In a remarkable display of spiritual reverence and cultural diplomacy, over 90,000 devotees have paid homage to sacred relics of Lord Buddha during a week-long exposition in Kalmykia, Russia—the only European region where Buddhism is the predominant faith.
The relics, considered a national treasure of India, were transported from the National Museum in Delhi to Elista, Kalmykia’s capital, aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft. Temporarily enshrined at the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery—also known as the Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha—the relics have drawn an “unprecedented response,” according to India’s Ministry of Culture.
The monastery, a major Tibetan Buddhist centre nestled in the Kalmyk steppe, has hosted daily religious services led by senior Indian monks and a high-level delegation including Keshav Prasad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha arrived in Elista on Friday and will accompany the relics back to India on 19 October.
Originally scheduled for late September, the exposition was delayed due to logistical challenges. Its eventual success, however, has been hailed as a revival of the legacy of Kushok Bakula Rinpoche—the Ladakhi monk and diplomat who helped rekindle Buddhist traditions in Mongolia and Russian regions such as Buryatia and Tuva.
The event, organised by India’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation, the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, is seen as a powerful gesture of goodwill between India and Russia. As Lt Governor Sinha noted, the exposition strengthens people-to-people ties and celebrates a shared civilisational heritage that transcends borders.
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