New Delhi, Jan 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India’s heritage had returned after 125 years of waiting.
Inaugurating the grand international exposition of sacred Piprahwa relics related to lord Buddha, ‘The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One’, at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex, New Delhi, PM Modi said after 125 years of waiting, India’s heritage had returned, India’s legacy had come back.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, he highlighted that from today, the people of India would be able to witness these sacred relics of lord Buddha and receive his blessings.
The PM welcomed and extended greetings to all the guests present on this occasion.
He said that monks and dharma acharyas associated with the Buddhist tradition were also present and expressed his reverence towards them.
PM Modi said that their presence was giving new energy to this event.
He said that at the very beginning of 2026, this auspicious celebration was highly inspiring.
The PM expressed his wish that with the blessings of lord Buddha, the year 2026 may usher in a new era of peace, prosperity, and harmony for the world.
He said that the place where this exhibition had been set up was itself special.
PM Modi highlighted that the site of Qila Rai Pithora was a land of India’s glorious history, where nearly a thousand years ago, former rulers established a city surrounded by strong and secure walls.
He said that today in the same historic city complex, a spiritual and sacred chapter of history was being added.
The PM said that before coming here, he had observed this historic exhibition in detail.
He emphasised that having the sacred relics of lord Buddha makes everyone blessed.
PM Modi said that their departure from India and eventual return were both significant lessons in themselves.
Stressing that the lesson was that slavery was not only political and economic, but it also destroys heritage, he said that the same happened with the sacred relics of lord Buddha, which were taken away during the period of slavery and remained outside the country for nearly 125 years.
The PM said that for those who took them away, and for their descendants, these relics were merely lifeless antique pieces.
He said that this was why they attempted to auction these sacred relics in the international market.
PM Modi said that for India, however, these relics were a part of a revered deity, an inseparable part of civilisation.
He declared that India decided that their public auction would not be allowed.
The PM thanked the Godrej Group, saying that with their cooperation, these sacred relics connected to lord Buddha had returned to his land of karma, his land of contemplation, his Mahabodhi land, and his Mahaparinirvana land.
“The knowledge of lord Buddha and the path shown by him belong to all humanity,” PM Modi said, highlighting that this sentiment had been repeatedly experienced in the past few months.
He said that wherever the sacred relics of lord Buddha travelled in recent months, waves of faith and devotion arose.
The PM said that in Thailand, where such sacred relics were placed at different locations, in less than a month, more than 40 lakh devotees came for darshan.
He said that in Vietnam, public sentiment was so strong that the duration of the exhibition had to be extended, and in nine cities, nearly 1.75 crore people paid homage to the relics.
PM Modi pointed out that in Mongolia, thousands of people waited for hours outside the Gandan Monastery, and many wished to touch the Indian representatives simply because they had come from the land of Buddha.
He said that in Russia’s Kalmykia region, in just a week more than 1.5 lakh devotees witnessed the sacred relics, which was equal to more than half of the local population.
Emphasising that in these events across different countries, whether common citizens or heads of government, all were united in equal reverence, the PM said that lord Buddha belongs to everyone and connects all.
Expressing that he considers himself very fortunate, as lord Buddha had held a deep place in his life, PM Modi recalled that his birthplace, Vadnagar, was a major centre of Buddhist learning, and that Sarnath, where lord Buddha gave his first sermon, is his karmabhoomi.
He said that even when away from government responsibilities, he travelled as a yatri to Buddhist sites, and as PM, he had had the privilege of visiting Buddhist pilgrimage centres across the world.
The PM recounted bowing at the sacred Maya Devi temple in Lumbini, Nepal, describing it as an extraordinary experience.
He said that at To-ji Temple and Kinkaku-ji in Japan, he felt that Buddha’s message transcends the boundaries of time.
PM Modi mentioned visiting the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an, China, from where Buddhist scriptures spread across Asia, and where India’s role was still remembered.
He recalled his visit to the Gandan Monastery in Mongolia, where he witnessed the deep emotional connection of people with Buddha’s legacy.
The PM said that seeing the Jaya Sri Mahabodhi in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, was an experience of connecting with the traditions sown by Emperor Ashoka, Bhikkhu Mahinda, and Sanghamitra.
He said that his visits to Wat Pho in Thailand and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Singapore further deepened his understanding of the impact of lord Buddha’s teachings.
PM Modi said that wherever he travelled, he made efforts to bring back a symbol of lord Buddha’s legacy.
He said that in China, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia, he carried saplings of the Bodhi tree.
The PM said that one can imagine the profound message for humanity when a Bodhi tree stands in the botanical garden of Hiroshima, a city devastated by the atomic bomb.
“Underlining that this shared heritage of lord Buddha is proof that India is not connected merely through politics, diplomacy, and economy, but through deeper bonds,” he said that India is connected through mind and emotions, through faith and spirituality. “India is not only the custodian of Lord Buddha’s sacred relics but also the living carrier of his tradition.”
