Australia to Return Centuries Old Tamil Nadu Antiquities to India After Modi-Albanese Summit

Australia has agreed to repatriate three ancient stolen artefacts of Tamil Nadu origin to India, in an announcement made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Melbourne for the third India Australia Annual Summit. Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese jointly welcomed the voluntary return of the antiquities, which the Ministry of External Affairs said will be transported back to India in due course.

The three artefacts include an 11th to 12th century granite sculpture of Nandi, the sacred bull and vahana of Lord Shiva, an 11th century bronze ceremonial trident bearing the image of Goddess Bhadrakali, and a 12th century stone idol of six headed Karttikeya, also known as Shanmukha or Murugan. Both leaders framed the gesture as a reflection of the deepening cultural relationship and mutual respect between the two nations, coming six years into the India Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The Nandi sculpture and the Bhadrakali trident originate from the Sri Kasiviswanathaswamy Temple in Kollumangudi village of Thiruvarur district, a shrine built between the 13th and 16th centuries during the late Chola to Vijayanagara and Nayak periods. The Nandi idol, sculpted in the Tamil Shaiva tradition, was traditionally placed facing the sanctum as a symbol of devotion and strength, while the trident, crafted in the South Indian temple metalwork style, represents protection and the destruction of evil within Shaiva Shakti worship traditions. Both pieces are believed to have been removed from the temple decades ago before eventually surfacing in Australian collections.

The third artefact, the six headed Karttikeya idol, belongs to the Naganathsamy Temple in Manambadi village of Thanjavur district. Dating to the early 11th century, it was carved during the reign of Rajendra Chola I and reflects the refined proportions and intricate ornamentation associated with classical Chola period sculpture. The deity is traditionally depicted with twelve arms carrying weapons including the vel, often accompanied by a peacock, symbolising wisdom and valour. Like many idols looted from smaller regional temples with limited security, it is believed to have entered the international antiquities trade before being traced to Australian custody.

In a reciprocal gesture, Albanese confirmed that India will voluntarily repatriate the ancestral remains of an Australian First Nations ancestor, a member of Australia's Indigenous Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities, currently held at the Government Museum in Chennai, to be returned unconditionally to their Traditional Custodians.