Ulaanbaatar, June 8: An Indian delegation led by Lieutenant Governor Vinay Saxena of Ladakh arrived in Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, on Monday. The purpose of this visit is to bring back the sacred relics of two of Lord Buddha’s principal disciples, Arhat Sariputta and Arhat Maudgalyayana.
The Indian Embassy in Mongolia announced on X, “On June 8, the Indian delegation, led by Lieutenant Governor Vinay Saxena of Ladakh, arrived in Ulaanbaatar via a special Indian Air Force flight to bring back the sacred relics of Lord Buddha’s two main disciples.”
Upon arrival, the delegation was welcomed at the airport by Tserendamid Byambadu, the Governor of Mongolia’s Arkhangai Province, Indian Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve, and senior monks from the Gandan Monastery.
These relics were brought from India to Mongolia for a ten-day exhibition at the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery, running from May 31 to June 9.
The relics, which have been granted the status of Head of State in terms of rules and security, arrived in Ulaanbaatar on a special flight from New Delhi, accompanied by a high-level delegation led by Assam Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya.
The delegation comprises around 45 members, including senior officials and renowned monks from India and Sri Lanka. The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) is also actively involved in this significant event.
At the request of the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery, the sacred relics were brought to Mongolia with the support of the Sri Lanka Maha Bodhi Society, the Ministry of Culture under India’s National Museum, and the Madhya Pradesh government.
Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya remarked, “As we bring the sacred relics of Lord Buddha’s two main disciples, Arhat Sariputta and Arhat Maudgalyayana, from the land of India to the beautiful land of Mongolia, we are not just transporting historical artifacts. We are carrying a living spark of knowledge, a global message of peace, and the enduring spiritual energy of the Buddha’s closest companions.”
In Ulaanbaatar, devotees have been queuing up since morning to pay their respects to the sacred relics at the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery.
In June 2022, four sacred relics from Kapilavastu were taken to Mongolia for an 11-day exhibition from India’s National Museum, marking their first visit to the country in 29 years.
According to the embassy, Ladakh and Arkhangai signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in October 2025 to collaborate in various sectors, including cultural exchange, tourism promotion, trade, education, animal husbandry, agriculture and horticulture, astrophysics, and sports.
–
Leave a Comment