Just ended Tibet-meeting on her future - As THE CHANGE is the phrase in USA and with the Politepreneur President-elect Obama, New-spirit of Tibet - holding on to her history and culture in order to move forward with CHANGE.
Incidentally global econo-politics vastly controlling the pace and future of the human-race. While reading economic crisis and bank failures in USA, I came across the following Op-Ed article.
---------------------
Did Britain Just Sell Tibet?
By ROBERT BARNETT
Published: November 24, 2008
THE financial crisis is going to do more than increase unemployment, bankruptcy and homelessness. It is also likely to reshape international alignments, sometimes in ways that we would not expect.
As Western powers struggle with the huge scale of the measures needed to revive their economies, they have turned increasingly to China. Last month, for example, Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, asked China to give money to the International Monetary Fund, in return for which Beijing would expect an increase in its voting share.
Now there is speculation that a trade-off for this arrangement involved a major shift in the British position on Tibet, whose leading representatives in exile this weekend called on their leader, the Dalai Lama, to stop sending envoys to Beijing — bringing the faltering talks between China and the exiles to a standstill.
The exiles’ decision followed an announcement on Oct. 29 by David Miliband, the British foreign secretary, that after almost a century of recognizing Tibet as an autonomous entity, Britain had changed its mind. Mr. Miliband said that Britain had decided to recognize Tibet as part of the People’s Republic of China. He even apologized that Britain had not done so earlier.
Until that day, the British had described Tibet as autonomous, with China having a “special position” there. This formula did not endorse the Tibetan claim to independence. But it meant that in the British view China’s control over Tibet was limited to a condition once known as suzerainty, somewhat similar to administering a protectorate. Britain, alone among major powers, had exchanged official agreements with the Tibetan government before the Chinese takeover in 1951, so it could scarcely have said otherwise unless it was to vitiate those agreements.
After the People’s Republic of China joined the United Nations in 1971, British politicians refrained from referring to their country’s recognition of Tibet’s autonomy to avoid embarrassing Beijing. But that didn’t make it less significant. It remained the silent but enduring legal basis for 30 years of talks between the Dalai Lama and Beijing, in which the Tibetans have called only for autonomy and not independence — a position that a conference of Tibetan exiles in India reaffirmed on Saturday.
Mr. Miliband described the British position as an anachronism and a colonial legacy. It certainly emerged out of a shabby episode in colonial history, Francis Younghusband’s cavalier invasion of Tibet in 1903. But the British description of Tibet’s status in the era before the modern nation-state was more finely tuned than the versions claimed by Beijing or many exiles, and it was close to the findings of most historians.
Britain’s change of heart risks tearing up a historical record that frames the international order and could provide the basis for resolving China’s dispute with Tibet. The British government may have thought the issue of no significance to Britain’s current national interests and so did not submit it to public debate. But the decision has wider implications. India’s claim to a part of its northeast territories, for example, is largely based on the same agreements — notes exchanged during the Simla convention of 1914, which set the boundary between India and Tibet — that the British appear to have just discarded. That may seem minor to London, but it was over those same documents that a major war between India and China was fought in 1962, as well as a smaller conflict in 1987.
The British concession to China last month was buried within a public statement calling on Beijing to grant autonomy in Tibet, leading some to accuse the British government of hypocrisy. It is more worrying if it was a miscalculation. The statement was released two days before the Dalai Lama’s envoys began the eighth round of talks with Beijing on their longstanding request for greater autonomy, apparently because the British believed — or had been told — that their giveaway to Beijing would relax the atmosphere and so encourage China to make concessions to the Dalai Lama.
The result was the opposite. On Nov. 10, China issued a damning attack on the exile leader, saying his autonomy plan amounted to ethnic cleansing, disguised independence and the reintroduction of serfdom and theocracy. The only thing that China will henceforth discuss with the exiles is the Dalai Lama’s personal status, meaning roughly which luxury residence he can retire to in Beijing.
The official press in China has gleefully attributed European concessions on Tibet to the financial crisis. “Of course these European countries are at this time not collectively changing their tune because their conscience has gotten the better of them,” announced The International Herald Leader, a government-owned paper in Beijing, on Nov. 7. It added that the financial crisis “has made it impossible for them not to consider the ‘cost problem’ in continuing to ‘aid Tibetan independence’ and anger China. After all, compared to the Dalai, to as quickly as possible pull China onto Europe’s rescue boat is even more important and urgent.”
