Nepali Deities Fetch Millions in International Auctions Amidst Official Ignorance

Kathmandu. Deities worshipped in Nepal's monasteries, temples, and archaeological sites are being auctioned for millions and billions of rupees in the global market. The trend of Hindu religious symbols, stolen from roadsides, squares, and temple corners, reaching foreign auction houses and being sold at high prices has not stopped.

The latest example of this is the 12th-century Manjushree statue recently sold in Hong Kong. After a long competitive bidding at Christie's auction house, the ancient and rare statue made of alloyed copper with golden plating was sold for 137.35 million Hong Kong dollars, equivalent to approximately 2.37 billion Nepali rupees. With its sale at more than double the minimum estimated price, it has set a new world record for the auction of a golden-plated bronze statue from the Himalayan region.