The Lotus and the Light, Piprahwa’s Relics, the Return of the Sacred, and India’s Unfinished Conversation with Its Own Buddhist Heritage
On a sun-dappled winter afternoon, in the green expanse of Qila Rai Pithora lawns near Delhi’s Qutb complex, a remarkable encounter is taking place. Visitors pass through a replica of the southern torana of the great Sanchi stupa, entering a liminal space that connects them to a world 2,500 years distant. They find themselves before the reunited corporeal relics of the Buddha—bone fragments from Piprahwa, encased in exquisite reliquaries, surrounded by a dazzling array of tiny star-shaped flowers, birds, and auspicious symbols in luminous gold, crystal, and precious stones. The exhibition, titled ‘Light & The Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One’, is not merely a display of antiquities; it is a spiritual and historical homecoming.
The accompanying essay by Parul Pandya Dhar, a professor of art history at the University of Delhi, captures the multiple dimensions of this event. It is at once a scholarly reflection on the long and complex journey of the Buddha’s relics, a meditation on the nature of sacred objects, and a personal account of standing in rapt enchantment before them. The essay weaves together archaeology, history, diplomacy, and spirituality, offering readers a glimpse into an exhibition that is as much about the present as it is about the past.
The story of the Piprahwa relics is one of dispersal and return. In 1898, a British colonial engineer and landowner, William Claxton Peppe, excavated a stupa at Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh and discovered five reliquaries containing bone relics, along with a stunning array of jewel-offerings. The find was immediately recognised as potentially the most significant Buddhist discovery since the 19th century. The relics were claimed by a Thai prince-turned-monk, Jinawarawanasa (Prince Pradang Chumsai), cousin of King Rama V, who petitioned Peppe and the British colonial administration to present them to the king of Thailand. In the larger interests of British diplomacy and the pre-eminence of Thailand in the modern Buddhist world, the request was granted. The bone relics were sent to Bangkok, and from there, portions were redistributed to Burma, Ceylon, and Japan. The jewel-relics, considered by the British as ‘artefacts’ rather than sacred objects, were sent to the Indian Museum in Calcutta.
For over a century, the corporeal relics and the jewels that had cohabited with them were separated. In mid-2025, timely interventions by the Government of India salvaged several of these objects from being auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. With what Dhar calls “understated philanthropic dignity,” the Godrej Group then obtained those that had been in the possession of the Peppe family. The relics were reunited. Now, for the first time in living memory, visitors can experience the Buddha’s bone relics together with the luminous jewels that once accompanied them, the crystal reliquary, the inscribed stone reliquary testifying to the Buddha’s corporeal relics, and the large coffer that held them all.
The Ancient Narrative: Dividing and Redividing the Sacred
The exhibition’s power derives not only from the objects themselves but from the ancient narratives they embody. The Pali Mahaparinibbana-sutta recounts that after the Buddha’s mahaparinirvana in the 5th century BCE, the Malla chieftains of Kushinagar performed cremation ceremonies befitting a king. Competing claims for the relics arose, and they were divided among eight kings and chieftains: of Magadh, Vaishali, Kapilavastu (the Buddha’s hometown), Alakappa, Ramagrama, Pava, and Kushinagar, and a brahmin from Vethadipa. Drona, the brahmin who divided the relics, received the clay vessel in which they had rested. The Moriyas of Pipphalivana, who arrived late, received only the cinders. Stupas were built over the divided relics in each kingdom.
This narrative is spectacularly visualised on the toranas of the great Sanchi stupa (c. 1st century CE), where three horizontal registers depict the story. Dhar suggests that a future edition of the exhibition might give this unique sculptural imagery a place of honour through photographs or reproductions.
In the 3rd century BCE, the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, having embraced Buddhism, is said to have re-divided the holy relics into 84,000 parts—a number that is likely an exaggeration but captures the scale of his ambition to spread the Buddha-dharma throughout his empire and beyond. Ashoka’s project made the cult of the relic central to the spread of Buddhism across Asia. Modern long-distance pilgrimage to venerate the Buddha’s relics in his homeland, and reciprocal diplomatic missions carrying his relics to faraway Buddhist lands, have their legacy in this ancient practice.
