Testimony of civilisational link

By Manjula FERNANDO

Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer, after the goodwill exposition of the Kapilavastu Relics, held over a period of nearly one month, says he was overwhelmed to see the surge of devotees flocking to temples, to pay homage to the Sacred Relics of the Buddha, waiting in queues overnight, not permitting the scorching sun or rain to dampen their enthusiasm.

He says this was a rare exposition in Sri Lanka after 34 years, since the relics kept with a great care and reverence at the National Museum in Delhi, ordinarily are not moved out even within the country.

"It was an enriching and enlightening experience for me personally. The overwhelming response to the Kapilavastu Relics exposition is a testimony of the fact that people-to-people contacts and shared cultural and civilisational links form the bedrock of our ever expanding bilateral relations."

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: Did it come as a surprise to see so many devotees from all over the country flocking to temples to venerate the Kapilavastu Relics during its nearly one month exposition in ten venues in Sri Lanka?

A: I was overwhelmed to see the surge of devotees flocking to temples at all the ten venues and I consider myself fortunate to have been associated with the organisation of the exposition of the Sacred Kapilavastu Relics in Sri Lanka.

In fact, seeing the overwhelming response and at the request made by the Government of Sri Lanka, both the Governments agreed to extend the exposition of the Sacred Relics by one week at three additional venues.

At all the venues, there were long queues, I believe in some places the queue was more than ten kilometres long. People waited patiently braving the weather Yesterday I met President Mahinda Rajapaksa, he said that there was a genuine outpouring of 'devotion' for the Sacred Relics, and there was a great deal of goodwill for my country.

To get back to your question as to whether I was surprised, frankly I was not, because I am aware of the fact of the strong bonds Buddhism construed between India and Sri Lanka. That has been a fact since the 3rd century BC, when Arahat Mahinda brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka. It has struck deep roots in this country and there are millions of followers here.

I am aware of the fact when the first time the relics were brought to Sri Lanka in 1978, millions of devotees paid homage to the relics and the same thing happened this time around too.

Above all, I would like to thank all the devotees who even arrived a day before at the venues but waited in an orderly manner for their turn to come. I would also like to thank the Chief Priests of all the Temples where the exposition was held. I would also like to put on record our appreciation of the important role played by the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence for making all the arrangements and for excellent coordination for the successful conduct of the exposition.

Q: What is the significance of this exposition to both the countries and India in particular?

A: The exposition of the Sacred Kapilavastu Relics was the grand finale of a series of initiatives jointly undertaken with the Government of Sri Lanka, over the past several months, to commemorate the 2600th Anniversary of the Enlightenment of Lord Buddha-the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi.

In the Joint Declaration issued during the State Visit of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India in June 2010, our leaders recognising that the shared cultural and civilisational links provided the bedrock of the bilateral relations, had agreed that the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi would be commemorated through joint activities. We have jointly conducted several events in this regard.

These initiatives included gifting of a 16-ft high statue of Buddha in the Sarnath style installed at the International Buddhist Museum at Sri Dalada Maligawa complex.

We also organised an International Buddhist Conference entitled "Cultural Interface between India and Sri Lanka- Based on Buddhist History, Art, Culture and Philosophy" at Kandy in March 2011, which was inaugurated by the President of Sri Lanka.

The proceedings of the Conference were compiled and published in a commemorative volume "Journey of the Holy Tree", launched jointly by Kumari Selja, Minister of Culture, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka at a symposium on the theme "Relic Worship: History, Religion and Archaeology", held at Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute on September 20, 2012. The other initiatives included organisation of cultural dance and dramas based on the life of Gautama Buddha, photo-exhibitions on "Buddhism in India", photographic exhibition "India through Sri Lankan Eyes- Buddhist Circuit" and screening of documentaries on Buddhism.

Q: There were certain misgivings expressed on the authenticity of the Kapilavastu Relics. Your comments?

A: The archaeological debate on the Kapilavastu Relics is a settled issue. After the first excavation by W.C. Peppe in 1897-98, followed by Archaeological Survey of India's excavation in 1977, there is conclusive evidence that the relics excavated in Piprawah in the State of Bihar, India, are the relics which are body parts of Lord Buddha handed over to the Sakyas of Kapilavastu.

