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Silai Thirudan / சிலைத் திருடன்
இந்தியக் கோயில்களைக் கொள்ளையிட்டு, பாரம்பரியச் சிலைகளைக் கடத்திச் செல்லும் மிகப் பெரிய கிரிமினல் நெட்வொர்க்கின் நடுங்க வைக்கும் நிஜக் கதை. *** ‘பரபரப்பான புத்தகம்...’ - எகனாமிக் டைம்ஸ் ‘இந்தியாவின் பாரம்பரியத்தை மிகப் பெரிய அளவில் கொள்ளை அடிக்கும் குழுவைப் பற்றிய மிக முக்கியமான ஆவணம்...’ - ஓபன் ‘சமீபத்தில் நான் படித்த மிக அருமையான புத்தகம்...’ - சஞ்சீவ் சன்யால் *** சுபாஷ் கபூர் நியூ யார்க்கை மையமாகக் கொண்டு இயங்கிவந்த கலைப் பொருள் வணிகன். அவன் விற்பனை செய்த கலைப் பொக்கிஷங்கள் உலகின் முன்னணி அருங்காட்சியகங்களை அலங்கரிக்கின்றன. அக்டோபர் 2011இல் ஜெர்மனியில் இண்டர்போல் அவனைக் கைது செய்தது. அதற்குச் சில வாரங்களுக்கு முன்னதாக இந்திய அரசு, தமிழகத்தின் இரண்டு கோவில்களில் இருந்து அரிய, விலை மதிக்கமுடியாத சோழர் காலச் சிலைகளைத் திருடிக் கடத்தியதாகக் குற்றம்சாட்டி அவனுக்கு ரெட்-கார்னர் நோட்டீஸ் தந்திருந்தது.
237 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2018
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521 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
March 26, 2022
Next time you are in any museum and see an exquisite vigraha or murty (idol) of a Hindu/Jaina/ Buddha gods on display, always ask where it came from. Try to go back into its past and see how it journeyed to the museum. Every displayed idol has an interesting story to tell. Idol thieving is a bane of our country with looteras and plunderers having a field day on our land. Legacy continues. If you are remotely interested in Indian history, temple iconography, art world and our heritage, this book will give you some basic idea about it. How did Idol thief network works and state of the machinery which has to work against it. If you want to know how our gods and heritage has been systematically looted over the decades, this book is a MUST-READ!
S. Vijay Kumar has done a lot to retrieve sacred Vigraha recently looted from Indian temples something we all should encouraged. Please follow his blog- poetryinstone.in and follow him on twitter. Also check out India pride project website and their twitter handle. This guy deserve so much respect from us.
This book is also available in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Malayalam.
S. Vijay Kumar has done a lot to retrieve sacred Vigraha recently looted from Indian temples something we all should encouraged. Please follow his blog- poetryinstone.in and follow him on twitter. Also check out India pride project website and their twitter handle. This guy deserve so much respect from us.
This book is also available in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Malayalam.
January 6, 2019
This is a non-fiction book based on idol theft thats happening in India for decades. Billions of dollars of our ancient Indian heritage are stolen, destroyed and sold to museums, art galleries and private collectors all over the world. With tremendous amount of work from few people and US force less than ten percent of the idols are back and no thanks to Indian law enforcement for sure.
Our own Indian police is least bothered and wont even make an arrest even after being provided all the evidences. Why, you can guess. The thieves have “sources” and police have moles.
To be frank, as much as I loved the book as it raised awareness on an issue I wasn’t even aware about, I feel sad and ashamed. Due to the lack of interest by Indian authorities our image internationally is not good and foreign authorities are not interested to return our heritage back to us. Only because of the slack responses by police, diplomats and foreign ministry.
In the end, I would only say that please read this book. It is amazing and idol theft is something no one is bothered about.
Our own Indian police is least bothered and wont even make an arrest even after being provided all the evidences. Why, you can guess. The thieves have “sources” and police have moles.
To be frank, as much as I loved the book as it raised awareness on an issue I wasn’t even aware about, I feel sad and ashamed. Due to the lack of interest by Indian authorities our image internationally is not good and foreign authorities are not interested to return our heritage back to us. Only because of the slack responses by police, diplomats and foreign ministry.
In the end, I would only say that please read this book. It is amazing and idol theft is something no one is bothered about.
July 26, 2022
This book is a must read to understand how our heritage is smuggled across the world to art galleries and museums or private collectors!
I am deeply saddened by the state of ASI and the historical/heritage department!
Hats off to the author and all those involved in getting some of our heritage back.
You can also read stories on the author’s blog at poetryinstone.in
I am deeply saddened by the state of ASI and the historical/heritage department!
Hats off to the author and all those involved in getting some of our heritage back.
You can also read stories on the author’s blog at poetryinstone.in
December 2, 2018
This is a factual account of the antiques stolen from India. The author is a part of the team that worked tirelessly to restore them back to where they belong! "Not every Indian is for sale" he writes. And I am so glad that there are people like him who value our culture and heritage more than dollars! Kudos to him for bravely writing this book. Fantastic read!
July 18, 2019
I am glad someone wrote book on Idol thief. This topic is something everyone should talk about.
