11 years on, museum reopens at Saharsa

Saharsa: The Karu Khirhari Museum at the Kosi divisional HQ town at Saharsa reopened after 11 years on Saturday.
The reopening of the museum has been welcomed by people, especially antique lovers and students having academic interest in the ancient history and culture of Kosi region.
Bhagalpur museum curator Om Prakash Pandey has taken over the charge of Karu Khirhari Museum. After opening the lock, Pandey said an employee would be deployed to mantain the artefacts and ensure regular functioning of the museum.
The museum was inaugurated in the famous Matsya-Gandha complex by the then art and cultural minister, Ashok Kumar Singh, in February 2004. A large number of antiquities, including idols of Goddess Tara, Lord Buddha, Sungod and other archaeological artefacts were brought from different places and kept in this museum.
According to old-timers, some precious idols of Goddess Tara and Lord Buddha were stolen from the museum in 2005, following which the district administration locked the museum.
It remained locked despite repeated protests by locals.
Sources said the museum was opened after 11 years because of the Saharsa DM Vinod Singh Gunjiyal's initiative.
"The stolen idols have not been recovered yet," said a source.