Colombo [Sri Lanka], February 5 (ANI): Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India for facilitating the arrival of the sacred Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha, for the first-ever international exposition in Colombo.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Dissanayake said he respectfully welcomed the sacred relics to Sri Lanka and appreciated PM Modi and the Indian Government, calling it the fulfilment of a promise. The relics will be on public veneration at the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple until the 11th.

'Respectfully welcome the Sacred Relics of the Buddha to Sri Lanka today for public veneration until the 11th at Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple. I deeply appreciate PM Narendra Modi and the Government of India for honouring their promise and enabling this sacred exposition,' the Sri Lankan President wrote in his post.

The holy relics were taken to Sri Lanka for the first-ever international exposition on Wednesday morning from India.

The Governor of Gujarat and Maharashtra, Acharya Devvrat and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, who are also leading the delegation, carried the holy relics to the aircraft for the departure.

The delegation also included officials from the National Museum, representatives of MS University, Vadodara, which currently houses the Holy Relics, and representatives of the International Buddhist Confederation.

The sacred relics were discovered in Devnimori, Gujarat, and will be placed at the revered Gangaramaya Temple, a prominent centre of Theravada Buddhism.

The Exposition will be held from February 4 to February 11 and will underscore the deep historical, cultural and religious ties between India and Sri Lanka, particularly through Buddhism, which originated in India and flourished across the island nation for centuries.

Speaking to reporters in the national capital, Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) Abhijit Halder highlighted Sri Lanka's central role in the Buddhist world and its enduring connection with India.

'Theravada Buddhism has its roots in Sri Lanka. Many Buddhists from India travel to Sri Lanka to study Pali. Till today, we see many Buddhist societies are run by Sri Lankan Buddhists,' Halder said.

Devvrat recalled the international attention drawn to the relics during PM Modi's visit to Sri Lanka.

'Devnimori is a place in Gujarat where Lord Buddha's relics were found. In his last visit to Sri Lanka, PM Modi had mentioned these relics. These relics are being taken to Sri Lanka today to be placed in a temple there,' he said. (ANI)