Envision a small temple. It holds a secret of international intrigue. This is Renkoji Temple. Renkoji Temple stands in Tokyo, a quiet sanctuary amid the urban bustle. Established in 1594, Renkoji Temple belongs to the Nichiren sect of Buddhism. This sect believes salvation lies within the Lotus Sutra. But Renkoji Temple holds a more modern story. It’s the resting place of Subhas Chandra Bose’s ashes. Bose was a prominent Indian revolutionary. He opposed British rule in India.
Renkoji Temple became connected to Bose after his death in 1945. Following his cremation in Taipei, his ashes were brought to Renkoji Temple. A funeral ceremony took place on September 18, 1945. The temple’s head priest agreed to keep the ashes. They would remain at Renkoji Temple until claimed by a suitable recipient. Even now, decades later, the ashes remain at Renkoji Temple.
Every year on August 18th, Renkoji Temple remembers Bose. A memorial service marks the anniversary of his death. Many Indian officials have visited Renkoji Temple over the years. They pay their respects to Bose. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first. He visited in October 1957. Later, President Rajendra Prasad and Indira Gandhi also visited. More recently, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited in 2001. He had previously visited during his time as Foreign Minister. Jaswant Singh, the Minister of External Affairs in 2000, also paid a visit. A small golden pagoda within the temple holds Bose’s ashes. However, these are not accessible to the public. A bronze statue of Bose, erected in 1975, stands within the temple grounds.
There is controversy surrounding Bose’s death and the ashes at Renkoji Temple. The Mukherjee Commission, in its 2005 report, concluded that the ashes weren’t Bose’s. They believed he didn’t die in the plane crash. The Indian government rejected these findings. The controversy deepened when Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t visit Renkoji Temple. This was despite a request from the Indian High Commission in Japan. Renkoji Temple remains a quiet space. It holds a piece of history. It’s a reminder of the complex relationship between India and Japan.