Britain’s concession could be China’s most significant achievement on Tibet since American support for Tibetan guerillas was ended before Nixon’s visit to Beijing. Including China in global decision-making is welcome, but Western powers should not rewrite history to get support in the financial crisis. It may be more than banks and failed mortgages that are sold off cheap in the rush to shore up ailing economies.
Robert Barnett, the director of the Modern Tibetan Studies Program at Columbia, is the author of “Lhasa: Streets With Memories.”
Source:
THE NEW YORK TIMES
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/25/opinion/25barnett.html?ref=opinion
Monday, November 24, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Proud to be India
Following article is by *Dr. Ravindra Kumar,a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Meerut in India and acrenowned Indologist.
Dr. Kumar quite informatively put the long historic advancement of India and her civilization. Though in a micro-scale on micro-time frame it seems harder to believe how the self-confidence are being eroded slowly and surely through highly crafted strategic marketing and PR tools.
It is the history that puts one in touch with one's base of confdence which in-turn helps to build integrity and honesty in one's soul.............
While there is time to connect one should and must rethink one's future should building - thing is as precious as one's sound and happy soul... All come and go but soul remain -India
=========================================================
Why I am Proud Being an Indian!
-Dr. Ravindra Kumar*
I am proud being an Indian. But for what reason? Is it for the simple reason that I am a creation of the Indian soil? Or, is it for the reason that the Indian soil upbrings me? Certainly not for these reasons only. Someone else can take pride in being an Indian for these reasons, but the reason of my pride is that my country, India, makes Sahishnuta [forbearance], Sahansheelta [tolerance] and Sarvabhaumik Swikriti [universal acceptance] the basis of identity of its inhabitants. Furthermore, I am proud being an Indian because Ahimsa [non-violence] in its perfect state is accepted as the supreme value in day-to-day living here.
It is evident that forbearance, tolerance and universal acceptance, along with Ahimsa, are the parts and parcels of the lives of the Indians. On the strength of these values India accorded refuge to all those who became the subject of atrocities and were oppressed in their own respective continents or countries. Without any cast, creed, colour, gender or religion-based discrimination, India adopted all those who reached to its land for the purpose of taking shelter. This is, in fact, the Indian Way, established centuries before. This is foremostly the subject of pride for me and lacs of other like minded people.
I am proud being an Indian because my country granted refuge to those Jews who became victims of atrocities of the Romans and after the destruction of their holy place of worship by them reached the Indian soil for shelter. They not only got refuse here for ever, but also the permission of earning their livelihood. Deprived of freedom in their own motherland of Iran, Zoroastrians [Parsis], the followers of Spitama Zoroaster, who conveyed the great message of monotheism, when reached India to take refuge, Indians accepted them with joy. It is a long list of such refugees. The names of several human-groups and tribes are there in that list, who attracted by the sweet-smelling of the Indian soil, reached here from time-to-time during the last four thousand years.
I am proud being an Indian because the Dravidians, the Aryans, the Shakas, the Kushanas, and the Hunas are the inhabitants of India. The Greeks, the Europeans, the Mongols [including the Moghuls], the Tatars, the Turks and the Arabs are on the Indian soil. The blood developed in all continents of the world flows in the veins of India. How pleasant combination is it that people come from all continents in India and stay here with pride? They try to convert themselves to become Indians and to follow the Way of India.
I am proud being an Indian because not only so-called high families-born great men, sages and saints have added to the honour and pride of the country, but the so-called low families-born Maharshi Valmiki, Saint Ravidas, Mahatma Kabir and Sain too have added to India’s honour; they too have contributed towards the glorification of the country. Furthermore, they have also filled their compatriots with ethical values, morality and dutifulness in great measures. Like Brahmin-class born Vashishtha or Kshatriya-class born Vishwamitra, Mahavira, Gautama Buddha and Nanak, Dravidian Rishi Tiruvallur has also added to the honour of the nation through his great message for humanity. Moreover, so-called Shudra-family born Saint Tukaram is not the least than any of his contemporary so-called high-class born saints and sages. In every age virtuous people were born to accord proper knowledge of dharma and also to convey the true message of the Indian Way. Doubtlessly, they go forward for the welfare of all-high or low, they purified the soil of the country and became the voice of India.
