Sacred Kapilavastu Relics brought to Sri Lanka
Known as the ‘Kapilavastu Relics’ they were discovered in 1898 in Bihar from a site believed to be that of the ancient City of Kapilavastu
The Sacred Kapilavastu Relics were brought to Sri Lanka in a special aircraft yesterday to enable Buddhists to pay homage.
These sacred relics, enshrined in a special casket, were sent here on a request made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. They will be kept at several locations across the country between August 20 and September 4.
The Sri Lankan High Commis- sion in New Delhi said during President Rajapaksa’s state visit to India in June 2010, it was decided that India and Sri Lanka would jointly commemorate the 2600th year of enlightenment of Prince Siddhartha as Gautama Buddha (Sambuddhatva Jayanthi). It was against this backdrop that President Rajapaksa had personally requested Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to afford an opportunity for Sri Lankan Buddhists to pay homage to the revered Kapilavastu Relics by permitting them to be brought to Sri Lanka as a part of the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi celebrations.
These Relics known as the ‘Kapilavastu Relics’ were discovered in 1898 in Bihar from an archaeological site believed to be the ancient City of Kapilavastu. This epoch making discovery was from a stupa site, Piprahwa.
These Relics known as the ‘Kapilavastu Relics’ were discovered in 1898 in Bihar from an archaeological site believed to be the ancient City of Kapilavastu. This epoch making discovery was from a stupa site, Piprahwa. The relic casket bore the inscription: “The shrine for relics of the Buddha, the August One, is that of the Sakyas.”
The first exposition of the Sacred Kapilavastu Relics outside India was held in Sri Lanka in 1978.
Later the relics were taken to Mongolia in 1993, to Singapore in 1994, to South Korea in 1995 and to Thailand in 1996.
Considering the inestimable value and delicate nature of the Relics, Indian officials entrusted with their care, decided that the Sacred Kapilavastu Relics would henceforth re- main as an object for veneration at the Delhi National Museum and would not be taken outside India.
However, President Rajapaksa’s request in the 2600th year of the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi received special consideration at the highest level of the Indian Government.
Making an exception, it decided to send the Sacred Relics to Sri Lanka for public veneration.
The Sacred Relics are in Sri Lanka three decades after its first exposition in 1978.