Former President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday urged efforts to recover 1,008 Shivlingas believed to have been buried after the Cauvery river floods, referring to the Nemam area in Thanjavur district.
He was speaking at the bhoomi pooja ceremony held for renovation works at the Saptha Kanniyar Magalathukala Pidari temple in Nemam village. Kovind inaugurated the temple construction-related rituals and later addressed the gathering.
According to him, Emperor Suvaranmaran had installed 1,008 Shivlingas in the Nemam region to infuse the area with spiritual energy. He said that during the major floods along the Cauvery in 1961, the Shivlingas were submerged and became buried beneath the earth.
Calling them a historical treasure, Kovind said local residents should continue efforts to retrieve them. He also appealed for creating a suitable memorial so that future generations can witness the devotion of their ancestors, and urged people to dedicate their energy towards building a prosperous India.
