Sotheby's in Hong Kong decided to delay an auction of jewels that are said to be connected to Buddha's remains. They made this decision because the Indian government was against the sale and asked for it to be stopped.

The auction house said the jewels being sold were found buried in containers with the bones of the historical Buddha. They were discovered in northern India in 1898 and are thought to be from around 240 to 200 BC.

But India’s Ministry of Culture said on Facebook Tuesday that it had sent a legal notice to Sotheby’s Hong Kong. They asked them to stop the sale immediately, saying it went against "Indian laws, international rules, and UN agreements."

In a letter sent to Sotheby’s Hong Kong, which they put on Facebook, the organisation said that the auction included important Buddhist items. These items, they explained, are part of the religious and cultural history of India and Buddhists around the world, and should not be separated from them. They asked for the items to be sent back to the Indian government and for Sotheby's and Chris Peppé to say sorry publicly.

Peppé is the great-grandson of British William Peppé, who dug up the ancient objects.

The Indian government warned in the letter that if they did not follow the rules, they would face legal action and public campaigns showing how the auction house helped to continue colonial unfairness by selling religious objects.

Sotheby's announced on Wednesday that they would postpone the sale. They said they understood the issues the Indian government had raised and that the sellers agreed with this decision.

“This will make it possible for the groups to have discussions, and we will share any news when it is right to do so,” it said.

Some pages on Sotheby's website about the auction could not be seen on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, India's Ministry of Culture announced on Facebook that it was "happy to say" the auction was delayed after they got involved.