Buddha statue reinstalled at original site on Buddha Jayanti in presence of senior U.S. envoys

Kathmandu, May 2: An ancient statue of Gautam Buddha has been reinstalled at its original site after nearly five decades, marking a significant moment on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti.

The 13th-century idol was placed back at Nhuchhe Baha (Vajradhatu Bihar) in Jorganesh Ombahal Tole, Kathmandu Metropolitan City–23. The statue is believed to have been stolen in the 1980s.

Kathmandu’s officiating mayor Sunita Dangol led the ceremony and stressed the importance of protecting cultural heritage.

“The idols of Nepal Mandal are not merely objects but hold deep cultural significance and are closely tied to public social life,” she said. She urged locals to remain aware and proactive in the conservation of such heritage.

Among those present were U.S Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and Charge d’affaires of US Embassy in Kathmandu Scott Urbom along with National Museum Chief Aruna Nakarmi and heritage conservation activists Ganapatilal Shrestha and Sanjay Adhikari.

It was later recovered from the Tibet House Collection in New York, United States, and returned to Nepal on March 2, 2022. Since then, it had been preserved at the Department of Archaeology.

The idol was reinstalled on May 1, coinciding with the 2570th Buddha Jayanti, in a ceremony marked by traditional music and attended by local representatives, heritage conservation activists, and people of the area.