Ashmolean Museum in Oxford to return stolen Thirumangai Alwar idol purchased by it in 1967: T.N. police

Four valuable antique idols, including the Thirumangai Alwar idol, were allegedly stolen from the Soundararaja Perumal Temple in Kumbakonam between 1957 and 1967, the Idol Wing CID of the Tamil Nadu Police said

A rare variant bronze statue of saint-poet Thirumangai Alwar, worth several crores of rupees, will be repatriated from Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, to Tamil Nadu, after it was found that it was stolen from a temple in the State between 1957 and 1967, the Idol Wing CID (IWCID) of the Tamil Nadu Police said.

Efforts are on to bring the statue back to the State with the help of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and other offices, the IWCID added.

In 2020, the special wing of the police registered a case based on specific information that four valuable antique idols were allegedly stolen from the Soundararaja Perumal Temple in Kumbakonam between 1957 and 1967.

The police found that the Thirumangai Alwar bronze idol and three other metal idols — namely, Kaalinga Nartha Krishnar, Vishnu, and Sridevi idols — were stolen, and their replicas were displayed and worshipped in place of the originals. The idols were illegally sold by unidentified traffickers and smuggled abroad, said the police.

Thirumangai Alvar was born in the 8th century and was the last of the 12 Alvar saints of South India known for their affiliation with the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism.

Evidence collection

Inspector General of Police, IWCID, R. Dhinakaran, said through their sustained efforts, the smuggled idols were traced to various museums abroad. Specifically, the Thirumangai Alwar bronze idol was found to have been purchased by the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the United Kingdom, in 1967. The Kaalinga Nartha Krishnar, Vishnu, and Sridevi idols, meanwhile, were located in various museums across the United States of America, he added.

He said the investigation also revealed that at present, only the replicas of these four idols were being used for worship at the Soundararaja Perumal Temple, while the original idols remained in museums abroad. These findings led to ongoing efforts by the IWCID to retrieve the stolen idols, ensuring that they return to their rightful place of worship, he said.

R. Sivakumar, Superintendent of Police, IWCID, said, “We have collected all the scientific evidence regarding the provenance of the four stolen idols. These efforts have been critical in proving that the idols originally belonged to the Soundararaja Perumal Temple in Kumbakonam.”

In this regard, the officers compiled “convincing and indisputable evidence” and sent them to the relevant authorities in the countries where these idols are currently located.

Verification process

Mr. Dhinakaran said as a part of the verification process of the report submitted by the police, the Oxford University (where the Ashmolean Museum is located) sent a representative to conduct a ‘due diligence’ visit recently. During the visit, the representative reviewed the evidence and testimonies provided by the officers, which convincingly established the true origin of the Thirumangai Alwar Bronze statue, he said.

The strong evidence and witnesses convinced the representative, who subsequently submitted a detailed report to the higher authorities at the museum, Mr. Dhinakaran added.

After careful consideration, the Council of the University of Oxford acknowledged that the Thirumangai Alwar bronze idol had been illegally removed from the Soundararaja Perumal Temple in Kumbakonam, said a press release from the IWCID.

Mr. Dhinakaran said, “In a recent communication to us, the Oxford University has expressed its commitment to repatriating the idol back to India. They have also promised to cover all the costs associated with transferring the idol from London to India, ensuring that it can be returned to the temple for worship. This marks a significant step in the efforts to return stolen idols to their rightful places of origin. Efforts are underway to bring this idol to Tamil Nadu in a month’s time.”

The IWCID is also working towards ensuring that the remaining idols are repatriated to their rightful places, where they can once again be used for worship.

Published - November 29, 2024 02:23 pm IST