Tara’s image returns from Yale

BY A STAFF REPORTER Kathmandu, May 9: The Consulate General of Nepal in New York and the Yale University Art Gallery, Connecticut USA, jointly announced the transfer of the Nepali sculpture - Buddhist Goddess Tara/Parvati from the permanent collection of the Yale University Art Gallery to Nepal on Friday. 

Acting Consul General at the Consulate General of Nepal in New York Bishnu Gautam oversaw the return of the artwork in partnership with Yale. 

The retuning argillite-stone sculpture of Tara/Parvati that dates back to the late ninth to early 10th century was donated to the gallery by one donor in 2015. 

Research on this sculpture conducted in 2021 by the Department of Archaeology of Nepal and by the Yale Art Gallery confirmed that the sculpture had been installed at Bir Bhadreshwor Mahadev Temple, Golmadi, Bhaktapur, until 1976 and it was worshipped as Hindu goddess Parvati in daily ritual before it was lost in around 1976-77 AD. 

Receiving the sculpture, Acting Consul General Gautam thanked Yale University, the Yale University Art Gallery, Henry J Heinz II director Stephanic Wiles, the Governing Board and the curatorial team for their warm cooperation in returning the artefact to Nepal. 

The Acting Consul General expressed deep appreciation for the gallery’s collegiality regarding research leading to its return. 

He further remarked that the gallery’s thoughtful collaboration positively contributed to Nepal’s national efforts to recover and reinstate the lost cultural properties and also in the preservation of Nepal’s national efforts to recover and reinstate the lost cultural properties and also in the preservation of Nepal’s history and culture. 

He appreciated the support received from media, civil society and others in the endeavour and thanked the Yale Art Gallery for arranging its shipment to Nepal. 

Stephanic Wiles, the Henry J Heinz II Director of the Yale University Art Gallery remarked, “The Yale University Art Gallery is pleased to highlight the productive partnership and discussion surrounding the research and decision to return the sculpture to goddess Tara/Parvati to the Nepal government. The decision to deaccession to Buddhist goddess Tara was a collaboration one and we are grateful to the Consul General of Nepal in New York and the Department of Archaeology for assisting us in completing the research that led to the return of this sculpture to Nepal.” 

The Consulate General and Yale University expressed their willingness to work closely and collaboratively for the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage. They also reiterated their interest in further strengthening the long-standing people-to-people ties between Nepal and the United States of America. 

The sculpture will be transported to Nepal through the coordination of the Yale University Art Gallery, Consulate General of Nepal and Department of Archaeology.