Buddhist gems back in India after uproar

After 127 years, a collection of jewels linked to Buddha’s remains has finally returned to India. The auction, which was initially planned for earlier this year, faced threats of legal action from the government in Delhi. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the return of the collection, known as the Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, calling it a “joyous day for our cultural heritage.”

The collection, consisting of over 300 gems dating back to the Mauryan Empire (240-200 BCE), was set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in May. However, the sale was postponed after India’s government demanded the return of the jewels. Ultimately, Indian conglomerate Godrej Industries Group purchased the gems, ensuring their permanent return to India for public display.

“Sotheby’s is delighted to have facilitated the return of the Piprahwa Gems to India,” the auction house stated. The Ministry of Culture in India praised the public-private partnership, aligning with Modi’s mission to reclaim and celebrate the country’s ancient cultural and spiritual heritage.

The gems were discovered in 1898 by William Claxton Peppe in an ancient stupa in Piprahwa, northern India, alongside bone fragments believed to belong to Buddha. Peppe was permitted to keep over 300 duplicate gems, which remained in his family for over a century.