‘Grateful... this will make Indians happy’: Modi as US returns artefacts
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the decision of the United States to return 105 artefacts to India, following his official state visit to Washington DC last month.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the decision of the United States to return 105 artefacts to India, following his official state visit to Washington DC last month.
The antiquities span the time period from 2nd-3rd century CE to the 19th century and belong to diverse parts of the country, with 47 from eastern India, 27 from the south, 22 from central India, six from the north, and three from western India. Many of these were stolen by an American citizen, Subash Kapoor, who is currently in prison in Tamil Nadu.
Earlier this week, the Manhattan district attorney’s office handed over the antiques to Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, at an event in New York. The artefacts are made of terracotta, stone, metal and wood.
Hailing the decision, Modi tweeted: “This will make every Indian happy. Grateful to USA for this. These precious artefacts hold immense cultural and religious significance. Their homecoming is a testament to our commitment to preserving our heritage and rich history.”
Since Modi came to power, getting Indian antiquities back home has been a diplomatic priority. During his 2016 visit to the US, the American side handed over 16 antiques, while in 2021, it handed over 157 Indian artefacts. In the last seven years, the US has now returned 278 antiques to India.
Among the 105 items returned this week, around 50 hold religious significance for Hindus, Jains and Muslims, while the rest are of cultural importance.
Forty-seven terracotta pieces, vases and plaques date back to the 2nd or 3rd century and are from Chandraketugarh, a 2,500-year old archaeological site near Bidyadhari River in present day West Bengal. Among the prominent pieces include a plaque depicting a spiritual figure wearing elaborate headgear and ornaments and a sculpture of Vishnu riding a Garuda from Uttar Pradesh.
Twenty stone pieces, made of marble, sandstone and granite, are from the 10th to 12th century and include images of Vishnu and Lakshmi as well as miniature Jain shrine. In addition, there are 35 metal pieces dating to the 17th to the 19th century and three wood pieces, including a panel depicting a scene from the Samudra Manthan, the churn of the ocean described Hindu religious texts.
