News

Lithuanian and Sanskrit Languages are some of the oldest in the world and share great similarities. Lithuanian Embassy in association with Vilnius University and Lithuanian language Institute has published a dictionary of auspicious 108 words in Lithuanian and Sanskrit which sound and mean the same. To further showcase this linguistic similarity Lithuanian Embassy in New Delhi has initiated street art project in collaboration with the Delhi Street Art, the Harcourt Butler school in Delhi and the winner of the „Young Painter Prize Baltics“ and „Best Street Artist in Europe 2022“, Linas Kaziulionis.  

The most common day-to-day Sanskrit-Lithuanian words like Sapna, Madhu, Agni, Deva in both Devanagari and Lithuanian script were painted on the outer wall of the school in the colourful composition depicting windows with shutters in the traditional Lithuanian style and pattern, offering a glimpse into mysterious little research historical connection between Lithuania and India. The selection of the words is meant to appeal to the understanding of any passing-by reader.

Yesterday outside the Harcourt Butler school (Near Birla Mandir) the Sanskrit-Lithuanian Street Art project completion ceremony took place in the presence of H.E. Ms. Diana Mickeviciene, Ambassador of Lithuania in India, Delhi Street Art and friends of Lithuania in Delhi. During the ceremony the artist symbolically painted the final key words of the mural "Deva" and "Agni", which have a profound meaning to the both nations and thus represent the linguistic and cultural connect between the people of Lithuania and India.

During the event Lithuanian Ambassdor Diana Mickevičienė said: „This Street Art project is the first of it‘s kind visual illustration of the Sanskrit-Lithuanian linguistic similarities. It is a message of frienship as well as the open call for joint research of this Lithuania-India cultural connection in order to open cooperation avenues in other areas as well.“

The artist Linas Kaziulionis said: „it was a great and unforgettable experience for me to work on the street art project in Delhi. The people here are very warm, engaging and helpful. My mission here was to illustrate the Sanskrit-Lithuanian linguistic connection, and bring it to the street, make it simple and understandable for all.   India is a very colourful and unique country that inspired me a lot and left a huge impression on me as an artist. Most of all I want to epmphasize the importance of this painting – the cultural cooperation between India and Lithuania. I hope there will be more of such projects in the future.