Buddha-Linked Holy Relics to Be Displayed in Arunachal Pradesh From October 31

Sacred relics associated with Lord Buddha will be brought to Arunachal Pradesh for a three-week exposition from October 31 to November 21, with displays planned in Tawang, Bomdila and Namsai, officials said on Friday.

The Piprahwa relics, currently housed at the National Museum in New Delhi, will be displayed at the Tawang Memorial and Tawang Monastery during the initial phase. Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is scheduled to attend the inaugural ceremony on Saturday.

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. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu is scheduled to attend a further inaugural function on November 1, coinciding with the opening of the associated exhibition.

The relics are scheduled to reach Tawang by special Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopter, with arrangements coordinated by the Culture Ministry, Defence Ministry and other agencies to ensure their security and conservation.

On November 8, the relics will be transported to Bomdila via Rupa, where ceremonial receptions are planned at Buddhist monasteries. They are scheduled to reach Namsai on November 14 for the exposition at the Golden Pagoda. Following the conclusion of public viewing, the relics will return to the National Museum on November 21.

The exposition coincides with Lhabab Duchen, a significant Tibetan Buddhist festival commemorating Buddha's descent from the heavenly realm. The relics originate from Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar district, an archaeological site associated with ancient Kapilavastu and the Shakya tradition. Excavations conducted in 1898 and between 1971 and 1977 uncovered reliquaries containing bone fragments and precious objects.

According to the Culture Ministry, 22 sacred bone relics were recovered during the later excavations. Of these, 20 are preserved at the National Museum in Delhi and two at the Indian Museum in Kolkata. Tawang last hosted the exposition in 2013. The event brings together Buddhist religious observance, cultural heritage and public participation, officials said.