Sri Lanka deeply honoured to host Devnimori relics, says FM as relics return to India

Sri Lanka was deeply honoured to host the sacred Devnimori relics for seven days, allowing people across the country to pay homage and venerate them, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath has stated.

Minister Vijitha Herath also confirmed that the sacred Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha were formally returned to India following the conclusion of a week-long relics exposition held at the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the minister stated that Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel, Governor of Madhya Pradesh, and Chowna Mein, Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, met him during their visit to Sri Lanka to facilitate the return of the sacred relics.

Minister Herath also expressed sincere appreciation to the Government of India for its close cooperation in organizing what he described as a historic exposition.

According to the minister, the event underscored the longstanding civilizational ties between Sri Lanka and India, as well as their close cultural and religious relations. 

He added that the exposition highlighted the ‘deep spiritual connections’ shared by the two countries through their common Buddhist heritage, rooted in the teachings of Gautama Buddha.

The successful hosting of the relics, Herath said, further strengthened the bonds of friendship and mutual understanding between the peoples of Sri Lanka and India.

The exposition of the sacred Devnimori relics concluded this morning at the Gangaramaya Temple in Hunupitiya, Colombo.

Devotees were allowed to pay homage to the relics since February 05.

A large gathering, including the ministers, diplomats, and many others visited the Gangaramaya in the past six days to venerate the sacred relics.

The Sacred Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha, discovered during excavations in the 1960s at the historic Devnimori site in Gujarat, India have never previously been taken outside India.