After several weeks of diplomatic and legal pressure, the Sothabi auction house has canceled the proposed sale of ancient gems associated with Buddha and returned them to India. A group of 334 relics, collectively known as Piprahawa Ratna. It was originally buried in a stupa located in Piparahwa, Uttar Pradesh, North India.
It is said that these include offerings offered while reconstructing his remains about 480 BC, 200 years after the death of Buddha. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi described the return of gems as a happy day for cultural heritage.
Prime Minister Modi posted information by posting
PM Modi said in a post on X that every Indian will be proud that the holy Piparahwa remains of Lord Buddha have returned home after a long gap of 127 years. These sacred remains reflect the intimate association of India with Lord Buddha and his great teachings. He further said that it also shows our commitment to conservation and safety of various aspects of our glorious culture.
In 1878, the British took it to Britain
The collection was originally discovered by British colonial officer and amateur archaeologist William Claxton Peppa at a site in Piparahwa. The British Raj took possession of the discovery of the Peep family under the Indian Treasury Act of 1878, but the family was allowed to keep the fifth out of 1,800 gems.
At the same time, the gems of the crown went to the colonial museum in Kolkata. The family handed over its artworks to Sothabi. Where he was to be kept for auction in Hong Kong in early May.
This collection also included the remains of God Buddha
The bones and ash present in the collection were gifted as King Chulalongkorn, Buddhist Emperor of Siam (present -day Thailand). The sale was canceled after the Government of India demanded the return of the gems to be returned and threatened to take legal action. The government had said that the remains should be considered as the holy body of Buddha. This auction will still be like involvement in colonial exploitation.
These gems were to be auctioned with an initial bid of 100 million Hong Kong dollars (9.7 million pounds). These included bones pieces, crystals and soopstone residues, gold jewelery and precious stones like garnet, pearls, coral and sapphire.
Following the announcement of the auction of gems, the Ministry of Culture of India accused Sothabi of continuously participating in colonial exploitation and said that the remains should be considered as archaeological samples, but as the “holy body” of Buddha, which deserves religious respect.
Government of India gave notice to the auction house
The legal notice of the Ministry states that these remains – which have been called ‘duplicate gems’ – are inseparable religious and cultural heritage of India and the global Buddhist community. Their sales violate Indian and international laws as well as United Nations Conferences.
Chris Peep, a descendant of William Claxton Peep, defended the auction, arguing that it was the most appropriate and transparent way to transfer the remains to Buddhists. He said that these gems were not physical relics, but were offered to the later periods and their ownership was legally undisputed.
In a post on Sothabi’s website, Mr. Peep said that he and his two cousins inherited these remains in 2013 and started research in his historical context.
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