बुद्धको जीवनी एनिमेसन फिल्ममा

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on July 29, 2011

सन्तोष रिमाल, काठमाडौं, साउन १३- ’म हिन्दुस्तानी हुँ। तर, भारतले बुद्ध आफ्नो देशमा जन्मेको हल्ला फैलाउँदा साह्रै झोक चल्छ,’ बुद्धको जीवनकथाझल्काउने एनिमेटेड फिल्म ‘गौतम बुद्ध’ बनाउन व्यस्त निर्देशक तुलसी घिमिरे यसलाई बुद्धबारे धेरै भ्रम चिर्ने फिल्म दाबी गरे।

‘हामीलाई धार्मिक र दार्शनिक पक्षसँग त्यति धेरै सरोकार छैन। तर, अकाट्य कुरा के हो भने गौतम बुद्ध कपिलवस्तुको लुम्बिनीमा जन्मिएका हुन्। जुन नेपालमा पर्छ,’ भारतीय फिल्मकर्मीले समेत बेलाबखत बुद्धको जन्मस्थलको विषयमा भ्रामक प्रचार गरिरहेको चर्चा गर्दै त्यसलाई चिर्ने अठोट गरेका छन् उनले। बुद्धको जीवनकथाका थुप्रै रोचक तथ्य फिल्मले उजागर गर्ने जिकिर समेत छ उनको।

कपिलवस्तुका राजकुमार सिद्धार्थ गौतमले गृहत्यागको बाटो रोजेको कथा उनको फिल्मले भन्नेछ। ‘विभिन्न श्रोतव्यक्तिको भनाइ र अनुसन्धानका आधारमा केही नयाँ र अभिरुचिपूर्ण तथ्य देखाउन खोजेका छौं र त्यसलाई तर्कसंगत ढंगले पुष्टि गर्ने प्रयास पनि,’ थरिथरिका मिथकको जालोबाट बुद्धको स्पष्ट जीवनी देखाउने काम उनलाई निकै चुनौतीपूर्ण लागेको छ।

What happened to the dream of a Buddhist Mecca?

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on July 21, 2011

By Sanjaya Dhakal

In the hot, dusty plains of south-western Nepal sits Lumbini, one of the holiest places for about 350 million Buddhists

Some monasteries have been built at Lumbini - but the master plan for its development remain incomplete

around the world.

Centuries ago a baby was born in Lumbini who went on to become the Buddha and many have long cherished plans that Lumbini could be developed into a Buddhist destination, comparable to Mecca, Islam’s holiest site.

But now buildings sit half-finished and empty fields lie neglected. More than a decade after Unesco designated it a World Heritage Site, Lumbini runs the risk of slipping into obscurity and promises to transform the site remain unfulfilled.

The most recent announcement was made by a Chinese group called the Asia Pacific Exchange and Co-operation Foundation, which declared it would raise $3bn (£1.9bn) to develop Lumbini by constructing airports, highways and hotels.

Continue reading the main story

LUMBINI

• Located in the south-western Nepali plains 300km from Kathmandu and very close to India’s border
• Birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, probably around 566BCE, who later become the Buddha
• Designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1997
• Surrounded by large zone in which only monasteries can be built and no commercial premises
• The site has a number of ancient ruins of monasteries, a sacred Bo Tree and a bathing pool – more is yet to be excavated

• Buddhism at a glance

But both the Nepalese or Chinese government authorities claim to be in the dark about the grandiose scheme. The group insists that it is preparing a five-year plan to implement their idea of “developing Lumbini like a Mecca city”.

Yet it is unclear what stage the proposals are at and whether they will truly see the light of day.

Another Chinese organisation has proposed building a 100-metre-tall statue of the Buddha in Lumbini at a cost of more than $55m (£35m). The Nepal government has accepted this proposal but the groundwork is yet to begin.

Master planIt is frustrating for a number of Lumbini locals who pinned their hopes on the resurgence of their ancient and holy home.

