400-yr-old rare brass Ganesha idol seized in Kancheepuram

Chennai: Sleuths of the Chennai air customs have seized a rare 400-year-old brass ‘Nritya Ganapati’ idol, which they suspected was kept ready to be smuggled out of the country, from a house in Kancheepuram on Tuesday. The 5.25ft tall idol weighing 130kg is the largest to be seized by air customs so far. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials said the idol could be dated to the Vijayanagara-Nayaka period based on iconographic details.
A press release said the idol has ‘puranic’ designs and the wear and tear on it indicate that it may have been in use for a long time. It was sent by an exporter from Chennai to Kancheepuram for being refurbished as per the requirements of a client. A metal Ganesha idol of this size is considered rare as such sculptures are mainly made of stone. “The holes on the foot of the idol make it ideal for temple ceremonies,” the statement said. A customs official said the idol was traced following inputs about attempts to smuggle antiques out of the country. “An idol consignment came for export at the airport and we had a doubt that it could be an antique piece, but it was not. We traced the sender to a house in Kancheepuram and found this idol.”