The Buddha's most sacred relics from Taxila were taken back to Pakistan yesterday after conclusion of a three-week long exposition at various locations in Sri Lanka.
Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, high government officials and diplomats from Pakistan High Commission were present at the Bandaranaike International Airport to see off the Relics. The sanctified Relics were sent by the Government of Pakistan on a special request of Sri Lanka in connection with the Annual Buddha Rashmi National Vesak Festival. During the exposition in Sri Lanka, millions of devotees paid their homage to the Sacred Relics, excavated from Taxila, Pakistan
The exposition of the Relics commenced on April 29 by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe amidst a large gathering of Buddhist clergy, scholars, Ministers, Parliamentarians and high level government functionaries at Temple Trees.
The Relics were exhibited in different temples at Colombo, Wellampitiya, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Kurunegalla, Anuradhapura and Kandy where hundreds of thousands of devotees visited the Relics daily and performed rituals.
The Relics were originally discovered near the Dharmarajika stupa, the earliest and largest Buddhist complex at Taxila, Pakistan built in the 3rd century BC to house the Relics by the famous Mauryan king Asoka, who was also known as Dharmaraja for his services to Buddhism.
Dharmarajika was excavated by Ghulam Qadir in 1912-16 under the directions of Sir John Marshall and A.D. Siddiqui in 1934-36. The advent and development of Buddhism owes a great deal to the ancient land of Pakistan. It was here that the religious activities of Buddhism reached its climax through well-organized missionaries and ultimately made it a international religion.
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