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

ERVIN BAKTAY REPORT OX A VOYAGE OF STUDY TO INDIA 1956—57. Many years after my first visit to and prolonged sojourn in India, I recevied, early in 1956, an invitation from the Government of India to attend the Buddha Jayanti Symposium, and for a stay of four months more, with the purpose of carrying out special studies in my own professional line. It proved very useful, for the results of that second visit could be added to my ,,

History of Indian Art" written in 1955—1956, and published after my return to Hungary, in 1958. The Buddha Jayanti festival has been arranged by the Indian Government in order to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the Buddha's Parinirvana. The Symposium, that is the international Congress of scholars studying subjects connected with Buddhism, was held in New Delhi, at the end of November 1956. Arriving from every part of the world, more than 90 delegates assembled to attend the festivities ; the majority was formed by the représentants of Buddhistic countries of Asia, the number of European and American invitees amounting only to 12. At the opening session of the Congress, inaugurated by the speech of Prime Minister Nehru (fig. 1), the writer of present report has had the honour to read, as first lecturer of the day, his paper entitled ,

.Buddhism and Indian Art". The Congress dealt with its subject in four parts, to wit : 1. (26th Nov.) The Influence of Buddhism on Art ; 2. (27th Nov.) The influence of Buddhism on Literature ; 3. (28th Nov.) The influence of Buddhism on Philosophy ; 4. (29th Nov.) The Message of Buddhism to the World. The sessions were held before a numerous audience in the large and modern lecturing theatre of the Vigyan Bhavan building. Among the delegates such prominent personages were to be seen as the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama from Tibet, the Maharaja of Sikkim with his son and heir, and the représentants of Buddhism from Further India, Indonesia, China, Mongolia and Japan, many of them belonging to the learned clergy. In addition to the sessions there were daily receptions, dinner parties, or performations of Indian drama, music and dance, given in honour of the delegates by the Government of India and cultural institutions. On the 3d of December the delegates left New Delhi on a Tour, in which also the wives and other family members of the invitees were allowed to take part. The Tour has been arranged by the Government of India in grand style, with luxurious hospitality. The state guests made the journey in the comfortable