Courtsey : NDTV
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 (Nalanda)
A critical aspect of building Brand Bihar is the idea of a cultural renaissance of reclaiming Bihar's intellectual heritage.
At the centre of it is the Nalanda project, the plan to create a world class modern seat of learning at the site of an ancient university.
Nalanda was once an unparalleled centre of Buddhist learning, the pride of the ancient kingdom of Magadha and of the world.
Entering the famed university of Nalanda in fifth century wasn't easy as Chinese traveller Huen Tsang wrote in his travelogues.
His accounts have now been brought to life in a new museum at Nalanda.
Like thousands of scholars from across Asia, Huen Tsang had made an arduous journey to ancient Magadh in search of what was then the world's most influential seat of learning.
Today the plan to resurrect Nalanda is grand. And the world is at the doorstep.
''I originally come from Nalanda though I lived somewhere else. I went to Israel and I saw how in Israel they have sold the heritage which they have lots like india especially Bihar. You know Jeruselam is a cradle of religions like Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Similarly Bihar is a cradle of Jainism, Buddhism. A lot of ancient history like Ashoka, Chandragupta Maurya, Chanakya come from there. I started thinking about that and at the same time the gov changed and I got a hope that we could do something at the ground level. So I went to meet the Bihar delegation whre CM Nitish Kumar had come in 2006 January in Hyderabad in Pravasi Bhartiya Divas,'' said Naveen Sharma, co-founder, Nalanda Multimedia Museum.
Naveen Sharma who is a software engineer in Bangalore met the Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and found complete support for his plans.
''The way we worked was amazing. Not even in a single place did we have to pay bribe, not even a single place,'' said Naveen Sharma.
In 1915, archaeologists began excavating the ruins. Now nearly 100 years later leaders in Asia are trying to excavate a future vision for Nalanda on reviving it as a symbol of Asia's prestige affluence, influence and intellectual ability.
Drawn by Nalanda's legacy of Buddhist learning China, Japan, Singapore and others want to help India rebuild an international university at Nalanda. They are willing to fund it. A consortium has already been floated.
Eminent names like Prof Amartya Sen are in the mentor group and the latest meeting has been held in New York.
But in Nalanda at the site where the new university is meant to be built the acquisition of land has run into resistance.
''This towel costs Rs. 40, but sold at Rs. 10. That's our situation. This is our home. And we are being paid Rs. 10,000 per acre, land that actually costs Rs. 50,000. Is that acceptable?'' said a local.
The resistance boiled over into violence. When Chief Minister Nitish Kumar went to inaugarate the site stones were pelted.
But Nitish is unfazed. He says these are logistical problems which will be ironed out.
What he may find more difficult to change is the erosion of learning in modern-day Bihar.
When NDTV asked an onlooker as to what was the place he came to visit he simply replied that it a place to spend time. When he was further asked what was behind him the ignorant man said that it seemed to be somebody's house.
Amid such ignorance the Nalanda museum with its educative value is a symbol of hope in the state.
At the centre of it is the Nalanda project, the plan to create a world class modern seat of learning at the site of an ancient university.
Nalanda was once an unparalleled centre of Buddhist learning, the pride of the ancient kingdom of Magadha and of the world.
Entering the famed university of Nalanda in fifth century wasn't easy as Chinese traveller Huen Tsang wrote in his travelogues.
His accounts have now been brought to life in a new museum at Nalanda.
Like thousands of scholars from across Asia, Huen Tsang had made an arduous journey to ancient Magadh in search of what was then the world's most influential seat of learning.
Today the plan to resurrect Nalanda is grand. And the world is at the doorstep.
''I originally come from Nalanda though I lived somewhere else. I went to Israel and I saw how in Israel they have sold the heritage which they have lots like india especially Bihar. You know Jeruselam is a cradle of religions like Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Similarly Bihar is a cradle of Jainism, Buddhism. A lot of ancient history like Ashoka, Chandragupta Maurya, Chanakya come from there. I started thinking about that and at the same time the gov changed and I got a hope that we could do something at the ground level. So I went to meet the Bihar delegation whre CM Nitish Kumar had come in 2006 January in Hyderabad in Pravasi Bhartiya Divas,'' said Naveen Sharma, co-founder, Nalanda Multimedia Museum.
Naveen Sharma who is a software engineer in Bangalore met the Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and found complete support for his plans.
''The way we worked was amazing. Not even in a single place did we have to pay bribe, not even a single place,'' said Naveen Sharma.
In 1915, archaeologists began excavating the ruins. Now nearly 100 years later leaders in Asia are trying to excavate a future vision for Nalanda on reviving it as a symbol of Asia's prestige affluence, influence and intellectual ability.
Drawn by Nalanda's legacy of Buddhist learning China, Japan, Singapore and others want to help India rebuild an international university at Nalanda. They are willing to fund it. A consortium has already been floated.
Eminent names like Prof Amartya Sen are in the mentor group and the latest meeting has been held in New York.
But in Nalanda at the site where the new university is meant to be built the acquisition of land has run into resistance.
''This towel costs Rs. 40, but sold at Rs. 10. That's our situation. This is our home. And we are being paid Rs. 10,000 per acre, land that actually costs Rs. 50,000. Is that acceptable?'' said a local.
The resistance boiled over into violence. When Chief Minister Nitish Kumar went to inaugarate the site stones were pelted.
But Nitish is unfazed. He says these are logistical problems which will be ironed out.
What he may find more difficult to change is the erosion of learning in modern-day Bihar.
When NDTV asked an onlooker as to what was the place he came to visit he simply replied that it a place to spend time. When he was further asked what was behind him the ignorant man said that it seemed to be somebody's house.
Amid such ignorance the Nalanda museum with its educative value is a symbol of hope in the state.
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2 comments:
There is a cycle for any of the change. Bihar went from a Good to Bad phase and now slowly moving back to good phase. The process of reviving a society,state,nation takes long time but the effort shown by the Govt officials are quite impressive.
Every process has a cycle. Same applies here, Bihar was in a good phase and slowly moved to the bad phase. With the effort from the present govt, the sign of improvement has started showing up and once again the bad phase will be over and good phase will start.
Reviving a society/state/nation takes lot of time and it is not a overnight change.
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