Leh, April 29 (ANI): Buddhist monks performed rituals as the holy relics of Tathagata Buddha arrived at Leh airport on Wednesday. (@lg_ladkh

Leh: In a strong message for world peace, the sacred Piprahwa relic of Buddha has reached Ladakh from the National Museum in Delhi for a fortnight-long, first-of-its-kind exhibition starting from May 1.The festival seeks to strengthen the sense of community in Ladakh where Buddhists have a sizeable presence. Men, women and children of all ages came from across Leh to catch a glimpse of the remains, which were taken in a grand procession to the exhibition site Jiwetsal starting on Friday, which marks the 2,569th Buddha Purnima.The inauguration ceremony of the festival will be attended by several Union ministers including Home Minister Amit Shah; Chief Ministers of Buddhist majority states; Ambassador; And Buddhist leader. It is proposed to host several events, exhibitions and seminars during a fortnight in Leh and Zanskar.The relics will be available for public worship from May 2 to May 10, followed by an exhibition at Zanskar on May 11 and 12 and then at the Dharma Center in Leh from May 13 to 14. He will be taken back to Delhi on May 15.Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena received the remains along with senior Buddhist monks. Ladakh Police gave him a ceremonial guard of honour, while monks offered special prayers. The welcome ceremony saw Buddhist monks playing the gyaling, a traditional musical instrument used during prayers in monasteries.Over the past few years, the Piprahwa bone relics of Lord Buddha have been displayed in many countries, including Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Russia, Singapore, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, attracting global attention and devotion.The remains are associated with the Piprahwa Stupa at Kapilavastu (in present-day Uttar Pradesh), the homeland of the Shakya dynasty of Lord Shakyamuni Buddha, and were excavated by Willam Claxton Peppe in 1898. Sacred relics serve as profound symbols of the Buddha’s living presence and his universal teachings.Speaking to TOI, people present on the way said they felt blessed to be a part of the occasion and seeing the remains was no less than a dream come true for them.Sonam Wangchuk Shakspo, Deputy Secretary General of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace in Mongolia and Secretary of the ABCP-Indian National Centre, shared insights on how this exhibition is the need of the hour and much-awaited in Ladakh where Buddha is revered and his teachings are considered a guiding force.In fact, a request to bring the remains to Ladakh was made by the UT administration earlier this year, resulting in the demonstration. The timing of the arrival is also significant as it comes after a difficult year when Ladakh was rocked by unrest and protests turned violent in September last year. Led by activist Sonam Wangchuk and local bodies, the protesters were protesting over demographic change and industrial exploitation of the region’s resources, among other things. The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are demanding statehood for Ladakh, inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, job reservation for locals and a separate Public Service Commission.