Canada's Stephen Harper returns 900-year-old Khajuraho temple sculpture to PM Narendra Modi

OTTAWA: A 900-year-old piece of sculpture from Khajuraho temple, which had somehow reached Canada, was returned by Prime Minister Stephen Harper when his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi met him here.

The sculpture, known as 'Parrot Lady', was handed over by Harper to Modi yesterday in accordance with 1970 UNESCO Convention.

The handing over took place in Canadian Parliament Library which Modi visited after his talks with Harper.

"Canada returns Indian heritage piece -'Parrot Lady'. PM @narendramodi receives sandstone sculpture from Khajuraho," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin tweeted.

The stone sculpture, meant to be in UNESCO-protected Khajuraho, depicts a dancer with a parrot on her back.