Buddha’s Sacred Relics to Be Auctioned in Hong Kong on May 7: Outraged Ambedkarites Ask— What If Christ’s or Other Religious Relics Were Auctioned as Art?

New Delhi- The impending auction of sacred relics and gems associated with Lord Buddha, scheduled for May 7, 2025, in Hong Kong, has sparked widespread outrage among Buddhist and Bahujan communities in India and worldwide.

The 331 Buddhist-era relics and gems, excavated from the Piprahwa Stupa in Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh, during British colonial rule in 1898, are seen as an attack on the community’s faith and cultural heritage. To halt the auction, Assistant Professor of Ancient History at Siddharth University, Dr. Shardendu Kumar Tripathi, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging immediate intervention.

Piprahwa, considered part of ancient Kapilavastu, is a sacred pilgrimage site for Buddhists. Historians note that after Lord Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana (circa 480 BCE), a portion of his cremated remains was enshrined in a stupa built by the Shakya clan at Piprahwa. These relics, along with accompanying gems dating to 240–200 BCE, symbolize Buddhist devotion and reverence. The gems, buried as offerings with Buddha’s remains, are regarded as the Buddha’s property.

In 1898, British engineer and landlord William Claxton Peppe excavated these relics and gems from Piprahwa, taking possession of them with colonial approval. Now, Peppe’s fourth-generation descendants are set to auction these 2,500-year-old artifacts at Hong Kong’s renowned auction house, Sotheby’s, on May 7, 2025, at 10:30 AM.

The news of the auction has stunned Buddhist and Bahujan communities. On the social media platform ‘X,’ several Buddhist leaders and activists have condemned the auction as a “desecration of civilization” and an “assault on Buddhist faith.” Prakash Ambedkar, leader of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), wrote on ‘X,’ “Gems associated with the earthly remains of Buddha, described as one of the most astonishing archaeological discoveries of the modern era, will be auctioned at an auction in Hong Kong. These gems were discovered along with the relics of the Buddha in 1898. These gems were originally buried in the stupa at Piprahwa in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India around 240-200 BC, when they were combined with some of the cremated relics of the Buddha, who died around 480 BC."

" These gems were to remain forever with the Buddha's bodily relics as an offering, and as such they are the property of the Buddha himself. These gems were illegally acquired during the British Raj in India and are now being auctioned. Imagine what would happen if the relics of Jesus Christ or any other religion were auctioned like art. These are not just gems. In Buddhist terms, these gems are objects of devotion, an offering to the Buddha and sanctified by their proximity to the Buddha's earthly relics. I condemn this auction and urge the government to intervene in this matter as soon as possible.”

Local leaders and historians from Siddharthnagar have raised the issue in Parliament and with the Ministry of Culture. Dr. Shardendu Kumar Tripathi, Assistant Professor of Ancient History at Siddharth University, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating, “These relics are an integral part of India’s cultural and religious heritage. Auctioning them is not only an insult to the Buddhist community’s sentiments but also an attack on Indian identity. I urge the Government of India to stop this auction immediately and initiate diplomatic efforts to bring these relics back to India.”

However, the Indian government has yet to issue an official statement or take concrete steps to halt the auction. Some experts suggest that the government should leverage international archaeological treaties and UNESCO guidelines to initiate the process of repatriating these relics.

The Bahujan community, which embraces Buddhism, has also raised its voice against this auction. The community is appealing to Prime Minister Modi, Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, and Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on social media platforms to stop this auction.