'Sheshshayi Vishnu' sculpture found in Maharashtra's Sindkhed Raja town: ASI official

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: An intricate and detailed 'Sheshshayi Vishnu' sculpture has been found during excavation work carried out by the ASI in Sindkhed Raja town in Maharashtra's Buldhana district, an official said on Sunday.

It was found at a depth of 2.25 metres when a team of experts, during the conservation work of Lakhuji Jadhavrao's Chhatri, spotted some stone alignments and then reached a temple base on further digging, Superintendent Archaeologist of Nagpur Circle Arun Malik told PTI.

"After the sabha mandap was exposed, we decided to check the depth of the temple, during which we found a sculpture of goddess Laxmi. Later, a huge sculpture of Sheshshayi Vishnu in its entirety was revealed. It is 1.70 metres in length and 1 metre in height. The width of the sculpture's base, which is yet to be exposed, may be 30 centimetres," Malik informed.

"It is made up of a chlorite schist rock. Such sculptures were carved in south India (Hoysalas). It is of Vishnu reclining on Shesha Naga and goddess Laxmi massaging his feet while sitting on a cushion. Samudramanthana is depicted in this sculpture and jewels of Samudramanthana like Ashwa, Airavat are also seen on the panel," he said.

The detailed and meticulously carved panel showing Dashavatara, Samudramanthana and Lord Vishnu reclining is the peculiarity of this sculpture, he added.

Iconography expert Saili Palande-Datar said the rock is schist stone, which is soft as compared to locally found basalt rock.

"Such sculptures were found in Marathwada earlier but they were in basalt rock. The sculpture of the donor couple (between Sheshnaag and Samudramanthan) is also carved prominently on this panel, which is its peculiarity. In the future, when an art museum is established in Maharashtra, this sculpture will be one of its masterpieces," she said.