TAXILA: Ambassador of Thailand to Pakistan Chakkrid Krachaiwon on Tuesday formally inaugurated a gold plated gallery with bullet-proof glasses to display the holy bone relics of Lord Buddha at Taxila Museum on Tuesday.

The showcase equipped with multi-layer security and safety features for better safety and security of the unique and holy relics of Buddha were gifted and installed by the Thai government.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Krachaiwon said the installation marked the 71 years of Thai-Pakistan diplomatic relations.

He said the container in which the holy relics were preserved was designed as a symbol of good will and long-lasting diplomatic and cordial relations between two friendly countries who have many similarities in culture.

“This gallery is a symbol of interfaith harmony between different faiths and culture,” he said, adding that holy relics have their own significance and importance in Buddhism.

Mr Krachaiwon said alongside diplomatic, economic and trade relations, there were prospects of enhanced and better relations in the field of cultural relations and both governments should explore the potential of religious tourism in Pakistan.

“This showcase project aims to promote and showcase Pakistan’s heritage to the world which will attract tourists from Thailand and across the world to visit Pakistan and visit sacred and holy worship places and sculptures,” the envoy added.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Additional Secretary Asia and Pacific Mumtaz Zahra Baloch who was chief guest on this occasion said that Thailand and Pakistan’s relations are deep rooted and the gallery presentation along with the visit of Chief Buddhist monk of Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand Most Venerable Arayawangso and his disciples to Pakistan is proof of the fact that along with diplomatic relations, cultural relations are on the fast track and we see more prospects of the enhancing relations especially in the area of religious tourism.

She said that this showcase is a symbol of love, harmony and friendship between Pakistan and Thailand.

She said that Pakistan is a cradle of Gandhara civilisation and various holy places of Buddhists like Dharmarajika, Takhat Bai and Julian are located here and monks and scholars should explore the potential of religious tourism here in Pakistan. “To this day stupas, shrines and courtyards at different ancient Buddhist sites especially stupas and monasteries stand to represent the holy land of Buddhism,” she added.

Speaking on this occasion, Punjab Department of Archaeology Deputy Director Mohammad Iqbal Manj said that since the inauguration of the Taxila Museum in 1928, the holy relic for the first time has been displayed in a separate gallery. He said that with state-of-the-art security features, the threat of theft of the holy relic is not possible.

He said that the holy relic of Lord Buddha was discovered from Buddhist stupa and monastery Dharmarajika near Taxila Museum in a silver casket containing a silver inscription. He added that as per archaeologists, the inscription is written in the ancient Kharosthi script which states that Urusaka of Noacha placed bone relics of the Buddha in his chapel at Dharmarajika- which is considered one of the eight largest Buddhist stupas in South Asia built around the holy relics of the Buddha by Maurya Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC.

He added that the excavation at this site was carried out by Sir John Marshall during excavations carried out from 1912-16 in Taxila. While highlighting the significance and importance of Taxila Museum, Mr Manj said that Taxila museum is the custodian of some 4,000 objects displayed, including stone, stucco, terracotta, silver, gold, iron and semiprecious stones. He said that the Taxila museum presents to tourists significant and comprehensive collections of stone Buddhist sculpture from the first to the seventh centuries in Pakistan known as Gandharan art.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2023