Why in news?

A portion of the sacred Piprahwa Relics of the Buddha, which had been passed down in the Peppe family for generations and were auctioned in Hong Kong in May 2025, was successfully repatriated to India through a collaboration between the Government of India and the Godrej Industries Group. The relics were later ceremonially enshrined at Tashichho Dzong, a monastery in Bhutan.

Background

• The Piprahwa Relics comprise a collection of sacred artefacts unearthed in 1898 at the Piprahwa Stupa in Uttar Pradesh. Archaeologists believe the site is associated with ancient Kapilavastu, the homeland of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha).
• British engineer William Claxton Peppe discovered the relics while excavating the stupa. They included a sandstone coffer containing crystal caskets, gold ornaments, gemstones and bone fragments believed to be those of the Buddha.
• An inscription in Brahmi script on one of the caskets links the relics to the Sakya clan, suggesting that the remains were enshrined by the Buddha's followers in the third century BC. The British government took custody of most of the relics under the 1878 Treasure Trove Act and presented the bones and ashes to the Buddhist king of Siam (Thailand).
• Additional steatite caskets and bone relics were uncovered by the Archaeological Survey of India during excavations between 1971 and 1977. These are now preserved at the National Museum in New Delhi.

Recent events and significance

• Approximately one-fifth of the original collection remained in the Peppe family. When part of it was put up for auction in Hong Kong in 2025, the Indian government partnered with the Godrej Group to purchase and repatriate the relics.
• The relics were transported to India and enshrined in the National Museum. In November 2025, a portion was ceremonially installed at Tashichho Dzong in Bhutan, underscoring cross-border cultural ties.
• The episode highlights the importance of safeguarding cultural heritage and the role of public-private cooperation in bringing back historically significant artefacts.

Sources: Press Information Bureau