logo
Buddha's Sacred Jewels, Valued At Rs 107 Crore, To Be Auctioned In Hong Kong

Buddha's Sacred Jewels, Valued At Rs 107 Crore, To Be Auctioned In Hong Kong

NDTV04-05-2025
A remarkable collection of ancient jewels, once buried beside what were believed to be the Buddha's ashes, is set to be auctioned at Sotheby's in Hong Kong this week.
Found in 1898 from a stupa in Piprahwa, near the Buddha's birthplace in present-day Uttar Pradesh, the cache includes nearly 1,800 jewels - pearls, rubies, sapphires, topaz, garnets, coral, amethysts, rock crystals, shells, and gold. These were originally discovered alongside bone fragments identified as belonging to the Buddha.
The relics had been preserved in a private British collection for over a century and are now being sold by three descendants of William Claxton Peppe, the British engineer who led the original excavation. Sotheby's has estimated the auction value at around HK$100 million (around Rs 107 crore).
"These gem relics are not inanimate objects - they are imbued with the presence of the Buddha," Professor Ashley Thompson, of Soas University of London, said, as per The Guardian.
Nicolas Chow, chairman of Sotheby's Asia, called the relics "among the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries of all time." The auction house described the offering as being "of unparalleled religious, archaeological and historical importance."
John Strong, professor emeritus of religious studies at Bates College, said interpretations of the relics vary. While some see them as sacred offerings tied to the Buddha's physical remains, others regard them as symbolic relics representing "the ongoing incorruptibility of the quality of Buddhahood," as per The Guardian.
The sale has also triggered criticism from Buddhist scholars and religious leaders around the world, who argue that the relics are sacred and should not be treated as art commodities.
"Are the relics of the Buddha a commodity that can be treated like a work of art to be sold on the market?" asked Naman Ahuja, a Delhi-based art historian, as per the BBC. "Since the seller is termed the 'custodian,' I would like to ask - custodian on whose behalf?"
Mahinda Deegalle, Buddhist monastic and emeritus professor at Bath Spa University, called the auction "appalling" and a "humiliation of one of the greatest thinkers in the world," as per The Guardian.
Chris Peppe, great-grandson of William Claxton Peppe and one of the current owners, defended the decision. He said the family explored donating the relics to temples and museums, but ran into obstacles, adding that the auction was "the fairest and most transparent way to transfer these relics to Buddhists," he told the BBC.
Sotheby's said it has conducted the necessary due diligence, including checks on authenticity, provenance, and legality, in line with industry standards. The auction will take place on Wednesday.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NMC collects Rs 100 crore in property tax in April-June
NMC collects Rs 100 crore in property tax in April-June

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

NMC collects Rs 100 crore in property tax in April-June

Nashik: The Nashik Municipal Corporation's property tax collection reached Rs 100 crore-mark in the April-June quarter of the 2025-26 financial year, slightly lower than the Rs 106 crore collected during the same period last year. NMC officials attributed the collection to rebates of 6-8% on property taxes for prompt payers. NMC is offering rebates for prompt property tax payments, including 8% for payments made in April-May, 6% for June payments and 3% for July payments, with the incentive scheme expiring on July 31. The civic administration also provides 1% additional concessions for online tax payments. Civic officials said they sent out messages to the taxpayers last year to avail themselves of the benefits of the tax rebates. "Employees of the property tax department also visited the houses of the taxpayers, informing them about the tax rebates. This year, however, NMC did not send messages to the taxpayers as they appointed three private agencies for six divisions to distribute property tax bills. Still, NMC managed to collect Rs 100 crore in property tax during the first three months of the financial year," an official said. During the last financial year 2024-25, NMC collected Rs 256 crore in property tax, even though the property tax collection target was Rs 250 crore. NMC has set the property tax collection target of Rs 275 crore for the current financial year.

Kerala High Court orders arrest of cargo ship in Rs 9,531-crore damage case
Kerala High Court orders arrest of cargo ship in Rs 9,531-crore damage case

Indian Express

time2 hours ago

  • Indian Express

Kerala High Court orders arrest of cargo ship in Rs 9,531-crore damage case

In response to Kerala government's admiralty suit seeking a claim of Rs 9,531 crore following the wreck of container vessel MSC Elsa-3 along the state's coast, the high court on Monday directed the conditional arrest of Liberia-flagged container ship MSC Akiteta II which is currently anchored in Vizhinjam port. The bench of Justice M A Abdul Hakim said the vessel MSC Akiteta II 'along with her hull, tackle, engine, machinery spares, gear, apparel, paraphernalia is ordered to be arrested until Rs 9,531 crore is deposited by the ship in the court or until security for the said amount is furnished by the ship'. Vizhinjam port, operated by Adani group, was directed to execute the arrest of the ship. The matter will come up for hearing again on July 10. The vessel MSC Akiteta II is owned by MSC Shipping Co, which owned the sunken ship MSC Elsa. The claim of Rs 9,531 crore is for pollution (oil and cargo), remediation measures and for loss of livelihood caused to fishermen. The Kerala government's secretary to the environment department had filed the admiralty suit, seeking Rs 8,626.12 croes as compensation towards damage caused by MSC Elsa-3 to the environment, coastline and related interests of the state. Another chunk of the claim, Rs 378.48 crore is meant for taking measures to prevent, minimise or remove the damage caused by the said vessel to the environment, coastline, and related interest in the state. The loss for the fishermen has been pegged at Rs 526.51 crore.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store