Lord Buddha’s sacred relics at Delhi museum to be displayed in Arunachal starting today

Sacred relics of Lord Buddha, preserved at the National Museum in Delhi, will be on public display at three Buddhist centres in Arunachal Pradesh for a month, starting today. The display, scheduled to be put up till November 21, will offer devotees an opportunity to pay homage to the revered remains.

(Pixabay/Representative)The display, scheduled to be put up till November 21, will offer devotees an opportunity to pay homage to the revered remains. Union culture and tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will attend the inaugural ceremony at the historic Gaden Namgyal Lhatse (Tawang Monastery).

The exposition, organised by the Union ministry of culture in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh government, the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) and the National Museum, will subsequently travel to Bomdila and Namsai.

The relics will be displayed at Tawang Monastery from November 1 to 7, TGL Monastery (Lower Gompa) in Bomdila from November 8 to 13, and the Golden Pagoda in Namsai from November 14 to 20. The sacred remains, known as the Piprahwa relics, originate from an archaeological site in Uttar Pradesh associated with ancient Kapilavastu and the Shakya tradition of Buddha.

Their transportation to Arunachal Pradesh will involve special Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters, with arrangements being coordinated by the culture ministry, defence ministry and the state government. The exposition coincides with Lhabab Düchen, an important festival in Tibetan Buddhism commemorating Buddha’s descent from the heavenly realm.

Chief minister Pema Khandu is scheduled to attend a special inaugural programme at Tawang on November 1. Alongside the exposition, the IBC will organise an exhibition titled ‘Unearthing the Sacred Piprahwa: The Story of the Holy Buddha Relics and Their Discovery’.

It will trace the archaeological discoveries at Piprahwa, beginning with British engineer William Claxton Peppé’s excavation in 1898 and subsequent investigations by the Archaeological Survey of India between 1971 and 1977.

The exhibition will also highlight the return to India in 2025 of the Piprahwa jewel collection, which had remained abroad for nearly 127 years. An international conference on “Buddhism: Dissemination in the Himalayan Region and Beyond” will be held at Tawang’s Kalawangpo Convention Hall on November 2.

It is expected to bring together Buddhist monks, scholars and delegates from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Germany. The conference will deliberate on the historical spread of Buddhism, the continuity of its philosophical and monastic traditions, and the contemporary relevance of Buddhist ethics, including sustainable livelihoods and peaceful coexistence.

The exposition will bring together communities following different Buddhist traditions. While Tawang and Bomdila are important centres of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, Namsai has a strong Theravada tradition, particularly among the Tai Khamti community.

Officials said the initiative aims to promote India’s Buddhist heritage, strengthen cultural links with Himalayan Buddhist communities and spread Buddha’s message of compassion, non-violence and harmony. The relics are scheduled to return to the National Museum in New Delhi on November 21.

Sanjeev K Jha is a senior journalist with nearly three decades of experience covering a wide range of beats, including bureaucracy, politics, and security issues such as ISI-linked activities in border regions. His reporting also extends to culture, with work on music and Bollywood.

Currently part of the Political Bureau at Hindustan Times, he focuses on smaller allies within both the NDA and the INDIA bloc. His work offers insight into coalition politics and the evolving dynamics of India’s political landscape, backed by years of on-ground reporting and a deep understanding of governance and power structures.Read More