Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Feb 19: A rare statue of lord Shiva, believed to be sculpted during Raja Avanthivarman's period in early 9th century A.D, has been recovered from a river bed during excavation of sand in Rambiara Nallah in Wachi area of south Kashmir.
Experts from the Department of Archives and Archaeology have taken its possession from the officials of Rural Development Department at Malhora village, 40 Km from here. It was being examined in Srinagar.
Officials have described the sculpture as 'a statute of great significance. It has been identified as Lord Shiva, shown wearing three peaked crown. The sculpture has broken arms and legs depicting Shiva with the third eye on its forehead. "It has close resemblance with the Vishnu sculptures of 9th century A.D. found previously in Avanthipura", said an official.
According to the local archaeologists, a school of sculpture art flourished at Avanthipura during Avanthivarman's regime in 9th century. It, however, produced the sculptures of Vishnu school of thought. Vikunta Vishnu turned to be the most impressive sculpture of this era. A treasure of such sculptures, collected in Avanthipura, is preserved in the State Museum at Lal Mandi. No such sculptures are known to have been found in Wachi area.
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