The last news about religious Asian arts and antiques
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India. Telangana: Buddha Stupa set for major revamp
The Buddha Stupa holds major archaeological significance for Buddhism and Hinduism. KHAMMAM: While many living across the erstwhile Khammam district know of the beauty of the Buddha Stupa in Nelakondapalli, it is yet to become a must-see for anyone visiting Telangana for the first time. To transform this Buddhist site of importance into a premier […]
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23rd Anniversary of the Destruction of the Bamyan Buddhas: Historical Artifacts Are Plundered
Twenty-three years ago, the Taliban destroyed two large Buddha statues in Bamyan province. The taller statue, named Salsaal, standing at 53 meters, and the smaller one, Shahmama, at 35 meters, were carved into the mountains between the 3rd and 7th centuries AD with a distinctive style. Mullah Omar, the former Taliban supreme leader, ordered the […]
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Nepal. In Pictures: Patan celebrates unique Itilhana Samyak Mahadan festival in honor of Dipankara Buddha
KATHMANDU, March 14: The Itilhana Samyak Mahadan, a celebration dedicated to Dipankara Buddha, takes place once every four years, in Patan, Lalitpur. This year’s festival, held in Nagabahal area, saw an impressive gathering of devotees and monks. Unlike its more frequent observances, with Bhaktapur celebrating annually and Kathmandu every 12 years, Patan’s iteration of the […]
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Well-Preserved Stupa Found At Bukit Choras Offers Clues About Malaysia’s Multicultural Past
Researchers found a 1,200-year-old Buddhist stupa including two Buddha stucco statues in good condition in Malaysia’s Bujang Valley. If you thought everything in Bujang Valley was destroyed, you were right until now. In August 2023, a team of 11 researchers discovered a 1,200-year-old Buddhist stupa at Bukit Choras in Malaysia’s Bujang Valley in northwest Kedah. […]
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Sunrays event at the Ellora Caves. India
A festival of rays will be celebrated at Ellora Caves as the Sun rays will fall on the face of the Buddha statue on March 10, 11. There is a Chaityagruha in cave No. 10 in world famous Ellora caves. There is a huge statue of Lord Buddha here. The feelings on the face and […]
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Buddha’s relics at National Museum to be on display in Thailand
The pagoda constructed by the Thai government in Bangkok to enshrine the relics. Ministry of Culture The relics fall under the ‘AA’ (rare) category of antiquities and art treasures and are not meant to be lent for exhibitions, within India or in foreign nations. But the exposition in Thailand was being held upon a “special […]
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Avalokiteshvara, saviour of the sea merchant
The multi-headed Avalokiteshvara comes in many forms, including female deities such as Guanyin from China, and marks a time when Buddhism was the religion of tradespeople From Ajanta Cave 1 in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, comes the famous mural of a rather delicate-looking Avalokiteshvara Padmapani, a bodhisattva who holds a lotus flower in his hand and […]
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Young artisans revive ancient wooden Buddha statues
It’s a sight to behold ― three young women working intently on a pair of centuries-old, towering wooden statues. They are chipping away at a sun-faded coat of paint in one corner of the workshop, and using resin to fill in a pocket of wormholes in another. Protection and preservation The trio in their 30s […]
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Kushinagar, the archaeological dig where Buddha attained ‘mahaparinirvan’
A small shrine at the place of Buddha’s last meal in Faizal Nagar (Fazilnagar) Kushinagar is the place where Gautam Buddha chose to die and attend mahaparinirvan — the Sanskrit term which means nirvana after death. Today, Kushinagar is a small sleepy hamlet in Uttar Pradesh, not far from the Nepal border. A short distance […]
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