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US to return 7 antiquities stolen from India
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Shankranthi
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Alabama: Birmingham museum returns stolen sculpture to India
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...industrialist-for-3-weeks/article25000289.ece
Court records govt.’s submission
The High Court on Thursday recorded the submission of the Idol Wing CID that it required three more weeks to reply to anticipatory bail applications filed by industrialist , sculptor and others in the Mylapore peacock idol missing case and undertook not to arrest them till then.
A Division Bench of Justices recorded the submission made by a government advocate and adjourned further hearing on the advance bail applications by three weeks.
The judges were told that the police officials had obtained certain statements from the ‘archakas’ (priests) of the temple.
Time sought
Those statements had to be corroborated with documents from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and it was taking time to obtain them, the government advocate said.
Later, they adjourned by two weeks another petition seeking registration of a case with respect to alleged missing of artefacts from the Sri Ranganthaswamy temple in Srirangam.
***********
CHENNAI , July 21, 2018 01:07 IST
Updated: July 21, 2018 01:07 IST
The Chief Justice, has constituted a special Division Bench of Justices to hear cases related to theft of ancient idols. To begin with, the Bench will hear a case related to the alleged theft of artefacts from the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tiruchi, starting next Wednesday (July 25).
Justice made the disclosure during the hearing of a case filed by petitioner of Srirangam, seeking a direction to the Idol Wing of the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department, to probe his complaint regarding the theft of idols, doors made of exotic wood, kalasams, sculptures, granite pavements and other treasures.
Senior counsel , representing the temple management, said that every other artefact which the petitioner had referred to in his complaint was available intact in the temple, and that the allegation of theft was baseless. He accused the petitioner of attempting to gain publicity through the media by making reckless allegations and getting a case registered.
However, on his part, the petitioner told the judge that his life was under threat for having filed the case. Petitioner claimed to have received a phone call from a known person, who threatened to kill him. Stating that petitioner had lodged a police complaint with regard to the phone call too, he said, “The more the delay in deciding this case, the greater the threat to my life.”
The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, on its part, filed a detailed counter affidavit, refuting the allegation of theft of artefacts from the Ranganathaswamy Temple. In the counter, the department’s Joint Commissioner (Legal) said the Srirangam police had conducted a preliminary investigation into the petitioner’s complaint last year.
No prima facie case
After obtaining details from the temple management, the police had come to a conclusion that no prima facie case was made out for registration of a First Information Report. Further, providing specific details, the Joint Commissioner said that it was wrong to claim that the Namperumal Utsavar idol in the temple was replaced with a similar looking idol.
“No Utsavar idol in the temple was replaced with a similar looking idol. It is submitted that the idol is under the care and custody of the Archakas, Paricharakas, Araiyars etc, and worshipped by the Hindu general public from morning to night. The idol gets wear and tear (sic) due to constant Tirumanjanam with various ingredients and liquids. Therefore, the Lepakaryam was carried out in accordance with the Agamas and Shilpa Sastra on the written request of the Archakas after getting due permission from the Commissioner. The allegation that the Urchavar Namperumal idol has been replaced is sheer imagination of the petitioner,” the counter affidavit read.
It went on to state that the stone idol of Sri Purushothama Perumal was lying on the parapet wall at Sri Chakkarathazhwar Sannidhi without any Peedam or Pradhista. So, during the renovation work, the idols were installed in the 1,000-pillar mandapam, and daily puja was being performed on them at the new location.
Many other stone sculptures that were strewn around the temple complex were also collected and shifted to the 1,000-pillar mandapam, along with the old doors, which were removed because they were in a dilapidated state. None of the Kalasams were removed, and they were only polished during the consecration, department’s Joint Commissioner (Legal) said.
Stating that the renovation work carried out under the chairmanship of eminent industrialist and philanthropist had received worldwide appreciation, the Joint Commissioner said the temple had been recognised with the Award of Merit, 2017, during the UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
Garuda with 4 hands- A unique Feature
The inscriptions in the temple belong to the Chola, Pandya, Hoysala and Vijayanagar dynasties who ruled over the region. These inscriptions range in date between the 9th and 16th centuries
During the period of invasion and plunder by the mongol forces , the Ala ud Din Khilji's Muslim general Malik Kafur and his Delhi Sultanate forces in 1311 , the Arabic texts of the period stated that mongol forces raided a "golden temple" on river, destroyed the temple and took the plunder with the golden idol of the deity. The Tamil texts that followed offer various inconsistent legends on how the temple regained the Vishnu idol. According to one found in Koil Oluku, a young girl had vowed to fast till she had seen the idol.She followed the Delhi army as it returned with the loot back to Delhi.The Delhi Army Commander bring the idol from Delhi to Srirangam on a horse, symbolizing that love brought back the icon after war had taken it away by Mongol Forces.
