Three Jain sculptures and dated to around 11th century CE were discovered in Varuna village in Mysuru district early this week.
The sculptures were amidst a heap of debris and were recovered while digging for drainage work.
While one of the sculpture was dilapidated beyond recognition, the two others were in a fairly good condition.
Prof. N.S. Rangaraju of INTACH Mysuru said that of the two idols or sculptures, one of them is that of a Jain Teerthankara but it was difficult to ascertain the identity in the absence of symbols which may have been effaced or damaged.
The sculptures were shifted to the archaeology museum at the premises of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalay by Ms. Manjula, Deputy Director, Department of Archaeology and Museums.
Information about the discovery of the sculptures was provided by a local person from Varuna following a team comprising Prof. Rangaraju, Dr. Manjula, Dr. Shashidhar, and Prasanna Kumar from Dharmasthala Trust and Vinod Jain of Mysuru reached the spot and retrieved the idols. Subsequently, they were shifted to the ASI museum at IGRMS.
Prof. Rangaraju said the entire belt comprising Varuna, Varakodu, Vajamangala etc were thriving Jain centres and there was scope for excavations and research to throw light on the antiquity of the region.
