An 18th-century idol of Maa Annapurna that was stolen from the Kashi Vishwanath temple has been handed over to the Uttar Pradesh Government, according to an statement by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The idol was smuggled to Canada over 100 years ago and handed over to art collector Norman MacKenzie in 1913, and was kept at the at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Canada.

Annapurna, also spelt Annapoorna, is the goddess of food,

The ASI had received the idol on October 15 after it was handed over to the High Commissioner to Canada last year.

“The stone idol measuring 17x9 x4 cm had been stolen from Kashi and smuggled to Canada over a century ago. Devi Annapurna, as its name suggests, is the goddess of food and nourishment…The 18th-century idol was in the University of Regina’s collection at its Mackenzie Art Gallery when it was handed over by the university to India’s High Commissioner to Canada last year,” the ASI said.

According to the ASI, 55 idols had been returned to India since 1976 of which 42 were returned after 2014.

The return of the Maa Annaourna idol from Canada to India was announced by Prime Minister Modi in the November 29 episode of Mann Ki Baat in 2020.