Ayutthaya province, in cooperation with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Thailand, is organising an event to commemorate Sambuddha Jayanthi, the 2,600th anniversary of Buddha's enlightenment.
Entitled "Ayutthaya-Sri Lanka Relationship", the three-day festival will be held at the former Ayutthaya provincial hall from Thursday to Saturday.
It will showcase the replica of the Buddha's tooth which will be temporarily transferred from Kandy to Ayutthaya for Thai Buddhists to pay homage to.
It will be a rare chance to witness the Esala Perahera, or the procession of the tooth, which is a grand festival in Sri Lanka.
Important documents related to the Siam Nikaya (a branch of Buddhism) and Phra Upali Maha Thera, the head of the religious diplomats sent by King Borommakot of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1732-1758) to re-establish Buddhism in Sri Lanka, will also be exhibited alongside palm leaf manuscripts carrying Buddhist scriptures.
The event will feature art, music and cultural performances from the two countries. The programme from Thailand will include a performance of Buddhist contemporary dances by the internationally-awarded Komonlagoon Dance Troupe. It portrays the beauty of Buddhism through dance, multimedia and a light and sound show.
Sri Lanka will also present several rarely seen classical dances from all regions of the country.
The line-up includes Ves Dance, Ana Bera Nonchi Kolama, masked dances performed to a drum orchestra, traditional puppet shows, a mini contemporary art film festival and a demonstration of arts and handicrafts.
There will also be booths selling Sri Lanka's world-renowned products such as Ceylon tea, jewellery, and other decorative items, as well as delicious food and desserts.
The Ayutthaya-Sri Lanka Relationship festival will take place at Ayutthaya’s former provincial hall in Pratoo Chai subdistrict of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district, on Thursday5pmto10pmand Friday and Saturday from noon to 10pm. Admission is free. For more details, call 089-484-9894.
