In Nepal, it is early morning on the 9th day of the Dashain festival. The Nawami Day! On this day, the temple of Taleju Bhawani temple in the heart of Kathmandu city opens up to the public. I used to do everything to be there on this day to enter the temple of Taleju Bhawani. The aura of this temple is different as you can undergo a transcendental experience of being one with the Goddess. Something deeply spiritual and some affective moments can occupy you! At least it would do that to me. It is still Asthami day here in the US. However, I am imagining and reminiscing about the Nawami day in Nepal. I imagine that people would have already gathered outside the temple of Taleju Bhawani to visit the Goddess and to offer their love, respect, and devotion.
On this day of Nawami, a lot of Nepalis could have seen the necklace of Taleju Bhawani, had the Art Institute of Chicago returned it to Nepal where the necklace actually belongs. However, this is second Nawami after her necklace was located in the institute, a lot of Nepalis are deprived of seeing the necklace
One year ago, I was at the Art Institute of Chicago, when I saw the necklace of Nepali Hindu Goddess Taleju Bhawani. Within their display and description, they have mentioned: “Necklace Inscribed with the Name of King Pratapamalladeva” and the country of origin as Nepal itself. After a year of lobbying by various lost arts activists like Lost arts of Nepal and Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign, and many investigations by prominent journalists in Nepal and all over the world, the Art Institute of Chicago continues to confiscate our heritage, our pride, and our Goddess’ necklace.
Exactly, one year later I visited the Taleju Temple in mid-June, 2022. I had by this time and moment thought that the necklace will have been successfully restored. The moment I shared the video, it was picked up by the media, activists, and also the Government of Nepal. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tweeted that they have informed the concerned departments and it felt like the necklace would be returned the very next day. However, the Art Institute of Chicago doesn’t seem like wanting to return this necklace. The necklace photographed below belongs to our Goddess, still confiscated by the Art Institute of Chicago. There has been proof sent of how and why this necklace actually belongs to Nepal and how the institute should return this. But what people have heard is NOTHING. The Art Institute of Chicago is doing a powerplay of remaining silent and exercising western power by not returning what belongs to Nepal.
I have personally written a letter and dropped it at the Art Institute of Chicago, went to the museum to protest, and have written many times about how and why the necklace should be returned. There are various published news and articles that hopefully will draw attention. But what the institute does is remains silent. Silence is powerful and the institute knows it. However, it is the responsibility of the museum to return the sacred items and stolen artifacts to its own space. By doing this the institute is standing up against illegal trafficking and buying selling but is fulfilling the larger purpose of being a museum. By returning this necklace the museum will be:
- Adhering to the UNESCO Framework a framework for theft prevention and the return and restitution of stolen cultural property
- Standing up against the theft, illegal trafficking, and buying-selling of these artifcats
- Fulfilling the responsibility to the Nepalis by returning the stolen artifact and not depriving Nepali people of their history and culture
- Helping to strengthen the social cohesion in Nepal
- Lastly, doing the very right thing
Today, on this day of Nawami, we hope and desperately pray for the return of the Goddess’ necklace. One day, our Goddess’s voice will be heard. We all will be heard. Art Institute will break its silence. There is no room for injustice in the current world.
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