Trans Himalayan Buddhism : Exploring Cultural Space

Trans Himalayan Buddhism : Exploring Cultural Space

First  week of March 2016 there was an International seminar on Asian connectivity held at New Delhi. Second  week another International conference has started at  Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies(MAKAI) on connectivity Buddhism in Himalayan countries, the research scholars from Bhutan, India and Nepal attending and discussing the Buddhism practice in their

countries and states.

A good number of foreign tourists visit India for Buddhist circuits in India mostly from Asian countries. The scholars presented and discussed culture, beliefs, practices, myths associated with Himalayan states. Like all religions Buddhism also teach to protect the environment. Though the Buddhism is not a religion it is the way of life like Hinduism as believed some section of the people. Buddhism belief not only physical wealth, it gives important of  mental wealth too, as stated by Lungtang Gyatso, Director, Institute of Language and Culture of Royal  of Royal University of Bhutan.

A book titled Water Resources Cooperation between India and Nepal , written by Manika Mondal, was launch by Prof Phunchok Stobdan, Former Ambassador and Senior Fellow of IDSA. The book is published by MAKAI. Dr Sreelekha Datta, Director of MAKAI welcomed all the participants for joining this programme, she mentioned that due to natural and man made calamity this programme deferred few times.

The Buddhist practising places in the lap of Himalayas, Coutse

Buddhist in Asia 
No of countries  in Asia   Percentage of Buddhist population 

  14                                            50 %

   07                                            90%

Asia Pacific                               98%

Studies on Buddhism in Indian Universities

Benaras Hindu University Department of Pali & Buddhist Studies

University of Hyderbad

Mahabodhi Society, Banglaru

Somaia Vidyabihar

University of Delhi

Syllabus of MA Buddhist studies of Delhi University

Gautam Bhudha University, UP

University of Calcutta Palli Department

Syllabus of Pali

Nalanda University

My painful memory with the Japanese Mountaineering Team in Indian Himalayas in 1975

My painful memory with the Japanese Mountaineering Team in Indian Himalayas in 1975

Sushanta De

It was in 1975 I had returned from Mulikla Six (20600 ft.) of Himachal Pradesh. I was with them as Indian Liaison Officer, then I was Second Lieutenant of the Indian Army. By then before joining Indian Army I  had done Basic & Advance Mountaineering Courses and also had the experience of organising mountaineering expedition to Indian Himalayas, I was also a  member of the team of Kolkata, India they had first time unfurled the NCC flag from a mountain it was in 1972.

My artillery unit released me for the USA team. After completing the assignment I went to the Army Headquarter for returning my unit location. A was told by the concerned officer that a Japanese team was waiting for the Indian Liaison Officer to arrive at New Delhi. I was advised to proceed with the Japanese team, I got only one day at my disposal at New Delhi before leaving for the mountain with the Japanese team. i had filled up the forms for accidental insurance for the sherpas who had arrived from Darjeeling, West Bengal. There was only one Sherpa who was in the 1973 expedition to Sickle Moon in the Kishtwar region of J&K.Siclel Moon, He was Havildar Ang Chatter, he was working with the Indo Tibetian Border Police (ITBP). He joined this expedition taking leave from his employer. This was twelve members  from Japan Self Defence Force (JSDF) from Japan along with two ladies. The leader was Lt Col Yunoki of Armoured Corps.

In 1973 there was a joint expedition with the Indian Army to the same peak. Havildar Ang Choter was rescued from an accident, he was evacuated to Military Hospital.

In 1975 we started our trekking from Kishtwar, Google Map of Kishtwar Regionthe road head towards that area. The team was carrying Very High-frequency transceiver sets. The communication between Camp I and summit camp ( at a height of 18500 ft. was possible through these radio sets. On the very first day, the team member could not cover the distance, they had bivouac on the very first night.

The team had after establishing a base camp which was at the height of 125000 ft., and intermediate camps were there. Lieutenant Takachi who had established weather observation instruments at the base camp those were wind velocity and temperature recording.

I tried to remember a few very important words in case of emergency but at the time of an emergency, those words were not remembered such as ‘watch out’ .

The base camp to nearest telegraph and police wireless was at a distance of 24hrs walking, we employed two mail runners and the cook was also used to carry the urgent evacuation messages to New Delhi by telegrams and also police wireless.

i was surprised to see the gesture of shepherds, they had brought meat, butter for the Indian Officer who was with the foreign team.

