VISAKHAPATNAM: About 15 Panchaloha idols were retrieved from a village tank where desiltation works were underway under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) at Gandigundam village of Anandapuram mandal here Saturday. The idols were found to be of Lord Vishnu, Lord Narasimha and several other Gods and Goddesses.
According to the locals, the workers were removing the silt in the village tank when they found the idols. They intimated the matter to the Gandigundam sarpanch, who later on passed the information to the Archaeological Department of Visakhapatnam.
The archaeologists who arrived at the spot, examined the idols and based on preliminary estimations, revealed that they were more than 300 years old.
The officials have decided to conduct further studies to ascertain the exact age of the idols.
Terming the discovery of the Panchaloha idols as auspicious, people from the areas in and around Gandigundam village turned up in large numbers at the spot. Some of them tried to offer prayers but the officials refused to allow them.