Includes the sixth most sought-after piece of stolen art by Interpol.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Three stolen pieces of art that trace their roots back to ancient India were returned to their home country by the United States, in a function at the Indian Consulate General in New York City, today.
The US hopes that the ceremony will be a forward step in the direction of mending ties between the two countries, less than a week after the Devyani Khobragade fiasco hit a fever pitch when the US formally indicted her while also sanctioning her diplomatic immunity, allowing her to leave the US and return to India rather than face trial for visa fraud and making false statements.
One of the repatriated pieces of art is a sandstone sculpture known as “Vishnu and Lakshmi” (pictured), which was once listed as the sixth most sought-after piece of stolen art by Interpol. The sculpture, along with the other two pieces of art handed back to India today – a sandstone sculpture of the Hindu gods Vishnu and Parvati, and a blackstone sculpture of Bodhisattva – are said to be worth north of $1.5 million, according to the Associated Press.
The two sandstone sculptures are said to be originally from Rajasthan, and were stolen from the Gadgach Temple in Atru in 2009. The Indian Archaeological Survey banded together with Interpol and the ICE to find them, but to no avail. The blackstone Buddhist sculpture is originally from either Bihar or West Bengal, and may go back as far as the 11th Century.
The US has acted swiftly in seeing that the artworks are handed back to their country of origin, although it remains to be seen if this will truly have any positive implications on the relationship between the US and India. Both sides have said that their relationship does not hinge on just one issue, and that they will evaluate things as they move forward.
At the handing over ceremony on Tuesday, India’s Consul General in New York, Dnyaneshwar Mulay, expressed his gratitude to the US for the return of the sculptures.
James Dinkins, executive associate director of Homeland Security Investigations, said “excellent international cooperation between the United States and India led to the recovery and return of these priceless antiquities.”
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com