Chennai: Air Customs Seizes Kuningan 400 Years Rare Nritya Ganapati Idol – which was intended to be smuggled out of the country – from a house in Kancheepuram on Tuesday.
This is the biggest idol confiscated by customs so far.
Idols as high as 5.25 feet and weigh 130kg.
Based on the details of iconography, an archaeological survey of Indian officials (ASI) said that idols were more than 400 years old and could be used for the Vijayanagara-Nayaka period.
According to press releases from air customs, the idol shows the detail of the design of the Puran and that the wearer shows that it is used for a long time.
It was sent by an exporter from Chennai to Kancheepuram because it was treated according to the client’s requirements to facilitate smuggling.
Idol Nritya Ganapati with this size in metal form is considered rare as seen especially in stone statues and paintings.
“Two pairs of holes in the idol feet make it ideal for the temple ceremony,” said the statement.
A customs official said that idols were traced as inputs from intelligence wings that there was an effort to smuggle antiques abroad.
“The idol consignment came to export at the airport, and we doubt that it could be an antique.
But it wasn’t.
However, we are still tracing the address of the sender to the house in Kancheepuram and finding an antique ganapati idol.” The officer said.
He said further investigation was to find a source of idol.