KOZHIKODE: A remnant of a temple of the late medieval era was unearthed during the construction of a drainage in the city on Friday.
The serendipitous encounter happened when workers were digging a concrete road using an earth mover for constructing a culvert near the district court. The Lalata Bimba (crest figure) in single stone is over 2.5 metres long.
The door-lintel has carvings of Lord Ganesha and a lotus. This apart, it has other decorative motif including creeping lotus flowers.
The relic could be that of a temple belonging to the 15th or 16th century, K.K. Muhammed, archaeologist and former Regional Director of the Archaeological Survey of India, told The Hindu .
He said that the exact details of the crest figure could be ascertained only after further studies. The remnant could be that of a large temple most probably dedicated to Lord Shiva, he added.
“But we cannot rule out the possibility of either a Lord Vishnu or a Lord Ganesha temple near the seaside. Considering the entrance gate, it might have been a massive temple, ” Dr. Muhammed said.
Sometimes, the door-lintel could have even been discarded. But usually these are immersed in the river and not in the sea, he pointed out.
The crest figure will be shifted to the Pazhassi Raja Archaeological Museum shortly. Members of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage were also present at the site.
