Stolen In 2012, 500-Year-Old Hanuman Idol To Come Back To This Temple In Tamil Nadu Soon

A 500-year-old metal Hanuman idol stolen from a temple in Ariyalur in 2012 and traced to a museum in Australia, has been received by the idol wing of Tamil Nadu.

It will be returned to the temple soon, according to sources in the Culture Ministry.

The Government of India is working towards safeguarding the country’s antiquarian heritage within the nation and is instrumental in retrieving
antiquities which were unlawfully taken abroad in the past.

Till date 251 antiquities have been retrieved back from different countries, out of which 238 have been brought back since 2014.

The sculpture of Hanuman was stolen from a Vishnu Temple, Sri Varatharaja Perumal, Pottaveli Vellur, Ariyalur district. It belongs to the late Chola Period.

It was documented by “French institute of Pondicherry” in 1961. The sculpture was handed over to the High commissioner of India in Canberra by the US CDA Michael Goldman, US Embassy in Canberra.

The idol was retrieved to India in the last week of February, 2023 and was handed over to Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu as a case property on April 18, 2023.

The Hanuman idol, along with the idols of Varadaraja Perumal, Sridevi, and Bhoodevi, was stolen in 2012 by breaking open the temple doors. Sendurai police had booked a case but it was closed since no progress was made. The case was transferred to the Idol Wing CID in 2020.

The stolen idol was traced in  a museum in the USA. It was later found that an art collector residing in Australia had purchased it. When contacted by officials he expressed willingness to hand over the idol, it was learnt.