Australia repatriated 29 antiquities to India in a historic move

As many as 29 antiquities, including on the themes of Lord Shiva and his disciples, Lord Vishnu and the Jain tradition, have been repatriated to India by Australia and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inspected them, the government said on Monday. These antiquities come from different time periods, with the earliest dating to 9-10 century CE.

"PM @narendramodi inspects the 29 antiquities which have been repatriated to India by Australia. The antiquities range in six broad categories as per themes: Shiva and his disciples, Worshipping Shakti, Lord Vishnu & his forms, Jain tradition, portraits and decorative objects," the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in a tweet.

These are primarily sculptures and paintings executed in a variety of materials - sandstone, marble, bronze, brass and paper, the sources said.

Representing a large geographical region in India, antiquities are from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal.

Prime Minister Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison will hold a virtual summit on Monday. The Archeological Survey of India said since 2014, 228 antiquities have been returned to India.

"The saga of Cultural Restitution continues. @ASIGoI received 29 antiquities from Australia. Total 13 number of antiquities returned from 1976 - 2013. Total 228 number of antiquities returned from 2014 - till today," the ASI said in tweet.