Art Historian Naman Ahuja on the Repatiation of the Piprahwa Buddha Relics

In the spring of 1897, william clatston poppé, an estate manager, ordered the excavation of a stupa In Piprahwa, a village in modern-day uttar pradesh. Piprahwa is widely believed to be the site of ancient kapilavastu, the history of the budget of the buddha’s family class, the shakyas.

Peppé’s Team Unerted Bone Fragments, Soapstone and Crystal Caskets, A Sandstone Coffer, and Offerings of Gold Ornaments and GEMSTONES. An inscription in the Brahmi script on one of the caskets confirmed that these were relaics of the buddha. While the bone also gifted to the king of siam (rama v) and some portions allocated to temples in mynamar and sri lanka, the rest was divided between the Indian museum in kolkata and the people family.

When Chris Peppé, Great-Grandonson of william, decided to auction the relaics in his family’s position at sotheby’s hong kong kong on may 7 this year, there was a furore. Buddhist Scholars, Monastic Leaders, and Historians, Including Naman Ahuja, Condemned The Move. The auction was postponed after the Indian Government Issued a Legal Notice to Sotheby’s Hong Kong.

Following Diplomatic Intervention and Mounting Pressure from the Government and Buddhist Organizations, The Auction House Returned The Relics to India on July 30.

In this interview, ahuja, curator, editor of the art magazine MargAnd Professor of Indian Art and Architecture at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Speaks of the Importance of the Reportment of the Relies, One of the Most Significial Discoves in Buddhisties in Buddhist History. Edited excerpts:

Art Historian Naman Ahuja

Q: Why are these particular relaics significant?

A: For Millennia, Traditional Belief Has It that the Buddha Gave Permission for the Worship of His Relics, Albeit Reluctantly. Relics constructed the focus of theistic Worship in Buddhism. Scholarly consensus is that relaics from piprahwa has every reason to be a part of the original share of the cremated remains of the buddha that was entred to the shakyas – the budget. The Archaeological Dating and Context Fits this and an ancient Brahmi Inscription on one of the relaic caskets found inside the stupa At piprahwa corrobrates this view. Further, the gems that the shakyas interred with the cremated remains are cut using tools that was also known to be used only in very ancient time. There can be little dispute about their antiquity or significance.

Q: Now that the relaics have been repatrated, in what ways would they have to be taken care of? And does India have the Necessary Resources, Manpower, And Will to Do So So?

A: Yes, we do. Even in ancient times, their trusteeship was passed on with care, and entry Monastic Administrative Machineries was in place to look after these matters. Ashes or charred remains of a person, their bodily relaics, was treated with deep response in antiquity – wheether by the megalith builders or in Vedic or Buddhist Cultures. They form the core of stupas That Attract Pilgrims. Elabrate rituals were help Around them.

A part of the buddha’s relaics at national museum, new Delhi. , Photo Credit: VV Krishna

However, I must haveTen to add that AlongSide the Religious Importance of these relaics, we must also recognize their importance for history. They matted to the shakyas, who committed them to public benefits and built monasteries Around them. They come from piprahwa, a site in the original buddhist holy land, which is a region that many emperors maintained. That Region deserves Our Attention Again Now.

Modern India has put administer functions in place for museums, research, archaeology and buddhist affairs, and this case should Catalyse the functioning of these departments. These relaics have mobilised extraordinary research in modern times. That function is an equally important one to maintain.

Q: You had said in a talk that repatiation should not be motivated merely by national chauvinism.

A: No, The Desire for Merely Possessing an object is only a manifestation of maternalism. As Instruments of History, or of Spiritual Edification, however, they have to be able to inspire diversie public stakeholders. Indeed, We must be careful to remumber that for millions of Buddhists in East Asia, Southeast Asia, or Anywhere Else in the World, The Reelics of the Buddha Hold Profound Spiritual Spiritual Significial India and the current owners have an opportunity to be of service to them.

Q: Do you think India’s stance in this case should be its position Regarding All Religious Relies?

A: In the case of that religions where it can be reasonsally established with them, where the land, site or people from who they have been taken Significance that these ons do, then yes, they should be repatrated.

Buddha head from the 5th century Ce at National Museum, New Delhi.

