CHENNAI: After a nearly 22-year search, a beautifully crafted and restored 1,200-year-old Buddha idol from the Devisthan Kundalpur Temple in Kurkihar in Gaya district in Bihar would return to India soon. The 8th century stone Bodhisattva sculpture, stolen in the year 2000, was recovered from a private collector in Milan, Italy. It was formally handed over to the consul general of India in Milan on Thursday evening.
The consulate general of India-Milan is delighted to be part of the recovery and restitution of the priceless stone statue of Avalokiteshwara Padamapani, a senior consulate official told TOI. The idol would be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi.
