Yogini Camunda and Gomukhi

Two More Looted Indian Goddesses Recovered from an English Garden 

LONDON, 7 JULY 2023:  “There’s a lot of loot in the United Kingdom and we aim to shake it loose,” said Christopher A. Marinello, CEO and Founder of Art Recovery International after the successful recovery of two 10th Century stone idols that had been illegally removed from a temple in Lokhari, India in the early 1980s.   The recovery of a Yogini Camunda, and a Yogini Gomukhi (Cow-headed One) brings the number to three important Yogini idols recovered by Marinello in the past two years.

Lokhari is a small village in the Banda district of Bundelkhand, Utter Pradesh, India. Yoginis represent a group of powerful female divinities, associated with the Tantric mode of worship. They are worshiped as a group, often 64, and are believed to possess infinite powers.

Perhaps it was the idols’ infinite powers or maybe Marinello’s negotiation strategy that encouraged the possessor to release the sculptures unconditionally.  The artworks were purchased in March 2023 by a UK-based salvage company from a woman who kept them in a shed at the back of her garden.  “The idols came to light during the due diligence process, Marinello said, “thanks to one of the brilliant art historians working in cooperation with Art Recovery.”

Interestingly, in December 2021, the Guardian reported that another Yogini goddess had been recovered by Art Recovery International from an English garden:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/dec/04/looted-and-left-in-an-english-garden-the-goat-goddess-can-return-to-india

Marinello credits his colleagues and partners: “Our first inclination was again to contact our friends at the India Pride Project, a global initiative run by S. Vijay Kumar and dedicated to restoring India’s cultural heritage. Within days, Vijay had lined up all the necessary documentation and paved the way in India for this relatively quick recovery.” 

S. Vijay Kumar commented: "This is another shining example of how civil society, recovery organisations and innocent good faith possessors can correct historic wrongs by voluntarily giving up stolen objects to the rightful owners without fearing adverse actions. India is forever indebted to Chris for his significant role in the resurfacing of two additional sculptures  - the Goumukhi ( Cow headed Yogni)  and Camunda looted from Lokhari, Uttar Pradesh coming on the heels of the restitution of the Goat headed Yogini last year. Personally, it is a great relief for me as I had feared that these two were either destroyed by the smugglers and lost forever, for Yoginis are rare forms in Pan Indian Art and Gomukhi is such a unique depiction. We thank the Director of Antiquities, the Archaeological Survey of India, the Metropolitan Police, and the High Commission of India in London for their prompt and proactive action."

A formal repatriation of the two idols to the High Commission of India in London is due to take place in November after the Diwali holiday.

IMAGES: 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f0dot6e8fdooajf/AABMhHzZBfirjMbAYk7o_wCNa?dl=0