Ancient Buddha gems put up for auction return to India after 127 years. Why are they significant?

India has successfully brought back a set of relics linked to early Buddhism, over a century after they were taken away during British rule.

These sacred Piprahwa relics were recently listed for auction at a global auction house in Hong Kong this May.

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Notably, they were first discovered in the northern part of the country in 1898.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X that the return of the Piprahwa relics after 127 years was “a joyous day for our cultural heritage”.

So, what exactly are these Buddhist relics? And how did India secure their repatriation?

Let’s find out:

What are the Piprahwa gems?

These relics are linked to the early years of Buddhism and were taken out of India during British rule, over a hundred years ago.

The Piprahwa gems are believed to date back to the third century BC. They were found in 1898 by an Englishman named William Claxton Peppe in northern India.

They were discovered in Piprahwa, a village close to the Buddha’s birthplace, and are thought to be connected to a clan associated with him.

British civil engineer William Claxton Peppe discovered the relics in Piprahwa, which is now in Uttar Pradesh. They are believed to relate to the mortal remains of Lord Buddha.

Buddha’s followers enshrined these remains around the third century BC. They are considered deeply important by Buddhists worldwide and are among India’s most important archaeological finds.

The collection includes bone fragments, containers made from soapstone and crystal, a sandstone chest, and offerings like gold jewellery and gemstones.

One of the caskets has a Brahmi script inscription that identifies the relics as belonging to the Buddha and placed there by the Sakya clan.

Most of the items were sent to the Indian Museum in Kolkata in 1899. They are now protected under Indian law as ‘AA’ antiquities, which means they cannot be sold or taken out of the country.

A part of the bone relics was given to the King of Siam. Another portion, kept by Peppe’s family, was earlier listed for auction.

How India retrieved them successfully

The relics were set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in May. However, the sale was halted after the Indian government issued a legal notice and asked for their return.

Sotheby’s later found a buyer and finalised a sale that ensured the permanent return of the artefacts to India, where they will be displayed publicly.

In a statement, the Ministry of Culture said, “This momentous repatriation has been made possible through an exemplary public-private partnership between the government of India and the Godrej Industries Group.”

The sacred relics, kept in a box, were received by Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at the Delhi airport.

They will be formally unveiled at a special ceremony and placed on public display, allowing people to view and pay their respects, the ministry added.

The relics were originally due to be auctioned on May 7 in Hong Kong. The Ministry of Culture said they were “successfully secured” through “decisive intervention”.

In a separate statement, the auction house said, “Sotheby’s is delighted to have facilitated the return of the Piprahwa Gems to India.”

It also said this marked the end of its efforts over two months to find the most suitable custodian for the relics, though it did not name the buyer.

On May 5, the ministry confirmed it had sent a legal notice to Sotheby’s Hong Kong, asking for the immediate halt of the auction and the return of the Buddhist relics.

By May 7, the ministry announced that it had managed to get the auction postponed and had started the process to bring the artefacts back.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Culture said, “The Government of India proudly announces the historic return of the sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha to their rightful home in India.”

How the relics were discovered

In 1898, British engineer William Claxton Peppe excavated a stupa, a dome-shaped Buddhist shrine, in Piprahwa.

The site lies just south of Lumbini, which is believed to be the birthplace of the Buddha.

The relics found at the site were mixed with some of the Buddha’s cremated remains, The Guardian reported. Peppe handed over the relics, gems, and containers to the British colonial authorities in India.

The British crown claimed ownership of the discovery under the 1878 Indian Treasure Trove Act. Following this, some of the bone relics were gifted to Buddhist-majority countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

A portion of the bones and ashes believed to be linked to the Buddha were presented to King Chulalongkorn of Siam.

Most of the collection, which included around 1,800 gems, five urns and a stone coffer, was placed in the Indian Museum in Kolkata, formerly called the Imperial Museum of Calcutta.

Peppe was permitted to keep about one-fifth of the discovered items.

With inputs from agencies