Map model exhibition on Lord Buddha at IGNCA

Indian culture has travelled far beyond the Himalayas and the Oceans and its foot print can be seen in the nations abroad, especially in South-East Asia. One of the main reasons for this is Buddhism. Buddhist monks travelled to countries of South Asia for the dissemination of Buddhism and that is how Indian culture traveled to far off land. In this context the 36th foundation day celebrations of Indira Gandhi National centre for the Arts, attains lot of relevance as it inaugurated “Map Model Exhibition on Buddha ” which depicts the cultural linkages of India with other countries. . On this occasion Shri Suresh Soni, former Sah Sarkaryavah of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (Former Joint General Secretary of RSS) said that there is a world of words, sound, expression and feeling, we learn from all of it as we are bestowed upon with value of observation. Similarly we can learn a lot from this exhibition by merely looking at it and observing it. On this occasion Venerable Dhammapiya, Secretary General, IBC, Shri Rambahadur Rai, President, IGNCA, Dr. Sachichidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA were present. The chief architect of the exhibition Yu on Long and the coordinator of the exhibition Shri Ram Niwas were also present.

This exhibition has been put up on the second floor of the IGNCA building. Through a map in this exhibition, the places where the feet of Lord Buddha had fallen, where his teachings had reached and where Buddhism spread, have been shown. Different places are shown on the map with the help of different colored bulbs. These include the four main places related to Buddha – Lumbini, the birthplace, Bodhgaya, the place of enlightenment, Dharmachakra Pravartana (where Lord Buddha delivered the first sermon), Sarnath and Kushinagar, the site of Mahaparinirvana, along with various places in India and abroad related to Lord Buddha and Buddhism has been shown. Dr. Dharam Chand Choubey, Professor, Kala Kosh Division, IGNCA, informed that an audio clip giving information about the exhibition is also being played at the exhibition venue, so that visitors can get an overview of the life-philosophy of Lord Buddha, Buddhism and various aspects of India and its linkages with other countries.

Speaking as the chief guest of the inauguration ceremony of the exhibition, Suresh Soni said that from past to present, India has had relations with other countries of the world. Since ancient time’s people of India have been going to the world by crossing the Himalayan Mountains, oceans and deserts and these journeys of the people are threads that connect us with the world. The expansion of political influence breaks, when empires are formed, one or the other becomes an enemy, so it has no stability. Empires come and go, but the influence of culture remains enduring. In this context, Suresh Soni ji quoted, “Once upon a time the ambassador of China had said that for two thousand years India ruled China without sending a single soldier. That rule was of religion, of culture. That’s why today there is a need to connect cultural threads all over the world. Suresh Soni ji said that Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts is such an institution, which is working to bring Indian art and culture to the fore in a holistic manner.