Once upon a stupa | 'The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One'
The Light and the Lotus exhibition in Delhi showcases the relics of the Buddha from UP's Piprahwa Stupa
RECLAIMED PAST: A view of the Delhi exhibition showcasing the Piprahwa Buddha relics recently repatriated to India
ISSUE DATE: Apr 6, 2026 | UPDATED: Mar 27, 2026 20:16 IST
Close to the Buddha’s birthplace, Lumbini, and his childhood home, Kapilvastu, lies Piprahwa village in Uttar Pradesh. After the Sakyamuni’s cremation, fights broke out among several kingdoms over his remains until a Brahmin disciple, Drona, divided them fairly. The Sakyas buried their share of the relics in a stupa built in Piprahwa, around 480 BCE.