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Sacred Buddha relics arrive in Arunachal’s Namsai for exposition
Sacred Buddha relics arrive in Arunachal’s Namsai for exposition
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Itanagar, The sacred Piprahwa relics of the Buddha arrived at Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday after a six-day exposition at Bomdila in West Kameng district, marking the final leg of the three-district spiritual journey in the state.
These sacred relics, associated with the ancient Shakya clan and the life of Lord Buddha, hold immense spiritual and historical significance for Buddhist communities across the world, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said.
The relics were received at the Golden Pagoda in Namsai, providing Buddhists and visitors with an opportunity to pay homage to the revered remains of Lord Buddha, Mein said.
In a social media post, Mein described the arrival as a significant occasion for the state's Buddhist communities, highlighting the immense spiritual and historical importance of the relics associated with the ancient Shakya clan and the life of Lord Buddha.
"On the auspicious occasion of Abhidhamma Divas , Namsai receives the sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Shakyamuni Buddha today," he said in a post on X.
Abhidhamma Divas is an important occasion in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition commemorating the Buddha's descent from the heavenly realm.
He added that the exposition would offer devotees an opportunity for prayer, reflection and spiritual connection while strengthening Arunachal Pradesh's rich Buddhist heritage and shared traditions.
"May this sacred exposition offer devotees an opportunity for prayer, reflection and spiritual connection, while strengthening Arunachal Pradesh's rich Buddhist heritage and shared traditions," Mein said.
The relics, preserved at the National Museum in New Delhi, arrived in Arunachal Pradesh on October 31 and were ceremonially received at the historic Tawang Monastery in Tawang by Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
The seven-day exposition at Tawang Monastery witnessed an overwhelming response, with around 31,000 devotees and visitors paying homage to the sacred relics.
The relics were subsequently taken to Bomdila in West Kameng district, where they were enshrined at TGL Monastery from November 8 to 13.
The six-day exposition provided devotees in the region with an opportunity to offer prayers and pay their respects to the sacred remains.
From Bomdila, the relics were transported to Namsai on Saturday for the final leg of the exposition, which will continue at the Golden Pagoda until November 20. They are scheduled to return to the National Museum in New Delhi on November 21.
The exposition is being organised by the Union Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh government, the International Buddhist Confederation and the National Museum, New Delhi.
Special exhibitions on the discovery and historical significance of the Piprahwa relics are also being organised alongside the exposition, officials said.
The Piprahwa relics have considerable archaeological and historical significance. They were discovered in an ancient Buddhist stupa at Piprahwa in present-day Siddharthnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, a site associated with ancient Kapilavastu and the Shakya clan to which Lord Buddha belonged.
The relics came to international attention in 1898 when British engineer and estate manager William Claxton Peppe excavated an ancient stupa at Piprahwa and discovered stone and crystal reliquaries containing bone fragments and precious objects.
An inscription on one of the reliquaries refers to the relics of the Buddha and their enshrinement by members of the Shakya clan, officials added.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
