India reaches out to Indonesia's Buddhist community

Zee News, May 25, 2015

Jakarta, Indonesia -- India has reached out to the large Buddhist community in Indonesia, which has the world`s largest Muslim population, by organising an exhibition on the Buddha.

"Buddha Carika - In the footsteps of Shakyamuni Buddha" was inaugurated in the Gedung Prasadha Jinarakkhita in Indonesia`s capital Jakarta Sunday, the Indian embassy said in a statement.


The famous Prasadha Jinarakkhita has been built through the efforts of Mahabhiksu Ashin Jinarakkhita Mahasthavira who was instrumental in spreading Buddhism in Indonesia and uniting all the sects of Buddhism under one organisation.

The opening ceremony was attended by Mahasthavira Nyanamaitri who represents all the three sects of Buddhism in Indonesia -- Mahayana, Theravada and Budayan -- and the Indian Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste, Gurjit Singh. Mahasthavira Nyanamaitri thanked the government and embassy of India for bringing the exhibition to Indonesia, and hoped that through this exhibition people of Indonesian will learn more about Lord Buddha.

The exhibition has been brought to Indonesia as part of the ongoing "Sahabat India - The Festival of India in Indonesia".

"Buddha Carika" was earlier held at Sakyamuni Vihara Cemara Asri in Medan, which is the centre of all Buddhist activities across Sumatra, in Ubud, an eminent centre of preservation and promotion of culture in Bali, and in National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta, which is an archeological, historical, ethonological and geographical museum of Indonesia.

The exhibition has been designed by Nav Nalanda Vihara University under India`s culture ministry.