1,000-year-old Chola temple in K’taka ‘missing’: Ex-TN police officer

A nearly 1,000-year-old temple believed to have been built by the Cholas in present-day Tumakuru district of Karnataka has ‘gone missing,’ a retired Tamil Nadu police officer who headed the idol wing has alleged in a letter to the archaeology and endowments ministers of Tamil Nadu.

A G Ponn Manickavel, former inspector general of police (idol wing, Tamil Nadu), believes the temple named ‘Rajendra Choleswaram’ was built by the first Kulothunga Chola Thevar in 1049 in memory of his father in a remote village known as Kotegiri near Kunigal in Tumakuru district.

In a letter to Thangam Thenarasu and P K Sekarbabu, ministers of archaeology and Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE), Manickavel said the Shiva temple that now exists in the village may have been built over the old temple built by the Cholas.

Manickavel said a stone inscription was found near the Shiva temple which contains ancient Tamil letters.

The inscription also says Kunigal could have been known as Rajendira Cholapuram, which was then a major commercial centre, he said.

Not just that, a lake which was constructed during the Cholas still exists in the village and stone inscriptions say the temple was built in 1049, exactly 949 years ago.

“The temple, which was built 949 years ago, is not to be seen today. This temple has been stolen. The TN government should obtain an antiquity declaration certificate for the stone inscription and ensure that it is brought to Tamil Nadu,” he said.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) should step in and find out whether the modern day Shiva temple stands on the debris of the temple built by the Cholas nearly 1,000 years ago, Manickavel demanded.

He said that the ASI should declare the temple as a protected monument.

Manickavel was appointed by the Madras High Court to trace idols that were stolen from various temples in Tamil Nadu and transported to several countries.

He headed the idol wing, during which several statues were recovered and restored to their original places.

Dr R Gopal, director of archaeology department, Karnataka, says the department hasn’t received any official communication in this regard.

“While it is highly unlikely that a temple will disappear, we will visit the village in Tumakuru soon for inspection,” he said.