Delhi to host an exhibition of Buddha’s bone fragments and jewel relics at Qila Rai Pithora

The exhibition featuring the sacred bone fragments (Piprahwa relics) and relic jewels of Lord Buddha will take place at Qila Rai Pithora in Delhi. The exhibition will showcase the revered bone fragments, caskets, gold ornaments and gemstones of Lord Buddha. This collection includes a portion of the relics discovered in 1898 and the relic jewels repatriated to India from abroad, being displayed together in India for the first time in over a century. It's a landmark event being organised by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, highlighting the nation's heritage and cultural diplomacy.

The exhibition is expected to be inaugurated soon (one report suggested likely by the end of this month) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the precise date is pending. Officials have mentioned the exhibition is likely to remain for six months in Delhi before potentially traveling to other parts of the country but the exact dates and timings have not been officially finalized yet.

Recently, a significant portion of the relic jewels and associated artifacts from the Piprahwa discovery were successfully repatriated to India. The repatriated items primarily consist of the relic jewels, including hundreds of gold ornaments, semi-precious stones (like garnets, amethyst, coral and rock crystal) and other votive offerings that were originally placed inside the Piprahwa stupa with the Buddha's remains.

These specific items were retained by the family of the British excavator, William Claxton Peppé, after the 1898 discovery and were taken out of India during the colonial era. They remained in a private collection abroad for over a century. The artifacts, often referred to as the Piprahwa Gems, resurfaced when they were listed for auction by Sotheby's in Hong Kong. The Government of India, through the Ministry of Culture, intervened swiftly, issuing a legal notice to halt the sale.

The final securing and return of the gems was made possible through a public-private partnership between the Government of India and the Godrej Industries Group. The original bone fragments of the Buddha and the main relic caskets were largely not taken out of the country in their entirety. The majority of these remains were divided shortly after discovery in 1898. One portion was sent to the King of Siam (now Thailand) as a diplomatic gift. The largest remaining portion, including most of the bone fragments and the main reliquaries, was transferred to the Indian Museum in Kolkata in 1899 and a portion is now housed in the National Museum in New Delhi. These have been in India for over a century.

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