The recent rev elation of an old Shree Kal bhairava idol in a lake near the Chamundeswari Temple at Pilgao has captured the attention of historians and Konkani language scholars. While the discovery has generated excitement, the Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan (GRLA) has called for a cau tious approach, urging that the idol undergo thorough expert examination before any conclusions are drawn about its age, authenticity, or historical significance. GRLA Convenor Kenne dy Afonso pointed out that the find is noteworthy be cause inscriptions in Nagari script are exceedingly rare in Goa, both in the old and new conquests. He stressed that any claims about the idol’s inscription should be made only after receiving a detailed report from the Mysore Archaeological Sur vey of India, which is still awaited. “Discussions with sev eral Konkani experts and researchers have raised critical questions,” Afonso said. “Many scholars argue that asserting the language of the inscription based on two unclear words is pre mature. Proper verification requires examining com plete sentences with Sub ject-Object-Verb structure, confirmed by a language expert. Only then can the inscription be classified as Dev Nagari Konkani, Nandi Konkani, or Marathi.” Afonso cited past instanc es where rushed claims caused confusion. For ex ample, the inscription at Shravanabelagola near the Bahubali statue was once attributed to Konka ni but was later identified by scholar José Pereira as Maharashtra Prakrit, the ancestral language of both Marathi and Konkani. “This demonstrates the importance of careful scholarly review before publicizing such findings,” he said. Researchers have also questioned the timing of the announcement, noting that the idol was reported ly discovered in 2010 but is being publicized only now, 15 years later. “If the inscription had been legible at the time of discovery, experts could have studied it earlier to determine the language and context,” Afonso said. Further scrutiny is being sought regarding claims that the idol was original ly installed at Goa Velha. Scholars argue that, if this were true, the inscription should mention Govem/ Gove—the Konkani name for Govepuri, now partly Old Goa. Additional verification is also needed to determine when the idol was carved and when the inscription was made. Afonso emphasized that a detailed, evidence-based report addressing these questions is essential to confirm the idol’s authen ticity and historical rele vance. “Only after rigorous study can accurate conclu sions be drawn, avoiding misinterpretation or dis tortion of Goa’s history,” he said.
Old Shree Kalbhairava idol discovered near Pilgao lake sparks historical interest
