Return of India’s Lost Cultural Heritage

On 13th May 2026, the Ministry of Culture announced the return of the three sacred antiquities from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (United States).

  • The repatriated antiquities include:

a)Shiva Nataraja (Chola period, circa 990 CE): Originally belonged to the Sri Bhava Aushadesvara Temple in Thanjavur district and was photographed there in 1957.
b)Saint Sundarar with Paravai (16th century, Vijayanagara period): Photographed in 1956 at the Shiva Temple in Veerasolapuram village, Tamil Nadu.
c)Somaskanda (Shiva and Uma) (12th century, Chola period): Photographed in 1959 at the Visvanatha Temple in Alattur village, Tamil Nadu.

a)Shiva Nataraja

  • Nataraja is typically depicted as a four-armed deity.
  • It ....

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Art & Culture