A multimillion-dollar antiquities smuggling ring is a nice plot hook for modern-day games, of course. This guy might not even have needed to smuggle if he were dealing in the years when empires looted their colonies before antiquities laws were passed.
An interesting side note: India is apparently full of older, smaller rural temples that are a bit shabby and are visited mostly on the bigger local holidays, guarded by maybe a fence and a lock on a chain, containing a few old stone and bronze idols...
...old, that is, as in a thousand years old or more, worth five and six figures on the international art market for someone who can pay a thief to pick them up on a day when no one is looking, smuggle them out of the country and falsify a chain of private ownership.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by nytimes
Today, the Varadharaja Perumal temple in Suthamalli is more or less abandoned. ... Mr. Gurukkal (ed. note: the priest) visits Suthamalli only on the most auspicious days to light small clay oil lamps in the temple’s empty chamber.
When told of the idols’ value on the international art market, his eyes bulged. Could it truly be that just one of the statues he had been visiting so casually was worth many times what he could hope to earn in a lifetime?
“I don’t know whether Kapoor will get punished, but they need to return the idols to us,” said Mr. Gurukkal, overcoming his surprise. “That’s all we’re asking.”
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