Several ancient statues of Hindu deities discovered during excavations at various places in Bihar, including Vishnu, Ganesha, Surya and Buddha idols

Several statues of Hindu deities have recently been unearthed at different places in Bihar, revealing the cultural heritage of the state. The relics were discovered in districts like Nalanda, Gaya, Vaishali, and Jamui. बिहार की मिट्टी आज भी अपना गौरवशाली इतिहास उगल रही है!पिछले कुछ समय में नालंदा, गया, वैशाली और जमुई जैसे जिलों में जो प्राचीन प्रतिमाएं मिली हैं, वे अद्भुत हैं।कहीं 2000 साल पुरानी बुद्ध प्रतिमा, तो कहीं पाल काल के सूर्य देव और भगवान विष्णु। नगरजुनी की पहाड़ियों से लेकर… pic.twitter.com/8HjwVUzAJi— Dr. Ashutosh Singh (@reach_ashutosh) January 14, 2026 The statues include 1,200–2,000 years old Buddha statues from Nalanda, Gaya and Vaishali, and a 1,500-year-old Ganesha idol from Nagarjuni Hills in Jamui. Some 8th–10th century Vishnu and Surya idols from the Pala period were found at Lakhisarai and Madhubani. In addition to that, over 1000-year-old Jain Tirthankara statues were discovered in Nawada and Gaya. Similarly, Shaivite sculptures from Gopalganj and Rohtas, a 1,300-year-old Vishnu statue from Bhagalpur, and a Surya Dev statue from Jamui were also discovered. Bihar’s ancient heritage keeps resurfacing through recent discoveries:• Buddha idols from Nalanda, Gaya and Vaishali (1,200–2,000 years old)• 1,500-year-old Ganesha idol from Nagarjuni Hills• Vishnu and Surya idols from Lakhisarai and Madhubani (8th–10th century)• Jain… pic.twitter.com/6IK7OTeV7d— The Bihar Index (@IndexBihar) January 13, 2026 The 1500-year-old Ganesh idol found in Jamui is holding a dessert called ‘Pedakiya’, which is believed to be the original version of the ‘Modak’, a traditional Indian sweet dumpling offered to Lord Ganesh on Ganesh Chaturthi. जमुई में मिली 1500 साल पुरानी गणेश प्रतिमा ने आज एक बहुत बड़े सच से पर्दा उठा दिया है। सोचिए, जिसे हम आज सिर्फ एक मिठाई 'पेड़किया' समझते हैं, वो असल में हमारी प्राचीन सभ्यता का प्रतीक है।​उस मूर्ति में गणेश जी के हाथ में कोई गोल लड्डू नहीं, बल्कि साफ तौर पर हमारा अपना… https://t.co/bWlKbqEwJx pic.twitter.com/68QyKa2WWb— Dr. Ashutosh Singh (@reach_ashutosh) January 15, 2026 Pedakiya is a crescent-shaped dessert, said to represent the crescent moon on Lord Shiva’s forehead. Our ancestors Ancient sites discovered in Odisha and other states The discovery of ancient idols in Bihar is followed by a rare archaeological discovery at the Bhimmandali mountains in Redakhol, Sambalpur district of Odisha. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) launched an extensive survey of the site, believed to be carrying imprints of a 10,000-year-old civilisation. The ASI found several rock-cut paintings, tools, and other artefacts at 42 locations across Bhima Mandali, Raila, Landimal, and Luhapanka panchayats, and the protected forests of Chhatagada and Brahmani. The rock carvings depict imagery of animals and birds, providing a glimpse into early human artistic expression. Last year in June, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN), in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, IUAC Delhi, and PRL Ahmedabad, discovered firm evidence of pre-Harappan human presence in the Kachchh region of Gujarat. The study found that human settlement as old as 5,000 years before the emergence of the Harappan civilisation existed in the region. The researchers found massive heaps of discarded shells, now identified as shell middens. This indicated that prehistoric communities inhabited mangrove-dominated landscapes and consumed shell species such as oysters and gastropods. Later, in July 2025, a remarkable archaeological finding emerged in Maski town in the Raichur district of Karnataka. It was estimated that humans lived in that are around 4,000 years ago. The discovery was made by scientists who were searching for additional information about the captivating location. A collaborative team of 20 researchers from India, Canada and the United States worked together to find out more about the area’s past. Researchers started excavation around Mallikarjun Hill, close to the Mallikarjuna Temple and the town’s Anjaneya Swamy temple. They came across a variety of artefacts and other tools that date back four millennia, which suggests that the area was once a vibrant settlement. 

Jan 15, 2026 0

Several ancient statues of Hindu deities discovered during excavations at various places in Bihar, including Vishnu, Ganesha, Surya and Buddha idols
Several ancient idols have been unearthed at different places in Bihar.

Several statues of Hindu deities have recently been unearthed at different places in Bihar, revealing the cultural heritage of the state. The relics were discovered in districts like Nalanda, Gaya, Vaishali, and Jamui.

The statues include 1,200–2,000 years old Buddha statues from Nalanda, Gaya and Vaishali, and a 1,500-year-old Ganesha idol from Nagarjuni Hills in Jamui. Some 8th–10th century Vishnu and Surya idols from the Pala period were found at Lakhisarai and Madhubani. In addition to that, over 1000-year-old Jain Tirthankara statues were discovered in Nawada and Gaya. Similarly, Shaivite sculptures from Gopalganj and Rohtas, a 1,300-year-old Vishnu statue from Bhagalpur, and a Surya Dev statue from Jamui were also discovered.

The 1500-year-old Ganesh idol found in Jamui is holding a dessert called ‘Pedakiya’, which is believed to be the original version of the ‘Modak’, a traditional Indian sweet dumpling offered to Lord Ganesh on Ganesh Chaturthi.

Pedakiya is a crescent-shaped dessert, said to represent the crescent moon on Lord Shiva’s forehead. Our ancestors

Ancient sites discovered in Odisha and other states

The discovery of ancient idols in Bihar is followed by a rare archaeological discovery at the Bhimmandali mountains in Redakhol, Sambalpur district of Odisha. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) launched an extensive survey of the site, believed to be carrying imprints of a 10,000-year-old civilisation. The ASI found several rock-cut paintings, tools, and other artefacts at 42 locations across Bhima Mandali, Raila, Landimal, and Luhapanka panchayats, and the protected forests of Chhatagada and Brahmani. The rock carvings depict imagery of animals and birds, providing a glimpse into early human artistic expression.

Last year in June, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN), in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, IUAC Delhi, and PRL Ahmedabad, discovered firm evidence of pre-Harappan human presence in the Kachchh region of Gujarat. The study found that human settlement as old as 5,000 years before the emergence of the Harappan civilisation existed in the region. The researchers found massive heaps of discarded shells, now identified as shell middens. This indicated that prehistoric communities inhabited mangrove-dominated landscapes and consumed shell species such as oysters and gastropods.

Later, in July 2025, a remarkable archaeological finding emerged in Maski town in the Raichur district of Karnataka. It was estimated that humans lived in that are around 4,000 years ago. The discovery was made by scientists who were searching for additional information about the captivating location. A collaborative team of 20 researchers from India, Canada and the United States worked together to find out more about the area’s past. Researchers started excavation around Mallikarjun Hill, close to the Mallikarjuna Temple and the town’s Anjaneya Swamy temple. They came across a variety of artefacts and other tools that date back four millennia, which suggests that the area was once a vibrant settlement. 

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