The holy relics of Lord Buddha arrived in Leh today by a special Indian Air Force aircraft. The relics were received with full state honours at the technical Airport in Leh. A ceremonial Guard of Honour was accorded by the Ladakh Police, followed by sacred rituals marking the reception.

Following the ceremonial reception, the relics were taken in a grand procession to Jewetsal Photang, which is the first designated venue for public exposition at Leh. The event witnessed participation from across Ladakh reflecting unity, faith and collective reverence as thousands of devotees dressed in traditional attire lined the route upto Jewetsal photang to catch a glimpse of the sacred relics. On May 1st which marks the 2569th Buddha Purnima there will be the inaugural function for Tathagata Holy Relics Exposition.

The relics brought from New Delhi National Museum will be for public exhibition from 2nd May to 14th May in Ladakh. From May 2 to May 10 there will be public veneration of holy relics at Jewetsal Photang followed by exposition in Zanskar, Kargil district on May 11 and May 12. Thereafter the holy relics exposition will be at the second venue of Leh at Dharma Centre from May 13 to May 14 before being flown back to Delhi on May 15. LG Ladakh VK Saxena describing the occasion as highly auspicious stated that this is the first time that the holy relics have been brought out of their original place of preservation for exposition within India although the relics have been exhibited in several countries including Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Russia, Singapore, Bhutan, Srilanka and Myanmar in the past.

Apart from several union ministers, Ambassadors, Chief Ministers of Buddhist majority states and representatives of various Buddhist organisations, Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah will be visiting Leh on 30 April for the veneration of the holy relics of Tathagata.