Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 14: A beautiful sculpture of Lord Vishnu Ji dating 2005 BC was excavated in Simthan area of Bijbehara tehsil in South Kashmir district of Anantnag and it is in possession of State Archeology, Archives and Museums Department.
The sculpture was discovered by the people while digging the earth in the area five days back. They handed over it to Bijbehara Police which later informed the State Archeology Department and handed over it to them in presence of Tehsildar Bijbehara, Sajad Ahmed today. The sculpture is with one broken arm.
According to Director State Archives, Archeology and Museums Department, Mohammed Shafi Zahid, the sculpture is akin to the figures of Verinag sculpture which are rich in iconographical details and speaks about richness of art of Kashmir. The sculpture is having rosary, long ear lobes and decorated crown on its head, he added.
Zahid said he is proceeding to Srinagar tomorrow for further information and details. He said Simthan in Bijbehara is richest archeological site, where in ancient period, a university under the name of Vijeshwar also existed.
He said besides the sculpture of Lord Vishnu Ji, earlier eight to 10 sculptures of various Hindu Gods including Kartikya and Ganesha were excavated from this site. In addition to it, pottery and stone implements of stone period were also unearthed from this site during the excavation in forties and they are lying with Archeological Survey of India (ASDI).
M L Malla, president Devasthan Parbandhak Committee Bijbehara has demanded that the Archeological Department should preserve this site as it links us to richest culture history and civilization of ancient Kashmir.
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