Sri lanka exhibition: Pakistan sends Buddha relics on loan to Colombo

Dr Paul Bhatti, prime minister’s adviser on minorities’ affairs, delivers relics in Sri Lanka.

COLOMBO:

Pakistan has sent some relics of Buddha for exhibition in Sri Lanka. The items, which will be on display at the Colombo Museum, consist of a collection of Peshawar and  Taxila museums, including the sacred tooth relics of Buddha, Kanishka relic casket from Shah-Ji-Ki-Dheri, a stone reliquary in stupa shape and a golden casket.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will inaugurate the exhibition which will last till the end of June. Dr Paul Bhatti, prime minister’s adviser on minorities’ affairs, along with a team of the archaeology department, delivered the relics in Sri Lanka.

Speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament Chamal Rajapaksa, who received the items, said that the exhibition of the valuable relics will also mark the 2,600th year of Buddha’s attainment of enlightenment.

Cultural assets of the Gandhara civilisation will also be displayed in Sri Lanka.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2011.