Question : Seizure of Stolen Parrot Lady Sculpture

(a) whether the Government has taken note of media reports wherein it has been stated that the Canadian investigators have seized the medieval era sculpture of a lady with a parrot, which is suspected to be an Indian-origin artifact as it is a common Indian motif and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether any team of Indian Archaeological experts have been deputed to analyse the sculpture to find out its origin and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government to retrieve the said sculpture?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)



(a) The Canadian Heritage, Government of Canada informed in 2011 to the Indian Mission at Ottawa that a sculpture was detained in Edmonton, Alberta in accordance with Canada’s Cultural Property Export Import Act which was suspected to be a Khajuraho Parrot Lady sand stone sculpture of Circa 12th Century A.D.

(b) A team including two Archaeologists and one Geologist visited Ottawa, Canada in March, 2015 to ascertain the authentication of the sculpture. The sculpture was examined by the team and found to be antiquity of Indian origin.

(c) Sculpture has been retrieved to India on 5th January, 2015 and sent to Khajuraho its place of origin.