Acting on the request of the Government of Vietnam, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, is preparing to take out the exposition of the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha, excavated from Nagarjunakonda, Andhra Pradesh, and currently under the possession of the Mahabodhi Society, Sarnath, to Vietnam from 2nd to 21st May, 2025.
This significant spiritual and cultural event will be held during the celebration of the United Nations Day of Vesak in Vietnam and will span across four cities. The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will serve as the host organization for this sacred exposition.
Holy Buddha Relic of Sarnath arrives in New Delhi en route to Vietnam on 30th April 2025 A large gathering of monks, bhikkhunis, diplomats and the Sangha today offered chanting and special prayers to the Holy Buddha Relic at a protected enclosure of the National Museum, New Delhi; the sacred Relic arrived earlier from Sarnath en route to Vietnam. The Ambassador of Vietnam to India, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, as also the Acting High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, Ms. Priyanga Wickramasinghe joined the prayers. The Ministry of Culture, Government of India in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) is holding for the first time an exposition of the Sacred Buddha Relic in four cities of Vietnam to coincide with the celebrations for the UN Vesak Day. This Holy Relic of the Buddha is enshrined in Mulagandha Kuti Vihara, Sarnath and was excavated in Nagarjuna Konda, Andhra Pradesh. It is believed to be dated older than 246 CE. The relic was brought from Varanasi to Delhi with full state honour and was placed at a special spot at the ceremonial lounge, at IGI airport before being escorted to the National Museum. On May 1, when the Sacred Relic leaves Delhi, as a special gesture, around 120 monks from Vietnam will fly down from Vietnam to the National Museum in New Delhi to pay their obeisance to the holy relic and then would return to their country on the same day, before the Relic travels to Vietnam, in order to receive the Holy Relic in Vietnam.
