Nepal Celebrates Return of Stolen 13th-Century Buddha Statue from New York City

A centuries-old Buddha statue has been reinstalled at its original temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. The statue, dating back to the 13th century, was returned to its pagoda-style temple after being stolen from the site in the 1980s and later acquired by a cultural centre in New York.

The statue was carried back to its temple on Friday, accompanied by traditional music, as part of a ceremony attended by a visiting US envoy. The event coincided with the festival of Buddha Jayanti, marking the birth of the founder of Buddhism.

According to Nepal’s Department of Archaeology, the statue was gifted to Tibet House US in New York by an unknown monk. Sergio Gor, Washington’s special envoy to South and Central Asia, stated that one of his organization’s priorities is to retrieve stolen artefacts from foreign museums and collectors.

In recent years, several artefacts have been returned to Nepal, including wood and stone carvings, paintings, scriptures, and idols of gods and goddesses. The country has reported the recovery of over 200 artefacts, with at least 41 having been placed back in their original locations.

Conservation expert Rabindra Puri emphasized the importance of preserving cultural heritage sites, stating that statues are not just objects of art but also part of a living legacy. Authorities are seeking to return more artefacts from countries such as the US, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

The recovery of the Buddha statue is one of several efforts underway to recover stolen artefacts in Nepal. The country has an estimated 400 artefacts listed as missing, with experts suggesting that the actual number may be significantly higher.

Source: Al Jazeera