‘Shadows of the Other’ : Documentary

Exploring the lesser-known Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Tantric influences woven into Sri Lanka’s predominantly Theravada Buddhist traditions, this documentary reveals how multiple Buddhist currents have quietly shaped local beliefs, rituals, and practices in ways that often go unrecognised. While Theravada Buddhism, introduced to the island in the third century BCE, became the dominant religious tradition, the film uncovers the layered histories and spiritual exchanges that continued to evolve alongside it.

Through temples, rituals, sacred art, and personal reflection, the documentary traces how concepts such as the gandhabba, along with practices linked to pirith chanting, healing rites, and ceremonial observances, carry echoes of Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Tantric traditions. It further examines their subtle imprint on Sri Lankan Buddhist iconography, temple murals, and devotional culture, inviting viewers to reconsider the diverse inheritances that continue to shape Buddhism in Sri Lanka today.