A breakthrough discovery in the dense Kalahandi forests of Odisha has revealed a 11th-century temple complex belonging to the Somavamsi Dynasty. During the structural stabilization of the main sanctum, workers discovered a concealed stone trapdoor leading to a subterranean chamber. Inside, archaeologists found a cache of 14 copper scrolls preserved in airtight clay jars.
The scrolls, written in a transitional script between Sanskrit and early Odia, contain detailed architectural blueprints, ritual protocols, and land grants associated with the temple. Dr. S.K. Mohanty from the ASI stated that this is the first time a dedicated "temple library" of such documents has been found intact within the temple structure itself, offering a rare look at medieval institutional management.