The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art announced on January 28, 2026, that it will return three historic South Indian bronze sculptures—Nataraja, Somaskanda, and Saint Sundarar with Paravai—to India. A thorough provenance study confirmed that these sculptures had been illegally taken from temple sites in Tamil Nadu. The Indian government has agreed to loan one sculpture, the 10th-century Nataraja, back to the museum for display in its exhibition 'The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas.' These Chola-period and Vijayanagara-period bronzes were once sacred objects used in temple processions. The museum’s research used photos from the French Institute of Pondicherry showing the sculptures in temples between 1956 and 1959. The Archaeological Survey of India verified they were removed in violation of Indian law. Smithsonian museum director Chase F. Robinson said, “The National Museum of Asian Art is committed to stewarding cultural heritage responsibly and advancing transparency in our collection.” The museum and the Indian Embassy are finalizing arrangements to mark this return. Former Indian police official K. Jayanth Murali praised the decision, calling it “a milestone in the international recovery of India's stolen cultural heritage.” Heritage researcher S. Vijay Kumar had earlier proven the sculptures' origins in temple records. Kumar noted that questionable provenance papers once obscured the truth, but welcomed the return while urging further repatriations of sacred bronzes still abroad. This important cultural restoration highlights ongoing efforts to preserve India’s priceless heritage.