The statue of Lord Shiva standing between two sadhus made of tundal and stone of archaeologically important wooden Salbhanjika tundal, which was lost from Nepal and reached America, has been returned.
According to the Department of Archeology, a tundal of archaeological importance was stolen from the main gate of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-24 Itumbahal Mahavihar in 1984-1985. It is a Tundal built in the 13th or 14th century. The idol of Shiva was lost in 1995 from Kangkeshwari temple located in Metropolitan City-19. Damodar Gautam, director general of the department, said that this statue was made in the 10th or 11th century.
It has been revealed that both statues have been donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. After submitting proof that the material is in Nepal, the related organization has returned it to Nepal at its own expense. Director General Gautam informed that other similar statues in America and Britain are also in the process of being returned.
The statue was unveiled in a program organized by the Department of Archaeology today. John Guy, the senior art expert of the museum, handed over both materials to the director general of the department after it was made public. These materials have been handed over to the National Museum in the cantonment.
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