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Bodhgaya to all humankind

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

odhgaya: The very word conjures up images of the sacred site where Buddha attained enlightenment, under the shade of a magnificent Bodhi tree. After more than 2,500 years, it remains the most supreme and inspirational place of Buddhist worship in the world.

The historic site, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in June this year, will evoke much religious fervour this December when Bodhgaya is dedicated to all humankind. Massive celebrations have been planned and the city of Gaya will be then renamed as Gautam Nagar, the cradle of Buddhism.

But a tussle between the Bihar administration and the Bodhgaya management is delaying the dedication ceremony, according to an official associated with the development planning. And the failure to reach a consensus is also making the ambitious development plans rot, while the people await renewed interest in their city's development.

As the Bihar administration continues to insist on clearing the structures within the buffer zone, as required by UNECO, the grand dedication ceremony has been postponed to December with no date being fixed.

Elaborate plans are afoot to unearth the Buddhist heritage that remains buried and to restore the past glory. Gautam Nagar will be developed under a new development model. " The dedication ceremony will be an extremely elaborate and evocative one that would draw all attention to Bodhgaya again, said Director, Indian Tourism Development Corporation, Ashwani Lohani.

Lohani who was the driving force behind the initial plan to win UNESCO heritage status for the site, told The Sunday Leader that Bodhgaya's dedication will inspire the entire Buddhist world "with participation from all Buddhist countries and state patronage from India."

Boghgaya is a magnificent temple complex found in the state of Bihar in Eastern India, within the administrative district of Gaya. Administered by the Indian Mahabodhi Society, Bodhgaya is the one destination that draws the highest number of tourists from Buddhist countries.

Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its outstanding universal value, Bodhgaya is the 23rd such site in India and the very first in the state of Bihar. At present, there are 730 such sites the world over.

While the tussle continues, Indian authorities have made ambitious plans for Bodhgaya. As the dedication ceremony draws near, the Bihar administration is busy attempting to clear the unauthorised structures within the area that is to be declared as the buffer zone.

Ambitious plan

The plans primarily include a special project to unearth a buried city in the area once known as Uruvela, a master plan to develop 12 acres and promote massive religious tourism, all of which are a part of one ambitious plan.

Proposed in March 2000, the UNESCO World Heritage Site status announcement made in Budapest, in June, led to massive celebrations in all parts of India, particularly in the state of Bihar as people exchanged sweetmeats, lit crackers and played traditional music in a spirit of celebration. They will soon have more cause for celebration, when Bodhgaya is ceremonially dedicated to all humanity.

As the Bihar government prepares to launch a massive development programme in the city of Gaya, the Mahabodhi management entrusted with the administrative responsibilities and the protection of the unique site since1953 has called for the support of Buddhists world over to restore Bodhgaya to its past glory.

The proposed city of Gautam Nagar needs the urgent developing of a buffer zone around the Mahabodhi temple complex, removal of all shops, business establishments, government and residential buildings within the demarcated area forthwith to meet UNESCO requirements.

The Bihar Urban Development Ministry and the Maghad Division are to jointly introduce a three-phased development programme in Gaya, which will cover a buffer zone of 12 acres , create a meditation park, Buddhist museum and information centers, at a cost of US $ 1,765,500.

Buried city

The master plan will also include the creation of a backdrop, with appropriately landscaped lawns, flower beds, a deer park and meditation areas for monks and laymen.

Meanwhile, the Maghad Archaeological Development Project has also planned extensive excavations and conservation to reveal the buried ancient city of the Mahabodhi Complex with its many sanctuaries built by various kings of different countries, during the course of many centuries.

" It is an inspiring project. I think an orphan finally able to trace his mother would feel this excited - looking for the past link" an official involved in the project said.

Besides all the development work concerning the site, the Indian authorities are concerned about promoting religious tourism to Bodhgaya. Come December, there will be direct flights from Delhi to Bodhgaya daily.

It would augur well for Bodhgaya and the Buddhist people the world over to ensure that immediate action is taken to settle the minor political dispute and make way for the necessary development to take place. The place where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment should inspire people to seek truth and reflect upon life, than be grounds to a dispute that prevents Bodhgaya from achieving its full potential.

