PA/29/14 September 12, 2014
AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION WELCOMES RETURN OF SHIVA NATARAJA TO TAMIL NADU
The Australian High Commission has welcomed the return of two 11th century idols to the state of Tamil Nadu.
The Prime Minister of Australia the Hon. Tony Abbott MP handed the idols of Nataraja (the “Dancing Shiva”) and Ardhanariswara to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his official visit to New Delhi last week.
Authorities in Tamil Nadu have now taken custody of the idols.
Australia’s High Commissioner to India Patrick Suckling said he was happy to see the idols back in Tamil Nadu.
“The quick return of these important cultural artefacts shows that Australia takes its obligations as a good international citizen very seriously,” Mr Suckling said.
“Prime Minister Abbott wanted to personally hand them over to Prime Minister Modi on his first official visit to India as a gesture of goodwill, and as testimony to the importance which Australia places on our bilateral relationship with India.”
In March this year the Indian Government requested that both pieces be returned to India under UNESCO’s cultural heritage convention.
The Attorney General of Australia, Senator George Brandis, agreed to the request shortly before the Prime Minister travelled to India.
Both institutions which purchased the idols - the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Gallery of Australia – gave full support to their return.