Thimphu, Bhutan/New Delhi, November 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed appreciation for the people and leadership of Bhutan for the reverent welcome accorded to the holy relics of Lord Buddha from India, describing the Buddha’s teachings as a “sacred link” between the two nations.
A portion of the relics, known as the Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha, was enshrined on Saturday at Tashichhodzong Monastery in Thimphu, the seat of Bhutan’s highest spiritual and political institutions. The enshrinement ceremony was attended by Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, cabinet ministers, and senior monastic leaders, along with India’s Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar, the Indian Embassy in Thimphu said.
“The teachings of Lord Buddha are a sacred link between India and Bhutan’s shared spiritual heritage,” Modi said in a post on X, adding that the relics symbolise the “timeless message of peace, compassion and harmony.”
The relics were carried in a traditional chipdrel procession to the Grand Kuenrey Hall of Tashichhodzong, where they were enshrined with prayers, rituals and a guard of honour. They will remain on public display for veneration from November 8 to 18, according to Bhutanese and Indian officials.
The relics, which were previously housed at the National Museum in New Delhi, are expected to draw large numbers of devotees during their stay in Bhutan. Modi is scheduled to undertake a two-day visit to Bhutan starting Tuesday, underscoring the deep cultural and religious bonds between the two Himalayan neighbours.
