Sacred relics of Buddha part of India’s heritage: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated an exposition of sacred ancient gems and bone fragments linked to the Buddha, asserting that they were not mere artefacts but part of India’s revered heritage.

The Prime Minister said the sacred Piprahwa Relics travelled to different countries with significant Buddhist populations, including Vietnam, Thailand and Russia, where waves of faith and devotion arose, and people turned up in huge numbers to pay homage.

“This shared heritage of Lord Buddha is proof that India is not connected merely through politics, diplomacy, and economy, but through deeper bonds of emotions, faith and spirituality,” he said.

Modi was speaking at a function to inaugurate the exhibition “The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One” at Qila Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in south Delhi. He recalled that the sacred relics were returning to India after more than 125 years at the intervention of the government and the Godrej Group, which together stopped them from being auctioned off in Hong Kong last May.

The exposition showcases Buddha-linked Piprahwa relics, reliquaries and gem relics, recently repatriated to India.