TN police seeks 'stop auction' of Nataraja idol at Christies, Paris

CHENNAI: In a first, the Idol Wing of Tamil Nadu police has identified an antique idol before its auctioned at a foreign auction house and requested them to stop the proposed auction at Christies, Paris.

According to auction notice issued by Christies.com, France, a bronze Nataraja idol, belonging to the 15th century, is for sale on Friday, December 16 2022, at a bid price of 200000 to 300000 Euros.

“STOP AUCTION, Return it to us. This is stolen from India, TN,” a tweet from DGP Jayanth Murali, heading the Idol Wing of the TN police stated on Tuesday.

“We have been trying to stop the auction by establishing communication via diplomatic channels,” the officer told DT Next. The idol of Nataraja belonged to the Sri Kothanda Rameshwara Temple, Kayathar, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi, the officer added. It was stolen 50 years ago in 1972.

As the officers concerned found that the idol was listed for auction they crosschecked with the images of the idols available with the Indo-French Institute, Puducherry. The images were found to be similar. “The picture in the Christies web site and image received from IFP are of the same artefact,” the official quoting experts said.

The IFP image of the Shiva Nataraja idol was taken in the year 1958 and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department records reveal that the idol was stolen in 1972 but yet to be recovered. The Wing has not been able to trace the first FIR registered in the Kovilpatti police station. But Loose Leaf Index at the police station has entries to establish the theft incident.

“As there is adequate proof to establish ownership of the idol, the auction of the idol should be stopped and it should be returned to India as we have adequately established the ownership as required under the UNESCO Convention of 1970,” a communication from the Wing said.