KATHMANDU – A 13th-century Buddha statue stolen from a Kathmandu temple decades ago was returned to its original spot on May 1, joining a growing list of ancient artifacts reclaimed from foreign museums and collectors.
Carried back in a traditional palanquin amid festive music, the statue was reinstalled on its stone plinth during a ceremony attended by U.S. envoy Sergio Gor. The event aligned with Buddha Jayanti, the festival celebrating the birth of Buddhism, as locals rejoiced over the deity’s homecoming.
Temple devotee Sunkesari Shakya, 67, said the theft in the 1980s had caused deep distress in the community, and she felt overwhelming happiness at its return. A replica worshipped in its place was relocated within the temple.
The statue had surfaced at Tibet House US in New York, donated by an unknown monk, according to Nepal’s Department of Archaeology. Gor, on a three-day visit, stressed U.S. efforts to correct past wrongs by repatriating artifacts that ended up in the wrong hands.
Nepal, home to 30 million deeply religious people, has lost countless treasures from its Hindu and Buddhist temples since opening to the world in the 1950s. Corrupt officials often aided smugglers who supplied art markets in the U.S., Europe, and beyond, despite export bans.
The archaeology department reports about 200 items repatriated so far, including carvings, paintings, scriptures, and idols, with at least 41 restored to original sites. Conservation expert Rabindra Puri called these statues living heritage, not mere art.
Authorities list over 400 missing pieces but believe the true number reaches thousands. They now target returns from the U.S., France, Germany, and Britain, fueled by rising global momentum for restitution.