Kolkata, Oct 31 (IANS): A visually rich tapestry of stories connected with the life of Buddha will be showcased in China and Japan in exhibitions curated by the Indian Museum beginning Dec 2, it was announced Friday.

Christened "Indian Buddhist Art', the international exhibition is being organised by the Indian Museum, Kolkata, a statement here said.

According to the organisers, the exhibitions will be "visual expression of the stories connected with the life of the Master (Buddha), his symbolic and anthropomorphic representations along with other gods and goddesses of the developed Buddhist pantheon".

The display will run from Dec 2, 2014 to Feb 2, 2015 at the Shanghai Museum in China, and from March 16 to May 17, 2015 at the Tokyo National Museum, Japan.

The Indian Museum is the oldest museum in the Asia-Pacific region.

The institution has the privilege of housing a large number of images related to Buddha from different schools of art, media and places.

"It can be said that the only Museum in the world to showcase the diversity of Indian Buddhist Art is the Indian Museum, Kolkata," said the statement.

The poster of the exhibition will be released Nov 3.