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To celebrate the Buddhist Vesakh on 7th May, the Embassy of India showcases the documentary of Benoy K Behl, one of the most prominent documentary film-makers and art historians in India titled ‘The Path of Compassion’, which is part of his series of 12 films ‘The Story of Buddhism’. These films follow upon the success of his photographic exhibition ‘The Path of Compassion’ (Buddhist Heritage of India) which has been held by several hundred of the most important Buddhist institutions of the world. This series of films is the very first that depicts all the ancient Buddhist sites of India. The films also depict many of the important Buddhist sites of other Asian countries. The story of the Buddha and of the development of Buddhism is traced through the art and architecture of over 100 major monuments.The first film introduces India in the time of the Buddha and traces Gautama Siddhartha Buddha’s life. It also gives a gist of the philosophy and teachings.
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The Story of Buddhism
(As told through ancient sites and art heritage)
(12 Films of 23 Minutes each)
This series of films is the very first that depicts all the ancient Buddhist sites of India.
The films also depict many of the important Buddhist sites of other Asian countries.
The story of the Buddha and of the development of Buddhism is traced through the art
and architecture of over 100 major monuments.
The art of Buddhism is some of the most gentle and sublime art of the world. This
exquisite heritage of philosophy and art developed in India and spread to all the
countries of Asia.
The four great Buddhist pilgrimage sites of Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath and
Kushinagar are among the most revered places in the world. These four sites are
depicted, as well as the site of Kapilavastu, where the Buddha lived as Prince
Siddhartha.
From the time of Ashok onwards, Buddhism spread not only to all corners of India but
also all over Asia. The religion and the art associated with it had a transforming effect
on the countries which it reached and, till today, Buddhism flourishes all over the
continent.
These films provide a comprehensive perspective of the monuments and art heritage
of Buddhism in India, from the earliest times. The films cover a wide range of the
heritage of both Theravada and Mahayana-Vajrayana orders, providing a view of the
richness of the whole Buddhist tradition. The films also show the roots and the
development of iconography of the various Buddhist schools, in the sites and great
universities of Eastern India.
The producer and director Benoy K Behl is one of the most prominent documentary
film-makers in India and his films are shown regularly in the best time-slots on
television channels. He is also a world-renowned art historian and an authority on
Buddhism. His book on the earliest Buddhist paintings of Ajanta is published by
Thames and Hudson, London and New York and studied in many countries. His book
‘Buddhism: The Path of Compassion’ covers the Buddhist heritage of the world (in 19
countries) and was published by the Publications Division, Govt. of India in 2018. He is
invited to lecture at prestigious universities, museums and Buddhist temples around the
world. As Consultant to the Government of India, he wrote the successful application
for the UNESCO World Heritage Listing of the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya.