# Australia to return stolen sculpture to India



## Vikrant

Good job. Honesty is the best policy. 

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The growing India-Australia bonhomie under PM Narendra Modi and his counterpart Tony Abbott will soon bring to an end an international art scandal which saw the surfacing of a Kushan Buddha statue in National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Canberra 7 years ago. 

The Australian government has informed Indian authorities that it will soon return the sculpture dating back to 2nd century BC, realising that it had been stolen from an archaeological site in India. Government sources here attributed the development to increasing camaraderie between Modi and Abbott. 

Abbott has on several occasions stated that improving relations with India was high on his priority list and one of the ways he has reached out to the Modi government is by returning stolen artefacts illegally taken out of India. During his summit meet with Modi last year in September, Abbott returned statues of 11th Century Shiva Nataraja and Ardhanariswara to India. The Buddha though dates back to 2ndCentury BC and is said to be of of great historic value. 

According to a report in The Australian earlier this year, the artefact had been purchased by billionaire philanthropist Ros Packer for NGA. After Indian authorities took up the issue with Australia, NGA launched an investigation into how the statue was bought from a New York antiquities dealer and found that the dealer had tricked Australian authorities into believing that the red sandstone marvel had been purchased from a British collector in Hong Kong. The investigations revealed that the New York based dealer had travelled to India and acquired 2 Kushan Buddhas from a trafficker. 

"The Department of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India are working with the National Museum in Delhi to effect the handover. The statute of the Buddha of the Kushan period dating back to 2nd century BC is made of red sandstone and is from the Mathura region of Uttar Pradesh,'' said a senior government official here. 

Government sources here said there was growing personal bonhomie between Modi and Abbott following their bilateral meetings last year. Modi last year became the first Indian PM to visit Australia after Rajiv Gandhi in 1985. Modi attended the G20 summit in Brisbane and later travelled to Canberra for his bilateral meeting with Abbott. During the visit, Abbott also held a reception for Modi at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Abbott, in fact, has received some criticism from the Australian media for the $ 24,000 which was apparently spent on flower arrangements for the banquet he held for Modi.

Australia to return a 2nd century BC sculpture to India - The Times of India


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## bianco

Hopefully Australian flowers.
If the sculpture is one that has been stolen..."stolen goods"...then Australia must return it to its rightful owner.


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## Vikrant

*Australian art gallery to return 2000 year old Buddha statue to India*

Close on the heels of Germany returning an ancient Durga idol, an Australian art gallery has agreed to give a 2,000-year-old Buddha sculpture back to India.
The Sitting Buddha sculpture, whose roots could be traced to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, is currently with a national art gallery in Canberra, Australia, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials here said.
“Last week, the Australian art gallery intimated the Union Culture Ministry that they intend to return it. The sculpture made of sandstone is an image, which is very unique to the Mathura region,” ASI sources said.
With the Canberra-based art gallery giving its consent, the ASI has requested the Ministry of Culture to send an official team to examine the antique idol dating to the first century.

...

Australian art gallery to return 2000 year old Buddha idol to India


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## The Great Goose

They are trying to appropriate what we've rightfully stolen.


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## Vikrant

^ For real, rightfully stolen?


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## Spinster

Go to Walley World an buy a freaking Budda for under five bucks, treat it to a romp on the beach, and they'll never know the difference whether it's a 4,000 year old artifact or a fake. Whatever is the importance of an idol, anyway? Who the hell even cares? And this is newsworthy? Really!!!


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## Vikrant

Spinster said:


> Go to Walley World an buy a freaking Budda for under five bucks, treat it to a romp on the beach, and they'll never know the difference whether it's a 4,000 year old artifact or a fake. Whatever is the importance of an idol, anyway? Who the hell even cares? And this is newsworthy? Really!!!



Only thing which seems unworthy is your stupid post.


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## Vikrant

Spinster said:


> Vikrant said:
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> Spinster said:
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> Go to Walley World an buy a freaking Budda for under five bucks, treat it to a romp on the beach, and they'll never know the difference whether it's a 4,000 year old artifact or a fake. Whatever is the importance of an idol, anyway? Who the hell even cares? And this is newsworthy? Really!!!
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> Only thing which seems unworthy is your stupid post.
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> Okay, like your post was brilliant?? Fuck off!!
Click to expand...


Compared to your post, anything will come across brilliant. Go take a nap. It seems like your BP is up.


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## MaryL

Hell yeah, return it. Then some  holier than thou Muslim watzit can reduce it into little wittso bisty tiny pieces. Yeah, that would  be MUCH better.


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## Vikrant

MaryL said:


> Hell yeah, return it. Then some  holier than though Muslim watzit can reduce it into little wittso bisty tiny pieces. Yeah, that would  be MUCH better.



 India is the land of Buddha. Large number of Indians are Buddhist. Last thing they would do is blow up Buddha's statue. Besides that artifact is a property of India as it was stolen from India. 

I think it is too early to start drinking, lady.


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## MaryL

Vikrant said:


> MaryL said:
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> Hell yeah, return it. Then some  holier than though Muslim watzit can reduce it into little wittso bisty tiny pieces. Yeah, that would  be MUCH better.
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> India is the land of Buddha. Large number of Indians are Buddhist. Last thing they would do is blow up Buddha's statue. Besides that artifact is a property of India as it was stolen from India.
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> I think it is too early to start drinking, lady.
Click to expand...

