Seven panchaloha idols were recovered from a well at the Sri Bhavannarayana Swamy temple in Inumella village of Epur mandal in Palnadu district on Wednesday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Sri Bhavannarayana Swamy Temple in Inumella village, Epur mandal in Palnadu district. | Photo credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
Seven metal idols, suspected to be very old, were recovered from a well inside the Sri Bhavannarayana Swamy temple at Inumella village of Epur mandal in Palnadu district during the preparatory work for the renovation of the temple.
Manager of the subsidy department and entrusted with the management of Ch. Sivanagi Reddy said the idols were identified as those of Lord Venugopala Swamy, Rukmini Devi, Satyabhama, Lord Venkateswara Swamy, Sridevi, Bhudevi and Godadevi. He said that all the seven idols were considered panchaloha (fives). Each idol is between one foot and one and a half feet tall and resembles Utsava Vigrahala (idols used during festivals).
The find came to light as workers began clearing the site on Tuesday night (May 5, 2026) as part of renovation plans. The officials noticed a well near the temple and after removing the stones covering it, they found the idols submerged inside.
The recovery was carried out in the presence of officials from the foundation, finance and police departments who oversaw the documentation and security of the artefacts.
Police said the idols are suspected to be of valuable and historical importance. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is expected to conduct a detailed examination to ascertain their age, origin and cultural significance.
Epur Sub-Inspector K. Venugopal said ASI teams would soon visit the site for further investigation. Authorities have secured the area and steps have been taken to preserve the idols till a detailed assessment is completed.
Published – 06 May 2026 18:03 IST
