The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-22
Copyright 1910, by Frank G. Carpenter)
Calcutta 1910

buried chamber near Peshawar. The
prophet was born here in India more than
twenty-four hundred years ago, and he Is
said to have died in northern India at the
age of eighty. There Is no doubt as to
the authenticity of the relics They were
found by the archaeological department of
the British government, and the viceroy
OF India, Earl Mimic has had them
brought here to Calcutta and has made a
formal presentation of them to a delega-
ton of Buddhist priests from Burma.
The relics were discovered through in
vestigations made by ancient writings
which described their existence. They
lay in a chamber far down under the
ground below the heavy foundation of z
tower which had long since been blotted
from the face of the earth. They were
in a bronze casket and inside a crystal
box, and they consisted of a mass Of
grayish white powder and four charred
human bones. The box was first carried
to Simla, and it is now on its way to
Burma. 1t probably will be kept at Man.
dalay and a mighty pagoda erected above
it.
Earl Minto's Speech
In making his speech to the priests the
viceroy said
1.-THE government of India has decided
that the relics should remain within
the confines of the Indian empire, and
that Burma, as Buddhist province. and
Mandalay, as its capital, should provide
for their safe custody. I am sure that
the great honor done to Burma will be
thoroughly appreciated by It's people, and
that the relics will be carefully preserved
and cherished
The viceroy concluded with this state
ment, which seems remarkable, as coming
from the Christian ruler of India, the
King of Englands greatest subject. He
closed:
al hot
may be erected at Mandalay over these
relics, where in future years devout
pilgrims may gather from all parts OF
the world to do honor to the memory
of the great founder of their religion
The ceremony connected with the pres
entation of the relics was impressive
1t occurred in the throne room of the
viceregal palace. the floor of which
was covered with rich golden carpets.
The lieutenant governor of Burma was
present and among the spectators were
Lady Mimic, Mrs. Anna Besant and the
highest officials of India.
The Ashes of Buddba
Suppose the Christian world of today
could have authentic information of the
discovery of some of the bones and ashes
of ST. Peter or st. Paul? What a
sensation 1t would create? Suppose, fur
ther, that they might have relics Of the
Savior which were real beyond the shad-
ow of a doubt? The whole civilized
world would be excited about 1t. This
is what has. happened out here in India.
Budha is just as real to these people
as Christ is to us, and they have now
found this casket containing his bones.
During the presentation Mr. Marshall,
director of the archaeological department
of the government of India, described
I'how the relics were found. The first in
formation concerning them came from
records left by Chinese travellers who
walked over India on pilgrimages about
four or five hundred years after Christ.
One of these men was Buddhist monk,
who spent seven years in travelling
through India collecting Buddhist writ
ings and visiting the shrines He tramped
across the Himalaya mountains, stop
ping in the little province where Buddha
was born. He walked to Buddha Gaya,
where the saint received his great en-
lightenment, and then went to pray at
the various places where the relics of
Buddha were kept In the records of his
pilgrimages he described great pagoda
near Peshawar not far from where the
Emperor Knishka had his palaces. This
tower was about 1900 feet in circumfer-
ence, and was higher than the Washing
ton monument. 1t had 10 stories, and the
top was crowned with a pinnacle of
gilded disks attached to an iron pillar.
Mr. Marshall says that this tower lasted
for more than 800 years after the Chinese
Buddhists above spoken of had paid their
visit. Their records stated that the relics
of Buddha lay under the tower.
The origin of the discovery came
from a French scientist who came out
to India a few years ago to study
Buddhism. He had the writings of
these pilgrims, and from them he locat-
ed the site of the pagoda as being under
one of two mounds which lie about a
half mile east of the city of Preshawar.
At that time there was no tower in ex-
istence. 1t had fallen to ruins centu-
RIGS ago, and no vestiges Were In sight
excepting hese mounds. The French
mans name-was Foucher.
Mr.. Foucher found himself unable
to make the excavations required to
verify his theory. He presented his
evidence, however. to DIR. Spooner of
the Astrological department of the In
dian government, and the latter took
up the work. That was two years ago.
Since then the mounds have been dug
over and the remains of the great tower
found The heavy foundation was un-
covered, and 1t was shown to have been
larger than any other known Buddhist
pagoda 1t was square, with massive
walls of dressed stone, and, according
to the records of Heuen Chwang. the
Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, 1t was so
lofty that four towers had to be built
at the corners to hoist the coping
stones into place. The remains of those
towers have been found.
i After the dimensions of the pagoda
had been outlined, and the heavy foun-
da ton uncovered, the British archeol-
ogists sank shaft down through the
stone floor to a depth of 20 feet, and
came to the relic chamber described In
the records. There. in that little stone
room, which had been buried from the
sight Of man for over 400 years they
found a bronze casket seven inch es
high and five inches in diameter.
1t was round, and 1t had I'D,
slightly curved at the top, made to rep
resent full-blown lotus. upon which
a small figure of Buddhe sat. Along the
lid of the box which overhung was a
frieze of flying geese. and lower down
around the main body of the casket
were figures of Buddha, beautifully
carved, representing him in the differ
ent stages of his life. In the center of
these was engraved large standing
Buddhist ruler and conqueror of the
time the casket was made. and there
were also Inscriptions stating that the
maker was the head sengineer Of this
liking.
Upon opening the casket a lump of
rock crystal was found within. This
had been followed out at one end for
the reception of the relics. 1t was
originally sealed with clay, but the
moisture had detached the seal, and
this was found lying at the side of
the crystal. Coins bearing the head of
Kanishka were also found The gov
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