Devnimori Buddha relics return to India after week-long exposition in Sri Lanka
The sacred Devnimori Relics of Lord Buddha returned to India on Wednesday after a week-long public exposition at the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The relics, which were taken abroad for their first international exposition, were escorted back by a high-level Indian delegation led by Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel and Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, along with senior Buddhist monks and officials. The ceremonial departure took place at Bandaranaike International Airport in the presence of Sri Lankan ministers and the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka.
During the exposition from February 4 to 10, a large number of devotees from across Sri Lanka visited the temple to pay homage. More than one million people participated in the public veneration. Senior Sri Lankan leaders, including the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament and former Presidents, were among those who paid their respects.
The exposition was inaugurated by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Sri Lankan leaders expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India for facilitating the event. From the Indian side, Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi attended the inauguration ceremony.
Alongside the exposition, exhibitions titled “Unearthing the Sacred Piprahwa” and “Sacred Relic and Cultural Engagement of Contemporary India” were organised, highlighting the shared Buddhist heritage and civilisational ties between India and Sri Lanka.
The exposition was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his State Visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025. Officials said the event strengthened the spiritual and civilisational ties between the two countries and reinforced India’s commitment to promoting shared cultural heritage.
Origin of the relics
The Devnimori Relics are named after the Devnimori archaeological site near the Hindu pilgrimage centre of Shamlaji in Gujarat’s Aravalli district.
According to a statement by the Indian High Commission in Colombo, the site was first explored in 1957 by eminent archaeologist Prof. S. N. Chowdhry. Excavations revealed significant Buddhist structures and relics, underscoring the spread of Buddhism in western India during the early centuries of the Common Era.
The High Commission provided detailed information on the relic casket discovered within the Devnimori Stupa at a height of 24 feet from the base. The casket, made of green schist, bears an inscription in Brahmi script and Sanskrit reading “dashabala sharira nilay”—meaning the abode of the Buddha’s bodily relic. It contains a copper box holding organic material with holy ashes, along with silk cloth and beads.
The casket comprises three parts: a body measuring 6.8 inches at the base and 2.9 inches in height, a lid with a diameter of 6.7 inches, and a rounded knob measuring 0.66 inches in height. The copper box inside features a flat top and base with a slip-on lid fitted onto a rim ledge. It contained silk cloth, organic material with holy ashes, black clay used as a covering, and a small amphora-like gold-coated silver-copper bottle with a cylindrical body, narrow neck, and screw-type lid.
According to the High Commission, the holy relics are now housed in a desiccator sealed within an air-tight glass enclosure to prevent deterioration. The relics, along with the gold-coated bottle and silk cloth, rest on a cotton base to ensure long-term preservation.
