Trichy: Mural paintings dating back over 400 years to the Naicker period have been found in a Shiva temple near Musiri in Trichy district. The paintings depict a female deity, Jyestha Devi, with gatekeepers on either side (Dwarabalakar) which throw light on the ancient form of deity worship.A research scholar who has been involved in fine arts in Tamil stumbled upon the paintings which have been remaining neglected over the years. An archaeology enthusiast and epigraphist, Babu says that the paintings are similar to those found in Thanjavur palace. "These mural paintings are identical to the painting at Thanjavur palace which dates back to the Naicker era in Thanjavur," says Babu.The extract of plant leaves has been found to have been used to bring out different colours unlike in recent times when chemical paints are used. That the paintings could survive all these years only reflects the expertise of the painters and the paint ingredients used by them. While a large portion of the painting of the deity has got damaged, the gatekeepers in the painting too have been fading with time, he said.Speaking on the speciality of the temple, Babu said, "The Shiva temples are found with a Nandhi (bull) at the entrance. This temple has two entrances towards the east and south with two Nandhi in front." He pointed out that the temples were in neglect despite their historical significance.The Shiva temple is one among the four in the surrounding that date back to 16th century. While all the four are in ruins, only the Ellaiyamman temple is being renovated by the Hindu religious and charitable endowment (HR and CE) department. While calling for steps from the archaeology department to carry out field survey, Babu said that there were several materials including swords of the Naicker period not being preserved properly at the temple.

Stay updated with all the Latest Trichy headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.