Amit Shah holds meeting with Ladakh L-G for smooth ‘darshan’ of Lord Buddha’s relics
Leh (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday took a meeting with Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and senior officials of the Union territory to ensure that people can have 'darshan' of the sacred relics of Lord Buddha for the next two weeks without any inconvenience.
In a message on X, Shah, who reached Leh on Thursday, said that Friday will be a historic day for Ladakh when people can have 'darshan' of the sacred relics of Lord Buddha on the auspicious occasion of Buddha Purnima.
“I consider myself fortunate that I, too, will have the rare opportunity tomorrow to have darshan of these holy relics,” Shah said in the post in Hindi.
"To ensure that these sacred relics are easily accessible for darshan by the people of Ladakh over the next two weeks, I held a meeting today with the lieutenant governor of Ladakh and the concerned officials in this regard,” he said.
Shah is on a two-day visit to Ladakh during which he will attend the first-ever international exposition of the holy relics of Lord Buddha in India, commencing on Buddha Purnima on Friday.
The sacred relics were brought to Leh from Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh in a special Indian Air Force aircraft on Wednesday by Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche and Khenpo Thinlas Chosal from the Matho Monastery.
The relics, excavated from Piprahwa (ancient Kapilvastu), will be displayed at Jive Tsal, Choglamsar, from May 2 to 10.
The relics were accorded a ceremonial reception on their arrival in Leh, as people poured out of their homes and gathered along the roads to pay their respect.
The Piprahwa relics refer to ancient sacred remains and associated objects linked to Gautam Buddha, which were discovered at Piprahwa, an archaeological site in Uttar Pradesh near the Nepal border.
The relics have gained renewed global significance in recent years, especially after a collection of associated gems and offerings was repatriated to India in July 2025 from a British family and a private collection, ending over a century of colonial possession.
The relics have been exhibited internationally in several countries; this is the first time they have been brought out from their original place of preservation for exposition within India.
The relics were previously exhibited in Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Russia, Singapore, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, attracting global attention and devotion, according to a statement.
In Ladakh, the relics will be open for public veneration at Jivetsal from May 2 to May 10. They will subsequently be taken to Zanskar on May 11 and 12, followed by exposition at the Dharma Centre in Leh from May 13 to May 14, before being returned to Delhi on May 15, it said.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
