PM to inaugurate exhibit of sacred Buddha relics today

will host a historical exhibition at an unlikely stretch of stone and rubble - bringing briefly into the spotlight Qila Rai Pithora, the earliest of the so-called seven cities of Delhi.

- Aheli Das

The relics at the exhibition are said to be among the most significant Buddhist finds ever made in India.

(VIPIN KUMAR/HT PHOTO)

The fortification has undergone careful beautification and restoration to frame the public display of the sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha.On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex a temporary museum being constructed inside the Qutub Golf Course complex. The exhibition, being jointly curated by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the National Museum, will remain open to the public for around six months, offering visitors a rare encounter with artefacts that sit at the intersection of faith, archaeology and global history.

Officials said the exhibition has been designed so that it places the relics not merely as objects of devotion, but as witnesses to the spread of Buddhism across Asia and beyond.

“The exhibition will feature the Piprahwa relics, sections tracing the expansion of Buddhist culture, and artefacts recovered from different parts of the world,” an ASI official said, requesting anonymity. “Once inaugurated on January 3, it will be accessible to the public for at least six months.”