The most sacred relics of Lord Buddha from Taxila were taken back to Pakistan on Thursday (17) after the conclusion of a three-week long exposition at various locations in Sri Lanka.
Minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, high government officials and diplomats from the Pakistan High Commission were present at the Bandaranaike International Airport to send-off the Relics.
The sanctified Relics arrived from Pakistan on a special request of Sri Lanka in connection with the Annual Buddha Rashmi National Vesak Festival.
During the exposition in Sri Lanka, millions of devotees paid their respects and homage to these Sacred Relics, excavated from Taxila, Pakistan.
The exposition of the Relics commenced on April 29, by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, amidst a large gathering of Buddhist clergy, scholars, Ministers, parliamentarians and high level government functionaries at Temple Trees.
The Holy Relics were exhibited in different temples in Colombo, Wellampitiya, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura and Kandy.
The Relics were originally discovered near the Dharmarajika stupa, the earliest and largest Buddhist complex at Taxila, Pakistan, built in the 3rd century BC to house the Holy Relics of the Buddha by the famous Mauryan King Asoka, who was also known as Dharmaraja for his services to Buddhism.
Dharmarajika was excavated by Ghulam Qadir in 1912-16 under the directions of Sir John Marshall and A.D. Siddiqui in 1934-36.
The advent and development of Buddhism owes a great deal to the ancient land of Pakistan.
It was here that the religious activities of Buddhism reached its climax through well-organized missionaries and ultimately made it a world religion.