April 19, 2021
My first introduction to the book was a dialogue event with a few members of the India Pride Project. The Author is a co-founder. I happened to watch the documentary "Blood Buddhas" made by Nikhil Singh Rajput. Those wanting to read the book could watch the short documentary trailer as a precursor. The full documentary is not available for open viewing. But the trailer is available on Youtube (https://youtu.be/bdZTFJAFK1g). Do check it out if you wish to get a picture of what this book entails for you in the coming 190 odd pages.
Coming to the book, the prologue - 'Be safe, my Lord, within this earth' set the tone for the book, on a personal note. We have heard countless tales of the brutalities of invasions. Social media today is abuzz with many such chronicles by history buffs. We also read about the impact they had on the psyche of the people. We also read about how invader after invader ravaged this land for centuries. The first invasion beginning in the 8th century. Post these invasions, we plunged into darkness again when the Europeans colonized us.
Unfortunately, what is not taught is the resilience and sacrifices made. Our ancestors put their lives at stake in protecting the various symbols of our heritage. There are some records of the stiff resistance put forth by kings and queens across India. Prolific writers like Sita Ram Goel, Ram Gopal Misra have written about it. But I hadn't come across much about the protection of murtis and vigrahas. I had only read about tales of plunder of our temples. Never had I read about tales of grit and determination of our in protecting some of these Murti, vigrahas. The book begins on this scintillating note. The author recounts a thrilling account of saving a kshetra vigraha from marauders. There was a feeling of numbness as I finished reading the prologue. What I hadn't bargained for is that feeling of numbness to multiply a thousandfold. What followed this numbness was shock, anger, and despair as I set about reading the rest of the book.
The book unravels the workings of the sinister smuggling world. A world which deals in antiquities across the world. There is a special demand for artistic Chola Bronzes and Stone 'Vigrahas'. All this looting happened with utmost impunity. It leaves you with a sense of sheer disgust. This grows exponentially as you read one account after the other. After a point, one feels as to how our people, people belonging to a land, which in many ways taught the world civilization, art had the utmost disregard for our 'vigrahas', our 'murtis'. These kshetra vigrahas not only stood as a symbol of artistic excellence but also devotion, spirituality. Many an ordinary man viewed these kshetras and the residing devatas as a go-to friend to pour out their woes. I guess years of persecution coupled with psychological subversion had left the ordinary Indian heartless. They do not look beyond their own selfishness, insatiable greed to accumulate money. This is reflected in the transactional figures revealed across the book that these looters would make by selling precious pieces of antique. Many of these loots would fetch money that could last one a lifetime. In spite of that these criminals never stopped. Raids conducted across warehouses in India and abroad reveal 1000's of such antiques. Most of these antiques are found stored in abysmal conditions. Art galleries and museums buy each antique piece at insane price figures. Figures which are beyond the comprehension of ordinary individuals who inhabit this earth. At one point I was at a loss of words reading the transactional values that these rascals were dealing in. What shocked me next was the absolute apathy of government authorities. They have done very little in the restitution of these stolen 'Murtis' and 'vigrahas'. The documentary Blood Buddhas give a small glimpse of this apathy. Special mention needs to made of the ASI which acts as the custodian for recovered antiques. They have absolute disregard for our rich cultural symbols. They do not understand its value, nor do they make an effort to. It is visible in their handling of recovered antiques, which are only a few in number.
If one would believe that the stench is restricted to the world of smugglers and their aides in the different government bodies (such as customs, ASI, HR&CE, Culture Ministry), then they would be shocked beyond words to know how much complicit prominent art galleries and museums are in this illicit smuggling of antiques. The word 'ethics', which the western world prides itself upon goes for a hike to never come back. There is deliberate negligence in following due diligence procedures. Procedures to verify the provenance of the antique pieces acquired. They show extreme reluctance in accepting their follies when pointed out with proofs.
There is hope though amidst all this shock, gloom, and despair. It appears in the form of indefatigable, concerted efforts by a group of individuals. A few of them across the globe bound together by a common goal. A goal of restoring the stolen antiques to their rightful custodians. To the temples and other places from where they have been stolen. The author introduces us to a no of characters like Indy, Jason Felch, Michaela Boland, Dr. Kirit Mankodi, organizations such as IFP & EFEO. The author also commends the work of countless, faceless art connoisseurs and volunteers. These people have pitched in with valuable information. Information about temples, their art, high-resolution photos, blog posts. These have served as the basis for verifying many of the stolen antiques. In spite of knowing well the kind of brutal, powerful people and organizations that they were against, these spirited and passionate individuals went about their dharma with exemplary courage. It is no easy job to push bureaucrats, government officials especially in the case of India (unfortunate I have to say this), investigating agencies to act on the conviction of smugglers as well as repatriating the smuggled antiques back to their country of origin.
When one reaches the final chapter - 'Author's Note', which is poignant in its conclusion, I do have to say that it is very discouraging to know how many of these stolen and returned antiques are actually restituted to the rightful places. There still lie several precious, stolen antiques across the shores in foreign lands. They are yet to be retrieved back. Some of them known to be in raided warehouses, while others in prominent museums. Yet very little is being done by the government. This in spite of the recent successes in bringing back our gods. I would attribute these successes more to the untiring efforts of the associates, few investigating officers.
