“Australia repatriates ancient Murugan, Nandi and Bhadrakali Temple artefacts to India during PM Modi’s visit”, Organiser, July 09, 2026
“In a significant gesture of cultural cooperation and heritage restoration, Australia has announced the voluntary repatriation of three ancient Tamil Nadu temple artefacts to India during the 3rd India-Australia Annual Summit. The return of the centuries-old idols, which were smuggled out of the country and later traced through investigations by the Tamil Nadu Idol Wing-CID, marks another milestone in India’s global efforts to reclaim its stolen civilisational heritage under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
The artefacts include a ceremonial metal trident crowned with the image of Goddess Bhadrakali and a stone idol of Nandi, both belonging to the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Swamy Temple at Kullumangudi in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvarur district, along with a rare six-faced stone idol of Lord Kartikeya (Shanmukha) from the Naganatha Swamy Temple at Manambadi near Kumbakonam. The idols were formally handed over during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Melbourne, where he held bilateral talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
According to officials, the antiquities had been housed at the National Gallery of Australia after being trafficked out of India. Their recovery was made possible through investigations by the Tamil Nadu Idol Wing-CID, which invoked the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) mechanism to trace and secure their return……..”
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