GUWAHATI: The exposition will cover three important centres of Buddhist faith and heritage—Tawang, Bomdila and Namsai, providing devotees and members of the public an opportunity to pay homage to the Sacred Relics.
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The exposition is being organised in recognition of the deep spiritual significance of the Holy Relics and Arunachal Pradesh's distinctive place in India's Buddhist cultural landscape.
The Holy Relics departed from Palam in the early hours aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft and reached Air Force Station Borjhar in Guwahati before being transported by helicopter to Tawang.
Upon arrival in Tawang, the Holy Relics were received with due religious ceremony and reverence. They were thereafter taken to Tawang Monastery for installation and the inaugural ceremony.
The Holy Relics being taken to Arunachal Pradesh originate from Piprahwa in present-day Siddharthnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, an archaeological site associated with ancient Kapilavastu and the Shakya tradition of Lord Buddha.
In 1898, William Claxton Peppé excavated a stupa at the site and discovered reliquaries containing bone fragments and precious objects, bringing international attention to the historical and religious significance of the discovery.
Subsequently, the Archaeological Survey of India conducted further excavations between 1971 and 1977.
Excavations at deeper levels revealed two additional reliquary caskets containing ancient bone relics traditionally associated with Lord Buddha.
The larger casket contained 12 sacred bone fragments, while the smaller casket contained 10, making a total of 22 sacred relics recovered during these excavations. Of these, 20 are preserved at the National Museum in New Delhi and two at the Indian Museum in Kolkata.
