The statue was stolen was stolen in February 1998 from Ghateshwar Temple in Baroli, Rajasthan.
London:
A uncommon late ninth century stone statue of Lord Shiva, which was stolen from a temple in Rajasthan and smuggled to the UK, shall be returned to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Thursday.
The stone Nataraj or Natesha murti, in “chatura pose with jatamakuta and trinetra” and nearly four-feet-tall, is a uncommon depiction of Lord Shiva within the Prathihara type.
It was stolen in February 1998 from Ghateshwar Temple in Baroli, Rajasthan. In 2003, it got here to gentle that the statue had been smuggled out to the UK.
“When this data was acquired in London, the UK authorities have been contacted and with their assist the matter was pursued with the non-public collector, who was in possession of the idol in London. He voluntarily returned the idol to the Indian Excessive Fee within the UK in 2005,” stated the Excessive Fee of India within the UK.
In August 2017, a crew of ASI specialists visited the India Home and examined the idol, which took delight of place contained in the constructing”s foremost foyer. The specialists confirmed that it’s the similar statue that was stolen from Ghateshwar Temple.
HCI with assist of HM Authorities repatriates to Archeological Survey of India, the 10th Century idol of Lord Shiva – ‘Natesh’, stolen in 1998 from Ghateshwar Temple, Baroli, Rajasthan. #IndiaUK@TheNehruCentre@DCMS@ASIGoI@[email protected]/vr6N770k47
— India within the UK (@HCI_London) July 29, 2020
An official Indian authorities communique stated that in keeping with the federal government of India”s renewed impetus to defending India”s cultural heritage and showcasing it to the world, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) together with India”s legislation enforcement companies have been actively pursuing investigations and restitution of stolen and smuggled Indian antiquities.
Because of this, antiquities and idols have been returned to India from varied nations, together with the US, Australia, France and Germany.
The Excessive Fee of India (HCI) in London stated it has additionally been taking part in a number one position within the profitable restitutions and repatriations of India’s cultural heritage.
“HCI is presently working with varied legislation enforcement companies to hint, seize and retrieve stolen artefacts. HCI is engaged on many such instances at current. We’re assured that in coming days, in partnership with the ASI, authorities of India, state and central authorities in addition to UK legislation enforcement companies and unbiased specialists, we shall be profitable in returning extra objects of our cultural heritage to India,” a press release stated.
Some examples of restitution from the UK embrace the Bramha-Brahmani sculpture, which was stolen from India and returned to the ASI in 2017. It has discovered a distinguished resting place at Purana Quila Museum in New Delhi, within the gallery curated by the ASI.
On August 15, 2018, a 12th century bronze statue of Bhagawan Buddha was restored to the Indian Excessive Fee by London’s Metropolitan Police after which handed over to the Indian authorities final 12 months.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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