In the early 14th Century, India was subjected to repeated invasions by mongol armies, in 1311 CE was led by Malik Kafur, Following this there were two more expeditions from the Delhi Sultanate - the second in 1314 CE, the third in 1323 CE
These invasions shattered the Pandyan empire beyond revival. While the previous invasions were content with plunder, Ulugh Khan annexed the former Pandyan dominions, India came under the Delhi's rule and military was deployed from five provinces - Devagiri, Tiling, Kampili, Dorasamudra and Ma'bar against the Mongol Forces.
The Chagatay Khan (whom Ibn Battuta visited on his way to India) had invaded India and threatened Delhi, the new capital city about 1323. But the armies of the feisty Sultan Muhammad Tughluq in Delhi had chased them back across the Indus River.
Court records govt.’s submission
The High Court on Thursday recorded the submission of the Idol Wing CID that it required three more weeks to reply to anticipatory bail applications filed by industrialist , sculptor and others in the Mylapore peacock idol missing case and undertook not to arrest them till then.
A Division Bench of Justices recorded the submission made by a government advocate and adjourned further hearing on the advance bail applications by three weeks.
The judges were told that the police officials had obtained certain statements from the ‘archakas’ (priests) of the temple.
Time sought
Those statements had to be corroborated with documents from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and it was taking time to obtain them, the government advocate said.
Later, they adjourned by two weeks another petition seeking registration of a case with respect to alleged missing of artefacts from the Sri Ranganthaswamy temple in Srirangam.
***********
CHENNAI , July 21, 2018 01:07 IST
Updated: July 21, 2018 01:07 IST
The Chief Justice, has constituted a special Division Bench of Justices to hear cases related to theft of ancient idols. To begin with, the Bench will hear a case related to the alleged theft of artefacts from the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tiruchi, starting next Wednesday (July 25).
Justice made the disclosure during the hearing of a case filed by petitioner of Srirangam, seeking a direction to the Idol Wing of the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department, to probe his complaint regarding the theft of idols, doors made of exotic wood, kalasams, sculptures, granite pavements and other treasures.
Senior counsel , representing the temple management, said that every other artefact which the petitioner had referred to in his complaint was available intact in the temple, and that the allegation of theft was baseless. He accused the petitioner of attempting to gain publicity through the media by making reckless allegations and getting a case registered.
However, on his part, the petitioner told the judge that his life was under threat for having filed the case. Petitioner claimed to have received a phone call from a known person, who threatened to kill him. Stating that petitioner had lodged a police complaint with regard to the phone call too, he said, “The more the delay in deciding this case, the greater the threat to my life.”
The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, on its part, filed a detailed counter affidavit, refuting the allegation of theft of artefacts from the Ranganathaswamy Temple. In the counter, the department’s Joint Commissioner (Legal) said the Srirangam police had conducted a preliminary investigation into the petitioner’s complaint last year.
No prima facie case
After obtaining details from the temple management, the police had come to a conclusion that no prima facie case was made out for registration of a First Information Report. Further, providing specific details, the Joint Commissioner said that it was wrong to claim that the Namperumal Utsavar idol in the temple was replaced with a similar looking idol.
“No Utsavar idol in the temple was replaced with a similar looking idol. It is submitted that the idol is under the care and custody of the Archakas, Paricharakas, Araiyars etc, and worshipped by the Hindu general public from morning to night. The idol gets wear and tear (sic) due to constant Tirumanjanam with various ingredients and liquids. Therefore, the Lepakaryam was carried out in accordance with the Agamas and Shilpa Sastra on the written request of the Archakas after getting due permission from the Commissioner. The allegation that the Urchavar Namperumal idol has been replaced is sheer imagination of the petitioner,” the counter affidavit read.
It went on to state that the stone idol of Sri Purushothama Perumal was lying on the parapet wall at Sri Chakkarathazhwar Sannidhi without any Peedam or Pradhista. So, during the renovation work, the idols were installed in the 1,000-pillar mandapam, and daily puja was being performed on them at the new location.
