https://arab.news/8c4pz
- Replica presented at Bangkok museum was hailed as a symbol of enduring friendship and shared heritage
- Pakistan has hosted Buddhist monks and pilgrims from Thailand and other Asian countries in recent years
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has gifted a replica of the Fasting Buddha sculpture to Thailand, according to a foreign office statement circulated on Saturday, calling it a symbol of enduring diplomatic and cultural ties between the two nations.
Pakistan is home to the Gandhara Civilization, which flourished as a major center of Buddhist learning and artistic expression from the 1st century BCE to the 7th century CE. The region’s ancient city of Taxila, located on the peripheries of the country’s present-day capital, Islamabad, remains a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In recent years, Pakistan has sought to boost religious tourism by hosting Buddhist monks and pilgrims from Thailand and other Asian countries.
The replica was handed over by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Thailand, Rukhsana Afzaal, to Phanomboot Chantrachoti, Director General of Thailand’s Fine Arts Department, during a ceremony held at the National Museum in Bangkok.
“Ambassador Afzaal highlighted the replica, crafted by Pakistani artist Jamil Kakar, as a testament to Pakistan’s Gandhara legacy, centered in ancient Taxila, and its role in Buddhist civilization,” the foreign office said. “She underscored its significance in strengthening Pakistan-Thailand friendship and promoting cultural exchanges under Pakistan’s long-standing ASEAN partnership.”
Titled “A Spiritual Journey from Gandhara to ASEAN: Celebrating Shared Heritage and Religious Tourism,” the ceremony drew Thai officials, diplomats, UN representatives, academics, civil society members and media personnel.
Director General Chantrachoti welcomed the gift as a reflection of shared Gandharan and Buddhist heritage and emphasized its potential to promote cultural collaboration through exhibitions and exchanges.
The event also featured remarks by Buddhist monk, Anil Sakya, who described the Fasting Buddha as a spiritual symbol of wisdom and balance.
Dr. Nadeem Omar Tarrar, Executive Director of Pakistan’s Center for Cultural Development, spoke of the sculpture’s artistic and spiritual significance, highlighting its blend of Greco-Roman and Gandharan aesthetics.
A photographic exhibition of Gandhara artifacts and Buddhist sites in Pakistan by a leading photographer, David Chi Lau, accompanied the event.