Chandrapur: Part of the Grand Shiva Lingam foundation on the Historical Heritage Site aparturna Devalaya in the city was destroyed after heavy rain.
The premise of Devalaya (incomplete temple) has a group of 400-year-old idols from various gods and Dewi, built during the reign of Gond Raja Dhundya Ramshah (1597-1622 AD).
NGO President Eco-Pro Bandu Dhotre, who rushed to the site after learning about being destroyed, said the rain was unrelenting to loosen the stones on the foundation of Shiva Lingam.
The stones in the foundation have collapsed one after another for the past few days, he added.
“Our team has covered the broken part of the tarpaulin,” Dhotre said.
Dhotre informed the Archaeological Survey of Indian officials in Nagpur about the Incident and Archaeologist Prashant Shinde assistant sent to the site to be examined.
Shinde together with his team examined the foundation which was destroyed on Saturday and took measurements to prepare a proposal for conservation.
Senior History Ashoksingh Thakur said the devalaya took a large idol 15 cluster.
“During the reign of Ramshah, a businessman Rayyapa Vaishaya began building a grand temple.
All high idols were carved on the site to be installed at the temple.
However, Vaishaya died when the work was still ongoing.
His heirs left work and the temple still unfinished,” said Thakur.
Thakur claimed that Shiva Lingam whose foundation was destroyed was eight high and unique feet itself.
“There are usually Nandi sitting in front of Shiva Lingam.
But here, an elephant kneels.
It has arrangements such as water or milk that falls from Shiva Lingam will fall on the back of the elephant and flow down through a narrow groove on the back, through its tail,” He explained.
Thakur also demanded direct recovery of idol and conservation from all 15 idols on historic sites.