Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday described the return of the sacred relics of Lord Buddha to India as a moment of immense national pride, noting that the priceless heritage had come back home after more than a century.
Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a major exhibition showcasing the relics, the Prime Minister said that Indians would now have the opportunity to pay their respects and seek blessings from the relics. “The heritage of India has returned to the country after a wait of 125 years... Now Indian citizens will be able to have darshan of these pure relics of Lord Buddha and take His blessings,” he said.
PM Modi reflected on the historical loss of cultural treasures during colonial times and linked the return of the relics to a broader effort to reclaim India’s heritage. “We are grateful to have the relics of Lord Buddha among us... Slavery destroys our heritage - and the same happened with the relics of Lord Buddha, they were snatched from India... Those who took them away were trying to auction them in the international market because... But for India, these relics are a part of our Lord and our society. This is why we decided to stop their auction,” he added.
The Prime Minister emphasised that India’s relationship with Buddhism goes beyond preservation alone. “India is not just the protector of the heritage of Lord Buddha, but the carrier of His traditions,” he said, underlining the country’s role in safeguarding and passing on Buddhist teachings. He recalled his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, saying, “When I was the CM of Gujarat, thousands of relics related to Lord Buddha were discovered there, and today our government is protecting them as well as imparting the related knowledge to the present generation.”
Glimpses from the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics at Rai Pithora Cultural Complex, Delhi.PM @narendramodi will inaugurate 'The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One' a grand exposition honouring India’s ancient spiritual heritage and the… pic.twitter.com/e8WjTXiTOd — SansadTV (@sansad_tv) January 2, 2026
Highlighting ongoing initiatives, PM Modi said efforts were underway to improve infrastructure at important Buddhist sites. “Buddhist sites are being modernised today and new facilities are being built for the pilgrims,” he said, adding that the government was also promoting the study of ancient languages associated with Buddhism. “We are trying to impart the Pali language, related to Lord Buddha, to the masses, and hence, it has been given the status of classical language,” he noted.
The Prime Minister also spoke personally about the influence of Buddha’s teachings on his own life. “Lord Buddha had a deep impact on my life. I was born in a city which was a major centre of Buddhist teachings... Sarnath, my Karmabhoomi, is the place where Lord Buddha gave his first teachings,” he said. He further recalled carrying symbolic elements of Buddhism abroad, stating, “I tried to spread the heritage of Lord Buddha wherever I went and therefore took the Bodhi plant when I went to China, Japan, Mongolia.”
Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics, titled “The Light & the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One,” at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi. The exhibition marks a historic reunification of the Piprahwa gem relics of Lord Buddha, repatriated after 127 years. It also features relics, gem relics and reliquaries discovered during excavations carried out in 1898 and later between 1971 and 1975.
The Prime Minister shared photographs from the exhibition on social media and encouraged people to visit. The event has drawn interest from historians, cultural scholars and Buddhist devotees from India and overseas, highlighting the country’s renewed focus on preserving and celebrating its ancient spiritual legacy.
(With agency inputs)
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