I am also proud being an Indian because seeds of democracy have been in existence in social, political and economic structure of the country since ancient times. The large-scaled interest of people has been in the centre at the time of taking decisions. Mutual discussion, harmony and cooperation have been the basis of implementation of decisions. India is the largest democracy of the world. Democracy builds the political structure of the country. Freedom, one of the fundamentals of democracy, is the ornament of citizens of India. Everyone has the right to speech here. In this regard India is not behind any of the democratic nations of the world. It is India that allowed Late Benazir Bhutto to present the case related to civil liberties of her compatriots on its land. It is India that provided opportunity to Asma Jahangir of Pakistan to obtain support and cooperation on the question of human rights violation in her country. It is India that accords freedom of speech to Taslima Nasrin-a social writer of Bangladesh. Whole world knows that Dalai Lama is staying in India for decades and from the Indian soil, Indians extend their support to him. Pro-democracy leader of Burma [Myanmar], Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently under house arrest in her own country, receives people’s support in India. Hundreds of her supporters stay in India and from here they struggle for the restoration of democratic set up in their homeland.
I am also proud being an Indian because all those scholars, who influenced by cultural heritage of India reached from time-to-time to its land, got due respect and honour. Whether it was Megasthenese [350-290 B. C.], or Fa-hien, Hieun Tsang [603-664] or I-Tsing or anyone else, the Indian Way and thinking attracted them all. After accomplishing their tasks of gaining knowledge and particularly collecting valuable information of instincts of Indians, they reached back to their native countries with never forgettable memories. India proved to be the greatest centre of knowledge and spiritualism for all of them. They all accepted Hindustan to be the Jnanaguru and spiritual leader of the world.
Being an Indian my pride increases when I find that a pilgrim of the Indian Way Moghul emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar is accepted as an ideal in this country; Annie Basant is elected the President of the Indian National Congress; Mecca-born Abul Kalam Azad, in presence of stalwarts like Gandhi, Lajpat Rai, Motilal Nehru and Chitta Ranjan Das, is nominated to preside over the Congress session at the age of 35 years; Mountbatten holds the post of the Governor-General of India even after its independence from Great Britain.
Being an Indian my pride multiplies when I meet the reality of inhabitance of followers of almost all chief religious-communities of the world on India’s soil. They are secure here. They get cooperation of true followers of the Indian Way at the time of distress. It may be a question mark in any other country of the world on the existence of followers of any particular religious-community, but in India all along with their chosen faiths and beliefs are safe. Four of the major religious-communities of the world-Hindu [Vedic], Jain, Boddh and Sikh-have been established or developed in India and doubtlessly they are safe here. Four of them-Jews, Zoroastrian, Christian and Islam-have been established in Arab or the Middle-East Asia. The followers of all of them too are in the bosom of Mother India and they are also safe here. Two religious-communities-Confucian and Taoism-have been established in China and followers of both of them, along with the followers of Shintoism-a Japanese-born religious-community, have all possibilities for them in India. Moreover, the followers of newly born community of Bahais are also safe and sound in India.
Being an Indian it is also a reason of increase in my pride that centuries before human-divinity was made the basis of the principle of national and universal acceptance in India. The source of all around visible peculiarity is the human-divinity. Therefore, human beings have been accorded supreme in the creation. Everyone, no matter to what particular religious-community or class he belongs, is equally revealer of divinity. And it is the result of this very recognition that on the basis of his or her religious-community, creed, colour or class not a single human being from any part of the globe has been denied entry to this land. All got opportunities for their progress and welfare. This great and unique principle has given such an extension to the glory of India that one of my European friends, like a honey-bee, desires to take a seat on deep-rooted, juicy and prosperous tree like India. Influenced by Indian chivalry, harmony and hospitality she desires to come to this land time and again. Is it the least to add to my pride being an Indian? No, it is enough to do so. Furthermore, she is convinced by the Indian way. She praises for this way and going deep to this way rejoices and feels rich.
