CUTTACK, INDIA, June 13, 2008: Thirty-two black granite statues, believed to be more than 800 years old, have been found from a well inside the precincts of the 12th century Chateswar-Bateswar Temple in Choudwar. “We stumbled upon the exquisite pieces when we were clearing the well. The work began from Sunday,” said Gagan Bihari Raul, the head of the temple managing committee.
“They appear to belong to a period before the temple was constructed, in the 12th century. Their exact date can be ascertained by archaeologists,” Raul said. Eight prominent Shiv pithas (temples) were established between 989 and 1211 by the Keshari Dynasty in and around Choudwar, most of which are now in ruins. The Chateswar-Bateswar is one of the temples that survived the ravages of time. It had a well in its precincts. The statues are of Hindu gods and goddesses such as Shiv, Nataraj, Durga, Laxmi, Ganesh and some Buddhist deities. Presently, the statues are in the custody of the temple managing committee and are being displayed in the temple.