In a historic ceremony in Canberra, the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) has formally returned five 11th-century bronze idols to the Indian government. The sculptures, which include a rare Dancing Sambandar and a Devi, were identified as having been illegally trafficked out of temples in Tamil Nadu decades ago.
The repatriation is part of a growing international movement to return stolen cultural heritage to its countries of origin. Indian cultural authorities have announced that the bronzes will be returned to their original temple sites after a period of display at the National Museum in New Delhi, marking a significant victory for heritage preservation and law.