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Indian Cultural Relics at Capital Museum

This first exhibition of Indian cultural relics brought by China’s State Administration for Cultural Heritage features 100 exhibits dating from the third century BC to the 18th century at the Capital Museum on Fuxingmenwai Dajie in Beijing. The works displayed were collected from 13 Indian museums, including the India National Museum.

The majority of the exhibits feature Hindu or Buddhist sculptures of great value. They were insured for an estimated 500 million yuan (US$62.5 million), with the most precious exhibit insured for 30 million yuan (US$3.75 million). The most famous exhibit is a stone sculpture of Hanuman from the India National Museum. It is thought by some experts the original model of the “Monkey King” in the famous Chinese novel A Journey to the West. A bronze sculpture of Siva, one of India’s three most important gods, is another important piece. India now has numerous stone and bronze Siva sculptures, but the one on display is considered the most admired.

Detailed information on this exhibition and the Capital Museum can be obtained via your mobile phone at wap.dcmc.mobi. This is the first trial of mobile phone services offered by the Capital Museum.