Tawang: More than 21,000 devotees have visited Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh to pay homage to the sacred relics of Shakyamuni Buddha, with the exposition scheduled to continue until November 7.
The relics, brought from the National Museum in New Delhi, have returned to Arunachal Pradesh after 13 years, drawing Buddhist monks, nuns and devotees from Tawang and neighbouring regions.
The sacred relics were discovered at Piprahwah in Uttar Pradesh in 1898 and are preserved at the National Museum. Their exposition offers visitors an opportunity to pay homage and learn about India’s Buddhist heritage.
Two exhibitions have also been organised at Gaden Namgyal Lhatse, popularly known as Tawang Monastery, alongside the exposition.
The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) has organised Unearthing the Sacred Piprahwa: The Story of the Holy Buddha Relics and Their Discovery, highlighting the discovery and historical significance of the relics.
The National Museum has curated another exhibition, Crossroads of Dhamma: Classical Legacies, Living Art, and Anthropological Perspectives, showcasing the historical, artistic and cultural dimensions of Buddhism.
Following the Tawang exposition, the relics will be displayed at TGL Monastery (Lower Gompa), Bomdilla, from November 8 to 13, and at the Golden Pagoda in Namsai from November 14 to 20. They are scheduled to return to the National Museum on November 21.
The exposition is being organised by the Union Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the IBC and the Arunachal Pradesh government.
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