CUDDALORE: The Natarajar idol of Sri Puranthan village in Ariyalur district, once lost, was brought back to the Shiva temple in the village amid police security on Friday.
Villagers cleaned the streets and decorated it with rangoli, lit lamps (Kuthuvilakku) on the streets honoring the return of Lord Natarajar.
As the vehicle carrying the idol reached the village precincts, police opened the screen of the vehicle enabling villagers to see and offer prayers to the idol. After the vehicle arrived at the temple, priests performed pooja to the Natarajar idol before bringing it inside the temple.
A special pooja was then performed by the priests once the idol was in the temple.
Villagers from neighbouring villages too thronged the temple to offer prayers to the Natarajar idol. After the Kumbabhishekam ceremony, the officials will take the idol back to the museum at Kumbakonam on November 10.
Balasubramaniyan, (55), of the village, said “This Natarajar idol of Chola-era is more than 1100 years old. After being stolen by smugglers, the idol returned to our village after many years. We are very happy now. We expect the day when the idol will remain in the temple permanently. We also hope that the remaining 7 idols stolen from this temple will soon be retrieved.”
The idol, estimated to be worth `30 crores, was stolen from the Shiva temple several years ago, triggering an investigation launched in 2008, resulting in the arrest of Subash Kapoor two years ago.
The stolen idol, which was displayed in a gallery in Australia was handed over to Indian officials by the Australian prime minister after the central government took initiatives to retrieve the stolen idol.