In yet another incident of temple vandalism in Tamil Nadu, a Chola-era Shiva temple in Pudukkottai district has been vandalised, and idols of the deities have been destroyed by unknown assailants recently.
According to Thamarai TV, a group of unknown assailants had Kailasanathar entered the temple in Keezhananchur village in Pudukkottai district this week and damaged the Shivalingam present inside the temple. The assailants have also damaged idols of many deities, including Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Parvathi and Nandi installed in the Chola-era temple.
As per a report by Hindupost, the Kailasanathar temple in Keezhnanchur, a village in Pudukkottai district, is believed to built by the Chola ruler Kulothunga Chola III. The Chola-era temple houses other deities such as Ganesha, Parvathi, Murugan, Krishna and Nandi. Shiva is the presiding deity of the temple.
The shocking act of vandalism had come to the notice of villagers when they had entered the temple premises two days back. The villagers were shocked to see the damaged idols of Hindu deities on the floor of the temple. The assailants had cut the Shivalingam into two pieces and chopped off the Shiva idol’s head.
https://twitter.com/Saigeet36566874/status/1406826450808803331?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwAs per the Hindupost report, there is a dispute between two archakas over the rights to perform priestly duties at the Chola-era temple. Due to this fight, the temple is neglected and remained in a dilapidated condition without proper maintenance. The villagers said that temple’s doors are always open, and anti-social elements have taken advantage of the situation and committed the heinous act of beheading the heads of the deities.
Following the incident, the villagers have requested police to find the perpetrators as soon as possible. They have alleged that this is a motivated attack on Hindu temples in the state and added that the coming of DMK into power in the state has emboldened anti-Hindu elements in the state.