Many other stone sculptures that were strewn around the temple complex were also collected and shifted to the 1,000-pillar mandapam, along with the old doors, which were removed because they were in a dilapidated state. None of the Kalasams were removed, and they were only polished during the consecration, department’s Joint Commissioner (Legal) said.
Stating that the renovation work carried out under the chairmanship of eminent industrialist and philanthropist had received worldwide appreciation, the Joint Commissioner said the temple had been recognised with the Award of Merit, 2017, during the UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
Garuda with 4 hands- A unique Feature
The inscriptions in the temple belong to the Chola, Pandya, Hoysala and Vijayanagar dynasties who ruled over the region. These inscriptions range in date between the 9th and 16th centuries
During the period of invasion and plunder by the mongol forces , the Ala ud Din Khilji's Muslim general Malik Kafur and his Delhi Sultanate forces in 1311 , the Arabic texts of the period stated that mongol forces raided a "golden temple" on river, destroyed the temple and took the plunder with the golden idol of the deity. The Tamil texts that followed offer various inconsistent legends on how the temple regained the Vishnu idol. According to one found in Koil Oluku, a young girl had vowed to fast till she had seen the idol.She followed the Delhi army as it returned with the loot back to Delhi.The Delhi Army Commander bring the idol from Delhi to Srirangam on a horse, symbolizing that love brought back the icon after war had taken it away by Mongol Forces.
In the early 14th Century, India was subjected to repeated invasions by mongol armies, in 1311 CE was led by Malik Kafur, Following this there were two more expeditions from the Delhi Sultanate - the second in 1314 CE, the third in 1323 CE
These invasions shattered the Pandyan empire beyond revival. While the previous invasions were content with plunder, Ulugh Khan annexed the former Pandyan dominions, India came under the Delhi's rule and military was deployed from five provinces - Devagiri, Tiling, Kampili, Dorasamudra and Ma'bar against the Mongol Forces.
The Chagatay Khan (whom Ibn Battuta visited on his way to India) had invaded India and threatened Delhi, the new capital city about 1323. But the armies of the feisty Sultan Muhammad Tughluq in Delhi had chased them back across the Indus River.
Hindustani78
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‘Chola idol moved out before Independence’
Special Correspondent
TIRUCHI, September 26, 2018 01:13 IST
Updated: September 26, 2018 07:49 IST
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...d-out-before-independence/article25042812.ece
HR&CE staff federation says CID officers’ charge is false propaganda
The Tamil Nadu Aranilayathurai Anaithu Sangankalin Koottamaippu, representing all employees’ associations of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, has countered the recent claim of the Idol Wing CID that HR&CE staff were involved in smuggling the Sembiyan Mahadevi idol.
The idol of the Chola dynasty queen was allegedly stolen from the Kailasanathaswamy Temple in Nagapattinam district. It is now in the Freer Art Gallery.
Federation Secretary B. Bharathi said the idol was purchased by the gallery in 1929. “It is clear that the idol was moved out of the country much before Independence,” Mr. Bharathi said.
**********
Tells High Court that it can only assist the Idol Wing CID
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted before the Madras High Court that it would extend its cooperation to the Idol Wing CID instead of taking up the investigation into idol theft cases.
The State government, on August 1, issued a G.O. transferring the investigation of the idol theft cases from the Idol Wing of the CID, headed by Inspector General of Police to the CBI. Additional Advocate General , who appeared for the State, had told the court that the investigation was moving in a different direction, and hence, the State had to take certain decisions.
Based on an instruction from the CBI, the agency’s counsel, , informed the court on Tuesday that “considering the large number of idol theft cases pending at various stages, the future idol theft cases likely to come up, and the severe shortage of manpower, the CBI will extend its full cooperation to the Idol Wing CID, which is already investigating the cases.”
He added: “The CBI will support [the Idol Wing] in matters of extradition of the accused, issuing red-corner notices and coordinating with Interpol.”
A Division Bench of Justices sought to know why the Tamil Nadu government had issued a G.O. transferring the probe to the CBI without even following basic procedures.
Advocate General , who appeared for the State, told the Bench that a communication was received from the CBI, seeking details about the pending cases so that they could take a decision on taking up the probe. “But we are not informed about the present communication referred to by the CBI counsel, expressing inability to take up the investigation,” he said.
