4 min readMay 24, 2026 07:00 AM IST First published on: May 24, 2026 at 07:00 AM ISTThe Madhya Pradesh High Court recently declared the 11th-century Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar a temple. In its judgment, the court addressed claims concerning the idol of the temple’s reigning deity, Saraswati or Vagdevi, that’s believed to be housed in the British Museum in London. The court formally ordered the Centre to evaluate requests for the idol’s return and potential reinstallation.The idol was excavated or recovered during clearing operations in Dhar by a British colonial officer, Major General William Kincaid. Following its removal from the Bhojshala complex, the idol was shipped to England, arriving in the UK in 1886. It was officially acquired by the British Museum in 1909.AdvertisementAs per the British Museum website, the “Standing figure of the Jaina yakṣiṇī Ambikā carved in a coarse white marble” comes from the Paramara dynasty, and has a ‘production date’ of year 1034.The British Museum does not provide an exact count of “colonial artefacts”, as the term encompasses millions of items acquired during the British Empire. Of the museum’s collection of around 8 million objects, an estimated 90% did not originate in Britain. The museum is legally prohibited from permanently deaccessioning and returning items from its collection due to provisions in the British Museum Act.Other UK museums have, however, started returning historical items to India. For example, the Wellcome Collection returned a landmark collection of over 2,000 ancient Jain manuscripts to India, while the Glasgow Museum has repatriated stolen antiquities in recent years.AdvertisementFaced with calls to return artefacts, the British Museum has introduced a programme to loan those from former colonies back to their countries of origin for up to three years.The British Museum’s collection has grown since 1753, it says on its website, adding that “objects have been acquired in a variety of ways. Some objects are subject to questions about, or requests for, return to other countries”.The museum now has a special dedicated section on ‘Contested objects’, includes Benin Bronzes from the ancient West African kingdom, Magdala collection from Ethiopia, and even an early shield from Australia.There are active, ongoing campaigns by Indian groups and petitioners requesting the permanent return of specific artefacts — from the Vagdevi idol to the Amaravati marbles.In many cases, governments and museums frequently find pathways for repatriation through bilateral agreements and cultural exchanges. Recently, the 1,000-year-old Chola-era Leiden Copper Plates returned to India following an official diplomatic restitution by the Netherlands on May 16.However, every debate for the return of any colonial artefact from the UK invariably turns to the Kohinoor. Recently, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged King Charles III to consider repatriating the Kohinoor to India, sparking renewed global conversations regarding colonial-era artefacts and historical justice.you may likeWhile the Indian government has repeatedly called for the diamond’s return, its ownership is highly contested. The governments of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan have also staked historical claims to the gem, complicating its potential restitution.However, the UK and India have reportedly held discussions regarding “shared access” to historical artefacts stemming from the colonial era. British officials like Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy have engaged with their Indian counterparts to ensure that people in both countries can benefit from the shared heritage.Meanwhile, even as diplomatic channels are being pursued, at the Bhojshala complex, devotees have installed a replica of the Vagdevi idol for their newly granted, unrestricted daily rituals.The writer is Senior Assistant Editor, The Indian Express