New Delhi: The sacred Devnimori Relics of Lord Buddha are on the way back to India on Wednesay following a week-long public exposition at the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The Holy Relics, which were taken abroad for their first-ever international exposition, were escorted back by a high-level Indian delegation led by Mangubhai Patel, Governor of Madhya Pradesh, and Chowna Mein, Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. The delegation also included senior Buddhist monks and officials.
The ceremonial departure took place at Bandaranaike International Airport in the presence of Sri Lankan ministers and the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka. The relics had been displayed for public veneration during a seven-day exposition at Colombo’s Gangaramaya Temple, one of Sri Lanka’s most revered Buddhist sites.
According to an official release, a large number of devotees from across Sri Lanka visited the temple to pay homage to the relics. Over one million devotees participated in the public exposition during the week, marking the event as a significant spiritual and cultural occasion. Several senior Sri Lankan leaders paid their respects during the exposition, including the country’s Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, former Presidents and other dignitaries.
The exposition was inaugurated by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Sri Lankan leaders expressed gratitude to Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, and the people of India for facilitating what was described as a historic spiritual event. From the Indian side, the inauguration ceremony was attended by Acharya Devvrat, Governor of Gujarat, and Harsh Sanghavi, Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Complementing the relic exposition, two special exhibitions — titled “Unearthing the Sacred Piprahwa” and “Sacred Relic and Cultural Engagement of Contemporary India” — were organised. These exhibitions highlighted the shared Buddhist heritage and long-standing civilisational links between India and Sri Lanka.
The historic exposition, announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his State Visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, has strengthened the centuries old spiritual and civilisational ties between India and Sri Lanka, the official release stated, adding that it has also reinforced India’s role as a custodian of global Buddhist heritage and its continued commitment to deepening people to people and cultural linkages with Sri Lanka,
With the conclusion of the exposition and the return of the relics to India, the week-long event closed what officials described as a historic chapter in the shared Buddhist heritage of India and Sri Lanka.
