Lok Sabha Question No. 141 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-18
Subject: MoU with France to Promote Tourism and Cultural Activities
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Uday Pratap Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 141 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2022

## MOU WITH FRANCE TO PROMOTE TOURISM AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

## † 141.SHRI UDAY PRATAP SINGH:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  an  MoU  has  been signed  between  the  Government  of Madhya  Pradesh and France in order to promote tourism and cultural activities as well as exchange of arts ;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any steps have been taken/efforts made by the Government to bring back Indian artefacts from various countries of the world;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the details of Indian artefacts brought back during the last five years?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF CULTURE TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) & (b) MoUs signed by State Governments are not available with this Ministry, as the information is not maintained centrally.

(c) & (d) Yes Sir, whenever any artefact of India origin is surfaced or comes to notice of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in any location abroad, the ASI proactively takes up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Embassies abroad for its retrieval. From the  year  1976  to  date,  242  antiquities  have  been  retrieved  to  India  from  various foreign countries, of which 210 have been retrieved in the past five years.

- (e) The details of Indian artefacts brought back during the last five years are enclosed at Annexure I.

***

Antiquities retrieved during the last five years (from 2017 to till date)

| Year        | Country     | No. of Antiquity   |
|-------------|-------------|--------------------|
| 2017        | USA         | 08                 |
| 2017        | UK          | 01                 |
| 2018        | USA         | 02                 |
| 2019        | UK          | 01                 |
| 2019        | Australia   | 01                 |
| 2020        | Australia   | 03                 |
| 2020        | UK          | 05                 |
| 2021        | UK          | 01                 |
| 2021        | Canada      | 01                 |
| 2021        | USA         | 157                |
| 2022        | Australia   | 29                 |
| 2022        | UK          | 01                 |
| Total - 210 | Total - 210 | Total - 210        |

Annexure 1

## Detailed list of antiquities retrieved during the last five years (from 2017 to till date)

|   Si. No. | Description                                                                | Provenance     | Retrieved from   |   Year of retrieval |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|------------------|---------------------|
|         1 | Sand Stone Male Figure in Tribhanga Posture                                | Central India  | U.S.A.           |                2017 |
|         2 | Sand Stone Bust of a Female                                                | Central India  | U.S.A.           |                2017 |
|         3 | Sand Stone broken Figure                                                   | Central India  | U.S.A.           |                2017 |
|         4 | Stone image of Durga                                                       | Tamil Nadu     | U.S.A.           |                2017 |
|         5 | Sand Stone image of Nataraja in dancing posture.                           | Central India  | U.S.A.           |                2017 |
|         6 | Sand Stone Panel depicting two male Figures ( vidhyadharas ).              | Central India  | U.S.A.           |                2017 |
|         7 | Stone image of a couple ( mithuna ) figure carved under a niche from Atru. | Rajasthan      | U.S.A.           |                2017 |
|         8 | Stone image of a couple ( mithuna ) Figure from Atru.                      | Rajasthan      | U.S.A.           |                2017 |
|         9 | Stone sculpture of Brahma and Brahamani                                    | Gujarat        | UK               |                2017 |
|        10 | Durga Mahishasurmardini                                                    | Uttarakhand    | U.S.A.           |                2018 |
|        11 | Bodhisattva Head                                                           | Andhra Pradesh | U.S.A.           |                2018 |
|        12 | Image of Buddha                                                            | Bihar          | U.K.             |                2019 |
|        13 | Idol of Bronze Nataraja                                                    | Tamil Nadu     | Australia        |                2019 |
|        14 | Nagaraja (The serpent King) Stone sculpture                                | Central India. | Australia        |                2020 |
|        15 | (a) Dwarpala, stone sculpture                                              | Tamil Nadu     | Australia        |                2020 |
|        16 | (b) Dwarpala, stone sculptureTamil                                         | Nadu           | Australia        |                2020 |
|        17 | Lime stone relief                                                          | Andhra Pradesh | U.K.             |                2020 |
|        18 | Stone sculpture of Shiva (Nataraja)                                        | Rajasthan      | U.K.             |                2020 |
|        19 | Metal idol of Rama                                                         | Tamil Nadu     | U.K.             |                2020 |
|        20 | Metal idol of Laxamana                                                     | Tamil Nadu     | U.K.             |                2020 |

