New Delhi, Jan 04: 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.
“For India, the sacred relics of Bhagwan Buddha are not merely artefacts; they are a part of our revered heritage and an inseparable part of our civilisation,” the prime minister said at the event here in the presence of Buddhist scholars, diplomats and other guests.
“India is not only the custodian of Lord Buddha’s sacred relics but also the living carrier of his tradition,” he said.
Striking a personal note, Modi said his birthplace — Vadnagar in Gujarat — was a major centre of Buddhist studies and Sarnath near Varanasi, where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon, was his karmabhoomi. The prime minister represents the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat in Parliament.
Modi said before being in government, he travelled as a pilgrim to Buddhist sites, and as Prime Minister, he has had the privilege of visiting Buddhist pilgrimage centres across the world.
He recalled his visits to Lumbini in Nepal, To-ji Temple and Kinkaku-ji in Japan, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an, China, and the Gandan Monastery in Mongolia.
The prime minister said his visit to Jaya Sri Mahabodhi in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, was an experience of connecting with the tradition sown by Emperor Ashoka, Bhikkhu Mahinda, and Sanghamitra.
He said that his visits to Wat Pho in Thailand and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Singapore further deepened his understanding of the impact of Lord Buddha’s teachings.
The prime minister said he made a point to carry saplings of the Bodhi tree to places of Buddhist pilgrim centres across the world.
“One can imagine the profound message for humanity when a Bodhi tree stands in the botanical garden of Hiroshima, a city devastated by the atomic bomb,” he said.
The prime minister said that his government was making efforts to ensure that Buddhist heritage reaches the next generations in a natural way and added that the Global Buddhist Summit and international events like Vesak and Ashadha Purnima were driven by this very thought.
The prime minister said that his government had granted classical language status to Pali to make the language in which the Buddha delivered his sermons more accessible to the people.
“This will make it easier to understand and explain the Dhamma in its original essence and also strengthen research connected to the Buddhist tradition,” he said.
The Piprahwa Relics hold a central place in the archaeological study of early Buddhism.
The relics are among the earliest and most historically significant deposits directly connected to Bhagwan Buddha, according to an official statement.
Archaeological evidence associates the Piprahwa site with ancient Kapilavastu, widely identified as the place where Bhagwan Buddha spent his early life before renunciation.
The Prime Minister remarked that India has consistently endeavoured to contribute to the development of Buddhist heritage sites across the world. He highlighted that when the devastating earthquake in Nepal damaged an ancient stupa, India extended support for its reconstruction. He noted that after the earthquake in Bagan, Myanmar, India undertook the preservation of more than eleven pagodas. Modi emphasized that there are many such examples. He stated that within India too, the search and preservation of sites and relics connected to the Buddhist tradition is continuously progressing. He recalled that his birthplace Vadnagar in Gujarat was a major centre of Buddhist tradition, and during his tenure as Chief Minister thousands of relics linked to Buddhism were discovered there. He underlined that today the government is focusing on their preservation and connecting the present generation with them. He mentioned that a magnificent experiential museum has been built there, offering an experience of nearly 2500 years of history. The Prime Minister noted that only a few months ago, a major Buddhist site of the Buddhist era was discovered in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, and its preservation work is now being accelerated.
Stressing that in the past ten to eleven years, India has also sought to link Buddhist sites with modernity, Modi pointed out that in Bodh Gaya, a convention centre and meditation and experience centre have been established. In Sarnath, a light and sound show at the Dhamek Stupa and a Buddha theme park have been created. He remarked that modern facilities have been developed in Shravasti, Kapilvastu, and Kushinagar. He added that in Nalgonda, Telangana, a Digital Experience Centre has been set up. He highlighted that new facilities for pilgrims have been developed in Sanchi, Nagarjun Sagar, and Amaravati. The Prime Minister stated that today a Buddhist Circuit is being created in the country to ensure better connectivity among all Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India, thereby offering devotees and pilgrims from across the world a profound experience of faith and spirituality.
“India’s effort is to ensure that the Buddhist heritage reaches future generations in a natural way”, emphasised Modi. He highlighted that the Global Buddhist Summit and international events like Vaishakh and Ashadha Purnima are driven by this very thought. He noted that Lord Buddha’s Abhidhamma, his words, and his teachings were originally in the Pali language, and emphasized that India is striving to make Pali accessible to the common people. He underlined that for this reason Pali has been accorded the status of a classical language, which will make it easier to understand and explain the Dhamma in its original essence and will also strengthen research connected to the Buddhist tradition.
The Prime Minister emphasised that Lord Buddha’s philosophy of life transcended boundaries and geographical regions, showing the world a new path. He recited a few lines of teachings of Lord Buddha. Emphasising that Lord Buddha’s timeless message of “Atta Deepo Bhava” embodies self-respect and self-reliance, Modi highlighted India’s philosophy of unity over conflict, adopting global welfare through ideas and compassion. He stated that in the 21st century, India contributes by promoting dialogue and peace where disputes exist, while showing strength against humanity’s enemies. Committed to ‘Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya’, he expressed hope that visitors to the exhibition will connect with this enduring inspiration.
Modi further remarked that these sacred relics of Lord Buddha are India’s heritage, and after a century-long wait, they have returned to the country. He urged people across the nation to come and witness these sacred relics, to connect with the thoughts of Lord Buddha, and to visit at least once. He appealed to school students, college students, young companions, and sons and daughters to definitely see this exhibition. The Prime Minister emphasized that this exhibition is a great medium to connect the glory of our past with the dreams of our future. He concluded by urging people across the country to participate in this exhibition and, with this appeal, he extended his best wishes to all for the success of this event.
Union Ministers, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekawat, Shri Kiren Rijiju, Shri Ramdas Athawale, Shri Rao Inderjit Singh, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Shri Vinay Saxena were present among other dignitaries at the event.
The Exposition brings together, for the first time, the Piprahwa relics repatriated after more than a century with authentic relics and archaeological materials from Piprahwa that are preserved in the collections of the National Museum, New Delhi, and the Indian Museum, Kolkata.
Discovered in 1898, the Piprahwa relics hold a central place in the archaeological study of early Buddhism. These are among the earliest and most historically significant relic deposits directly connected to Bhagwan Buddha. Archaeological evidence associates the Piprahwa site with ancient Kapilavastu, widely identified as the place where Bhagwan Buddha spent his early life prior to renunciation.
The exposition highlights India’s deep and continuing civilizational link with the teachings of Bhagwan Buddha and reflects the Prime Minister’s commitment to preserve India’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage. The recent repatriation of these relics has been achieved through sustained government effort, institutional cooperation and innovative public-private partnership.
The exhibition is organised thematically. At its centre is a reconstructed interpretive model inspired by the Sanchi stupa, which brings together authentic relics from national collections and the repatriated gems. Other sections include Piprahwa Revisited, Vignettes of the Life of Buddha, Intangible in the Tangible: The Aesthetic Language of Buddhist Teachings, Expansion of Buddhist Art and Ideals Beyond Borders, and Repatriation of Cultural Artefacts: The Continuing Endeavour.
To enhance public understanding, the exposition is supported by a comprehensive audio-visual component, including immersive films, digital reconstructions, interpretive projections, and multimedia presentations. These elements provide accessible insights into the life of Bhagwan Buddha, the discovery of the Piprahwa relics, their movement across regions, and the artistic traditions associated with them.
