Chaubepur hands over 1200 year old Shivling to NHMHC chief

Prof Vasant Shinde said the Shivling deepens the understanding of India’s cultural links with Southeast Asia and supports the museum’s narrative on maritime trade and cross cultural exchange. He said the artistic style of the relic reflects the reach of ideas that once travelled from this region to distant shores.

Expressing gratitude to the residents, Prof Shinde said the true protection of heritage begins at the community level. He felt the handover showed rare commitment from locals who preserved the relic before placing it in institutional care.

The Shivling was jointly handed over by Kalika Prasad Jaiswal, Rakesh Upadhyay, Sukrit Upadhyay, Gauri Shankar Yadav, Kariya Ram, Ajit Kumar Tiwari, Om Prakash Chaubey, Lalit Prakash Chaubey and Rajkumar Kannaujia. Many villagers said the moment felt like an old chapter of Chaubepur had resurfaced.

Interestingly, Prof Shinde pointed to artistic traits linked to the Pratihara period, saying the craftsmanship hints at a vibrant network of artists and traders along the Ganga. The move comes amid broader attempts to identify and document ancient sites across eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Prof Rakesh Upadhyay of IIMC said the event restores Chaubepur’s place in cultural narratives and reflects the region’s long standing values of compassion and community strength. He said history often lies quietly beneath ordinary soil and reappears when least expected.

Retired DRM Om Prakash Chaubey said nearby ancient sites like Chandrawati and Bairat deserve fresh surveys as they may hold more buried evidence of early settlements. According to him, the Shivling handover gives the entire region a renewed cultural identity.

Villagers said this was the first time a discovery from Chaubepur received national attention. After the ceremony, experts began packing the relic for its journey to Lothal. Archaeologists said the find adds value to ongoing studies on ancient settlements and the evolution of regional art.

The program concluded with a devotional rendition of Shiv Rudrashtakam by teacher Madhu Chaturvedi. The function was compered by Srijan Chaturvedi, whose steady narration kept the ceremony moving smoothly.

Many distinguished residents attended the event including Prof Gyaneshwar Chaubey, agricultural scientist Akhilesh Chaubey, teacher Atul Chaturvedi, Vinod Chaturvedi, Apoorv Kumar Tiwari, Manish Singh, Mohan Chaubey, Dilip Seth, Santosh Kannaujia, Dushyant Singh, Gauri Shankar Yadav, Vakil Yadav, Manoj Ji, Jayprakash Singh, former Pradhan Saurabh Tiwari, Kariya Ram, Sunil Ji, Mahesh Ji, Sharda Chaturvedi, Ramesh Tiwari, Ajay Gupta Akela, Kalika Prasad Jaiswal, Dilip Chaubey, Awadhesh Dubey, Ramesh Upadhyay, Rudra Narayan Chaubey, Ramprakash Pandey, Onkar Chaubey, Pawan Singh, Ajay Ji and many others.