Statue Stolen From Nepal 37 Years Ago Handed Over By US Government

Kathmandu: The US government has handed over an important idol stolen from Nepal to Nepal. The statue of Laxminarayan (Vasudev-Kamalaja) stolen from Nepal 37 years ago was handed over by Dr. Timothy N. Dunham of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to Dr. Yuvraj Khatiwada, Nepal's Ambassador to the United States. 

The statue, which was stolen from Nepal in 1984, was handed over at a function at the Nepali embassy. The historical idol belongs to the temple at Patan. The statue has been housed in the Dallas Museum of Arts in the United States since 1990. The statue is said to have been made in medieval Nepal and is 33.5 inches high and 19.25 inches wide. The embassy has stated that it will be brought to Nepal after completing the necessary process of UNESCO.    

Embassy Release

March 21, 2077, Washington, D.C. . After months of a joint investigation by the US Embassy, ​​the Office of Foreign Criminal Investigations under the US Diplomatic Service, Nepal Police, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Dallas Museum of Art, the statue representing Laxmi-Narayan has been returned to Nepali custody nearly 40 years after it was stolen. The statue was handed over in a small ceremony held at the Nepalese Embassy in Washington, DC. Nepali Ambassador to the United States Dr. Guests including Prince Khatiwada and FBI and State Department officials were present at the ceremony.

Welcoming the event, US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry said, "I am delighted that the statue of Lakshmi-Narayan will finally return to the hands of the Nepalese people. I hope the government, museums, and collectors will do the same. "

The bronze statue of Lakshmi-Narayan (also known as Vasudeva-Kamalaja) is an archeological site between the 12th and 15th centuries. The idol was worshiped in Patan before its disappearance in 1984. Narayan is represented on the right by Lakshmi and Lakshmi on the left. The statue was auctioned off six years after its disappearance and was temporarily donated to the Dallas Museum of Art. Joy Lynn Davis, an artist involved in searching for artwork stolen from Nepal for a project, discovered the statue in the Dallas Museum of Art two years ago through image search. As a result, the statue was found and returned to the stage.

The United States is a strong supporter of the need for cultural preservation in Nepal through cooperation with law enforcement agencies and the return of stolen archeological resources through diplomatic efforts. Within Nepal, too, the US government has played a key role in helping Nepal preserve and preserve its unique cultural heritage. The US Government's Ambassador Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) provides direct grant assistance for the preservation of cultural heritage. Twenty-five AFCP projects have been completed in Nepal, including the renovation of Kathmandu's Gaddi Baitak. Such projects collaborate with community partners and local and federal governments. Since 2003, AFCP has invested more than ३ 3.8 million in supporting 25 cultural preservation projects in Nepal. Received a grant as part of the AFCP project

In addition to cultural preservation efforts, the US Mission in Nepal provides cultural exchange opportunities for artists, curators, museum directors, and art scholars to exchange knowledge and experience between Nepal and the United States.