These Kapilavastu Relics were brought by us for an exposition in Sri Lanka for veneration by devotees. However, instead of talking about the issue of authenticity, we must acknowledge that about millions of devotees in Sri Lanka, ranging from the President of Sri Lanka to common man on the street, hold Kapilavastu Relics in highest esteem and came to pay their homage. Likewise in India, we attach the highest importance and reverence to the Kapilavastu Relics which are housed under the greatest care and attention in the National Museum in New Delhi.

Q: What were the precaution taken to protect the relics from climatic conditions?

A: An Agreement between the two Governments concerning the organization of an exposition of the Kapilavastu Relics in Sri Lanka was signed on 18 May, 2012.

The Agreement laid down the terms and conditions governing the exposition and elaborated the details concerning the security and environmental parameters. The Relics were displayed in a climate controlled chamber and exposed to a temperature of 22 degree centigrade and relative humidity of 50% (+/- 5%). The Government of Sri Lanka made arrangements to ensure these environmental parameters.

Q: Of late stealing and lost historical treasures has become a huge issue in Sri Lanka, I am sure these relics are of immense importance to the Government of India, did you take any special precaution to protect the relics while it is in Sri Lanka?

A: As I have already mentioned, the Agreement signed on 18 May 2012 between the two Governments laid down in detail all necessary security and other arrangements concerning the organization of the exposition of Sacred Kapilavastu Relics. The Government of Sri Lanka had put in place an extensive security regime for the exposition.

Q: The Relics have been exhibited in Sri Lanka (1978), Singapore and several other countries. Did you get a similar response on those occasions as well?

A: The exposition of Sacred Relics in Sri Lanka in 1978 had also seen overwhelming response from the devotees.

Q: Where will they go from here?

A: The Sacred Relics were brought to Sri Lanka by a special aircraft by Kumari Selja, Minister of Culture, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation of India on August 19. The Sacred Relics were taken back to India by a special flight organized by the Government of Sri Lanka and accompanied by the Mahanayakas, Members of the Mahasangha, T.B. Ekanayake, Minister of Culture and the Arts, Secretary, Ministry of Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs and several lay dignitaries on September 12.

Q: Although the Relics have not been exhibited abroad after 1996 what led Indian authorities to make an exception on SL?

A: The exposition was organized at the personal request of the President of Sri Lanka to the Prime Minister of India and an exception was made considering the centuries-old civilizational, cultural, religious, intellectual and linguistic ties between our two countries.

Q: Outline some of the joint programs undertaken by both countries to uplift Buddhism both in India and SL?

A: I have already mentioned some of the initiatives jointly undertaken by India and Sri Lanka to commemorate Sambuddhatva Jayanthi. Other initiatives undertaken by us include issuing gratis visas to Sri Lankan pilgrims and launching of a new Buddhist pilgrimage circuit train, "Damba Diva Vandana", originating from Chennai and touching key Buddhist sites in the Northern India. We also facilitated screening of 12 documentaries on Buddhism by famous art historian and film maker, Benoy K. Behl during the SAARC International Conference on "Archaeology of Buddhism: Discoveries in South Asia" held in Colombo from August 22-24. We would be brining out a publication containing proceedings of a Symposium "Relic Worship: History, Religion and Archaeology" held at the Lakshaman Kadirgamar Institute on August 20.

Q: What is the progress with regard to the Nalanda University, a SAARC initiative?

A: Nalanda University, a stand-alone international university, was established in November 2010 by a Special Act of the Indian Parliament and has been designated as an "Institution of National Importance". This new university is located in the town of Rajgir, in the Indian State of Bihar and contains within it a memory of the ancient Nalanda University.

It is premised on the shared desire of the member States of the East Asia Summit countries to re-discover and re-strengthen "educational co-operation by tapping the East Asia region's 'centres of excellence in education' and to improve regional understanding and appreciation of one another's heritage and history". The foundation philosophy of the university seeks to recover lost connections and partnerships that existed in the region.

Q: Would you like to add anything else about this historic event?

A: It was an enriching and enlightening experience for me personally. The overwhelming response to the Kapilavastu Relics exposition is a testimony of the fact that people-to-people contacts and shared cultural and civilisational links form the bedrock of our ever expanding bilateral relationship.

These Relics are part of our national heritage, they are kept with a great degree of care and reverence at our national museum, ordinarily they are not taken out of the country, even within the country they are not moved. It's fragile and something of great importance to us, so this was a rare instance where an exception was made, because of the request made by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Prime Minister of India.