In the philosophical and cultural context, the Mahabodhi Temple Complex is of great relevance to the most important events in the life of Gautama Buddha, and hence forms much of the tangible heritage.

The temple itself, a grand 50 metre high structure is regarded as a significant component of the site, which is also one of the most ancient temple structures existing in the Indian sub continent, dating back to 6th Century BC. It is also believed to be one of the very few representations of the architectural genius of the Indian people in constructing a fully developed brick temple.

Living testimony

The complex itself forms another significant part of the site, which is living testimony to India's developed architecture and artistic finesse. It contains several well-preserved temple structures and the famous grand structure.

The sculptured stone railings are held to be 'an outstanding example of the art and architecture of the period of emperor Ashoka (3rd Century BC).

Besides the main temple complex, there are six other sacred spots including the sacred Bodhi tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment and the lotus pond where Buddha meditated afterwards.

Referring to the grand architectural style manifested in the complex, the proposal forwarded by the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) to UNESCO canvassing World Heritage Site status said: "As such, it bears an exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition and to the prevalent forms of architecture in the late Gupta Period, also known as the Golden Age of Indian Culture."

The Buddha is believed to have said to his closest disciple, Ananda Thero:

" There are four places Ananda, which the believing man should visit with feelings of reverence. The place Ananda, at which the believing man can say,

Here the Tathagata was born (Lumbini)

Here the Tathagata attained the supreme and perfect insight (Bodhgaya)

Here was the kingdom of righteousness set on foot by the Tathagata (Saranath)

Here is the Tathagata passed finally away in that utter passing away which leaves nothing whatsoever remain behind (Kusinagar)"

( Maha Parnibbana Sutta translated by T.W. Rhys Davis)

"What if Ga was here today?"

By Ruan Pethiyagoda

My finest memories of my uncle Gamini Dissanayake are not based on actual occasions, but instead on qualities of his personality that I remember from my childhood. I was only nine years old when he was swept away from us at a time when he was so close to achieving his childhood ambition. Therefore it is surprising that I have such vivid memories of him, but all of these memories are to his merit, for even in his darkest of times (1989-1993) he would get together with his family, and enjoy a laugh and engage in general conversation, showing no signs of being a minister expelled from his cabinet or of being an MP being forced out of his seat. Despite Ga Mami's love and devotion to the politics of his country, in his scheme of things, his family always came first.

This was made obvious by the fact that during that bleak era, I cannot remember ever seeing him even once without a smile on his face. For a man who endured so much suffering at the hands of people he had helped so much, I now find this remarkable. From the way in which he made time for his family, I have no difficulty in believing what people say, that Ga Mami always found time for everyone.

Sheer courage

I always thought that his job must have been very exciting and amusing, as Ga Mami was always smiling. I knew little then about politics and the dangers he faced day in and day out. The first time I heard about these dangers was when I heard that Ga Mami's friend "Uncle Lalith" had died. I did not know until a few days later that he had been shot, but I knew that Ga Mami and Lalith Athulathmudali did the "same job together" or "worked in the same office." So from that moment on, I was aware of my uncle's sheer courage in fighting the game of politics.

My family was living in Borella at the time of Mr. Athulathmudali's funeral, and I remember my brother and I choking from the tear gas attack at Kanatte, as the gas had spread as far as Shady Grove Avenue off Cotta Road. Going to school the next day I saw the broken walls at the Kanatte Cemetery, a sign that people had been trapped and had to escape by somehow breaking through a concrete wall. I knew that whoever had done this was one of Ga Mami's enemies, because my entire family had been at Kanatte for the cremation.

When we migrated to Australia in 1993, I remember that Ga Mami would call us at least once a month to check on us. I picked up little bits and pieces from adult conversations about the problems with the LTTE, and the assassination of the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. I knew that Ga Mami was still in danger, because his aim was to become the President of Sri Lanka.