I'm happy the author took this effort to write this book. It sends a loud message to the art crooks across the world, which the author also says. Besides, also hope it inspires a lot of Indians especially to come out of their slumber. They need to value their heritage, with a renewed sense of vigor. Especially the Millenials of Tamil Nadu. Many well-meaning Tamizh folks seem to have a misplaced sense of pride w.r.t to Tamil antiquity. The caustic, Dravidian political narratives have played a major role in this. This book is a must-read for all the Tamizh folks. It is an opportunity to ask themselves about how much they value their heritage. A heritage and antiquity which they otherwise waste no efforts in bragging about. No doubt invasions, colonialism have left an indelible impact on the psyche of Indians. They are accused of not valuing their heritage. They are typecasted as people lacking civilization, culture and who only talk big. With our country making giant strides in other fields of equal importance, it is time that we as individuals rise up to our dharma of protecting our heritage, our identity.
In the end, I agree there is a lot of cleaning to be done in one's own backyard for us Indians. But it doesn't take away from the moral and ethical responsibility that the world holds in acknowledging their brutality in stripping the colonized lands of their identity and returning back what is not theirs. One might argue that we cannot hold today's generation responsible for the actions of their ancestors. But there absolute lack of remorse, acceptance. The superiority complex continues to exist unfortunately even in today's time. Even when the world is changing at a rapid pace. It acts as a hindrance in the atonement for one's gory, past deeds.
Till then one can only hope. This book I must say again is a ray of hope. A small cog in the wheel of Dharma. An inspiration for fellow Indians to rise up. Rise up and march towards resurrecting their crushed identity.
Coming to the book, the prologue - 'Be safe, my Lord, within this earth' set the tone for the book, on a personal note. We have heard countless tales of the brutalities of invasions. Social media today is abuzz with many such chronicles by history buffs. We also read about the impact they had on the psyche of the people. We also read about how invader after invader ravaged this land for centuries. The first invasion beginning in the 8th century. Post these invasions, we plunged into darkness again when the Europeans colonized us.
Unfortunately, what is not taught is the resilience and sacrifices made. Our ancestors put their lives at stake in protecting the various symbols of our heritage. There are some records of the stiff resistance put forth by kings and queens across India. Prolific writers like Sita Ram Goel, Ram Gopal Misra have written about it. But I hadn't come across much about the protection of murtis and vigrahas. I had only read about tales of plunder of our temples. Never had I read about tales of grit and determination of our in protecting some of these Murti, vigrahas. The book begins on this scintillating note. The author recounts a thrilling account of saving a kshetra vigraha from marauders. There was a feeling of numbness as I finished reading the prologue. What I hadn't bargained for is that feeling of numbness to multiply a thousandfold. What followed this numbness was shock, anger, and despair as I set about reading the rest of the book.
The book unravels the workings of the sinister smuggling world. A world which deals in antiquities across the world. There is a special demand for artistic Chola Bronzes and Stone 'Vigrahas'. All this looting happened with utmost impunity. It leaves you with a sense of sheer disgust. This grows exponentially as you read one account after the other. After a point, one feels as to how our people, people belonging to a land, which in many ways taught the world civilization, art had the utmost disregard for our 'vigrahas', our 'murtis'. These kshetra vigrahas not only stood as a symbol of artistic excellence but also devotion, spirituality. Many an ordinary man viewed these kshetras and the residing devatas as a go-to friend to pour out their woes. I guess years of persecution coupled with psychological subversion had left the ordinary Indian heartless. They do not look beyond their own selfishness, insatiable greed to accumulate money. This is reflected in the transactional figures revealed across the book that these looters would make by selling precious pieces of antique. Many of these loots would fetch money that could last one a lifetime. In spite of that these criminals never stopped. Raids conducted across warehouses in India and abroad reveal 1000's of such antiques. Most of these antiques are found stored in abysmal conditions. Art galleries and museums buy each antique piece at insane price figures. Figures which are beyond the comprehension of ordinary individuals who inhabit this earth. At one point I was at a loss of words reading the transactional values that these rascals were dealing in. What shocked me next was the absolute apathy of government authorities. They have done very little in the restitution of these stolen 'Murtis' and 'vigrahas'. The documentary Blood Buddhas give a small glimpse of this apathy. Special mention needs to made of the ASI which acts as the custodian for recovered antiques. They have absolute disregard for our rich cultural symbols. They do not understand its value, nor do they make an effort to. It is visible in their handling of recovered antiques, which are only a few in number.
If one would believe that the stench is restricted to the world of smugglers and their aides in the different government bodies (such as customs, ASI, HR&CE, Culture Ministry), then they would be shocked beyond words to know how much complicit prominent art galleries and museums are in this illicit smuggling of antiques. The word 'ethics', which the western world prides itself upon goes for a hike to never come back. There is deliberate negligence in following due diligence procedures. Procedures to verify the provenance of the antique pieces acquired. They show extreme reluctance in accepting their follies when pointed out with proofs.
There is hope though amidst all this shock, gloom, and despair. It appears in the form of indefatigable, concerted efforts by a group of individuals. A few of them across the globe bound together by a common goal. A goal of restoring the stolen antiques to their rightful custodians. To the temples and other places from where they have been stolen. The author introduces us to a no of characters like Indy, Jason Felch, Michaela Boland, Dr. Kirit Mankodi, organizations such as IFP & EFEO. The author also commends the work of countless, faceless art connoisseurs and volunteers. These people have pitched in with valuable information. Information about temples, their art, high-resolution photos, blog posts. These have served as the basis for verifying many of the stolen antiques. In spite of knowing well the kind of brutal, powerful people and organizations that they were against, these spirited and passionate individuals went about their dharma with exemplary courage. It is no easy job to push bureaucrats, government officials especially in the case of India (unfortunate I have to say this), investigating agencies to act on the conviction of smugglers as well as repatriating the smuggled antiques back to their country of origin.