Special Correspondent TIRUCHI, September 26, 2018 01:13 IST
Updated: September 26, 2018 07:49 IST
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...d-out-before-independence/article25042812.ece
HR&CE staff federation says CID officers’ charge is false propaganda
The Tamil Nadu Aranilayathurai Anaithu Sangankalin Koottamaippu, representing all employees’ associations of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, has countered the recent claim of the Idol Wing CID that HR&CE staff were involved in smuggling the Sembiyan Mahadevi idol.
The idol of the Chola dynasty queen was allegedly stolen from the Kailasanathaswamy Temple in Nagapattinam district. It is now in the Freer Art Gallery.
Federation Secretary B. Bharathi said the idol was purchased by the gallery in 1929. “It is clear that the idol was moved out of the country much before Independence,” Mr. Bharathi said.
**********
Tells High Court that it can only assist the Idol Wing CID
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted before the Madras High Court that it would extend its cooperation to the Idol Wing CID instead of taking up the investigation into idol theft cases.
The State government, on August 1, issued a G.O. transferring the investigation of the idol theft cases from the Idol Wing of the CID, headed by Inspector General of Police to the CBI. Additional Advocate General , who appeared for the State, had told the court that the investigation was moving in a different direction, and hence, the State had to take certain decisions.
Based on an instruction from the CBI, the agency’s counsel, , informed the court on Tuesday that “considering the large number of idol theft cases pending at various stages, the future idol theft cases likely to come up, and the severe shortage of manpower, the CBI will extend its full cooperation to the Idol Wing CID, which is already investigating the cases.”
He added: “The CBI will support [the Idol Wing] in matters of extradition of the accused, issuing red-corner notices and coordinating with Interpol.”
A Division Bench of Justices sought to know why the Tamil Nadu government had issued a G.O. transferring the probe to the CBI without even following basic procedures.
Advocate General , who appeared for the State, told the Bench that a communication was received from the CBI, seeking details about the pending cases so that they could take a decision on taking up the probe. “But we are not informed about the present communication referred to by the CBI counsel, expressing inability to take up the investigation,” he said.
Hindustani78
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/citie...d-from-businessmans-house/article25062934.ece
Antique idols worth several crores recovered from businessman's house
September 28, 2018 01:09 IST
Updated: September 28, 2018 07:46 IST
They could’ve been sold by arrested art dealer , suspect police
The Idol Wing police on Thursday recovered antique idols and artefacts worth several crores of rupees from the house of businessman. The idols were purchased by businessman from an unlicensed dealer of antiques, the police said.
A prominent personality , businessman operates in the art, architecture and cultural spheres. A businessman and exporter, he is the founder-trustee of the Foundation that organises theatre festivals, poetry-reading sessions and other cultural activities.
A police team, led by Inspector General of Police, entered his house with a search warrant from the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Thursday morning. Businessman was not at his home when the search was conducted. Antique stone idols, stone pillars, pilasters with carvings, many sculptures including those of nandis and bronze idols of deities were found in the house. The police loaded the artefacts onto lorries and carted them away after a two-hour operation. The search was conducted as part of an investigation by the Idol Wing police, which seized a treasure trove of stolen antique idols and artefacts from the home of a trader in arts and artefacts, in 2016.
‘Sold without licence’
According to the police, investigation revealed that he could have sold the artefacts to businessman, and hence, the search was conducted. Inspector General of Police said he had reasonable ground to believe the artefacts were stolen from temples. “That is why we obtained a warrant from the court,” he said.
In total, the Idol Wing police recovered 89 items including stone idols, 12 metal idols and 22 huge pillars.
Antique idols worth several crores recovered from businessman's house
September 28, 2018 01:09 IST
Updated: September 28, 2018 07:46 IST
They could’ve been sold by arrested art dealer , suspect police
The Idol Wing police on Thursday recovered antique idols and artefacts worth several crores of rupees from the house of businessman. The idols were purchased by businessman from an unlicensed dealer of antiques, the police said.
A prominent personality , businessman operates in the art, architecture and cultural spheres. A businessman and exporter, he is the founder-trustee of the Foundation that organises theatre festivals, poetry-reading sessions and other cultural activities.
A police team, led by Inspector General of Police, entered his house with a search warrant from the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Thursday morning. Businessman was not at his home when the search was conducted. Antique stone idols, stone pillars, pilasters with carvings, many sculptures including those of nandis and bronze idols of deities were found in the house. The police loaded the artefacts onto lorries and carted them away after a two-hour operation. The search was conducted as part of an investigation by the Idol Wing police, which seized a treasure trove of stolen antique idols and artefacts from the home of a trader in arts and artefacts, in 2016.
