Kathmandu, Dec 9 (PTI) Nepal-India Cultural Festival, showcasing the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the two countries, was held in Lumbini.
The festival with a special focus on Buddhism featured a Sand Mandala Drawing Art Exhibition prepared by monk artists from Hemis Monastery in Ladakh, India, a photo exhibition based on the photographs of renowned photographer Benoy Behl, a Street Food Festival featuring Indian and Nepali cuisines and a cultural programme.
Sudan Kirati, Tourism Minister of Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, Indian Ambassador, and Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, the chief minister of Lumbini Province, jointly inaugurated the programme on Friday during which a photo exhibition featuring a collection of stunning photographs of Buddhist heritage sites was also launched.
The festival was organised by the Indian embassy in collaboration with Lumbini Development Trust and Lumbini Buddhist University.
The exhibition provided a comprehensive perspective of the monuments and artworks linked to Buddhism from the earliest time to the present day.
On the occasion, the tourism minister and the Indian ambassador also jointly inaugurated the sand mandala drawing at the exhibition.
Sand mandala drawing is a traditional Buddhist art form that involves creating intricate designs using coloured sand.
The exhibition showcased the skill and craftsmanship of monk artists from Hemis Monastery in Ladakh.
On the occasion, a special cultural programme was also presented featuring the Cham dance performance by artists from Thiksey Monastery in Leh, Bharatnatyam put together by Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Tharu Dance by local artists from Lumbini, and Sitar recital by Sukarma Band of Nepal.
This was followed by the Street Food Festival at Lumbini World Peace and Harmony Visitors Centre.
As part of the festival, an academic seminar titled “Exploring Impact of Buddhist Teachings on Community Development and Global Well-being" was also organised at the Lumbini Buddhist University.
Eminent Buddhist scholars from Nepal and India took part in the seminar and shared their insights on the relevance of Buddhist teachings in the modern world.