NEW DELHI: Highlighting the repatriation of sacred Piprahwa remains of Lord Buddha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday noted that slavery goes beyond political and economic control to the erosion of cultural heritage. The departure of relics from India and their eventual return are both significant lessons, he added.
“The lesson is that slavery is not only political and economic, but it also destroys our heritage. The same happened with the sacred relics of Lord Buddha. During the period of slavery, they were taken away and remained outside the country for nearly 125 years. For those who took them away, and for their descendants, these relics were merely lifeless antique pieces and attempted to auction them. But for India, these relics are a part of our revered deity, an inseparable part of our civilization. Therefore, India decided to prevent their auction,” the PM said.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the international exposition of the Piprahwa Relics, which were discovered in 1898, at the 11th century fort complex; Qila Rai Pithora, constructed in the reign of Rajput Tomar ruler Anangpal Tomar in Mehrauli, Delhi.
The exposition, titled ‘The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One’, brings together, for the first time, the Piprahwa relics repatriated recently with authentic relics and archaeological materials from Piprahwa preserved in the collections of the National Museum (New Delhi) and the Indian Museum in Kolkata.
Present on the occasion were Buddhist scholars, diplomats, ministers and senior government functionaries. Modi also thanked the Godrej Group for ensuring that the relics of Buddha return to the country.
The Piprahwa relics hold a central place in the archaeological study of early Buddhism and are among the earliest and most historically significant relic deposits directly connected to Bhagwan Buddha.
Modi said that the shared heritage of Lord Buddha is proof that India is not connected merely through politics, diplomacy, and economy, but through deeper bonds.
“We are connected through mind and emotions, through faith and spirituality. India is not only the custodian of Lord Buddha’s sacred relics but also the living carrier of his tradition. Relics of Lord Buddha found in Piprahwa, Vaishali, Devni Mori, and Nagarjunakonda are living presences of Buddha’s message,” he said.
The PM further cited instances where India had helped other countries in restoration and conservation of Buddha sites of historical importance.