The Tamil Nadu Idol Wing CID on August 24 said it has initiated steps to retrieve six Chola-era bronze idols, stolen from the Nareeswara Sivan temple, Veeracholapuram in Kallakurichi district back in the 1960s.
- These idols are currently kept at various museums in the United States.
- The temple was constructed 900 years ago by Chola king Rajendra Chola.
- A letter of request to return the stolen idols was sent “through proper channel” under an agreement between India and the US concerning Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
- The institute had provided images of antique Panchaloha idols of Tripuranthakam, Thirupurasundari, Nataraja, Dakshinamurthy Veenadhara, and Saint Sundarar with his wife Paravai Natchiyaar.
- Panchaloha idols are made of five metals — gold, bronze, iron, silver and lead.
About Rajendra I (AD 1014–AD 1044)
- Rajendra I (AD 1014–AD 1044) was the son of Rajaraja I. During his reign, he extended the influences of the already vast Chola empire up to the banks of the river Ganges in the north and across the ocean.
- He continued his father’s policies and even raided the Ganga valley, Sri Lanka and countries of Southeast Asia, developing a navy for these expeditions. He carried his arms up to Ganga in Bengal after defeating the Pala King, Mahipala.
- To commemorate this victory he founded a new capital called ‘Gangaikondacholapuram’ and acquired for himself the title “Gangai-konda” (conqueror of Ganga). He was a great patron of learning and was known as Pandita-chola. He assumed titles Parakesari and Yuddhamalla.
Chola Art
- Some of the important characteristics of Chola style are the garbhagriha, the vimanas, the mandapa and the gopurams.
- Chola bronze images are considered amongst the finest in the world. While most images were of deities, sometimes images were made of devotees as well.
- One of the Chola paintings shows a short, stout figure under a banyan tree. This has been identified as sage Agastya and as Dakshinamurthi.
- Dakshinamurthi sculptures were also found in the Pallava period Kailasanatha temple, Kanchipuram, and in the Chola temple in Srinivasanallur.
- In the Kanchi Kailasantha temple built by Rajasimha Pallava, Siva is depicted as the Guru Dakshinamurthy -the universal teacher – Guru Dakshinamurthy – as Yoga Dakshinamurthy.
