Buddhist monks and devotees praying to the holy Piprahwa relics in Room 8, Buddhist section, National Museum (New Delhi) Courtesy: Sifra Lentin
11 June 2026

Book Review: The Buddha at Piprahwa

The holy relics of Buddha Shakyamuni, part of the relics originally excavated in 1898 from the Piprahwa Stupa in the Terai region of northern Uttar Pradesh, were repatriated to India in 2025 after 127 years. Marg magazine’s volume 77 (2) is a deep dive into the history, Buddhist cultural landscape, colonial archaeology and museology, and Buddhism’s veneration of these relics.

AP517-519 00_Cover.indd Courtesy: Routledge
7 May 2026

India and the Rebalancing of Asia

In this book, C. Raja Mohan analyses Asia’s shifting political, economic, military, and technological balance, with particular focus on U.S.-China and India-China relations. He argues that India’s rise from a middle power to an emerging great power will require stronger hard power, diplomatic creativity, economic vitality, and domestic consensus. Yet, amid tensions over tariffs, Russian oil, Gaza, and the U.S.-Iran conflict, India’s strategic path remains challenging.