Lok Sabha Question No. 2995 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-05
Subject: Bringing Back Indian Antiques
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: RAM CHARITRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION   NO.2995 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5.12.2016.

## BRINGING BACK INDIAN ANTIQUES

## 2995.   SHRI RAM CHARITRA NISHAD:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to bring back the invaluable antiques from various countries including United States of America;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  including the  period,  origin  and  the  historical  value of  the antiques;
- (c) whether the US has recently returned back to India  some such antiques and some more are also to be returned;
- (d) whether any foreign country is seeking for the restoration of ancient antiques from India; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE, CULTURE  AND TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

## (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) to (b) Yes,  Madam.  Archaeological  Survey  of  India  is  making  all  out  efforts  to  bring back  the  antiquities  which  have  been  illegally  exported  out  of  India  to  various countries including United States of America.

The  list  of  the  antiquities  retrieved  from  various  countries  till  date  is  given  in Annexure I.

- (c) The United States of America has agreed to return 19 antiquities to India. Out of 19  antiquities,  10  antiquities  have  been  returned  to  India  and  the  return  of remaining antiquities are under process.
- (d) to (e) No, Madam.

ANNEXURE -I

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY PART TO (a) to (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2995 FOR 5.12.2016

## LIST OF RETRIEVED ANTIQUITIES FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

|   Sl. No. | Description of object              | Provenance                                 | Countr y from which retriev ed   | Date/ year of Retrieval   | Means of Retrieval                                                                                              | Present location                    |
|-----------|------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|         1 | Sawn stucco Head                   | Nalanda, Bihar                             | U.K. and France                  | 1976                      | Voluntarily returned by British Museum, London and Madam Krishna Robound of France                              | Patna Circle                        |
|         2 | Nataraja of Chola period           | Sivapuram Tamil Nadu                       | U.S.A.                           | 1986                      | Through Court Case in U.K and U.S.A.                                                                            | Tamil Nadu Government               |
|         3 | Terracotta Yakshi of Tamluk        | West Bengal                                | U.K.                             | 1986                      | Court case was instituted in London but out of Court settlement was reached for retrieval                       | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi |
|         4 | Nataraja of Chola period           | Tiruvilakkadi, Tamil Nadu                  | U.S.A                            | 1986                      | Kimbell Art Museum returned the idol after Indemnity agreement was signed by the GOI on 12.8.1985               |                                     |
|         5 | Nataraja of Chola period           | Pathur, Tamil Nadu                         | U.K.                             | 1991                      | Retrieved through Court case instituted in London High Court and appeal in Royal Court of Justice at London.    | Tamil Nadu Government               |
|         6 | Terracotta figures from Bhitargaon | Utter Pradesh                              | U.S.A                            | 1991                      | The figure was returned voluntarily by Los Angeles Country Museum.                                              | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi |
|         7 | Amin pillars                       | Amin, Haryana                              | U.K                              | 1979-80                   | Voluntarily returned                                                                                            | National Museum, New Delhi          |
|         8 | Image of Buddha                    | Bodhgaya, Bihar                            | U.S.A                            | 1999                      | Voluntarily returned without seeking any monitory compensation by Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York          | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi |
|         9 | Sculpture of Krishnajanma          | Dhubela Museum Chattarpur (M.P.)           | U.S.A                            | 1999                      | Returned through the mediation of Consulate General of India, New York.                                         | Dhubela Museum, Chattarpur (M.P)    |
|        10 | Paintings                          | i) Chandigarh Museum ii) Chandigarh Museum | U.S.A U.S.A                      | 10-1- 1990 4-3-1979       | Voluntarily returned Voluntarily returned                                                                       | Chandigarh Museum Chandigarh Museum |
|        11 | Image of Lakulisa                  | Jageswar                                   | U.S.A                            | 2000                      | Voluntarily returned after negotiations by the Consulate General of India, Chichago with Mrs. Marilynn Alsdorf. | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi |

|   12. | Decorative Wooden panels (7 nos.)               | Rajasthan      | Holland    |   2001 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|-------|-------------------------------------------------|----------------|------------|--------|--------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|    13 | Retrieval of Yogini Vrishanana                  | --             | Paris      |   2013 | Returned on initiative of the then Minister of Culture | National Museum New Delhi.                |
|    14 | Nataraja                                        | Tamil Nadu     | Australi a |   2014 | Voluntarily returned                                   | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|    15 | Ardhanareeswar form Australia                   | Tamil Nadu     | Australi a |   2014 | Voluntarily returned                                   | -do-                                      |
|    16 | Parrot Lady                                     | Madhya Pradesh | Canada     |   2015 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    17 | Durga (Mahishmardini)                           | J&K            | Germa ny   |   2015 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    18 | Uma Parameshwari                                | Tamil Nadu     | Singap ore |   2015 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    19 | Bronze image of Saint Manikkavachaka            | Tamil Nadu     | U.S.A      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    20 | Metal image of Ganesha                          | Tamil Nadu     | U.S.A      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New             |
|    21 | Female Figure (Honolulu Museum)                 | Eastern India  | U.S.A      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned                                   | Delhi CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi |
|    22 | Male Deity (Honolulu Museum)                    | Madhya Pradesh | U.S.A      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    23 | Floral Tile, Harvan                             | Kashmir        | U.S.A      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    24 | Stone panel Depicting Revanta and other figures | Madhya Pradesh | U.S.A      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    25 | Sri Devi, Chola Period                          | Tamil Nadu     | U.S.A      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    26 | Bahubali Probably                               | Andhra Pradesh | U.S.A      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    27 | Metal image of Parvati                          | Tamil Nadu     | U.S.A      |   2016 | Voluntarily returned                                   | CAC Section, Purana Qila, New Delhi       |
|    28 | Matel image of Bhoo Devi                        | Tamil Nadu     | U.S.A.     |   2016 | Return as a case property PS Cr. No. 65/2008           | Idol Wing CID Police Tamil Nadu           |
|    29 | Chakkarathalwar                                 | Tamil Nadu     | U.S.A.     |   2016 | Return as a case property PS Cr. No. 65/2008           | Idol Wing CID Police Tamil Nadu           |