With Eye on China, Shah Inaugurates Relics Exposition in Leh

Leh: In a bid to counter China’s claim of being the land of Buddhism, India on Friday opened an exposition of sacred Piprahwa Relics of Gautam Buddha at Leh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the exposition of sacred holy relics of Tathagata Buddha and the 2569th Buddha Purnima celebrations at Jive-Tsal by offering prayers. Speaking at the event, Mr Shah underlined that Buddhism originated in India and then spread to China and several other countries. Mr Shah also mentioned Tibet and the Dalai Lama in his speech while stressing on the deep connection between the Buddhism of Ladakh and Tibet and how they are interlinked.It is rare for the Home Minister to do such messaging. However, given the Chinese claim over the origin of Buddhism, including that Buddha was of Chinese origin, followed by Beijing’s expansionism with claims over parts of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, apart from asserting the right to decide who the next Dalai Lama would be, Tibet has found a renewed focus in India’s foreign policy dynamics in recent times. Mr Shah’s visit to Ladakh, and the unveiling of the relics is an apparent strategic move to counter China’s propaganda of portraying Tibet as its territory historically as Mr Shah in his speech mentioned the deep connect between Indian and Tibetan Buddhist culture and institutions.Incidentally, Leh is the summer home of the Dalai Lama, a Tibetan, and Friday’s event took place at Jive-Tsal, the same venue where he stays and preaches. Mr Shah described the return of sacred relics of Lord Buddha to Ladakh after 75 years as a “historic reunion” saying it feels as if “Lord Buddha has himself come here.” “Ladakh has been a living land of dharma for centuries. When the Dalai Lama comes here, he says this land is not merely a geographical land but a living laboratory of Buddhist culture and compassion,” the HM said. Calling Ladakh a land of compassion, he said this land has preserved and nurtured knowledge. “Whenever Buddhism faced crises, this land worked to protect the teachings of Buddha. And when peace returned, it helped to expand and carry forward that preserved wisdom,” he added.Mr Shah further said that it was through Ladakh and adjoining routes that the teachings of Tathagata Buddha, which originated in India, spread to China and several other countries. “The message that emerged from the land of Ladakh has become a guiding force for many people around the world to take their lives forward. The presence of these sacred relics in Ladakh reminds us that India’s civilisation has, for thousands of years, given the message of peace and coexistence,” he said.Highlighting Ladakh’s role in the spread of Buddhism, Mr Shah said that for centuries, Buddhism reached Ladakh in different ways and at different times, flourished here, and later spread beyond Ladakh. He said that Ladakh was an ancient centre of Kashmir’s Buddhist studies, Mahayana philosophy, and Buddhist art, and from there Ladakh first received contact, association, and spiritual engagement with Buddhism. The envoys of Emperor Ashoka laid the foundation of Buddhist influence in Ladakh. He further said that during the Kushan period, approximately between the 1st and 3rd centuries, the rise and development of Mahayana Buddhism reached Ladakh. Many ancient stupas, Buddhist idols, Kharosthi-Brahmi inscriptions are evidence that Buddhism progressed here during that period as well.“The Silk Route linking Kashmir, Leh, Yarkand, Khotan and Tibet became a channel not only for trade but also for ideas, monks, manuscripts and artistic traditions,” Mr Shah said. He added that later, Tibetan influence between the seventh and tenth centuries further enriched Ladakh through Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions enriching the message of Tathagata here. “After this, a decisive contribution came in the 10th and 11th centuries when Sanskrit texts were translated into Tibetan, 108 monasteries were established in the Ladakh region, including the Alchi Monastery in Leh, and Buddhism was given an institutional and permanent form,” he said.The Home Minister further said that Ladakh’s spiritual identity has been shaped by four major traditions Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug, also the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Stressing the relevance of Buddha’s teachings in modern times, Shah said the message of peace, compassion and the middle path was even more important today than it was 2,500 years ago.Later, Mr Shah also laid the foundation stone of a 10,000 litres per day dairy plant in Kargil and launched a series of dairy development initiatives for Ladakh. The initiatives include mobile milk testing laboratories, modern milk cooling systems and strengthening of dairy infrastructure aimed at boosting self-reliance in the Union Territory. The plant will run on a 350-kilowatt solar energy-based system, ensuring clean and sustainable operations in the high-altitude region.Meanwhile, Mr Shah said Ladakh was a model of rapid transformation since the 2019 bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and listed sweeping political, social and economic changes in the Union Territory. He said that UT has now seven districts and 193 panchayats and local languages had also been given administrative recognition. He also highlighted infrastructure growth and development in various sectors.



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