Mumbai : Our country has a glorious history of thousands of years. Right from Gautam Buddha who taught Buddhism to the world, to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who founded Swarajya by teaching us to live with self-respect, to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution, and Mahatma Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who taught us to fight injustice with harmony and peace, we are proud to tell the world that they are sons of Indian soil and their laurels are there for the world to see. These legends left behind some of their personal belongings which we as Indians have to preserve and protect. However, when the country was on the cusp of becoming independent from British Rule, several of these personal belongings were lost and some were taken by the British to be kept in their museums. To create awareness about the revolution brewing which is aimed at getting these invaluable artifacts back from foreign museums Artist Sumeet Patil, is starting his show “We want it Back” from 22nd Jan 2019 at Nehru centre art gallery.

The show consists of 8 unique paintings showcasing the lost artifacts. Made in mix medium consisting of colored ink, acrylic paints, fiber, and other art mediums, these painting will bring to light the invaluable treasures which the country needs back. The highlight of the show will be the launch of a replica of one of the lost treasures.

Artist Sumeet Patil shared, “We want it Back- is a shout of a revolution to bring back Indian artifacts back into the country. The art show is an effort to raise the country’s voice in unison to create awareness about Indian culture and heritage with special focus on the Indian treasures which are on display in museums in other countries.”

There are several instances of Indian artifacts During British rule, when they were laying down rail tracks at Sultanganj, Bihar, a bronze statue of Gautam Buddha was found which was weighing 500 kgs, 2.3 mtrs tall and 1 mtr across. This ideally should have been in any of our museums but it is on view at Birmingham museum in England. Same is the story with the famous “Jagdamb Sword” of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj which was gifted to Prince Edward VII. Now the sword is taken around various museums in Europe for display. Same is the case of the House of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Father of Indian Constitution in England where he stayed, Stupa from Andhra Pradesh, letters of Mahatma Gandhi, The famous Kohinoor Diamond, marble statue of Devi Sharda which was found in 1886 now resides in London Museum and many more such important and rare artifacts are in the custody of various museums in England and around Europe.

The aim of this revolution is to get these Indian artifacts back as soon as possible and to create awareness about the rich treasures the country possessed, which were taken from us. Getting these artifacts back will ensure that the current generation will not be deprived of seeing the great treasures back in the country of their origin.