Your doubt is very natural, and many people raise the same question when they hear about “buried idols with inscriptions or copper-plates.”

A few key points help to understand this:

1. Most such idols were not buried in a sudden emergency

- In many cases, idols are found underground today because: - Old temples collapsed due to earthquake, war, flood, or abandonment. - The temple got covered by soil over centuries. - The inscription or copper plate was usually made at the time of installation, when the idol was first placed in a temple – not at the time of hiding. - Later, when the temple was destroyed or decayed, the idol and its plate naturally ended up underground together.

1. Inscriptions are mainly for dharmic and historical purposes, not for “tracing the hider”

Traditional Jain reasons for inscriptions: - To record which Tirthankar, which form (e.g., Parshvanath with serpent-hoods, etc.). - To note the date, place, and name of the donor (shravak / shravika) to preserve their punya (merit). - Sometimes to mention the Acharya or gacchha/sangh connected with the installation.

These inscriptions are like a religious and historical certificate, not a secret code. They were never meant to protect from being “traced.” The idea of hiding identity to escape being found is a modern security-thinking; in old times, people proudly wrote their names because: - They wanted future generations to know, “This was a pious work done for Jain Dharma.” - They did not imagine that after 600–800 years the idol would be dug up by chance.

1. When idols were consciously hidden for protection, it was usually done by the community or priests, not secretly by one person

- In periods of attack or fear, sangh or temple caretakers might: - Move the idols to safer villages. - Temporarily bury them nearby, hoping to restore them later. - Even then, they might place them with existing copper plates or inscriptions, because: - The plate already belonged to the idol (from original installation). - They expected their own community to bring it back soon, not that it would remain hidden for centuries. - They were thinking: “Let us save the idol now; when things become normal, we will reinstall it.” They were not necessarily thinking in terms of “criminal investigation” like we think today.

1. Why sometimes 2–3 idols together with plates?

Common reasons: - Many temples had mulnayak (main idol) plus side idols (parikar, chaubeesi, choubisi, etc.). - When destruction or danger came, the whole set was removed together: - Either carried away to another place, - Or buried together for safety. - So finding three idols together is very normal – they often belonged to the same mandir.

1. “If the finder could trace the hider easily…” – this is a modern assumption

- In old times, if a ruler or invader wanted to destroy Jain Dharma, they would: - Directly attack known temples and communities, - Not wait to read and decode tiny inscriptions on copper plates buried under the earth. - The hiders were usually local Jains or priests, well-known in that area anyway. - Their goal was: “At least the pratima survives; even if we die or flee, some future Jain will find and reinstall it.” For that future Jain, an inscription is actually very helpful to know: - Which Tirthankar, - Which year, - Which sangh / Acharya or donor.

So in summary:

• Most copper plates with idols are installation records, not emergency labels.
• Many idols went underground because temples fell or got ruined over time.
• Even when hiding was done in a hurry, people were thinking of protecting dharma and punya, not about “leaving no trace” like a criminal.
• Therefore, finding 2–3 idols together with inscriptions is very much in line with normal Jain temple history and practice.