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And I thought miracles don't happen these days..

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sanjay Balram • November 14, 2001 


 
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/nov/13monk.htm

Temple monkey leads police to stolen idol

Jatindra Dash in Bhubaneswar

A monkey played a key role in the recovery of one of
two idols stolen 
from
the world-famous Jagannath temple in Puri, 56km from
the state capital
Bhubaneswar, a local newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The idol of Madan Mohan, made of ashtadhatu, an alloy
of eight metals
including gold and silver and weighing 18 kilograms,
was found in a 
well
inside the 12th century temple complex on Monday.

Idols of Madan Mohan and Narayan, both avatars of the
god Jagannath, 
were
stolen on Sunday, shocking Hindus who rushed to the
temple town from 
all
parts of the state for a glimpse of the shrine. Some
30,000 devotees 
also
began a fast, ending it only after the recovery of one
of the idols.
The Oriya language daily Dharitri reported that had it
not been for a 
monkey
that lives in the temple complex the police would
still be searching 
for the
Madan Mohan idol.

While police were searching the temple complex, the
monkey kept raising 
its
paw and making sounds to attract the attention of the
officer 
supervising
the work, the paper reported.

The officer, Ajit Das, did not take the animal
seriously. But some 
priests
advised him to approach it. As Das walked towards the
animal it again 
raised
its paws and pointed towards a well.

Taking the cue, the police pumped water out from the
well to find the 
idol
at the bottom, the paper reported.

Monkeys are often in the news in Orissa, but for all
the wrong reasons. 
Only
two days ago the same newspaper had reported an
incident where a monkey 
had
plunged an entire town into darkness by causing a
short circuit at a
powerhouse.

The entire state has been put on high alert and police
are checking 
vehicles
and even interrogating people accused of idol
smuggling in the past.
Thirteen policemen have been sacked and the four who
guarded the temple
complex have been arrested.

"We suspect that the second idol may also be inside
the temple 
premises. We
are pumping out water from all the 11 wells located
inside the 
complex,"
state police chief N C Padhi said.



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