A video is widespread on social media with the claim, “The rock on which Sita Mata used to sit in the Ashok Vatika was flown to Ayodhya today via Sri Lankan Airlines.”
अशोक वाटिका में सीता माता जिस शिला पर बैठती थीं,
वह शिला श्री लंका एअर लाइन्स द्वारा आज अयोध्या पहुँचा दी गईं। 🚩 जय सीता राम 🚩Posted by श्याम सुन्दर दीवान on Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Twitter user Ashish Jaggi’s post carrying the video garnered more than 3 lakh views. (Archive link)
The rock on which Sita Mata used to sit in Ashok Vatika was brought to Ayodhya from Sri Lanka
Bolo Jai Siya Ram 🙏🏻🚩
Happy #Diwali pic.twitter.com/CfOQPyQwDk
— Ashish Jaggi (@AshishJaggi_1) November 4, 2021
The footage is also circulating on WhatsApp. Alt News received requests on our WhatsApp helpline number (+91 76000 11160) and mobile application.
Fact-check
A Twitter user shared a Times of India article while replying to Ashish Jaggi. According to the article, “Sri Lankan flight welcomed at Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar International Airport on Wednesday. Yogi Adityanath received the Buddha relics at the airport. A team of 123 Sri Lankan delegates accompanied the relics.”
— !Joey (@Ekbyte) November 5, 2021
Below is the relic highlighted in red.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy had tweeted a few images from the occasion on October 20.
Performed a ceremonial worship on the arrival of the Sacred Buddha relic from Sri Lanka on the occasion of Ashwin Poornima
Also welcomed Buddhists Monks on their arrival.
The exposition of Holy Relic will take place during celebrations of Abhidhamma Day today at Kushinagar, UP. pic.twitter.com/Edzd3dmonW
— G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) October 20, 2021
Thus, what is being circulated as a stone from the Ashok Vatika is actually a metal relic of Gautama Buddha. The National Council of Science Museums also shared a photo from the occasion.
The highlight of the event is the Exposition of Holy Buddha Relic being brought from Waskaduwa Sri Subuddhi Rajvihara Temple, Sri Lanka by the Mahanayaka of the temple.
Read: https://t.co/Lf7O75QGNn pic.twitter.com/VnasqlcxJM https://t.co/NNpAv2EpZm
— National Council of Science Museums-NCSM (@ncsmgoi) October 20, 2021
It is noteworthy that on October 28, ANI quoted the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra stating that the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda, donated a ‘shila’ (stone) from the island country-based Sita Mandir, Ashok Vatika to Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda today donated a ‘shila’ (stone) from the island country-based Sita Mandir, Ashok Vatika to Ram Temple in Ayodhya: Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra pic.twitter.com/mWcZeqnP5B
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 28, 2021
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