Ancient Hindu idols and Shivlings were discovered during excavation work in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday. The recovery was made at the Karkoot Nag spring in the Salia area of Aishmuqam, which holds religious and historical importance for Kashmiri Pandits.
The idols were unearthed by labourers working on a renovation project being carried out by the Public Works Department to restore the sacred spring. According to local belief, the site is connected to the Karkoota dynasty, which ruled Kashmir between 625 and 855 CE.
Officials from the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Archives, Archaeology, and Museums visited the site following the discovery. They confirmed that the idols will be taken to the SPS Museum in Srinagar for testing and research.
“They will be examined by scholars to determine their material and age,” an official from the department said.
A local Kashmiri Pandit expressed hope that the idols would be preserved and protected. “This site is about 16 kilometres from the district headquarters and has long been considered a pilgrimage centre,” he said. “Some Shivlings, sculptures, and other religious items were found in the spring. We believe there was once a temple here, or maybe someone preserved the idols for safekeeping. A new temple should be built at the site and the Shivlings should be placed there.”