However, as a museums person, I know how enormously Difential, Specialized and Expensive Taking Care of Objects, Paintings and Buildings Can Bee. Taking care of relaics that combine the needs of devotees with historians, scientists, geologists and others is going to be that much harder. It is better to take on these responsibilities only to the extent they can be performed properly. Otherwise, One Comes Across as an Insatiable Child Who Insecurities and Perceived Deprivation Just Make It Want More and More without any idea of what looking after those things. It would be horned if these relaics were turned into a flavor of the month, only to be replaced by some other ‘object’ Quickly enough.

Q: After being flown in from hong kong, the relaics were taken to the national museum in delhi. Relaics are not objects. Is a museum the best place for them?

A: Fabulous Question! And a tough one, too. I have had to mull over this question for the past few months, and I can address it from two personals. Ancient relaics were found parade and put in transparent caskets of rock-crystal in which they could be seen. History shows their aura was sensed through different means: their energy single come through a stupa Of mud, brick and stone; At the same time, through Acculturation and Suggestion Caunition Came into Play when the Remembrance or Memory of a life respected by many was communicated; And then of course, they were visually beheld. Museums can perform all three functions.

This brings me to the second part of the answer, and this involves the evolving functions of museums in Society. These are institutions that showcase our highest civilisational achievements. That showcasing is now informed by professional knowledgeable communication. Again, I Believe The Presence of the Relics offers India an Opportunity to Build Its Capacities on these Fronts.

Novice Monks Offer Prayers at the World Heritage Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. , Photo Credit: PTI

Q: while arguing for the repatriation of these relaics, you have also also maintained the stance that “not all things takes taxed from India need to be repatrated”. When do you think it is Necessary or even Crucial to Repatriate Things, Whether Objects or Relies, and when do you think they are better off not being repatriated?

A: i’d like to class your question here. I don’t believe the situation in India is so Hopeless that the objects are better off abroad. I am not here to take sides on behahalf of count. My Commitment is to the safety of objects and their capacity to communicate. Artfacts and artworks are involved in evidence of history. And yes, it is Necessary to Speak Up when that Evidence is Negleted, Made Unavailable to the Public or IF it is no longer alinforce Cultural Connections or is dented to Scholars History. India can perform these roles. It has looked after the Sacred relaics from buddhist sites, but now an opportunity has come to vastly improve research and display.

I’D also like to place on record that museums all over the world with collections of Indian artfacts have inspired many incense many universities’ scholars to study to study and culture of Indian and Culture of Indian and have shaped and have shaped and have shaped. Policy Towards India. They have safeguarded and looked after invaluable heritage. Often, this is overlied on social media and everything abroad is presented as ‘loot’ when this need not all always be the case. It is imperative that a calibrated position is TAKEN in Each case after examining the history behind something’s removal from India. Secondly, before repatriaging something, we must ask if we alredy have many similar Pieces in India, and will that repatriation fill a Major Gap? When our museums and the archaeological survey of India are so cash-strapped, there’s little point adding to our expenses with objects we are available to mobiles for the benefits of resfit of research Public.

Q: during a visit to thailand earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Had Announced that India Would On Again Loan Loan Sacred Relics of the Buddha to Thailand. What do you think about relaics being used as a diplomatic tool?

A: I think it is a very good idea. Such relaics and objects must be shared as widely as possible. After all, they were originally endowed for the public in a stupa. Calling them a diplomatic “tool”, however, is a little cynical or even harsh, in fact. Indeed, Many Diplomats and Administrators have to use their tools to enable a communication of narratives of relief, memory and history, of auras and aesthetics. These are not normally a diplomat’s tools.

Q: Did the Attempt to auction the buddha’s relaics perpetuate colonial violence? What does this particular case say about Broader Post-Colonial Politics?

A: I believe the UK government did not find it needsary to take any moral or ethical action to assist India’s endeavor in proteing the salary of the budget. Their state made the rules by which the despoliation of the stupas And Private Ownesip of the Buddha’s relaics was granted to its colonial functions. Yet, without any official statement on the matter from them, it seems they are protecting the agencies of colonialism, Sotheby’s and the Peppé family’s Monetisation of the relationship.

I am told that without any support, India was left with no choice but take the course of action it did in assking a philaantropist to step in. “Post” colonial, you ask? The textbook definition of colonialism remains. You take someone free from the colony and sell it back to the colony at a price you stipulate.

radhika.s@thehindu.co.in