Kiren Rijiju-led delegation carrying Lord Buddha's relics from India arrive in Mongolia

In a special gesture for the people of Mongolia, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju carrying four 'Kapilvastu' relics of Lord Buddha arrived in Ganden Tegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar. Lord Buddha's relics have been taken to mark Mongolian Buddh Purnima on Tuesday, June 14, according to the official release. The Holy relics of Lord Buddha taken by a 25-member delegation, that is headed by Kiren Rijiju, will be displayed at the Batsagaan Temple in Gandan Monastery for 11 days. 

The holy relics were received at the Ulaanbaatar International Airport by Mongolia's Culture Minister Nomin Saranchimeg, Khamba Nomun Khan, advisor to the President of Mongolia and a large number of monks among other dignitaries. Speaking to the media, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stressed that the people of both the nations have a strong bond and the people of Mongolia "look upto India as source of wisdom. India occupies a special position in the hearts and minds of people of Mongolia," according to the official release. The Holy relics of Lord Buddha were welcomed at the Gandan Monastery ceremoniously amidst prayers. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Indian delegation was taking Buddha’s message of peace to the world. He noted that the main Buddha statue in the Gandan Monastery was presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mongolia in 2015. 

Speaking to media persons, Kiren Rijiju said, "the historical relations between India and Mongolia will further strengthen with the coming of relics from India to Mongolia." 

Lord Buddha's Relics taken in IAF aircraft 

The relics were taken in an Indian Air Force (IAF) special aircraft and were planned to be taken in the same climate control case as they had been kept at the National Museum. Speaking to media persons prior to his visit to Mongolia on June 11, Kiren Rijiju called the gesture a "historic milestone" between the bilateral ties of India and Mongolia. Furthermore, Rijiju said that PM Modi was the first-ever Prime Minister of India to visit Mongolia and stressed that carrying the relics to Mongolia is an "extension of the vision of our Prime Minister to revive our relations with the countries with whom we have had cultural and spiritual ties since centuries ago," according to the official release. Previously, the relics were taken from India to Sri Lanka in 2012 and were displayed at different locations across the island nation. Notably, PM Modi in his visit to Gandan Monastery in 2015 gifted a Bodhi Tree Sapling to Hamba Lama.  

(With Inputs from ANI)

Image: ANI/Twitter/@KirenRijiju