India to send relics of Buddha's disciples to Mongolia for exposition

Sacred relics of two of the Buddha's foremost disciples, Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Mahamoggallana, will be exhibited at Gandantegchinlen Monastery (Ganden Monastery) in Ulaanbaatar from 1 to 10 June 2026. The exposition, organised by India's Ministry of Culture, the InternationalBuddhist Confederation and the National Museum in New Delhi, marks a significant moment in the shared Buddhist heritage of India and Mongolia.

The relics' exposition was announced in October 2025 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the state visit of Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa. Indian PM highlighted the deep cultural and spiritual bonds between the two nations, describing the event as "not just a religious occasion but also a celebration of mutual respect for Buddhism’s profound influence across borders." It follows a similar 2022 visit of Kapilavastu relics of the Buddha himself, which drew large crowds and were displayed alongside Mongolia's revered Buddha Tooth Relic.

Arahant Sariputta, known as the disciple foremost in wisdom, and Arahant Mahamoggallana, renowned for meditative powers and spiritual attainments, were born on the same day in adjacent villages near present-day Nalanda in India.

They played pivotal roles in the early Sangha, with Sariputta leading on doctrinal matters and monastic discipline, and Mahamoggallana excelling in meditative realisation. Their relics symbolise the complementary pillars of Buddhist practice, wisdom and direct experience, and are revered as embodiments of the noble Sangha, one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism.

The upcoming display builds on a major 2024 ceremony in Thailand, where relics of the Buddha and his two chief disciples were enshrined together in a grand state event attended by the Thai king and government officials. In Mongolia, the relics will be housed at Gandantegchinlen Monastery, the country's most important Buddhist centre.

India and Mongolia have long-standing ties rooted in Buddhism. As far back as 1978, then External Affairs Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee noted the Mongol preservation of ancient Sanskrit texts and the mutual veneration of Buddhist traditions. The relics' transport is expected to involve special arrangements, echoing the 2022 use of an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft.

The 10-day exposition is likely to draw pilgrims and visitors from across the country and abroad, reinforcing Buddhism's enduring role as a bridge between the two ancient civilisations. Mongolia, a landlocked country between Russia and China, sees India's as its 3rdneighbour & a "spiritual neighbour".