Stone vessel find at Ramtek’s Gad Mandir complex boosts heritage appeal: Jaiswal

Nagpur: A large half-buried stone vessel discovered during renovation work at the historic Ramtek Gad Mandir complex has added fresh intrigue to the site's rich past. The artefact, believed to have been used for storing water, was found a month ago by a labourer working on the project.Minister of state and local MLA Ashish Jaiswal, who visited the site on Sunday, said the find strengthens the historical significance of Ramtek, where Lord Ram is believed to have stayed during his exile. He said the stone vessel could become a major attraction for tourists by shedding light on lesser-known aspects of the temple complex's history. He noted that the vessel was found near one of the gates, supporting the possibility that it served pilgrims and other visitors arriving at the temple."A proper dating of this water vessel is being done to find out which era it belonged to. There is a chance that it could be a few centuries old or even a thousand years old. It was probably used to store potable water for those who climbed up the hill to reach the temple," Jaiswal said. Jaiswal said, "The site where the vessel was found is now off-limits to any other work that is part of the renovation project. Concerned authorities have already visited the site and we will ensure that all help is provided for its proper conservation. The archaeology dept is supervising the Rs175 crore renovation work at the temple site. I am sure more visitors will be attracted to this heritage site due to such discoveries."Shiv Bhagat, superintending archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India's Nagpur Circle, said further details about the discovery will be shared in due course.