By Honorary Reporter Shivani Singh Chhaunkar from India
Photos = Shivani Singh Chhaunkar & Virbhadra S Chhaunkar

I volunteered from March 22-25 at the event "An Encounter with Korean Traditional Buddhist Culture in India, the Land of Buddha" at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, India. The exhibition was hosted by the Korean Embassy in the Indian capital, Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the gallery and organized by the Indian Ministry of Culture, Yeon Deung Hoe (Lotus Lantern Festival) Preservation Committee and Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism.

The event offered activities to experience Korean Buddhism including making lotus flower lanterns and yeomju (stringed prayer beads), dancheong (traditional decorative coloring) fan coloring and woodblock printing.

The first session saw participants create lotus flower lanterns with petals made of colorful paper strips. In Buddhism, the lotus flower symbolizes purity and integrity.

Next, we made bracelets by assembling danju (regular beads), moju (big beads) and string. After completion, participants received white hand fans with dancheong designs along with sketch pens and coloring pencils.

The last activity was traditional woodblock printing, with blocks featuring Buddhist quotes and messages of filial piety. Participants applied ink to blocks and pressed on a sheet of Hanji (traditional paper).

Many delicate paper lanterns and pagodas were also featured at the exhibition, whose appearance and intricate designs reflected high skill levels.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things.