The heritage club at SSAM Government Higher Secondary School has discovered a stone idol of Lord Buddha, possibly dating back to the 11th century and confirming the district’s trade connectivity with Sri Lanka.
After hearsay that a stone idol was found buried in a paddy field at Sammanthavayal near Ananthur in Thiruvadanai taluk, V. Rajaguru, an archaeological aficionado and convener of the Heritage Club, removed the shrubs and dug to discover the finely carved idol in meditating posture. The idol in sitting position could not be unearthed fully, he said adding portions below the waist were still buried and it should be at least five foot height. “The idol should belong to the Chola period, if the ‘Seerai,’ the upper covering garment and ‘Ushnisha’, the halo on the head, were any indication,” he told The Hindu . The smiling Lord Buddha had a long saggy ear lobes with eyes almost closed, he said. The Dharma chakra in his hand and the curly locks were in a broken condition, he added.
Though Buddha idols were found in the coastal areas of Ariyangundu near Rameswaram and in the Siva Temple at Sundarapandian Pattinam in the district, this was the first time, a Buddha idol was found in the inner part of the district, Mr. Rajaguru pointed out.
The names of the villages such as Ananathur, possibly named after Ananthar, the chief disciple of Lord Buddha, Kamini, a Sinhala word, and Suthamalli, which should be Sidhamouli, carrier of Buddha idol bore testimony to the practice of Buddhism in this part of the district, he said.
Eminent Archaeologist V. Vedachalam suggested that the Archaeological department could explore further and preserve the idol, which could be dated back to the 11th or 12th century.
Mr. Rajaguru said the villagers were against removing the idol from the village.
“The idol in sitting position could not be unearthed fully, as portions below the waist were still buried”
