Bhopal: India has renewed its efforts to secure the return of the revered 11th-century Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati) idol associated with the historic Bhojshala temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district, reinforcing the country’s broader campaign to reclaim cultural treasures taken away during the colonial era. The issue has gained fresh momentum following a recent Madhya Pradesh High Court judgment recognizing the religious character of the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex as that of a Saraswati temple and urging the Union government to make efforts to facilitate the idol’s return from the United Kingdom.
The matter has also figured prominently during the ongoing BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting in Bhopal, where member nations are discussing enhanced cooperation on the protection of cultural heritage, combating illicit trafficking of antiquities, and facilitating the return of artefacts removed during colonial rule. India has used the international platform to highlight the importance of restoring historically significant cultural and religious objects to their rightful places.
Union Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal revealed that the Centre had begun pursuing the repatriation of the Vagdevi idol nearly a year before the High Court issued its directions in May. According to him, the Ministry of Culture formally approached the British Museum, where the idol is currently housed, and has maintained continuous diplomatic engagement to ensure its eventual return.
Aggarwal stated that the government’s commitment to preserving India’s civilizational heritage extends beyond a single artefact. He pointed to the successful repatriation of several antiquities in recent years, including a temple idol returned to Tamil Nadu, while efforts continue to recover additional idols belonging to temples in the state. These developments reflect India’s sustained diplomatic outreach and growing international recognition of the need to rectify historical injustices involving cultural property.
The Vagdevi idol, carved from marble during the Paramara period in the 11th century, was removed from Dhar during British rule and now forms part of the British Museum’s collection. While Indian authorities identify the sculpture as the sacred Vagdevi idol from Bhojshala, the museum classifies it as an image of Ambika from the Jain tradition discovered in Dhar in 1875 and formally acquired in 1909. Despite this difference in classification, India continues to maintain that the sculpture is intrinsically linked to the Bhojshala temple and represents an invaluable part of the nation’s cultural and spiritual legacy.
According to the British Museum’s catalogue, the four-armed sculpture stands approximately 1.285 metres tall, weighs around 250 kilograms, and holds symbolic objects including an elephant goad. The museum also attributes the work to the sculptor Vararuci, who some scholars identify with the celebrated poet Dhanapala from the court of the legendary King Bhoja.
The Centre’s renewed push has been strengthened by the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s observations that the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex possesses the religious character of a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi. While hearing petitions seeking the idol’s return and reinstallation at Bhojshala, the court noted that multiple representations had already been submitted to the Union government and observed that the Centre could consider them appropriately.
India’s campaign to recover its stolen and displaced heritage has gathered remarkable pace over the past decade. According to the Ministry of Culture, nearly 650 stolen or smuggled antiquities have been repatriated since 2014, a dramatic increase compared to the 13 artefacts returned before that period. Officials believe this reflects stronger diplomatic engagement, closer cooperation with foreign governments and museums, and India’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding its civilizational heritage.
As discussions continue at the BRICS cultural summit, India is expected to advocate for stronger international cooperation in preserving historical heritage and facilitating the return of culturally significant artefacts. The government’s renewed efforts to bring back the Vagdevi idol underscore a broader national mission to reclaim symbols of India’s rich history, faith, and identity, while strengthening global mechanisms to protect cultural property for future generations.
