Sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples from India reaches Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand

In a Dhammayatra to commemorate the auspicious 6th Cycle and the 72nd birth year of His Majesty King Rama X and as a mark of enduring friendship between the people of India and Thailand, the sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples, Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Maha Moggallana arrived in Thailand from India on 22 February for 25-day exposition in four cities of Thailand. 

The holy relics were enshrined for exposition in the cities of Bangkok and Chiang Mai and are now enshrined at Wat Maha Wanaram in the city of Ubon Ratchathani in the Isan (northeast) region of Thailand after a solemn ceremony in presence of dignitaries and venerable monks from both countries. The relics will be taken to the southern city of Krabi next. In Bangkok and Chiang Mai over 1.5 million people paid their tributes to the holy relics. Apart from people of Thailand, the devotees from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are also paying their respects to the relics. 

A delegation led by the Governor of Bihar, Mr. Rajendra Arlekar and the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar have accompanied the relics to Thailand. This is a landmark episode in bilateral cultural exchange between India and Thailand. 

On the margins of this Dhammayatra, the Indian Embassy in Thailand in collaboration with UP Tourism has also created a pavilion called ‘Buddhabhoomi Bharat: Journey Along the Footsteps of Lord Buddha’. The pavilion offers an immersive exhibition of Buddhist heritage of India, information about Buddhist tourism, discourses on Buddhism and other cultural events.

The holy relics of Lord Buddha, currently kept in the National Museum in New Delhi rarely leave the shores of India for exposition. It is for the first time in recorded history that the relics of Buddha along with the relics of Sariputta and Maha Moggalla from Sanchi, are enshrined together at one place.

Earlier, exposition the holy relics of Lord Buddha from India was held in Thailand in 1995-96 which marked the 50th anniversary of King Rama IX’s accession to the throne. The present decision of the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the holy relics to Thailand will further strengthen the civilizational ties between India and Thailand.