At 5:30 a.m. on October 24th, 1994, my uncle Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria called to inform my mother that Ga Mami had been murdered. The news was inexplicably disastrous, but I must reluctantly admit that it was of little surprise, for whilst Wickrema Mami was speaking to my mother, I could read from her face sans details, exactly what had happened. I did not ask her when she ended the call and broke out into tears; I took it for granted that only one thing could possibly happen that would result in a phone call at 5:30 a.m. less than two weeks away from Colombo's presidential elections.

Phenominal sight

We arrived in Sri Lanka the very next day, early in the morning, and that afternoon we went to Alfred House Gardens to pay our last respects to Gamini Dissanayake. When we got on to Duplication Road from Queen's Road, the sight before me was phenomenal. The road was blocked on all sides, not by vehicles, but by people who had the same destination as us. We had to get out of the vehicle in order to get into the house. Inside I saw Ga Mami in his open coffin. It was at that moment only that I believed he was dead. I cannot remember my reaction, but I remember those around me. There were hundreds of faces I had never seen in my life, all in tears. Outside, there were hundreds more waiting to pay their last respects. It was impossible to believe that one man could touch so many lives with such magnitude that they would flock outside his gate in the noon sun in order to merely see his face just one last time.

It is not fully obvious why so many people were affected by his death. It is true that Ga Mami had persona and charisma applauded by people all over the world, yet it is quite likely that he never actually met half of the people whose lives he touched. Ga Mami took part in several election campaigns and made countless speeches. To us, these are "just speeches," but for the majority of the millions who listened to his oratory, the content of his speeches, what he said and what he promised, inspired scores of Sri Lankans throughout the country and gave those who were desperate, some hope to their lives. When he finally came into government, he kept his promises and on top of that, drove harder to develop the life of the individual Sri Lankan to the best of his capabilities.

There is no need to go into details of his individual achievements. It is plain to see that Ga Mami undertook many monumental tasks and held many offices, and made outstanding contributions to each and every one of them.  All those who worked with him, without exception still hold with them fond memories of their endeavours together and whenever a political crisis has erupted in recent days, the thought embossed in everyone's mind is: "What if Ga was here today?" Ga Mami was a man who was respected and looked up to by nearly a whole united nation, regardless of each person's political affiliations. It would be hard to find a single other individual in Sri Lanka's democratic history who was so highly acclaimed by his peers and so respected by his enemies. Unlike many leading statesmen in today's world, this was a man who was never laughed at throughout his career and whose opinion was always taken seriously.

Vision

It is evil and most unfortunate that Ga Mami was never allowed by fate and his country's enemies to serve his motherland with the flexibility for which he had strived for so many years. There is nothing anyone can do now that will help him achieve his goals as he is no more, however his vision for a united nation, and his ideology of Sri Lanka's fate should not be buried in the sands of time. In his many speeches, he spoke of many common values that he wished for every Sri Lankan, and these values are relevant for today. Today marks the 8th anniversary of his death, and today he would be 60 years old.

Ten years ago, his friends and colleagues published a collection of essays in felicitation of Ga Mami's 50th birthday: Gamini Dissanayake, 50: A Beginning. This was a unique publication that demonstrated from several varied viewpoints, what can be achieved by a great man in 50 years of life, or 24 years in politics. Fifty four need not be the end of Ga Mami's legacy, as his aspirations and dreams were not hidden, but freely expressed by him to anyone who was willing to listen. Most of what he wished to accomplish as executive president of Sri Lanka is clear, and should these ambitious missions ever be accomplished, it is commonsense that he should be credited for them, as these were his objectives, first set by him. It would not be fair to allow Gamini Dissanayake to be forgotten with the passing of time, as many major national developments since his death, were first envisioned by him.

Achievements

Much is left to be done, and it can only be said that if Ga Mami were alive today, the entire political landscape of the country would be turned upside down. In his 24 years of involvement in his country's politics, he achieved more than a lifetime's worth of milestones and records. His death, although wretched, has shown us what a single man is capable of achieving in a mere half lifetime of 54 years. By this country's constitution, one can only remain president for two terms of office, which is 12 years. It can only be left to the individual imagination, what Gamini Dissanayake could have achieved in 12 years as president of this country, after having achieved so much in just twice that time in various levels of politics.

