A Wooden artefact of archaeological importance stolen from the Kumari Ghar in UNESCO Heritage Site of Kathmandu’s Basantapur Durbar Square, has been brought back from the United Kingdom. The Department of Archaeology of Nepal, in coordination with heritage activists both in Nepal and abroad, succeeded in retrieving the Toran, a decorative head of a door design, from the UK.
The stolen Toran, dated back to the Malla era, and was stolen from the Kumari Ghar in 2000 AD. It was restored to its original location in a ceremony organised with a musical band and parade. According to international law like UNESCO’s Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property establishes an international framework for cooperation which aims to prevent the illicit trade of cultural objects and provides a mechanism for State Parties to request the return of stolen items.
When information is received that an artefact of archaeological value stolen from Nepal has been located elsewhere, the process to reclaim it is initiated through diplomatic and legal channels. The respective country bearing the artefact often covers the transportation costs.
