Jammu, Oct 17: Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha on Friday announced his arrival in Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, as part of his official visit to bring back the sacred relics of Lord Buddha following a week-long international exposition. The visit marks a significant moment in India’s cultural diplomacy and spiritual heritage exchange.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Office of the J&K Lieutenant Governor stated, “Landed in Elista, Kalmykia, Russia. Looking forward to paying my obeisance to the holy relics of Lord Buddha and interaction with Batu Sergeyevich Khasikov, Head of Republic of Kalmykia, Head of the Buddhists of Kalmykia, Shajin Lama of Kalmykia, venerable monks and local devotees.”
Earlier, Sinha departed for Russia, leading an Indian delegation tasked with bringing back the sacred relics currently on display at an international exhibition in Kalmykia. The week-long exposition, which concludes on October 18, is being held in Elista, the capital of Europe’s only Buddhist-majority region.
The Kalmyks, descendants of the Oirat Mongols who migrated from western Mongolia in the early 17th century, follow Mahayana Buddhism. The sacred relics have been showcased at the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery, also known as the Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha—a major Tibetan Buddhist centre inaugurated in 1996.
Sinha expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for facilitating the sacred mission. In another post on X, he said, “Leaving for Kalmykia, Russia, where I will lead the delegation to bring back holy relics of Lord Buddha after a week-long exposition. I sincerely thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this sacred opportunity.”
The exhibition was jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). The relics form part of the Piprahwa collection housed at the National Museum in New Delhi. Piprahwa, located near Birdpur in Uttar Pradesh’s Basti district, is identified with the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the capital of the Shakya clan to which Lord Buddha belonged.
The relics were transported to Russia with full religious sanctity aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft, accompanied by a delegation of senior Buddhist monks, officials, and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. The week-long cultural programme in Kalmykia also featured a special exhibition tracing the historical journey of the Buddha’s relics.
The Elista exposition follows a series of international displays of the Buddha’s relics in recent years. In 2022, the Piprahwa relics were taken to Mongolia; in 2024, relics from Sanchi were exhibited in Thailand; and earlier this year, relics from Sarnath were displayed in Vietnam.
In July, Prime Minister Modi had welcomed the repatriation of the sacred Jewel Relics associated with the Piprahwa stupa, calling it a proud moment for India and a reaffirmation of the nation’s deep-rooted connection with Lord Buddha and his teachings.
The relics, believed to include bone fragments of Lord Buddha, were earlier scheduled to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on May 7, 2025. However, a timely and coordinated intervention by the Government of India ensured their successful retrieval and preservation of India’s priceless spiritual heritage.
