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Return of Ancient Temple Treasures
July 12 , 2026
13 hrs 0 min
15
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- Australia will repatriate three stolen antiquities from Tamil Nadu temples to India during Prime Minister's visit to Australia.
- The artefacts are an 11th–12th-century Chola-era bronze trident of Goddess Bhadrakali, a granite Nandi idol, and a basalt six-headed Karthikeya (Shanmukha) sculpture.
- The antiquities are being returned under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) after investigations by the Tamil Nadu Idol Wing Crime Investigation Department (CID) confirmed they were illegally trafficked from Tamil Nadu temples.
- The National Gallery of Australia agreed to return the artefacts after an independent provenance review found no evidence of lawful export from India.
- The Bhadrakali Trident originated from Sri Kasi Viswanatha Swamy Temple, Kollumangudi (Tiruvarur), and the Karthikeya sculpture from Naganathaswamy Temple, Manambadi (Thanjavur).
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