When one reaches the final chapter - 'Author's Note', which is poignant in its conclusion, I do have to say that it is very discouraging to know how many of these stolen and returned antiques are actually restituted to the rightful places. There still lie several precious, stolen antiques across the shores in foreign lands. They are yet to be retrieved back. Some of them known to be in raided warehouses, while others in prominent museums. Yet very little is being done by the government. This in spite of the recent successes in bringing back our gods. I would attribute these successes more to the untiring efforts of the associates, few investigating officers.
I'm happy the author took this effort to write this book. It sends a loud message to the art crooks across the world, which the author also says. Besides, also hope it inspires a lot of Indians especially to come out of their slumber. They need to value their heritage, with a renewed sense of vigor. Especially the Millenials of Tamil Nadu. Many well-meaning Tamizh folks seem to have a misplaced sense of pride w.r.t to Tamil antiquity. The caustic, Dravidian political narratives have played a major role in this. This book is a must-read for all the Tamizh folks. It is an opportunity to ask themselves about how much they value their heritage. A heritage and antiquity which they otherwise waste no efforts in bragging about. No doubt invasions, colonialism have left an indelible impact on the psyche of Indians. They are accused of not valuing their heritage. They are typecasted as people lacking civilization, culture and who only talk big. With our country making giant strides in other fields of equal importance, it is time that we as individuals rise up to our dharma of protecting our heritage, our identity.
In the end, I agree there is a lot of cleaning to be done in one's own backyard for us Indians. But it doesn't take away from the moral and ethical responsibility that the world holds in acknowledging their brutality in stripping the colonized lands of their identity and returning back what is not theirs. One might argue that we cannot hold today's generation responsible for the actions of their ancestors. But there absolute lack of remorse, acceptance. The superiority complex continues to exist unfortunately even in today's time. Even when the world is changing at a rapid pace. It acts as a hindrance in the atonement for one's gory, past deeds.
Till then one can only hope. This book I must say again is a ray of hope. A small cog in the wheel of Dharma. An inspiration for fellow Indians to rise up. Rise up and march towards resurrecting their crushed identity.
September 15, 2020
Most of you must remember that scene from the movie black panther where the antagonist describes his anguish and resentment to the curator upon witnessing the display of his ancestral heritage as a trophy for amusement.
Well, this book too captures a similiar story. How murtis from Hindu temples are smuggled for the pleasure of some people and the greed of some traitors in our fold. Sad thing is that most people are oblivious of this vulgar reduction of Hindu heritage to amusement of people who have no skin in the game.
A civilization dies if its inheritors are petty. Read it, pass it on and don't sit silent about this.
Well, this book too captures a similiar story. How murtis from Hindu temples are smuggled for the pleasure of some people and the greed of some traitors in our fold. Sad thing is that most people are oblivious of this vulgar reduction of Hindu heritage to amusement of people who have no skin in the game.
A civilization dies if its inheritors are petty. Read it, pass it on and don't sit silent about this.
July 24, 2021
What a gripping narration of how stolen idols from India were sold for hefty sums of millions of dollars and paraded in prestigious art galleries all over the world.
Must-read book for all. Could be a good TV show or a movie one day as well.
Must-read book for all. Could be a good TV show or a movie one day as well.
August 25, 2018
Looking at the book cover and the name, it is easy to be fooled as a ficton thriller, but read the blurb to be surprised that this a true account of events around art theft and smuggling that happened in the past few years. The book is narrated by Vijay who is a prolific art lover and aficionado who played a major role in helping the authorities burst the multiple smuggling networks and bring back the idols to their origins, out from glass museum doors to their worship lands.
The story majorly centers around Subhash Kapoor, the popular art dealer based in New York who ran Art of Past gallery. Vijay takes us through Subhash Kapoor’s journey in the art world, his murkier business, the major smuggling racket he ran over the years, his aids and how he is finally caught b y Interpol. The books takes the reader through details on how this network operated right from stealing Chola-period bronze idols from South Indian temples, importing them through illegal routes to US, gifting them for goodwill or auctioning them for million dollars, by creating fake provenance details.
An abandoned shipment, an ex-girlfriend waiting to avenge, taking authorities for granted for too long and a group of bloggers and art lovers who volunteered for years, all these disjointed links finally come together to help burst Subhash Kapoor’s well maintained network of years. The lethargic law enforcement authorities and Subhash Kapoor’s reach till highest ranks, also delay the proceedings at each step.
While this is a supposed documented account of all the happenings of the years, the author keeps it interesting all through, giving it almost a fiction thriller flavor. This book explains the minute details of how organized crime needs a lot more groundwork of witnesses and proofs before an under-trial can be successfully taken to punishment. Unputdownable from the word go, pick this one to be taken on a thrilling story of centuries old bronze idols and their travel across the world from unattended temples to art galleries to museums.
Complete review on blog:
https://medium.com/kiranmayi-g/book-r...
