TIRUCHY: Former IGP AG Ponn Manickavel on Friday appealed to the government to bring back the 1,118-year-old two panchaloha idols of Parvathi and Nararajar that were missing from Tirupazhanam Abathsahayeswarar temple in Thiruvaiyaru.
Speaking to reporters in Thanjavur, the ex IGP Ponn Manickavel said, the panchaloha idols of Parvathi worth around Rs 8 crore, went missing from the Tirupazhanam Abathsahayeswarar temple in Tiruvaiyaru long back, and recently, the missing idols were found at the Sotheby’s auction centre in New York.
“The idol is displayed in the Sotheby’s gallery and priced at 8 crore Indian rupees. Parvathi is the main deity in the temple, and the auction is illegal, and the government should initiate steps to bring back these idols to the temple,” appealed Ponn Manickavel.
Similarly, he said that a panchaloha idol of Natarajar also went missing from Tirupazhanam Temple in Tiruvaiyaru, and it was found at Victoria Museum in England.
“I have already filed a petition with the Supreme Court to retrieve both the idols and bring them back to India. A separate complaint has been lodged with the Tiruvaiyaru police station. The Centre should immediately recover the idols and return them to the temple,” added Ponn Manickavel.