France returns head of Hindu God to Cambodia – reattached to idol’s body after 130 years

French scholars had removed the head and displayed it at France's Guimet Museum.

January 21, 2016, NewsCrunch

The head and the body of a rare Hindu idol, Harihara, have come together after 130 years at the NationalMuseum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Harihara, a deity who represents the unison of Shiva and Vishnu, is a symbol of prosperity in the Cambodian culture.

French scholars had removed the head of the 7th century idol from a temple in Takeo province in 1882 and displayed it at France's GuimetMuseum.

Cambodia had continued to display the headless body of Harihara and had been urging France to return the missing body part.

Cambodiawas ruled by Hindu kings for centuries till Buddhism took over.