Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday returned to India from Russia with holy relics of Lord Buddha, following a week-long public exposition in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia, Europe’s solely Buddhist-majority area.
The exposition, held from October 11 to 18 on the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery, also referred to as the “Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha,” drew over 90,000 devotees and was hailed as a historic homecoming of religion, highlighting the shared Buddhist heritage and strengthening cultural ties between India and Russia.
Holy relics of Lord Buddha are again residence after week-long exposition at Kalmykia, Russia. The exposition underscored our dedication to foster mutual understanding, construct belief & cooperation and create lasting connections via shared non secular experiences. pic.twitter.com/GYjAEGKfaQ — Workplace of LG J&Okay (@OfficeOfLGJandK) October 19, 2025
The relics, recognised as a Nationwide Treasure of India, had been dropped at Elista by a high-level Indian delegation led by Shri Keshav Prasad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, together with senior Indian monks. The delegation performed particular non secular ceremonies and blessings for the individuals of Kalmykia, the one European area with a majority Buddhist inhabitants.
This landmark exhibition, the primary of its sort within the Russian Republic, highlighted the enduring cultural and civilizational ties between India and Russia. It additionally celebrated the legacy of the nineteenth Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, the revered Buddhist monk and diplomat from Ladakh, who performed a key function in revitalising Buddhism in Mongolia and rekindling curiosity in Buddha Dharma throughout Russian areas akin to Kalmykia, Buryatia, and Tuva.