Vadodara: For the first time after they were discovered on Jan 14, 1963, the most prized possession of the Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) – relics of Lord Buddh – will leave the Department of Archaeology of the university. The relics, discovered in Dev Ni Mori in north Gujarat, will travel to Sri Lankan capital Colombo for a public exposition from Feb 4 to Feb 10.The relics will be taken to Colombo in an Indian Air Force aircraft and will be accompanied by a high-level delegation led by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi, monks, and senior officials Sources said that a team from MSU’s Department of Archaeology will also accompany the relics. The sacred procession to carry these from MSU will commence in the presence of chief minister Bhupendra Patel and MSU Chancellor Rajmata Shubhangini Raje Gaekwad.MSU registrar K M Chudasama said the only time they were kept on public display was in 2010, when the state govt hosted an International Buddhist Conference in the city. The Dalai Lama, who was the chief guest of the conference, turned emotional on seeing the relics.The relics will be enshrined for public veneration at the revered Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, one of the most iconic and spiritually significant Buddhist institutions in Sri Lanka. The exposition and related events highlight India’s Buddhist legacy and its contemporary cultural engagements.The journey and display of the relics to Sri Lanka is a gesture of spiritual outreach and cultural diplomacy articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Sri Lanka in April last year. The relics will be enshrined for public veneration at the revered Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, one of the prominent Buddhist institutions in Sri Lanka. The temple is a major centre of worship, learning, and cultural exchange.The relics were found at the Dev Ni Mori archaeological site located near Shamlaji in the Aravalli district. The explorations at Devni Mori started in 1957 by a team led by Prof S N Chowdhry from MSU’s Department of Archaeology. The researchers stayed in tents armed with guns to protect themselves from wild animals.On January 14, 1963, they stumbled upon a tiny casket and found a Brahmi inscription saying, ‘Dashabala Sharira Nilayaha’. It meant, ‘This is the Abode of the relics of Dashabala (Buddha)’. The discovery was one of the biggest in the state, considered equal to those of Harappan sites. The casket was found within a stupa at a height of 24 feet from the base. It holds a copper box containing organic matter with holy ashes, silk cloth, and beads. An air-tight desiccator now houses the relics, preventing further deterioration of the material in it.Besides its spiritual significance, the exposition in Sri Lanka serves a vital diplomatic purpose, advancing India’s cultural diplomacy. It reinforces the country’s people-centric foreign policy. The relics are scheduled to depart for India on Feb 11.
