Pravasi Samwad New Delhi Bureau
February 11, 2026
A panel led by Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel Wednesday escorted back to India the sacred Devnimori Relics of Lord Buddha.
More than one million Sri Lankan devotees worshiped the sacred relics during its week‑long public exposition at Colombo’s Gangaramaya Temple, according to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) report said today.
Governor Mangubhai Patel and Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein carried the relics from Bandaranaike International Airport. Sri Lankan ministers and the Indian High Commissioner attended the departure event.
Devotees from across Sri Lanka visited the temple during the seven‑day exposition. Senior leaders, including the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and former Presidents, offered their respects.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake inaugurated the exposition. Sri Lanka’s leadership thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India for enabling the event. Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi represented India at the inauguration.
Two exhibitions — Unearthing the Sacred Piprahwa and Sacred Relic and Cultural Engagement of Contemporary India — highlighted the shared Buddhist heritage of both countries.
The exposition, announced by Prime Minister Modi during his April 2025 visit to Sri Lanka, strengthened long‑standing cultural and spiritual ties and reaffirmed India’s role in preserving Buddhist heritage.
The Indian delegation left Colombo with the relics, marking the close of a historic and emotional chapter in India–Sri Lanka Buddhist relations.
