Ancient Panchaloga idol of Vinayaga confiscated

Erode, Tamil Nadu Aug 4 (UNI) Over two hundred year old Panchaloha Idols of Vinayaga and Sapta Kanyas (a set of seven goddesses) were confiscated by the CB CID of Chennai police and handed over to the Government museum here yesterday as per the direction of the Erode Judicial Majistrate Court II here.

Museum Curator C Maheswaran told UNI today that as per the Indian Antiquities and Monuments Reservation Act, an artifact of hundred years and above should be registered by the owner.

Otherwise, it is liable to be confiscated to avoid illicit trafficking of cultural property of national importance.

Dr Maheswaran said the registration offices of the archaeology department were empowered to register such antiques.

The idol so confiscated will be disposed either to the nearest Government museum, if the owner of the antique fails to establish the ownership of the confiscated item, or to the owner, if the ownership was proved with documentary evidence, he added.

He said apart from confiscation, the accused party may be convicted with imprisonment, as well.

The idols were recovered by the police in 2000 from Mr Azhagar (35) after a six year trial in the court. The Judge ordered to hand over these idols to the Government Museum.

Elaborating the importance of the two confiscated idols, Dr Maheswaran said the ''Vinayaga'' as ''Ekadantha''(elephant-headed god with one tusk) was observed to posses certain obtrusive variations, such as receding pot-belly, more or less with additional central point, claded with deep navel slit in horizontal line.

Ear claded with deep tiger skin at the waist and an additional pair of arms, apart from regular sets of arms were shown. While the lower left-arm was depicted, holding broken tusk, the right-arm was shown with ''Modhaga''(an edible of rice, dhal and jaggery).

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