Holy Relics of Lord Buddha to be taken from India to Mongolia for Mongolia’s Buddha Purnima

New Delhi, Jun 11: Four Holy Relics of Lord Buddha are being taken from India to Mongolia for an 11-day exposition as part of celebrations of Mongolian Buddha Purnima falling on Jun 14. A 25-member delegation, led by Minister of Law and Justice, Kiren Rijiju will accompany the sacred relics to Mongolia on Jun 12.

 

 

 

 

In a special gesture towards people of Mongolia, Four Holy Relics of Lord Buddha are being taken from India to Mongolia for an 11-day exposition as part of celebrations of Mongolian Buddha Purnima falling on Jun 14. The Holy Relics will be displayed at the Batsagaan Temple within the premises of Gandan Monastery. The Holy Buddha Relics, currently housed in the National Museum, are known as the ‘Kapilvastu Relics’ since they are from a site in Bihar first discovered in 1898 which is believed to be the ancient city of Kapilvastu.

 

 

 

 

 

According to Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, it is another historic milestone in India-Mongolia relations and will further boost cultural and spiritual relations between the two countries. Recalling the visit of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to Mongolia in 2015, the Union Minister said that Narendra Modi was the first-ever Prime Minister of India to visit Mongolia, and taking the relics to Mongolia is an extension of the vision of our Prime Minister to revive our relations with the countries with whom we have had cultural and spiritual ties since centuries ago.

 

 

Kiren Rijiju explained that Mongolia and India look upon each other as spiritual and cultural neighbors and due to this commonality, Mongolia can also be said to be our ‘Third Neighbour’ even though we don’t enjoy any common physical boundaries. India shares a long history of cultural and historical ties with Mongolia and to take this partnership forward, on the request of Mongolian govt, Union Culture Minister, G. Kishan Reddy made a special exception and permitted the exposition of Holy Relics of Lord Buddha for 11 days at Batsagaan Temple inside Gandan Monastery, Mongolia.