The Colonial Interlude: Dispersal and Diplomacy
The Piprahwa excavation of 1898 occurred at a particular moment in colonial history. William Claxton Peppe was not an archaeologist in the modern sense; he was a landowner and engineer whose motivations were a mix of curiosity, amateur scholarship, and the hope of discovery. The find was spectacular, and its significance was immediately recognised.
The intervention of the Thai prince-turned-monk Jinawarawanasa added a diplomatic dimension. His request to Peppe and the British colonial administration to present the relics to King Rama V was not merely personal; it reflected Thailand’s emergence as a pre-eminent power in the modern Buddhist world. The British, ever mindful of diplomatic interests, acceded. The bone relics were sent to Bangkok, and from there, portions were redistributed to Burma, Ceylon, and Japan.
The jewel-relics, however, were treated differently. The British colonial administration, operating within a Western framework that distinguished between sacred objects and secular artefacts, sent them to the Indian Museum in Calcutta. The distinction was arbitrary and culturally insensitive, but it had lasting consequences. For over a century, the corporeal relics and the jewels that had cohabited with them were separated, their reunion delayed by the vagaries of colonial administration and the subsequent history of independent India.
The Return: Diplomacy, Philanthropy, and the Reunification
The story of the return is one of timely intervention and quiet generosity. In mid-2025, the Government of India acted to salvage several of the objects from being auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. The details of these interventions are not fully public, but they reflect a growing recognition of the importance of repatriating India’s cultural heritage.
The Godrej Group’s role is equally significant. With what Dhar calls “understated philanthropic dignity,” the corporate house acquired those objects that had been in the possession of the Peppe family. This is not the first time that Indian corporations have engaged in cultural philanthropy, but the sensitivity and discretion with which this acquisition was handled set a commendable precedent.
The reunification of the bone relics with the jewel-relics, the reliquaries, and the coffer is a moment of profound significance. For the first time in over a century, visitors can experience these objects as they were meant to be experienced—together, in relationship, as a unified whole. The exhibition at Qila Rai Pithora is not merely a display; it is a reconstitution of a sacred assemblage.
The Question of the Future: What Happens Next?
The exhibition will end. The question that Dhar poses is what happens next. Will the relics travel further, as they have done so many times over the millennia? Will they remain unified and become part of the upcoming ‘Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum’? Or will they go back to partner museums, to be stored in vaults seldom opened?
These are not merely logistical questions; they are questions about the nature of sacred objects and their role in the modern world. The relics of the Buddha are not ordinary artefacts. They are objects of veneration for millions of Buddhists around the world. Their presence in India, the land of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana, is spiritually significant. Their dispersal across the globe, while a testament to the spread of Buddhism, has also been a source of longing.
The Indian government’s decision to reunite these relics and to make them accessible to the public is a step toward reclaiming this heritage. But the work is not complete. The long-term disposition of the relics must be decided with sensitivity to their sacred character, their historical significance, and their potential to serve as a bridge between India and the Buddhist world.
Conclusion: The Stillness Within
Dhar’s essay concludes with a personal reflection that captures the exhibition’s spiritual dimension. For five hours, she stood in rapt enchantment, circumambulated the central stupa, absorbed the archaeology and history, and narrated the return of the relics. A devout monk from overseas sat in absolute stillness throughout, in communion with the united body and spirit of the Buddha.
“The soft chanting and apt lighting, the green expanse of the world without and the immeasurable depth and wisdom of the world within came upon my senses and filled me with gratitude.” This is not the language of art criticism; it is the language of devotion. It reminds us that the relics are not merely objects of historical interest; they are living presences, capable of inspiring awe, gratitude, and stillness.
The exhibition ‘Light & The Lotus’ is many things: a scholarly achievement, a diplomatic success, a curatorial triumph. But above all, it is an invitation. It invites visitors to step through the torana, to enter the presence of the awakened one, and to sit, if only for a moment, in the stillness that he embodies. The relics have returned. The lotus has been lit. The rest is up to us.
Q&A Section
Q1: What is the historical significance of the Piprahwa relics, and how were they discovered?
