The Avatar:

The Teacher.
Buddh appeared during a time when materialism was rampant. He propounded the values of Ahimsa and his teachings form the basis for Buddhism.

The Story:

Siddharth Gautam was born a Prince in the ancient Shakya clan. The night Gautam was conceived, legend has it that his mother, Queen Maya dreamt of a white elephant with six tusks entering her body from the right side.

He was born in Lumbini under a Sal tree, after which the infant was brought to the Shakya capital of Kapilavastu. During the Prince's birth celebration, the hermit Asita travelled down to the city from his mountain abode and announced that the child would either become a great emperor or a great sage.

Once he turned 16, Gautam married, Yashodhara and had a son, Rahul. Even though his father, King Suddhodana, made sure that his son was provided with everything he could want or need, the Prince did not feel content with his life or with his material wealth. At the age of 29, against his father's wishes, Gautam decides to go beyond his palace and observe his subjects. On his journey, he encounters an old, diseased man, a decaying corpse and an ascetic – these three encounters had a profound impact on the young prince.

Affected by what he witnessed, Gautam decided to pursue the life of an ascetic and embarked on a journey to search for a way to escape the sufferings of life and death. One night, he left his palace and family behind in search of enlightenment (nirvana). In his quest to escape pain and suffering, Gautam realised that Dhyana (meditation) is the right path to enlightenment. It is said that, at the age of 35, Gautam sat under a Peepal tree in Bodh Gaya and meditated for 49 days. At the end of his Dhyana, he achieved a state of "awakening", becoming Buddh.

The teachings of Buddh talk about the importance of Dharm, duty and sacrifice that urge humans to lead a more evolved life of thought and reflection.

Manimekalai, one of the Five Great Epics in Tamil literature, written by the poet Chithalai Chathanar in 5th Century C.E., mentions the teachings of Buddh. He is also said to have visited Kanchipuram, one of the oldest cities in South India, during the pre-Pallava period.

At VR Chennai:

The Buddh avatar is represented in the form of a sculpture, one part of five Bodhisattva installations by the renowned artist Satish Gupta. Standing 2.3m (7ft 6 in), it is located at the Madras House lobby on the Third Floor.