Sunday, February 10, 2008 03:16 IST
MUMBAI: Ancient idols of Jain deities allegedly trafficked from Gujarat may need the attention of the Bombay High Court to reach their final destination.
Kandivali-resident Dilip Shah and Marine Drive-based Shree Patan Jain Tirth Seva Samiti (SPJTSS) moved court against another trust in Shahapur, Thane, for allegedly bringing in 61 registered idols and 16 marble idols from Patan in Gujarat to a temple in Shahapur for achieving its "wrongful goals".
The petition, a copy of which is with DNA, states that under the Archaeology and Antiquities Act, 1972, idols over 100 years cannot be shifted to another location. "The two main idols of Ghia Parshwanath and Shantinath (both Jain deities) are 2,200 years old and the other idols are over 500 years old. This is a clear violation of the law and the idols should be handed over to the Gujarat archeological department," said MP Shah, a member of the SPJTSS.
The idols were originally placed in Patan in Gujarat and were managed by the Ghiyanapada Jain Derasar Trust. The petition however alleges that the Trust allegedly in connivance with Shetrunjay Teerthdham Bhuvanbhan Manas Mandiram Trust (STBMMT), Shahpur and Abhinandanswami Jain Derasar Trust, Sion, sent the deities into Maharashtra stating that more devotees would visit the temples in Shahapur. "They have also built two new temples for the installation of these deities," Shah said.
Justice Bilal Nazki and Justice SA Bobade heard the petition on Friday and directed the STBMMT to file their reply to the petition in one week.
The petitioner had first filed a police complaint in July 2005 and brought the incident to the notice of the Archeological Survey of India and authorities in Gujarat, Delhi and Mumbai. On February 5, the Archeological department of Gandhinagar directed the STBMMT to restore the idols in Patan, however, no action has been taken yet.
MUMBAI: Ancient idols of Jain deities allegedly trafficked from Gujarat may need the attention of the Bombay High Court to reach their final destination.
Kandivali-resident Dilip Shah and Marine Drive-based Shree Patan Jain Tirth Seva Samiti (SPJTSS) moved court against another trust in Shahapur, Thane, for allegedly bringing in 61 registered idols and 16 marble idols from Patan in Gujarat to a temple in Shahapur for achieving its "wrongful goals".
The petition, a copy of which is with DNA, states that under the Archaeology and Antiquities Act, 1972, idols over 100 years cannot be shifted to another location. "The two main idols of Ghia Parshwanath and Shantinath (both Jain deities) are 2,200 years old and the other idols are over 500 years old. This is a clear violation of the law and the idols should be handed over to the Gujarat archeological department," said MP Shah, a member of the SPJTSS.
The idols were originally placed in Patan in Gujarat and were managed by the Ghiyanapada Jain Derasar Trust. The petition however alleges that the Trust allegedly in connivance with Shetrunjay Teerthdham Bhuvanbhan Manas Mandiram Trust (STBMMT), Shahpur and Abhinandanswami Jain Derasar Trust, Sion, sent the deities into Maharashtra stating that more devotees would visit the temples in Shahapur. "They have also built two new temples for the installation of these deities," Shah said.
Justice Bilal Nazki and Justice SA Bobade heard the petition on Friday and directed the STBMMT to file their reply to the petition in one week.
The petitioner had first filed a police complaint in July 2005 and brought the incident to the notice of the Archeological Survey of India and authorities in Gujarat, Delhi and Mumbai. On February 5, the Archeological department of Gandhinagar directed the STBMMT to restore the idols in Patan, however, no action has been taken yet.
I think we Indians should start not refer our deties as Idols. There is a lot of difference between Deties and Idols. Please refer them as Jain Deties.
ReplyDeleteIdol is kind of derogatery term and Deity is respected term.
Regards
Nataraj