New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India and Sri Lanka are connected by “deep civilisational and spiritual bonds” as he thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for inaugurating the exposition of the holy Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha in Colombo.
The first-ever international exposition of these sacred relics, which originate from the Devnimori archaeological site in Gujarat’s Aravalli district, is taking place at Gangaramaya Temple from February 4-11.
It was inaugurated by Sri Lankan President Dissanayaka along with Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and the state’s Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi in the presence of Chief Incumbent Ven. Kirinde Assaji Thero at the Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo, on Wednesday.
“Gratitude to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for inaugurating the Exposition of the Holy Devnimori Relics at the sacred Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. During my visit in April 2025, it was decided that these relics would come to Sri Lanka, thus giving the opportunity for the people to pay their respects. Our nations are connected by deep civilisational and spiritual bonds. May Lord Buddha’s timeless message of compassion, peace, and harmony continue to guide humanity,” he wrote on X.
The holy relics of Lord Buddha, currently preserved at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara, have been brought to Colombo for public viewing from 4 to 10 February 2026. They will return to India on 11 February.
According to an official statement by PIB, the move follows the vision announced during the Prime Minister’s visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025 and is aimed at strengthening cultural diplomacy and people-to-people ties between the two nations.
A senior Indian delegation led by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi travelled with the relics, along with monks and officials. The relics were transported with full state honours aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft, reflecting their religious importance.
The delegation is also taking part in religious ceremonies and exhibitions highlighting India’s Buddhist heritage.
The relics are being kept at the historic Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, a major Buddhist centre founded in the nineteenth century by Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera. The temple remains an important place of worship, learning and cultural exchange in Sri Lanka.