लुम्बिनी विकासबारे चीनमा सम्झौता

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on July 18, 2011

निर्मल श्रेष्ठ

हङकङ, श्रावण २ – लुम्बिनीलाई विशेष सांस्कृतिक केन्द्रका रूपमा विकास गर्न राष्ट्रसंघीय औद्योगिक विकास संगठन (यूएनआईडीओ) र चीनस्थित गैरसरकारी संस्था एसिया प्यासिफिक एक्स्चेन्ज एन्ड कोअपरेसन फाउन्डेसन (एपीईसीएफ) बीच सम्झौता भएको छ ।

माओवादी अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल सहअध्यक्ष रहेको एपीईसीएफले लुम्बिनी परियोजनामा तीन अर्ब अमेरिकी डलर (२ खर्ब २५ अर्ब रुपैयाँ) खर्च गर्ने केहीअघि घोषणा गरेको थियो । त्यसलाई ‘अपत्यारिलो’ भन्दै धेरैले शंका गर्ने गरेका छन् ।

त्यही क्रममा यूएनआईडीओले एपीईसीएफलाई त्यसको संस्थागत सहयोग गर्ने सहमतिपत्रमा शुक्रबार बेइजिङमा हस्ताक्षर भएको चिनियाँ सरकारी सञ्चारमाध्यम सिन्ह्वाले जनाएको छ । सम्झौतापछि परियोजनामाथि विश्वनीयता बढे पनि आर्थिक स्रोतबारे अझै केही खुलाइएको छैन ।

बुद्धको जन्मस्थल लुम्बिनीमा विभिन्न पूर्वाधार निर्माणका लागि एपीईसीएफले अहिलेसम्मकै ठूलो रकम सहयोग घोषणा गरेको हो । उक्त संस्थाद्वारा २०१० अक्टोबरमा मलेसिया र २०११ मार्चमा सिंगापुरमा आयोजित बैठकमा दाहाल सहभागी थिए ।

‘सम्झौता यूएनआईडीओको अर्थव्यवस्था, पर्यावरण र रोजगारीका सिद्धान्तअनुरूप भएको हो,’ संगठनका कार्यालय प्रमुख हु यानदोङको भनाइ उद्धृत गर्दै सिन्ह्वाले लेखेको छ, ‘२० वर्षअघिदेखि संगठनले लुम्बिनीलाई सांस्कृतिक केन्द्र बनाउन पहल गरेको भए पनि कार्यान्वयन हुन सकेको थिएन ।’

फाउन्डेसनका कार्यकारी उपाध्यक्ष जिआओ उनानले लुम्बिनीलाई विशेष सांस्कृतिक केन्द्र बनाउने परियोजनामा थुप्रैले चासो देखाएको समेत उल्लेख गरेका छन् । उनान लगायतको प्रतिनिधिमण्डलले सरकारको निमन्त्रणामा केही महिनाअघि नेपाल भ्रमण गरेको थियो । ‘सडक, दूरसञ्चार र पर्यटकीय सुविधालगायत पूर्वाधार निर्माण पहिलो प्राथमिकतामा पर्नेछन्,’ खराब सडककै कारण आफूहरूले हेलिकप्टर प्रयोग गर्नुपरेको उल्लेख गर्दै उनले भनेका छन्, ‘लुम्बिनीले एकपटक सांस्कृतिक केन्द्रको आकार लिएपछि हजारौं धर्मावलम्बीको ताँती लाग्नेछ ।’

The Lumbini project: China’s $3 billion for Buddhism

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on July 16, 2011

By Melissa Chan

The town of Lumbini in Nepal is where the Buddha was born as Prince Gautama Siddhartha, before achieving

“]

Former Nepalese King Gyanendra walks on the red carpet in Lumbini along with Queen Komal Raiya Laxmi Devi Shah [Getty

enlightenment more than 2,500 years ago. Now China is leading a project worth $3bn to transform the small town into the premier place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from around the world.  Little Lumbini will have an airport, highway, hotels, convention centre, temples and a Buddhist university. That’s in addition to the installation of water, electricity and communication lines it currently lacks.

That’s a lot of money anywhere – but especially for a country like Nepal whose GDP was $35bn last year. That means the project is worth almost 10 per cent of the country’s GDP. So what does China want back?

