Antique Idols Unearthed During Excavation at Bhadrak Priest’s Home

Bhubaneswar: Several rare idols and ornaments have reportedly been unearthed during a recent excavation at the residence of Rabi Narayan Mishra, a priest at the Baba Akhandalmani Temple in Odisha’s Bhadrak district, reports said on Monday.

The discovery has stirred controversy, with conflicting accounts regarding the nature and ownership of the recovered items.

According to sources, the excavation led to the recovery of antique idols and what are suspected to be gold ornaments, all found inside a brass utensil. The utensil was retrieved after a 15-foot-deep hole was dug inside the priest’s house. The excavation was reportedly conducted on the advice of a geologist, following reports from the priest of mysterious occurrences at his residence.

However, Rabi Narayan Mishra has refuted claims of finding gold. He asserted that the items recovered from the excavation are brass idols, not gold ornaments, as has been rumored.

“There are no gold ornaments involved in the recovery. The idols found are purely made of brass,” the priest clarified, seeking to quell speculation.

Despite the priest’s explanation, the discovery has ignited a wave of public outrage, particularly among those who believe the recovered property may rightfully belong to the Baba Akhandalmani Temple. Locals have demanded an investigation and called for the administration's intervention to verify the legitimacy of the priest’s claim and ensure that any temple property is properly accounted for.

As tensions rise, pressure mounts on local authorities to step in and resolve the matter. The recovery of potentially valuable antique items has raised concerns over whether temple assets are being kept in private hands. So far, no official statement has been made by the administration, but the situation is being closely monitored.