The story majorly centers around Subhash Kapoor, the popular art dealer based in New York who ran Art of Past gallery. Vijay takes us through Subhash Kapoor’s journey in the art world, his murkier business, the major smuggling racket he ran over the years, his aids and how he is finally caught b y Interpol. The books takes the reader through details on how this network operated right from stealing Chola-period bronze idols from South Indian temples, importing them through illegal routes to US, gifting them for goodwill or auctioning them for million dollars, by creating fake provenance details.
An abandoned shipment, an ex-girlfriend waiting to avenge, taking authorities for granted for too long and a group of bloggers and art lovers who volunteered for years, all these disjointed links finally come together to help burst Subhash Kapoor’s well maintained network of years. The lethargic law enforcement authorities and Subhash Kapoor’s reach till highest ranks, also delay the proceedings at each step.
While this is a supposed documented account of all the happenings of the years, the author keeps it interesting all through, giving it almost a fiction thriller flavor. This book explains the minute details of how organized crime needs a lot more groundwork of witnesses and proofs before an under-trial can be successfully taken to punishment. Unputdownable from the word go, pick this one to be taken on a thrilling story of centuries old bronze idols and their travel across the world from unattended temples to art galleries to museums.
Complete review on blog:
https://medium.com/kiranmayi-g/book-r...
September 7, 2018
In this hardcover edition of Vijay Kumar's debut book, the reader is taken deep into the mysterious World of Art thievery. The nonfiction book could have very well been a thriller genre fiction about how a handful of volunteers team up to counter millions of dollars worth racket involving stolen art and artifacts.
More significantly, here we are talking about idols of Gods and Goddesses stolen from temples located in Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India. A well-oiled network of thieves, art dealers, businessmen aided by a complacent and apathetic government, managed to loot Temples of their prized artifacts, especially those which are like centuries old.
Full review here on my blog
More significantly, here we are talking about idols of Gods and Goddesses stolen from temples located in Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India. A well-oiled network of thieves, art dealers, businessmen aided by a complacent and apathetic government, managed to loot Temples of their prized artifacts, especially those which are like centuries old.
Full review here on my blog
March 6, 2021
यदि आप एक हिंदू हैं और यदि आप हिंदू धर्म के मूल्यों, दर्शन और शाश्वत ज्ञान को जानते हैं, तो यह पुस्तक आपको उदास कर देगी, हां यह पुस्तक आपको इस बात पर उदास कर देगी कि समकालीन दक्षिण भारतीय शासन हिंदू समाज की प्राचीन कालातीत धन-संपत्ति को लूटने में कैसे सहायक है? । विजय कुमार के कार्य का समर्थन करने के लिए इस पुस्तक को खरीदने की कोशिश करें। मैं इस पुस्तक को लिखने के लिए लेखक को धन्यवाद देता हूं।
March 6, 2021
उल्लेखनीय है। जिस तरह से भारत के मंदिर के खजाने को लूटा जा रहा है, उस पर बहुत अच्छा पढ़ा गया। विजय कुमार ने शानदार काम किया है। यदि केवल हमारे लोक सेवकों में ही हमारी बेशकीमती चीजों को वसूलने का जुनून और रवैया था।
December 3, 2023
Author says “ Be safe, my lords, wherever you maybe , for as long as it pleases you. We will not stop looking for you and will bring you home soon”
Article 49 of the India Constitution says that
‘It shall be the obligation of the state to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interests of national importance, from spoliation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case maybe.’
Well constitution has many good things only thing is no person or institution follows it prominently. Government babus and their concerned departments never worked for the betterment of the people or the heritage of this nation. Particularly ASI most useless department that has done more damage to our heritage than securing it from outside forces.
Invaders graves and their not worthy monuments have been saved with utter most consciousness the same is not shown to Hindu temples and its deities.
This book is such a an informative and inspiring read. How international smuggling works by robbing of priceless deities of hindu gods to far away countries only to be stashed in a museum or a bedroom showpiece for an elite group of people. Book is based on real life incidents when a crooked smugglers Subhash Kapoor was caught and how later investigations led to seizure of artefacts . Incompetence of Indian government as whole. Slow judiciary. Eminent foreign intelligence agent trying hard to return the stolen deities to India its rightful owner and what not. Author has done strenuous research with his fellow like minded people to uncover truth of how museums have been a silent beneficiary of this smuggling world.
A must read for every Hindu who visit a temple and a history enthusiast. All the Vigrahas we see today being worshipped and adorned with huge flowers and jewels were saved by our ancestors for centuries from all the mleecha invasions only to be smuggled by a selfish individual in the 20-21st century.
Final Note-
The Antiquities And Art Treasures ACT, 1972
This Act is enacted to regulate the export trade in antiquities and art treasures, to prevent smuggling of and fraudulent dealings in antiquities.
Important Sections
Section 2 (1) – ‘Antiquities’ - which have been in existence for not less than 100 years Viz.,
a. Sculptures in stone, terracotta, metals, ivory.
b. Painting in paper, wood, cloth, skin
c. Manuscripts
Remember this act if you come across or if anyone you know are trying to sell an idol check the credential before buying.
Vande Mataram!.
Article 49 of the India Constitution says that
‘It shall be the obligation of the state to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interests of national importance, from spoliation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case maybe.’
Well constitution has many good things only thing is no person or institution follows it prominently. Government babus and their concerned departments never worked for the betterment of the people or the heritage of this nation. Particularly ASI most useless department that has done more damage to our heritage than securing it from outside forces.
