Professor T Murugeshi, an associate professor in the Institute, said that an archaeological exploration was conducted behind the Panchayat Office at 80 Badagabettu near a ruined temple. There was an abandoned well near the temple filled with laterite bricks. The team discovered a mutilated sculpture of Lord Janardhana, popularly known as Vishnumurthy in Tulunadu.
The sculpture has a 'Karanda Mukuta' (head gear), 'Makara Kundala' (ear rings), armlets, anklets and 'Kaustubhahara'. The sculpture also has well-defined eyebrows, nose and lips making it a masterpiece of Coastal Karnataka.
It holds a 'Pinda' in the front right hand and the left hand rests on the waist. The back left hand is seen holding a conch while the right hand is broken.
The exploration is still ongoing. In the ruined sanctum sanctorum, more broken sculptors were found. It was a pre-Madhwa sculpture and a specimen of the Bhagavata Cult of Coastal Karnataka. But, it is not clear why the temple was razed down, Prof Murugeshi added.(UNI)
