The North News
New Delhi, January 3
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated an international exhibition of sacred relics linked to Lord Buddha, marking their return to India after more than a century. The knowledge of Lord Buddha and the path shown by him belong to all humanity”, said the Prime Minister, highlighting that this sentiment has been repeatedly experienced in the past few months. He noted that wherever the sacred relics of Lord Buddha travelled in recent months, waves of faith and devotion arose. “From today, the people of India will be able to witness these sacred relics and receive the blessings of Lord Buddha,” he said, adding that the event at the start of 2026 carried a message of peace, prosperity and harmony for the world.
The exhibition, titled The Light & the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One, has been set up at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi. Addressing the gathering, Modi said the return of the Piprahwa relics after 125 years represented the homecoming of India’s heritage and civilisation.
The Prime Minister noted that the exhibition site, part of the historic Qila Rai Pithora complex, symbolised India’s layered past, where a new spiritual chapter was now being added. He said the removal of the relics during the colonial period illustrated how foreign rule damaged not only political and economic structures but also cultural heritage. Modi said that while the relics had been treated abroad as antiques and even put up for auction, India regarded them as sacred and inseparable from its civilisation. He thanked the Godrej Group for its role in facilitating their return.
Highlighting the global reverence for Buddha’s teachings, the Prime Minister cited large public turnouts during recent exhibitions of the relics in countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia and Russia, saying they demonstrated Buddha’s universal appeal beyond borders and governments. Reflecting on his personal connection with Buddhism, Modi recalled visits to major Buddhist sites across Asia, including Lumbini in Nepal, Sarnath in India, Japan, China, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Singapore. He said these journeys had reinforced the timeless relevance of Buddha’s message.
The Prime Minister said India remained committed to preserving Buddhist heritage at home and abroad, pointing to restoration work supported by India in Nepal and Myanmar, as well as ongoing efforts to identify and conserve Buddhist sites within the country.
He added that recent discoveries, including a Buddhist-era site in Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, underlined India’s continuing role as both custodian and living carrier of the Buddha tradition.
