Agartala: The Bhuiyapara locality under Gournagar RD Block in Kailashahar Sub-division of Tripura’s Unakoti district has become the centre of attention after workers unearthed a centuries-old stone idol during excavation. The news spread rapidly on social media, attracting large crowds to the site and later to the Unakoti District Magistrate’s office, where the idol is now kept.
As soon as the news reached the authorities Kailashahar Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) Pradip Sarkar, Assistant Conservator of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for Unakoti district Abhishek Kumar, Gournagar Block Development Officer (BDO) Pranay Das, and Deoracherra ADC Village Secretary Umesh Nama, along with other officials, visited the site.
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After the recovery, villagers began worshipping the idol, lighting incense sticks and candles around it. While some locals claimed the idol represents Lord Brahma, others speculated it could be Lord Ganesh or Lord Shiva. Experts and locals alike agree that the idol is several centuries old.
While speaking to the media SDM Sarkar said, “Initial observations indicate that the idol is made of stone. The exact details, including its historical significance, will be ascertained after a detailed study.”
“The recovered idol is currently under government custody and will remain so until further instructions from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),” he added.
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Meanwhile, the ASI official Kumar has reached out to senior officials in the department for guidance on the next steps and the idol has been moved to the Unakoti District Magistrate’s office for safekeeping.
Later, SDM Sarkar highlighted the geographical significance of the area, stating, “Bhuiyapara is situated about three kilometres from the famous Unakoti rock carvings site, and just 1.5 kilometres away is Shiv Bari village, home to Asia’s largest stone Shivalingam. The newly recovered idol might belong to a similar category, but this remains to be confirmed.”