The final attempt for climbing the peak Sickel Moon was made the team returned to the summit camp at 1 am, they went to sleep in a tent thereat. All of them were in one row. At about 2 am. a running boulder from the top had hit the head of Hav Ang Choter who was dead at the spot.. next to Choter was Lt Takashi who got the hit at his chest, he survived for next 2 hrs and 30 mins. Another member from the said camp Lt Yamaguchi left the camp at about 4 am and reached Base camp for rescue. An immediate arrangement was sent but it was no use by then.

Myself Ms. Hiraga with the help of English to Japanese and vice versa dictionaries we marked helipad area for the evacuation of the dead bodies. This was not possible. The last rites of both of them were carried out at the base camp.

I took imitative with the employer and insurance company, the matter was settled. i was able to meet Mrs. Chotter after 2 years at Darjeeling.

Effort to create tools for mitigating natural disaster

Effort to create tools for mitigating natural disaster

India has different terrains, climatic conditions throughout the year. Due to the change in the climatic condition, it is more difficult to predict the natural disaster forecast.

In the state of West Bengal the state government officials are trained on disaster mitigation by the state-run agency Administrative Training Institute (ATI). A few years back the new Block Relief Officers (BRO)  were assembled this Institute it was just started monsoon and there was a flood in two districts. This area is low and flooded mainly due to discharging the excess water of the reservoir. The effected BRO rushed back to their place of posting to tackle the situation.

A contingent plan is also suggested and advised to review the same. The biggest bank of our country always finds out what was the condition of the particular area during the last flood of that area, before selecting an alternative or new Branch premises. The earlier benchmark was 1978 now it is 2000. There are branches which are flood-prone areas, they are mentally prepared on how to tackle the situation with their past experience.

The immediate local of young age group is always the first-hand resource persons to evacuate marooned persons. They required training to do the work more efficiently. They can be given the idea of making improvised rafts which they are capable to do so.

On enquiry of a district of the state of West Bengal, it was found that   the said district, subdivision, and block they prepared their action plan.

Recently the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) organised one symposium with the support of National Institute of Disaster Management ( NIDM), New Delhi  of National Disaster Management Authority on Disaster Management R Risk analysis under Big data paradigm.

The decision support tools by Md Abdul Gani of ATI Kolkata presented. Challenges and opportunities for big data collection was presented by Mr. P G Dhar Chakraborty, he was earlier Director of NIDM. He expressed that the date is scattered, it is to be collected and then stored with the premiere Institute like ISI. They are planning to create tools for natural disasters initially which will be effective for preparation, actual disaster mitigation, and post-disaster scenario.

Kolkata 21^st February 2016

Adventure on Ganga in India

It was in the ’80s a group of NCC cadets from Darjeeling reached Kolkata by a raft from Farakka. They prepared their raft by empty cans of vegetable oil, bamboos. The NCC Naval wing organised several expeditions this distance.

In 1995 14 members did boating by 3 boats from Maharajpur, Jharkhand to Behrampore, West Bengal, it was 5 days to cover 190 km. Nest year 18 members another attempt was  made by two rafts made of tire’s tube, bamboos, and straps and they covered 300 km from Behrampore to Kolkata, it took 8 days. Both the expeditions were organised by The Institute of Exploration, Regional unit Behrampore under the leadership of Mr. Debashish Bhattacharya.

All India Women team did rowing from Rishikesh to Kolkata under the leadership of Ms bachindri Pal. The Central Reserve Police also organised boat expedition from Rishikesh to Kolkata.

An adventure by three members from West Bengal Hiked and trekked from Ganga Sagar to Gomukh, Uttrakhand, it was in 1996, they took 111 days. A book titled “Pai Heta Gangasagar to Gomukh” (On foot Gangasagar to Gomkh) , writer Indranil  Sarathi, he was the leader of the program.

A big-budget program by powerboat  was organised by Indo New Zeland in which Edmund Hillary, President of Indian Mountaineering Foundation H C Sarin, ICS also took part. The Films Division produced a film titled Ocean to Sky.

Alternative dependable communication system in natural disaster, available in India

World Communication Day is 16th May. There are amateur wireless operators who are operating there systems 24x7. These operators give yeomen services to mankind specially during natural disasters. In India, the National Disaster Policy does not include such operators in their disaster mitigation as per the 2005 Policy. The matter was discussed during the Indian national Disaster Congress of 2006. During the Tsunami of 2004 Andaman & Nicobar Islands were cut off from the world, it was the Amateur wireless operators who were temporally operating there they contacted the World first time.

