of ASI Bengaluru Circle Shivakant Bajpai, junior conservation assistant Gokul Praveen K, students of department of History and NSS of Rukmini Shedthi Memorial National Government First Grade College and local residents, Kotemane Sudhakar Poojari, Roopesh, and Sandeep with the help of R N Nayak, Sanjay Kumar, Meghendra Kumar, engineer Chandrakanth and sculptor Dinesh of Archeological department, got into action and painstakingly dug out the rare idol which was buried and forgotten for centuries together. The idol is kept safely at the National Monument Katthale Basadi of Barkur for the time being till the further course of action.