Tokyo’s Renkoji Temple

Subject – History

Context – ‘Govt. ignored Tokyo’s Renkoji temple offer’

Concept –

Renkō-ji is a Buddhist temple in Tokyo, Japan.
It is assumed to be the purported location of the ashes of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Indian freedom-fighter, which have been preserved since September 18, 1945.
The small, well-preserved temple was established in 1594 inspired by the God of Wealth and Happiness.
It belongs to the Nichiren sect of Buddhism that believes that human salvation lies only in the Lotus Sutra.

Ashes of Subhash Chandra Bose

A memorial to Subhas Chandra Bose in the compound of the Renkōji Temple
According to the findings of the D. Khosla Commission, appointed by the Government of India in 1970, Subhash Chandra Bose’s ashes were placed in the box at Taipei following the cremation of his remains.
- Bose had died at Taihoku Army Hospital on August 18, 1945.
It is customary for Indian officials arriving in Japan to travel to Renkoji, to offer prayers and pay respect to Bose at the pagoda that protects his remains.
The ashes of Bose are placed in a small golden pagoda.

Controversy

The Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry submitted its report to the Indian Government on November 8, 2005. The probe said in its report that as Bose did not die in the plane crash, the ashes at the Renkoji Temple are not his.
However, the Indian Government rejected the findings of the Commission.