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India – Sri Lanka
Cultural Relations
For India and Sri Lanka, two close neighbours with a
shared history and civilizational links dating back several millennia,
cultural cooperation is an important aspect of the bilateral
relationship. The advent of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century
BCE is linked with the arrival of Prince Mahendra (also known as Arahat
Mahinda) and later of Princess Sanghamitra, the children of the great
Indian Emperor Ashoka. The bonds forged since then have become
stronger over the years.
The Cultural Cooperation Agreement signed by the
Government of India and the Government of Sri Lanka on 29 November, 1977
forms the basis on which periodic Programmes of Cultural Cooperation
between the countries are signed and implemented.
A number of events have been organized in recent
years to strengthen the cultural cooperation between the two countries.
The shared heritage of Buddhism is one of the most important pillars of
this cooperation. In 2017, Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited
Sri Lanka as Chief Guest for the International Vesak Day celebrations. An
exposition of the most holy Lord Buddha’s relics from Sarnath was
organised during the Vesak Day celebrations in 2018.
Gandhi@150
High Commission organised a series of events to
celebrate 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi including
producing a video of Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite bhajan ‘Vaishnav Jan to’
with eminent artists Bathiya, Santhush and Umaria from Sri Lanka. The
video can be accessed at the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuhFiG2IaKg
A special musical performance by the Violin Maestro
Dr. L. Subramaniam and the National Leipaja Latvian Philharmonic Orchestra
was also organised on 02nd Ocober 2018. In 2019, Government of Sri
Lanka released special stamps on Mahatma Gandhi to mark his birth
anniversary, a bust of Mahatma Gandhi was also installed at Temple Trees,
the official residence of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
In the field of crafts and cuisine, the High
Commission organised ‘Shilpakala’ an exhibition of traditional handicrafts
and textiles from both countries in 2016. Indian artists continue to
participate every year in the exhibitions organised by National Craft
Council of Sri Lanka while Sri Lankan artists participate in Surajkund
Mela in India.
High Commission of India also organised a series of
events in 2019 centering around ‘Khadi’ to promote the hand spun fabric as
well as Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of sustainability and self-reliance.
Shared heritage of Yoga and Ayurveda serves as
another close bond between India and Sri Lanka. For the last five years,
International Day of Yoga has been celebrated with great fanfare and
participations from all many local institutions. High Commission of India
also organised a ‘Yoga Road Show’ in 2018 to popularize yoga in the
interiors of Sri Lanka.
Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre regularly
organizes performing arts and visual arts programmes in collaboration with
local artists as well as artists from India. The cultural Centre has been
organizing widely regarded programmes such as ‘Thyagraja Aradhana’ since
last 15 years and Shankar International Children’s Competition since last
20 years.
High Commission also supported a Tri Nation Peace
Concert held in October 2019, where the Ao Naga Choir from India
performed. High Commission has also organised musical performances to
celebrate the Republic Day and Independence Day of India with
participation of eminent Indian artists such as Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma,
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Usha Uthup, Dr L Subramaniam and Kavitha
Krishnamurthy.
While the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre
organizes classes for Indian dance forms, music and Hindi language,
Government of India also supports many cultural societies and groups in
Sri Lanka which explore and promote cross cultural knowledge through
financing and aid.
Popularity of Bollywood Cinema and India being the
largest source for tourism in Sri Lanka has also created a demand for
interlocutors in Hindi. A Hindi chair has been set up in University of
Kelaniya under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between University of
Kelaniya and Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Sanskrit is also being
taught as a compulsory subject for Buddhist studies in 10 major
Universities and more than 750 pirivenas (primary religious schools).
High Commission of India also commemorated the 550th
Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji with a talk, documentary
screening and soulful rendition of Kirtan/Ardas by Gyaniji from Sri Guru
Nanak Darbar Gurudwara, Colombo.
A photography exhibition on ‘Making of Indian Constitution’
was organised on the occasion of Constitution Day on26 November 2019. The
Exhibition showcased rare photographs of the process of making of
the Indian Constitution, meeting of the first Constituent Assembly and its
members including Dr B.R. Ambedkar, independent India’s first Law
Minister and popularly known as Chief Architect of the Indian
Constitution.