Invaders graves and their not worthy monuments have been saved with utter most consciousness the same is not shown to Hindu temples and its deities.
This book is such a an informative and inspiring read. How international smuggling works by robbing of priceless deities of hindu gods to far away countries only to be stashed in a museum or a bedroom showpiece for an elite group of people. Book is based on real life incidents when a crooked smugglers Subhash Kapoor was caught and how later investigations led to seizure of artefacts . Incompetence of Indian government as whole. Slow judiciary. Eminent foreign intelligence agent trying hard to return the stolen deities to India its rightful owner and what not. Author has done strenuous research with his fellow like minded people to uncover truth of how museums have been a silent beneficiary of this smuggling world.
A must read for every Hindu who visit a temple and a history enthusiast. All the Vigrahas we see today being worshipped and adorned with huge flowers and jewels were saved by our ancestors for centuries from all the mleecha invasions only to be smuggled by a selfish individual in the 20-21st century.
Final Note-
The Antiquities And Art Treasures ACT, 1972
This Act is enacted to regulate the export trade in antiquities and art treasures, to prevent smuggling of and fraudulent dealings in antiquities.
Important Sections
Section 2 (1) – ‘Antiquities’ - which have been in existence for not less than 100 years Viz.,
a. Sculptures in stone, terracotta, metals, ivory.
b. Painting in paper, wood, cloth, skin
c. Manuscripts
Remember this act if you come across or if anyone you know are trying to sell an idol check the credential before buying.
Vande Mataram!.
March 5, 2021
I'm surprised that no filmaker has undertaken to take this story to screens for this would make an excellent thriller. S. Vijay Kumar takes us through the glamourous world of art and how some of the biggest dealers were nothing but smugglers of stolen idols, raking a huge profit by selling these to rich collectors or famous museums. The next time you go marvelling the rare antiques in museums of Europe, America, Australia,etc, just think about how they might have been acquired. I remember seeing an exquisite Nataraj in Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam and wondering why was it displayed there and not in any temple in India.
But the sad reality that this book shows is the deep apathy with which the state treats our temples. There is a growing discussion on why the Hindu temples must be run by the devotees and not the state. In fact, just as state has no business in business, it has no place in temple management. This book is a testimony to understand just how shoddy, insincere and corrupt the government is in managing our ancient heritage.
Due credit to the author and his team for staying motivated even when there was very little support from government agencies. In fact, it is commendable that they managed to bring major museums across the world to return the stolen artefacts to India. At one place where he writes "Not every Indian is for sale" I couldn't help but smile. In a country, where most would bend over backwards to curry favour, to fit in and to sound right, it is difficult to find people who woud stay true to their Dharma. I've nothing but deep gratitude for bringing our Gods home.
But the sad reality that this book shows is the deep apathy with which the state treats our temples. There is a growing discussion on why the Hindu temples must be run by the devotees and not the state. In fact, just as state has no business in business, it has no place in temple management. This book is a testimony to understand just how shoddy, insincere and corrupt the government is in managing our ancient heritage.
Due credit to the author and his team for staying motivated even when there was very little support from government agencies. In fact, it is commendable that they managed to bring major museums across the world to return the stolen artefacts to India. At one place where he writes "Not every Indian is for sale" I couldn't help but smile. In a country, where most would bend over backwards to curry favour, to fit in and to sound right, it is difficult to find people who woud stay true to their Dharma. I've nothing but deep gratitude for bringing our Gods home.
December 23, 2018
"The Idol Thief" book is a true account of events around the idols theft and smuggling. It is such a heavy subject, but the author has made this book very gripping and interesting. The book that starts with the invasion and attempt by the priests to save the murtis in the 11th century CE. Then, it unfolds to the current affairs of the idol smugglers, their network, their methods, the involvement of few authorities and ultimately the attempt by an US law enforcement officer with the help of a team of volunteers including the author, to arrest the culprits and bring back the idols to India. It is no lesser than a suspense thriller.
All of us go to temples. Only some of us pay attention to the iconography. Only very few among those few people realize when some idols go missing in the temples that we visit regularly. Even if we come to know about such thefts, what do we do about that? Cribbing and blaming! Nothing more! No initiative. After reading this book, we feel ashamed for not taking any initiative to prevent such thefts. We would definitely get motivated to do something to preserve our heritage.
We hardly get to find some articles about idol smuggling in our newspapers. Only after reading this book, we could understand the magnitude of this illegal industry and their international network. We have been ignorant to the fact that thousands and thousands of stone and metal icons were smuggled outside our country. It is alarming to know the rate and scale at which they disappear from our land. When we realize this after reading this book, it makes our blood boil.
I will buy many copies of this book and gift to my friends and relatives on their birthdays and other special occasions. I feel it is a book that should be read by every Indian who loves his/her country and heritage.
The author ends the book with a loud message - "There are Indians who are proud of their heritage and who will fight you tooth and nail. And we can't be swayed by your inducements."
"Not every Indian is for sale."
All of us go to temples. Only some of us pay attention to the iconography. Only very few among those few people realize when some idols go missing in the temples that we visit regularly. Even if we come to know about such thefts, what do we do about that? Cribbing and blaming! Nothing more! No initiative. After reading this book, we feel ashamed for not taking any initiative to prevent such thefts. We would definitely get motivated to do something to preserve our heritage.