|   21. | Metal idol of Sita                                    | Tamil Nadu                                      | U.K.   |   2020 |
|-------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|--------|--------|
|    22 | Navaneetha Krishna                                    | South India                                     | U.K.   |   2021 |
|    23 | Annapoorna                                            | Uttar Pradesh                                   | Canada |   2021 |
|    24 | Lingodhbhava                                          | Tamil Nadu                                      | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    25 | Manjushri                                             | Eastern Bihar or adjoining areas of West Bengal | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    26 | Painting depicting Rasikapriya from the SamdehiRagini | Bikaner, Rajasthan                              | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    27 | Buddhist Votive Plaque                                | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    28 | Bull                                                  | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    29 | Torso of a woman                                      | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    30 | Erotic Plaque                                         | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    31 | Fertility Goddess figure                              | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    32 | Erotic Plaque                                         | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    33 | Buddhist Votive Plaque                                | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    34 | Cross Plaque                                          | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    35 | Humped bull                                           | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    36 | Monkey Figure                                         | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    37 | Monkey on crocodile                                   | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    38 | Circular Plaque Fertility Goddess                     | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    39 | Plaque of standing figure                             | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    40 | Yakshi and Bird                                       | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    41 | Man Riding Animal                                     | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    42 | Plaque of Two figures                                 | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    43 | Standing Yakshi                                       | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    44 | Plaque with figure                                    | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |
|    45 | Plaque of Yakshi                                      | Indian origin                                   | U.S.A. |   2021 |

|   46. | Pair of Deer                         | Indian origin   | U.S.A.   |   2021 |
|-------|--------------------------------------|-----------------|----------|--------|
|    47 | Erotic Plaque                        | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    48 | Square Plaque                        | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    49 | Fertility Plaque                     | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    50 | Fertility Goddess sitting with star  | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    51 | Plague with two figures (Mithuna)    | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    52 | Plaque of Erotic couple              | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    53 | Female figurine                      | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    54 | Plaque of Buffalo in water and Tiger | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    55 | Erotic Couple                        | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    56 | Erotic Plaque                        | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    57 | Erotic Couple Plaque                 | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    58 | Pendent (painted on all side         | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    59 | Erotic Plaque                        | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    60 | Erotic Plaque                        | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    61 | Erotic Plaque                        | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    62 | Yakshi                               | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    63 | Pitcher                              | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    64 | Head                                 | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    65 | Bird with wheels                     | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    66 | Terracotta mould:                    | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    67 | Female figurine                      | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    68 | Head                                 | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    69 | Female Head                          | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    70 | Seated mother Goddess                | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |
|    71 | Yakshi plaque                        | Indian origin   | U.S.A    |   2021 |

|   72. | Rattle of Kubera                     | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|-------|--------------------------------------|----------------------|---------|--------|
|    73 | Yaksha                               | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    74 | Kubera or Yaksha                     | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    75 | Bowl                                 | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    76 | Head                                 | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    77 | Head                                 | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    78 | Two Bulls                            | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    79 | Cow                                  | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    80 | Standing Monkey                      | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    81 | Head                                 | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    82 | Bull with two Humps                  | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    83 | Buddha                               | Mathura (?)          | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    84 | Copper Plates with Qur'anic verses   | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    85 | Buddha head (Broken) Terracotta      | Indian origin        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    86 | Stele of Varaha                      | Eastern India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    87 | Sculpture of Goddess                 | Eastern India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    88 | Standing sculpture of Vishnu         | Eastern India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    89 | Chauri Bearer with devotees          | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    90 | Bodhisattva Manjushri (?)            | Bengal/Orissa Region | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    91 | UmāMaheshvara                        | South India          | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    92 | Thirthankara                         | Western India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    93 | Couple                               | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    94 | Revanta Panel                        | Western India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    95 | Nataraja                             | Tamil Nadu           | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    96 | Jain shrine with twenty-four Jainas. | Western India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    97 | Tirthankaras.                        | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |

