There are sculptures of gods and goddesses; the oldest artefact dates back to the ninth-10th Century
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspects antiquities returned to India by Australia. Image courtesy: @Anurag_Office/Twitter
The relationship between India and Australia is strengthening. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual meet with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison on Monday, the country repatriated 29 antiques to India, in a move that is termed as historic.
Modi inspected the artefacts that include sculptures and paintings, the origins of which can be traced to several corners of India. We take a look at some of the antiquities that are now back in the country.
The antiquities range in six broad categories as per themes – Shiva and his disciples, Worshipping Shakti, Lord Vishnu and his forms, Jain tradition, portraits and decorative objects. The earliest date back to ninth to 10th Century CE and are from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and West Bengal. The structures and paintings are made of stone, marble, bronze, brass, and paper.
Shiva and his disciples
Shiva Bhairava, a sandstone sculpture from Rajasthan dating back to the ninth to 10th Century CE, is among the repatriated artefacts. Shiva Bhairava is a fierce manifestation of the deity associated with annihilation, according to the catalogue of antiques shared by the government. The idol is seen holding a rod to punish sinners, trampling on an “apasmarapurusa”, attended by a female attendant.
The other artefacts in this category include the 12th Century “child-Saint Sambandhar”, the “dancing child-Saint Sambandar” from Tamil Nadu, a 14th-Century “Saint Chandikesvara” sculpture, and a Shiva and Parvati painting circa 1830-40 from Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra.
Worshipping Shakti
The 12th to 13th-Century sandstone sculpture of Durga Mahisasuramardin shows Goddess Durga slaying the buffalo demon Mahisha. The goddess’s tongue is out, she appears aggressive as she is seen holding the demon by his hair. The sculpture has four arms – in the other three, she is see holding a sword, a shield, and a trident.
This collection also comprises an early 19th-Century water-colour painting titled “Kali Yantra”.
Lord Vishu and his forms
The 12th to 13th-Century sandstone sculpture “Laskhmi Narayana” is from Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh. It sculptural frieze displays the divine couple – Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu – felicitated by Brahma and Shiva on either side. The male deity is seen holding a conch and a chakra. The goddess is seen with her arms around Lord Vishu with a serene expression on her face. The panel is adorned with attendants and devotees of the god and goddess.
In this category is a 1720-1730 water-colour painting from Rajasthan’s Bikaner, 18th-Century drawing of Baby Krishna on a banana leaf, a 19th-Century Shrinathji chromolithograph from Rajasthan’s Nathdvara, among others.
Jain tradition
This collection has an intricate marble arc of a Jain shrine from Rajasthan’s Mount Abu region. Two Jaina Tirthankara are seen standing on either sides of the panel, topped with two other Tirthankara. It is felicitated by two human figures and elephants on either sides.
There is also a seated Jina marble sculpture and “Vijnaptipatra”, a letter of invitation to Jain monks in a picture scroll using gold and silver from the 19th-Century Rajasthan.
Portraits
A number of portraits were repatriated along with the sculptures. There’s a photograph of Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad Yamin by Lala Deen Dayal, who worked as the official photographer to the Nizam of Hyderabad during later part of 19th Century, according to the catalogue. A memorial painting of Harilal A Gandhi from 1941, and Portrait of a Gentleman from 1875 by an artist from in Rajasthan’s Nathdwara are among the other artworks.
Decorative items
Some of the decorative objects, which PM Modi inspected today, include a 1775 painting of a young lady with elaborate saree from Bundi in Rajasthan, a brass object from 19th-Century Hyderabad, and an 1875 art of an amorous couple from Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal.
Modi was thankful that the artefacts have been returned. Thanking the Australian PM, he said, “I would like to especially thank you for taking the initiative to return ancient Indian artefacts. Among them are hundreds of year-old idols and pictures illegally removed from Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh along with many other Indian states.”
Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott had returned a 900-year-old Shiva sculpture allegedly smuggled by the infamous art dealer Subhash Kapoor during Modi’s visit to the country.
In September last year, the PM had brought back 157 artefacts and antiquities from the United States, where he and US President Joe Biden also expressed commitment to strengthening efforts to combat theft, illicit trade and trafficking of cultural objects.
With inputs from agencies
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.