Sacred Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha Return to India After 127 Years (2025 Breaking News)
- Inarch Center
- Jul 31
- 5 min read
New Delhi: In a landmark achievement for India's cultural heritage preservation, the sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha have been successfully repatriated to India after 127 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Wednesday, July 30, 2025[1][2]. The Piprahwa relics were excavated in 1898, and were subsequently taken out of India during the colonial period in later times, marking their return as a significant milestone in cultural diplomacy and heritage recovery[1][3].
Government-Private Sector Partnership Secures Historic Collection
The repatriation was achieved through an exemplary public-private partnership between the Government of India and Godrej Industries Group. Pirojsha Godrej, Executive Vice Chairperson of Godrej Industries Group, stepped forward to acquire the collection of 349 jewels when they appeared for auction at Sotheby's Hong Kong[3].
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat described this intervention as "an exemplary case of public-private partnership".
The collection, estimated to be worth over $100 million, was originally scheduled for auction on May 7, 2025, by Sotheby's Hong Kong[3]. The auction house had described the gems as being "among the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries of all time"[4]. However, the value of the actual transaction by Godrej Industries was not disclosed[3].
Swift Government Intervention Prevents Auction
Upon learning about the proposed auction through media reports in February 2025, the Ministry of Culture took immediate action. On May 2, 2025, the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) wrote to the Consulate General of Hong Kong, requesting immediate cessation of the auction[1]. The same day, Culture Minister Shekhawat raised the matter with UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, during a bilateral meeting[1].
The Ministry of Culture served legal notices to both Sotheby's Hong Kong and Chris Peppé, the great-grandson of William Claxton Peppé who had originally excavated the relics[1][4]. A high-level Indian delegation led by the Secretary, Ministry of Culture, including the Joint Secretary (East Asia Division, MEA) and the Consul General of India to Hong Kong, held discussions with Sotheby's representatives on May 6, 2025[1].
Following these diplomatic and legal interventions, Sotheby's confirmed the postponement of the auction on May 6, 2025[1][5]. In a statement on Wednesday, Sotheby's said it was "delighted to have facilitated the return of the Piprahwa Gems to India" and was "thrilled to have played such a central role in securing this historic outcome"[6].
Historical Significance of the Piprahwa Discovery
The Piprahwa relics comprise bone fragments of Lord Buddha, along with soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer, and ceremonial offerings including gold ornaments and gemstones[1][4]. These artifacts were excavated in 1898 by William Claxton Peppé, a British colonial engineer and estate manager, from the Piprahwa Stupa in present-day Siddharthnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, near the India-Nepal border[1][4].
The site is widely believed to be part of ancient Kapilavastu, the capital of the Shakya republic and the homeland of Lord Buddha[1][4]. An inscription in Brahmi script on one of the excavated caskets confirms these as relics of the Buddha, deposited by the Sakya clan[1][4]. The inscription reads: "Sukiti bhatinam sa-bhaginikanam sa-puta-dalanam iyam salila nidhare Bhaddhasa bhagavate sakiyanam," which translates to "this noble deed of depositing of Buddha's relics were carried out by the brothers, the sisters and the children of Sakyas"[7].
Previous Distribution and Global Significance
Following the original excavation, most of the relics were transferred to the Indian Museum in Kolkata in 1899 and are classified as 'AA' antiquities under Indian law, prohibiting their removal or sale[1][4]. A portion of the bone relics was gifted to King Rama V of Thailand (then Siam) for distribution among Buddhist communities worldwide[1][8]. The British Crown had claimed the found relics from Peppé under the 1878 Indian Treasure Trove Act, but allowed him to retain about one-fifth of the total find, consisting of "duplicate items"[4].
The collection put up for auction by Peppé's descendants had been exhibited in various international museums, including the Museum Rietberg in Zurich (2018-2019), Rubin Museum of Art in New York (2019-2020), Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore (2022-2023), Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (2023), and National Museum of Korea (2023-2024)[8].
Religious and Cultural Opposition to the Auction
The proposed auction had attracted widespread criticism from Buddhist scholars, monastic leaders, and heritage advocates globally. Amal Abeyawardene of the London-based British MahaBodhi Society told the BBC that "the Buddha teaches us not to take other people's possessions without permission," and emphasized that the relics should be "preserved alongside adornments, such as these gems, so that they may be venerated in perpetuity by the Buddha's followers"[4].
The Ministry of Culture emphasized in their legal notice that the gems "are inseparable from the sacred relics and cannot be commodified" and constitute "inalienable religious and cultural heritage of India and the global Buddhist community"[4][9]. The ministry also stated that their sale would violate Indian and international laws, as well as United Nations conventions[4][9].
Future Display and Public Access
Under the repatriation arrangement, a large portion of the acquired collection will be on loan to the National Museum in New Delhi for five years[3]. Godrej Industries has agreed to display the entire gem collection for public viewing for a period of three months upon its arrival in India[3]. The relics will be exhibited alongside other portions of the Piprahwa collection that have been held in the vaults of Kolkata's Indian Museum since 1898[3].
Prime Minister's Statement
Prime Minister Modi expressed his joy at the successful repatriation, stating: "A joyous day for our cultural heritage! It would make every Indian proud that the sacred Piprahwa relics of Bhagwan Buddha have come home after 127 long years. These sacred relics highlight India's close association with Bhagwan Buddha and his noble teachings. It also illustrates our commitment to preserving and protecting different aspects of our glorious culture"[1][2].
The Prime Minister thanked all those involved in the effort, noting that when the relics appeared in an international auction earlier this year, the government worked diligently to ensure their return home[1][2]. This repatriation represents one of the most significant instances of recovery of India's lost cultural heritage, according to Culture Minister Shekhawat[6].
Sources: All information in this news report has been sourced from the following verified sources: OpIndia, PIB India, The Indian Express, The2States, DD News, News on Air, France24, NBC Right Now, New Indian Express, BBC, The Conversation, Al Jazeera, Times of India, Economic Times, The Meghalayan Express, PIB Press Releases, Official social media posts from government accounts and Many, please check the Reference list below.
4. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/piprahwa-relics-india-auction-9986538/
11. https://ddnews.gov.in/en/pm-modi-hails-return-of-sacred-piprahwa-relics-of-buddha-after-127-years/
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