As works for the building of a grand temple at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi are underway, workers chanced upon remnants of an old temple, ancient idols, pillars and even a Shiva Linga while levelling the land for the temple.
The Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust tweeted that a 5 feet Shiva Linga, 7 pillars of black touchstone, 6 pillars of red sandstone and broken idols of Gods were recovered during the excavation. The Trust said that they would be providing more updates regularly.
Statement of Shri Champat Rai, Trust General Secretary about findings of excavation activity at Shri Ramjanmbhumi.
श्री रामजन्मभूमि परिसर में मिले पुरातत्विक महत्व के स्तम्भों और अन्य वस्तुओं के संदर्भ में श्री रामजन्मभूमि तीर्थ क्षेत्र के महामंत्री श्री चम्पत राय जी का वक्तव्य pic.twitter.com/XczrY6wjgk
— Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (@ShriRamTeerth) May 20, 2020
The Trust said that the works commenced on May 11, 2020 and that the work for levelling of land & removal of gangway in Shri Ramjanmabhumi Complex had started with the approval of DM Ayodhya. It said that many objects have been discovered during excavation since then. Some of them include many objects of archaeological importance like flowers made of stone, Kalash, Aamalak, Dorjamb etc.
श्रीराम जन्मभूमि पर श्रीराम जन्मभूमि तीर्थ क्षेत्र द्वारा भूमि समतलीकरण का कार्य 11 मई से प्रारम्भ हुआ है। जिसमें अनेक प्रकार की देवी देवताओं की खंडित मूर्तियां पुरावशेष, पुष्प कलश आमलक व दोरजाम्ब के पत्थर इत्यादि मिले हैं।#जय_श्रीराम pic.twitter.com/rfiMEpkPrQ
— विनोद बंसल (@vinod_bansal) May 20, 2020
“All norms prescribed wrt #Covid19 pandemic like regular sanitisation, mask for all 10 workers etc, are being followed at the site,” the Trust tweeted.
K.K. Mohammad, former Regional Director of Archaeological Survey of India had said in 2018 that the ASI team found ”brick foundations, which supported the pillars of a pre-existed temple.” while carrying out an extensive survey at Ayodhya.
The recovery of pillars, idols and other items are crucial evidences and attest the fact that there existed a temple that was razed down by invaders for the construction of a mosque.