Ga Mami's achievements and the unique potential he possessed to drive this country forward should never be forgotten, not 8 or even 80 years after his death, as he set so many standards and touched so many aspects of so many lives, that it would be ignorant and ungrateful to this great man to allow his accomplishments and goals to be forgotten. We should consider the few key areas in which he made his most remarkable achievements, such as cricket, the Mahaweli projects, and political freedom campaigns, and we should wonder, where Sri Lanka would be today had Gamini Dissanayake never existed, and thus we should be indebted to our country that such a man did exist, even if for such an ironically short period of time.

In service of the lepers

I am a FMM (Franciscan Missionary of Mary) from Spain who came to Sri Lanka 48 years ago,

answering the Lord's call to serve Him. The begining was not easy with the climate, food and language totally different from what I was used to.  My missionary work began at Moratuwa with the abandoned babies.

After sometime, doing different types of work, my desire was fulfilled.  I began to work for my friends - the lepers.  The first contacts were difficult to find - long distances to travel to meet them in their villages, with no transport to their hiding places.  They try to be separate from society.  They know that people and their own families look down on them due to ignorance and fear.  There is a stigma on them because of their deformities and ulcers.

The memory of my first experience of dressing a wound comes back now after so many years.  I remember the sound of the scissors, ras...ras....ras. I performed my first amputation of a toe in a hut at Ekiriyankumbura -  the patient seated on the ground and I kneeling beside him dressing his wounds, helped by the Public Health Inspector.  This was the start of so many dressings I have done to these poor unfortunate brothers and sisters.

Later I went to work regularly in the Mantivu Leper Hospital, which is situated on a beautiful island surrounded by the blue lagoon.  It is a place of human suffering and despair, often reflected on the faces and the actions of the patients.  For 10 years I saw to their spiritual and material needs, cleaning their ulcers, dressing their wounds, talking, consoling and giving them tasty food, thus bringing them out of their despondency and making them happy.

Now the situation of the lepers has changed as the World Health Organisation has declared that leprosy is similar to any other skin disease.  New cases are easy to control as dapson is given to the patients as soon as they report to any hospital.  The patients do not like others to know of their disease and so it is a big problem.

It was good to be at Mantivu Hospital serving the suffering people.  The patients - Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims all come into the chapel for the weekly Mass and for other occasions.  It was always special for them.  They are in great need to be loved, just as they are in need to be given medical treatment.

Though the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary are no longer serving in the leper hospitals at Hendala and Mantivu, there are a few sisters engaged in caring for the lepers in different areas. Our congregation gives financial, material and medical help to the patients according to their needs.  We also see to better housing facilities for them and to the education of their children.

I consider it a great privilege to do this work for the leper patients as an invitation from our founder, Mother Mary of the Passion to her daughters after the example of St. Francis.

Sr. Maria Cruz FMM

Lasting achievements...

This continued for a couple of months and one day Mr. Premadasa called me and said: "Sirisena this cannot go on. If you want to keep on doing this you can, but I will not. Who are the people who are coming? Those around us; not the people who voted for us." He instituted a different system from then on. If anyone wanted to see him specifically about something, they were asked to come to Sucharitha every morning with a letter detailing the problem/request. He came over from the Temple Trees to Sucharitha every morning around 4-4.30 am to meet these people. It was a far more effective system.

Our system of information gathering and storage was extremely helpful to us during these early days. When I went to the Common Amenities Board I took these files with me and they were of use in my attempts to improve the living conditions of the residents of tenement gardens. When I went to Malaysia as the High Commissioner, I left the files with the people at Sucharitha. Unfortunately after that this system went into disuse for lack of regular updating.

Not happy

Soon after I went to Malaysia, Mr. Premadasa told me that he wanted me to be the UNP's mayoral candidate for Colombo. I was not happy with the idea because it would have meant increased involvement in politics, whereas I wanted to reduce my political involvement. So we decided that the former Special Commissioner B.A. Jayasinghe would be a suitable candidate. Unfortunately soon after, he died. Then Mr. Premadasa renewed his proposal. He used to call me frequently on this matter and he got a number of our mutual friends also to put pressure on me. I later heard that whenever he went outstation with one of our mutual friends he would say: "I'm sure Sirisena is not happy in Malaysia. He can't live there. He must be missing Sri Lanka." The purpose was to get these people also to persuade me to come back and contest the mayoralty.

