- The Buddha's relics from Piprahwa were returned to India after 127 years
- The relics appeared in a Sotheby's auction listing in Hong Kong recently
- India's government coordinated a diplomatic effort to secure the relics' return
The sacred relics of the Buddha, originally excavated from Piprahwa in present-day Uttar Pradesh in 1898, were returned to India today after 127 years. The relics were handed over to the Government of India following coordinated diplomatic and cultural efforts to stop their auction in Hong Kong.
The relics recently surfaced in a Sotheby's auction listing in Hong Kong, which included gold, garnet, and crystal ornaments linked to the 1898 excavation. The Government of India launched a diplomatic initiative involving the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of External Affairs, and Indian missions in Hong Kong and London to secure their return.
The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture, supported the effort by engaging with global Buddhist networks and building moral pressure against the sale.
"The return of the Piprahwa relics is not just a matter of archaeology or heritage, it is the return of a living faith's most sacred memory. Under the leadership of Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi, India has shown how diplomacy can be rooted in dharma," said Abhijit Halder, Director General of IBC.
The relics were originally discovered by British engineer William Claxton Peppe at the Piprahwa stupa near the Indo-Nepal border. The find included reliquaries, crystal caskets, ornaments, and charred human remains. An inscription on the relic casket identifies them as belonging to the Sakya clan, relatives of the Buddha.
A formal reception was held in New Delhi on July 30. It was attended by Buddhist monks, diplomats, and cultural officials. The relics are currently housed at the National Museum for public viewing and academic exhibitions. They are expected to be permanently enshrined at a significant Buddhist site, such as Sarnath, Kushinagar, or the Lumbini-Kapilavastu Corridor.
Professor Arvind Kumar Singh of Lumbini Buddhist University, formerly of Gautam Buddha University, wrote, "This momentous repatriation marks a watershed in India's efforts to reclaim and preserve its spiritual and cultural heritage."
"This is not just a return of sacred relics, but it is the return of India's soul," he added.
