KATHMANDU: A ancient statue of Goddess Tara Raparvati has returned to Nepal from the United States.

The statue weighing 83 kilogram was unveiled at a program organized by the Department of Archeology (DoA) on Friday upon its arrival.

US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Manuel Micaller also joined DoA Director General Damodar Gautam in welcoming the ancient idol back home.

Director General Gautam said the medieval sculpture built around the ninth and tenth century was returned by The Yale University Art Gallery to Nepal. The announcement of the return of the statue was made on May 6, 2022, by the University.

The argillite stone sculpture dates to the late ninth to early tenth century C.E. and was donated to the Gallery in 2015.

Research conducted in early 2021 by the University Art Gallery’s Curator of Provenance Research and Department of Asian Art showed that the sculpture had been reported as missing from the Bir Bhadreshwor Mahadev Temple, Golmadhi tole, Bhaktapur district.

The sculpture had been installed at the Bir Bhadreshwor Mahadev Temple until at least 1976, where it was worshipped as the Hindu goddess Parvati in daily ritual, according to DoA.

The University also arranged insurance and transportation expenses of transporting the idol to Nepal.

The returned heritage has been handed over to the National Museum today for protection, preservation and access to researchers.