Thousands of devotees gathered at the Gandantegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Sunday to pay homage to the sacred relics of Lord Buddha's two chief disciples, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana. The holy relics were transferred from India to Mongolia on May 30 for a 10-day public exposition, highlighting the deep cultural and spiritual ties between the two nations.
Relics Transported with High Protocol
The relics were airlifted from New Delhi to Ulaanbaatar aboard an Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft, known as Gajraj. Given their immense religious and historical significance, the relics were granted the protocol status of a 'Head of State' during their international travel. The Ministry of Culture shared videos on X showing devotees lining up from early morning at the Gandantegchenling Monastery, which is considered the most important center of Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia.
Ladakh Lieutenant Governor to Accompany Relics Back
Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena will travel to Mongolia on Monday to accompany the sacred relics back to New Delhi following the exhibition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated Saxena to lead the delegation for the return of the relics. He will attend the concluding ceremony on June 10 in Ulaanbaatar, after which the relics will be transported by a special aircraft.
Previous Expositions
The relics are rarely moved outside of India. Their exposition in Mongolia follows a prior display there in 2022 and in Thailand in 2024. The exhibition opened at the Ganden Monastery in Ulaanbaatar and remains open for public veneration from June 1 to June 10. This event comes after the successful Sacred Exposition of Holy Buddha Relics held in Ladakh from May 1 to 14.
