Australia to return three antiquities stolen from Tamil Nadu temples
Australia will repatriate three ancient artefacts stolen from temples in Tamil Nadu, including a Chola-era bronze trident, a granite Nandi idol and a Karthikeya sculpture
Australia will repatriate three ancient artefacts stolen from temples in Tamil Nadu, including a Chola-era bronze trident, a granite Nandi idol and a Karthikeya sculpture, in a move announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country. The Union Ministry of Culture said in a press statement, “In a profound testament to the civilisational resonance anchoring modern diplomacy, Australia is set to repatriate three culturally significant ancient antiquities to India. These artefacts include a ceremonial bronze trident of Goddess Bhadrakali, a majestic granite idol of Nandi, and a basalt sculpture depicting the si headed Karthikeya.” All these items date back to the 11th and 12th centuries and were originally sourced from temples in Tamil Nadu.
The official announcement of the repatriation coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s visit to Australia, further emphasising the strong cultural alignment between the two nations, the Ministry said. The three antiquities, currently housed in the Gallery of Australia, are being repatriated under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) after investigations by the Tamil Nadu Idol Wing CID established that they had been removed from temples in Tamil Nadu and trafficked overseas. Commenting on the repatriation of the idols, S. Vijaya Kumar, cultural enthusiast and co-founder of India Pride, said the return of these three artefacts marks the conclusion of a process that should have happened many years ago. More than a decade has passed since the Gallery of Australia’s independent provenance review by former High Court Justice Susan Crennan AC identified significant shortcomings in the provenance of these objects.
The review concluded that the ownership histories of two idols did not establish lawful export from India. The Bhadrakali Trident was acquired from Temple Gallery, New York, with a provenance tracing ownership only to Dr. P.S. Rao, Chennai, before entering the gallery in 1993. Justice Crennan concluded that this ownership history did not establish that the object had been legally exported. It has now been identified as originating from Sri Kasi Viswanatha Swamy Temple, Kollumangudi, Tiruvarur district. The Stone Nandi was purchased from Carlton Rochell Asian Art based on an elaborate provenance claiming that Mexican diplomat Mario Calderon had assembled the sculpture in Goa before it passed through inheritance to Pedro Silva Villasenor in Mexico.
The BriefWire