Leh, May 1 — Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the exposition of sacred relics of Gautama Buddha in Leh as part of the 2569th Buddha Purnima celebrations, officials said.
The ceremony was held at Jivetsal in the Photang-Choglamsar area, where the relics, including the revered Piprahwa remains discovered in present-day Uttar Pradesh near the Nepal border, have been put on display.
“After traditional rituals and offerings, the home minister formally inaugurated the exposition by lighting the ceremonial lamp,” an official said.
During the ceremony, Shah paid obeisance to the relics and participated in religious offerings, including the ‘Mandala’ and ‘Sumba’ rituals, which involve symbolic offerings representing the body, speech and mind associated with the Buddha.
The relics were transported from Delhi to Leh aboard a special aircraft, accompanied by religious figures including Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche and Khenpo Thinlas Chosal of Matho Monastery.
Officials said the relics will be open for public veneration at Jivetsal from May 2 to 10, followed by exhibitions in Zanskar on May 11–12 and at the Dharma Centre in Leh from May 13–14. They will be returned to Delhi on May 15.
Leh witnessed extensive preparations ahead of the event, with the town decorated for the occasion.
During his visit, Shah is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone of a 10,000-litre-per-day dairy plant in Kargil and launch related initiatives, including mobile milk testing laboratories and modern cooling systems, aimed at strengthening milk production in Ladakh.