In a major victory for cultural heritage preservation, a Chola-era Nataraja bronze and a set of 12th-century gold temple ornaments have been returned to India. The artifacts were tracked to a private collection in Geneva following an international investigation into illicit antiquities trafficking. The bronze is praised for its fluidity of motion and preservation of the original lotus pedestal.
The repatriation was facilitated by the new 2025 International Heritage Accord. The Ministry of Culture has announced that the items will be temporarily displayed in the National Museum before being restored to their original temple site in Tamil Nadu after a thorough authentication process.