‘Sold without licence’
According to the police, investigation revealed that he could have sold the artefacts to businessman, and hence, the search was conducted. Inspector General of Police said he had reasonable ground to believe the artefacts were stolen from temples. “That is why we obtained a warrant from the court,” he said.
In total, the Idol Wing police recovered 89 items including stone idols, 12 metal idols and 22 huge pillars.
Hindustani78
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Huge haul: As many as 84 stone pillars and idols were recovered from a farmhouse owned by Chennai-based businessman in Mohalwadi village.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...g-on-hoarding-of-antiques/article25106452.ece
Sets 15-day deadline; search carried out in farmhouse
Inspector General of Police of the Idol Wing on Tuesday asked all those in possession of antiques and artefacts without proper documentation to hand them over to the police or face legal action. He has set a 15-day deadline for the purpose.
Inspector General of Police of the Idol Wing who conducted a search at a farmhouse owned by businessman in Mohalwadi village near Madurantakam, said 84 stone pillars and idols were recovered from the property.
Addressing journalists, Inspector General of Police of the Idol Wing said anyone hoarding artefacts or possessing them without proper documentation must voluntarily hand them over to the police within 15 days.
The team also searched another farm house near Padappai linked to businessman and recovered a few dozen stone artefacts from there.
Plans for a museum
Meanwhile, in a statement, businessman referred to the ongoing searches at his properties since September 27 and said that in the spirit of transparency, businessman had himself informed Inspector General of Police about various statues and objects in his possession at different places.
Noting that he had been collecting statues and other objects from a young age and that some of them were passed on to him by his father, businessman said he originally intended to set up a private museum.
However, following a raid by the Idol Wing police at his house in 2016, he deferred the plans and took steps to get his collections properly registered.
He said his father had not conducted “due diligence” with respect to certain purchases, owing to ill-health.
‘Had applied to register’
“Pursuant to the 2016 raid, I immediately applied to the Archaeological Survey of India, Ministry of Culture, for registration in furtherance of the Idol Wing’s instructions. Every item in the collection that was passed down to me by my late father and purchased by me was done for valid consideration at existing market value. All the items were purchased from licensed antiquities dealers in good faith,” businessman said.
“To my knowledge, none of the items that forms a part of my collection is stolen, as I have proceeded under the implied warranty of these licensed antiquities dealers that they possessed full and valid title to the said items,” the businessman further added.
Businessman said that if the court eventually held that certain items were indeed stolen, he would be willing to assist in their restoration to the rightful owners and temples.
Hindustani78
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21 more sculptures unearthed in Chennai's Garden
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI, October 06, 2018 23:35 IST
Updated: October 07, 2018 09:02 IST
Will issue summons for company’s executive director appearance to proceed with inquiry, says Idol Wing
The Idol Wing police on Saturday unearthed 21 more old stone idols and pillars, said to be antiquities, that were buried under the lawn of the Poes Garden guest house of KCP Sugars and Industries Corporation Ltd.
On Friday, when it began conducting the search, it had found two stone pillars under the lawn of the guest house, which was used as a residence by the company’s executive director.
The Idol Wing has said it will issue a summons for her appearance to proceed with the inquiry; at the same time, it has written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs requesting a look out circular in company’s executive director name, which is issued to prevent someone from leaving the country.
The police said the antiquities belonged to company’s executive director and businessman and art collector, whose Saidapet residence and farmhouses in Kanchipuram district yielded 224 old sculptures and artefacts. However, sources close to company’s executive director say that all 23 items seized from the Poes Garden bungalow belong to company’s executive director.
According to the officers of the Idol Wing, these idols and pillars were buried just four days ago. In a statement, company’s executive director said company’s executive director had buried the sculptures out of a sense of panic following an extortion demand. All 23 items have been shifted to the premises of the Idol Wing in Guindy.
Idol Wing Chief and Inspector General of Police told The Hindu that there was evidence to suggest that the sculptures were sourced from Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu. “We will issue a summons to company’s executive director and proceed further,” Idol Wing Chief and Inspector General of Police said. The police claim that the search and seizure operation on company’s executive director residence/guest house were conducted following information that a few idols and artefacts were shifted discreetly from a shop called The Purple Turtle at Raja Annamalaipuram earlier this week. They also claim the investigation into businessman and art collector and company’s executive director are linked.
Alamparai Fort: Pack a picnic basket and head here for a quiet picnic away from the crowds of the city. The Alamparai Fort is located near Kadapakkam, a village 50 km from Mamallapuram and is one of the few lesser known interesting spots near the city.
