India Gets Back 10th Century Idol Found In England On Makar Sankranti
NDTV
The sculpture, which is part of a Yogini set from Lokhari Temple in Banda district of Bundelkhand, will now be dispatched to the Archaeological Survey of India in New Delhi.
An ancient Indian idol dating back to the 10th century, which was illegally removed from a village temple in Uttar Pradesh over 40 years ago and discovered in a garden in England, was restored to India on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on Friday.
The Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Gaitri Issar Kumar, took formal charge of the sculpture at the High Commission of India in London from Chris Marinello of Art Recovery International, the organisation which helped repatriate the idol.
The sculpture, which is part of a Yogini set from Lokhari Temple in Banda district of Bundelkhand, will now be dispatched to the Archaeological Survey of India in New Delhi.
"It is very auspicious to be receiving this Yogini on Makar Sankranti," Kumar said, at a handover ceremony here at India House.