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Naroa villagers discover ruins of pre-Kadamba era Jain temple

    Keri (Goa), January 14, 2016: Villagers of Naroa in Bicholim have stumbled upon remnants of a Jain temple belonging to the Goa Kadamba period. A pedestal of one of the stone sculptures has a one-line inscription in Nagari corresponding to 1150 AD, when Shivchitta Permadideva of the Kadamba dynasty was ruling Goa.
    Prakash Bhate, Sadanand Chodankar and Satyavan Chodankar were clearing wild vegetation at Kharut near Deulwada when they discovered the remains of the Jain temple.
    Sadanand Mahadev Chodankar, 73, told TOI, “Almost 20 small and big pieces of the old temple are lying neglected in the area we call Jainkot. Our forefathers told us that this temple existed before the Saptakoteshwar temple and the lake in front of the Sidhdeshwar temple known as Sagar Tali was associated with the Jain temple. Laxmi Narayan of the Gurjar community temple and Jain Tirthankar of the ruined temple are regarded as brothers.”
    Prakash Ramchandra Bhate, 54, said, “In 1981, the directorate of archives, archaeology and museum had taken the mutilated idol of Jain Tirthankar Suparshvanath for restoration. Few more vestiges of Jain heritage are lying neglected at Jainkot. Chodankar said, “The ruins are mostly of the ceiling, doors, and lintels of the old Jain temple. These pieces of stone bear carvings with floral designs and symbols related with Jainism. This temple, the well and Sagar Tali once belonged to traders residing in Narve, originally from Gujarat.”
    During the 17th century, when the Mughal army was in Bicholim town to wage a battle with the Maratha ruler Sambhaji they might have destroyed the Jain temple.
    Blossom Madeira of the directorate of archaeology and archives said, “I will visit the site along with the exploration officer and plan steps to be taken for the protection of these assets of Jain heritage.” – News Courtesy: Times of India

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