40,000 temples and 12,000 idols: ASI top official says math not working

He added that the question of where the rest have gone remains unanswered.

Delivering the key note address at a seminar on the bronze icons of Vijayanagara-Nayak era, organised by the Department of Sculpture of Tamil University in Thanjavur on Thursday, he said, “There are 4,500 odd idols in the icon centre in Tiruvarur and officials of the state claim around 12,000 idols are in various strong rooms in the state.”

He added, “We have studied the icons in Thanjavur strong room and are in the process of studying the icons in the Tiruvarur icon centre.”

Nambirajan said that as per the state government records, over the last 50 years, 130 antiquities have been stolen in the state.

As per the official website of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE), from the year 1992 to 2007, as many as 350 icons were stolen of which only 18 have been recovered.

He pointed out that during the colonial period a large number of idols were taken from the country. He pointed out that The Antiquities And Art Treasures act, 1972 outlawed the export of antiquity or art treasure. Presiding over the symposium, G Balasubramanian, the vice-chancellor of the varsity said the state government had sanctioned Rs 50 lakhs to establish a sculpture training centre at the university and that the centre would soon start admitting students.