New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Leh on Thursday for a two-day visit during which he will attend the first-ever international exposition of the holy relics of Lord Buddha in India, commencing on Buddha Purnima.
In a message posted on ‘X’, Shah said he would be leaving for Leh on Thursday for a two-day visit.
“It is a moment of profound good fortune for me to be attending on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, the first ever international exposition of the holy relics of Lord Buddha, commencing on the 1st of May,” he said.
Shah said in this exposition, devotees from different parts of the world will offer veneration to the relics of Lord Buddha.
The sacred Piprahwa relics of Buddha were brought to Leh in a special Indian Air Force aircraft on Wednesday by Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche and Khenpo Thinlas Chosal of Matho Monastery.
The sacred relics were accorded a ceremonial reception on arrival, as people poured out of their homes and gathered along the roads to pay respect.
This marks the beginning of marking a rare and significant spiritual occasion in the Union Territory of Ladakh with an exposition for the public to be held in the first two weeks of May.
Piprahwa relics refer to ancient sacred remains and associated objects linked to Gautama Buddha, discovered at Piprahwa, an archaeological site in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India, near the Nepal border.
The relics have gained renewed global significance in recent years, especially after a collection of associated gems and offerings was repatriated to India in July 2025 from a British family and a private collection, ending over a century of colonial possession.
The relics have been exhibited internationally in several countries; this is the first time they have been brought out from their original place of preservation for exposition within India.
The Piprahwa relics have previously been exhibited in countries such as Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Russia, Singapore, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, attracting global attention and devotion, according to a statement.
In Ladakh, the relics will be open for public veneration at Jivetsal from May 2 to May 10. They will subsequently be taken to Zanskar on May 11 and 12, followed by exposition at the Dharma Centre in Leh from May 13 to May 14, before being returned to Delhi on May 15, it read.
In view of the expected influx of devotees and tourists, the administration has undertaken extensive preparations across Leh.
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has directed beautification drives, plantation initiatives, installation of flower pots and city-wide cleanliness campaigns to ensure a smooth and spiritually enriching experience for visitors. PTI ABS BM HIG HIG
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