An ancient temple of Lord Nageswara (Shiva), which was buried in river sand, has been unearthed in Penna river near Peramalla Padu village in Chejarla Mandal in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore on Tuesday (16 June), reports ANI.

The 200-year old Lord Shiva temple was well known earlier and was filled up by the sand almost 80 years ago, according to the local villagers.

After the Penna river changed its course, the temple was buried under the sand and the villagers shifted to other side.

Some enthusiastic villagers collected money and started searching for the temple. After digging for almost a day, they were able to find the pinnacle of the temple.

"This 200-year-old Shiva Temple was quite popular among the villagers. The elders of our village told us that this shrine was filled up with sand 75 to 80 years ago," Vara Prasad, a resident of Perumallapadu village, was quoted as saying.

"Later, those villagers shifted to other side and the temple also ruined," Prasad added.

He said that one day, a man Galipala Sudarsan initiated to bring the temple out.

The villagers, according to the report, are now planning to re-construct the temple. However, they are yet to ascertain the condition and status of Lord Shiva's idol as the temple is not completely unearthed.

"We will seek advice from elders and priests," Prasad added.

Locals are now trying to bring out the temple from the depths of the river bed.