We hardly get to find some articles about idol smuggling in our newspapers. Only after reading this book, we could understand the magnitude of this illegal industry and their international network. We have been ignorant to the fact that thousands and thousands of stone and metal icons were smuggled outside our country. It is alarming to know the rate and scale at which they disappear from our land. When we realize this after reading this book, it makes our blood boil.
I will buy many copies of this book and gift to my friends and relatives on their birthdays and other special occasions. I feel it is a book that should be read by every Indian who loves his/her country and heritage.
The author ends the book with a loud message - "There are Indians who are proud of their heritage and who will fight you tooth and nail. And we can't be swayed by your inducements."
"Not every Indian is for sale."
December 26, 2018
Amazing book on the solving the mysteries of a theft done carefully and meticulously for decades. The debut work is absolutely amazing. Very thrilling read and most of all, this is a good example of how anyone can protect our heritage, legacy and the patrimony of our culture that our ancestors left for us - the identity of who we are. I have been following poetryinstone.in since the start of it. I had been in the blogging world too, since 2005 on similar topics (my blog) not to the depths of poetryinstone, but I was really inspired by Vijay Kumar's posts and was certainly intrigued and fascinated by its content and I also wondered where did he find the time to write the posts in 2 languages, English and Tamil. While I stuck to blogging alone, the author has a taken a bold step ahead - in Star Trek terms - "To boldly go, where no one has gone before". Not many would have the persistence, endurance and more importantly courage to even daringly touch the mafia world of smuggling, who have people at high places to defend them and the legal machinery to protect them from all legal attacks. Yet, I am very much amazed and proud at the work he has done. Though he has scraped the tip of an iceberg, the awareness this book brings about how the artifacts are smuggled out of our country and it is time for the people to wake up to protect the identity otherwise, our progeny many generations down the line would have to stare at their ancestral works in a glass cage, oblivious and unaware of the past that their own legacy is what they are seeing in the glass cages in some foreign country with no way to reinstate it back to the country of origin. A very good eye-opener and creation of awareness, that would create the momentum in the young energetic minds that will strive to protect our identities our ancestors left for us.
June 6, 2020
Stolen antiquities from Bharat
Worth reading to understand how are antiquities have been stolen from Bharat and sucessive govt for past 70 years have been irresponsible and lazy in retrieving it.
Worth reading to understand how are antiquities have been stolen from Bharat and sucessive govt for past 70 years have been irresponsible and lazy in retrieving it.
January 29, 2019
A wonderful book by the first time author and most importantly a passionate volunteer who has worked very hard to protect the rich, cultural heritage of India. This is compelling given that within the country, there are enough people highly enthusiastic enough to destroy India's past without batting an eyelid. Of such characters in real life is what this book is all about.
It is sad to see that thieves come in all shapes and sizes across all facets of society. The fact that justice is yet to be served in full, the looters may still go unpunished and many lost relics may never be found again is very unfortunate. The sophisticated thieves sitting merrily as buyers of art in museums across the world show the depth to which greed can manifest itself, all for the sake of satisfying pride and increasing ticket sales in curated exhibition shows.
The story could have been spun more tighter by bringing the stories of the various investigative forces, including the author, in a more cohesive form. The Editor more than the Author is to be blamed for it. I do hope more and more of such daredevil and enthusiastic lovers of India and even more, protector of cultural and historical relics are born in this world. These people are more valuable to humanity than the endless battalion of spineless journalists and greedy politicians that the world seems to be producing more of today.
It is sad to see that thieves come in all shapes and sizes across all facets of society. The fact that justice is yet to be served in full, the looters may still go unpunished and many lost relics may never be found again is very unfortunate. The sophisticated thieves sitting merrily as buyers of art in museums across the world show the depth to which greed can manifest itself, all for the sake of satisfying pride and increasing ticket sales in curated exhibition shows.
The story could have been spun more tighter by bringing the stories of the various investigative forces, including the author, in a more cohesive form. The Editor more than the Author is to be blamed for it. I do hope more and more of such daredevil and enthusiastic lovers of India and even more, protector of cultural and historical relics are born in this world. These people are more valuable to humanity than the endless battalion of spineless journalists and greedy politicians that the world seems to be producing more of today.
October 3, 2018
Do your soul a favour, pick this book up, read it and become aware. This is not a crime thriller fiction genre but the author certainly gives it that treatment. He has tried to present a serious problem in front of the Indian conscience in as thrilling a way as possible. Whilst it can be read in one sitting and is not very lengthy, the years of hard work that has gone in for the author to come up with this credible and serious content is easy to see. He also gives a generous amount of referencing to maintain the authenticity academic quality of this non-fiction content. This book will specially resonate with you if identify yourself as someone deeply connected to Indian heritage and have some appreciation for temple art. The apparent theft of Indian heritage and history will truly move you, regardless of whether you consider yourself religious. This book will surely take the pride of occupying a prime slot in my bookshelf and am sure I will be recommending it to friends for years to come.
November 20, 2018
The book deserves a 5 star simply for the investigative work that the author has done on stolen Indian antiques. The scale of the looting over the last 50 years (and previously since colonial times) is heart-breaking. The apathy of the authorities is shocking. The collusion of the giant auction houses - Sotheby's and Christie's; the famous international art museums, the rich and famous is galling.
