Ten ‘Panchaloka’ idols worth ₹15 crore seized by HR&CE Department from Amman temple

HR&CE Department officials have seized 10 idols worth ₹15 crores belonging to the Amman temple in Virudhunagar. This has caused a lot of flurry amongst the people in the area.

The Mahamayi Amman Temple is located in Kariyapatti B. Pudupatti, in Virudhunagar District. Every year on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, a three-day festival is held. During this time, it is customary for the temple priest to take the idols of Amman, Veerapathirar Ganesha, Karuppasamy, Rakkachi Amman, Natarajar, Sivagami Amman, Irulappa Swami and Muthu Karuppasamy around the temple in procession and perform special pujas and anointments. Then, the priest kept them safely in the basement of the house.

Archaeologists from Chennai, four years ago, inspected the idols at the temple, which came under the control of the HR&CE Department in 1995, four years ago. The value was estimated to be ₹15 crores. The idols were then kept safely in his house.

Yesterday, the Kariyapatti police along with the HR&CE department officials seized the idols from the house of the temple pundit yesterday. The priest lamented that they were protecting the idols made by their ancestors and worshipping them. He cursed the authorities for meddling in the temple affairs. The 10 idols were also taken to the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple.

(With inputs from Dinamalar)

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