• The Piprahwa Gems, linked to Buddha's remains, return to India after 127 years.
• Indian Prime Minister Modi calls the event a "joyous day for our cultural heritage."
• The collection includes over 300 gems dating from the Mauryan Empire.
• Godrej Industries acquired the gems after Sotheby's auction plans were halted.
• These relics will be put on permanent display in India.

The Piprahwa Gems, a remarkable collection of jewels believed to be linked to Buddha's remains, have officially returned to India after 127 years. Originally set for auction by Sotheby's in Hong Kong earlier this year, the planned sale drew significant backlash, including threats of legal action from the Indian government, leading to its postponement and eventual cancellation. The Indian conglomerate Godrej Industries Group has since acquired the gems, which are now slated for public display in India, marking a victory for the nation’s cultural heritage according to BBC, Reuters, Reuters, and Dawn.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the return of the gems, stating, "A joyous day for our cultural heritage! It would make every Indian proud," in a post on X. The collection, boasting over 300 jewels including amethyst, topaz, and pearls, dates back to the Mauryan Empire, specifically around 240-200 BCE. Christian Peppe, the great-grandson of the estate manager who initially excavated the gems, had previously stated his family looked into various options for the relics before deciding on auctioning them. However, India’s government contested the sale, emphasizing the jewels' cultural significance, as reported by Reuters, Reuters, and Dawn.

The gems were originally unearthed in 1898 by English estate manager William Claxton Peppé from a stupa located in Piprahwa, near the Buddha's birthplace. Alongside the jewels, Peppé also discovered fragments of bone believed to be connected to Buddha himself. Following extensive negotiations, Sotheby's described the return of these significant items as a reflection of a successful public-private collaboration that aligns with Modi's broader initiative to reclaim India's ancient cultural and spiritual legacy, according to BBC, Reuters, and Dawn.