Maharashtra: Two temple bases found during excavation in Ambajogai, says state archaeology dept official

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Two temple bases were found by the Archaeology department of the Maharashtra government during the excavation underway in Sakaleshwar temple premises near Ambajogai in Beed district, an official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

The Sakaleshwar temple, also known as the Barakhambi temple, was built in 1228 AD by the Yadava dynasty, who ruled from Devgiri Fort, as per an inscription found earlier, the official said, reported PTI.

"The excavation began on March 15 and 14 trenches of 100 square feet each have been created. We have found bases of two temples, one of which is Kholeshwar, named after a Yadava general. We have found some bricks, which show the temples had shikhars, as well as sculpture parts like hands, feet," Amot Gote, Assistant Director of State Archeology, told PTI.

As part of the same project, we will undertake a survey of ancient monuments in Ambajogai, which will help give the area the status of a "heritage village", he added.

"The town of Ambajogai was also known as Amrapur, Jayantipur, Jogaiambe in earlier times. It was also known as Mominabad during the Hyderabad Nizam Era. It has other monuments like Hatthikhana, Dasopant Temple, Yogeshwari temple," Gote informed, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, the water level in 750 minor irrigation projects in Maharashtra's Marathwada region stood at 12.92 per cent, down from 34.28 per cent at this time last year, an official said on Monday, reported PTI.

The irrigation department released a report on water levels in 750 projects in eight Marathwada districts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed, Hingoli, Dharashiv, Latur, Beed and Parbhani as on March 22, reported PTI.

"Water storage stands at 210.91 million cubic metres (MCM), which is 12.92 per cent of capacity, in Marathwada. On March 22 last year, the water storage was 578.06 MCM, or 34.28 per cent of total capacity. The water level has come down from 34.28 per cent to 12.92 per cent, a drop of 21.36 per cent," the report stated, reported PTI.

"The lowest is in Jalna, with just 2,40 MCM water in 57 projects, which is 1.42 per cent of storage capacity. The highest storage, at 36.09 per cent, is in 80 irrigation projects in Nanded district," the report added, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)