The organization behind the project is called the Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (APECF), a quasi-governmental non-governmental organisation. Its executive vice president, Xiao Wunan, is a member of the Communist Party and holds a position at the National Development and Reform Commission, a state agency.

On Friday, APECF held a signing ceremony for the project with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

With the backing of the UN, Xiao has said he hopes Lumbini will bring together all three schools of the faith: the Mahayana as practised in China, Japan, and South Korea; the Hinayana as practiced in Southeast Asia; and Tibetan Buddhism.

Indeed, the APECF says it has already received full support from Buddhists representing all three schools. With one exception. Apparently, no one from the Lumbini project has reached out to the Dalai Lama’s office.

बरिस्ठ हास्य कलाकार मनोज गजुरेल कपिलबस्तु दिवस अभियानका सांस्कृतिक दूत

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on July 11, 2011

 

Rate This

फानबोरो, युके,  जुलाइ ९,  २०११ । फानबोरोमा तमुधी, युकेको आयोजनामा भएको एउटा साँस्कृतिक कार्यक्रममा प्रसिद्ध प्रहसन कलाकार श्री मनोज गजुरेललाई “कपिलवस्तु दिवस अभियान” विश्व कार्यसमितिले “कपिलवस्तु दिवस अभियानको साँस्कृतिक दूत” को रुपमा ससम्मान नियुक्ति प्रदान गरेको छ । तमुधिका अध्यक्ष मुछेन्द्र गुरुङ्को स्वागत मन्तब्यबाट शुरु भएको सो कार्यक्रममा कपिलवस्तु अभियानका विश्व संयोजक इ. श्री रामकुमार श्रेष्ठले अभियानको परिचय दिनुका अतिरिक्त नेपाललाई संसारमा चिनाउने दुई आधार सगरमाथा र बुद्ध भएकोमा बुद्धको विश्वब्यापी महत्वबाट लालायित भारतले सन २०१२ सम्ममा अरबौं रुपयाँ खर्चेर नक्कली लुम्बिनी बनाउने कार्य तिब्र गतिले अगाडि बढाउँदा समेत देखा परेको  सर्वपक्षीय मौनताको कारण अभियान शुरु गरिनु परेको प्रस्टाउँदै विश्व कार्य समिति गठन भएपस्चात यति छोटो समयमा नै स्पेन, बेल्जियम, यूके, क्यानडा, न्यूजिल्याण्ड, डेनमार्क, ताईवान, नेपाल र अस्ट्रेलिया गरी नौ देशमा राष्ट्रिय समिति गठन भएको जानकारी दिनु भयो भने सम्मान तथा नियुक्तिको प्रमाण पत्र यसै विश्व समितिका विश्व सल्लाहकार प्रा. डा. कविताराम श्रेष्ठले प्रदान गर्नुभएको थियो । साथै तमुधीका अध्यक्ष तथा यस अभियानका युके राष्ट्रिय समितिका सल्लाहकार श्री मुछेन्द्र गुरूंग र विश्व संयोजक इ. श्री रामकुमार श्रेष्ठले पनि खादा ओढाएर कलाकार मनोज गजुरेललाई सम्मान प्रदान गर्नुभएको थियो । तमुधी युकेद्वारा आयोजित यस कार्यक्रममा  मनोज गजुरेललगायत बरिस्ठ गायिका कोमल ओली र स्थानीय कलाकारहरुको पनि गायन र नृत्यहरु प्रस्तुत थिए । कार्यक्रमको अन्त्यमा सम्मानित मनोज गजुरेलले नेपाललाई संसारमा चिनाउने एउटा आधार बुद्धको बारेमा भारतद्धारा गरिएको राजनीतिको प्रत्युत्तरमा अभियानले शुरु गरेको कार्यमा आफूले सक्दो सहयोग गर्ने  प्रतिवद्धता जाहेर गर्दै यसको भावनालाई बुझेर सबैलाई सहयोग गर्न समेत अनुरोध गर्नु भयो । 

