In Kolhapur’s Khidrapur, archaeologists have uncovered a damaged stone bust within the grounds of the 12th‑century Kopeshwar temple, raising questions about the region’s religious past. Found a metre deep in a mound near the temple’s north‑west corner, the fragment may represent either the Buddha or a Jain preacher.
Experts caution against hasty conclusions. The bust is incomplete and lacks clear iconographic markers. “In Jain statues, one would expect a Srivatsa symbol on the chest,” an ASI official explained, noting that facial features alone are not enough to distinguish Buddhist from Jain figures.
The discovery came during restoration works overseen by the Archaeological Survey of India and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. Other fragments retrieved from the same mound include a broken Nandi bull and a damaged statuette of a woman carrying a child. Many of the sculptures appear to have been discarded, leading some researchers to suggest the mound may have served as a sculptors’ dump during temple construction.
Historian Subhash Desai, however, believes the bust is most likely Buddhist, hinting that Khidrapur may once have been a centre of Buddhist philosophy. If confirmed, the find would add a new layer to the temple’s history, which today is revered as a shrine to Shiva and celebrated for its medieval stone architecture.
The Kopeshwar temple itself is a masterpiece. Built in black basalt near the Krishna River, its Swargamandapa (Hall of Heaven) features 48 intricately carved pillars beneath an open circular roof that channels sunlight and moonlight directly inside. The exterior is equally striking, with a Gajapeetha pedestal of 92 elephants and thousands of carvings depicting gods, celestial nymphs, musicians and epic scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Repeated floods in 2019 and 2021 damaged many of these sculptures, prompting conservation appeals to the Bombay High Court. A commission has since been tasked with assessing the site’s condition. The latest discoveries only heighten the urgency of preservation.
Whether Buddhist, Jain or simply discarded fragments, the bust and other finds deepen the mystery of Khidrapur’s past, reminding visitors that beneath the grandeur of Kopeshwar lies a layered history still waiting to be fully understood.
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