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Express Tribune
07-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Buddha's jewels dubbed sacred, swerve auction
Auction house Sotheby's said on Wednesday that it had postponed the auction of a collection of hundreds of jewels linked to Buddha's corporeal relics after India's government threatened legal action and demanded the jewels be returned, reported Reuters. The sale of the collection, known as the Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha Mauryan Empire, Ashokan Era, circa 240-200 BCE, has drawn criticism from Buddhist academics and monastic leaders. India's government said in a May 5 letter to the auction house that the relics constituted "inalienable religious and cultural heritage of India and the global Buddhist community. Their sale violates Indian and international laws, as well as United Nations conventions." The auction was due to take place on Wednesday morning at Sotheby's headquarters in the Asian financial hub. Sotheby's said in an emailed statement that in light of the matters raised by India's government "and with the agreement of the consignors, the auction ... has been postponed. This will allow for discussions between the parties, and we look forward to sharing any updates as appropriate." Notice of the gems sale had been removed from its auction house on Wednesday and the website page promoting the auction was no longer available. Sotheby's had said in February that the 1898 discovery of the relics at Piprahwa in northern India ranked "among the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries of all time". India said that the proposed auction "offends the sentiments of over 500 million Buddhists worldwide," adding that the sale violated core Buddhist ethics and disrupted "sacred tradition." Earlier, as reported by the BBC, historians, Buddhist leaders, and scholars, all of whom questioned the ethics of commodifying sacred relics. "Are the relics of the Buddha a commodity that can be treated like art?" asked Naman Ahuja, an art historian based in Delhi. "If the seller is a custodian, then custodianship implies responsibility, not ownership." Critics also argued that had the sale gone through, it would have been part of a larger colonial legacy. "This auction continues the violence of extraction," said Ashley Thompson of SOAS and curator Conan Cheong. "It reduces consecrated relics to collectibles, ignoring their sacred meaning to millions of Buddhists." Questions remain over who gets to define what constitutes human remains. Many Buddhist practitioners believe the jewels, found with ashes and bone, are themselves part of the sanctified relics. As Ahuja noted, "These jewels are not just artifacts. They carry the weight of spiritual heritage and colonial history. Governments must act."
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Sotheby's postpones auction of jewels associated with Buddha after backlash from Union Government
Sotheby's on Wednesday (May 7, 2025) postponed an auction of jewels associated with Buddha's remains after the Union Government opposed the sale and demanded it be halted. 'The gems for auction were found buried together in reliquaries with the corporeal relics of the historical Buddha and discovered in northern India in 1898,' the auction house said. 'They dated back to around 240-200 BC,' it said. But Ministry of Culture said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (May 6, 2025) it had issued a legal notice to Sotheby's (Hong Kong) to demand the immediate halt of the sale, accusing the auction of violating 'laws, international norms and UN conventions.' In its letter to Sotheby's Hong Kong dated Monday (May 5, 2025), posted on Facebook, it said the auction involves sacred Buddhist relics that constitute the inalienable religious and cultural heritage and the global Buddhist community. It demanded the repatriation of the relics to the Union Government and a public apology from the auction house and Chris Peppé. @MinOfCultureGoI has issued a legal notice to Sotheby's Hong Kong & Mr Chris Peppé, heirs of William Claxton Peppé, demanding the immediate halt of the auction titled "The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, Mauryan Empire, Ashokan Era, circa 240-200 BCE,"-set for May 7,2025. — Ministry of Culture (@MinOfCultureGoI) May 5, 2025 Mr. Peppé is a great-grandson of British William Peppé, who excavated the relics. The Centre warned in the letter that failure to comply would result in legal actions and public advocacy campaigns highlighting the auction house's role 'in perpetuating colonial injustice and becoming a party to unethical sale of religious relics.' Sotheby's announced the postponement in a statement on Wednesday (May 7, 2025), acknowledging the matters raised by the Union Government and saying it was done with the agreement of the consignors. 'This will allow for discussions between the parties, and we look forward to sharing any updates as appropriate,' it said. Some of Sotheby's webpages about the auction were no longer available on Wednesday (May 7,2025). The Ministry of Culture said on Facebook on Wednesday (May 7,2025) it was 'pleased to inform' that the auction was postponed after its intervention. Important Announcement 🚨 We are pleased to inform that, following the intervention of the @MinOfCultureGoI, @Sothebys Hong Kong has postponed the auction of the Piprahwa Buddhist relics, which was scheduled for May 7, 2025. Further details will be shared in due course. — Ministry of Culture (@MinOfCultureGoI) May 6, 2025
Business Recorder
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Sotheby's postpones auction of gems linked to Buddha after India threatens legal action
HONG KONG: Auction house Sotheby's said on Wednesday that it had postponed the auction of a collection of hundreds of jewels linked to Buddha's corporeal relics after India's government threatened legal action and demanded the jewels be returned. The sale of the collection, known as the Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha Mauryan Empire, Ashokan Era, circa 240-200 BCE, has drawn criticism from Buddhist academics and monastic leaders. India's government said in a May 5 letter to the auction house that the relics constituted 'inalienable religious and cultural heritage of India and the global Buddhist community. Their sale violates Indian and international laws, as well as United Nations conventions.' The auction was due to take place on Wednesday morning at Sotheby's headquarters in the Asian financial hub. Sotheby's said in an emailed statement that in light of the matters raised by India's government 'and with the agreement of the consignors, the auction … has been postponed. This will allow for discussions between the parties, and we look forward to sharing any updates as appropriate.' Notice of the gems sale had been removed from its auction house on Wednesday and the website page promoting the auction was no longer available. Sotheby's had said in February that the 1898 discovery of the relics at Piprahwa in northern India ranked 'among the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries of all time'. India said that the proposed auction 'offends the sentiments of over 500 million Buddhists worldwide,' adding that the sale violated core Buddhist ethics and disrupted 'sacred tradition.'
New Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Auction of Piprahwa Relics by Sotheby's Hong Kong shelved
Following public outcry over the proposed auction of sacred Buddhist relics from Piprahwa, scheduled to take place in Hong Kong on Wednesday, India had taken strong diplomatic and legal measures to stop the sale. The Ministry issued a legal notice to Sotheby's—a leading multinational auction house—demanding the immediate withdrawal of the auction titled 'The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, Mauryan Empire, Ashokan Era, circa 240–200 BCE.' The auction, set for Wednesday, includes relics excavated from the Piprahwa Stupa in 1898 by British colonial engineer William Claxton Peppé. In addition to Sotheby's, a notice was also sent to Claxton Peppé's descendants, including Chris Peppé. Responding to the notice, Sotheby's Associate General Counsel Ivy Wong assured Indian officials that the matter has their "full attention," according to ministry sources. Simultaneously, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) requested the Consulate General of India in Hong Kong to urge local authorities to intervene and prevent the auction.
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
India seeks to halt auction of Buddhist relics by Sotheby's Hong Kong, sends legal notice
Days before going under the hammer at Sotheby's Hong Kong, India has stepped in to halt the auction of a portion of the sacred Buddhist relics that were excavated in the northern parts of the country in 1898 and demanded their repatriation. In a statement on Monday (May 5, 2025), the Ministry of Culture said it has issued a "legal notice to Sotheby's Hong Kong", seeking "immediate cessation of the auction" scheduled for Wednesday (May 7, 2025). There was no immediate reaction from the auction house. However, the Ministry of Culture said Sotheby has responded to the legal notice with the "assurance" that "full attention" is being given to the matter. @MinOfCultureGoI has issued a legal notice to Sotheby's Hong Kong & Mr Chris Peppé, heirs of William Claxton Peppé, demanding the immediate halt of the auction titled "The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, Mauryan Empire, Ashokan Era, circa 240-200 BCE,"-set for May 7,2025. — Ministry of Culture (@MinOfCultureGoI) May 5, 2025 "These relics, excavated from the Piprahwa Stupa -- widely recognised as the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Lord Buddha -- hold immense historical and spiritual significance," the statement said. The Piprahwa Relics, which include bone fragments, soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer and offerings, such as gold ornaments and gemstones, were excavated by William Claxton Peppe in 1898, it said. An inscription in the Brahmi script on one of the caskets confirms these as relics of the Buddha deposited by the Sakya clan, the Ministry said. The majority of these relics were transferred to the Indian Museum in Kolkata in 1899 and classified as "AA" antiquities under the Indian law, prohibiting their removal or sale, the statement said. "While a portion of the bone relics was gifted to the King of Siam, a selection retained by Peppe's descendants has now been listed for auction," it said. In a post on 'X', the Culture Ministry shared a copy of the legal notice, according to which another copy of it has been sent to a descendant of Peppe. "On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, this legal notice is hereby issued to Sotheby's Hong Kong and Chris Peppe, descendant of William Claxton Peppe, demanding the immediate cessation of the auction titled 'The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, Mauryan Empire, Ashokan Era, circa 240-200 BCE', scheduled for May 7, 2025," the notice read. The Ministry of Culture, in its statement, said the government has taken "swift and comprehensive measures" to "prevent the auction" of the relics, underscoring India's "commitment to protecting its cultural and religious heritage". The notice mentions that "these relics -- referred to as 'duplicate jewels' -- constitute inalienable religious and cultural heritage of India and the global Buddhist community. Their sale violates Indian and international laws, as well as United Nations conventions". The Ministry further said that upon learning about the proposed auction, it has initiated a set of actions. "The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) also requested the Consulate General of Hong Kong to take up the matter with authorities there demanding the immediate cessation of the auction," it said. During a bilateral meeting on May 2, Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had "raised" the issue with the UK's Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, it said. "The minister emphasised the cultural and religious significance of the relics and urged immediate action to halt the auction and facilitate their repatriation," the statement said. Ms. Nandy recently visited India. On Monday, the culture secretary convened a high-level review meeting to outline further steps, the statement said, adding that the "Ministry of External Affairs has been requested to engage with embassies in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong through its Europe, West and East Asia divisions to ensure the auction is stopped". The Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) has been asked to coordinate with its counterpart in Hong Kong to "highlight the illegality of the auction and ensure compliance with international laws", the ministry said. The Ministry of Culture said it remains "steadfast in its efforts to protect India's cultural heritage and ensure the repatriation of the Piprahwa Relics". "We call upon Sotheby's Hong Kong to immediately withdraw the relics from auction and cooperate with Indian authorities to return these sacred artefacts to their rightful place," the statement said.
