Kumar Luintel

Damak, March 13:

Items of archaeological importance, including stones with images of different deities painted on them have been found in the Sukedangi community forest of Surunga in Jhapa district.

Locals chanced upon these in a cave located in the forest in Surunga-8 four days ago while foraging for firewood, said Bhakta Bahadur Poudel, secretary of the forest consumers’ group. Just after the find situated at half an hour’s distance from the tourist region of Domukha and Kotihom, devotees in thousands are thronging the place. Poudel said these artefacts could be as old as thousands of years. A half-metre-high stone has inscriptions about various gods, said a 91-year-old devotee, Keshar Bahadur Timsina. Reaching the site with his his two grandsons, Timsina bubbled, “A divine light keeps the place lit. This being a holy site, locals are thronging the site in the belief that the gods have indeed descended here.” Kumar Poudel was more pragamtic. The site should be excavated, he said, adding the visits of the locals would also indicate that the place could give significant information.