INDIA, October 22, 2015 (The Hindu): Thirteen ancient statues, all believed to be panchaloha (made of five metals) were unearthed while digging on the campus of a private temple at Tiruvilaiyattam near Sembanarkovil block near here on Wednesday. The temple authorities which had planned to construct a temple dedicated to Sri Sridevi – Sri Bhoodevi sametha Sri Gajendra Varadharaja Perumal on the campus had started foundation work on Wednesday using the earthmover, when the statues were unearthed.
V. Durairaj, temple secretary, said the statues were made of panchaloha and were meticulously carved. The height of the statues measured between 9 and 43 inches. The statues of Narasimha Perumal, Varadaraja Perumal, Bhoodevi, Sridevi, Ramar, Lakshmanan, Sita, Anjaneya, Narthana Kannan, Alwar and Perumal were found while digging the earth. Other items were also recovered. Durairaj said this was the second time that precious statues were unearthed on the temple premises. On June 21, when the foundation work was initiated, big-sized statues of Gajendra Varadharaja Perumal, Sridevi and Bhoodevi were unearthed.