Colombo: A high-level Indian delegation, including Mangubhai Patel, Governor of Madhya Pradesh, and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein of Arunachal Pradesh, arrived in Sri Lanka today to oversee the repatriation of the historic Devnimori Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha back to India on 11 February.

According to News.LK, the delegation was formally welcomed at Bandaranaike International Airport by Deputy Minister of Mass Media, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyaratne. Following their visit, the delegation will facilitate the safe return of the relics to India on 11 February 2026.

The discussions between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Sri Lanka resulted in the Devnimori Sacred Relics being brought to Sri Lanka on 4 February. The relics were then enshrined at the Gangaramaya Temple, Hunupitiya, Colombo.

From 5 to 11 February, the public was given the opportunity to venerate the relics round the clock, providing a unique occasion for spiritua
l devotion. These sacred relics, securely housed in the Baroda Museum in India, had never been exhibited outside India. Their historic display in Sri Lanka marked the first opportunity for the Sri Lankan people to pay homage to the Devnimori Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha.