Kathmandu: Two priceless Nepali cultural treasures dating back to the 13th and 16th centuries have been repatriated from the United States and are set to arrive in Nepal on Friday, marking another significant milestone in the country’s efforts to recover stolen heritage.
The returned artefacts include a 13th-century bronze statue of Padmapani, originally from Tham Bahal (Vikramashila Mahavihar) in Kathmandu, and a 16th-century wooden statue of the Goddess of Dance (Nrityadevi), which was stolen from I-Baha Bahi in Lalitpur.
According to the Department of Archaeology, both artefacts were illegally trafficked to the United States decades ago. The Padmapani statue disappeared sometime between 1971 and 1977, while the Nrityadevi statue is believed to have been smuggled abroad between 1969 and 1983.
Chief Archaeological Officer Subhadra Bhattarai Ghimire said the artefacts will be handed over to the Department of Archaeology upon arrival for conservation before being reinstated at their original sites.
The recovery was made possible through the coordinated efforts of the Consulate General of Nepal in New York, Newa Guthi New York, the New York County District Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, heritage experts, researchers and members of the Nepali community. Newa Guthi New York covered the transportation costs.
Speaking at the repatriation ceremony, Nepal’s Consul General Dadhiram Bhandari thanked the United States Government and all institutions involved for helping recover Nepal’s stolen cultural heritage. He said the growing cooperation between Nepal and the United States in combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property reflects a shared commitment to preserving humanity’s common heritage.
The return of the two historic sculptures adds to Nepal’s ongoing campaign to reclaim valuable religious and archaeological artefacts lost through illegal trafficking over past decades.
