US returns two recovered antiquities to Nepal

Kathmandu, June 24

The Consulate General of Nepal in New York has received two antique Nepali statues, Padma Pani and Nrityadevi, from the New York County District Attorney's Office.

The formal transfer of ownership to the Government of Nepal took place during a handover ceremony at the consulate, where Dadhiram Bhandari, Consul General of Nepal, and Matthew Bogdanos, Chief of the Antiques Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, signed Minutes of Concurrence.

The first artefact, a 13th-century bronze figure of Padma Pani, originally belonged to Tham-Bahil (Vikramashila Mahavihara, Bhagwan Bahal) in Kathmandu. The last known photograph of the statue at its original temple site was taken in 1971, and it is believed to have been smuggled into the United States between 1971 and 1977, the Consulate informed in a statement on Wednesday.

The second artefact is a 16th-century wooden statue of the Nrityadevi (Goddess of Dance), which originated from I-Baha Bahi in Patan. Believed to have been smuggled into the USA between 1969 and 1983, the statue was seized from the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

“The recovery of these sculptures was the result of a joint effort by the New York County District Attorney’s Office, US Homeland Security Investigations, and various partner institutions,” read the statement.  

Speaking on the occasion, Bhandari noted that the cooperation between Nepal and the United States in addressing the illicit trafficking of cultural property demonstrated an international partnership committed to protecting shared heritage. Acknowledgement was also given to the Nepali diaspora and community organisations, including Newa Guthi, New York, for their ongoing support in protecting Nepal's cultural assets.

The two antiquities are scheduled to be packed and flown to Nepal on Thursday, June 25. The transport and logistics are being coordinated by the consulate and Newa Guthi, New York, with representatives from the organisation accompanying the shipment.

Upon arrival in Kathmandu, the statues will be handed over to the Department of Archaeology and other authorities for conservation and eventual restoration to their original locations. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 25 June 2026.