In Nepal gods and goddesses, once stolen and smuggled abroad, are returning. The gods and goddesses are coming home!
This global push to repatriate cultural artifacts is gaining momentum with concerted efforts to return such items to their countries of origin in Africa, Asia and beyond. The United States recently repatriated four idols and masks of Hindu deities to Nepal, in what is seen as a major step in the ongoing campaign to return the country's stolen cultural heritage.
Among the artifacts returned was a statue of Uma Maheswara XVI, according to reports. centuries, an avatar of the gods Shiva and Parvati, stolen four decades ago. Her mysterious journey led her to the Brooklyn Museum in New York, but the statue was eventually turned over to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. The return of this sacred statue was greeted with celebration in Patan, south of Kathmandu, where worshipers filled the cobbled streets offering money and flowers.
Traditional music, drums and chants filled the air as devotees carried the statue on a chariot, marking its triumphant homecoming.
For many devotees, such Like Ram Maya Benjankar, a 52-year-old man who vividly remembers how he cried as a child after learning about the theft of the statue, the return is a deeply emotional and joyful event.
The disappearance of such idols, which have great religious significance for the majority of Nepal's 29 million Hindus, it is often due to insecurity at nearby temples. While these artifacts are priceless to locals, they are sought after by smugglers due to their high value abroad.
Historically, little attention has been paid to these thefts, but in recent years there has been a paradigm shift. The government, together with art lovers and activists, has been actively involved in the recovery of stolen heritage items, which in many cases has been successful. A group representing the Newar ethnic community from Nepal in the United States has taken the initiative to return the statue of Uma Maheshwara, expressing its determination to reclaim their cultural heritage locked in foreign vaults.
Preparations are now underway in Patan to restore the statue Uma-Maheshwara in the temple, and more than 20 other stolen artifacts are expected to be repatriated to Nepal in the near future, mainly from the US and Europe.
National Museum in Kathmandu has set aside a special hall to display these repatriated items, allowing the public to come and worship them. With growing awareness among Nepalese at home and abroad, tracking stolen artifacts online has become more accessible, allowing for a proactive approach to repatriation efforts.
Changing views among collectors and museums are further fueling this cultural revival as confidence in that these artifacts should be returned to their places of origin.
Nepal Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud highlighted government initiatives, restoration campaigns and diplomatic channels, given the importance of restoring these thousand-year-old artifacts to their original places and ensuring their safety.
As repatriation efforts gain momentum, Nepal is now on the forefront of reclaiming its cultural heritage, one stolen artifact at a time.
Source: timesofindia
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