Eminent architect Vikram lall (designer of Akshardham Temple) has compiled Buddhist architecture from across 20 countries in a rare book showing how Buddhist thoughts and rituals have interacted with local traditions across the Asian continent to produce masterpieces of religious architecture.
The discussion and launch function of the book titled Architecture of the Buddhist World: The Golden lands was attended by scholar and historian Dr Kapila Vatsayayan, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICSSR) President Dr lokesh Chandra, former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran amongst.
In the process of researching for the book, lall travelled to more than 20 countries including the Southeast Asian countries, Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and laos for first had information on n Buddhist architecture.
The book which was first launched earlier this year by His Holiness Dalai lama reveals the history, styles and interpretation of Buddhist temples, monasteries, and ancient monuments in Southeast Asian countries.
In the opening speech Vatsyayan said the images in the book take the reader through many centuries and many lands where Buddhism flourished. Dr Chandra, an authority on Buddhist history said that he did not look at these as architectural structures but believe in the vedic concept of chitti, which meant placing one brick over the other in an ascending manner, thus reaching spiritual heights. The other panelists were Retd UGC Prof Subhash C Malik and School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) teacher Prof Nalini Thakur.
