Centuries-Old Buddha Idol Stolen in 1980s Returned to Nepal Temple from New York

NEW YORK: A Buddha statue that had been stolen from a temple in Nepal centuries ago has now been returned to its original home, marking another successful repatriation of cultural artefacts from overseas collections. The 13th-century statue was ceremonially brought back to its pagoda-style temple in Kathmandu on Friday, carried in a palanquin amid traditional music and celebrations. “I feel incredibly happy—everyone does. Our deity is finally coming home,” said 67-year-old temple visitor Sunkesari Shakya, who remembered the distress caused when the statue was taken, describing the incident as “devastating” for the local community. The statue had been stolen during the 1980s before eventually surfacing at Tibet House US, a cultural institution based in New York. According to Nepal’s Department of Archaeology, it had been donated there by an unidentified monk. (Agencies)

Also Read: PM Modi Hails Leh Exposition of Buddha Relics, Says Event to Draw Pilgrims and Tourists Across Ladakh