The idol was auctioned on March 19, 2014 on the market worth of $37,500. Photo: Special Arrangement
A uncommon selection bronze idol of Hanuman, which was stolen from a Chola-era temple in Ariyalur district a decade in the past and auctioned by Christie’s in 2014 to a personal collector and U.S. citizen residing in Australia, was lastly retrieved by Idol Wing CID of Tamilnadu Police after an extended wrestle.
A theft was reported from a Chola-era Vishnu temple referred to as Sri Varadharajaperumal Temple in Pottaveli Velur village close to Sendurai, Ariyalur district in 2012. Unidentified individuals broke open the doorways of the temple and looted 4 bronze idols of Varadharaja Perumal, Sridevi, Bhoodevi and Hanuman. A case was registered by Sendurai police, following a grievance from one of many trustees of the temple. After taking efforts to examine, this case was closed as ‘undetected’ by the native police. Subsequently, the case was transferred to the Idol Wing CID in 2020 on the orders of the Director General of Police.
The Idol Wing CID, which took up the case for investigation, searched the varied idol photographs displayed on the web sites of the artwork galleries and museums overseas. All the photographs of the stolen metallic idols had been in contrast with the photographs displayed within the museums.
Additional Director General of Police, Shailesh Kumar Yadav instructed The Hindu, “Our officers found out that the image of the Hanuman idol was matched with the image displayed in Christie’s New York, an art auction house in the U.S. Further enquiry revealed the idol was auctioned and owned by a private art collector who is a U.S. citizen residing in Australia.”
The idol was auctioned on March 19, 2014 on the market worth of US$ 37,500.
Mr. Yadav mentioned, “After knowing this, we have sent letters to the Home Department. On the continuous efforts taken by the Idol Wing CID, the private collector who kept the idol has accepted and handed over the idol to the Government of Australia through the U.S. Embassy. In turn, it was handed over to the India High Commission at Canberra, Australia with assistance from the Union Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Finally the Hanuman Idol was repatriated to India.
The ADGP said the idol would be received by the officers of the Idol Wing CID shortly from the ASI, New Delhi. After receiving the idol it would be restored to the temple concerned.
S.Vijay Kumar, art enthusiast and co-founder of India Pride, said, “We are happy that the Hanuman we traced is finally back in India. We thank the Idol Wing and U.S. Homeland Security for their support to force Christie’s auction house to co-operate. We still have three more bronzes of Vishnu with consorts stolen from the same temple to be traced.”
The public sale home has not revealed who the consignor was or the provenance paperwork for the Hanuman. India ought to search that data in order that Indian authorities can strive to hint lacking idols, consultants added.