बुद्ध जन्मथलोको निरर्थक विवाद

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on July 10, 2011

करबि एक महिनाअघिको प्रसंग हो। मध्यरातमा एकोहोरो ढंगबाट मेरो मोबाइलमा घन्टी बज्यो। त्यसले निद्रा मात्रै बिथोलेन, कसलाई के आपत् परेछ भनेर मभयभीत पनि भएँ। फोन उठाएपछि थाहा भयो, जर्मन मित्र राइनर रहेछन्। उनले अत्यन्तै उत्साहित तर हतारिएको स्वरमा आफूले मूल्य बढाबढमार्फत सामान किन्ने अनलाइन साइट ‘इबे’मा गौतम बुद्धको जन्मस्थल नेपाल हो भनेर लेखिएको सन् १८९७ अर्थात् १ सय १४ वर्षअघि नै प्रकाशित एक पत्रिका फेला पारेको जानकारी गराए।

अप्रत्यासित रूपमा जुरेको यो संयोग मेरा निम्ति कम्ती रोचक थिएन। बुद्धको जन्मस्थलबारे अझै पनि भारतीयहरू भ्रमको खेती गर्छन्। त्यस्ता खेती गर्नेका विरुद्ध यो एउटा बलियो प्रमाण मात्रै थिएन, बुद्धको जन्मस्थल नेपाल हो भन्ने कुरामा एक सय वर्षभन्दा पहिलेदेखि जर्मनहरूसमेत जानकार थिए भन्ने तथ्यको उद्घाटन पनि थियो। अर्धनिद्रामै मैले ती मित्रलाई भने, “जति पैसा परे पनि त्यो पत्रिका किनेर मलाई तुरुन्त पठाइदिनू।”

नभन्दै दुई सातापछि आल्गेमाइनन चाइटुङ् नाम गरेको त्यो पत्रिका मेरो घरमै आइपुग्यो। पत्रिका त हातमा पर्‍यो तर पुरानो जर्मन लिपिमा भएका कारण त्यसलाई पढ्नु, बुझ्नु र अर्थ लगाउनु मेरा निम्ति सहज थिएन। अधिकांश आधुनिक जर्मनहरू त पुरानो लिपिमा लेखिएको त्यो सामग्री पढ्न सक्दैनन् भने नेपालीका निम्ति त्यो सजिलो हुने कुरै भएन। तर पनि तीव्र जिज्ञासाकै कारण मैले झन्डै एक साता लगाएर आठ पृष्ठको त्यो लेख पढी सिध्याएँ। सम्राट अशोकलाई केन्द्रमा राखेर लेखिएको उक्त लेखमा प्रस्टसँग बुद्धको जन्मस्थान नेपालको कपिलवस्तुस्थित लुम्बिनीमा रहेको तथ्य उल्लेख छ, जो पढेपछि मेरो खुसीको सीमा रहेन।

बौद्ध केन्द्र बन्ने भारतको अभियान, लुम्बिनी ओझेलमा

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on July 10, 2011

पूर्ण बस्नेत, बेइजिङ, असार २६- गौतम बुद्धको जन्मस्थल लुम्बिनीलाई ओझेल पार्ने गरी भारतले बोधगयालाई बौद्धमार्गीहरूको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय केन्द्र बनाउने अभियान तीब्र पारेको छ। बौद्ध इतिहास र संस्कृतिबारे अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय अभियान सञ्चालन गर्ने क्रममा भारतीय दूतावासले बेइजिङमा हालै आयोजना गरेको कार्यक्रममा लुम्बिनीलाई छायामा पार्न खोजिएको सहभागीहरूको अनुभव छ।

‘बुद्धिजमः म्यापिङ एसियाज हिस्ट्री एन्ड कल्चर’ विषयमा भएको कार्यक्रमका एक सहभागीका अनुसार ‘बुद्ध भारतको कपिलवस्तुमा जन्मेका थिए’ भनेर लेखिएको पोस्टर कार्यक्रमस्थलमै टाँसिएको थियो। ‘आयोजकले कार्यक्रम स्थलमा टाँसेको पोस्टरबाट बुद्धको जन्मस्थल नेपालको लुम्बिनी हो भन्ने तोडमोड गर्न खोजेको प्रष्ट बुझिन्थ्यो,’ कार्यक्रमका एक नेपाली सहभागीले भने।

