Several silver and copper coins and small pieces of gold were found underneath the old Dhwaja Stambham of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Nrusimha Swamy temple atop Simhachalam when it was removed on Wednesday, to be replaced with a new Dhwaja Stambham.
“The coins are of British period and found in the pit dug for installing the Dhwaja Stambahm as part of the rituals,” Executive Officer of Simhachalam temple K. Ramachandra Mohan said. The old Dhwaja Stambham was consecrated on August 10, 1894, probably during the period of Pusapati Alak Narayana Gajapathi Raju, ruler of Vizianagaram and hereditary trustee of the temple.
There were 1600 copper coins in denominations of ‘ana’, ‘ardhana’, etc; 18 silver coins of one rupee denomination and small pieces of gold in the pit. The coins were counted and weighed in the presence of endowment and revenue officials, head priest of the temple and pressmen and deposited in the temple’s safe. The E.O. said the coins and gold pieces would be placed in the pit for the new Dhwaja Stambham when it is consecrated during a ceremony on February 9.
