Lord Buddha Relics: Tuesday marks the return of revered Buddha relics to India, along with those of his two main followers, Arahant Sariputta and Maha Moggallana. The exhibit, which lasted for a month in Thailand and drew more than 4 million visitors, is being held there.
Departure from New Delhi
The artefacts on show in Thailand as a component of the ‘Shared Heritage, Shared Values’ exhibition set sail from New Delhi on February 22 and travelled through Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, and Krabi. The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) said in a statement that it was a cooperative initiative between the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and IBC with the goal of fostering a sense of shared spirituality and cultural connection.
Inauguration by Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn
At Bangkok’s major exhibition park, the prayers were inaugurated with great grandeur by Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn and his consort. The celebration of the king’s 72nd birthday, which fell on July 28, was also commemorated during the fair.
An official delegation from India, led by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar and Governor of Bihar Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, escorted the relics. There were four locations, each with Indian monks. In addition, scholars from several Indian colleges gave talks on Buddhism and the significance of the relics.
