Stolen sculpture of Lord Hanuman belonging to the Chola Period retrieved; handed over to Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu
The Stolen sculpture of Lord Hanuman belonging to the Chola Period has been retrieved and handed over to the Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu.
The sculpture of Lord Hanuman was stolen from a Vishnu Temple, Shri Varatharaja Perumal, Pottaveli Vellur, Ariyalur district. It belongs to the late Chola Period (14th -15th century). It was documented by “The French Institute of Pondicherry” in the year 1961. The sculpture was handed over to the High Commissioner of India in Canberra. The idol was returned to India in the last week of February 2023 and handed over to Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu as a case property on 18.04.2023.
The government of India is working towards safeguarding the country’s antiquarian heritage within the nation and is instrumental in retrieving antiquities that were unlawfully taken abroad in the past. To date, 251 antiquities have been retrieved back from different countries, out of which 238 have been brought back since 2014.
Disclaimer: This is an official press release by pib.
