Anantnag, August 3, 2025 : Ancient Hindu idols and Shivlings were discovered during excavation work at Karkoot Nag in the Salia area of Aishmuqam, located in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, officials said on Saturday.
The artifacts were unearthed during renovation and revival work on a sacred spring, being undertaken by the Public Works Department. The site holds historical and religious significance, especially for Kashmiri Pandits, who associate the area with the Karkota dynasty — rulers of Kashmir between 625 and 855 CE.
Following the discovery, officials from the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums visited the site. The recovered items will be sent to the SPS Museum in Srinagar for further analysis, including material testing and age determination.
“We will transport the artifacts to the SPS Museum, where they will be preserved and studied by researchers,” an official said.
A local Kashmiri Pandit noted that the region’s historical link to the Karkota dynasty suggests that a temple may have once existed at the site. “These items were recovered from a sacred pond. We believe a temple stood here, or the idols were preserved here. We request that the idols be safeguarded and a new temple be built to house them,” he said.
The site, located about 16 km from the Anantnag district headquarters, has long been considered a pilgrimage destination by the local community.
