India seeks to halt auction of Buddhist relics by Sotheby's Hong Kong, sends legal notice

New Delhi: Days before going under the hammer at Sotheby's Hong Kong, India has stepped in to halt the auction of a portion of sacred Buddhist relics, which were excavated in the northern part of the country in 1898, and demanded their repatriation.

The Ministry of Culture said in a statement on Monday that it has issued a "legal notice to Sotheby's Hong Kong", seeking "immediate cessation of the auction" scheduled for May 7.

There was no immediate reaction from the auction house.

"These relics, excavated from the Piprahwa Stupa -- widely recognised as the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Lord Buddha -- hold immense historical and spiritual significance," the statement said.

The Piprahwa Relics, which include bone fragments, soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer, and offerings such as gold ornaments and gemstones, were excavated by William Claxton Peppe in 1898, it said.

An inscription in Brahmi script on one of the caskets confirms these as relics of the Buddha deposited by the Sakya clan, the ministry said.

The majority of these relics were transferred to the Indian Museum in Kolkata in 1899 and are classified as 'AA' antiquities under the Indian law, prohibiting their removal or sale, the statement said.

“While a portion of the bone relics was gifted to the King of Siam, a selection retained by Peppe’s descendants has now been listed for auction," it said.

In a post on X, the culture ministry also shared a copy of the legal notice.

"On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, this legal notice is hereby issued to Sotheby's Hong Kong and Chris Peppe, descendant of William Claxton Peppe, demanding the immediate cessation of the auction titled 'The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, Mauryan Empire, Ashokan Era, circa 240-200 BCE', scheduled for May 7, 2025,” the notice read.