India, May 2 -- In the land of high passes in Ladakh, where the mountains seem to touch you and are quieter than the rest of the country, the Sacred Exposition of the Holy Relics of Gautam Buddha has brought with it a different kind of stillness.

For the first time, these sacred relics, usually housed at the National Museum, were brought to Ladakh for public viewing, shifting something intangible in the landscape itself.

At Jivetsal Ground in Leh, the experience began long before the relics were shown. The fever and the love for Lord Buddha were seen on every face. Each one holding a Khatak, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist ceremonial scarf, symbolising purity to offer to the relics.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was present on the ...