Leh, May 1 (NVI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said peace and compassion remain the only viable path to resolve conflicts, as he described the return of sacred relics of Gautama Buddha to Ladakh after 75 years as a historic spiritual moment.
Addressing a gathering in Leh on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, Shah said the relics’ presence has made this year’s celebrations especially significant, allowing people from Ladakh, Kargil and nearby areas to connect more closely with their spiritual heritage.
He said improved infrastructure and connectivity have enabled wider public participation compared to the past, when access to such events was limited.
Shah noted that India’s civilisation has, for thousands of years, propagated the message of peace and coexistence, adding that the relevance of these values is even greater in diverse regions like Ladakh and Kargil.
Tracing the history of Buddhism in the region, he said the religion spread to Ladakh in phases, flourishing locally before expanding further. He added that Kashmir once served as a major centre of Buddhist learning, including Mahayana philosophy and art.
Shah said emissaries of Ashoka played a key role in laying the early foundations of Buddhism along the Kashmir-Gandhara route, including in Ladakh. He added that the religion saw renewed growth during the Kushan period between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE.
Ancient stupas, rock-cut sculptures and inscriptions in Kharoshthi and Brahmi scripts bear testimony to the continued development of Buddhism in the region, he said.
Referring to the Silk Route, Shah said it connected Kashmir, Leh, Yarkand, Khotan and Tibet, serving not only as a trade corridor but also as a channel for the exchange of ideas, manuscripts and artistic traditions.
“These routes were channels of intellectual and cultural transmission,” he said, adding that their legacy is still visible in Ladakh’s rock inscriptions, Mani walls and Buddhist art.
He said the later phase of Buddhism in the region was shaped by Tibetan traditions, which further enriched Ladakh’s cultural and spiritual landscape.
Shah reiterated that the return of the sacred relics underscores Ladakh’s historic role in preserving Buddhist teachings and reflects India’s enduring ethos of peace, compassion and coexistence. (NVI)
