Denzongpa at the press conference in Gangtok on Monday. (Prabin Khaling)

Gangtok, Nov. 18: The relics of Lord Buddha will make its way to Sikkim for the first time tomorrow for an exhibition as part of a world tour that started 10 years ago.

Sikkim is the only place in the country where the 70 relics, considered the most sacred remains of Lord Buddha, would be displayed.

The exhibition would be held at Tsuklakhang monastery in Gangtok from 10am to 4pm from November 24 to December 1. The monastery is located in the Chogyal palace complex.

“The relics have just completed a tour of Bhutan and in the past 10 years, they were taken to countries all around the world including the United States, UK, Australia, Argentina, Italy, Brazil and China. Dalai Lama has viewed the relics and he offered eight relics of the Shakyamuni Buddha to the collection,” Sonam Ongmu Denzongpa, co-ordinator of the Sikkim chapter of the Relics Exposition Committee, said at a press conference here today.

The sacred remains have been taken to 66 places all over the world and after Sikkim, the next stop is Daylesford in Australia.

Denzongpa said the relics were found among the cremation ashes of Buddhist masters, including Lord Buddha, and resemble pearl-like crystals. Buddhists believe the remains embody the masters’ spiritual qualities, compassion and wisdom and were deliberately produced by them at the time of their death.

“The main objective of bringing the sacred relics to the state is to spread (the message of) peace, harmony and tranquillity and inculcate Buddha’s teachings among the people. The state government is ready to accord a warm reception to the relics and preparations are on at the place where it would be kept for display,” said a senior government official.

Officials of the ecclesiastical department in Sikkim would receive the relics from the Bhutan government at Bagdogra airport at 1pm tomorrow.

“We chose November 24 (as the opening date of the exhibition) because the day is celebrated as Lhabab Duchen, one of the most important festivals of the Buddhists which marks the descending of Lord Buddha from the heaven back to the earth,” said Denzongpa.