Ganesha idol stolen from Andhra temple on Vinayaka Chavithi

The idol was stolen from the Someswara Swamy temple in Nellore’s Somasila village.
Someswara temple, Somasila
Someswara temple, Somasila
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An idol of the deity Ganesha was reportedly stolen from a temple in Andhra’s Nellore district, on the day of the Vinayaka Chavithi festival, on Saturday. The idol was stolen from the Someswara Swamy temple in Somasila village of Ananthasagaram mandal. 

Three unidentified persons reportedly visited the temple on Saturday, and offered coconuts to the temple priest asking him to perform a puja. The priest said that he went into the inner sanctum of the temple to perform the rituals, and when he returned, the visitors had already left. 

Soon, other devotees arrived and noticed the missing idol, and informed the priest and police, according to reports. Somasila police told Deccan Chronicle that a case has been registered based on a complaint from temple authorities, and a forensic team has been sent to collect fingerprints and other clues.  

Various reports suggest that the idol was 1.5 to 2 feet tall, and The New Indian Express reported that it weighed over 100 kilos. Messages on the incident have been circulating with claims that the idol is over a hundred years old. 

Vinayaka Chavithi in the state was celebrated without the usual fanfare because of the pandemic. The state government issued guidelines for celebration of the festival, asking devotees to perform the puja and other festivities inside their homes, instead of public places. The festival falls on August 22 this year. 

People were asked to take precautions, and follow strict physical distancing and wear a face mask while visiting markets to purchase things needed for the celebrations.

The guidelines were framed after examining similar directions from the governments of other states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. 

The Someswara Swamy temple, dating back to the Chola period, comes under the purview of the Endowments Department. 

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