India has successfully recovered a set of ancient Buddhist relics known as the Piprahwa gems, more than 127 years after they were removed from the country during British colonial rule.
The relics, believed to date back to the 3rd century BCE, were originally discovered in 1898 by British civil engineer William Claxton Peppe during excavations in Piprahwa, a village near the birthplace of Gautama Buddha in present-day Uttar Pradesh. They are considered sacred by the global Buddhist community and are linked to one of the earliest Buddhist sites known to modern archaeology.
The return of the relics was secured through a collaboration between India’s Ministry of Culture and Mumbai-based Godrej Industries Group. The ministry said the items had been scheduled for auction in Hong Kong in May 2025 when it intervened to halt the sale and initiate repatriation efforts.
“These relics have long held immense spiritual value for the global Buddhist community and represent one of the most important archaeological discoveries in India’s history,” the ministry said in an official statement. The government confirmed that the artifacts will be made available for public viewing, although a timeline and location have not yet been disclosed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his appreciation for the relics’ return, calling it a “joyous” moment for the country. “It may be recalled that the Piprahwa relics were discovered in 1898 but were taken away from India during the colonial period,” he wrote on social media. “When they appeared in an international auction earlier this year, we worked to ensure they returned home. I appreciate all those who have been involved in this effort.”
In May, the Ministry of Culture issued a legal notice to Sotheby’s, the international auction house that had listed the relics for sale, demanding the auction be cancelled and the items returned. The ministry also requested an official apology and full disclosure of provenance documentation.
Sotheby’s later postponed the sale and, in a statement released Wednesday, expressed satisfaction with the outcome. “Sotheby’s is thrilled to have played such a central role in securing this historic outcome,” it said.
According to historians, the gems were discovered in a large stone coffer believed to contain relics of the Buddha and his followers, and were originally associated with the Shakya clan—the family of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became the Buddha.
Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat called the repatriation “one of the most significant instances of repatriation of our lost heritage,” underscoring the continued importance of reclaiming cultural artifacts removed during colonial rule.