An Indian who was there in December 2004 was asking a media person based at Port Blair regarding their alternative communication system in case of a natural disaster (it was before Tsunami). He was not aware of such a condition. There was no permanent functional amateur wireless station at Andaman & Nicobar in 2004. But the various VHF/HF sets in operation by various agencies never thought that they may be functional after this disaster if they had an alternative plan.

Hut Bay, an Iceland of Andaman & Nicobar https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zznfq56_OCXg.kV881f9TT5QA

This Iceland was detached for a few days during the tsunami, 2004. I understand Bharat Sevashram Sangha of Port Blair went first to relief to this Iceland after this Tsunami.I had visited this Iceland after the Tsunami, the SBI Branch was much affected by this disaster, the branch and staff accommodation were at ground level and the distance is from sea line in normal condition is only 550 meters. These premises has been repaired but still at the same location and even at the same floor. It is difficult to understand why they have not shifted to an alternative safe place. The business area is shifting to higher ground.

I had an opportunity to discuss with the police personnel why there VHF set they could not shift to alternative places to communicate outside the Hut Bay? They have never thought of such a situation. I am not sure are they equip in present day? The authority of the Governments may think satellite phones may be the answer to such situations. My question is this service is free? Amateur wireless operators give service free of charge as a volunteer. Are we not welcome and salute them?

17^th May 2015

Our role on Netaji Subash Chandra Bose and Indian National Army

1.Last year the whole world heard about British Army Museum’s survey report  on ‘Battles to repel Azad Hind Fauj voted UK’s greatest”

Search result at :

https://www.google.co.in/?gws_rd=cr&ei=s0u9UvnIHsGNrQf1sIGoDg#q=Battles+to+repel+Azad+Hind+fauj+voted+UK%27s+greatest+

2.The Ex Azad Hind Fauj settled in India they have been sanctioned pension under the following scheme.

SWATANTRATA SAINIK SAMMAN PENSION SCHEME, 1980 FORMERLY KNOWN AS FREEDOM FIGHTERS’ PENSION SCHEME, 1972. ______of dated  15th AUGUST, 1981 under Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India

http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/pdf/Annexure%201.pdf

3. A discussion DD News on 23^rd January 2015 on Netaji & INA

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SushantaDe/posts/jkhR3Q8FQeZ

4. A discussion :

http://sushantade.blogspot.in/2015/01/netaji-subash-chandra-bose.html

5. A good number of publications have been published on this subject. Our National Net work of libraries should collect impotant publications for the benefit of Indian nationals for national interest. In the past a civil society of Salt lake, West Bengal  ‘The Young Explorers’ Institute for Social Service’ (TYEISS) approached following agencies:

a)    Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata &

b)    National Library. They should procure and arrange for availability to the readers it may be planned  under their existing policies.

6. It is proposed that all our citizens should take part to find out how and what condition they are ( Ex Azad Hind Fauj personnel )who are living in their vicinity. The Akashbani, DD and community radio stations of our country should broadcast/telecast and also up load this audio and video (s) in web so that interested citizens have the access this information. It will be our ‘Sradanjali’ to the great heroes. Indian Independence League (IIL)and Azad Hind Fauj will be 70 years after their surrender in 1945 to Allied Force. The Indian  Banks and Indian Post can take a lead to find out the living Ex Azad Hind Fauj personnel, they are drawing the pension through their branches

7. Our Historians and academicians should take up research and publications for informing the citizens

8. It will be the appropriate if our PMO Office to examine this proposal for the interest of our country. 

KOLPEX 2015 at Nazrul Tirtha, New Town, Rajarhat under the arrangement of India Post

The smart and solar city is  having postal coverage of Kolkata, pin code 700156, and at present the post office located at the  out side the action area. One of the proposed post office  at New Town has acquired land, it will be functional in a latest services as stated by the Post Master General, West Bengal. 

Mr Debashish Sen, Principal Secretary of Department of Urban Development and Chairman of HIDCO was the Chief Guest in a function for opening a Philatelic Exhibition titled KOLPEX 2015 He inaugurated the exhibition and released a special cover on this occasion.

On 11^th march   the first time a philatelic exhibition was organised at New Town, Rajarhat at Nazrul Tirtha (1^st floor), it will be open for the public till 13^th March.

Collection of philatelic materials may be outdated hobby in the cyber age but exhibition shows a good collection of philatelist some of them are Dipak Dey, Malay Sarkar, Eeshita Basu, Souvik Roy and Kolkata GPO.