10th century stone idol of Goat Head Yogini returned to India: Govt

It is another landmark achievement in the area of culture in the country. After a lot of efforts, the Ministry of Culture has repatriated a unique artefact that was stolen from India and was taken to the UK.

“The Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and DONER, Shri G. Kishan has announced that a 10th century stone idol of Goat Head Yogini that had been illegally removed from a temple in Lokhari, Banda, Uttar Pradesh is being returned to India,” the Ministry of Culture informed.

The Minister tweeted this development and said that the repatriation of our rightful artifacts continues. He said, “Repatriation of our rightful artifacts continues: 10th Century Goat Headed Yogini Idol which had been illegally removed from a temple in Lokhari, Uttar Pradesh is being returned to India from UK. @NarendraModi Govt is committed to realise the Civilisational Glory of Maa Bharati.”

“Earlier, the High Commission of India in London said that it is happy to announce the recovery and repatriation of a very special 10th century stone idol that had been illegally removed from a temple in Lokhari, Banda, Uttar Pradesh in sometimes the 1980s,” the Ministry said.

It is a unique and precious sculpture of a goat-headed Yogini which is a part of stone deities made up of sandstone and installed in Lokhari temple. According to reports, the sculptor has come to light once when it appeared in the art market of London in 1988.

“In October 2021, High Commission of India received information about the finding of a goat-headed Yogini Sculpture that had matched the description of the Lokhari set, in the garden of a private residence near London,” the Ministry said.