The Indian government has taken action to halt what it describes as “unethical” auctions of ancient gem relics.
The Ministry of Culture has raised concerns about the Piprahwa Gems auction happening in Hong Kong this week, claiming it breaches both Indian and international laws as well as UN treaties.
Legal notices were issued concerning the auction, with the involvement of Chris Peppe, one of the heirs to William Claxton Peppe, who owned the land in the British colony. The gems in question were said to have been discovered on his property in northern India.
This auction has garnered protests from scholars and leaders of monasteries, and is set for May 7, with estimates putting the gems’ value at around $100 million (£9.7 million).
In a letter shared on the Ministry of Culture’s Instagram, Peppe, a television director based in Los Angeles, claimed he doesn’t have the authority to sell these artifacts. Sotheby’s stated that by proceeding with the auction, they are contributing to the ongoing exploitation stemming from colonial times.
The ministry is calling for an immediate cessation of the auction, asserting that the jewel relics represent the cultural and religious heritage of both India and the global Buddhist community.
Both Sotheby’s and Chris Peppe have been asked to publicly apologize to the Indian government and to Buddhists worldwide, in addition to providing full documentation regarding the provenance of the artifacts associated with William Peppe and any transfers that have occurred.
If these requests are not met, the letter indicated that legal action could be initiated in courts in India and Hong Kong, and potentially through international organizations for infringing upon the Cultural Heritage Act.
The Ministry also announced plans to launch a public campaign emphasizing Sotheby’s role in perpetuating colonial injustices through unethical sales of religious relics.
The gems in question include varieties such as amethyst, coral, garnet, pearl, rock crystal, and gold, fashioned into pendants, beads, and other forms, or left in their natural state.
These relics were originally interred between 240 and 200 BC within a dome-shaped burial monument known as the Piplahawa Pagoda in Uttar Pradesh, India.
The British crown asserted control over the discovered items under the Indian Treasure Trobe Act of 1878, and remains were reportedly given to the Siamese monarch, King Chulalongkorn.
While most of the 1,800 gems have ended up in the Indian Museum in Kolkata, Peppe was permitted to retain about a fifth of them, referred to as “duplicates.”
The ministry’s correspondence also highlighted that, according to Buddhist beliefs, the materials of sacred funeral mounds are inseparable from the relics and cannot be commodified.
“Buddha’s relics should not be regarded as mere ‘specimens’,” the ministry added, emphasizing their sacred nature and original dedication.
Furthermore, it stated that those identifying as jewel managers lack the right to sell or degrade these artifacts, which represent a profound human heritage deserving respectful preservation.
The letter stressed that the planned auction violates ethical standards and disrupts sacred traditions, indicating it would anger over 500 million Buddhists globally.
Peppe did communicate previously about the significance of the Piplawa gems, describing them as offerings connected to the reinterment of Buddha’s ashes after 200 years.
Regarding the rights to sell them, he noted his and his relatives’ stance on ownership.
Sotheby’s, contacted for comments, had indicated that they had conducted the necessary due diligence concerning the legality of the auction.
The Indian Ministry of Culture’s Instagram post mentioned that Sotheby’s responded to the legal notice, assuring comprehensive attention to the matter at hand.