Thus, on the whole, I can say in brief that the reason of my pride being an Indian is the Way of India and its chief features which I have mentioned about. It is possible that many may not agree to my brief opinion about the Indian Way. In practice they may perceive something different from my views. But, the true Indian Way is the one which I have discussed about. Certainly that way is not a narrow or restricted one. That is full of comprehensiveness. That is a harmonious one. That is the nurturer of the basic culture of this country. That is devoid of any discrimination. Isolation, detachment, discrimination, fundamentalism and narrowness have no place in the true Indian Way or the vision. If someone tries to connect it with any of them, he, doubtlessly goes against this way. In other words I can say that such a one is not a true Indian. He is selfish, and in spite of hiding him in the shadow of Indianness, he does not follow its way and vision.
______________________________________________________________________________
*Universally renowned Indologist Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Meerut in India.
------------------
Dr. Kumar quite informatively put the long historic advancement of India and her civilization. Though in a micro-scale on micro-time frame it seems harder to believe how the self-confidence are being eroded slowly and surely through highly crafted strategic marketing and PR tools.
It is the history that puts one in touch with one's base of confdence which in-turn helps to build integrity and honesty in one's soul.............
While there is time to connect one should and must rethink one's future should building - thing is as precious as one's sound and happy soul... All come and go but soul remain -India
=========================================================
Why I am Proud Being an Indian!
-Dr. Ravindra Kumar*
I am proud being an Indian. But for what reason? Is it for the simple reason that I am a creation of the Indian soil? Or, is it for the reason that the Indian soil upbrings me? Certainly not for these reasons only. Someone else can take pride in being an Indian for these reasons, but the reason of my pride is that my country, India, makes Sahishnuta [forbearance], Sahansheelta [tolerance] and Sarvabhaumik Swikriti [universal acceptance] the basis of identity of its inhabitants. Furthermore, I am proud being an Indian because Ahimsa [non-violence] in its perfect state is accepted as the supreme value in day-to-day living here.
It is evident that forbearance, tolerance and universal acceptance, along with Ahimsa, are the parts and parcels of the lives of the Indians. On the strength of these values India accorded refuge to all those who became the subject of atrocities and were oppressed in their own respective continents or countries. Without any cast, creed, colour, gender or religion-based discrimination, India adopted all those who reached to its land for the purpose of taking shelter. This is, in fact, the Indian Way, established centuries before. This is foremostly the subject of pride for me and lacs of other like minded people.
I am proud being an Indian because my country granted refuge to those Jews who became victims of atrocities of the Romans and after the destruction of their holy place of worship by them reached the Indian soil for shelter. They not only got refuse here for ever, but also the permission of earning their livelihood. Deprived of freedom in their own motherland of Iran, Zoroastrians [Parsis], the followers of Spitama Zoroaster, who conveyed the great message of monotheism, when reached India to take refuge, Indians accepted them with joy. It is a long list of such refugees. The names of several human-groups and tribes are there in that list, who attracted by the sweet-smelling of the Indian soil, reached here from time-to-time during the last four thousand years.
I am proud being an Indian because the Dravidians, the Aryans, the Shakas, the Kushanas, and the Hunas are the inhabitants of India. The Greeks, the Europeans, the Mongols [including the Moghuls], the Tatars, the Turks and the Arabs are on the Indian soil. The blood developed in all continents of the world flows in the veins of India. How pleasant combination is it that people come from all continents in India and stay here with pride? They try to convert themselves to become Indians and to follow the Way of India.
I am proud being an Indian because not only so-called high families-born great men, sages and saints have added to the honour and pride of the country, but the so-called low families-born Maharshi Valmiki, Saint Ravidas, Mahatma Kabir and Sain too have added to India’s honour; they too have contributed towards the glorification of the country. Furthermore, they have also filled their compatriots with ethical values, morality and dutifulness in great measures. Like Brahmin-class born Vashishtha or Kshatriya-class born Vishwamitra, Mahavira, Gautama Buddha and Nanak, Dravidian Rishi Tiruvallur has also added to the honour of the nation through his great message for humanity. Moreover, so-called Shudra-family born Saint Tukaram is not the least than any of his contemporary so-called high-class born saints and sages. In every age virtuous people were born to accord proper knowledge of dharma and also to convey the true message of the Indian Way. Doubtlessly, they go forward for the welfare of all-high or low, they purified the soil of the country and became the voice of India.
