Feast of Buddhist arts, culture in Delhi from Monday

New Delhi: A multi-disciplinary festival of Buddhist arts and culture will bring to the capital performances and art from across Asia Nov 28-Dec 1.

The festival spread across several venues like Azad Bhawan, Kamani theatre, Dilli Haat and public spaces will host performance troupes and screen Buddhist cinema from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Japan, Cambodia, Korea, Bhutan, Ladakh, Shillong, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, a statement said Thursday. It will be presented by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to coincide with the Global Buddhist Congregation to commemorate the 2,600th year of enlightenment of Lord Buddha. The objective of the festival is to showcase influence of Buddhism in performing arts and traditions which have impacted not only India but other countries where Buddhism is the prominent religion or the social factor. A spokesperson for ICCR said it was one of the first ever attempts by the cultural body to reinforce Buddhist traditions through the performing arts sector, to coincide with the global congregation being organised by the Asoka Mission. On Nov 30, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will unveil a coffee table book, "Sharnam Gacchami: An Album of Awakening". The book has been published by Full Circle with the support of the public diplomacy division of the external affairs ministry. The book portrays India as the land where Buddha preached and where great scholars planted the roots of Buddhism. IANS