In a landmark cultural exchange, the Nara National Museum of Japan has formally repatriated a 1,000-year-old basalt sculpture of Gauri-Shankar to the state of Karnataka. The artifact, which disappeared from a temple site in the 1920s, is a masterpiece of Rashtrakuta art, depicting Lord Shiva and Parvati in a rare 'Anugraha' posture.
The repatriation follows a three-year provenance investigation that utilized 3D mineral mapping to prove the stone's origin in the quarries of the Deccan. The sculpture is set to be housed in the new Hampi Heritage Wing, marking a major victory for Indian heritage preservation laws.