I am also proud being an Indian because seeds of democracy have been in existence in social, political and economic structure of the country since ancient times. The large-scaled interest of people has been in the centre at the time of taking decisions. Mutual discussion, harmony and cooperation have been the basis of implementation of decisions. India is the largest democracy of the world. Democracy builds the political structure of the country. Freedom, one of the fundamentals of democracy, is the ornament of citizens of India. Everyone has the right to speech here. In this regard India is not behind any of the democratic nations of the world. It is India that allowed Late Benazir Bhutto to present the case related to civil liberties of her compatriots on its land. It is India that provided opportunity to Asma Jahangir of Pakistan to obtain support and cooperation on the question of human rights violation in her country. It is India that accords freedom of speech to Taslima Nasrin-a social writer of Bangladesh. Whole world knows that Dalai Lama is staying in India for decades and from the Indian soil, Indians extend their support to him. Pro-democracy leader of Burma [Myanmar], Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently under house arrest in her own country, receives people’s support in India. Hundreds of her supporters stay in India and from here they struggle for the restoration of democratic set up in their homeland.
I am also proud being an Indian because all those scholars, who influenced by cultural heritage of India reached from time-to-time to its land, got due respect and honour. Whether it was Megasthenese [350-290 B. C.], or Fa-hien, Hieun Tsang [603-664] or I-Tsing or anyone else, the Indian Way and thinking attracted them all. After accomplishing their tasks of gaining knowledge and particularly collecting valuable information of instincts of Indians, they reached back to their native countries with never forgettable memories. India proved to be the greatest centre of knowledge and spiritualism for all of them. They all accepted Hindustan to be the Jnanaguru and spiritual leader of the world.
Being an Indian my pride increases when I find that a pilgrim of the Indian Way Moghul emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar is accepted as an ideal in this country; Annie Basant is elected the President of the Indian National Congress; Mecca-born Abul Kalam Azad, in presence of stalwarts like Gandhi, Lajpat Rai, Motilal Nehru and Chitta Ranjan Das, is nominated to preside over the Congress session at the age of 35 years; Mountbatten holds the post of the Governor-General of India even after its independence from Great Britain.
Being an Indian my pride multiplies when I meet the reality of inhabitance of followers of almost all chief religious-communities of the world on India’s soil. They are secure here. They get cooperation of true followers of the Indian Way at the time of distress. It may be a question mark in any other country of the world on the existence of followers of any particular religious-community, but in India all along with their chosen faiths and beliefs are safe. Four of the major religious-communities of the world-Hindu [Vedic], Jain, Boddh and Sikh-have been established or developed in India and doubtlessly they are safe here. Four of them-Jews, Zoroastrian, Christian and Islam-have been established in Arab or the Middle-East Asia. The followers of all of them too are in the bosom of Mother India and they are also safe here. Two religious-communities-Confucian and Taoism-have been established in China and followers of both of them, along with the followers of Shintoism-a Japanese-born religious-community, have all possibilities for them in India. Moreover, the followers of newly born community of Bahais are also safe and sound in India.
Being an Indian it is also a reason of increase in my pride that centuries before human-divinity was made the basis of the principle of national and universal acceptance in India. The source of all around visible peculiarity is the human-divinity. Therefore, human beings have been accorded supreme in the creation. Everyone, no matter to what particular religious-community or class he belongs, is equally revealer of divinity. And it is the result of this very recognition that on the basis of his or her religious-community, creed, colour or class not a single human being from any part of the globe has been denied entry to this land. All got opportunities for their progress and welfare. This great and unique principle has given such an extension to the glory of India that one of my European friends, like a honey-bee, desires to take a seat on deep-rooted, juicy and prosperous tree like India. Influenced by Indian chivalry, harmony and hospitality she desires to come to this land time and again. Is it the least to add to my pride being an Indian? No, it is enough to do so. Furthermore, she is convinced by the Indian way. She praises for this way and going deep to this way rejoices and feels rich.
