Context: Natesa, a rare sandstone idol from the 9th century (Pratihara Style of Rajasthan) has been retrieved after 22 years by Rajasthan police.
Background

• In 2002, the Rajasthan Police had opened an investigation titled “Operation Blackhole” against Vaman Ghiya.
• Vaman Ghiya was arrested in 2003, standing accused of having stolen 20,000 pieces of art and laundering them via a host of Swiss front companies.
• In 2014, the conviction was quashed by an appeals court (Rajasthan High court) because of procedural irregularities during the police prosecution and also because India had not repatriated even a single piece of art allegedly smuggled abroad by Ghiya.
• It is opined that the restitution of the Natesa idol provides impetus to reopen the Vaman Ghiya case, resurrect Operation Blackhole and go after thousands of artefacts stolen since the 1960s.

About Natesa

• The idol of Natesa is a rare sandstone idol in the 9th-century Prathihara style of Rajasthan.
• In the 9th-century Prathihara style of Rajasthan.
• Depicts Lord Shiva along with Nandi and stands almost 4 ft in height.
• A beautiful depiction of Nandi is shown behind the right leg of the Natesa icon.
• It is originally from the Ghateswara Temple at Baroli, Rajasthan.
• Significance: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Ministry of Culture should use this restitution as a much-needed impetus to go after thousands of artefacts stolen since the 1960s.

About Gurjara-Pratiharas

• The Gurjara-Pratiharas, also known as the Pratihara Empire, ruled much of Northern India from the mid-7th to the 11th century.
• There were two dynasties of the empire. The line of Harichandra ruled in Mandor, Marwar (Jodhpur, Rajasthan), during the 6th to 9th centuries.
• The line of Nagabhata ruled first at Ujjain and later at Kannauj during the 8th to 11th centuries. Other Gurjara lines existed, but they did not take the surname Pratihara.
• Nagabhata I (730-756) was a great ruler based in Avanti (Ujjain). He ruled Gwalior and its fort on which the modern Tomara fort is built. He also ruled the regions in and around Morena.
• Nagabhatta II (800-833) rebuilt the great Somnath temple in Gujarat which had been destroyed by the Islamic invaders earlier.
• In the tenth century, the dynasty broke up into the Paramaras of Malwa, the Chandellas of Bundelkhand, the Kalachuris of Mahakoshal, the Solankis of Rajasthan and the Kachhapaghatas of Gwalior, who ruled Morena and the Chambal region.
• The Pratiharas were the most important dynasty of medieval northern India, and their disappearance marked a stage in the political decline that accompanied the Muslim conquest.

Art and Architecture under Gurjara-Pratihara rulers

• The Gurjara-Pratihara rulers were patrons of art and commissioned thousands of Hindu temples across the kingdom. 
• Notable sculptures include Viswaroopa form of Vishnu and Marriage of Siva and Parvati from Kannauj. The female figure named as Sursundari exhibited in Gwalior Museum is one of the most charming sculptures.

Architectural works

• The most important groups of architectural works generally credited to the early Pratiharas are at Osian in Gujarat. These consisted of five-bay mulaprasadas with porch and open hall but no vestibule or ambulatory and several have five-shrine complexes (Pancha-yatana).
• The Teli-ka-Mandir in Gwalior fort is the oldest surviving large-scale Pratihara work. This work is dedicated to Shakti cult.
• The Vishnu and Someshwara Temples at Kiradu may be taken as representative of the culmination of the Pratihara tradition.
• Other important temples include the Ghateshwara at Baroli, Ambika Matha at Jagat and among others.

Their Style

• Gurjara-Pratihara are known for their sculptures, carved panels and open pavilion style temples.
• The greatest development of their style of temple building was at Khajuraho, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Baroli temples complex are eight temples, built by the Gurjara-Pratiharas, is situated within a walled enclosure. All nine temples are under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India for conservation and protection.