Sacred Piprahwa relics of Buddha brought back to India after 127 years: PM Modi

New Delhi: The sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha have been brought back to India after 127 long years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, noting that they were discovered in 1898 but taken away from the country during the colonial rule.

It is a joyous day for our cultural heritage, Modi said in a post on X.

"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," he said.

When these holy relics appeared in an international auction earlier this year, Modi said, his government worked to ensure that they returned home. "I appreciate all those who have been involved in this effort," he added.

These relics were unearthed in 1898 during the excavation of an ancient Buddhist stupa in Uttar Pradesh's Piprahwa, near the India-Nepal border, according to a website (piprahwa.com) containing research, information and news on "The Piprahwa project".

The relics include bone fragments believed to be of Gautam Buddha, along with soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer, and gold ornaments and gemstones.

"The bone relics were given to the King of Siam (Thailand) to distribute among the world's Buddhists," the website says.

The large stone coffer that held the relics is on display at the Indian Museum in Kolkata, it adds.