On Friday, India announced that it will gift about 16,000 handcrafted Indian candles to Sri Lanka on the occasion of International Vesak Day. This day celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. As per the External Affair Ministry, the candles to be gifted have especially been handcrafted from the paraffin wax produced at the world’s oldest operating refinery in Digboi in Assam.
The first batch of gift candles will be handed over by the Indian High Commission in Colombo to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Sri Lanka. It also to be noted that both the countries share cultural as well as civilisational links.
“On the auspicious occasion of Vesak, the thrice blessed day, Government of India announced the gifting of 16,000 candles as a special gift from the people of India to people of Sri Lanka,” said a statement from the Ministry. Notably, the Digboi refinery which sprang into existence in 1901, is considered the birthplace of the Indian oil industry. It is operated by Indian Oil Corporation which has a subsidiary in Sri Lanka.
