Buddhist devotees and the people in the Mongolian capital on Monday gave a rousing welcome to an Indian delegation led by Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju as they arrived here with the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha.
The four Holy Relics - known as the 'Kapilvastu Relics' were brought in two special bulletproof caskets on board an Indian Air Force aircraft. The Holy Relics will be displayed the Batsagaan Temple in Gandan Tegchenling Monastery complex in Ulaanbaatar for 11 days.
They were under the care of the National Museum in Delhi and during the 11-day visit to Mongolia the relics will be accorded the status of a 'state guest'.
The Holy Relics of Lord Buddha which are returning to Mongolia after 29 years, are considered one of the most sacred relics of Buddhism.
In 2015, the Holy Relics were placed under the 'AA' category of Antiquities and Art Treasures which should not be ordinarily taken out of the country for exhibition, considering their delicate nature.
However, upon the request of the Mongolian government, the government has made a special exception and permitted the exposition of the Holy Relics in Mongolia.
The display of sacred `Kapilavastu relics' at Ganden Tegchenling Monastery is called a historic milestone in India-Mongolia relations and will further boost cultural and spiritual relations between the two countries.
Before the arrival of Kiren Rijiju, people enthusiastically waited to get a glimpse of Lord Buddha's relics coming from India.
India's relations with Mongolia got a boost after the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mongolia in 2015. He had visited the Ganden Monastery, where the relics will be displayed for the common people.
Rijiju will be in Mongolia for an 11-day exposition of the relics as part of celebrations of the Mongolian Buddh Purnima falling on June 14.
"This will give a message of peace to the world. The friendship between India and Mongolia is very old. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mongolia in 2015, the bond between both countries has become very strong," Union Minister Kiren Rijiju earlier said.
Recalling the visit of the Prime Minister to Mongolia in 2015, the Union Minister added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first-ever Prime Minister of India to visit Mongolia, and taking the relics to Mongolia is an extension of the vision of the PM to revive the relations with the countries with whom India had cultural and spiritual ties since centuries ago.
(ANI)
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event