Three 550-year-old Paubha paintings repatriated from US

Kathmandu, March 12: Three Paubha paintings dating back around 550 years and belonging to the Keshchandra Mahavihar at Itumbahal, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-24, have been brought to Nepal from the US.     

Three paubha and 17 other idols were brought to Nepal on Sunday at the initiative of the Newa: Guthi New York.     

At a press conference organized here today, Chairperson of Keshchandra Mahavihar Conservation Society, Pragya Ratna Shakya, said that the repatriated scroll paintings and the idols will be kept in public display for 15 days during the Gunla festival. According to Shakya the paubha paintings were stolen from the Mahavihara premises on September 14, 1980.     

He also said that the Society has demanded that these paubhas of cultural and religious importance should be rehabilitated at the Mahavihara at Itumbahal itself and necessary security arrangements and other infrastructures should be made by the state for this purpose.     

Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Sunita Dangol expressed happiness that the old artifacts have been brought back home with the initiative of the community level. She gave assurances of cooperation from her side for the conservation of these artifacts.     

President of Newa Guthi, New York, Bijaya Man Singh, thanked all those involved in the campaign, saying that the work of tracing the missing Nepali artwork has been done in the respective places and that they have been able to bring them back home after dialogue and coordination with various agencies for a long time.     

On the occasion, a letter of honour was presented to Singh on behalf of the Conservation Society.     

It is said that although the US FBI had initially expressed concern after Nepal sent a letter regarding the stolen artifacts, the process of their repatriation had not speeded up, upon which the process was forwarded by the District Attorney of New York and this campaign was also supported by organizations like Newa: Guthi, New York, Lost Art of Nepal and Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign.     

'Chintamani Lokeshwar', 'Bhairav Darshan of Keshchandra Aju' and 'Gagan Singh and his two wives' have been depicted in these paubhas returned to Nepal from the US.(RSS)