மீட்கப்பட்ட இராஜராஜன் லோகமாதேவி திருமேனிகள்

[N D Logasundaram]

நூ த லோ சு

மயிலை

​இன்று 

​மீட்கப்பட்ட ஐம்பொன் 

​ திருமேனிகள் ​கும்பகோணம் நீதிமன்றத்தில் ஒப்படைக்கப்படுகின்றன 

THANJAVUR: The two 11th century bronzes of Rajaraja Chola and his queen Lokmadevi, stolen from the Peruvudayar temple more than 50 years ago and since recovered from a museum in Ahmedabad, will be brought to the temple on Friday. The idols would subsequently be produced before the designated court in Kumbakonam hearing idol theft cases.

Sources said the idols were brought to Chennai from the Calico Museum of Sarabhai foundation in Ahmedabad by the idol wing police on Thursday and would be transported to Thanjavur on the early hours of Friday. They would be brought to the Big temple in the afternoon. After completing the formal procedures there, the idols would be taken to Tiruvaiyaru and then to Kumbakonam.

The idols are expected to be produced at the Kumbakonam court, which has been hearing the cases of idol theft, on Saturday. After getting the orders from the court, the bronzes would be installed in the big temple sources said. The rare bronze idols were stolen around 50 years ago from the Big temple, Thanjavur and sold to Sarabhai museum through a person from Sarukkai village. The idol wing police registered a case during the first week of March and cracked the case. The team led by Inspector General of Police Pon Manickavel went to Ahmedabad and retrieved the idols from the museum on May 29.

Rare artifacts
Before they were stolen, the rare bronze idols of legendary
king Rajaraja Chola and his consort Lokmadevi, worth over `150 crore, were kept in the north western side of the Mahamandapam of the Peruvudayar Temple. Also called the Brihadishvara Temple, it was built in the 11th century AD, and stands as testimony to the architectural finesse achieved by the Cholas

According to inscriptions,

Raja Raja Chola donated 66 idols to the Big Temple. Notable among them were Kolgai Devar and Shetra Balar which were made of gold, and four silver idols of Vasudevar.

​contd ​

[N D Logasundaram]

Before they were stolen, the rare bronze idols of legendary
king Rajaraja Chola and his consort Lokmadevi, worth over `150 crore, were kept in the north western side of the Mahamandapam of the Peruvudayar Temple. Also called the Brihadishvara Temple, 

The Idol wing has pegged the 74-cm tall statue of Raja Raja chola at Rs 60 crore and that of Lokamadevi at Rs 40 crore according to their international market value. The idol wing team, led by Inspector General of Police A G Pon Manickavel, reached the museum on Tuesday and reportedly carried out investigations with authorities of the museum managed by Gautam Sarabhai Foundation. A museum employee, requesting anonymity, said: “Tamil Nadu police came to the museum and we called the Shahibaug police for the formal procedure

.” When contacted, Museum’s administrative officer Nigar Gajjar refused to comment.