Indian envoy visits oldest Buddhist pagoda in China

Indian Consul General in Shanghai Pratik Mathur has visited the Tiger Hill Pagoda in the ancient city of Suzhou, to commemorate the inauguration in India of the historic grand exhibition “The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi inaugurated an exposition of sacred ancient gems and bone fragments linked to the Buddha on Saturday in Delhi, asserting that they were not mere artefacts but part of India’s revered heritage.

The prime minister said the sacred Piprahwa Relics travelled to different countries with significant Buddhist populations, including Vietnam, Thailand and Russia, where waves of faith and devotion arose, and people turned up in huge numbers to pay homage.  To commemorate the event, Mathur visited the oldest and largest Buddhist pagoda to the south of the Yangtze River, the Tiger Hill temple structure in China, which occupies a high status in the field of architecture, history and art, a post on X by the Consulate said on Monday.

 Mathur, in his interaction with the Buddhist clergy and the local community, including Friends of India, on Sunday, underlined the special significance of the return of the sacred Piprahwa Ratna of Lord Buddha after 127 years as embodying a proud occasion for India’s civilised consciousness and spiritual heritage.

During the event, presentations and cultural performances based on the teachings of Lord Buddha were also showcased, evoking strong resonance for the Piprahwa Relics grand exhibition, rooted in our rich past and enduring legacies, the Post said. Indian Consul General in Shanghai Pratik Mathur during a visit at the Tiger Hill Pagoda to commemorate the inauguration in India of the historic grand exhibition ‘The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Suzhou, China.