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Ancient temple guarded by ugly statuettes.
Times of India ^ | 11/10/01 | Amit Mukherjee

Posted on 11/12/2001 9:38:13 AM PST by janus

Man falls into ancient cellar

AMIT MUKHERJEE

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

HMEDABAD: All Praveen Mehta, a retired bank employee of Ahmedabad, can think of these days is a dark underground chamber, guarded by three disfigured statues of dancing girls.

The chamber, with six hidden air ducts, was discovered after the January 26 earthquake of Gujarat. Believed to be a secret cellar of a bygone era, the chamber could have been used for performing secret yagnas. It could even be the outer chamber of a secret treasure trove.

The house, which was purchased by Mehta’s grandfather Giridharilal in 1898, suffered considerable damage in the quake. Portions of the floor developed cracks and the foundation was damaged as well.

Towards the end of August, one night Mehta woke up thirsty. Half asleep, he was fumbling for the switchboard, when he felt the ground sinking under him. Before he realised what happened, he found himself standing waist deep in soil.

Subsequent efforts to repair the living room floor led to the discovery of the small chamber underneath. It is connected to a tunnel, suggesting the existence of a catacomb below.

"It was an interesting co-existence — living with the mysterious history beneath you," remarks Mehta.

The main chamber is about 10 feet high and can be accessed through a staircase, big enough to accommodate a grown person.

The wall opposite has a carved facade in limestone about a foot wide. At its bottom, just above the floor, is the figure of a dancing apsara. At her feet lies the mouth of the tunnel.

The construction has elements of ancient temple architecture with arched cavities on the walls. The design reveals the influence of Hindu culture. "The experts from the Archaeological Survey of India have already made a detailed assessment," says Mehta. Though they have not come to any conclusion, the 14 such slots, which normally have statuettes placed inside them, are empty, suggesting intrusions into the area.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: catastrophism; earthquake; faithandphilosophy; godsgravesglyphs; gujarat; india; secretyagnas
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To: SunkenCiv

For goodness’ sake. Do I have to remind you guys that, if there were no ugliness, there would be no beauty?


21 posted on 05/31/2011 5:42:01 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (You know if I donÂ’t remember IÂ’m gonna forget.)
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To: null and void

I loved that one!


22 posted on 05/31/2011 5:44:51 PM PDT by SuzyQue (Remember to think.)
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To: ColdOne

If there had been, the story wouldn’t make sense, because by contrast, the statues wouldn’t seem ugly.


23 posted on 05/31/2011 5:50:13 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Thanks Cincinna for this link -- http://www.friendsofitamar.org)
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To: Silentgypsy

“Love between the ugly is the most beautiful love of all.” — Todd Rundgren


24 posted on 05/31/2011 5:50:45 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Thanks Cincinna for this link -- http://www.friendsofitamar.org)
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To: SunkenCiv

Or, at the very least, the most appreciated.


25 posted on 05/31/2011 6:02:35 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (You know if I donÂ’t remember IÂ’m gonna forget.)
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To: SunkenCiv

;)


26 posted on 05/31/2011 6:03:36 PM PDT by ColdOne (I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11)
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To: Lee Heggy

You certainly know your “Yagnas!”


27 posted on 05/31/2011 6:06:30 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: SunkenCiv

“Love between the ugly is the most beautiful love of all.” — Todd Rundgren

Why it almost brings a tear to the eye, I had heard
of the term “Bumping Uglies” but it just doesn’t do
it justice.


28 posted on 05/31/2011 6:12:09 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: tet68

“Bumps between the uglies are the least beautiful of all.” — tet68


29 posted on 05/31/2011 6:57:43 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Thanks Cincinna for this link -- http://www.friendsofitamar.org)
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To: Grizzled Bear; Lee Heggy

Lee Heggy stopped posting six years ago.


30 posted on 05/31/2011 7:45:05 PM PDT by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable -- Daniel Webster)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
That's too bad. I just met him and he seemed like a really decent fellow. Now what am I supposed to do if I find myself with a arduous “Yagnas” question?
31 posted on 05/31/2011 7:49:53 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: ColdOne
"What no Helen Thomas photos on this thread yet?"

Heck, she prolly posed live for the statues!

32 posted on 05/31/2011 7:59:34 PM PDT by SparkyBass
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To: Grizzled Bear

One interesting thing about FR is that we can meet people who passed away years ago. A bit spooky, but interesting.


33 posted on 05/31/2011 8:07:26 PM PDT by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable -- Daniel Webster)
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To: null and void

hehhehheh. Rimmer I’m bored!


34 posted on 06/01/2011 4:14:09 AM PDT by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla; Grizzled Bear; Quix

It’s such a pity. We had such interesting posters years ago. There was one Little’Jim whose last article was about how guys in dark glasses in a dark tinted car were following him and his last message was “oh, a van has pulled up my drive with dark windows. Gotta go....” and that was it, he disappeared.... happened some time in 2003 — I think Quix was on the same thread.


35 posted on 06/01/2011 4:44:50 AM PDT by Cronos (Libspeak: "Yes there is proof. And no, for the sake of privacy I am not posting it here.")
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To: janus

Do we get pictures? I am curious as to whether “disfigured figures of dancing girls” should actually be ‘figures of disfigured dancing girls’ given the title.


36 posted on 06/01/2011 7:45:05 AM PDT by ThanhPhero (Khach hanh huong den La Vang)
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To: ColdOne

Exactly my thoughts. Helen as an ugly dancing girl statue would convince me not to disturb any tomb.


37 posted on 06/01/2011 8:30:22 AM PDT by wildbill (You're just jealous because the Voices talk only to me.)
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To: Cronos

I remember vaguely.


38 posted on 06/01/2011 9:16:14 AM PDT by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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