After delay, sacred relics of Buddha at National Museum to be exhibited in Russia in October

New Delhi, Oct 9 (PTI) The sacred relics of the Buddha, enshrined at the National Museum here, which were earlier to be exhibited in Russia's Kalmykia from September 24-28 as part of an exposition, will now be transported from the museum on October 10 night, officials said on Thursday.

The delay happened due to "ceratin unforseen logistical and technical circumstances," sources said.

After the delay, the relics, housed at the 'Buddhist Gallery' of the museum, will be transported with great reverence, escorted by senior monks with full religious sanctity and protocol, by a special Indian Air Force aircraft, the officials said.

Around 10:30 pm on Friday, a 'puja' and a ceremony will be held at the museum, a senior official said.

At 11:15 pm, the convoy will depart from the museum for Palam Technical Area in Delhi.

A little past midnight of October 10, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya, who will head the Indian delegation for this exposition, will arrive at the Palam Technical Area, the official said.

At 1:30 am, early on October 11, the aircraft will take off for Elista, the capital of Kalmykia Republic, he added.

These sacred relics of the Buddha were set to be exhibited in Kalmykia from September 24-28, the Culture Ministry had said on September 22.

The occasion was the 3rd International Buddhist Forum to be held in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia Republic, it had said in a statement.

"The highlight of the forum, themed 'Buddhism in the New Millennium', will be the Shakyamuni's sacred relics from India, four exhibitions organised by IBC (International Buddhist Confederation) and the National Museum, and three special academic lectures," the ministry had said.

The sacred relics of the Buddha from the National Museum will be sent to Kalmykia Republic for the "first exposition", and will be accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior Indian and international monks to bless and enable prayers by the predominantly Buddhist population of that region, it had said.

The relics will be enshrined in the main Buddhist monastery in Elista, known as the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery, also called the 'Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha'. This is a significant Tibetan Buddhist centre, opened for the public in 1996 and is surrounded by the Kalmyk steppe, it said.

The holy relics of the Buddha enshrined in India have been taken to Mongolia, Thailand and Vietnam in the recent past.

The Piprahwa relics at the National Museum were taken to Mongolia in 2022 whereas the holy relics of the Buddha and his two disciples enshrined at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh were taken for exposition to Thailand in 2024. This year, the holy relics of the Buddha from Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh were taken to Vietnam.

The holy relics being taken to Kalmykia belong to this same family of relics, based in the National Museum, the ministry has said. PTI KND MNK MNK