UP Dy CM Maurya leads delegation of monks to transport Buddha relics to Russia's Kalmykia for exposition - World News Network

New Delhi [India], October 11 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, in the early hours of Saturday, is leading a high-level delegation of 11 senior Indian monks transporting sacred Relics of Gautam Buddha to Russia’s Kalmykia Republic for an exposition.
The exposition will be held in the capital city of Elista, the capital city of Kalmykia, from October 11 to 18.
Before their departure, Dy CM Maurya offered prayers to the relics at Palam Airport. “This is a very fortunate moment in my life… I thank PM Modi from the bottom of my heart for this… These remains have a very long history… It is a very big day,” he said.
National Museum Director General Gurmeet Singh Chawla and the delegation of 11 senior Indian monks also offered prayers before departing for Kalmykia for an exposition.

International Buddhist Confederation Director General Abhijit Halder said, “… It is certainly going to strengthen the relationship between the two countries because Buddhism has been popular in Russia… Keshav Prasad Maurya is leading the delegation, and upon their return, Manoj Sinha will escort the delegation back. We have 11 monks from the Theravada and Mahayana traditions… We have the good honour that the 43rd Sakya Trizin Rinpoche is accompanying us.”

On leading the delegation, 43rd Sakya Trizin, Gyana Vajra Rinpoche said, “I feel honoured. This is a great initiative taken by the government. It will help our Russian brothers and sisters… I hope the Indian government will take the relics to all parts of the World…”
The Ministry of Culture is organising the exposition with the International Buddhist Confederation, the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. The Sacred Relics will be enshrined in the main Buddhist monastery in Elista, known as the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery, also called the ‘Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha.’
The Holy Relics exposition, a first in the Russian Republic, is organised by the Union Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
The Holy Relics will be received by the Head of the Buddhists of Kalmykia, Shajin Lama of Kalmykia, Geshe Tenzin Choidak, Batu Sergeyevich Khasikov, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia and other eminent Buddhist Sangha members, a release said.
It may be recalled that it was the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, the revered Buddhist monk and diplomat from Ladakh, who played a pivotal role in reviving Buddhism in Mongolia and, subsequently, was also instrumental in reintroducing interest in Buddha dharma in the three regions of Russia, namely Buryatia, Kalmykia, and Tuva.
The UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya-led delegation will host additional activities during the week. These include teachings and discourses by His Holiness the 43rd Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, Head of the Sakya Order; the presentation of the Holy ‘Kanjur’, a Set of 108 Mongolian religious texts originally translated from the Tibetan language. IBC will present the Kanjur to nine Buddhist Institutes and a University. These are from the Manuscripts division of the Ministry of Culture.
IBC will present the Kanjur to nine Buddhist Institutes and a University. These are from the Manuscripts division of the Ministry of Culture.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is likely to be signed between the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhism and the International Buddhist Confederation.
A unique exhibition of Buddhist stamps, curated by Vinod Kumar of Dharwad, Karnataka–featuring around 90 countries will also be displayed.
Another exhibition by IBC titled the “Sacred Legacy of the Shakyas: Excavation and Exposition of Buddha’s Relics” will be presented through panel displays. It traces the remarkable journey of the Buddha’s relics from their ancient enshrinement to their rediscovery. It opens with a map locating Piprahwa, identified with the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the capital of the Shakya clan. The panels guide visitors through the sacred geography in India of the Buddha’s final days and the regions that hold the legacy of his timeless teachings.
An exhibition on ‘Bodhicitta’- Treasures of Buddhist Art from the National Museum of India and the National Mission for Manuscripts in India will also be displayed at the venue. It offers a unique opportunity for visitors to engage deeply with India’s rich Buddhist cultural heritage, spanning over two millennia.
Accompanying the Sacred Relics are other officials and Buddhist academicians. The Holy Relic will be transported from the National Museum with great reverence, escorted by senior monks with full religious sanctity and protocol, to Kalmykia by a special Indian Air Force aircraft, the release said.
Kalmykia is a region characterised by vast grasslands. However, it also encompasses desert areas, and it is situated in the southwestern part of Russia’s European territory, bordering the Caspian Sea.
The Kalmyks are descendants of the Oirat Mongols who migrated from Western Mongolia in the early 17th century. Their history is deeply tied to nomadic lifestyles, which influences their culture.
They are the only ethnic group in Europe that practices Mahayana Buddhism. Kalmykia hosted the 3rd International Buddhist Forum from September 24 to 28, 2025, in its capital, Elista.
The holy relics of the Buddha have been taken to Mongolia, Thailand, and Vietnam in recent times. The Piprahwa relics at the National Museum were transported to Mongolia in 2022, whereas the holy relics of the Buddha and his two disciples, enshrined at Sanchi, were taken for exposition to Thailand in 2024.
In early 2025, the holy relics of the Buddha from Sarnath were transported to Vietnam. The relics for Russia are enshrined in the ‘Buddhist Gallery’ of the National Museum in New Delhi for veneration. The holy relics being taken to Kalmykia belong to the same family of relics based in the National Museum. (ANI)

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