French auction house cancels sale of Nataraj idol after TN flags issue

Chennai: Well-known international auctioning house Christies in France has halted the sale of a 500 year-old Nataraj idol, stolen from a Tamil Nadu temple in 1972, after the state police flagged the issue. The efforts drew the spontaneous appreciation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Earlier, Christie's.com halted the auctioning of the 15th century old idol which was stolen from Tamil Nadu's Kovilpatti. This is the first such instance in India and that he and the entire Idol Wing CID felt elated over their efforts in preventing the auctioning, Tamil Nadu Idol Wing DGP K Jayanth Murali said. Christie's had issued a notice on its website, recently, on auctioning the Nataraj idol, which belonged to the ancient Sri Kothanda Rameshwar temple, Kayathar, Kovilpatti in Tuticorin district, for 2 to 3 lakh Euros on Friday.

An alert Murali, noticing the auction bid, tweeted on December 13, tagging Antiquities Coalition, running an international campaign against cultural racketeering and the Archaeological Survey of India saying: "France. STOP AUCTION. Return it to us. This is a stolen idol from: India, Tamil Nadu, Siva Temple, Sri Kodandaramesvara. Have PROOF." A senior official in the Idol Wing said the DGP followed up by sending the documentary proof through state and central governments. "Finally, Christie's.com realised that the idol proposed to be auctioned was stolen from Tamil Nadu, and withdrew its notice," he said. "Our voice has been heard. Christie's.com has withdrawn the auction of Nataraja idol stolen from India. Indian Ambassador in France Mr #JavedAshraf has informed me.Thanks Mr Javed Ashraf, #ASI, #GOI, #TNGovt Vijay Kumar (art enthusiast) and my team for stopping auction first time ever," Murali said in a tweet.

The bronze idol belonged to the Vijayanagara period - 15-16th century - according to the Idol Wing CID. Efforts are now on to bring the idol back to the state, the senior official said. When asked about the matter, the DGP told PTI on Friday , "I and my team feel elated and happy because it is the first time ever India has done it."

"As far as bringing back the idol is concerned, going by the response from the other side, it could be within three months," he said about the return of the temple idol.