Date: 15/10/2016    Platform: DNA India

Reclaiming our Gods: Why India must reverse the plunder of its artistic heritage

In September, the Australian government returned three more stolen artefacts to India including a second-century Buddha statue and an eleventh-century idol of goddess Pratyangira. This is the latest in a series of stolen artefacts retrieved from different parts of the world in the last two years. However, this is barely a drop in the ocean and the flow of stolen items, on balance, is still outward.

We estimate that around 20,000 idols, sculptures and other antiquities have been stolen and sold in foreign countries since 1980. Their market value is approximately US$10bn although many of the pieces are priceless in cultural terms. Note that this excludes the colonial era loot.

The systematic plunder of our antiquities is not the work of amateurs but part of a well-oiled international network that includes criminal gangs, well-known art experts, auction houses and even government officials. Many of the items were taken from iconic, protected monuments. For a long time, there was virtually no effort to counter this network. Not a single artefact was brought back between 2000 and 2012.

The situation has improved a bit in the last two years and around 19 items have been retrieved. Part of the improvement has been the growing willingness of foreign governments to help crack down on this illegal trade.

Around 2,900 seized items are currently lying with the United States authorities alone and can be handed back immediately. Hundreds more have been identified in the US, Switzerland and Britain.

Ironically, the speed of repatriation is now constrained by the pace of paperwork being done by Indian officialdom. Inordinate delays are being caused by Indian "experts" debating whether or not a certain piece is genuine/fake. Why cannot the Indian government take all the seized items being offered by the Americans and then sort out their authenticity back at home? Many pieces offered for return have been similarly languishing for years in London, Brussels and Zurich.

A major problem has been the very slow pace of convictions in India. Even when key criminals are identified and arrested red-handed, their trials have gone on for years. Despite piles of incriminating evidence, the trial of Subhash Kapoor has been going on for four years. Another accused, Sanjeevi Ashokan has been on bail since 2009.

The authorities also need to recognise that the menace cannot be tacked by improving general policing. This is a specialised area operated by very sophisticated criminal networks. The average policeman cannot be expected to deal with it. Italy's 3,000-strong specialised Carabinieri Art Squad has retrieved half a million pieces over the years. Tamil Nadu is the only state with a specialised 'Idol Wing' and has had a number of recent successes despite pitiful resources. In contrast, investigations in other states are clubbed with those into local robberies and, consequently, make little headway.

The retrieval of stolen antiquities is key to protecting the soul of our country. If we allow our soul to be taken away, it will be little use becoming an economic or geo-political power.

The gods that returned

Collaborations between private activists Vijay Kumar, former LA Times writer Jason Felch, Australian reporter Michaela Boland, and archaeologist Dr Kirit Mankodi, who runs the PlunderedPast website, worked across the US, Singapore and Australia to repatriate our heritage.

 

AUSTRALIA

Vriddhachalam Ardhnarishwar idol, from Art Gallery of New South Wales 

The Vriddhachalam Ardhanariswara, IFP, Pondicherry

Was first spotted as a match from memory by Vijay Kumar who worked with Jason Felch, Michaela and Srivatsan of The Hindu, to establish it from Douglas Barrett’s book ‘Chola Temples 1973’. He then pursued the matter with the French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP) to obtain dated images and match them. 

RESULT: Restituted to India

Sripuranthan Nataraja, from National Gallery of Australia (NGA), Canberra

The Sripuranthan Nataraja, handed back to PM Modi in 2014

Though linked to Kapoor, it was wrongly identified as the Suttamali temple Nataraja. Kumar obtained high resolution images from the IFP and matched it to the Sripuranthan Nataraja. The FIR was based on an article crediting this trail of evidence. 

A sustained media campaign and follow ups by Michaela, an expose by ABC revealed the full due diligence report. 

When a detailed Provenance Analysis revealed several prior instances of fake provenances, the NGA removed all off display. 

RESULT: Restituted to India

Pratyangira (lion lady) from the NGA, Canberra 

Theft trail led to the sale dealer who also sent the Ardhanariswar. Subsequent work with IFP revealed that it was also taken from Vriddhachalam temple 

RESULT: Restituted to India

The Kushan Buddha, NGA, Canberra

The Kushan Buddha, NGA, Canberra ­—jason felch, chasing aphrodite 

ork was done by Jason Felch and followed up on by Michaela Boland initially with Vijay Kumar matching another Buddha (in another Asian museum) to the same dealer, Wierner Galleries. Wierner compensated the museum the $1 million purchase price.

