After being served a legal notice by the Ministry of Culture on Monday evening, international auction house Sothebys has assured the Indian government that it will take adequate measures to prevent the auction of sacred Buddhist relics at its upcoming auction on May 7.
In its communication, the Ministry of Culture called upon Sotheby’s Hong Kong to immediately withdraw the relics from auction and cooperate with Indian authorities to return these sacred artifacts to their rightful place. These relics, excavated from the Piprahwa Stupa — widely recognised as the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Lord Buddha—hold immense historical and spiritual significance.
There were calls from various Buddhist organisations to take adequate measures to stop this auction. So, the ministry collected details and wrote to the auction house, an official tells .
The Piprahwa Relics include bone fragments, soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer, and offerings such as gold ornaments and gemstones, and were excavated by William Claxton Peppé in 1898. An inscription in Brahmi script on one of the caskets confirms these as relics of the Buddha, deposited by the Sakya clan.
It was a listing on Sotheby’s website that caught everyone’s attention to the impending auction.
It said, “Sotheby’s is honoured to present the Piprahwa gems, appearing for the first time in Hong Kong. The 1898 discovery of these gems by William Claxton Peppé at Piprahwa in northern India — where they were found buried together in reliquaries with the corporeal relics of the Historical Buddha — ranks among the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries of all time.”
Even as the listing is still there on the website, officials in the Culture Ministry tell the Express they have been assured of action by the auction house.
The majority of these relics were transferred to the Indian Museum, , in 1899 and are classified as ‘AA’ antiquities under Indian law, prohibiting their removal or sale. A note by Chris Peppe on Sotheby’s website says, “The Piprahwa gem relics were passed down from my great uncle to his son, then in 2013 they came to myself and two cousins. It was at this point that I began in-depth research into the discovery of the gems by William Claxton Peppé, my great-grandfather.”
While a portion of the bone relics was gifted to the King of Siam, a selection retained by Peppé’s descendants has now been listed for auction. Upon learning of the proposed auction, the Ministry of Culture issued a legal notice to Sotheby’s Hong Kong to stop the auction immediately, as per an official. The Ministry of Culture has also served a legal notice to Chris, asking him to withdraw the relics from the auction and return them to India.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) also requested the Consulate General of Hong Kong to take up the matter with authorities demanding the immediate . During a bilateral meeting on May 2, Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had also raised the issue with Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, United Kingdom. The Minister emphasised the cultural and religious significance of the relics and urged immediate action to halt the auction and facilitate their repatriation, officials say.
On May 5, Culture Secretary Vivek Agarwal convened a high-level review meeting to outline further steps. The Ministry of External Affairs was also requested to engage with embassies in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong to ensure the auction is stopped. The Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) has been asked to coordinate with its counterpart in Hong Kong to highlight the illegality of the auction and ensure compliance with international laws.
As learnt by The Indian Express, Ivy Wong, Ivy Wong, Associate General Counsel Sotheby’s has written to the Ministry of Culture, and assured that full attention will be given to this matter.
