Thirumangai Alwar Bronze Idol Returns To Kumbakonam Temple After 70 Years
· India · The Hindu, India Today, Indian Express
A bronze statue of Thirumangai Alwar, stolen from the Soundararaja Perumal Temple in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, has been recovered and returned after nearly 70 years. The Idol Wing-CID of the Tamil Nadu Police traced the idol to the Ashmolean Museum in the United Kingdom. The statue was one of four idols stolen between 1957 and 1967. The other three idols were traced to museums in the United States. The Ashmolean Museum acquired the Thirumangai Alwar statue in 1967 from an unidentified seller. The recovered statue was presented to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
Why it matters
The return of the Thirumangai Alwar idol is a significant cultural and religious milestone for the devotees of the Soundararaja Perumal Temple in Kumbakonam. The recovery also highlights the efforts of the Tamil Nadu Police in retrieving stolen heritage artifacts.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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