Constructed in the 17th century during the Mughal era between 1736 and 1740 AC. The fort was initially under the control of the Nawab of Arcot, Doste Ali Khan. After the Carnatic wars, when lost to British, the fort came under the direct control of the British and was destroyed in 1760 AC and recently the structure was further damaged in the 2004 tsunami.
Special Correspondent CHENNAI, October 06, 2018 23:35 IST
Updated: October 07, 2018 09:02 IST
Will issue summons for company’s executive director appearance to proceed with inquiry, says Idol Wing
The Idol Wing police on Saturday unearthed 21 more old stone idols and pillars, said to be antiquities, that were buried under the lawn of the Poes Garden guest house of KCP Sugars and Industries Corporation Ltd.
On Friday, when it began conducting the search, it had found two stone pillars under the lawn of the guest house, which was used as a residence by the company’s executive director.
The Idol Wing has said it will issue a summons for her appearance to proceed with the inquiry; at the same time, it has written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs requesting a look out circular in company’s executive director name, which is issued to prevent someone from leaving the country.
The police said the antiquities belonged to company’s executive director and businessman and art collector, whose Saidapet residence and farmhouses in Kanchipuram district yielded 224 old sculptures and artefacts. However, sources close to company’s executive director say that all 23 items seized from the Poes Garden bungalow belong to company’s executive director.
According to the officers of the Idol Wing, these idols and pillars were buried just four days ago. In a statement, company’s executive director said company’s executive director had buried the sculptures out of a sense of panic following an extortion demand. All 23 items have been shifted to the premises of the Idol Wing in Guindy.
Idol Wing Chief and Inspector General of Police told The Hindu that there was evidence to suggest that the sculptures were sourced from Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu. “We will issue a summons to company’s executive director and proceed further,” Idol Wing Chief and Inspector General of Police said. The police claim that the search and seizure operation on company’s executive director residence/guest house were conducted following information that a few idols and artefacts were shifted discreetly from a shop called The Purple Turtle at Raja Annamalaipuram earlier this week. They also claim the investigation into businessman and art collector and company’s executive director are linked.
Alamparai Fort: Pack a picnic basket and head here for a quiet picnic away from the crowds of the city. The Alamparai Fort is located near Kadapakkam, a village 50 km from Mamallapuram and is one of the few lesser known interesting spots near the city.
Constructed in the 17th century during the Mughal era between 1736 and 1740 AC. The fort was initially under the control of the Nawab of Arcot, Doste Ali Khan. After the Carnatic wars, when lost to British, the fort came under the direct control of the British and was destroyed in 1760 AC and recently the structure was further damaged in the 2004 tsunami.
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Special Correspondent Madurai , October 14, 2018 13:47 IST
Updated: October 14, 2018 15:26 IST
The police said the culprits had not laid their hands on the temple hundi.
Four antiquities were stolen from Chitraradha Vallabha Perumal temple on Saturday night.
The panchaloha idols, said to be around 100 years old, were burgled on Saturday midnight, district Superintendent of Police said.
The unidentified persons stole the idols of Lord Vallabha Perumal, Goddess Sridevi, Goddess Boomadevi and Lord Srinivasagar from the temple located along the river.
The police said the culprits had not laid their hands on the temple hundi.
Three aged security men were sleeping outside the temple when the culprits broken the temple around 12:30 a.m. The crime came to light when the temple was opened on Sunday morning.
The temple CCTV footage showed two masked men entering the temple.
The police deployed a sniffer dog and forensic experts lifted fingerprints from the scene of crime.
The police have registered a case.
Hindustani78
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Time to hew a new antiquities law
October 22, 2018 00:02 IST
Updated: October 21, 2018 23:49 IST
Cultural vigilantism threatens to cast a long shadow on the production of knowledge of the past
The construct around a civilisational history frequently emerges from untouched archaeological sites. Consequently, the premium has long been on archaeologists guiding a nation on what constitutes its history, memory and culture. This ingrained notion has foundationally resulted in the framing of India’s laws based on a singular view of what constitutes an antique. To hang onto this view in today’s age is destructive as can be seen from the fate of antique collecting across India. The prevalent assumption that is constantly alluded to is that every object held by an institution or a collector must have been surreptitiously removed from a shrine or a sacred site.
