Nearly a millennium ago, a remarkable stone sculpture of Vrishanana Yogini, a buffalo-headed female deity, was carved and consecrated in a temple in Lokhari village, nestled in Uttar Pradesh's Bundelkhand region. Revered as part of India's rich Tantric traditions, this idol, weighing over 400 kilograms, stood as a testament to the region's intricate craftsmanship and spiritual heritage.

However, like countless other invaluable artifacts, the Vrishanana Yogini eventually fell prey to art smugglers. Disappearing from its temple under unclear circumstances, the sculpture was illicitly trafficked to France, where it resurfaced as part of a private collection in Paris.

Thanks to the persistent efforts of the Indian authorities, the 10th-century sculpture has finally been repatriated. Five years ago, the Indian Embassy in Paris traced the stolen artifact to the possession of Robert Schrimpf, a private art collector. Following Schrimpf's passing, his widow, Martine Schrimpf, voluntarily donated the sculpture to the Indian mission in Paris.





Earlier this year, during an official visit to France, India’s then Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch inspected the artifact and initiated steps to bring it back to its homeland. Last month, the Vrishanana Yogini was flown back to India, marking a significant victory in the ongoing global battle against the illicit trade in cultural heritage.

The historic sculpture is now proudly showcased at the National Museum in New Delhi, as part of a special exhibition dedicated to Yogini traditions and the broader issue of artifact trafficking. The exhibition, running from September 19 to October 6, aims to deepen public understanding of Yogini worship, its historical significance, and the continued challenges of safeguarding India’s artistic legacy.

Seated in lalitasana on an unornamented stone slab, the Vrishanana Yogini holds a club in her left hand and a bilva fruit in her right both symbols rich with esoteric meaning. At her feet, her vahana (divine mount), a swan, is depicted pecking at the bilva fruit, reinforcing her unique iconography.

The Yogini's form exudes a potent blend of grace and power: a chiselled physique with full breasts, a slender waist, and a rounded abdomen. Her buffalo face remains serene and contemplative, eyes half-closed in meditation. Adorned with a necklace, bangles, anklets, and a girdle, her ornamentation reflects a tribal aesthetic, connecting her to the earth and ancient rural traditions.




The worship of Yoginis, female divinities embodying both the divine and the demonic, flourished between the 6th and 10th centuries CE, deeply rooted in sacred texts such as the Skanda Purana, Agni Purana, and Kaulajnananirnaya. These enigmatic goddesses were revered not individually but collectively, often in groups of 64 or 81, believed to bestow supernatural powers upon devotees.

Yogini temples circular, open-roofed shrines, dotted ancient India, serving as spaces for complex rituals blending spirituality, mysticism, and esoteric knowledge.

Unfortunately, the Vrishanana Yogini is not the only artifact of its kind to have been stolen. Over the decades, Yogini sculptures from temple sites such as Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu have been smuggled abroad and now reside in prestigious institutions, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the Smithsonian Institution's Freer-Sackler Gallery in Washington D.C., and the British Museum in London.

The return of the Vrishanana Yogini marks an important milestone in the global effort to recover India's stolen cultural heritage, highlighting both the vulnerability of sacred art and the determination to reclaim and preserve it for future generations.

Source / Image Credit : India Today , Rupanjana | রূপাঞ্জনা