Blitz Bureau
THE holy relics of Lord Buddha returned to India on June 3 after a month-long exposition tour across Vietnam.
The sacred tour in Vietnam, spanning multiple locations from the south to the north, drew more than 17.8 million devotees in total. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar had called the exhibition of these relics in Vietnam an “expression of close and friendly ties over centuries.”
The ceremonies included relic processions, meditative gatherings, chanting, and educational sessions, fostering spiritual mindfulness among attendees of all ages. The holy relics arrived in Vietnam from India on May 2 with an Indian delegation led by Union Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, which also included Andhra Pradesh Minister Kandula Durgesh, senior monks and officials.
The relics were supposed to remain in Vietnam until May 21 as part of the UN Day of Vesak celebrations. However, India extended the enshrinement of sacred relics in Vietnam beyond May 21, on the recommendation of the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs after a formal request from Vietnamese government, said the local media.
