Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, June 29: A two-day national conference on ‘Indian Himalayan Buddhist Communities: Cultural Preservation and Identity – Challenges & Way Forward in 21st Century’ organized by The Tawang Foundation (TTF) under the aegis of Youth Action for Social Welfare, Tawang with support from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India began at Gurgaon, Haryana, on Friday.
The seminar is being attended by more than 250 delegates from all over Himalayan Buddhist region including Tawang, Sikkim, Lahoul-Spitti, Kinauur, Uttrakhand and Ladakh. This is for the first time ever Indian Himalayan Buddhist Communities are coming together on one platform to discuss common issues and also way forward strategies to counter challenges of the ill effects of modern consumerism impacting religion and cultural traditions.
Chairman, Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) Government of India and Centre’s interlocutor for talks with Naga groups, R N Ravi inaugurated the conference. A video message by Dalai Lama was also played at the start of the conference followed by a video message by 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje. In his video message to the people of Himalayan regions, Dalai Lama emphasized for the need of paying more attention to study Buddhists texts than merely following rituals. He advised Himalayan people to be 21st century’s Buddhists with full knowledge of Buddha’s teachings while respecting all religious traditions.
Vice president, Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), P.T. Kunzang is leading over 35 delegates including scholars, politicians and journalists from Ladakh in the national conference. Among others present on the occasion include TK Lochen Tulku, Director The Tawang Foundation (TTF) Maling Gombo, Urgain Rinpoche and several Tulkus and many scholars from the Himalayan regions. P.T. Kunzang also read out a message sent by Union Minister, Kiran Rijiju. Among other issues, Ladakhi delegates have planned to raise the issue of Ladakh’s longstanding UT demand and the inclusion of Bhoti language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution in the two-day conference.
Himalayan regions are repository of rich cultural heritage of Buddhist traditions that flourished for thousands of years in harsh geographical conditions, vibrant living Buddhist heritage is undergoing a rapid transformation in its polity, culture and socio-economic changes leading to strategic challenges.
The national conference is aimed at reforming traditional models of monastic education, creating opportunities for re-connect and social engagement between monastic and lay communities and developing new models of teaching Buddhism to lay communities and redefining the role of monastics in the 21st century.
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