Construction work continues on the Global Pagoda in Mumbai, India.

SIX volunteer artists from Myanmar who have been working at the Global Pagoda in Mumbai, India, since June 2006 say they are proud to have the opportunity to create paintings illustrating episodes from the Buddha’s life to display at the pagoda’s museum.

The pagoda, modelled after Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, is being built under the guidance of S N Goenka, a leading teacher of Vipassana (insight) meditation, in honour of his teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin (1899-1971), who had preserved the Vipassana method in Myanmar long after it had been lost in India where it originated.

“Our group of six artists is staying and working at the Global Pagoda, volunteering as our way of donating our efforts to the project,” U Myint Htwe, the leader of the group, told The Myanmar Times in Mumbai.

“The Global Vipassana Foundation run by S N Goenka provides food, accommodation and expenses. We live at the construction site and work in our studio six days a week,” he said.

He said the artists finished 60 paintings between June 2006 when they started, and April 2007 when they went back to Myanmar for a visa break and to visit their families. They returned to India in July to resume their work.

“We’ve finished 85 paintings now. We can’t say how many we will make or how long we will be in India. It depends on the space provided at the museum and the desire of S N Goenka,” he said.

Aside from U Myint Htwe the other artists are Ko Htay Aung, Ko Aung Aung, Ko Myat Han, U Hla Than, U Thin Myat (U Hla Myint) and Ko Myo Win Aung.

The paintings are made using acrylic paint on canvas (the materials are imported from France) and are of two sizes: 12 by 4 feet and 6 by 4 feet.

“The paintings illustrate aspects of the Buddha’s life concerned with Vipassana,” U Myint Htwe said. “S N Goenka wants to display pictures representing the Buddha’s life to educate people who are not aware of who the Buddha is or what he taught.”

Subjects include the Buddha’s birth, youth, meditation in the forest, enlightenment and death, as well as the eight triumphs over evil and the six Buddhist synods.

“People who come to the Global Pagoda will be able to look at the paintings and learn who the Buddha is, what Buddhism is and what Vipassana is,” U Myint Htwe said.

The Myanmar painters are working under the guidance of 51-year-old Indian artist Mr Vasudeo T Kamath, who is famous for producing several series of devotional and religious paintings.

U Myint Htwe said S N Goenka decides on the theme of each painting, which is then sketched by Mr Kamath.

“Mr Kamath then comes to us and we discuss how to make the painting, including which figures to include and what they should look like,” he said.

He said that a normal working day lasts from 8am to 4pm with a one-hour break for lunch.

“Although we have defined working hours we often work outside these times according to our mood and inspiration. Sometimes we get up and work at 4am,” U Myint Htwe said.

He said S N Goenka provided the artists with vegetarian meals.

“But he understands us and lets us eat meat three or four days a week. We cook Myanmar food for ourselves on those days,” he said.

U Myint Htwe said all the artists in his group are proud of working at the Global Pagoda and enjoy their work.

“After the pagoda is finished our paintings will be displayed in the museum. We are proud of our work and happy to have the opportunity to provide a religious message to everyone who visits,” he said.