Categories: National

Arjun Meghwal presented with the holy Kapilvastu relics brought back from Mongolia

Following a 12-day exhibition at the Batsagaan Temple on the grounds of Gandan Monastery, Mongolia, in honour of Mongolian Buddha Purnima, the four Holy Relics of the Lord Buddha returned to India. The sacred relics were presented to Union Minister Shri Arjun Meghwal in Ghaziabad. Due to high demand from the Mongolian people, the presentation of the holy relics had to be extended by a few days.

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Thousands of people paid their respects to the revered relics during a 12-day exhibition at the Gandan Monastery, including the President of Mongolia, the Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament, the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Culture, the Minister of Tourism, the Minister of Energy, more than 20 MPs, and High Abbots from more than 100 Monasteries in Mongolia.
The Mongolian Interior Minister of Culture was present for the final day’s festivities.
On the first day of the exposition, between 18 and 20 thousand devotees prostrated before the Holy Buddha Relics.
On working days, 5–6 thousand devotees on average paid their respects at Gandan Monastery, while 9–10 thousand on closed days. About 18,000 devotees visited Gandan on the final day to pay respects to the sacred relics. The Interior Minister of Culture was present for the rituals on the final day.
The Holy Buddha Relics are often referred to as Kapilvastu Relics since they were found in Bihar in 1898 and are thought to be from the ancient city of Kapilvastu.
The Relics were given the status of a State Guest and preserved in the same climate-controlled case as they do at the National Museum right now. The holy treasures were flown back to India in a special C-17 Globemaster aircraft.