Repatriation of cultural artefacts
Topic: Europeans in India and the Rise of Company Rule · NCERT: Class 8, Ch 4 "The Colonial Era in India"
Meaning
Repatriation means bringing objects back to the country they came from. During colonial rule, thousands of Indian artefacts were taken to Europe, including statues, paintings, jewels and manuscripts. Today many of them sit in foreign museums and private collections. India and others argue that these objects are part of India's heritage and should be returned. Some say these collections helped people abroad appreciate Indian art. The debate continues today.
Example
In 2021 Canada's University of Regina returned a statue of the goddess Annapurna. It had been taken from Varanasi in c.1913. It was installed in the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Demands to return the Kohinoor diamond from Britain are another well-known case.
Don't confuse with
- Restoration of monuments: this means repairing old buildings and sites in India, as the British did through archaeological surveys. Repatriation means bringing back objects that were taken out of the country.