In a major cultural development, the United States is set to return three priceless bronze sculptures that were stolen from Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu decades ago. These sacred Dieties — including a rare 10th-century Shiva Nataraja, a 12th-century Somaskanda, and a 16th-century Saint Sundarar with Paravai are not just works of art, but deeply revered symbols of Hindu faith once used in temple Hindu rituals and processions. This overall brings another significant victory for cultural Hindu heritage preservation and India’s long-running efforts to reclaim looted artefacts.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., announced that after detailed provenance research, it confirmed the bronzes had been ‘illegally removed’ from temple sites in Tamil Nadu in the 1950s and will now be repatriated.
Among the returned items, the 10th-century Chola-period Shiva Nataraja sculpture will remain at the Washington-based museum on a long-term loan from the Indian government.
This arrangement allows the museum to share the complete history of the object, including its origins and the details of its recovery.
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Video : Stolen “Standing Shiva” Returned To Thailand