Kancheepuram: Villagers stumbled upon 800 grams of ancient gold during the renovation of a centuries-old temple in Tamil Nadu. The gold was seized by the authorities and deposited with the government treasury despite locals protesting against it.
Villagers unearthed gold items beneath the steps leading to sanctum sanctorum during the renovation of Lord Shiva temple off Uthiramerur and it weighed more than half a kilogram.
The officials reached the temple and wanted to hand over the gold items to the government but the devotees and villagers refused to give it away. They wanted to place the gold again at the same spot after completion of the renovation.
After failed talks, the authorities deployed police forces at the village, seized the gold and sealed it before taking them away. If sources are to be believed, some of the villagers also managed to take away gold.
The Kuzambeswarar Temple is said to have been built during the second Kulothunga Chola period in Uttiramerur in Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu.
It is also learnt that villagers decided to renovate the 500-year-old temple without taking prior permission from the revenue officials.
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“Placing some gold beneath the temple steps is an auspicious mark and this practice is in vogue since times immemorial,” a local people said. Since the gold belonged to the temple, authorities had no right to seize or retain it, they contended and blocked policemen and officials from taking the precious metal.
Asked whether they have verified the find (if it was gold and whether it was centuries old), Revenue Divisional Officer Vidya said: “it looked like gold.”
On aspects like weight and if the gold was in the form of coins or ornaments, she told media that a complete assessment could not be carried out in view of protests by the people.
“We only have a count,” she said adding the gold was an “assortment” including one that appeared to be a kind of a “waist chain”, she said.
“The gold has been deposited with the treasury,” she said. Answering a question and on the demand of the people, she said they wanted it to be placed again at the temple.
A police official said the gold weighed about “565 gram as per information” and the government revenue authorities would take a decision on whether to give back the gold to the temple or not.
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With PTI inputs
