"India a protector of Buddha's heritage, carrier of his tradition": PM Modi at Piprahwa Relics exposition

New Delhi [India], January 3 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India's priceless heritage has returned to the country after a wait of 125 years, referring to the sacred relics of Lord Buddha that are now on display.
Addressing the reporters, the Prime Minister said that Indian citizens will now be able to have darshan of the pure relics of Lord Buddha and seek His blessings. He expressed gratitude that the Lord Buddha's relics have returned to India, calling it a moment of national pride.
PM Narendra Modi said, "The heritage of India has returned to the country after a wait of 125 years... Now Indian citizens will be able to have darshan of these pure relics of Lord Buddha and take His blessings."
" We are grateful to have the relics of Lord Buddha among us... Slavery destroys our heritage - and the same happened with the relics of Lord Buddha, they were snatched from India... Those who took them away were trying to auction them in the international market because... But for India, these relics are a part of our Lord and our society. This is why we decided to stop their auction," he added.
The Prime Minister said that India was the carrier of Lord Buddha's traditions and the protector of heritage.
"India is not just the protector of the heritage of Lord Buddha, but the carrier of His traditions... When I was the CM of Gujarat, thousands of relics related to Lord Buddha were discovered there, and today our government is protecting them as well as imparting the related knowledge to the present generation... Buddhist sites are being modernised today and new facilities are being built for the pilgrims... We are trying to impart the Pali language, related to Lord Buddha, to the masses, and hence, it has been given the status of classical language," he said.
The Prime Minister also shared the deep impact of Buddha's teachings on his own life.
"Lord Buddha had a deep impact on my life. I was born in a city which was a major centre of Buddhist teachings... Sarnath, my Karmabhoomi, is the place where Lord Buddha gave his first teachings... I tried to spread the heritage of Lord Buddha wherever I went and therefore took the Bodhi plant when I went to China, Japan, Mongolia," he said
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics, titled "The Light & the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One," at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex here on Saturday.
The exhibition marks a historic moment with the reunification of the Piprahwa gem relics of Lord Buddha, repatriated after 127 years. The display also features relics, gem relics, and reliquaries unearthed during the 1898 excavation and the subsequent 1971-1975 excavations at the Piprahwa site.
PM Modi had posted pictures from the exhibition and exhorted visitors to experience the exposition. The event has drawn attention from historians, cultural enthusiasts, and Buddhist followers from across the country and abroad, showcasing India's efforts to preserve and celebrate its ancient heritage.