New Delhi: Nearly four million of devotees paid obeisance to the holy relics of Buddha and his two disciples during the entire Thailand exposition, sources close to Thailand's Ministry of Culture told ETV Bharat.
The sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples are currently enshrined in Wat Mahathat Wachiramongkol in Thaliand's Krabi.
Sources said with the end of the successful exposition of the relics of Buddha and his disciples today, the delegation will be escorted back from Thailand to their homes in India on Tuesday. The holy relics are all set to arrive at Palam Airbase tomorrow.
In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Thailand said, “ Chairman @tashi_gyalson & delegation from @MinOfCultureGoIpaid respects to the holy relics of Lord Buddha & his two disciples currently enshrined in Wat Mahathat Wachiramongkol in Krabi Thailand and offered ‘sanghadaan’ to venerable monks”.
In another post, it said, “Devotees continue to congregate in large numbers at Wat Mahathat Wachim on the last day of exposition of holy relics from India. Thailand. Yesterday over 250 thousand devotees paid their respects to the holy relics”.
It is important to note that earlier this month, devotees thronged in large numbers to get a glimpse of the holy relics of Buddha and his two disciples in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. Before this, the relics were in the city of Chiang Mai
In February this year, to bolster India-Thailand bilateral ties, the four Holy Piparahwa Relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples Arahata Sariputra and Arahata Maudgalyayana were sent from India to Bangkok, Thailand for a 26-day exposition along with a 22-member delegation.
The delegation also comprised venerable monks from Kushinagar, Aurangabad, Ladakh officials from the Ministry of Culture, the state government of M.P., curators from the National Museum, artists, and scholars. The event was organised with the support of the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Embassy in Thailand, the International Buddhist Confederation, the National Museum, State Government of Madhya Pradesh.
The holy relics were welcomed with an auspicious chanting ceremony and warm hospitality performance at the Military Airport. Sermsak Pongpanit and Thai officials, along with the Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar and delegations then took the holy relics from Military Airport to enshrine at the National Museum, Bangkok for safekeeping and later enshrined in a grand mandapam prepared in Sanam Luang Pavilion in Bangkok on February 23.
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