The Hindu : It's a Jain statue, clarifies U.K.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 15, 2003

National

National

It's a Jain statue, clarifies U.K.

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 14. Even as the BJP in Madhya Pradesh is talking about securing the return of the Saraswati statue — believed to have been housed in the controversial Bhojshala complex in Dhar — from the British Museum in London, the British High Commission has informed the Union Culture Ministry that the sculpture in question is a figure of the Jain goddess, Ambica.

Reacting to newspaper reports that the Saraswati statue in Bhojshala had been removed to the British Museum prior to Independence, the acting British High Commissioner is said to have written to the Union Culture Minister, Jagmohan, that the "belief that the sculpture in London is the Saraswati of Bhojshala is a misunderstanding.''

Apparently, the High Commission made enquiries at the British Museum and traced the confusion about the statue in question to an article first published in a journal in the 1920s in which the author referred to it as Goddess Saraswati on the basis of an "incomplete reading'' of the inscription.

The status of the statue was clarified in the 1980s when the whole inscription was read and published by Kirit Mankodi of Mumbai.

"The full inscription records the making of a Saraswati, a triad, and a figure of Ambica. It is this Ambica which is in the British Museum.

The goddess is shown accompanied by a child and a lion; both attributes of Ambica.

There is, therefore, no doubt that the sculpture in the British Museum is of the Jain goddess, Ambica,'' the letter notes.

In April this year, Mr. Jagmohan had urged his counterpart in the External Affairs Ministry to use diplomatic channels and international conventions to secure the return of the 11th century idol of Saraswati from the British Museum.

Mr. Jagmohan's submission was that since India was a signatory to the UNESCO Convention on "Preventing the Illicit Imports, Exports and Transfer of ownership of Cultural Property," it "might be possible for us to negotiate the restitution of the image of Saraswati to its country of origin through appropriate measures.''

Though the idol was exported from India to the U.K. prior to the promulgation of the Antiquities (Export Control) Act, 1947 — later superseded by the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 — Mr. Jagmohan's contention was that the UNESCO Convention of 1970 "encourages mutual negotiations on such articles of national wealth/heritage for restitution to the country of origin.''

While the general notion is that this idol — dating back to the Parmara dynasty — had been housed in the Bhojshala, Mr. Jagmohan's letter made no mention of this possible connection; save place on record the fact that it belongs to the period of King Bhojadeva.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National