Archaeologists in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, have unearthed the remains of a 5th-century brick-and-stone temple complex attributed to the Vakataka dynasty. The excavation has revealed the lower portion of a mandapa featuring life-sized sandstone statues of the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna flanking the entrance.
The discovery is considered a major breakthrough in the study of early classical Indian art, as these statues represent some of the earliest known examples of the river goddess motif in a structural temple context. The site also contains a unique ritual bathing tank (kund) connected to a sophisticated subterranean terracotta pipe system that once brought water from a nearby spring into the temple complex.