‘Sanskrit and Indian Deities in Japan’ by Benoy K Behl

Online Event, India Habitat Centre, 28th February, 2026 Talk and Screening of Film by Benoy K Behl Produced for Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Introduction by Sujata Chatterji 00:07; Subject Intro 02:15; Film 15:01; Talk 43:31 Most people are not aware that numerous Hindu deities are very actively worshipped in Japan. In fact, there are hundreds of shrines to Saraswati alone. There are innumerable representations of Lakshmi, Indra, Brahma, Shiva, Ganesha, Garuda and other deities. In fact, deities we have practically forgotten in India, such as Vayu and Varuna are still worshipped in Japan. Sanskrit letters are to be found in practically every home in Japan. The ‘havan’ is conducted in more than 1,200 temples every day in Japan, with Sanskrit chanting. This is a unique film. In the words of the Former Director General of The Japan Foundation, New Delhi Mr. Kaoru Miyamoto, “It includes shooting done in the interiors and shrines of many important temples of Japan, which are not visible to the public”. In many ways, I find that Japan has preserved ancient Hindu traditions, even when they may have evolved here in India. A study of Japanese Buddhism also provides missing links in our study of the evolution of Buddhism in its present form in Tibet. This research was carried out over 24 years and finally completed with a Fellowship from The Japan Foundation.