BUDDHIST ART FESTIVAL

Bhutan Today

Thursday, 01 December 2011 09:05

By Ngawang Palden: Thimphu

The first ever Buddhist art festival was inaugurated in Delhi, India, on Monday. The three day long festival, organized by the Indian Council for Cultural (ICCR), will acquaint residents in the region with Buddhist culture, ethos and performing arts.

The festival aims at focusing on the influence of Buddhism in performing arts and traditions and the impact it has left across the globe, especially in countries where a majority of the followers are Buddhists.

“It is the first attempt by a cultural body like the Indian Council Cultural relations to reinforce Buddhist traditions through the performing arts,” said Suresh K Goel the director general of ICCR.

Buddhism originated in India and travelled throughout the world. The impact of the tenets of Buddhism has been such that in many countries it is a prominent religion today,” Goel added.

“It is the first time that a festival like this will bring together Buddhist artist from more than five countries of Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Republic of Korea and Bhutan on one platform.”

Spread across several venues in the capital like Azad Bhawan, Kamani theatre, Dilli Haat at INA and Pitampura, the festival will host performance troupes and screen Buddhist films from Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Nepal, Japan, Bhutan and Korea. Films from Ladakh, Shillong, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will also be screened.

“Buddhism provides many opportunities for comparative study with a diverse range of subjects,” said a monk from Trongsa.

In addition, Buddhism’s emphasis on the Middle way not only provides a unique guideline for ethics but has also allowed Buddhism to peacefully coexist with various other beliefs and religion , customs and institutions in other countries as well.

The event was organized coinciding with the global Buddhist congregation 2011, which celebrates the completion of 2,600 years of the enlightenment of the Buddha.

Foreign groups from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Republic of Korea and Bhutan are participating in the event.

sourse:buddhist art news