‘Told Sotheby’s that Buddha’s relics cannot be treated as objects for sale’, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• Sacred Buddhist relics from Piprahwa, taken by William Peppé nearly 130 years ago, are set to be displayed in New Delhi after being returned from Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
• The auction, originally scheduled for May 7, was postponed after India intervened, citing Indian laws and international conventions.
• Union Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal played a key role in the relics' return, leveraging his experience as the former director of India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

Detailed Insights:

• The issue of the auction was raised by Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, prompting the exploration of legal options and alerting relevant agencies like the ASI.
• India served a notice to Sotheby’s Hong Kong, citing UNESCO’s 1970 Convention and UNIDROIT’s 1995 Convention, which support the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural property.
• The relics include bone fragments, soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer, gold ornaments, and gemstones, some of which were in Peppé’s possession in Britain.
• India emphasized that the sacred Sarira-dhatu (body relics) of the Buddha cannot be treated as objects for sale under Indian and international laws, highlighting the global momentum for repatriation of cultural heritage.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Sarira-dhatu: Body relics of the Buddha, considered sacred in Buddhism.
• UNESCO 1970 Convention: An international agreement to prevent illicit trafficking of cultural property.
• UNIDROIT 1995 Convention: A convention on the international return of stolen or illegally exported cultural objects.