Chola era antique Goddess Parvathi idol stolen from Tamil Nadu temple 51 years back, traced to New York

Chennai: An antique Chola era idol of Goddess Parvathi, which was stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu 51 years back, has been traced to New York, the Idol Wing ADGP Jayanth Murali said on Monday.

In a release here, he said the idol, belonging to Nadanapureeswara Sivan temple in Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district and stolen in 1971, was traced to an auction house in New York, USA.

The idol's estimated value is estimated to be over Rs.1.6 crore.

He said the burglary was committed on 12 May, 1971 and five antique idols were reported missing and the Parvati idol was one among them.

A complaint was lodged with the Nachiyarkoil police station the next day. But, no FIR was registered even after 48 years with regard to the theft of the five antique idols from the temple.

A Temple Trustee, who had filed the earlier complaint in 1971, filed another complaint with the Special Officer A.G.Ponn Manickavel in 2019 and a FIR was finally registered based on it.

When the Investigation Officer launched a hunt for the stolen idols of the Nadanapureeswara Sivan Temple, he stumbled on the image of the idol of Parvati, at the Bonhams Auction Place, in New York, which bore a striking resemblance to the missing artefact.

Now, the Idol Wing has initiated steps to bring back the idol to India by proving the ownership through documents.

"Further enquiries with the concerned authorities have confirmed our findings. We are entitled to claim ownership of the idol as India is a party to UNESCO'S World Heritage Convention, 1972", the ADGP said, adding, the Idol wing police will retrieve the idol and restore it to the temple.

He said steps have been initiated to trace the other four idols stolen from the temple. (UNI)