'Nations Connected By Spiritual Bonds': PM Modi Welcomes Buddha Relics Exposition In Sri Lanka

Last Updated:February 05, 2026, 10:46 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for inaugurating the Devnimori Relics exposition at Gangaramaya Temple.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed gratitude to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake after the inauguration of the exposition of the sacred Devnimori Relics at Colombo’s Gangaramaya Temple. The relics were sent from India as part of a cultural and spiritual initiative linking the two countries.

“Gratitude to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for inaugurating the Exposition of the Holy Devnimori Relics at the sacred Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. During my visit in April 2025, it was decided these relics will come to Sri Lanka, thus giving the opportunity for the people to pay their respects. Our nations are connected by deep civilisational and spiritual bonds. May Lord Buddha’s timeless message of compassion, peace and harmony continue to guide humanity," he wrote on X.

Relics On Week-Long Public Display

The holy relics of Lord Buddha, currently preserved at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara, have been brought to Colombo for public viewing from 4 to 10 February 2026. They will return to India on 11 February.

According to an official statement by PIB, the move follows the vision announced during the Prime Minister’s visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025 and is aimed at strengthening cultural diplomacy and people-to-people ties between the two nations.

High-Level Delegation Accompanies Relics

A senior Indian delegation led by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi travelled with the relics, along with monks and officials. The relics were transported with full state honours aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft, reflecting their religious importance.

The delegation is also taking part in religious ceremonies and exhibitions highlighting India’s Buddhist heritage.

Why Gangaramaya Temple Was Chosen?

The relics are being kept at the historic Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, a major Buddhist centre founded in the nineteenth century by Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera. The temple remains an important place of worship, learning and cultural exchange in Sri Lanka.

Ancient Origin Of The Relics

The Devnimori relics were discovered at the Devnimori archaeological site near Shamlaji in Gujarat’s Aravalli district. Excavations carried out in 1957 revealed Buddhist structures dating back to the early centuries CE. The relics are considered both an archaeological treasure and a symbol of the teachings of Lord Buddha — peace, compassion and harmony.

The exhibition is being seen as an effort to reinforce the long-standing spiritual connection between India and Sri Lanka.

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