NEW DELHI: The sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha have returned to India after 127 years. The holy remains were discovered from Piprahwa village in Uttar Pradesh in 1898. The repatriation of the rare remnants was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.He said that it was a “joyous day for our cultural heritage”.“It would make every Indian proud that the sacred Piprahwa relics of Bhagwan Buddha have come home after 127 long years. These sacred relics highlight India’s close association with Bhagwan Buddha and his noble teachings. It also illustrates our commitment to preserving and protecting different aspects of our glorious culture. #VikasBhiVirasatBhi,” he posted on ‘X’.The relics were allegedly placed in an auction scheduled in Hong Kong in May. However, the Ministry of Culture took strong diplomatic and legal measures to stop the sale. It also issued a legal notice to Sotheby’s—a leading multinational auction house—demanding the immediate withdrawal of the auction.“It may be recalled that the Piprahwa relics were discovered in 1898 but were taken away from India during the colonial period. When they appeared in an international auction earlier this year, we worked to ensure they returned home. I appreciate all those who have been involved in this effort,” Modi also said.The Piprahwa relics, discovered by British civil engineer William Claxton Peppé in Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh, are believed to be associated with the mortal remains of Lord Buddha. Enshrined by his followers around the 3rd century BCE, these relics have long held immense spiritual value for the global Buddhist community and represent one of the most important archaeological discoveries in India’s history.The majority of these relics were transferred to the Indian Museum in Kolkata in 1899. However, a portion of the relics retained by the Peppé family was taken out of the country and was listed for auction.
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