India demands return of Buddha's sacred relics amid auction controversy

In 1898, during British colonial rule, a significant archaeological discovery was made in Uttar Pradesh, India, where a large cache of relics, including gemstones and bone fragments, was unearthed near the birthplace of the Buddha. These relics were excavated by British colonial official William Claxton Peppé and included an urn inscribed, linking them directly to the Buddha. While most of the finds were handed over to an Indian museum, a portion remained with Peppé's descendants. Recently, these gems surfaced for auction at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, raising urgent ethical and legal concerns among Indian authorities and the international Buddhist community, who view these items as sacred. The Indian government has taken swift action by issuing legal notices and intensifying diplomatic pressure on both Sotheby’s and the UK government to repatriate the relics. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has expressed the urgent need for cooperation to block the sale and return these artifacts, emphasizing their cultural and religious significance to India and Buddhism globally. As the auction date approached, the ministry reiterated that the sale violates both Indian law and international conventions, dubbing it an act of colonial exploitation. Acknowledging the relics' profound importance, scholars and Buddhist practitioners have voiced their concerns, questioning the morality of selling items considered sacred by many.