After a successful exhibit in the Lake City of Pokhara, the world’s largest Thangka painting is now set to travel to Lumbini. The Thangka, painted collaboratively by artists from 16 countries, will now travel to the birthplace of Lord Buddha—on whose life the art is based—for an exhibit on November 26 and 27.

The two-day exhibit at the Pokhara Stadium was inaugurated by Buddhist leader Sangpa Rinpoche, who performed a traditional ritual during the opening on Saturday.

The mammoth Thanka—which is a whopping 70 m by 50 m—is currently being displayed across the nation as part of the commemoration of the establishment of 60 years of diplomatic relationship between Nepal and Japan. The creation of the Thangka had been initiated by Nepali artist Surya Bahadur Thakali and Japanese artist Yauka Tatagi, who worked on the project, alongside 10,000 other volunteers, for 12 years before its completion in 2002.

The nation-wide tour began from the Capital with the Thangka being displayed at the Dashrath Rangashala Stadium on November 11. At its Kathmandu unveiling, Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Mashasi Ogawa, said that the three-legged exhibit would further strengthen the historically close Nepal-Japan relations.

This is the second time the Thangka has been exhibited in Nepal. The art has previously traveled the world, with exhibitions in various countries including Japan and the United States.