An 18th-century idol of Goddess Annapurna that was stolen from Varanasi about 100 years ago was retrieved from Canada recently. The idol is set to return to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi and be installed there on November 15.
The idol will reach Varanasi after a four-day Mata Annapurna Devi Yatra beginning in New Delhi on Thursday.
The idol is 17 cm in height, 9 cm in breadth and 4 cm in thickness.
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UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath said the idol passed through many hands before reaching the Canadian university and the Uttar Pradesh government got it back following the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union minister for tourism and culture G Kishan Reddy said the government has received 55 idols and paintings from abroad. A total of 42 out of the 55 idols, taken out of India in the British period, have been received after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, he said. The minister also said another 157 idols and paintings have been identified.