The Nataraja idol, secured by the Idol Wing police from Australia recently, was handed over to authorities of the Sri Kulasekaramudaiyar Temple, Kallidaikurichi, Tirunelveli district from where the idol was stolen in 1982 on Monday.
The idol was stolen from the temple along with those of Goddess Sivagami, Manickavasagar and Sribalinayakar and the case was closed by the local police in 1984 citing that the stolen idols were not traceable.
However, two years ago the case was reopened after the Idol Wing received information that a Nataraja idol resembling the one stolen from Sri Kulasekaramudaiyar temple, Kallidaikurichi, was on display at the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide. Subsequently, the ownership of the idol was established and it was brought to the country last week.
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Produced before court
The 75.7-cm tall idol, weighing 300 kg, was produced before the designated court to hear the idol theft cases — the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Kumbakonam, on Monday.
Meanwhile, S. Venkatesan, executive officer, Sri Kualsekaramudaiyar temple, moved a petition at the court seeking to take possession of the idol. After hearing the plea and verifying the measurements and other details pertaining to the Nataraja idol, judge S. Madhavaramanujam passed an order allowing the temple authorities to take possession of the recovered idol with an assurance to comply with the conditions laid down by the court. The temple authorities were directed to set up closed circuit camera and burglar alarm at the place where the idol was to be installed at the temple and ensure that the idol was properly maintained without altering the existing condition.
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Round-the-clock guard
The court had suggested that round-the-clock armed protection be provided by the Tirunelveli district police to the ‘priceless’ treasure recovered from Australia. Later, the idol was taken to Kallidaikuruchi with police protection for installation at the temple on Tuesday.
When the idol, kept in a box, was brought to the court premises in a police vehicle, a group of ‘Siva bhakthars’ received it by showering flowers on the vehicle with beating of ‘vadhyams’.
At the court hall where the idol was displayed for verification, the court staff and general public started taking selfies with the Nataraja idol after offering their prayers, once the judge retreated to his chamber. The Sri Kulasekaramudaiyar temple, Kallidaikurichi, was the second to receive the stolen idol.
The idols of Sri Raja Raja Cholan and his wife Ulagamadevi, which were recovered by the Idol Wing police from an art gallery in Gujarat in June last year, was earlier handed over to Sri Brihadeeswarar temple, popularly known as Big Temple, Thanjavur.
All other idols that were recovered in connection with various other idol theft cases have been kept under safe custody at the Idol Chest of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board at Sri Nageswaran temple, Kumbakonam, official sources said.