India showcased its rich spiritual heritage on May 2, 2025, by ceremonially enshrining Lord Buddha’s venerated relics at Thanh Tâm Monastery in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Indian delegation head Union Minister Kiren Rijiju attended the event and even led prayers as the grandiose event marked the start of a spiritually rich tour of Vietnam.
The relics, which were flown in from the National Museum of New Delhi, will stay in the monastery up to May 8, aligning with the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025, a day commemorated all over the world to mark the birth, enlightenment, and demise of Lord Buddha. Following the first enshrinement, the relics will visit different provinces throughout Vietnam until May 21.
#WATCH | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju offered prayers at the sacred relics of Lord Buddha being ceremoniously enshrined, venerated, and worshipped at Thanh Tâm Monastery.
The relics, which were brought here from National Museum in Delhi on May 2, will… pic.twitter.com/zDxs7gdnHV
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2025
Sacred Cultural Exchange with Vietnam
This move by India is more than a ceremonial gesture—it is a conscious reiteration of the deep spiritual and cultural bonds between India and Vietnam. As the birthplace of Buddhism, India occupies a special position in the hearts of millions of Buddhists across the globe. By exporting Lord Buddha’s relics overseas, India reiterates its position as a guardian of common Asian heritage.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s attendance at the ceremony lent immense value to the occasion. “The sacred remains of Lord Buddha are a powerful symbol of peace, compassion, and harmony. Their passage through Vietnam will enrich our spiritual connection and respect for each other,” he averred.
A Message of Peace and Global Harmony
Interestingly, the visit occurs at a moment when regional and international tensions tend to dominate the message of peace. The ceremonial enshrinement of Buddha’s relics is a soft yet strong reminder of non-violence and compassion, pillars of the Buddha’s teachings.
The pilgrimage of relics in Vietnam will not just allow believers to experience spiritual enrichment but also inspire closer people-to-people connectivity. India’s cultural diplomacy also continues to hold good through initiatives like this that reenforces its image of being a custodian of peace and harmony and unity in diversity.
Through Vietnam, the relics now make their profound move toward the rest of the world—continuing a centuries-long journey of spiritual reminting. Along the way, they reaffirm values that, despite changing times, consistently override geographical boundaries, political divides, and the constraints of time itself.
