Buddha worshipped as Muniappan; surrender antique, orders High Court

CHENNAI: With the findings of the archeology department that a Buddha statue was being altered and worshipped as Thalaivetti Muniappan Swamy Kottai Road, Periyeri Village, Salem District, the Madras High Court passed orders to the HR and CE department to hand over the temple to the Archeology and Tamil Development department.

“The Archeology and Tamil Development department shall take control of the property and it shall maintain the same. A board can be erected inside to depict the sculpture inside the property as Buddha. The general public can also be permitted to visit this place and it shall be ensured that no poojas or other ceremonies are allowed to be performed for the sculpture of Buddha,” the Justice N Anand Venkatesh held.

The judge passed the direction after examining the report of the joint committee of the Archeology and Tamil Development department. After inspecting the sculpture in the temple and carefully examining the available archaeological and historical evidences, the joint committee of the archeological department collectively expressed their opinion that the sculpture depicts “several mahalakshanas (great traits) of the Buddha” and the report stated the urna was removed from the torso of the statue and was replaced with other thing.

The court passed the orders on disposing of a petition filed by P Renganathan, a functionary of Buddha trust Salem.