Bringing them home: On the repatriation of the Piprahwa relics

The recent repatriation of the Piprahwa relics, which were excavated in 1898 from a stupa in Uttar Pradesh, marked an important episode in India’s cultural diplomacy efforts. Considered to be physical remnants associated with Lord Buddha’s mortal remains and his early followers, they were taken away in the colonial era and resurfaced for auction by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in May. At this point, the Indian government intervened to halt the auction and repatriate the relics. These artifacts now reside in the National Museum, providing people the opportunity to engage directly with an irreplaceable piece of India’s and Buddhism’s heritage. Notably, India’s coordinated diplomatic effort, involving multiple ministries and its missions abroad, could persuade Sotheby’s to postpone and eventually cancel the auction. The Godrej Industries Group’s ability to acquire the relics through a negotiated arrangement with Sotheby’s also reflects an innovative public-private partnership. Thus, the collaboration enabled the repatriation as well as the setting of a good precedent for future recoveries, combining private sector resources with state authority. The episode also raised awareness worldwide about India’s role as a steward of Buddhist heritage.

However, the case has also revealed certain structural deficiencies in the framework within which India operates to recover and safeguard its cultural assets. The relics, excavated during British administration, originally had a fragmented ownership, resulting in a complex legal status that vexed repatriation claims a century later. India’s reactive posture in the episode also reflected gaps in the existing legal, administrative, and preventive infrastructure to manage heritage. That the auction was publicly announced and scheduled before India intervened is revealing. The case also exposed the absence of robust international legal frameworks designed to prevent the sale of culturally sensitive objects. While India used existing national laws and international negotiations effectively in this instance, it also banked on diplomatic pressure, which is not a scalable solution. To address these gaps, the country needs a centralised, digitised registry of cultural assets (domestic and overseas) integrated with international customs and auction houses for real-time monitoring, proactive tracking, and to receive early alerts of potential sales. The government could also spearhead or actively participate in international efforts to develop binding norms to keep sacred relics from being commercialised. Scaling up public-private partnerships is equally imperative, together with encouraging the involvement of diverse stakeholders, including philanthropic foundations and heritage trusts, to mobilise additional resources and expertise for recovery and conservation.