Discovery of ancient relic in Guwahati creates sensation

Guwahati, Sep 18 (UNI) The discovery of a 10th-century ancient relic, resembling a ''Shivling'', in the premises of a government-run hospital here, has created a sensation among the people and the Archaeology department.

The discovery was made in the premises of the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury (MMC) hospital in Panbazar area during construction of a new Regional Diagnostic Centre under the National Rural Health Mission.

Officials of the MMC today said the stone pillar with 256 cm radius and 173 cm height had been at the spot since long and it was not disturbed as the spot was vacant.

When three labourers tried to destroy the pillar last week as the new building is due to be constructed at the spot, they suddenly took ill, the hospital sources said. Another labourer claimed he had a dream in which a person told him not to destroy the pillar and that many snakes resided at its bottom.

The labourers then offered incense sticks and dug further around the pillar without destroying it and it led to the discovery of seven snake images carved at the bottom of the pillar.

When the hospital authorities called in the state Archaeological department, they confirmed from preliminary investigation of sample component of the stone that it belonged the 10th to 11th century. It would take some time to ascertain whether the relic is a ''Shivling'', Archaeological department sources said though people had been making a beeline to the spot and offering obeisance since yesterday.

The discovery of a relic could unfold new pages of history of the land.

UNI