Digital Ajanta murals, sacred Buddhist relics: India, Vietnam deepen spiritual connect
Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju (right) with Vietnam President Lương Cường (left) pays homage to the Holy Buddha Relic from #India displayed in Vietnam | X/ International Buddhist Confederation
Union Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, on Tuesday, took part in the inaugural session of the 20th UN Day of Vesak Celebrations in Vietnam and also attended exhibitions by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).
Addressing the global gathering at the UN Vesak Day celebrations, the minister emphasised Buddha's timeless message and India's ancient commitment to sustainability.
India and Vietnam share a spiritual connection, given a considerable section of Vietnamese practice Buddhism, of which India is the birthplace.
The minister of minority affairs also attended an exhibition curated by the IBC. Coinciding with the UN Day of Vesak (May 12, 2025), the IBC is holding three exhibitions that pertain to the dissemination of Buddhism and its cultural practices from India to Vietnam.
These include an electronic display of the Jataka Tales, sculptures depicting different forms of the Buddha, and a comparative study of Buddhist artefacts from India and Vietnam. The highlight remains the display of the digital restoration of the Ajanta Cave murals, putting a spotlight on the Jataka Tales.
Notably, Rijiju led the Indian delegation that took the Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha to Vietnam last week, which is currently enshrined at Thanh Tam Pagoda at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy, Ho Chi Minh City. Notably, the Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha are revered physical remains or personal items linked to the Buddha. They're believed to be symbols of his teachings and enlightenment.
According to a release by the Press Information Bureau, the Sacred Relics includes a part of the skull bone of Lord Buddha. They were excavated in 1898 by William Claxton Peppe, a British archaeologist, at Kapilavastu, near the India-Nepal border. In 1997, the relics were enshrined in a gold-plated stupa, done by Thai artisans, and also features 109 grams of gold at its pinnacle.
As part of the UN Day of Vesak celebrations, the relics will remain in Vietnam till May 21, and after that, they travel to Ho Chi Minh City, then to Tay Ninh, Hanoi, and Ha Nam. This isn't the first time that India shared Buddhist relics and had previously done so with Mongolia and Thailand.
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