But a civilisational history cannot be constructed purely by an archaeological agency. While it is an important component, other groups such as littérateurs, historians, anthropologists and curators also contribute valuable insights into our material culture. However, the framing of our laws has not happened in conjunction with any of these disciplines. This was because at the time of law framing, the agenda was to preserve India’s material culture which was then under threat much like material heritage of several source countries across the world was. What was thus valid for India at the time of Independence no longer fits in with the requirements, reality and needs of a confident modern-day state that seeks to understand its past.
Need for reform
The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 has consequently long outlived the purpose for which it was drafted. While a promised amendment has been floated on the website of the Union Ministry of Culture, its status is still largely unknown. The laws that consequently govern the ownership of historical objects, their purchase and sale have, with increasing frequency, been a disincentive for the average collector. Cultural vigilantism and the presumption of guilt without trial, public shaming and the resultant media trial have led to a state of affairs that is dangerous — casting a long shadow on the production of knowledge of our past.
Registering antiquities with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has long been a cumbersome and difficult procedure for most collectors, with the state simply not equipped to handle the needs of a growing populace of collectors.
Compounding this is the rule that every object over a 100 years is an antique. To ascribe importance by virtue of religious sentiment, age or provenance (seldom proven) to every significant and insignificant work of art will sound the death knell for scholarship or our understanding of what constitutes a beautiful work of art or even a significant national treasure worthy of appreciation. To promote a view that once sacred objects today only belong to temples and thus deny the process of regeneration of these living cultural sites is a myopic view stemming from a lack of understanding of the role and purpose of these objects, the temple economy that maintained them, and also the constant process of renewal that occurred within historic sites.
Questions for the state
With every passing year, the number of objects that shift from 99th year to a 100 year status will soon result in the transfer of vast numbers of objects to a status of national antiquity. Is the state geared to handle and maintain this vast emerging enterprise? This is where the role of private connoisseurship, individual collectors, trusts and foundations come into play. Their proactive agency has safeguarded the heft of ancient Indian art from being channelled abroad or, worse, being destroyed. It is well within the rights of every citizen to acquire and collect objects of their past that they feel imparts a sense of memory, history and an understanding of our culture. What should definitely govern this acquisition is a legal process of buying. However, vigilante movements claim temple robbery provenance without a shred of proof, emerging as a bullying tactic and becoming the dominant narrative on artefact ownership. These movements neither follow the rule of law nor do they respect the ASI’s time-honoured process of registration of such artefacts.
The present situation also gives rise to an interesting question. If, as is being presumed, every object in a private collection is the result of temple desecration and robbery, then what of objects that have been registered under similar norms across all our public institutions? Is the government of India ready to repatriate the several idols in its various collections or give up the Aurel Stein collection of Central Asian antiquities at the National Museum, New Delhi, to the Buddhist communities of China? To hold public institutions to one standard and private collectors to another is just one of the several anomalies of the current narrative. Why is there a blanket assumption that every public institution holds treasures that were not pilfered or acquired through the same channels that are available to private collectors? An urgent amendment to existing laws is a need of the hour to save our material culture from being examined purely from the prism of religious sentiment and to foster the creation of secular spaces where everyone can enjoy and appreciate our past.
October 22, 2018 00:02 IST
Updated: October 21, 2018 23:49 IST
Cultural vigilantism threatens to cast a long shadow on the production of knowledge of the past
The construct around a civilisational history frequently emerges from untouched archaeological sites. Consequently, the premium has long been on archaeologists guiding a nation on what constitutes its history, memory and culture. This ingrained notion has foundationally resulted in the framing of India’s laws based on a singular view of what constitutes an antique. To hang onto this view in today’s age is destructive as can be seen from the fate of antique collecting across India. The prevalent assumption that is constantly alluded to is that every object held by an institution or a collector must have been surreptitiously removed from a shrine or a sacred site.
But a civilisational history cannot be constructed purely by an archaeological agency. While it is an important component, other groups such as littérateurs, historians, anthropologists and curators also contribute valuable insights into our material culture. However, the framing of our laws has not happened in conjunction with any of these disciplines. This was because at the time of law framing, the agenda was to preserve India’s material culture which was then under threat much like material heritage of several source countries across the world was. What was thus valid for India at the time of Independence no longer fits in with the requirements, reality and needs of a confident modern-day state that seeks to understand its past.
