"In 1991, heavy rains washed away the wall that concealed the frontage of the mosque. A large number of sculptural pieces, some as high as eight feet, were brought to light. They had been buried under a platform on the northern side, which was used as the Hall of Prayer, especially during Eid. The statues had remained concealed from the time of the destruction of the Bijamandal temple, almost three centuries earlier. The huge cache left the Archaeological Survey of India with little option but to excavate the site. However, it soon received instructions to stop all work. The name of the mosque, Bijamandal mosque, preserved its Hindu association."