Lok Sabha Question No. 214 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-29
Subject: Returning of Artefacts and Idols from Abroad
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, S.R. Parthiban, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Bhola Singh, Sukanta Majumdar, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Vijayakumar (alias) Vijay Vasanth, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Su Thirunavukkarasar, Ravneet Singh, Dushyant Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 214 ANSWERED ON 29.11.2021

## RETURNING OF ARTEFACTS AND IDOLS FROM ABROAD

## 214 . SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH

DEO:

SHRI PARTHIBAN S.R.:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR (ALIAS) VIJAY

VASANTH:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

SHRI THIRUNAVUKKARASAR SU:

SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU:

SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

## Will the Minister of Culture

संस्क ृ ति मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  any  data  on  the    number  of  stolen/smuggled  artefacts  and antiquities over a period of time from 2015-2021 in various States of the country, State-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has successfully brought back many idols and artifacts from across the world  including  the  idol  of  Goddess  Annapurna  which  were  taken  100  years  ago  and  if  so,  the details thereof and if not, the steps taken by the Government to bring back stolen antiques/artefacts/idols to India;
- (c) the details of artefacts and the countries from where it was returned during the last twenty years, year-wise and country-wise;
- (d) whether the Government has handed over the Annapurna idol and other idols and artefacts to the  Kashi  Vishwanath  Temple,  Varanasi  and  other  temples  and  places  from  where  it  belonged originally;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  of  Australia  and  the  USA  has  handed  over  157  artifacts  related  to Hinduism,  Buddhism  and  Jainism  during  the  recent  visit  of  Prime  Minister  to  USA  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and

(f)  whether  the  Government  is  taking  any  measures  to  strengthen  the  vigilance  and  monitoring system  to  ensure  minimization  of  thefts  of  such  antiquities  in  the  country  and  if  so,  the  details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF TOURISM, CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION

## (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) Yes, Sir. The State-wise details of stolen artefacts and antiquities during the period from 2015 to 2021 are at Annexure I.

(b)&(c) Yes, Sir. 107 antiquities including the idol of Goddess Annapurna have been brought back during the last 20 years from different countries. The details of country-wise number of antiquities repatriated are at Annexure II.

(d) Government of India has handed over the Annapurna idol to Government of UP. Details of other antiquities returned back to their original places from where they belonged are at Annexure III.

(e) The USA has handed over 157 antiquities related to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism during the recent visit of Prime Minister to USA. Out of 157 antiquities, first lot of 63 antiquities has reached India. Nine antiquities have been retrieved from Australia.

(f) The Archaeological Survey of India is committed towards the protection and safety of antiquities at protected monuments, sites and museums.  For the purpose, watch and ward staff is deployed and their strength have been augmented by deploying private security guards, State Police armed guards and the Central Industrial Security Force.

Statement giving details of data on number of stolen aretefacts and antiquities over a period of time from 2015-2021 in various states of the country, in reply of part (a) of LOK SABHA Q. No. 214

|   Sl. No. | State          |   Year of theft |   Total number of artefacts |
|-----------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------------------|
|         1 | Karnataka      |            2015 |                           2 |
|         1 | Karnataka      |            2016 |                           1 |
|         1 | Karnataka      |            2020 |                           1 |
|         2 | Odisha         |            2015 |                           2 |
|         3 | Maharashtra    |            2015 |                           2 |
|         4 | Bihar          |            2015 |                           1 |
|         5 | Rajasthan      |            2016 |                           1 |
|         6 | Chhattisgarh   |            2016 |                           1 |
|         7 | Andhra Pradesh |            2016 |                           2 |
|         7 |                |            2017 |                           1 |

Annexure II

Statement giving details of data on Antiquities retrieved from foreign countries from 2001 to 2021, in reply of part (b) & (c) of LOK SABHA Q. No. 214

|   S. No |   Year | Country   |   No of Antiquity |
|---------|--------|-----------|-------------------|
|       1 |   2001 | Holland   |                01 |
|       2 |   2013 | France    |                01 |
|       3 |   2014 | Australia |                02 |
|       4 |   2015 | Canada    |                01 |
|       5 |   2015 | Germany   |                01 |
|       6 |   2015 | Singapore |                01 |
|       7 |   2016 | USA       |                11 |
|       8 |   2016 | Australia |                03 |
|       9 |   2017 | USA       |                08 |
|      10 |   2017 | UK        |                01 |
|      11 |   2018 | USA       |                02 |
|      12 |   2019 | UK        |                01 |
|      13 |   2019 | Australia |                01 |
|      14 |   2020 | Australia |                03 |
|      15 |   2020 | UK        |                05 |
|      16 |   2021 | UK        |                01 |
|      17 |   2021 | Canada    |                01 |
|      18 |   2021 | USA       |                63 |

## Statement giving details of data on Antiquities retrieved from 2001 to 2021 and their present location in reply to part (d) of LOK SABHA Qn. No. 214

|   Sl. No. | Name                                 | Provenance/ State             | From      |   Year | Present location                      |
|-----------|--------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------|--------|---------------------------------------|
|         1 | Retrieval of Yogini Vrishanana       | Uttar pradesh                 | France    |   2013 | National Museum, New Delhi.           |
|         2 | Nataraja                             | Tamil Nadu                    | Australia |   2014 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|         3 | Ardhanareeswar                       | Tamil Nadu                    | Australia |   2014 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|         4 | Parrot Lady                          | Madhya Pradesh                | Canada    |   2015 | Archaeological Museum, Khajuraho, MP  |
|         5 | Durga (Mahishmardini)                | J&K                           | Germany   |   2015 | SPS Museum Sri Nagar, J&K             |
|         6 | Uma Parameshwari                     | Tamil Nadu                    | Singapore |   2015 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|         7 | Bronze image of Saint Manikkavachaka | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|         8 | Metal image of Ganesha               | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|         9 | Metal image of Bhoodevi              | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|        10 | Metal image of Chakkarathalwar       | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|        11 | Seated Buddha                        | Mathura region, Uttar Pradesh | Australia |   2016 | National Muséum, New Delhi            |
|        12 | Panel of Devotees of Buddha          | Andhra Pradesh                | Australia |   2016 | National Museum, New Delhi            |
|        13 | Stone image Pratyangira              | Tamil Nadu                    | Australia |   2016 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|        14 | Bodhisattva Head                     | Andhra Pradesh                | U.S.A     |   2018 | Nagarjunakonda Museum, Andhra Pradesh |
|        15 | Idol of Bronze Nataraja              | Tamil Nadu                    | Australia |   2019 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|        16 | Metal statue of Rama                 | Tamil Nadu                    | UK        |   2020 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|        17 | Metal statue of Sita                 | Tamil Nadu                    | UK        |   2020 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|        18 | Metal statue of Lakshmana            | Tamil Nadu                    | UK        |   2020 | Idol Wing, Tamil Nadu                 |
|        19 | Devi Annapurna                       | Uttar Pradesh                 | Canada    |   2021 | Govt. of UP                           |