700-Year-Old Artifact Stolen in 1980s Retrieved from Art Gallery in Australia

An antique Natarajar idol stolen from a temple in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu in 1980’s has been successfully retrieved to India from an art gallery in Australia.

The idol investigation team headed by retired Inspector General of Police, Pon Manickavel played a crucial role in bringing back the 700-year-old statue belonging to the Pandyan era.

The idol was kept in the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) in Adelaide since 2000s.

The idol wing police officers received the idol from the art gallery officials in New Delhi on Wednesday. The team will travel by train and reach Chennai on Friday.

The panchaloka idol of Lord Natarajar was stolen from the Kulasekaramudayar-Aramvalarth Nayagi temple at Kallidaikurichi in Tirunelveli district in 1982.

Along with Natarajar idol, two other idols of Sivagami Amman idol and Thiruvalli Vinayakar idol were also stolen. Tirunelveli police closed the case in 1984 as they could not crack the case.

According to a statement from the idol investigation wing, the state government failed to support the agency in bringing back the idol to India despite repeated reminders.

The government dragged its feet on bearing the cargo charges of transporting the idol from Australia to India.

Due to the intervention of Pon Manickavel along with the help of Indian High Commission in Australia, AGSA curator Jane Robinson bore the expenses of transporting the idol to India and handed it over to the officials of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Weighing over 100 kg, the statue is worth Rs 30 crore in international markets. It will be installed in the temple for public worship after completing necessary procedures.

Source: IT

Image Courtesy: LiveMint