Exhibition showcases life and times of Gautam Buddha and his philosophy

Team L&M

Want to know more about Gautam Buddha? Visit the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi. An exhibition titled Buddham Saranam Gacchami is being held here. The show that began on May 10 will remain open till June 10.

Based on the life of Lord Buddha, it showcases the voyage of Buddhist art and culture around the world through the works of iconic masters of modern Indian art like Nandlal Bose, Nicholas Roerich and Bireswar Sen. Nandalal Bose has explored the life and teachings of Buddha and his path of spirituality through line drawings with an ethereal quality. The exhibition showcases one of his important works Buddha and the Lamb. The works of Nicholas Roerich and Bireswar Sen showcase the scenic Himalayas in its true natural beauty.

The exhibition also showcases Upendra Maharathi paintings like Seated Buddha, Sujatha Offering Milk Rice, Dharma Raksha and Buddha on Flames, Arpana Caur’s Ascension, Hungarian painter Elizabeth Brunner’s Feet of Buddha on mat, and Arup Das’ tempera painting The Eternal Beggar.

Nandlal Bose’s Buddha and the Lamb

Some works have come from countries like Sri Lanka and Myanmar depicting how Buddhism traversed across different countries. Sri Lankan artist Prasanna Weerakkody’s Maha Bo depicts multiple historical incidents like Emperor Ashoka requesting his son Arahat Mahinda to set off to Sri Lanka with the message of Buddhism, King Devanampiyatissa receiving Ashoka’s daughter Sanghamitra, and the sapling of Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura.

The show is divided into a number of sections, each documenting a distinct facet Buddha’s life and his philosophy as also the history of Buddhism. The aim of the exhibition is to delve into an exploration about the spirituality of art and their elements related with Buddhism and its journey expressing the universal values of wisdom, compassion, and peace.

“The aim of the exhibition is to delve into an exploration about the spirituality of art and their elements related with Buddhism and its journey expressing the universal values of wisdom, compassion, and peace,” says show curator Shashi Bala.