Dobrovits Aladár szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 3-4. (Budapest, 1959)

HOPP FERENC KELETÁZSIAI MŰVÉSZETI MÚZEUM - Ervin Baktay: Report on a vovage of study to India 1956/57

Fig. 1. Prime Ministre J. Nehru is opening the first session of the Buddha Jayant Symposion, New Delhi. The author is seen sitting at the left end of the table compartments of a special train consisting of 1st class carriages, dining cars, and wagons carrying the attending personnel. The Tour lasted up till the 11th of December, and the guests had the opportunity of visiting not only a series of places of Buddhistic importance, but even some of artistic or archeological interest, situated on the way. At the different stations the guests were met by motor cars and busses which took them to the sights or sites, where refreshments were served to them. In this manner following places were visited : Agra, Fatehpur, Sikandra, Sanchi, Banaras, Sarnath, Buddh-Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Kusinagara nnàPatna. The Tour ended in Calcutta from where most of the delegates left for their respective countries. As my invitation had been extended to four months more, I returned to New Delhi. Having arranged the terms of my prolonged studies with the Ministry of Education, I left on the 23d of December for Gorakhpur. During the Buddha Jayanti Tour I was not able to visit Kusinagara on account of an illness, and therefore I visited it now from Gorakhpur. Thus I was in the position to study its monuments at ease, for even the most perfectly arranged social trip is unfit for carrying out serious studies. The importance of Kusinagara consists of that according to traditions it was the place of the Buddha's death. A Stupa was erected on the site, and another, not far away, where the remainders of the deceased Master had been cremated. The first mentioned Stupa — which I have already visited during my previous sojourn in India — has lately been renovated, and I hardly