Holy Relics of Lord Buddha Arrive in Vietnam for UN Day of Vesak Celebrations

Ho Chi Minh City: The Holy Relics of Lord Buddha arrived in Ho Chi Minh City this morning, marking a spiritually significant moment in the lead-up to the United Nations Day of Vesak celebrations being hosted by Vietnam from May 6 to 8, 2025. Accompanied by Union Minister of Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, and Andhra Pradesh Minister of Tourism and Culture, Kandula Durgesh, the relics were brought from India on a special aircraft, along with revered monks and senior Indian officials.

The sacred delegation was received with deep reverence by Dao Ngoc Dung, Minister of Religious and Ethnic Affairs of Vietnam, Duong Ngoc Hai, Standing Vice-Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, and Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Thích Trí Quảng, among other senior Vietnamese monks and dignitaries. Special ceremonial prayers were conducted at the airport, followed by the enshrinement of the Holy Relics at Thanh Tam Monastery in Ho Chi Minh City.

Adding to the spiritual ambience, a sapling of the Sacred Bodhi tree—brought from India—was planted at the Vietnam Buddhist University by Minister Rijiju and the Supreme Patriarch, symbolizing the eternal spiritual bond between the two nations.

The Holy Relics, originating from the sacred site of Sarnath, where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon, have been provided through the Mahabodhi Society of India and the National Museum, supported by the International Buddha Confederation. This marks the first-ever visit of the Holy Relics to Vietnam, and they will be displayed at Thanh Tam Monastery from May 2 to 7, before travelling to Tay Ninh, Hanoi, and Ha Nam provinces until May 21, 2025.

To complement the Vesak celebrations, a curated exhibition on India-Vietnam historical and spiritual linkages—spanning nearly two millennia—will be showcased at the Vietnam Buddhist University. Additionally, an Indian cultural troupe will present a special dance-drama titled “The Journey of Gautama Buddha”, depicting the life and teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha in multiple Vietnamese cities between May 5 and 13.

This sacred journey not only underlines the deep-rooted cultural and spiritual ties between India and Vietnam but also celebrates the timeless message of compassion, peace, and wisdom taught by the Buddha. The Indian delegation expressed hope that the visit of the Holy Relics and the associated cultural events will further strengthen people-to-people ties and deepen bilateral relations between the two nations.