Exposition of Buddha's Holy Relics in Russia
Why it Matters?
India is sending sacred Buddha relics for their first exposition in Russia's Kalmykia Republic
The Kalmykia Republic is Europe's only Buddhist republic.
The idea is to foster spiritual dialogue and cultural unity at the 3rd International Buddhist Forum.
What you should know?
The holy relics are being transported from the National Museum, New Delhi to be enshrined at the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery in Elista which is the capital of Kalmykia.
The event is being organised by India's Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).
India will also present the 'Kanjur' which is a set of 108 volumes of Mongolian religious texts to nine Buddhist institutes in the region.
The relics being taken to Russia are from Piprahwa(ancient Kapilavastu) Uttar Pradesh.
The relics were discovered in a stupa by William Claxton Peppe in 1898. Later excavations uncovered a casket with bone fragments dating to the 4th or 5th century BCE.
India's Cultural Diplomacy: This exposition is part of India's ongoing efforts to leverage its Buddhist heritage for cultural diplomacy.