Exhibition of Indian Buddhist art, scrolls opens in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, May 15 (IANS) As Buddhists around the world celebrated the 2,576th birth anniversary of the Buddha, an exhibition of Indian Buddhist art and photo scrolls got under way here.

Organised by the Consulate General of India in Hong Kong, 'In the footsteps of the Buddha' focusses on the life, teachings, important events and the wanderings of the Buddha which he undertook for 45 years after getting enlightenment at Bodhgaya.

The exhibition, which started Wednesday, also provides information about Buddhist pilgrimages and depicts the art and artifacts discovered at various archaeological sites in India, Xinhua news agency reported.

Apart from sculptures, a photographic display titled 'Buddhist Heritage of India' by renowned Buddhist expert and photographer Benoy K. Behl shows around 60 photographic scrolls and three text panels covering the Buddhist heritage of India.

According to the consulate, the Buddhist sculptures and paintings are the oldest surviving art in the Indian subcontinent right from the Ashoka period of the 3rd century BC.

The photographic exhibition takes the visitors on a visual pilgrimage through the life of the Buddha and provides a view of the richness of the whole Buddhist tradition.

The exhibition is part of the 'Glimpses of India Festival' being held under 'India-China Year of Friendly Exchanges'. The festival will showcase Indian performing arts and exhibitions of modern Indian art, Buddhist artifacts and heritage and their linkages with China.