Ancient 9th-Century Idol Unearthed During PM Awas Excavation in Hazaribagh

• A 9th-century Uma-Maheshwar idol was discovered during excavation for a Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana house in Godkhar village, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.
• Dhanwa Devi's family found the ancient idol, identified by archaeologist Dr. Neeraj Mishra as belonging to the Pala dynasty (9th-10th century).
• The idol, depicting Shiva and Parvati, is considered a rare glimpse into that era's tradition.
• Villagers have begun worshipping the idol and plan to build a temple, but fear it might be moved to a museum.
• The discovery highlights Hazaribagh's rich historical significance, with previous finds near Chhadwa Dam and Bahoranpur.

Why It Matters: A 9th-century Uma-Maheshwar idol found in Hazaribagh reveals rich historical layers of the region.