‘भारतीयहरू बुद्धले ज्ञान प्राप्त गरेको ठाउँ बिहारको बोधगयाको मात्र चर्चा गरेर लुम्बिनीलाई ओझेल पार्न खोज्दै छन्,’ कार्यक्रममा वक्ताका रूपमा सहभागी हुन बेइजिङ आएका अध्येता रमेश ढुङ्गेलले भने, ‘बेइजिङमा पनि उनीहरूले बुद्धको जन्मस्थल लुम्बिनी हो भनेर खुलेर चर्चा गर्न चाहेनन्।’

ढुङ्गेल त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालय अन्तर्गतको नेपाल तथा एसिया अध्ययन केन्द्रको बुद्धिस्ट एन्ड हिमालय स्टडिजका संयोजक हुन्। असार ४ देखि तीन दिनसम्म चलेको कार्यक्रममा उनले बुद्धिजमको पुनर्उत्थानमा नेपाली अध्येता अमृतानन्दको योगदानबारे प्रस्तुति दिएका थिए। कार्यक्रममा भारत, चीन, जापान, मंगोलिया, म्यानमार, नेपाल, सिंगापुर, दक्षिण कोरिया र भियतनामका अध्येता सहभागी थिए।

भारतको सांस्कृतिक कुटनीति हेर्ने संस्था इन्डियन काउन्सिल फर कल्चर रिलेसन्स् (आइसिसिआर) र पेकिङ युनिभर्सिटीसँग मिलेर बेइजिङस्थित भारतीय दूतावासले एसिया क्षेत्रीय स्तरको यो कार्यक्रम आयोजना गरेको हो। कांग्रेस आइका विदेश विभाग प्रमुख करण सिंह निर्देशक रहेको आइसिसिआरमा भारतीय विदेश मन्त्रालयका सहसचिव योगेश्वर बर्मा उपनिर्देशक छन्। भारतलाई अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय बौद्ध केन्द्र बनाउने अभियानमा रहेको आइसिसिआरले कजाकिस्तान, हंगेरी, इन्डोनेसिया, थाइल्यान्ड, दक्षिण कोरिया, सिंगापुर, कम्बोडिया, श्रीलंका, नेपाल, भियतनाम लगायतका देशमा यसअघि नै कार्यक्रम गरिसकेको छ।

ढुङ्गेल संयोजक रहेको बुद्धिस्ट एन्ड हिमालय स्टडिज र काठमाडौँस्थित भारतीय दूतावाससँग मिलेर आइसिसिआरले तीन महिनाअघि काठमाडौँमा यस्तै कार्यक्रम गरेको थियो। ‘बुद्धको जन्मस्थल हाम्रो देशमा पर्ने मात्र होइन, बुद्धिजमको पुनर्स्थापनामा पनि नेपालको ठूलो योगदान छ तर हामीलाई ओझेलमा पार्न खोजिँदैछ,’ ढुङ्गेलले भने, ‘काठमाडौँको कार्यक्रममा चाहीँ बुद्धले नेपालमा जन्मेर भारतमा ज्ञान प्राप्त गरेको भन्ने अवधारणा पत्रमै राख्न सफल भएका थियौँ।’

First Buddha Film from Nepal to Pre-empt Bollywood Challenges

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on July 10, 2011

By Sudeshna Sarkar Kathmandu, July 9 (IANS) Alarmed by Bollywood training its lenses on the Buddha, an Indian film director of Nepali origin isnow making the first Buddha film from the Himalayan republic to bolster its claim to the founder of Buddhism. Tulsi Ghimire, who moved from India’s hill town of Kalimpong to Mumbai first to learn acting and film-making and then made Kathmandu his home, has begun making “Gautam Buddha”, the first Buddha film from Nepal, the birthplace of the apostle of peace. The 60-year-old, who gave the Nepali film industry such hits as “Kusume rumal” and “Balidaan”, says he was inspired to make the film after a conversation with Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka and other places. “First, there was this Bollywood movie, ‘Chandni Chowk to China’, that claimed the Buddha was born in Nepal,” Ghimire told IANS in an interview. “Then there are reports of renowned Bollywood director Ashutosh Gowarikar making an epic film on the Buddha. “We are concerned whether there isn’t some political motivation – to lay claim to the Buddha. If Gowarikar builds the sets of Kapilavastu, the kingdom in which the Buddha was born to its ruler King Shuddhodan, the Indian state where it is erected may be regarded by many people as the birthplace of the Buddha.

