Exhibition on India’s Buddhist Heritage during Vesak underscores civilizational connect

Indian High Commission in Colombo has organized a special exhibition on India’s rich Buddhist Heritage as a part of the Buddha Rashmi National Vesak Festival at Seemamalakaya, Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. 

 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, accompanied by Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, senior Ministers and other dignitaries visited the exhibition at the soft opening of the Vesak Festival, jointly organized by the President’s Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office and Gangaramaya Temple on Wednesday (3). 

 

The exhibition which commemorates the Birth, Enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha on the sacred Vesak Full Moon Poya, underlines the civilizational connect between India and Sri Lanka. 

 

The exhibition displays digital recreations of the fresco paintings from the world-famous UNESCO Heritage Site – the Ajanta caves of India, depicting significant episodes from Lord Buddha’s life and the Jataka tales. Ajanta caves are Buddhist cave monuments in Maharashtra, India, dating back to 2nd and 1st centuries BC.

 

The exhibition is yet another testimony to India’s untiring efforts to preserve and restore Buddhist heritage in India and across the world. Curators of the exhibition Ankur Naik and Prasad Pawar gifted a replica of the digitally restored Padma of the renowned  ‘Padmapani’ on an original basalt stone to President Wickremesinghe, in what is a vivid example of the impressive  restoration works which are being carried out in the Ajanta Caves.

 

The exhibition was also displayed at the first Global Buddhist Summit held in New Delhi in India from April 20 and 21. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had viewed this exhibition at the Summit. 

 

The exhibition is open for public viewing from May 5 to 7.