Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India and Sri Lanka are bound by “deep civilisational and spiritual bonds” as the first-ever international exposition of the holy Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha began in Sri Lanka.
The sacred relics, unearthed from the Devnimori archaeological site in Gujarat’s Aravalli district, are being displayed for public veneration at Colombo’s Gangaramaya Temple from February 4 to 11. This marks the first time the Devnimori relics have travelled outside India, underlining New Delhi’s use of shared heritage as a bridge in regional diplomacy.
Inauguration coincides with Independence Day
The exposition was inaugurated on February 4 by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the presence of Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and the Chief Incumbent of Gangaramaya Temple, Ven. Kirinde Assaji Thero. The timing of the event, coinciding with Sri Lanka’s 78th Independence Day, added symbolic weight to the occasion.
A promise delivered through faith and diplomacy
Sharing the Sri Lankan President’s post on X, Prime Minister Modi thanked him for inaugurating the exposition and recalled that the decision to bring the relics to Sri Lanka was taken during his State Visit in April 2025. “Our nations are connected by deep civilisational and spiritual bonds,” Modi wrote, adding that Lord Buddha’s message of compassion, peace and harmony continues to guide humanity.
President Dissanayake, in his own message, described the arrival of the relics as a moment of deep reverence. He thanked Prime Minister Modi and the Government of India for honouring their commitment and enabling Sri Lankans to pay homage to the sacred relics, which will be open for public veneration from February 5 onwards.
Continuing tradition of religious diplomacy
The Indian High Commission in Colombo said the exposition reflects the long-standing spiritual and cultural ties between the two countries. It follows earlier expositions of the Kapilavastu relics in 2012 and the Sarnath relics in 2018 in Sri Lanka, continuing a pattern of religious diplomacy centred on Buddhism.
Ancient relics, modern message
The Devnimori relics were transported to Sri Lanka in a special Indian Air Force aircraft with full State honours. They are usually enshrined at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara. A high-level Indian delegation, led by the Gujarat Governor and Deputy Chief Minister, along with senior monks and officials, accompanied the relics to Colombo.
Devnimori is a key Buddhist archaeological site where excavations uncovered a Sharira Stupa containing relic caskets with sacred ashes, a copper box, and gold and silver foil. One of the caskets bears an inscription in Brahmi script and Sanskrit reading “DashabalaShariraNilaya”, meaning “the abode of the bodily relic of Lord Buddha”, making it one of the most significant Buddhist discoveries in India.
The relics were first explored in 1957 by archaeologist S.N. Chowdhry. According to India’s Ministry of Culture, the findings testify to the flourishing of Buddhism in western India during the early centuries. On arrival in Colombo, the relics were formally received by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, and Minister of Public Administration, A.H.M.H. Abayarathna at Bandaranaike International Airport.
Alongside the exposition, two exhibitions, “Unearthing the Sacred Piprahwa” and “Sacred Relic and Cultural Engagement of Contemporary India”, have also been inaugurated at the Gangaramaya Temple, expanding the cultural outreach around the event.
Soft power and regional ties
India had earlier described the exposition as a “profound gesture of spiritual outreach and cultural diplomacy”. During his April 2025 visit, Prime Minister Modi had also announced a grant for the development of the Sacred City Complex project in Anuradhapura, in addition to a $15 million grant announced in 2020 to promote Buddhist ties.
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Beyond ceremony, the exposition carries a clear message. At a time when India and Sri Lanka are recalibrating ties amid regional and economic challenges, shared faith and history are being used as soft power tools to reinforce trust. As the High Commission noted, India remains committed to deepening civilisational linkages with Sri Lanka through such initiatives and continued exchanges between monastic and scholarly communities.
