500-Year-Old Vishnu Idol Unearthed in Ranipet's Palar Riverbed
Residents of Puliyankannu village in Ranipet district stumbled upon a stone idol while walking along the dry Palar riverbed on Saturday. The idol, believed to be around 500 years old, was found buried under sand and is thought to date back to the Vijayanagara era.
The discovery was made when a group of villagers was returning from Walajah town. One person accidentally tripped on what appeared to be a stone surface. On clearing the sand, they found the top portion of an idol. The villagers said the dry riverbed is a routine route for local travel, making the discovery unexpected.
After alerting the village headman, the information was passed on to the police and the village administrative officer. Revenue officials and police reached the spot. Workers carefully removed sand from all four sides of the idol for nearly an hour. A mechanised crane was used to lift the sculpture, which was then taken into custody.
The idol, measuring about two feet in height and one and a half feet in width, has a slightly damaged head. Two arms, including the right arm holding a chakra, are intact. Local historians have said that the style of the sculpture suggests it may belong to the Vijayanagara period, a time when the region witnessed significant temple-related construction.
The Palar river region, like Sriperumbudur, was historically a centre for both Vaishnavites and Shaivites. The Vijayanagara rulers were predominantly Vaishnavites, which further supports the connection.
Revenue officials stated that under the Indian Treasure Trove Act 1878, any object found buried at a depth of more than one foot belongs to the government. The idol is currently kept at the Taluk Office in Walajah town, and the Collector is the designated guardian of such treasures.
Officials at the Arcot Site Museum have requested the Collector to allow public display of the idol. They believe that exhibiting the sculpture at the museum would help students and the public learn about the region's rich past. In 2008, a five-feet Vishnu idol made of sandstone was unearthed from Mellur village near Katpadi. That idol, dating to the early Chola period of the 9th century, remains the tallest such statue at the museum.