RESULT: Restituted to India

The Standing Sambandar, NGA

Also mentioned by the Crenan Report. The group of researchers and activists matched it from IFP to the Sirkazhi temple from a picture taken sometime in 1968.

RESULT: Work In Progress

SINGAPORE

Uma Parameshwari, Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM)

Sripuranthan Uma Parameswari returned by ACM, Singapore

No provenance was provided by ACM. Support came by chance from one of India Pride Project’s US volunteers who scanned over 10 years of Art of Past catalogues and magazine advertisements to make the match with the IFP archives. 

RESULT: Restituted to India

Somaskanda, ACM

Matched to SivanKoodal temple from a reference in a 1916 book by Vijay Kumar. Purchased by the ACM in 2000. Provenance and dealer information has not yet been released by the Museum.

RESULT: Work In Progress

Over 30 artefacts including Amaravati items and Chandraketugarh terracotta

Other Kapoor purchases were corroborated by Felch against purchase details from his sources. Finally Asian Civilisations Museum acknowledged it, but still has not released provenance information.

RESULT: Work In Progress

GERMANY 

Kashmir Tengupura Durga, from the Linden museum

The Tengapura Kashmir Durga, returned to India by German Chancellor Merkel to PM Modi

Originally identified by Rakesh Kaul while in the Art of Past gallery. ASI confused it with a bronze idol and lost repatriation on its first attempt with Linden Museum. The activists worked with Kaul to match the correct stone idol and also sourced the purchase invoice from Kapoor by which a water tight case was made out.

RESULT: Restituted to India

AMERICA

Chola Ganesha, from the Toledo museum

While mining his data archives of museum purchases Vijay Kumar chanced on the Toledo museum’s purchase of a Chola Ganesha in 2006. Ravi, one of the volunteers visited it to obtain high resolution photos. The activists collaborated with the IFP to identify it by the blemish on its trunk. They also accessed the Museum’s annual report showing over half a million in cash donations by Kapoor and over 100 objects as gifts in same year. Initially, the museum rubbished their claim but Vijay Kumar wrote to the Indian Embassy. They did not get a response for six months. They finally approached the media. The letters were made public and the idol was handed over to Homeland Security.

RESULT: Restituted to India

Idols from Honolulu and Peabody Essex museum

Worked with Homeland Security to match robber photos, leading to the seizures.

RESULT: Restituted to India

Alingana Murthy from Ball State Museum 

On data mining the archives, Vijay Kumar found inscribed bronze with the Tamil letters ‘Tirumpambapuram’. Initially, the museum did not reveal the provenance as from Kapoor. 

RESULT: Seized by Homeland Security

Kari Talai, ASI site museum objects

Vijay Kumar worked along with Kirit Mankodi on ASI theft reports and Homeland Security to and have seized 5 idols as part of Operation Hidden Idol

RESULT: Seized by Homeland Security

Nagapattinam Buddha

The stolen idol went to New York from where it was loaned to Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore as part of the Nalanda Trail exhibition opened by then Indian PM Dr Manmohan Singh. It was tracked and seized by HSI. 

RESULT: Seized by Homeland Security

Sendamangalam temple Narathana Sambandar stone

An India Pride Project volunteer team documented empty niches in the temple. Inquiries revealed theft under cover of a cyclone. No FIR was filed at the time. Vijay Kumar worked with the IFP to locate the sculptures and provided information to the TN Idol Wing based on which an FIR was filed. One was traced to Kapoor and seized by Homeland Security.

Tachur village Murugan

India Pride Project volunteers pointed out the discarding of 8th century idols. A people’s movement was launched to reinstate them using social media and WhatsApp. Finally, an image of the Murugan was found with a dentist who had a 2002 magazine. It was matched to Kapoor’s sales and seized in America.

LONDON

Brahma Brahmani, Patan

Dr Mankodi published the theft report and with data mining from sales archives found that it was offered for sale by a London dealer in 2006 and again in 2011. An India Pride Project volunteer photographed it in the store. Matches were provided to ASI.

RESULT: Restituted to India.

 

 

Sanjeev Sanyal is author of Ocean of Churn. Vijay Kumar is co-founder of the India Pride Project, a Singapore-based volunteer network that repatriates stolen idols.