Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 10:20am on 01 Feb 2026,Sunday India Global
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art will return three ancient bronze sculptures to India after research confirmed they were taken illegally from temples in Tamil Nadu in the 1950s. The idols include Shiva Nataraja, Somaskanda, and Saint Sundarar with Paravai from the Chola and Vijayanagar periods. Museum researchers traced old temple photographs from 1956 to 1959 with support from the French Institute of Pondicherry. The Archaeological Survey of India verified that the removals violated Indian law. One sculpture will later be displayed on long-term loan to explain its history and return. The museum said the decision follows a detailed provenance review. (PC: The Indian Express)