Thus, on the whole, I can say in brief that the reason of my pride being an Indian is the Way of India and its chief features which I have mentioned about. It is possible that many may not agree to my brief opinion about the Indian Way. In practice they may perceive something different from my views. But, the true Indian Way is the one which I have discussed about. Certainly that way is not a narrow or restricted one. That is full of comprehensiveness. That is a harmonious one. That is the nurturer of the basic culture of this country. That is devoid of any discrimination. Isolation, detachment, discrimination, fundamentalism and narrowness have no place in the true Indian Way or the vision. If someone tries to connect it with any of them, he, doubtlessly goes against this way. In other words I can say that such a one is not a true Indian. He is selfish, and in spite of hiding him in the shadow of Indianness, he does not follow its way and vision.
______________________________________________________________________________
*Universally renowned Indologist Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Meerut in India.
------------------
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Villages linked to Nalanda located
INDIA: Researchers have been able to locate 60 of the 200 villages once linked to the ancient Nalanda university where students from across Asia and even Europe studied.
The revenue collected from these villages was used by the Gupta dynasty to maintain the world-famous university which was set up by King Kumar Gupta in the 5th century AD. On any given day 10,000 students coming from as far as Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Burma (now Myanmar), Turkey and other countries studied in the residential university.
The location of the villages preceded over a year-long exercise involving scientific and comprehensive exploration of historical sites in Bihar.
The director of the Kashi Prasad Jaiswal Research Institute (KPJRI) and a noted historian Vijay Kumar Choudhary said the first-ever scientific and systematic documentation of historical sites in Bihar commenced in July 2007 with the monetary help of Bihar government.
"We have so far documented 3,500 sites from as many villages in 11 districts. Work also started in 19 other districts two months ago," Choudhary said.
He said that documentation of historical sites and antiquities in the state was unique in the country as hardly any other state had taken up such an exercise on such a comprehensive basis.
Choudhary said excavations done in the period between 1915 and 1935 had yielded a number of inscriptions which carried the names of the villages linked to the university.
He said researchers had so far explored and documented inscriptions, mounds, monuments and sculptures of Chalcolithic period, post-Gupta period (5th century AD) and Pal period (8th to 12th century AD) in the districts of Patna, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Begusarai, Samastipur, Khagaria, Vaishali, Saran, Nawada, Siwan and Gopalganj.
He said sculptures, mounds, inscriptions and images of post-Gupta and Pal periods in large quantity have been found in these 11 districts besides black and red pots and copper tools of Chalcolithic period too have been found in Nalanda and Nawada districts.
The revenue collected from these villages was used by the Gupta dynasty to maintain the world-famous university which was set up by King Kumar Gupta in the 5th century AD. On any given day 10,000 students coming from as far as Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Burma (now Myanmar), Turkey and other countries studied in the residential university.
The location of the villages preceded over a year-long exercise involving scientific and comprehensive exploration of historical sites in Bihar.
The director of the Kashi Prasad Jaiswal Research Institute (KPJRI) and a noted historian Vijay Kumar Choudhary said the first-ever scientific and systematic documentation of historical sites in Bihar commenced in July 2007 with the monetary help of Bihar government.
"We have so far documented 3,500 sites from as many villages in 11 districts. Work also started in 19 other districts two months ago," Choudhary said.
He said that documentation of historical sites and antiquities in the state was unique in the country as hardly any other state had taken up such an exercise on such a comprehensive basis.
Choudhary said excavations done in the period between 1915 and 1935 had yielded a number of inscriptions which carried the names of the villages linked to the university.
He said researchers had so far explored and documented inscriptions, mounds, monuments and sculptures of Chalcolithic period, post-Gupta period (5th century AD) and Pal period (8th to 12th century AD) in the districts of Patna, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Begusarai, Samastipur, Khagaria, Vaishali, Saran, Nawada, Siwan and Gopalganj.
He said sculptures, mounds, inscriptions and images of post-Gupta and Pal periods in large quantity have been found in these 11 districts besides black and red pots and copper tools of Chalcolithic period too have been found in Nalanda and Nawada districts.
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