India’s Sacred Buddha Relics Draw 50,000 Devotees in Russia’s Kalmykia

Kalmykia (Russia) – Over 50,000 devotees, some standing in queues stretching nearly one kilometre, have paid homage to India’s Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha at a monastery in Kalmykia, Russia, officials said on Saturday.

The exposition, held at the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery—popularly known as the ‘Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha’—has received an unprecedented response since it opened on October 11, a Ministry of Culture official stated.

The sacred relics, designated as a National Treasure of India, were brought to Elista, Kalmykia’s capital, by a high-level Indian delegation led by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, alongside senior Indian monks. The delegation is conducting special religious services and blessings for the region’s predominantly Buddhist population—the only region in Europe where Buddhism is the main religion.

“Today, queues of devotees extended nearly one kilometre from the monastery, highlighting the profound impact of this event. The Golden Abode, a major Tibetan Buddhist centre established in 1996 in the vast Kalmyk steppe, has witnessed a steady flow of pilgrims since early morning,” the statement said.

Officials noted that this historic exposition—the first of its kind in the Russian Republic—symbolizes the deep civilizational ties between India and Russia. It also revives the legacy of the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, a revered Buddhist monk and diplomat from Ladakh, who played a key role in reviving Buddhism in Mongolia and sparking interest in Buddha Dharma across Russian regions including Kalmykia, Buryatia, and Tuva.

The event is organised by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BTI) of the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

With inputs from IANS