New Delhi, Feb 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday underscored the deep civilisational and spiritual connections between India and Sri Lanka as he expressed gratitude to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for inaugurating the first ever international exposition of the Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha in Colombo.
The exposition, taking place at Colombo’s Gangaramaya Temple from February 4-11, marks the first public display of these sacred relics outside India. The relics originate from the Devnimori archaeological site in Gujarat’s Aravalli district and were transported to Sri Lanka in a special Indian Air Force aircraft with full state honours.
The inauguration was attended by Sri Lankan President Dissanayake, Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and Chief Incumbent Ven. Kirinde Assaji Thero. In a social media post, President Dissanayake welcomed the relics for public veneration and thanked PM Modi and the Government of India for fulfilling the promise made during Modi’s April 2025 state visit to Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister Modi shared his appreciation on X, highlighting that the exposition reflects the nations’ enduring spiritual and civilisational bonds and said, “May Lord Buddha’s timeless message of compassion, peace and harmony continue to guide humanity.”
The arrival of the relics coincided with Sri Lanka’s 78th Independence Day, adding further significance to the event. The Indian High Commission noted that India has previously organised similar expositions, including the Kapilavastu Relics in 2012 and the Sarnath Relics in 2018. The Devnimori relics are originally housed at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara.
This historic exposition provides devotees and the public in Sri Lanka a rare opportunity to pay their respects, reinforcing centuries-old spiritual and cultural connections between the two countries.