UK’s Ashmolean Museum returns ancient idol to be repatriated to Tamil Nadu temple

LONDON: (Mar 4) In a major first, the University of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum has returned a 16th century bronze idol to India for its journey back to the temple in Tamil Nadu where it belongs.

The sacred icon of Saint Thirumankai Alvar was acquired by the museum in a Sotheby’s auction in 1967 before being alerted to its origins at the temple of Shri Soundararaja Perumal in Thadikombu by an independent researcher in November 2019.

This led to the museum requesting the High Commission of India in London to formally confirm its provenance, with the process concluding in a formal hand-over ceremony at India House on Tuesday evening.