500-year-old Shiva temple with unique footprints discovered under dump yard in Patna: Report

A 500-year-old Shiva temple has been discovered under what was considered as a garbage dump in Patna.

The locals, who themselves undertook the initial excavation, are over the moon with the unveiling of this unexpected archaeological treasure on the land that is believed to have once been connected to a monastery, as per a report in The Times of India.

Upon clearing the debris, a hidden structure was uncovered. Inside it, two unique footprints and an ancient Shiv Ling were also found, immediately making it a place of worship for localites.

According to the locals, the temple has smooth black stonework and is made using a distinctive metallic material, with water seeping from its walls, TOI reported.

While the excavation was taking place, the devotional chants by the locals gave what used to be a dumpster a new religious identity. Since its discovery, several people have come to the site to take a look at the Shiv Ling and footprints, with many even offering milk, sweets, and flowers. Even before the entire excavation was completed, people decorated the temple with flowers and reportedly started performing rituals.

As per the report, it is believed that the temple dates back to the 15th century. While it is nothing new for discoveries like this to take place in Patna, this is reportedly the first time an intact temple structure with a Shiv Ling has been uncovered in Bihar's capital city.

In a similar discovery, close on the heels of the large-scale violence during a court-ordered survey of a mosque in Sambhal in which four persons were killed and many others injured, an ‘ancient’ Shiva temple was unearthed in a Muslim-majority locality in the town in December last year.

According to the officials, the Shiva temple was found inside a house, which had been locked for the past 46 years, by the authorities while they were conducting a drive against encroachment and electricity theft.

(With DHNS inputs)