|   98. | Vishnu                                        | South India      | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|-------|-----------------------------------------------|------------------|---------|--------|
|    99 | Head                                          | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   100 | Female deity                                  | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   101 | Twenty four Tirthankaras                      | Western India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   102 | A male deity, flanked by two consorts         | Western India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   103 | Amorous Couple                                | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   104 | Brahma (?)                                    | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   105 | A bust of male figure Bodhisattva Maitreya(?) | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   106 | Surya                                         | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   107 | Female deity (Parvati)                        | Tamil Nadu       | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   108 | Female figure of devotee                      | East India (?)   | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   109 | Buddha in standing posture                    | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   110 | Dakshinamurti                                 | Tamil Nadu       | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   111 | Nandikesa                                     | Tamil Nadu       | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   112 | Buddha                                        | Eastern India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   113 | Vase                                          | Eastern India(?) | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   114 | Male figure                                   | South India      | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   115 | Male Bust                                     | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   116 | Buddha Head                                   | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   117 | Panel depicting Vishnu in a battle scene (?)  | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   118 | Female figure, probably a Shalabhanjika       | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   119 | Ardhanarisvara                                | Tamil Nadu       | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   120 | Panel showing Vishnu and his consort          | Central India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   121 | Torso of a male figure                        | Unknown          | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   122 | Vishnu                                        | South India      | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|   123 | Vishnu                                        | Tamil Nadu       | U.S.A   |   2021 |

|   124. | Lingodbhava                                 | South India          | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|--------|---------------------------------------------|----------------------|---------|--------|
|    125 | Female deity                                | South India          | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    126 | Torso of a male figure Bodhisattva(?)       | Central/North India  | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    127 | Two male figures standing on a corner stone | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    128 | Shiva                                       | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    129 | Vishnu                                      | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    130 | Durga                                       | South India          | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    131 | Padmapani (?)                               | Western India (?)    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    132 | Plaque with a female figure                 | Eastern India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    133 | Plaque with a female figure                 | Eastern India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    134 | Dakshinamurty Shiva                         | South India          | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    135 | Uma Maheshvara                              | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    136 | Terracotta tile depicting a pair of deer    | North/Eastern India  | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    137 | Plaque showing a male and a female figure   | North/ Eastern India | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    138 | Vase                                        | Eastern India (?)    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    139 | Vishnu                                      | South India          | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    140 | Brahmāni (?)                                | Eastern India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    141 | Uma Maheshwar                               | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    142 | Durga                                       | South India          | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    143 | Female figure                               | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    144 | Goddess Parvati                             | Western/South India  | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    145 | Bodhisattva(?)                              | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    146 | Female figure.                              | Central India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    147 | Surya                                       | Eastern India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    148 | Balakrishna                                 | Tami Nadu            | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    149 | Bust of a female                            | Eastern India        | U.S.A   |   2021 |