Facebook Upshot: Nepal – the Country of the Mt. Everest and the Buddha

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on June 22, 2011

A photo album was created in Facebook yesterday with the title “Nepal – the Country of the Mt. Everest and the Buddha“.  One of the objectives to create the album in this International Network is to give hands to “Nepal Tourism Year 2011″ to promote Nepal. After this album some friends from different countries are either tagging themselves  or tagging to their friends and some are sharing in their walls. Let’s see this example:

Nithiananthini’s Profile · Nithiananthini’s Wall

• 

  Nithiananthini Kumarawel

  AwESOMe .-)…

  

  Nepal – the country of the Mt. Everest and the Buddha

  By: Ram Kumar Shrestha

  4 hours ago · Unlike ·  · Share

  • You and 2 others like this.
  • • 

      Mogan Raja Thangavelu I changed my laptop wallpaper with ….Thanks for sharing

      3 hours ago · Like
    • 

      Nithiananthini Kumarawel then u should click the above link for more awesome pics Raja..its from my bro..Ram Kumar Shrestha..he’s promotin Nepal.N he’s a staunch “devotee” of Nepal.. .-)

      3 hours ago · Unlike ·  1 person

Another Chinese foundation plans to raise $ 3b to make Lumbini ‘magnet for Buddhists’

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on June 20, 2011

 

Rate This

Months after plans of a Chinese private sector company to invest Rs 8 billion to develop Lumbini as an International

Buddha Center hogged media headlines there comes news that a Chinese-backed foundation is planning to raise $ 3 billion to help Nepal develop Buddha’s birthplace.

According to Reuters, the Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation plans to raise the aforesaid amount at home and abroad “to build temples, an airport, a highway, hotels, convention centres and a Buddhist university in the town of Lumbini.”

Interestingly, UCPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is the vice-chairman of the foundation which aims to transform Lord Buddha’s birthplace in southern Nepal “into a magnet for Buddhists in the same way as Mecca is to Muslims and the Vatican for Catholics”, the report adds.

The foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with Nepal government last month to jointly develop and operate Lumbini.

Nepal to build £1.9 billion ‘Buddhist Mecca’

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on June 20, 2011

China is providing funds to Nepal to build a $3 billion (£1.9bn) ‘Buddhist Mecca’ to attract millions of pilgrims and spiritual tourists to the birthplace of the religion’s founder Gautama, Lord Buddha.

China and Nepal signed an agreement earlier this year to develop the site in Lumbini Photo: REX

By Dean Nelson, New Delhi, Peter Foster in Beijing

Lumbini is a Unesco world heritage site that attracts half a million pilgrims every year from China, India, Japan, Sri Lanka and Thailand to its sacred ponds, gardens and temples.

Planners hope to build an airport, hotels, convention centres, new highways, temples and a Buddhist university at the site on Nepal’sWestern border with India, where Lord Buddha was born about 2,600 years ago.

The scheme is supported by a Chinese government-backed foundation and has brought together an unlikely alliance of Nepali government ministers, Prachanda, the former prime minister and leader of the Maoist insurgency, and Paras, the former crown prince, whose family Prachanda ousted from power.

It also has the support of Steven Clark Rockefeller, the heir to the Rockefeller dynasty. According to Nepali officials devout Buddhists spend more time at the other three main pilgrimage sites in India because Lumbini does not have the infrastructure necessary for longer stays.

Sarnath, in India’s Uttar Pradesh, where Buddha first taught “dharma” or natural law, Bodh Gaya in Bihar, where he found enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and Kushinagar where he found “nirvana” in death, are all drawing increasing numbers of high-spending tourists, and Nepal’s government wants to increase its share of the spoils.

Genocidal war against the Tribal people in India – London Program Report

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on June 14, 2011

 

Rate This

Arundhati Roy spoke to an audience of about 500 people at Friends Meeting House in Euston about the War on the People of India by the Indian State on 12th June 2011.

