Chennai: Five stolen metal and stone idols, including a trident with auspicious Kali, stone idols of Nandhi and a six-headed Skanda, are set to be repatriated from Australia and the US to India, an idol wing CID release said in Chennai. According to the release, the idols were being repatriated to Tamil Nadu through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) due to the measures taken by the idol wing CID.A case on the missing ancient idols was registered based on a complaint about the ancient Arulmigu Nareeswarar Sivan Temple at Veera Cholapuram village, which was constructed by king Rajendra Chola about 1,000 years ago. “The missing antique metal idols are traced at prominent international institutions and auction houses. Recently, the authorities concerned of Australia have agreed to repatriate three idols and USA have agreed to repatriate two idols to TN,” it said.
Australia agreed to repatriate three idols belonging to the 12th century. The trident with auspicious Kali (Bhadrakali) was valued at 2 crore, while the stone idol of Nandhi belonging to the Alrumigu Kailasanathar temple, Kaduvankudi village, Tiruvarur Taluk was valued at 4 crore. The National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution of the United States of America, accepted to return three metal sculptures located at Freer Sackler Museum, Washington DC.The Saint Sundarar statue belonging to Arulmigu Nareeswarar Sivan Temple in Veera Cholapuram village in Kallakurichi, and the Somaskandar statue belonging to Arulmigu Viswanathasamy Temple in Aalathur village (12th or 13th century) will return to India.
