Days before going under the hammer at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, India has stepped in to halt the auction of a portion of the sacred Buddhist relics that were excavated in the northern parts of the country in 1898 and demanded their repatriation.

In a statement on Monday (May 5, 2025), the Ministry of Culture said it has issued a “legal notice to Sotheby’s Hong Kong”, seeking “immediate cessation of the auction” scheduled for Wednesday (May 7, 2025).

There was no immediate reaction from the auction house.

However, the Ministry of Culture said Sotheby has responded to the legal notice with the “assurance” that “full attention” is being given to the matter.

“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,” the statement said.

The Piprahwa Relics, which include bone fragments, soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer and offerings, such as gold ornaments and gemstones, were excavated by William Claxton Peppe in 1898, it said.

An inscription in the Brahmi script on one of the caskets confirms these as relics of the Buddha deposited by the Sakya clan, the Ministry said.

The majority of these relics were transferred to the Indian Museum in Kolkata in 1899 and classified as “AA” antiquities under the Indian law, prohibiting their removal or sale, the statement said.

“While a portion of the bone relics was gifted to the King of Siam, a selection retained by Peppe’s descendants has now been listed for auction,” it said.

In a post on ‘X’, the Culture Ministry shared a copy of the legal notice, according to which another copy of it has been sent to a descendant of Peppe.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, this legal notice is hereby issued to Sotheby’s Hong Kong and Chris Peppe, descendant of William Claxton Peppe, demanding the immediate cessation of the auction titled ‘The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, Mauryan Empire, Ashokan Era, circa 240-200 BCE’, scheduled for May 7, 2025,” the notice read.

The Ministry of Culture, in its statement, said the government has taken “swift and comprehensive measures” to “prevent the auction” of the relics, underscoring India’s “commitment to protecting its cultural and religious heritage”.

The notice mentions that “these relics — referred to as ‘duplicate jewels’ — constitute inalienable religious and cultural heritage of India and the global Buddhist community. Their sale violates Indian and international laws, as well as United Nations conventions”.

The Ministry further said that upon learning about the proposed auction, it has initiated a set of actions.

“The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) also requested the Consulate General of Hong Kong to take up the matter with authorities there demanding the immediate cessation of the auction,” it said.

During a bilateral meeting on May 2, Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had “raised” the issue with the UK’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, it said.

“The minister emphasised the cultural and religious significance of the relics and urged immediate action to halt the auction and facilitate their repatriation,” the statement said.

Ms. Nandy recently visited India.

On Monday, the culture secretary convened a high-level review meeting to outline further steps, the statement said, adding that the “Ministry of External Affairs has been requested to engage with embassies in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong through its Europe, West and East Asia divisions 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”, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Culture said it remains “steadfast in its efforts to protect India’s cultural heritage and ensure the repatriation of the Piprahwa Relics”.

“We call upon Sotheby’s Hong Kong to immediately withdraw the relics from auction and cooperate with Indian authorities to return these sacred artefacts to their rightful place,” the statement said.