India attempts to stop the auction of Buddhist relics in Sotheby's Hong Kong, issuing legal notice

A few days before Sotheby's Hong Kong's hammer, India had stepped in and stopped auctioning a portion of the sacred Buddhist relics that were excavated in the northern part of the country in 1898 and demanded their repatriation.

In a statement Monday (May 5, 2025), the Ministry of Culture said it had issued a “Legal Notice of Sotheby’s Hong Kong” and sought “immediately cessation of auctions”, scheduled for Wednesday (May 7, 2025).

The auction house did not respond immediately.

However, the Ministry of Culture said Sotheby's “guarantee” of the legal notice, that is, “complete attention” is being paid to the matter.

“These relics were excavated from the Piprahwa Stupa and are recognized as the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, – with great historical and spiritual significance,” the statement said.

William Claxton Peppe excavated Piprahwa artifacts in 1898, which included bone fragments, soapstone and crystal coffins, sandstone reserves and products such as gold ornaments and gemstones.

The ministry said the inscriptions on one of the coffins in the Brahmin scripts confirm that the inscriptions are relics of the Buddha stored by the Sakhi clan.

The statement said that most of these artifacts were transferred to the Kolkata Indian Museum in 1899 and classified as “AA” antiques under Indian law, prohibiting their revocation or sale.

It said: “While a portion of the bone remains were given to the King of Siam, the options retained by Pepe's descendants have now been listed for auction.”

In an article on “X”, the Ministry of Culture shared a copy of the legal notice, according to which another copy of it has been sent to the descendants of Peppe.

Descendants of William Claxton Peppe, Sotheby's Hong Kong and Chris Peppe, representing the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India, hereby issued this legal notice requiring the immediate cessation of auctions, titled “Piprahwa gems of the Piprahwa gems of History Fuldha, Mouryan Eriper, May erseed for Era”, May 7 7''Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan Era, Ashokan 2402''240-240-240-240-240-240-240-240-240-202 Note reading.

The Ministry of Culture said in its statement that the government has taken “speed and comprehensive measures” to “prevent the auction of relics”, emphasizing India's “commitment to protect its cultural and religious heritage”.

The notice mentioned: “These artifacts (called “repetitive jewelry”) constitute an inalienable religious and cultural heritage of the Buddhist communities in India and around the world. Their sales are in violation of Indian and international laws and the United Nations Conventions”.

The ministry further stated that it launched a series of actions in understanding the proposed auction.

“The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) also asked the Consulate General of Hong Kong to bring up the matter with the authorities there, demanding that the auction be stopped immediately,” it said.

It said that at a bilateral meeting on May 2, Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat “posed” the issue of the Minister of Culture, Media and Sports, with British Minister of Culture, Media and Sports.

“The minister stressed the cultural and religious significance of the relics and urged immediate action to stop the auction and promote its repatriation,” the statement said.

Ms. Nandi recently visited India.

The statement said on Monday, the Culture Minister convened a high-level review meeting to outline further steps, adding that “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been asked to interact with the British Embassy and Hong Kong through its European, West and East Asian subdivisions to ensure the auction is stopped”.

The Ministry said it had been asked to coordinate with its Hong Kong counterparts to “emphasize the illegality of the auction and ensure compliance with international law.”

The Ministry of Culture said it “still firmly protect India's cultural heritage and ensure the repatriation of Piprahwa artifacts”.

“We call on Sotheby's Hong Kong to immediately withdraw these artifacts from the auction and cooperate with the Indian authorities to return these sacred artifacts to their due status,” the statement said.