On a positive note, a bunch of volunteers who care deeply about Indian antiques have cleverly used social media to make a positive impact. Their tireless efforts have resulted in many stolen antiques being returned to India. Thousands are still being stolen every year. Hopefully the tide is turning.
On a positive note, a bunch of volunteers who care deeply about Indian antiques have cleverly used social media to make a positive impact. Their tireless efforts have resulted in many stolen antiques being returned to India. Thousands are still being stolen every year. Hopefully the tide is turning.
May 14, 2019
A stunning true story that explores the dark underbelly of Indian art smuggling and systematic looting of our cultural heritage. Written in a gripping style of a crime thriller, it uncovers and shines a light on the murky dealing and unholy nexus between Indian art smugglers, Museums, Elite art buyers, auction houses and Indian bureaucracy.
The book follows the investigation of Subhash Kapoor and his accomplices as they plan several heists from forgotten or neglected Indian temples. It is a topic that is not as sensational as stock market fraud or political corruption but important and interesting nevertheless. I am happy that someone has written a book on a topic such as this. A fantastic, eye-opening read.
The book follows the investigation of Subhash Kapoor and his accomplices as they plan several heists from forgotten or neglected Indian temples. It is a topic that is not as sensational as stock market fraud or political corruption but important and interesting nevertheless. I am happy that someone has written a book on a topic such as this. A fantastic, eye-opening read.
April 10, 2019
This is one of those books which made me happy and sad both at the same time about the fact that i live in a country like India . While it has people like Subhansh Kapoor (biggest idol thief in the world)and his networking people who steals our hundreds of year old deity and ship away and sell our prestige and culture in some far away land , there are also people like Vijay Kumar and government officials who would risk their lives to save our Gods.
A book that talks about how our Gods were taken away from their own land and sold away in some far away lands for hundreds of crore by the idol smugglers.
A book that talks about how our Gods were taken away from their own land and sold away in some far away lands for hundreds of crore by the idol smugglers.
November 25, 2019
Truth is stranger than fiction: This is what this book tells us.
People of our own country are smuggling their culture and heritage (if we may say so) to foreign lands and the government is not active enough to stop this process. However, people like S. Vijay Kumar are still there who care much more for India than many of us, who actually live in this country.
As far as the book is concerned, it's literally an eye-opener. People who are at least interested to know how this "heritage loot" is active for such a long span of time, must go through this book. At times, it appears to be out of a fast paced gripping crime thriller except the fact that its based on true events.
People of our own country are smuggling their culture and heritage (if we may say so) to foreign lands and the government is not active enough to stop this process. However, people like S. Vijay Kumar are still there who care much more for India than many of us, who actually live in this country.
As far as the book is concerned, it's literally an eye-opener. People who are at least interested to know how this "heritage loot" is active for such a long span of time, must go through this book. At times, it appears to be out of a fast paced gripping crime thriller except the fact that its based on true events.
July 1, 2019
Its a really good read for anyone interested in the intricacies of how idol theft and smuggling crimes are committed. A lot of detailing has gone into this - you will see fake invoices, provenance letters, idol images and even handwritten notes - which indicates how closely the author has studied and been a part of the investigations of the cases mentioned. The passion with which the author writes is commendable. The book strikes the right balance between maintaining a gripping thriller storyline and being a gritty non fiction dedicated to expose some of the worst crimes against India.
November 4, 2018
Important read. To understand how idols are taken out of india, the way documents are forged and what the significance of these idols are to local communities. Just because the local environment is impoverished and law enforcement is weak it doesn’t absolve us of basic responsibilities to safeguard national treasures. It’s time to become aware and stop illegal trade. The book sheds light on the inner working of heists and how perpetrators get caught.
December 27, 2018
Excellent work by S Vijay Kumar! He has dedicated time, effort and I am guessing a whole lot of his personal wealth on studying and cataloguing the Idols of the Chola era! His efforts have borne fruit and many idols have indeed come back. The book excellently captures all the efforts of chasing the idol thieves! I would say this book is a must read if you remotely interested in Indian history / Chola history / Hindu Temples ...
May 27, 2019
A must read for everyone who is interested in preservation of Art. This book in particular highlights the success story on tackling idol theft executed systematically by a cohort of thieves , art galleries and experts. Inspiring effort by author and his small team of volunteers to fight this idol theft and helping India get back the idols. The work is still on and I hope they have more success is bringing back every idol that has been stolen from our temples.
September 11, 2019
ஆசிரியரின் ஒட்டுமொத்த ஆய்வுகளையும் அதன் பின்னணியில் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட நடவடிக்கைகளையும் பக்கத்துக்கு பக்கம் சுவாரசியம் குறையாமல் எழுதி இருக்கிறார். பொதுவாக உண்மை சம்பவங்களை சுவாரஸ்யமாக எழுதுவது கடினம். ஆனால் விஜய் அந்த வகையில் புத்தகத்தை மிக அருமையாக எழுதியிருக்கிறார். சிலைகள் திருட்டு வழக்கு என்றால் பொன் மாணிக்கவேல் மட்டும் தான் நமக்கு நினைவுக்கு வருவார். ஆனால் இந்த புத்தகத்தில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ள நபர்கள் எராளம்..
April 1, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing style was simple and easy to understand. It is so inspiring to see the the various methods that was adopted to find the great treasures of India and bring them back to its rightful place.. This book helped increase my interest in Indian art specifically art from South India.... Amazing book
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