CHENNAI: A rare 400-year-old idol of Nritya Ganapati dating back to the Vijayanagar era was seized by the Air Cargo Customs while it was about to be exported from a house in Kanchipuram.
The idol weighing 1.3 kg is not registered with the Archaeological Survey of India under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act. According to Chief Commissioner of Customs MVS Choudary, the idol was wrapped adhering to puranic mythological traditions based on ancient shilpa shastra techniques.
"Marks of wear and tear were found on the idol indicating its usage for a long time. During the investigation, it was found that the idol was sent by the exporter from Chennai to Kanchipuram to get it treated as per the requirement of the client to facilitate smuggling," Choudary said in a statement.
Archaeological Survey of India experts, who examined the idol, said it is more than 400 years old and dates back to the Vijayanagar-Nayaka period based on the iconographic details.
Nritya Ganapati is regarded as the 15th among the 32 different forms of Ganapati and is believed to give proficiency and success to all those who seek to excel in dance and fine arts.
This form of Ganapati is seen mainly in stone sculptures and paintings and the metallic form of Nritya Ganapati of this size is considered rare. The two pairs of holes in the peedam make the idol ideal for temple utsava ceremonies where the deity appears to devotees outside the temple. The idol is the largest one seized by Chennai Customs so far, according to a release.