Overview

• The Ministry of Culture is staging the exhibition in Elista from September 24 to October 1, with displays at the National Museum and a short documentary and art reproductions slated from September 25 to 28.
• The relics were returned to India on July 30 after authorities halted a planned Hong Kong auction, with the repatriation enabled through coordination with Godrej Industries Group.
• The collection comprises sacred bone fragments, crystal caskets, gold ornaments, gemstones, and a sandstone reliquary bearing Brahmi inscriptions linking them to the Shakya lineage.
• Officials describe the overseas display as a cultural-diplomacy effort to deepen ties and share the Buddha’s message of peace, building on earlier showings in Thailand and Vietnam.
• Kalmykia was selected for its strong Buddhist heritage, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the relics’ return a proud moment for India’s cultural legacy.