A1: The Piprahwa relics are believed to be corporeal relics of the Buddha himself, discovered in 1898 by William Claxton Peppe, a British colonial engineer and landowner, during excavations of a stupa at Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh. The discovery included five reliquaries containing bone fragments, along with a dazzling array of jewel-offerings—tiny star-shaped flowers, birds, and auspicious symbols in gold, crystal, and precious stones. The find was immediately recognised as potentially the most significant Buddhist discovery since the 19th century. The relics’ authenticity is supported by an inscribed stone reliquary testifying to the Buddha’s corporeal relics. The discovery occurred at a site believed to be near Kapilavastu, the Buddha’s hometown, adding to its significance. The Piprahwa relics are thus not merely archaeological artefacts but sacred objects with direct connection to the historical Buddha.
Q2: How did the Buddha’s relics become dispersed across Asia, and what role did Ashoka play in this dispersal?
A2: According to the Pali Mahaparinibbana-sutta, after the Buddha’s mahaparinirvana in the 5th century BCE, his corporeal relics were divided among eight kings and chieftains: of Magadh, Vaishali, Kapilavastu, Alakappa, Ramagrama, Pava, Kushinagar, and a brahmin from Vethadipa. Stupas were built over these relics in each kingdom. In the 3rd century BCE, the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, having embraced Buddhism, is said to have re-divided the holy relics into 84,000 parts—a number that is likely an exaggeration but captures the scale of his ambition to spread the Buddha-dharma throughout his empire and beyond. Ashoka’s project made the cult of the relic central to the spread of Buddhism across Asia. Relics were enshrined in stupas throughout the subcontinent and sent to distant lands, establishing Buddhism as a pan-Asian religion. Modern long-distance pilgrimage to venerate the Buddha’s relics in his homeland, and reciprocal diplomatic missions carrying his relics to faraway Buddhist lands, have their legacy in this ancient practice.
Q3: What role did British colonial administration and Thai diplomacy play in the dispersal of the Piprahwa relics after their discovery?
A3: After the 1898 discovery, a Thai prince-turned-monk, Jinawarawanasa (Prince Pradang Chumsai), cousin of King Rama V, made a personal and formal request to Peppe and the local British colonial administration to present the Piprahwa bone relics to the king of Thailand. The petition was granted in the larger interests of British diplomacy and the pre-eminence of Thailand in the modern Buddhist world. The bone relics were sent to Bangkok, and from there, with King Rama V’s mediation, portions were redistributed to Burma, Ceylon, and Japan. The jewel-relics, however, were treated differently. The British colonial administration, operating within a Western framework that distinguished between sacred objects and secular artefacts, sent them to the Indian Museum in Calcutta. This created a separation between the corporeal relics and the jewels that had cohabited with them for centuries—a division that persisted for over a century until the recent reunification.
Q4: How were the Piprahwa relics reunited in 2025-2026, and what roles did the Government of India and the Godrej Group play?
A4: In mid-2025, timely interventions by the Government of India salvaged several of the objects from being auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. The details of these interventions are not fully public, but they reflect a growing recognition of the importance of repatriating India’s cultural heritage. Subsequently, the Godrej Group, with what the essay describes as “understated philanthropic dignity,” acquired those objects that had been in the possession of the Peppe family. This corporate philanthropy was conducted with sensitivity and discretion, avoiding the fanfare that often accompanies such acquisitions. The reunification of the bone relics with the jewel-relics, the reliquaries, and the coffer is a moment of profound significance, allowing visitors to experience these objects as they were meant to be experienced—together, in relationship, as a unified whole. The exhibition ‘Light & The Lotus’ at Qila Rai Pithora is the first public display of the reunited relics.
Q5: What questions does the essay raise about the future of the reunited relics, and why do these questions matter?
A5: The essay poses several questions about the relics’ future: Will they travel further, as they have done so many times over the millennia? Will they remain unified and become part of the upcoming ‘Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum’? Or will they go back to partner museums, to be stored in vaults seldom opened? These questions matter because the relics are not ordinary artefacts. They are objects of veneration for millions of Buddhists around the world. Their presence in India, the land of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana, is spiritually significant. Their dispersal across the globe has been a source of longing. The decisions made about their future will reflect India’s understanding of its own Buddhist heritage and its relationship with the global Buddhist community. The essay implicitly argues for continued accessibility and reunification, suggesting that the relics should remain unified and accessible to the public rather than being returned to museum vaults. The long-term disposition must be decided with sensitivity to their sacred character, their historical significance, and their potential to serve as a bridge between India and the Buddhist world.
