Four Holy relics of Lord Buddha placed at National Museum, Delhi were taken from India to Mongolia for Mongolian Buddha Purnima celebrations. These are being displayed at Batsagaan temple in Gandan Monastery complex, Ulaanbatar, Mongolia. These will be displayed for 11 days at the Batsagaan temple.

KAPILAVASTU RELICS (Kapilavastu- Piprahwa connection):

These are also called ‘Kapilvastu Relics’ as they are discovered from a Piprahwa Stupa site in Bihar in 1898, which is believed to be the ancient city of Kapilvastu. The discovery of these relics in a casket in 1898 , two more steatite caskets by ASI in 1971-77 and also discovery of more than 40 terracotta sealings from Piprahwa site provided adequate evidence that Piprahwa was indeed the ancient Kapilavastu.

According to buddhist beliefs when Lord Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana in Kushinagar (now in Uttar Pradesh), the Mallas cremated him and collected the relics from the funeral pyre. These were then divided into 8 parts for erecting Stupas over them. Saririka Stupas are the stupas erected over bodily relics of Buddha are the earliest shrines of Buddhism.

Later it is believed that emperor Ashoka got 7 of these Stupas opened and collected major portion of the relics for 84,000 stupas built during his reign.

QUICK FACT CHECK:

• The Relics were accorded the status of a State Guest and taken in the same climate control case as it has been kept presently at the National Museum, Delhi.
• Previously these Relics were taken out of country in 2012 to Sri Lanka.
• Later the Holy Relics were placed under the ‘AA’ category of those Antiquities and Art Treasures and guidelines were issued that these should not be ordinarily taken out of the country for exhibition, considering their delicate nature but a special exception is made on the request of Mongolian government.

AA category: Ministry of Culture Guidelines for international exhibition

There are 3 categories of Lending/exhibition of antiquities/art treasures to institutions and museums abroad and in the country. These are Category 1, 2 and 3.

Following Antiquities will not be loaned within or outside the country:

-Antiquities and Art treasures classified under AA category.

-Works of art under worship in any form ,irrespective of location and placement.

– Antiquities/ Art treasures that are not in good state of preservation.

(extra information)

The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act of 1972 ’and the ‘Rules’ thereon framed in 1973 replaced the Antiquities (Export Control) Act, 1947. The Act provides for:

• Compulsory registration of notified categories of antiquities
• Regulating the export trade in antiquities and art treasures. Section 3 of the Act prohibits export of an antiquity by anyone other than the Centre or its agencies.
• Prevention of smuggling of, and fraudulent dealings in antiques
• Compulsory acquisition of antiquities and art treasures for prevention in public places.

India- Mongolia Relations : Use of Soft Power:

• India became the first country outside of the Soviet Bloc to establish diplomatic relations with Mongolia when it did so in 1955. 
• India shares a long history of cultural & historical ties with Mongolia and to take this partnership forward, a special exception was made to sent Holy Relics of Lord Buddha for 11 days at Batsagaan Temple inside Gandan Monastery, Mongolia.
• India and Mongolia look upon each other as spiritual and cultural neighbours and due to this commonality, Mongolia can also be said to be our ‘Third Neighbour’ even though we don’t enjoy any common physical boundaries.
• Historically, India and Mongolia share a relationship that dates back to ancient times through Buddhism. A little more than 50% of the population of Mongolia are Buddhists.
• PM Modi became the first Indian PM to visit Mongolia in 2015. He also visited the Gandan Monastery. Since his visit, India has been supporting Mongolia in various fields and in cultural realms. India has printed 75 copies of 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur and handed over to Mongolian Government and various Buddhist Institutions there. (Mongolian Kanjur is the Buddhist canonical text in 108 volumes that is considered to be the utmost important religious text in Mongolia.)
• The work of digitisation of the Kanjur manuscripts under National mission for Manuscripts (NMM) is also in full swing.
• Around 500 Mongolian monks are studying in different monasteries and institutions in India for which India has facilitated their travel and  Visas  in past few years.
• India has played an important role in getting Mongolia membership to key international forums, including the United Nations (UN), despite strong opposition from China and Taiwan. India also championed the inclusion of Mongolia in the Non-Alignment movement.
• Mongolia’s strategic position at the cross junction of Central Asia, Northeast Asia, far East, China and Russia attracts major powers towards it.

Seeing China’s increasing economic investments in Pakistan, it is imperative for India to have its area of influence around China’s periphery. Therefore there is greater focus on strengthening relations with Mongolia. The Buddhism connection between the two countries can be leveraged as an instrument of soft power to further strengthen our historical and cultural ties in present times.

Author:

Samridhi Mamgain