A sixteenth-century bronze idol of Thirumangai Alwar, stolen from Soundararajaperumal temple near Kumbakonam decades ago, has been returned to Tamil Nadu from Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. Traced by the State police Idol Wing CID and repatriated through ministries and diplomatic channels, the 60 cm sculpture arrived in India March 3 and was presented to Tamil Nadu officials before planned reinstallation at Thadikombu temple.
