PM Modi to open sacred Buddha relics exhibition

On Saturday, Delhi will host a landmark cultural exhibition at Qila Rai Pithora, the earliest of the city’s seven historic settlements, bringing the little-known fortification into the national spotlight. After restoration and beautification, the site now frames the public display of the sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex, a temporary museum set up within the Qutub Golf Course area. The Archaeological Survey of India and the National Museum have jointly curated the exhibition, which will remain open for around six months and offer visitors a rare blend of faith, archaeology and global history.

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Officials said the exhibition presents the relics not only as objects of worship but also as living evidence of Buddhism’s spread across Asia and beyond. The display will showcase the sacred Piprahwa relics, galleries tracing the expansion of Buddhist culture, and artefacts recovered from various parts of the world, an ASI official said, requesting anonymity. The exhibition will open to the public on January 3 and run for at least six months. The venue, Qila Rai Pithora, adds historical significance, as its scattered ruins across south Delhi, including near the Mehrauli Archaeological Park and Qutub Minar, mark one of the earliest stages of Delhi’s urban history, established in the late 12th century when Prithviraja III expanded the Tomar citadel of Lal Kot to create the city later known as the first of Delhi’s seven historic cities.

Ancient fort frames global Buddhist heritage display

Officials said conservation at Qila Rai Pithora focused on stabilising and presenting the ruins, with limited restoration to preserve its archaeological character. The exhibition features the sacred Piprahwa relics, linked to Lord Buddha and returned to public custody after the Union culture ministry blocked their overseas auction. Alongside the relics, rare artefacts include an 11th-century Apsara sculpture from the US, a 2nd-century Miracle of Sravasti panel from Kabul, and a plaque on Buddha’s 12 deeds from Tibet. National Museum officials said the ticketed exhibition is nearly ready and offers visitors a glimpse of Delhi’s earliest fortifications and Buddhism’s spiritual heritage.

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