Nepal - Expo Osaka 1970
The land where Lord Buddha was born, the kingdom of Nepal has rightly taken the form of a Buddhist temple for its pavilion at the Expo.
Nepal, home to the world's highest mountains, located between India and China, is an agricultural country with rich forests. In its 140,000 square kilometres (56,000 square miles), 10 million people live under a system of local Panchayat governments.
The present ruler, His Majesty, King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva, has successfully introduced this democratic system which is best suited to the genius and tradition of the Nepalese people.
Nepal opened its doors to the outside world in 1950 after the revolution led by the late King Tribhuwan. Since then, many have visited the country, to see the famous cultural masterpieces, to see breathtaking landscapes and to climb the famous Himalayan peaks.
The Nepal pavilion at International Plaza 3 was domed and its entrance flanked by two pagoda-like temples. Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, and the Himalayan blaze had been incorporated. On the front wall was a splendid panorama of the Himalayas through transparent colour photographs; other photographs showed cultural places and development projects that the government planned to undertake in the near future.
A display of Buddhist images and artefacts, and singing Nepali folk music, were other attractive features of the pavilion, as well as exhibits of "mani" wheels, which believers turn while chanting sutra from Buddhist temples, and indigenous items of interest such as musical instruments, ornaments, ethnic costumes, objects of daily use, medicinal plants, agricultural products, handicrafts. Minerals and manufactured goods were also prominent in the displays.