In a bizarre and potentially miraculous incident, a local fisherman in Odisha’s Puri district stumbled upon what could be a sacred relic while casting his net for a routine catch.

Prakash Chandra Swain, a resident of Beladal village, was fishing under the newly constructed bridge near the Puri-Konark main road when his net snagged something far more extraordinary than fish – a two-foot-tall statue of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, crafted from ashtadhatu (an alloy of eight metals) and weighing over 30 kilograms.

The idol, which bears the inscription “Baba Banambreswar” on its base, was discovered in the shallow waters close to the Puri Sadar police station area. Swain, who was out early in the morning, initially thought he had hooked debris or stolen scrap metal. Upon pulling it ashore,

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