Tension prevailed in Uthiramerur town in Kancheepuram district on Sunday as residents refused to hand over to government authorities, pieces of jewellery found while digging up the Kuzhambeswarar Temple.
Around 70 articles, including 23 nethi chutti , one oddiyanam , five harams and one billai, were said to have been found when an earthmover dug up the earth for laying the foundation for the temple on Saturday morning, said official sources in the Kancheepuram district administration. Work to renovate the temple with a Balalayam, where the idols are moved to another location, began on December 10.
BJP Uthiramerur town president C. Premkumar said that it was a temple that had been constructed by Kulothunga Cholan II and was at least 1,300-years-old.
“The people are saying that since gold was dug up from the temple premises, it should belong to the temple and that the government should not take it. The temple is not under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department,” he pointed out.
It took several rounds of talks to convince the residents, including temple renovation committee members, to handover the items to a committee of officials from the Archaeology, Revenue and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Departments.
They were also warned that police action would be initiated if the jewellery was not handed over to the Revenue Department. By evening, the public relented and the jewellery was moved to a sub treasury.
Minister for Tamil Development K. Pandiarajan said that it was an old Pallava temple and had now been pulled down by residents to rebuild it.
“I don’t think they have taken any permission from the authorities concerned. Tomorrow, a team from the State Archaeology Department will visit the town and appraise the jewellery. If they are of historical value, they would be handed over to the museum,” the Minister said.
