TRICHY: Five metal idols including those of Vishnu, Perumal, Sridevi and Bhudevi were found at a construction site near Alangudi in Tiruvarur district on Tuesday. It may be recalled that two metal idols and 23 puja articles were unearthed from the same site on May 19.
Official sources said it was Muthukumar, a farmer hailing from Mandi Street near Alangudi who came across an idol of Lord Vishnu measuring three feet and one of Appar (one of the three saint poets) measuring one foot on May 19. It happened when he was digging the ground using an earth mover to construct concrete pillars for a house he was building. He also came across around 23 small utensils and puja articles used for performing puja in temples.
Subsequently, Muthukumar informed revenue officials in Valangaiman. A team of officials headed by tahsildar Santhana Gopalakrishnan inspected the idols and utensils and took them to his office at Valangaiman, where they have been kept in safe custody. The officials asked Muthukumar to stop the construction till archeological department officials inspected the spot.
After the officials gave him permission to proceed, Muthukumar resumed construction a few days ago and completed the pillars and blocks. However, when the workers removed the mud dug up on Tuesday, they found these five metal idols buried in the heap. The tahsildar and his team took control of the five idols and have kept them safely at their office, sources said.