|   150. | Anthropomorph                                     | North India           | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|---------|--------|
|    151 | Sword with sheath                                 | Punjab origin         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    152 | Manjushri (?)                                     | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    153 | Lakshmi Narayana                                  | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    154 | Standing Buddha                                   | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    155 | Female playing drum                               | Central India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    156 | Seated Divine figure                              | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    157 | Buddha Head                                       | Central/Eastern India | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    158 | Balakrishna                                       | Tamil Nadu            | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    159 | Nataraja                                          | East India (?)        | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    160 | Bikshātana Murti                                  | South India           | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    161 | Vishnu                                            | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    162 | Uma Maheshwara                                    | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    163 | Vishnu                                            | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    164 | JainaChoubisi                                     | Central India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    165 | Balakrishna                                       | Tamil Nadu            | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    166 | Panel of Mahavira, with twelve other Tirthankaras | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    167 | JainaChoubisi                                     | Western India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    168 | Male deity (unidentified)                         | Central/East India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    169 | Male deity                                        | East India            | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    170 | Brahmāni                                          | South India           | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    171 | JainaChoubisi                                     | Central/WesterIndia   | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    172 | Female deity (?)                                  | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    173 | Male deity                                        | South India           | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    174 | Uma Mahesvara                                     | Eastern India         | U.S.A   |   2021 |
|    175 | Dancing Ganesha                                   | Central/West India    | U.S.A   |   2021 |

|   176. | Chāmundā                                                   | Western India   | U.S.A     |   2021 |
|--------|------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------|--------|
|    177 | Kankālamurti                                               | South India     | U.S.A     |   2021 |
|    178 | Nandikeshvara                                              | South India     | U.S.A     |   2021 |
|    179 | Siva and Pārvati                                           | Tamil Nadu      | U.S.A     |   2021 |
|    180 | Vishnu                                                     | South India     | U.S.A     |   2021 |
|    181 | Shiva Bhairava                                             | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |
|    182 | The child saint Chandikesvara                              | South India     | Australia |   2022 |
|    183 | Dancing Sambandar                                          | South India     | Australia |   2022 |
|    184 | The Child saint Sambandar                                  | Tamil Nadu      | Australia |   2022 |
|    185 | The divine couple Lakshmi and Vishnu                       | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |
|    186 | Arch for a Jain Shrine                                     | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |
|    187 | Seated Jain                                                | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |
|    188 | The dancing child saint Sambandar                          | Tamil Nadu      | Australia |   2022 |
|    189 | DurgaMahisasurmardini                                      | Gujarat         | Australia |   2022 |
|    190 | Processional standard (alam)                               | Hyderabad       | Australia |   2022 |
|    191 | Letter of invitation to Jain monks                         | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |
|    192 | Lala, D. Dayal, Maharaja Sir KishenPershadYamin            | India           | Australia |   2022 |
|    193 | Hiralal A Gandhi memorial portrait                         | India           | Australia |   2022 |
|    194 | Portrait of a man                                          | India           | Australia |   2022 |
|    195 | Gujarati family group portrait                             | India           | Australia |   2022 |
|    196 | Portrait of a woman                                        | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |
|    197 | Monorath 'portrait of donor and priests before Shri Nathji | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |
|    198 | Page from a Ragamala series                                | Madhya Pradesh  | Australia |   2022 |
|    199 | Varaha rescuing Goddess Bhudevi                            | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |
|    200 | Baby Krishna on a banyan leaf                              | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |
|    201 | Young lady                                                 | Rajasthan       | Australia |   2022 |

|   202. | Shrinathji                                     | Rajasthan        | Australia   |   2022 |
|--------|------------------------------------------------|------------------|-------------|--------|
|    203 | Kali yantra                                    | Uttar Pradesh    | Australia   |   2022 |
|    204 | Shri Lakshman Chandji before Shri DurshamRamji | Rajasthan        | Australia   |   2022 |
|    205 | Krishna and Arjuna                             | Rajasthan        | Australia   |   2022 |
|    206 | Yaksha Bhairava                                | Rajasthan        | Australia   |   2022 |
|    207 | Shiva and Parvati                              | Himachal Pradesh | Australia   |   2022 |
|    208 | Amorous couple                                 | Kolkata          | Australia   |   2022 |
|    209 | Portrait of a gentleman                        | Rajasthan        | Australia   |   2022 |
|    210 | Goat headed Yogini                             | Uttar Pradesh    | U.K.        |   2022 |