Need for reform
The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 has consequently long outlived the purpose for which it was drafted. While a promised amendment has been floated on the website of the Union Ministry of Culture, its status is still largely unknown. The laws that consequently govern the ownership of historical objects, their purchase and sale have, with increasing frequency, been a disincentive for the average collector. Cultural vigilantism and the presumption of guilt without trial, public shaming and the resultant media trial have led to a state of affairs that is dangerous — casting a long shadow on the production of knowledge of our past.
Registering antiquities with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has long been a cumbersome and difficult procedure for most collectors, with the state simply not equipped to handle the needs of a growing populace of collectors.
Compounding this is the rule that every object over a 100 years is an antique. To ascribe importance by virtue of religious sentiment, age or provenance (seldom proven) to every significant and insignificant work of art will sound the death knell for scholarship or our understanding of what constitutes a beautiful work of art or even a significant national treasure worthy of appreciation. To promote a view that once sacred objects today only belong to temples and thus deny the process of regeneration of these living cultural sites is a myopic view stemming from a lack of understanding of the role and purpose of these objects, the temple economy that maintained them, and also the constant process of renewal that occurred within historic sites.
Questions for the state
With every passing year, the number of objects that shift from 99th year to a 100 year status will soon result in the transfer of vast numbers of objects to a status of national antiquity. Is the state geared to handle and maintain this vast emerging enterprise? This is where the role of private connoisseurship, individual collectors, trusts and foundations come into play. Their proactive agency has safeguarded the heft of ancient Indian art from being channelled abroad or, worse, being destroyed. It is well within the rights of every citizen to acquire and collect objects of their past that they feel imparts a sense of memory, history and an understanding of our culture. What should definitely govern this acquisition is a legal process of buying. However, vigilante movements claim temple robbery provenance without a shred of proof, emerging as a bullying tactic and becoming the dominant narrative on artefact ownership. These movements neither follow the rule of law nor do they respect the ASI’s time-honoured process of registration of such artefacts.
The present situation also gives rise to an interesting question. If, as is being presumed, every object in a private collection is the result of temple desecration and robbery, then what of objects that have been registered under similar norms across all our public institutions? Is the government of India ready to repatriate the several idols in its various collections or give up the Aurel Stein collection of Central Asian antiquities at the National Museum, New Delhi, to the Buddhist communities of China? To hold public institutions to one standard and private collectors to another is just one of the several anomalies of the current narrative. Why is there a blanket assumption that every public institution holds treasures that were not pilfered or acquired through the same channels that are available to private collectors? An urgent amendment to existing laws is a need of the hour to save our material culture from being examined purely from the prism of religious sentiment and to foster the creation of secular spaces where everyone can enjoy and appreciate our past.
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CHENNAI, November 02, 2018 01:37 IST
Updated: November 02, 2018 07:43 IST
Court says those involved must be taken to task
The High Court was on Thursday shocked to hear about destruction of records sought by the Idol Theft Wing - Criminal Investigation Department, from Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department in connection with the alleged theft of an idol of a peacock from Punnaivananathar Sannidhi in Kapaleeswarar temple at Mylapore.
A Division Bench of Justices were taken aback when government advocate informed the court that the HR & CE officials had been giving “evasive replies” to requests made by Idol Theft Wing to part with the documents and recently they had claimed that all those documents were destroyed.
Serious issue
“How the documents can be destroyed? Who destroyed them? When were they destroyed? This is a very serious issue. Everybody responsible for this must be taken to task,” the senior judge in the Bench said and directed Inspector General of Police to proceed further and find out the truth behind the claim of destruction of documents.
Affirms charges
The judge also said that the missing documents only end up affirming the allegations of writ petitioner that the original idol of the peacock carrying a flower on its beak had been shifted out of the temple during its consecration in 1994 and replaced with an identical idol of the bird holding a snake on its beak.
“It amounts to impersonation of idols. Lakhs of devotees have been worshipping fake idol for the last 14 years,” the petitioner said and urged the court to order installation of a new idol after following the rituals as per agamas.
However, the judges replied that such an order could not be passed until the alleged theft was established conclusively with evidence.
In her submissions Government Advocate said that apart from probing the issue of destruction of records, the investigating agency was also taking steps to recover the original idol.
The Inspector General of Police told the court that the records had been destroyed systematically.
“They have worked on a Saturday and Sunday to destroy them. We have issued summons to them for inquiry,” Inspector General of Police said.
After hearing them, the judges directed Special Government Pleader representing HR & CE department to get instructions from the officials concerned on the issue by November 15.
They adjourned a host of other idol theft cases, including anticipatory bail petitions, filed by businesspersons by a fortnight.
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