Sacred Piprahwa Relics Of Lord Buddha Reunited After More Than a Century: PM Modi Set to Open Grand Expo In Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to kick off a landmark event tomorrow that shines a light on India's ancient ties to Buddhism. He'll be inaugurating the Grand International Exposition of Sacred

Piprahwa Relics, called "The Light & the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One," at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in Delhi around 11 a.m.The exposition is significant because it reunites relics from Piprahwa that were dug up way back in 1898 and have been scattered for over a century. Some were recently brought back to India through a mix of government push, teamwork between institutions, and even public-private deals.

Now, they're being displayed alongside original pieces from the National Museum in Delhi and the Indian Museum in Kolkata. The Piprahwa site is special, experts link it to ancient Kapilavastu, where Buddha grew up before he left everything behind to seek enlightenment. These relics are some of the oldest ones directly tied to him, making this expo a real window into early Buddhism.The relics include bone fragments, gold ornaments, and crystal reliquaries of Lord Buddha. In a tweet today, PM Modi called it a "very special day" for folks who care about history, culture, and Buddha's teachings. He highlighted how it brings together the repatriated relics with the museum ones, and in a follow-up, he talked about boosting Buddha's ideas among young people and strengthening cultural bonds. "This Exposition is in line with our commitment to further popularising the noble thoughts of Bhagwan Buddha," he wrote, giving a shoutout to everyone involved in getting the relics home. "The exhibition is organised thematically. At its centre is a reconstructed interpretive model inspired by the Sanchi stupa, which brings together authentic relics from national collections and the repatriated gems. Other sections include Piprahwa Revisited, Vignettes of the Life of Buddha, Intangible in the Tangible: The Aesthetic Language of Buddhist Teachings, Expansion of Buddhist Art and Ideals Beyond Borders, and Repatriation of Cultural Artefacts: The Continuing Endeavour," reads a statement from the Prime Minister's office. To make it easy for visitors to get it, there are videos, digital recreations, projections, and other multimedia bits that explain Lord Buddha's story, how the relics were found and moved around, and the art styles linked to them. This whole exposition underscores India's ancient roots. If you're into history or spirituality, it might be worth checking out, it's a rare chance to see these pieces together after so long.