Haryana: 400-Year-Old Idols Of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi Found In Baghanki Village During Excavation

Three metal idols, believed to be around 400 years old, were discovered during excavation for a house construction project in Baghanki village near Manesar, Haryana, police said on Wednesday. The antique idols have been taken into custody, and the owner has been instructed to halt construction work, according to the police, who added that the Archeology Department will now dig deeper to see if there are any more idols in the area.

The idols were discovered, according to the police, while a JCB machine was being used to dig the foundation for a new house. The plot owner initially made an effort to hide the discovery and even made a financial offer to the JCB driver in exchange for keeping the details secret.

But after two days, the driver notified the Bilaspur police, and they sent a team to the location. According to them, three idols were found in the plot owner's home: a standing statue of Lord Vishnu, an idol of Goddess Lakshmi, and a joint statue of the two deities.

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The idols were given to Dr Kush Dhebar and Banani Bhattacharya, the deputy director of the archeology department, by the police of Bilaspur.

The villagers wanted the idols turned over to the panchayat so they could build a temple on the plot, the police said. But the officials of the Archeology Department turned down their request.

“These idols are the property of the government and no one can have personal rights on these. These will be kept in the museum of the Archeology Department after study in our laboratory. As per the preliminary examination, these idols seem to be around 400 years old. Excavation will also be done in the plot,” the deputy director of the Archeology Department said.