One day Mr. Premadasa called me and said that the party has not been able to find a suitable mayoral candidate. I mentioned a couple of names but he rejected both. I could see that he was determined to have me. Then as usual I began to dither. So when Ajantha Wijesena called and tried to get me to change my mind I said that first I need to talk to my family. By this time we had sold all our possessions in Sri Lanka, including crockery and cutlery. I told Ajantha to ask Mr. Premadasa to give me a little time to consult my family and call me at a particular time in a couple of days. And promptly at the appointed time Mr. Premadasa called me. I expressed my agreement to contest the mayoral elections. He was very happy. He told me that he would inform President Jayewardene. Later Ranil Wickremesinghe who was the deputy foreign minister at that time called me and told me that the president wants me back in Sri Lanka for a consultation. I don't think Ranil knew the reason.

So less than a year after I left Colombo, I came back. When I met JRJ he told me: "Cooray this man (Mr. Premadasa) can't work with anyone without you. We came up with a number of names for the mayoralty. He did not agree. And since he is the minister of local government the mayor should be someone who can work with him. Contest the election; it is important for us. Wait for one year and then go back. I will send you back." JRJ knew both my father and my brother very well and he had known me from the time I was six years old. He was very fond of my father because my father helped him to win an important election petition. I heard that he had told a number of people: "I don't know why Cooray is with Premadasa. He should be with me." That was because both my father and my brother worked for him. But in my case it was different. I was working for a cause.     

 As the mayor I continued with the programme to improve the conditions of the slum gardens. UNICEF was closely involved in the whole project. We came up with a programme to convert bucket lavatories to ones with water sealed closets. There were 5,000 bucket lavatories in just Colombo North. Every morning these buckets had to be removed manually. The refuse was taken away in open lorries and the whole area used to stink. It was an appalling sight. I had found out all these details during my stint at the Common Amenities Board. Our plan was to provide residents with the necessary assistance and get them to construct septic tanks. This programme worked and as a result today there are no bucket lavatories in Colombo.   

I remember a speech I made at the opening of Gunasinghepura. Mr. Premadasa was also there. I said here is a man who had seen the two eras of Kehelwatte - its prosperity when it was the Kurunduwatte of Colombo and its decline. Now he wants to bring back prosperity to Kehelwatte. I think he wanted to do the same for all the other poor, neglected areas in the country. That was what the Uda Gam movement was all about.

Gam Udawa

The first Gam Udawa was a relatively small affair at Yapahuwa. The second one was in Ampara and it was there my own involvement with Gam Udawa began. I remember that K.H.J. Wijedasa was the director in charge. By that time I had become the mayor of Colombo. Our old friend Aloysius Mudalali used to come and tell me how Mr. Premadasa was berating the officials for not meeting his targets. One day when we were talking Mr. Premadasa told me: "Sirisena why don't you go and take a look." That was how my involvement with the Gam Udawa began.

I remember the CMC used to have a stall at every Gam Udawa. When Mr. Premadasa took over the Housing Ministry it had very few resources. The expansion into a mega ministry happened under him. Since the CMC had all the necessary resources we used those for the Gam Udawa work. Almost every Gam Udawa followed a pattern. About two months before the event Mr. Premadasa used to tell me: "Sirisena I think you should go and take a look now." And until I went and took over, the officials used to get scolded. The officials used to be relieved when I took over.

Massive job

Gam Udawa was a massive job that had to be completed in a short time. The exhibition was only one component of it. The more important component was the district development work. Initially a plan would be prepared covering the entire district. This would not be limited to housing and would involve every aspect of development. All the ministries used to participate in this effort and our task was to coordinate these different activities. We would prepare a schedule listing the development activities we could complete in one year. It was called the Accelerated District Development Programme. There was also a continuous programme that went on even after the Gam Udawa exhibition was over. Then there was the monitoring aspect. Every target had to be met and no delays were tolerated.