Arundhati’s resistive expression to the murderous activities of the Indian State, support to the public voices and understanding of democracy by external world in Indian context and the reality were very impressive and inspirational. She highlighted with lots of examples that why India cannot be considered as democratic country as army led government Pakistan that time.

She told the audience about her recent speech at School of Oriental and African Studies when she was confronted by a hostile questioner who said she should be thankful she was born in India the world’s largest democracy has if she had been born in China she would be in prison.

Arundhati’s answer was that if she was not the world renowned Indian Author with the name Arundhati Roy, winner of the Booker Prize she should would be sitting in an Indian prison along with the thousands of others unjustly imprisoned in India for resisting the crimes of the Indian State exposing the hypocrisy of Indian Democracy.

Arundhati clearly explains the two Indias, the middle class one so loved by the Western Media and the poor India, but Arundhati’s heart and mind are deployed with the 850 million Indians who live on 50 cents a day. She explains how the mineral rich areas are also the tribal areas and the Indian State has a plan of urbanization to drive 500 million people of the land into the cities. It is employing all weapons of war including starvation to drive the tribal people from their land to benefit the multinational companies who are hungry for India’s raw materials.

She read out the UN definition of genocide which so well describes the Indian State’s activities against the 100 million tribal of India but also stated that when speaking to the United Nations representative they indicated that what India did in its own borders was its own matter has India was the blue eyed boy of the international community and world capital.

Buddhism In America: What Is The Future?

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on June 14, 2011

By Jaweed Kaleem

GARRISON, N.Y. — Backed by the nation’s largest Buddhist magazines and meditation centers, a recent invite-only gathering at an old monastery in this riverside hamlet north of New York City included a guest list of crimson-robed monks of Buddhism’s Tibetan line, tattooed “Dharma Punx,” professors and Japanese-influenced Zen Buddhists that read as a “who’s who” of Buddhism in America.

But the “Maha Council” (maha means “great” in Sanskrit) has created buzz and sparked soul-searching among members of the growing Buddhist religion in the United States for different reasons.

Who speaks for “western Buddhism,” many attendees and observers of last weekend’s event have asked, and how accurately and honestly are elder Buddhists passing on their knowledge to new generations?

What is the relation of U.S. Buddhists to those in India and other parts of Asia, where the spiritual practice was born from Hindu roots in the 5th century B.C.?

The Buddha Comes to Sussex

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on June 14, 2011

Genocidal war against the Tribal people in India – Int’l program in London

Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on June 4, 2011

 

Rate This

In September 2009, the Indian state, the “largest democracy in the world” openly launched a genocidal war against thepeople of India. Deploying over 200,000 paramilitary forces and other Special Forces supported by the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and various intelligence agencies in the forest regions of eastern and central India have unleashed an unprecedented military offensive — code named Operation Green Hunt (OGH). The war is being aided by the US, Israel and many European governments because the corporations of many of these countries are setting up multi-million dollar industries in this region. This is where millions of adivasis (tribal peoples), the poorest of India’s poor, live. While the government claims that this war is solely aimed at the Maoists, in reality its objective is to grab the rich minerals and natural resources of these areas and hand them over to multinational corporations who will exploit them for their own super profits.

Rising popular resistance against this outrageous anti-people offensive by the Indian state has already engulfed the largestsections of the masses in these regions and across the rest of sub-continent. There is fierce resistance against OGH and people are getting better organised in the defence of their land, habitat and livelihood while at the same time getting wide support across the urban spaces all across.

The government has intensified the clamp down on the media, civil liberties activists and other democratic minded citizens. Flagrant violations of the democratic rights of the people are on the rise. The number of political prisoners and those waiting to be tried is on a steep the rise. Ever new draconian laws are being promulgated by the Indian Parliament and various provincial legislatures to curb all voices of dissent, and to exterminate the people with impunity. Already, the Indian state has armed itself with a plethora of notorious legislations such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Disturbed Areas Act, Chhattisgarh Special Public Safety Act, etc., which are in direct contravention of the basic rights of citizens in any country that claims itself to be democratic.