Shooting on Wallet of Fareed Zakaria

[kazi]

For the sake of *nationalism* is a noble cause. Why noble? because in order to fulfill the cause we have to give more than we receive. In other words, nationalism is a very expensive venture. We can take the example of India, the great land of the Mahatma on whose shoulders nationalism was built with bricks of self-sufficiency... everything foreign was abhorred, every foreigner was expelled. It was only after 50 long years of poverty that India opened up to globalization, which in turn has brought riches galore. Today, India is probably among the leading global leaders.

I am an ardent fan of nationalism. However, this is not something that can be thrust upon the masses. The masses have to recognize diversity and choose solidarity, thus leading to nationalism. Its good to know that there are other people who seek solidarity.

[Ganesha]

And then this thread just died down. Nothing happened. Life goes on...

[kazi]

Well, what can we expect out of negativity? If our neighbour builds a house by cutting down our tree, do we break his house? Perhaps not. We sue him, right? Or else, build a bigger house to make ourself feel better? When there is so much optimism to be had why do we Nepalis choose negativity? Most of us are as viciously defensive of Nepali pride as any other person, but our goal should be to seek solution, not to rant and rave and forget about it. Good reminder, @Ganesha.

[kazi]

The other day I met this young Indian student who recently arrived. He was asking me where I was from and when he found out I was from Nepal, he appeared relieved and somehow happy and said, "Oh, thats in India." His reasoning was that since Indians do not need passport and visa to come to Nepal. "Well in that case," I said, "Its a matter of perspective. I think India is in Nepal." I'm sure you all can imagine what the rest of the conversation was like.

This brings me back to the subject of this discussion that some people claim Buddha to be born in India. Since @bhanu breached the subject some time back, I was wondering what is the core of the problem and I think I understand now. Firstly, I think Indian education is such that they teach that Nepal is a part of India. No wonder they think Buddha was born in India. Secondly, I think Nepalis are seasoned by the years of servitude to think that we are somehow inferior to India. Somehow, in our minds, we make up for our lack of resources and minimality of compass with the height of Sagarmatha and the greatness of Buddha.

There is no doubt in my mind that Buddha was born in a garden called Lumbini in Kapilvastu, which is in Nepal. Denying a fact, and that too by a graduate level student, says more about the student than about Nepal. So, my fellow countrymen, be proud. Even though the geography of our country forces us to turn left and right at the whim of nature, whether left handed or right, let us join hands in solidarity and take the straight walk to democracy.

[Ganesha]

Denying a fact, and that too by a graduate level student, says more about the student than about Nepal

This I would like to rewrite as follows:

Denying a fact, and that too by a graduate level student, says more about the attitude of people in his country than about the student himself.

BPK has repeatedly said in his Jail Journal that he never trusted Indian Politicians though at times, he requested and received assistance from them. At one point, he goes to an extreme and says that the issue lies in the Indian psyche.

What you say kazi rings very true though. It is only us and our inability to see ourselves equally or more capable than them or anybody else for that matter. It is our own complex. The burden lies with us and onus to do something about it too is on our shoulders.

[kazi]

You are braver than me. I would not dare to make such a generalization because its logically and morally going out on a limb.

And, I'm glad you agree about our own complex. That is the first sign of progress because there can be no change without knowing where the core of the problem lies. But you have to realize that this is an intellectual progress fit for individuals. We need to somehow transform this to the masses. I have a broad vision, but am still lacking technical details of *how*.

[kazi]

For all the debate going on about Buddha's birthplace, its surprising that only a few sources scientifically claim Buddha to be born in India. I searched a bit and found a possible reason for this confusion:

(a) Some researchers claim that Buddha was born in a village named Kapileshwor in Orissa, India based on an Ashoka inscription. However scientists have not given academic credence to their claims and agree that Buddha was born in Lumbini, based on the originality of Ashoka's pillar. For details, please go to this link. Another factual site is here.

(b) There are other people who agree that Buddha was born in Lumbini, but that, the name Nepal did not exist then. But by the same logic it can also be said that India did not exist then. And by the same logic, Dehradoon, Simraungadh, Sikkim and Darjeeling are in Nepal, which sounds really absurd to me. And if this sounds absurd, then to say that Lumbini is not Nepal sounds equally absurd.

I think we should compile a list of all the sources, online and offline that misinform the public that Buddha was born in India. Normally I try to ignore discussions in bulletin boards (except one that I found comments hilarious, #6). Here are a few links accessible online:

1. http://www.aboutbuddha.org (Northern India)
2. http://orias.berkeley.edu(Indian-Nepalese border)
3. http://www.hinduonnet.com (Kapileshwar, a village in Bhubaneswor, India)
4. http://www.mortensvenningsen.com (Nepal did no exist then)
5. http://www.buddhistchannel.tv (Orissa)
6. http://movies.dcealumni.com(Siddhartha is a Sanskrit name, not spoken in Kapilvastu at that time)
7. http://www.indiamike.com (Orissa)
8. http://www.urbandharma.org (borders of Nepal)
9. http://www.buddhamind.info (northern India -- modern day Nepal)
10. http://kadampa.org/ (northern India -- currently Nepal)