New Delhi [India], April 29 (ANI): The Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) Delhi will be holding for the first time an exposition of the sacred Buddha Relic of Sarnath in Vietnam during the gala celebrations of the United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak 2025, an official statement said.

The Holy Relic will be ceremonially brought to Delhi on April 30, 2025, amidst prayers from Mulagandha Kuti Vihara, (monastery) in Sarnath to the Varanasi airport.

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The Vihara is enshrined with the sacred relics of Sakyamuni Buddha. It was built by Anagarika Dharmapala, the founder of the Mahabodhi Society, and is still maintained and run by the Mahabodhi Society.

Upon reaching Delhi, the Holy Relic will be placed in a specially protected enclosure at the National Museum for prayers, chanting, and meditation by followers of the Dhamma, including eminent community members and diplomatic representatives from Buddhist countries, at 5:30 p.m. on April 30, 2025.

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The following day, May 1, 2025, the Holy Relic of the Buddha will be transported from the National Museum with great reverence, escorted by senior monks with complete religious sanctity and protocol, to Ho Chi Minh City by a special Indian Air Force aircraft, the statement said.

A high-level delegation from the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) led by Secretary General Ven. Shartse Khensur Rinpoche Jangchup Choeden, along with members of the Governing Council, is attending the Holy Exposition ceremonies and Vesak celebrations in Vietnam, as per the statement.

The delegation will be led by Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs.

The Holy Relics of the Buddha enshrined in Mulagandha Kuti Vihara were excavated in Nagarjuna Konda, a prominent site in Andhra Pradesh. It holds historical significance as a major centre of the Mahayana Buddhism and is associated with the monk, philosopher Nagarjuna of second century CE. These were worshiped and venerated for ages since the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha.

A H Longhurst, the then superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted full scale excavation from 1927-31; most of the monuments at the site were constructed in third-fourth century CE; remains of more than thirty Buddhist establishments were found here. The inscription dates the oldest great Stupa to around 246 CE, but archaeologists suggest that the Stupa may be older.

After the excavations, they were presented to the Mahabodhi Society of India on December 27, 1932, by Rai Bahadur Dayaram Sahni, Director-General of the ASI, on behalf of the Viceroy of India, before a distinguished gathering of Buddhists.

Every year, on the foundation day of the Mulagandha Kuti Vihara, which is celebrated in the month of November, thousands of people from different parts of the world come to Sarnath.

The sacred Relic will be ceremoniously enshrined, venerated, and worshiped at the following important sites; At Hanh Tam Monastery in Ho Chi Minh city from May 2-8, (coinciding with the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025); next at the Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh Province from May 9-13, 2025 (Southern Vietnam's national spiritual pilgrimage site); from here the sacred Relic will be placed for exposition at Quan Su Monastery, Hanoi from May 14-18, 2025 (Headquarters of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha), and finally at Tam Chuc Monastery, Ha Nam Province from May 18-21, 2025 (the largest Buddhist centre in Southeast Asia).

The important exposition coincides with the United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak 2025 as it is being celebrated in Vietnam, an opportunity for not only the citizens of Vietnam to seek blessings of the Holy Relic but also the international delegates from over 100 countries and regions who would be participating in the Vesak Day celebrations.

Every year, since the United Nations General Assembly passed the resolution on 15 December 1999, the thrice-sacred day of Vesak (celebrating the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of the Buddha Gautama) has been celebrated internationally.

The International Day of Vesak was celebrated at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the first time in 2000. This had inspired annual celebrations of the United Nations Day of Vesak (UNDV) by international Buddhist communities.

The International Council for the Day of Vesak (ICDV) has held special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council since 2013. The main theme for the UNDV 2025 Celebrations and Academic Conference will be "A Buddhist Approach to Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development," at Vietnam Buddhist University, Ho Chi Minh City, and the Sunworld Buddhist Cultural Centre, Tay Ninh Province.

On the occasion, the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) will also be hosting three exhibitions on the dissemination of the Buddha Dhamma and its cultural practices from India to Vietnam. These are an electronic display of Jataka tales, the sculptures depicting different forms of the Buddha, and a comparative study of Buddhist artefacts from India and Vietnam.

The analysis draws on a variety of resources to deepen understanding of this rich cultural exchange, including epigraphic inscriptions, historical texts, and visual artefacts. This multifaceted approach aims to provide a comprehensive narrative of the evolution of Buddha Dhamma in Vietnam, reflecting its profound impact on art, spirituality, and cultural identity throughout history.

The highlight is a display of the digital restoration of the Ajanta Cave murals, illuminating the ancient Jataka Kathas. The IBC, in collaboration with the Prasad Pawar Foundation of Pune, will unveil eight panels and exhibit them on separate TV screens, showcasing the digital restoration process of the famous Bodhisattva Padmapani, a mural painting dating back to the late 5th century. The mural is in Cave 1 of the Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra, and it reflects the beauty and classical sophistication of the arts of India's Gupta dynasty.

The exhibition invites visitors to walk among visions of Bodhisattvas and celestial beings as ancient narratives unfold gently. These tales remind us that compassion knows no borders, wisdom belongs to all, and peace is born from the shared dignity of every living being. (ANI)

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