Wow, No, lotsa muslims there. Please  like that art isn't better off where it is.PC apparatchik .


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## Vikrant

MaryL said:


> Vikrant said:
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> MaryL said:
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> Hell yeah, return it. Then some  holier than though Muslim watzit can reduce it into little wittso bisty tiny pieces. Yeah, that would  be MUCH better.
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> India is the land of Buddha. Large number of Indians are Buddhist. Last thing they would do is blow up Buddha's statue. Besides that artifact is a property of India as it was stolen from India.
> 
> I think it is too early to start drinking, lady.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, No, lotsa muslims there. Please  like that art isn't better off where it is.PC apparatchik .
Click to expand...


That art belongs to the "Muslims" and it is going back to the Muslims ( rightful owners). Do you have problem with that?


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## MaryL

Vikrant said:


> MaryL said:
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> Vikrant said:
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> MaryL said:
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> Hell yeah, return it. Then some  holier than though Muslim watzit can reduce it into little wittso bisty tiny pieces. Yeah, that would  be MUCH better.
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> India is the land of Buddha. Large number of Indians are Buddhist. Last thing they would do is blow up Buddha's statue. Besides that artifact is a property of India as it was stolen from India.
> 
> I think it is too early to start drinking, lady.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, No, lotsa muslims there. Please  like that art isn't better off where it is.PC apparatchik .
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That art belongs to the "Muslims" and it is going back to the Muslims ( rightful owners). Do you have problem with that?
Click to expand...

What? Art belongs to everyone. Are you mad? It's sentimental to return the art to the geological location of it's creation, but yes, Muslims are a bit hard on antiquities. Are you Muslim?


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## Vikrant

MaryL said:


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> Hell yeah, return it. Then some  holier than though Muslim watzit can reduce it into little wittso bisty tiny pieces. Yeah, that would  be MUCH better.
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> 
> 
> India is the land of Buddha. Large number of Indians are Buddhist. Last thing they would do is blow up Buddha's statue. Besides that artifact is a property of India as it was stolen from India.
> 
> I think it is too early to start drinking, lady.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, No, lotsa muslims there. Please  like that art isn't better off where it is.PC apparatchik .
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That art belongs to the "Muslims" and it is going back to the Muslims ( rightful owners). Do you have problem with that?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> What? Art belongs to everyone. Are you mad? It's sentimental to return the art to the geological location of it's creation, but yes, Muslims are a bit hard on antiquities. Are you Muslim?
Click to expand...


I LOVE MUSLIMS. Do you have problem with that?


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## MaryL

Vikrant said:


> MaryL said:
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> Vikrant said:
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> MaryL said:
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> Hell yeah, return it. Then some  holier than though Muslim watzit can reduce it into little wittso bisty tiny pieces. Yeah, that would  be MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> India is the land of Buddha. Large number of Indians are Buddhist. Last thing they would do is blow up Buddha's statue. Besides that artifact is a property of India as it was stolen from India.
> 
> I think it is too early to start drinking, lady.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, No, lotsa muslims there. Please  like that art isn't better off where it is.PC apparatchik .
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That art belongs to the "Muslims" and it is going back to the Muslims ( rightful owners). Do you have problem with that?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> What? Art belongs to everyone. Are you mad? It's sentimental to return the art to the geological location of it's creation, but yes, Muslims are a bit hard on antiquities. Are you Muslim?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I LOVE MUSLIMS. Do you have problem with that?
Click to expand...

Right, I didn't notice your bias. Anyway, back on planet EARTH. I care about how art is treated and maintained.  Not so much the pedantic  little details.If India is up to it,  fine. But so far, what difference does it make except superficial politics?


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## Vikrant

MaryL said:


> Vikrant said:
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> MaryL said:
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> Vikrant said:
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> India is the land of Buddha. Large number of Indians are Buddhist. Last thing they would do is blow up Buddha's statue. Besides that artifact is a property of India as it was stolen from India.
> 
> I think it is too early to start drinking, lady.
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, No, lotsa muslims there. Please  like that art isn't better off where it is.PC apparatchik .
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That art belongs to the "Muslims" and it is going back to the Muslims ( rightful owners). Do you have problem with that?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> What? Art belongs to everyone. Are you mad? It's sentimental to return the art to the geological location of it's creation, but yes, Muslims are a bit hard on antiquities. Are you Muslim?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I LOVE MUSLIMS. Do you have problem with that?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Right, I didn't notice your bias. Anyway, back on planet EARTH. I care about how art is treated and maintained.  Not so much the pedantic  little details.If India is up to it,  fine. But so far, what difference does it make except superficial politics?
Click to expand...


To answer your question, I am a Buddhist. I am not a Muslim. I love Muslims but I also love Christians. I love all human beings. As a matter of fact I love all who want to be loved. 

Coming back to the topic: That art was stolen from India. Australia is now returning that art to India, which is a right thing to do. Why are you so upset about it?


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## MaryL

I respect Buddhism. Peace. I am agnostic. I am an artist. That is were I am coming from. You say it was stolen. You are Buddhist, you believe in property? That is interesting.


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## Vikrant

MaryL said:


> I respect Buddhism. Peace. I am agnostic. I am an artist. That is were I am coming from. You say it was stolen. You are Buddhist, you believe in property? That is interesting.



Of course we Buddhists believe in ownership. We don't believe in attachment. There is a difference. Peace to you my friend. May you come in the shelter of Lord Buddha one day.


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## MaryL

peace...


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