New Delhi / London, 31 July 2025 — Renowned auction house Sotheby’s has officially returned a set of sacred gemstones believed to be linked to the relics of the Buddha to India, following intense diplomatic and public pressure from the Indian government and Buddhist leaders around the world.
The Piprahwa Jewels, hailed by archaeologists as one of the most extraordinary discoveries of the modern era, were originally scheduled to be auctioned in Hong Kong this May. However, that plan was abandoned after India intervened through both diplomatic channels and legal measures. Sotheby’s later confirmed that the Godrej Industries Group, based in Mumbai, had acquired the jewels and would facilitate their return to India.
In a public statement, Sotheby’s said it was “delighted” to have assisted in the two-month negotiation process involving the original owner, the new buyer, and Indian authorities. The company confirmed that the relics would now be placed on permanent public display in India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the return as a moment of “great pride and joy,” describing it as a victory for the nation’s cultural heritage. Posting on social media platform X, Modi noted that the relics are “finally returning home after 127 years.”
The jewels were first unearthed in 1898 by British estate manager William Claxton Peppe at a stupa in Piprahwa, northern India—near the birthplace of the Buddha. The excavation revealed nearly 1,800 items including pearls, rubies, sapphires, and gold foils, buried alongside bone fragments believed to belong to the Buddha, housed in a reliquary inscribed with his name.
Most of the relics and containers were subsequently handed over to the British colonial government, and many were later transferred to the Imperial Museum of Calcutta (now the Indian Museum in Kolkata). Some relics were also presented to King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam.
However, a significant portion of the Peppe family’s private collection—around 300 pieces—remained in the UK for over a century. Earlier this year, they were exhibited publicly by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in February and May.
Historians consider these relics as a shared spiritual heritage of the Shakya royal lineage—to which the Buddha belonged—and of the global Buddhist community. Fragments of the relics have been distributed to countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, where they continue to be revered objects of worship.
Sotheby’s initial plan to auction the sacred items sparked a fierce ethical debate. Scholars and Buddhist leaders questioned whether such religious artifacts, especially those associated with the Buddha’s remains, should ever be treated as commodities. Critics challenged the legitimacy of the seller's ownership, while some defenders argued that a transparent auction was a fair method of transferring title.
Ultimately, the return of the Piprahwa jewels has been widely seen as a moral and cultural victory for India and the international Buddhist community.
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