For Press Release
Completion of the exposition of Holy Relics of Lord Buddha in Vietnam
Holy Relics of Lord Buddha from Sarnath were exhibited in a spiritual exposition in 09 venues in Vietnam between 2 May - 2 June 2025.
Holy Relics travelled in a special aircraft from New Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City on 02.05.25 and were accompanied by Sh. Kiren Rijiju, Hon’ble Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs and Sh. Kandula Durgesh, Minister for Tourism and Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh.
On arrival at Ho Chi Minh City, Holy Relics were received by the Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs of Vietnam, Mr. Dao Ngoc Dung, Supreme Patriarch of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha H.H. Thich Tri Quang, Standing vice Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee, Mr. Duong Ngoc Hai and Ambassador of India to Vietnam. The Holy Buddha Relics were enshrined at Thanh Tam Pagoda. The exposition in HCMC also coincided with the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations from 6-8 May 25. After exposition at Ho Chi Minh City, the Holy Relics were taken to Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh Province and enshrined at Buddhist Centre there from 08.05.25 to 12.05.25. Thereafter, the relics were flown to Noi Bai Airport, Hanoi city in a special Aircraft on 13.05.25 and were enshrined in the main hall of Quan Su Pagoda, Hanoi for public from May 14-16, 2025 where they were kept opened for public visit round the clock.
On 17 May, Holy Relics were taken to Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam province where exposition was presented up to 21 May morning.
As per the original plan, the exposition of Holy Relics in Vietnam was scheduled up to 21 May 2025 and Relics were scheduled to return to India on 21 May 2025.
Considering the enormous response from the people of Vietnam, a special request was made by Vietnam side to the Prime Minister of India to extend the exposition and The Indian Government acceded to this request and exposition was extended up to 2 June 2025.
Holy Relics were enshrined at the Bai Dinh Pagoda, Ninh Binh Province from 21–23 May, Phuc Son Pagoda in Bac Giang province from 23-25 May, Truc Lam Yen Tu Palace in Quang Ninh province from 25-28 May, Chuong Pagoda in Hung Yen Province from 28-30 May. On 30 May, the Holy Relics were transferred by a special flight to Da Nang city where they were enshrined at Quan The Am Pagoda from 30 May-02 June 2025.
The concluding ceremony of Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha was held at Quan Am Ngu Hanh Son Pagoda in Da Nang on 02 June 2025 which was attended by the Hon’ble Governor of Odisha, Sh. Hari Babu Kambhampati, Head of Vietnam Government Committee on Religious Affairs, Mr. Vu Hoai Bac, Chairman of Da Nang People’s Committee, Mr. Le, Standing Vice President of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Ambassador of India.
During the entire exposition in Vietnam between 02 May – 02 June 2025, around 15.48 million devotees visited the Holy Relics at nine different venues of their enshrinement. The Embassy appreciates the cooperation and support of the Govt of India and Vietnam, the Maha Bodhi society of India, Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, National Museum (India), Provincial authorities in Vietnam and other organizations in the conduct of exposition. The month-long journey of Holy Relics of Lord Buddha to Vietnam were an expression of age old cultural and spiritual connections between India and Vietnam as well as their close and friendly over centuries.
