900-year-old Jain idols unearthed

bq. VADODARA: Jains in Khambhat taluka of Anand were overjoyed when around 65 idols temple were unearthed at a construction site in the town. Inscriptions on them suggested that they were over 900 years old. While, the first statue was unearthed on Sunday, many more structures, including idols of Jain deity Ambica Devi, were unearthed on Monday at the site where a mamlatdar office is being built. Senior community members believed excavation might uncover a Jain temple belonging to Tirthtankar Nemnath Swami.
bq. Officials have taken the idols in custody and are awaiting a team of archaeologists. “The structures include that of temple ‘Parikar’ and ‘Gaadi’. The year inscribed on the plaques range from 1001 to 1130 of the Hindu calendar. This puts the structures at over 900 years old. Also, the idol of Ambica Devi is usually found in temples of Nemnath Swa-mi. “Many Jain traders had settled when Khambhat was a major trading hub. Most of the temples were developed in that period. Hence, even rarest of idols like those of sapphire and nilam are found here.” Senior community members have urged the government to hand over the place to the community.” It is a great matter of faith for us. [“Times of India”:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=769571]