Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday (November 9, 2025), expressed appreciation for the people and leadership of Bhutan for the reverent welcome accorded to the holy relics of Lord Buddha from India, and said his teachings are a sacred link between the two nations.

A portion of the holy relics of Lord Buddha from India was on Saturday (November 8) enshrined at Thimpu’s prominent monastery, Tashichhodzong, considered the seat of Bhutan’s highest spiritual and political institutions.

Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, ministers of the Himalayan kingdom and senior Lopens of the central monastic body joined India’s Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar at the enshrinement ceremony, according to the Indian Embassy in Thimphu.

“Heartfelt appreciation to the people and leadership of Bhutan for the reverent welcome accorded to the Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha from India,” said Modi, who will travel to Bhutan for a two-day visit on Tuesday (November 4).

These relics symbolise the timeless message of peace, compassion and harmony, the PM Modi said on X.

The teachings of Lord Buddha are a sacred link between India and Bhutan’s shared spiritual heritage, PM Modi said.

The holy relics of Lord Buddha were enshrined at the Grand Kuenrey Hall at Tashichhodzong with a traditional chipdrel procession, prayers, ceremonies and a guard of honour, the Indian Embassy in Thimpu said in a post on X.

According to the Ministry of Culture, the relics will be enshrined for public veneration at the Kuenrey Hall of Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu from November 8 to 18, marking a moment of deep spiritual unity between India and Bhutan.

Located within the Tashichhodzong, a fortress and monastery, Grand Kuenrey is one of the most prominent halls. Called the ‘Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha’, these were enshrined at the National Museum in New Delhi.

THIMPHU

Bhutan, an island of tranquillity in a troubled neighbourhood, is eyeing the role of a spiritual global peacemaker in a world torn by conflicts, polarisation, and discord.

The Himalayan country’s Central Monastic Body said Bhutan tested the waters by bringing together religious leaders, scholars, and thinkers from three main branches of Buddhism — Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana — for the first-ever Global Peace Prayer Festival (GPPF), being held in Thimphu from November 4 to 19.

The “overwhelming response” from Buddhists within and beyond the country has prompted Bhutan to plan the GPPF as an annual event on a larger scale, involving top practitioners of all or most mainstream and indigenous religions on Earth.

“His Majesty, the King of Bhutan, conceived the GPPF as a global platform for transformative spiritualism toward co-creating a future rooted in peace and happiness. Our success in bringing leaders from all branches of Buddhism is a step in the right direction,” Chorten Dorji, the Secretary of the Central Monastic Body, told The Hindu on Sunday (November 9, 2025).

The Bhutanese government’s confidence in undertaking the event on a grand scale stemmed from similar festivals held annually across the country’s 20 dzongkhags (districts) to pray for world peace and the healing of humanity.

The GPPF has attracted lamas and other representatives from the Mahayana branch in China, Singapore, and Taiwan; from the Theravada branch in Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand; and from the Vajrayana branch in Bhutan, India, and the Tibetan region.

“We see the response as an encouragement to organise GPPF annually by inviting the participation of priests, spiritual leaders, and scholars from all religions. The concurrence of interfaith leaders, who play a major role in society, is necessary for lasting peace anywhere,” Mr. Dorji said.

The GPPF organisers made this intention clear by creating a window for Hindu priests and spiritual leaders from India to hold a mass recitation event on November 7.

The Central Monastic Body appreciated the help from the Government of India “in cash and kind” to organise the GPPF and transport Lord Buddha’s relics from the National Museum in New Delhi to the Grand Kuenray hall in Thimphu for public veneration from November 12 to 18.

“The cooperation we have received from India has cemented the bond between our two countries. And the upcoming visit of India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has made the festival more globally significant,” Mr. Dorji said.

(This correspondent is in Thimphu on the invitation of the Government of Bhutan.)