Temple under Mahanadi

500-year-old structure found in Odisha

By Subhashish Mohanty in Bhubaneswar
Published 12.06.20, 4:43 AMUpdated 12.06.20, 4:43 AM



The crown of the 500-year-old submerged temple in Mahanadi
(Picture sourced by the correspondent)

Atemple dating back around 500 years and engulfed by the Mahanadi in Odisha when the river changed course over a century and a half ago has been discovered.

The 60ft temple, entirely under water and much of it below the riverbed, was discovered mid-river near Baideswar in Padmabati village near Cuttack by an archaeological survey team from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

The “mastaka”, or crown, of the Gopinath temple is sometimes visible in summer when the water level of the Mahanadi decreases.

The temple has been discovered by an INTACH team led by project assistant Deepak Kumar Nayak, who said the structure, dates back to the late 15th or early 16th century, considering the construction style of the mastaka and the materials used.

According to archaeologists, the Gopinath temple, dedicated to an avatar of Lord Krishna, was located at a place called Satapatana, or a cluster of seven villages. However, in 1850, the Mahanadi changed course and submerged the entire area, along with the temple. Locals had shifted the idols to the nearby Gopinath Dev temple in Padmabati village, located on higher ground.

More:
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/temple-under-mahanadi/cid/1780339