Gam Udawa was criticised so much precisely because it was a great success. In preparing for Gam Udawa the first item on the agenda was picking a location. Priority was accorded to the more underdeveloped, neglected areas. The weather was also a consideration since it was necessary for the success of the exhibition.

To be continued next week

LIFE WITH EVE

By Sonali Samarasinghe

Chilling new images orboring old clich,s?

hile I am the first to acknowledge that the electronic media is superlative in many respects it is also a master of the clich‚

Where would copy writers for TV news channels be, if they didn't have 'chilling,' 'powerful,' 'winning combination,' 'candle lit vigils,' and 'heartfelt' words to precede their sentences? If they didn't have a tool kit of sledgehammer adjectives, clich‚s and jargon to activate their keen minds and transform their thoughts into coherent verbiage? And so 'chilling' new evidence is always found whether it is 10 minutes after-the -fact or indeed 20 years after a 'horrific' crime 'rocked' the nation.

The face of some unfortunate six-year-old, the victim of a crime committed two decades ago, is posted on the screen and described as being 'unforgettable' and 'familiar to the whole nation.' Viewers, undoubtedly shocked and sympathetic at the severity of the crime, and innocence and helplessness of the victim, are still inclined to be puzzled. And rightly.

Unforgettable, well known?

Consider. A large percentage of the Australian nation is less than 30 years of age and thus would have been toddlers or unborn when the crime occurred. And mind you, many immigrants have come over to the country less than 20 years ago. Yet, the newsreader continues to insist that the picture of the little girl on the screen is unforgettable and well known. Unforgettable? Okay. Well known? Puh-lease.

Nothing brings out the clich‚ like a tragedy. The Diana story, September 11 a.k.a the 'day the world changed,' or as I like to call it, 'the day the penny dropped.' And now it is the Kuta beach tragedy in Indonesia. While I may talk callously of the clich‚ I certainly do not do so of the tragedy itself. One cannot be a product of an island ravaged by a 17-year civil war that has left 64,000 dead, and not feel the pain of such bombings.

That said, ever thought of the glibness with which people use facts and figures. For the past decade the war in Sri Lanka has been called the 17-year-civil war, and for as long as I can remember the death toll from the war has remained at '64,000.' I might be guilty of a little exaggeration, but not much. And why is a vigil described as candle lit, even of a morning? I admit a vigil usually may mean keeping awake at hours when sleep is customary but I draw the line at them always having to be candle-lit. Edison invented the light bulb decades ago. I may be wrong, but a vigil need not always be candle-lit as much as a supper need not always feature lit candles.

Then there are the 'heartfelt' condolences. This qualification must be made just in case one mistakes them for superficial, apathetic condolences people tend to send these days. Just in case the actions of persons queuing for hours outside the embassy of a country devastated by disaster, waiting to place a wreath or card at the gate, could somehow be misinterpreted as a cruel manifestation of a heartless condolence. I sit back on my couch and listen to a girl telling me that she will now show me 'powerful'  new images of an event that will change the way I think.

We report, you believe

We report, you decide? Or rather, we report, you believe because-these-are-powerful-images - and-you-are-being-led-by-the-nose. Consider cricket. Two opening batsmen might have made a 100 together on an off chance seven years ago, but to commentators, they will remain the 'winning combination.' Statistics may show that the pair has since, scored more ducks than anyone else in the world, but that will not stop the 'winning combination.'

A field tactic might have paid dividends in a friendly test match two years ago, but it will probably remain a 'match winning' tactic. And even as I write, I hear the box saying the Indonesian government will leave 'no stone unturned' to find the perpetrators of the 'heinous' crime that rocked Bali. Bush in the meantime will continue to 'smoke terrorists out of their holes.' Muslim clerics ponder at the 'irony of fate' holding that nobody is as 'white as snow' and as human beings we need to be with each other 'through thick and thin.'

I am also told it is now imperative to 'explore every avenue' and bring to justice terrorists who 'mindlessly' attack innocent victims with no 'rhyme or reason.' Whether terrorists mindlessly attack targets or intend to do so after careful plotting and with unmistakable criminal intent, I leave open to debate. However, one thing is certain. The clich‚ is alive and well.