PM Modi said that relics of lord Buddha found in Piprahwa, Vaishali, Devni Mori, and Nagarjunakonda are living presences of Buddha’s message.
He said that India had preserved and safeguarded these relics in every form, through science and spirituality alike.
The PM said that India had consistently endeavoured to contribute to the development of Buddhist heritage sites across the world.
He said that when the devastating earthquake in Nepal damaged an ancient stupa, India extended support for its reconstruction.
PM Modi said that after the earthquake in Bagan, Myanmar, India undertook the preservation of more than eleven pagodas.
He said that there were many such examples.
The PM said that within India too, the search and preservation of sites and relics connected to the Buddhist tradition was continuously progressing.
He recalled that his birthplace, Vadnagar in Gujarat, was a major centre of Buddhist tradition, and during his tenure as Chief Minister, thousands of relics linked to Buddhism were discovered there.
PM Modi said that today the government was focusing on their preservation and connecting the present generation with them.
He said that a magnificent experiential museum had been built there, offering an experience of nearly 2500 years of history.
The PM said that only a few months ago, a major Buddhist site of the Buddhist era was discovered in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, and its preservation work was now being accelerated.
Stressing that in the past 10 to 11 years, India had also sought to link Buddhist sites with modernity, he pointed out that in Bodh Gaya, a convention centre and meditation and experience centre had been established.
“In Sarnath, a light and sound show at the Dhamek Stupa and a Buddha theme park have been created,” PM Modi said.
He said that modern facilities had been developed in Shravasti, Kapilvastu, and Kushinagar.
The PM said that in Nalgonda, Telangana, a digital experience centre had been set up.
He said that new facilities for yatris had been developed in Sanchi, Nagarjun Sagar, and Amaravati.
PM Modi said that today a Buddhist circuit was being created in the country to ensure better connectivity among all Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India, thereby offering devotees and pilgrims from across the world a profound experience of faith and spirituality.
“India’s effort is to ensure that the Buddhist heritage reaches future generations in a natural way,” he said.
The PM said that the Global Buddhist Summit and international events like Vaishakh and Ashadha Purnima were driven by this very thought. He said that lord Buddha’s Abhidhamma, his words, and his teachings were originally in the Pali language, and emphasised that India was striving to make Pali accessible to the common people.
PM Modi said that for this reason, Pali had been accorded the status of a classical language, which would make it easier to understand and explain the Dhamma in its original essence and would also strengthen research connected to the Buddhist tradition.
He said that lord Buddha’s philosophy of life transcended boundaries and geographical regions, showing the world a new path.
The PM recited a few lines of the teachings of lord Buddha.
Emphasising that lord Buddha’s timeless message of ‘Atta Deepo Bhava’ embodies self-respect and self-reliance, he highlighted India’s philosophy of unity over conflict, adopting global welfare through ideas and compassion.
PM Modi said that in the 21st century, India contributes by promoting dialogue and peace where disputes exist, while showing strength against humanity’s enemies.
Committed to ‘Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya’, he expressed hope that visitors to the exhibition would connect with this enduring inspiration.
The PM said that these sacred relics of lord Buddha were India’s heritage, and after a century-long wait, they had returned to the country.
He urged people across the country to come and witness these sacred relics, to connect with the thoughts of lord Buddha, and to visit at least once.
PM Modi appealed to school students, college students, young companions, and sons and daughters to definitely see this exhibition.
The PM said that this exhibition was a great medium to connect the glory of the past with the dreams of the future.
He urged people across the country to participate in this exhibition and, with this appeal, he extended his best wishes to all for the success of this event.
Union Ministers, Gajendra Singh Shekawat, Kiren Rijiju, Ramdas Athawale, Rao Inderjit Singh, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinay Saxena, were present at the event.
The exposition brings together, for the first time, the Piprahwa relics repatriated after more than a century with authentic relics and archaeological materials from Piprahwa that are preserved in the collections of the National Museum, New Delhi, and the Indian Museum, Kolkata.
Discovered in 1898, the Piprahwa relics hold a central place in the archaeological study of early Buddhism.
These are among the earliest and most historically significant relic deposits directly connected to lord Buddha.
Archaeological evidence associates the Piprahwa site with ancient Kapilavastu, widely identified as the place where Bhagwan Buddha spent his early life prior to renunciation.
The exposition highlights India’s deep and continuing civilisational link with the teachings of lord Buddha and reflects the Prime Minister’s commitment to preserve India’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage.
The recent repatriation of these relics has been achieved through sustained government effort, institutional cooperation and innovative public-private partnership.
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.
To enhance public understanding, the exposition is supported by a comprehensive audio-visual component, including immersive films, digital reconstructions, interpretive projections, and multimedia presentations.
These elements provide accessible insights into the life of Bhagwan Buddha, the discovery of the Piprahwa relics, their movement across regions, and the artistic traditions associated with them.