PM Modi Lauds Sri Lanka's Devnimori Relics Exposition, Citing Deep Civilisational Bonds

Sharing his thoughts on X, PM Modi wrote, "Gratitude to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for inaugurating the Exposition of the Holy Devnimori Relics at the sacred Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. During my visit in April 2025, it was decided these relics will come to Sri Lanka, thus giving the opportunity for the people to pay their respects. Our nations are connected by deep civilisational and spiritual bonds. May Lord Buddha's timeless message of compassion, peace and harmony continue to guide humanity."

The initiative stems from a commitment made during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, when both leaders agreed to bring the sacred relics from India for public veneration.

In response, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed heartfelt appreciation to PM Modi and the Government of India for fulfilling that promise.

In a post on X on Wednesday, President Dissanayake stated, "Respectfully welcome the Sacred Relics of the Buddha to Sri Lanka today for public veneration until the 11th at Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple. I deeply appreciate PM Narendra Modi and the Government of India for honouring their promise and enabling this sacred exposition."

The holy relics arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday morning for the first-ever international exposition.

A high-level Indian delegation, led by the Governor of Gujarat and Maharashtra Acharya Devvrat and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, personally carried the relics to the aircraft for departure from India.

The delegation also included officials from the National Museum, representatives of MS University, Vadodara, where the relics are currently housed, and members of the International Buddhist Confederation.

These sacred relics, discovered at Devnimori in Gujarat, were transported to the revered Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple, a prominent centre of Theravada Buddhism in Colombo.

The exposition, open to the public from February 4 to February 11, provides devotees in Sri Lanka a rare opportunity to pay respects to the relics.

Beyond its spiritual significance, the exposition of the Holy Devnimori Relics in Sri Lanka serves a vital diplomatic purpose by advancing India's cultural diplomacy and reinforcing its people-centric foreign policy. By sharing its most sacred Buddhist heritage with Sri Lanka, India underscores the civilizational foundations of the bilateral relationship, anchored in shared faith, history and values.

The event highlights the enduring historical, cultural and religious ties between India and Sri Lanka, rooted in the shared legacy of Buddhism, which originated in India and has flourished for centuries across the island nation.

The exposition acts as a powerful instrument of soft power, fostering deeper people-to-people connections, enhancing mutual trust, and complementing formal diplomatic engagements with a profound cultural and emotional resonance. It reaffirms India's role as a responsible custodian of global Buddhist heritage and strengthens regional harmony in the Indian Ocean neighbourhood, while reinforcing Sri Lanka's place as a valued partner in India's vision of peace, stability and cooperative coexistence in South Asia.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) Abhijit Halder underscored Sri Lanka's pivotal role in the global Buddhist community and its longstanding spiritual connection with India.

"Theravada Buddhism has its roots in Sri Lanka. Many Buddhists from India travel to Sri Lanka to study Pali. Till today, we see many Buddhist societies are run by Sri Lankan Buddhists," Halder said.

Governor Acharya Devvrat recalled the significance of the relics and how they first gained international attention during PM Modi's visit to Sri Lanka.

"Devnimori is a place in Gujarat where Lord Buddha's relics were found. In his last visit to Sri Lanka, PM Modi had mentioned these relics. These relics are being taken to Sri Lanka today to be placed in a temple there," he said.

The forthcoming exposition in Sri Lanka builds upon India's longstanding tradition of sharing its Buddhist heritage with the world. In recent years, sacred relics of Lord Buddha have been successfully exhibited in countries such as Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, the Russian Federation and Bhutan, drawing millions of devotees and strengthening people-to-people connections.

The Sri Lanka exposition also follows the recent and widely celebrated repatriation of the sacred Piprahwa Jewel Relics to India, hailed by the Prime Minister as the homecoming of a priceless national treasure.

Through this exposition, India once again conveys the universal message of Buddha Dhamma, non-violence, compassion and coexistence, while reaffirming its commitment to cultural diplomacy and global harmony.

The exposition not only fulfils a bilateral commitment but also reinforces the deep civilisational and spiritual bond between the two neighbouring nations, guided by Lord Buddha's teachings of compassion, peace and harmony.

The journey of the Devnimori Relics to Sri Lanka stands as a powerful symbol of peace, a celebration of shared spiritual inheritance, and a reaffirmation of the special and enduring friendship between India and Sri Lanka, rooted in centuries-old civilizational ties and mutual respect.

- ANI