After Madras High Court order on missing idols plea, officials inspect Big Temple

TIRUCHY: Officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the HR&CE department conducted an inspection on the Thanjavur Big Temple premises on Thursday (July 23) as per the High Court direction against a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on missing idols.

In 2019, a PIL was filed by Kaliyamurthy from Thanjavur with the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, stating that the idols of Indira, Yama, Niruthi and Kuberan had gone missing and the respective sanctum sanctorum remained closed for years.

The litigant also appealed to the court to order a verification by an expert team and ensure the restoration of the idols.

The bench comprising Judges CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel, who heard the plea, ordered the Thanjavur HR&CE Joint Commissioner and Assistant Superintendent Officer of ASI and Hereditary Trustee of the Big Temple to conduct a joint inspection and submit a report by July 28.

Following the order, the ASI Tiruchy Region Superintendent Aravazhi, Assistant Superintendent Vettri Selvi, HR&CE Joint Commissioner Gnanasekar, Palace Devasthanam Hereditary Trustee Babaji Rajah Bhonsle conducted an elaborate inspection in the sannadis.

The Trustee Babaji Rajah Bhonsle noted that four Ashtatik Balakar idols had gone missing several years back. Based on the court orders, the next course of action on the same would be initiated, he said.