Editorial photo #13649167 Religion and Belief
Repatriated Historic Buddha Statue Returns To Original Shrine On 2570th Buddha Jayanti In Nepal
The Nepal Army Gurju Paltan performs traditional Dhime Baja music during a ceremony marking the return and installation of the historic stone Buddha statue known as Kwapa Dyah at its original shrine at Nhuchhe Baha (Bajradhatu Vihar) in Jor Ganesh, Ombahal, in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 1, 2026, on the occasion of the 2570th Buddha Jayanti. The Vajradhatu Buddha statue, significant both archaeologically and religiously, was previously stolen and later found at the Tibet House Collection in New York, United States, before being repatriated to Nepal around four years ago. It was preserved at the Chhauni National Museum through coordinated efforts of the Department of Archaeology, heritage activists, and related institutions. Following legal procedures under the Ancient Monument Preservation Act 2013 (Section 20A), the statue has now been formally returned to its original guthi custodians, marking a significant moment in the recovery of cultural heritage and community-based conservation practices. (Photo by Safal Prakash Shrestha/NurPhoto)
