The news of the day revolves around the four Holy Relics of Lord Buddha that are being transferred from India to Mongolia. This transfer is for an 11-day exposition meticulously planned to coincide with the Mongolian Buddha Purnima celebrations. Out of 22 Buddha relics that are currently housed at Delhi’s National Museum, these four are chosen to be displayed at the Batsagaan Temple in Gandan Monastery complex found in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Known as the ‘Kapilvastu Relics’, these significant pieces hail from a site in Bihar believed to be the ancient city of Kapilvastu, discovered back in 1898.
Sacred Relics of Buddha: An Insight
Relics are consecrated objects often associated with holy individuals. They could be physical body parts like teeth, bones, or hair, or objects that the holy individual used or touched. It is a common belief in many traditions that these relics possess special powers, such as healing ailments, granting favors, or exorcising demons.
The relics of Buddha have a fascinating backstory. At the ripe age of 80, Buddha reached salvation in Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh. His remains post the cremation were collected and divided into eight shares. These portions were distributed among eight different clans for the purpose of erecting stupas over the sacred relics. Later, Ashoka, a prominent figure during 272–232 BC, collected major parts of these relics for enshrinement within stupas built by him to popularize Buddhism and the cult of the stupas.
The Discovery of Kapilavastu Relics
The location of the ancient city of Kapilavastu was identified when an inscribed casket was discovered at the stupa site in Piprahwa in 1898. The inscription on the casket lid revealed it to be holding the relics of Buddha and his community, the Sakya. Further excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India during 1971-77 unveiled two more relic caskets holding a total of 22 sacred bone relics. These relics are now preserved in the National Museum along with other findings from Piprahwa, confirming its identity as the ancient Kapilavastu.
Security Measures during Travel to Mongolia
While in Mongolia, the relics will enjoy the status of a ‘state guest’and upon return will be placed back at the National Museum, India. For the journey, a special airplane, C-17 GlobeMaster, which is among the biggest aircraft available in India, is arranged by the Indian Airforce. It’s worth noting that in 2015, these Holy Relics were categorized under the ‘AA’ class of Antiquities and Art Treasures, preventing their usual transport out of the country considering their delicate nature.
Gautam Buddha: A brief overview
Born into royalty as Siddhartha Gautama around 563 BCE, Gautam Buddha hails from Lumbini near the Indo-Nepal border. At the age of 29, Gautam renounced his life of riches to embrace asceticism. He achieved enlightenment after 49 days of meditation under a pipal tree at Bodhgaya, Bihar. His first sermon took place in the village of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. This significant event is known as Dharma Chakra Pravartana (turning of the wheel of law). He died at the age of 80 in 483 BCE at Kushinagara, Uttar Pradesh. Buddhists believe him to be the eighth of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu (Dashavatar).
About UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)
In the UPSC Civil Services Examination of 2013, a question was asked pertaining to Buddhist cave architecture. The question read, “Some Buddhist rock-cut caves are called Chaityas, while the others are called Viharas. What is the difference between the two?” The correct answer to this question was that a Chaitya is a place of worship, while a Vihara is the dwelling place of the monks.
