Purchase near Puri and Oxford display are documented. No source shows they are original temple deities rather than purchased wooden models.
Why we say that›
Pitt Rivers Museum displays 1894 wooden models bought near Puri, not stolen temple idols.
The 1894 purchase near Puri and current display at Oxford's Pitt Rivers Museum are confirmed. The reel's demand that they return home treats the items as sacred temple deities taken unjustly, which the records do not support. They are documented as purchased replica models.
Reported 15 Aug 2026
Claims
2 true · 2 unchecked
- True
The idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are kept at the University of Oxford after being acquired in 1894 from near the Puri Jagannath Temple.
What's actually true
Museum records confirm three wooden models of the deities were purchased near Puri temple in 1894 and are held at Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford.
- True
The idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were acquired in 1894 from near the Puri Jagannath Temple.
What's actually true
Museum records confirm the three wooden models were purchased near Puri temple in 1894.
- Couldn't check
The idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are displayed at the University of Oxford in the UK.
What's actually true
The three wooden models are on display at Pitt Rivers Museum, part of the University of Oxford.
- Couldn't check
The display of the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra has renewed discussions about returning cultural and religious heritage to India.
What's actually true
We couldn't verify this claim with a reliable source. No source confirms the display renewed any discussions about returning the items.
The full story, from the sources›
Representations of the gods can be bought from the temple, which is where the figures on display at the Pitt Rivers were purchased in 1894. - prm.ox.ac.uk Three wooden models of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra (the deities worshipped in Puri, Odisha), collected by Crooke in 1872 and 1894... housed at the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford, England. - thefederal.com (2024-11-07) According to Times Now, the wooden statues were spotted at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. As per the museum website, the idols were purchased at a store near the Jagannath Puri temple in Odisha in 1894. “The figures on display are models of large temple deities, the playcard on the museum showcase reads. - Curly Tales (2026-01-25) Museum Records and reports indicate that these wooden idols were acquired by the museum in 1894 from a local business near the Jagannath Puri Temple. - IndulgExpress (2026-01-26)
From primary sources · reporting
How it's framed (4)›
Sources (4)›
Representations of the gods can be bought from the temple, which is where the figures on display at the Pitt Rivers were purchased in 1894.
According to Times Now, the wooden statues were spotted at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. As per the museum website, the idols were purchased at a store near the Jagannath Puri temple in Odisha in 1894. “The figures on display are models of large temple deities, the playcard on the museum showcase reads.
Three wooden models of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra (the deities worshipped in Puri, Odisha), collected by Crooke in 1872 and 1894... housed at the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford, England.
Museum Records and reports indicate that these wooden idols were acquired by the museum in 1894 from a local business near the Jagannath Puri Temple
Notes on this check (5)›
- Unavailable: audio transcript (transcription unavailable)
- No speech transcript - analysis rests on caption, on-screen text, and frames.
- Dropped 1 support citation(s) for "The idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are …" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
- Dropped 1 support citation(s) for "The idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were…" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
- Dropped 4 support citation(s) for "The idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are …" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
Checked against 3 sources · 15 Aug 2026
Help us improve
Was this analysis useful?
One tap helps us find what Blindspot should improve next.