Buddha's sacred relics from India arrive in Vietnam
Hanoi: The sacred relics of Buddha from India arrived in Vietnam on Friday. They were brought to the Vietnam Buddhist University for a special ceremony and then carried in a grand procession to Thanh Tam Pagoda, where the public exposition of the relics will take place.
Earlier in the day, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Minority Affairs, took to social media and expressed gratitude for leading the delegation carrying the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha to Vietnam, stating it as an experience that touches the soul.
'Humbled to lead the delegation carrying the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha to Vietnam, an experience that touches the soul. Joined by Revered Monks, Kandula Durgesh ji, Minister for Tourism, Culture & Cinematography, Andhra Pradesh & officials on this sacred journey of peace, compassion & harmony. The Holy Relics would be in Vietnam from 2 to 21 May 2025 as part of the UN Vesak Day celebrations,' Rijiju posted on X.
'Paid my heartfelt respects before embarking on a deeply spiritual journey to Vietnam, accompanying the sacred Holy Relics of Lord Buddha. Carrying with us His timeless message of peace, compassion and unity,' he said in another post.
Earlier on Wednesday, a large gathering of monks, bhikkhunis, diplomats, and the Sangha offered chanting and special prayers to the Holy Buddha Relic at a protected enclosure of the National Museum, New Delhi. The sacred Relic arrived earlier from Sarnath en route to Vietnam.
The Ambassador of Vietnam to India, Nguyen Thanh Hai, as also the Acting High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Priyanga Wickramasinghe joined the prayers.
The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), is holding for the first time an exposition of the Sacred Buddha Relic in four cities of Vietnam to coincide with the celebrations for the UN Vesak Day.
This Holy Relic of the Buddha is enshrined in Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, Sarnath, and was excavated in Nagarjuna Konda, Andhra Pradesh. It is believed to be older than 246 CE.
India and Vietnam share age-old cultural and civilisational links with regular exchanges. Buddhist links between the two countries represent civilisational connections dating back millennia. Numerous Buddhist scholars and pilgrims travel to India regularly, including the Vietnamese Buddhist pagoda in Bodhgaya.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
20 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Marching through memories
Recently, I stood among thousands of Vietnamese in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, surrounded by red flags fluttering like living flames against the clear blue skies, witnessing a moment of living history. Vietnam was marking the 50th anniversary of the end of a war, a half-century since the fall of Saigon in 1975, transforming itself into a tableau of national pride, filled with the sounds of drums and marching a child growing up in Delhi, I remembered India's Republic Day parade, a regular fixture in my calendar. My father, an ardent believer in ceremony, had made attending the parade a family ritual, and I still remember being perched on his shoulders, watching tanks roll past, tricolour balloons ascend, and the brass bands thunder in unison. I would return home flush with patriotic fervour, my brother re-enacting the march past in our living room, his arms swinging too high, his chest puffed out too much!.The journey of a patriot .Half a world away, the mood in Vietnam was qualitatively different, sombre yet proud with an undertone of solemn remembrance. Not just a military display; this was a nation paying homage to hard-won peace. Vietnamese veterans with weathered faces lined the streets, medals catching sunlight, their eyes misty with the weight of what they must have endured. What struck me most was the discipline and restraint. There was no overt display of patriotism, no aggressive choreography, just a reminder that victory required hard, purposeful work in the I watched the parading columns of students, soldiers, and the paramilitary, I couldn't help realising that India's Republic Day presented a similar spectacle of scale and diversity, and like Vietnam's 50th anniversary parade, it was steeped in the memory of a conflict that birthed its modern identity. Both are gigantic exercises with tableaux and a choreography of movement replete with march-pasts and memories. My father, after a Republic Day parade, had once told me, 'What we show on the streets is who we hope to be.' At that time, his words seemed mere sentimental patriotism, but now, standing amidst strangers, his words made sense. Hope lies not in forgetting but in choosing what to remember and how to carry the parade was drawing to a close and the crowd dispersing, I noticed a small boy standing at the kerb, waving a flag too large for him. His grandfather stood behind him, one hand resting lightly on the boy's shoulder. It was a scene that could have come from Kartavyapath or Raisina Hill; a reminder that despite different borders and histories, we are all this parade in Vietnam was a deeply poignant experience. It stirred my memories in myriad ways. Emotions rained down on me not from the spectacle alone, but from a quiet recognition that the parade personalised patriotism. I found myself humming a familiar tune: Lata Mangeshkar's sombre and patriotic voice echoing a republic's yearning: Ae mere watan ke logon.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Delhi Court Refuses to Take Cognisance of Chargesheet Against Udit Raj in Protest Case
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday refused to take cognisance of a chargesheet against Congress functionary Udit Raj in a case of allegedly disobeying a Delhi Police prohibitory order while holding a protest at the house of former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier this year. The court of additional chief judicial magistrate Neha Mittal said there was nothing on record to show that the accused had knowledge of the order. "It is also pertinent to note that there is no evidence on record regarding the identity of the accused. Despite the fact that the incident in question was videographed by the police officials, the accused cannot be seen in the entire video," it added. Raj, along with a few others, staged a protest near Kejriwal's residence on Jan 20, demanding a monthly salary for Buddhist monks and priests of Guru Ravidas and Valmiki temples. According to police, Raj's protest caused traffic congestion and inconvenience to commuters. Police claimed that the protesters were informed about the prohibitory order and the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct through loudspeaker announcements. However, the court found these claims unsubstantiated. The court also said that no police officer was specifically named in the chargesheet as having made such an announcement, nor were their statements recorded under Section 180 BNS. "In view of the above discussion, this court is of the considered opinion that there does not exist sufficient ground for taking cognisance of the offence punishable under Section 223 BNS. No other offence appears to be made out from the chargesheet. Accordingly, cognisance in the present case is declined," the judge concluded. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
The Print
2 days ago
- The Print
Culture Minister Gajendra Shekhawat meets Tajikistan's foreign minister in Delhi
'It is my pleasure to have met Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Mr. Sirodjiddin Muhriddin, ahead of the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue, at NGMA, New Delhi today. From Farsi manuscripts to Kathak classes in Dushanbe, from yoga to youth exchanges — our civilisational ties run deep & I am glad to be furthering them with this interaction,' Shekhawat posted on X. The meeting took place at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat met Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Sirodjiddin Muhriddin here on Thursday and discussed ways to further boost cultural cooperation between the two countries. He also shared some visual glimpses of the meeting between them. India is hosting the fourth edition of the Central Asia Dialogue to forge a closer, wider and stronger partnership with the region, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are attending the conclave to be held in Delhi on Friday. In another post on X, Shekhawat shared some details about his meeting with a Vietnamese delegation led by Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politbureau Member of Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and Chairman of CPV's Central Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation. 'I am pleased to have met H.E. Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia and his delegation in New Delhi. Spoke of the sacred relics of Lord Buddha that drew 14 million devotees in Vietnam, ASI's ongoing restoration of the My Son temples, and the growing ease of travel, tourism and trust — with direct flights, Buddhist circuits, cultural exchange, and over 200 scholarships drawing our countries ever closer. Wished them best for their stay & tour of India in the coming days,' he posted. This meeting also took place at the NGMA. PTI KND DIV DIV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
