During the structural restoration of a 12th-century Kalyani Chalukya temple in rural Bagalkot, conservators discovered a sealed copper vessel hidden behind a loose stone in the temple's mandapa. The vessel contained several gilded copper votives inscribed with a late form of the Brahmi script, recording the names of common citizens who contributed to the temple's construction.
The project, led by state heritage experts, aims to stabilize the temple's sagging stone roof using traditional lime-mortar techniques and original materials. The discovery of the votives suggests that the temple was a community-funded project, providing a rare glimpse into the socio-economic life of ordinary residents during the medieval Chalukyan era.