The holy relics of Lord Buddha, preserved at the Department of Archaeology of Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) in Vadodara, began their journey to Colombo on Tuesday, with chief minister Bhupendra Patel attending a ceremony to mark their departure.

This is the first time the relics — discovered on Jan 14, 1963 — have been taken out of the department. Unearthed at Devni Mori in north Gujarat, the relics are being flown to Colombo in an Indian Air Force aircraft for a public exposition from Feb 4 to Feb 10. MSU chancellor Rajmata Shubhangini Raje Gaekwad and vice chancellor Bhalchandra Bhanage were also present at the event.

The relics will be enshrined for public veneration at the revered Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. The exposition is part of a spiritual and cultural outreach initiative highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Sri Lanka in April last year.

Buddhist monks from the Buddhist Mahabodhi Society joined the ceremony as the relics were ceremonially brought out from the department. City police commissioner, district collector, municipal commissioner and other senior officials were also present. The relics were flown to Delhi and are scheduled to be taken onward to Colombo.

Source: Times of India
--Agencies