Cave belonging to megalithic era found in Udupi
Udupi, Apr 2: A cave found during the renovation work of Sri Anantha Padmanabha temple at Paniyadi in Udupi district recently belongs to the megalithic period, according to T Murugeshi, associate professor of ancient history and archaeology at MSRS College in Shirva.
In a statement, Murugeshi said he visited the renovation site on Thursday and found it was a rock-cut cave after examining it.
The cave belongs to 800 BC and is 2,000 years old in antiquity, he said.
Similar megalithic rock-cut caves have been found at Pavanje Subrahmanya temple, Sooda Subrahmanya temple, Sasturu Subrahmanya temple and other places in coastal Karnataka.
Murugeshi said the discovery is unique in understanding the antiquity of the Phanis.
Pani and Haadi, together forming Paniyadi, means settlement of Phanis.
Phanis were referred to in the Mahabharata and the Puranas as ancient original inhabitants of the country.
Places such as Paniyur, Paniyadi in Udupi district indicate the existence of Phanis settlements in the past.
Phanis were famous for their Naga worship while Naga was their totemic emblem.
Paniyadi's presiding deity Anantha Padbhanabha was also related with Naga worship.
Iconographically, he was Para Vasudeva, a Vaishnavate God.
He sits on the Naga coil and the Naga hood stands high on his head.
A similar icon found in Keelinje near Udupi belongs to 10th century AD, while the Paniyadi deity belongs to 14th Century AD, he said.
The Anantha Padmanabha temple belongs to Udupi Puttige Mutt and its renovation was undertaken by the mutt with the help of villagers.
While digging earth for constructing the outer wall of the temple on March 23, the cave was found eight feet below the surface to the north of the temple.
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Delhi High Court advocate jumps to death from high-rise CP hotel
New Delhi (PTI): A 26-year-old Delhi High Court advocate died after allegedly jumping from the 15th floor of a hotel in New Delhi's Connaught Place area, police said on Monday.
The police said they were informed about the incident at The Royal Plaza hotel around 9.15 pm on Sunday. The deceased was identified as Rajesh Singh, a practising advocate at the Delhi High Court who had checked into the hotel the previous evening.
"A police team rushed to the hotel and found that the victim, identified as Rajesh Singh, a resident of Mahavir Enclave, had allegedly jumped from the 15th floor of the building," a police statement said.
"The family members of the deceased have been informed about the incident. As per their statement, no foul play is suspected in the matter," it said.
A police officer privy to the investigation said that a purported suicide note was also found, in which the advocate did not blame anyone. The police said he was staying alone in the room.
Teams from the crime department and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) were called to inspect the scene. Relevant exhibits were lifted and seized, and CCTV footage from the hotel premises was examined, the police said.
A police source said that it is suspected that the victim was depressed over some issues. Furthe
