VIRUDHUNAGAR: Archaeologists have discovered a 10th-century Jain sculpture at a school near Rajapalayam. The broken sculpture was found near the wall of Sevugapandiya Higher Secondary school in Seithur. Archaeologist and assistant professor of History at Rajapalayam Raju's college Dr B Kandasamy, along with Udhaykumar, researcher from Pandya Nadu Centre for Historical Research, archaeologist Sridhar and PhD student HariPrasad, visited the location.
"Jain sculptures and caves are found in many parts of Tamil Nadu, in areas like Seithur and Puthur Meenakshipuram. The sculpture found here was broken up to the neck. A few years ago, while laying the ground floor of the school, a stone sculpture with chest and pelvis was found. The third part of the sculpture, on which the Thirthankara is seated, couldn't be found," he said, adding that in the head of broken Thirthankara, branches of Ashoka tree could be seen.
The professor further said the two pieces have to be preserved in the school to help students learn the importance of Jain sculptures.