State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 07 May 2025

Piprahwa Relics

Why in News? 

The Central Government has launched a strong diplomatic and legal campaign to stop Sotheby’s in Hong Kong from auctioning the sacred Piprahwa Relics, which are believed to be the remains of Lord Buddha. 

 

Key Points 

• About Piprahwa Relics: 
  • Excavators discovered the Piprahwa Relics in 1898 at the Piprahwa Stupa in Uttar Pradesh, believed to be ancient Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. 
  • The relics include bone fragments, crystal caskets, gold ornaments, and other ritual offerings. 
  • An inscription in Brahmi script on one casket links the relics directly to Lord Buddha, stating they were deposited by the Sakya clan. 
• Legal Protection of the Relics: 
  • India classifies the relics as ‘AA’ antiquities, granting them the highest level of legal protection under national law. 
  • Indian law prohibits their sale or export, making any attempt to auction or remove them illegal. 
  • While most relics were handed to the Indian Museum, Kolkata in 1899, descendants of British excavator William Claxton Peppé retained some relics, now surfacing in the auction market. 
• India’s Immediate Action: 
  • After learning of the proposed Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong, the Ministry of Culture issued a legal notice demanding an immediate halt. 
  • The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) contacted India’s Consulate General in Hong Kong to seek intervention. 

 Kapilavastu Relics: 

• The discovery of an inscribed casket in 1898 at the stupa site in Piprahwa (near UP’s Siddharthnagar) helped identify the place with the ancient Kapilavastu. 
• The inscription on the casket's lid refers to the relics of Buddha and his community, the Sakya. 
• A further excavation of the stupa by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1971-77 brought to light two more steatite relic caskets, containing a total of 22 sacred bone relics, which are now under the care of the National Museum. 
• This was followed by the discovery of more than 40 terracotta sealings from different levels and spots in the eastern monastery at Piprahwa, establishing that Piprahwa was the ancient Kapilavastu.