Blue Lotus Plaque from Shalban Vihara Comilla Excavation
The Blue Lotus Plaque is an 8th century CE original terracotta. At the Shalban Vihara archaeological site at Mainamati, Comilla, Bangladesh in 1955 – 1956, the Department of Archeology unearthed several terracotta plaques including this one. These plaques decorated the outer basements walls of the Central Shrine. In Bangladesh, it is a tradition to use terracotta carvings to decorate walls and relieve monotony. This plaque has the carved representation of the Blue or Night Lotus. The lotus is regarded as a divine flower and appears in almost all religious edifices. Its highly stylized and ornamental elements indicate sophisticated workmanship and masterly touches. It is thought that this may be the work of a commissioned royal artist.
Blue Lotus was presented by Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina to the United Nations on the 25th Anniversary of its Admission to the United Nations on 17th September 1999.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan said at the ceremony, “The monastery, whose wall this graceful lotus once adorned, was an important centre of learning when Europe was still in its “Dark Ages.” He said further, “the United Nations is grateful for the contribution Bangladesh has made to so many aspects of its work, from peacekeeping to service on the Economic and Social Council and a leading role in the group of least developed countries.”