9 ancient Jhalawar idols returned from Ajmer after 113 years

9 out of the 12 ancient idols have reached Jhalawar museum from Ajmer, while the remaining idols could not be brought due to their fragile constitution, said an official.

After over a long wait of 113 years, nine ancient idols of archaeological importance were finally brought back to Jhalawar from the Rajputana Archaeological Government Museum of Ajmer, Rajasthan.

The Jhalawar idols are said to date back to 10th and 11th century. (Sourced Photo)

The move follows the renewed demand to bring back over a dozen ancient Idols to Jhalawar’s archaeological museum, which has been restored and refurbished in the year 2019.

The superintendent of the Jhalawar museum and the state archaeology department in Jhalawar, Umrao Singh, said that 9 out of the 12 ancient idols have reached Jhalawar museum from Ajmer, while the remaining idols could not be brought due to their fragile constitution.

The returned idols include Shiv Parvati Bel, Yog Narayan Vishnu, Toran Dwar, Varah Avatar Khand, Pranay Yugal, Tridev Murti khand, Jain Toran Dwar, Dev Purush Sheesh Khand and Sheesh Khand.

"The idols reportedly date back to the 10th -11th century," said Umrao Singh.

Rajesh Gupta Karawan, the general secretary of district Congress committee and a social worker had written to the district administration and the archaeology department requesting them to bring back Jhalawar idols. He thanked both for “respecting” the sentiments of the people of Jhalawar.

Historian Lalit Sharma said, "These ancient idols were sent from Jhalawar in the year 1908, prior to Indian independence, since there was only one archaeological museum in the state in Ajmer but later, those idols never returned despite the establishment of an archaeology museum in Jhalawar in the year 1915".