Australia is set to hand over three ancient sculptures believed to have been smuggled from Tamil Nadu to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The items include a Bhadrakali Amman figure with a trident, a Nandi stone sculpture and a Kartikeya (Murugan) stone statue.
The development comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently in Australia, met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss bilateral ties, during which key decisions were taken.
According to details shared, the Bhadrakali Amman with trident and the Nandi sculpture are linked to the Kasi Viswanathar (Kasi Viswanathaswamy) Temple at Kollumangudi in Tiruvarur district. The temple is described as dating to a period spanning the later Chola era through the Vijayanagara-Nayak phase (13th to 16th centuries CE).
The Kartikeya statue is said to belong to the Naganathasamy Temple at Manampadi in Tamil Nadu. The six-faced depiction, associated with wisdom, valour and divine protection, is attributed to the Chola period, and the temple is noted as having been built in the early 11th century during the reign of Rajendra Chola.
