You are very right Uttam. The sensitivities and taste of our pillars of society leaves a lot to be desired. They attempt to copy the west to look sophisticated, but has no intellectual foundation and self esteem to speak of. Such a culture is is destined for doom in a very short period of time as is becoming quite evident all over India. I wished Assam's intelligentsia and the pillars of Assam's cultural heritage would have risen to oppose this brazen undertaking.
If someone can get the e-mail address of this group of people who are taking on the opposition to the Sai-Baba structure, I will be pleased to offer my moral support. I welcome others to join in this effort by writing an open letter to Assam media and help give the effort publicity with the hope of raising public awareness, like we did on behalf of retaining the 'Assam' name and not desecrating it as 'Asom'. cm PS: We should not mix up Sai-Baba 's religion or cult with the architectural desecration of arguably Assam's most significant archaeological edifice. It is not about Sai Baba,not about Ali Baba or not about any Baba. At 1:57 PM +0000 3/28/08, uttam borthakur wrote: >There has been a trend in mainland India ( especially the northern >part) to rob the ancient places of worship or other heritage sites >of their solemnity by replacing or supplementing those with >grotesque ostentations.The face-lift they try to give to >degenerating relics are ususally poorly done with abject lack of >imagination and the result is usually pathetic. This philistine >mind-set has taken roots in Assam also. We are also to be blamed >becasue we have become desentized and have allowed money to have its >way. > >Mridul Bhuyan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: What I remember during >my childhood, when I was probably in Class-X, In the Siva Doul >Complex, prayer meetings of Sai Baba followers were held regularly >on Sundays. > >However, I am of the opinion that allowing prayer in a temple >complex does not entitle one to build a temple in the near vicinity >of such an old temple complex against the law. > >Regards >Mridul > >Chan Mahanta wrote: >Ram: > >To give you a nasty reply: > >Do you think the questions you ask about permits, neighborhood's >apporval etc. have any merit in the context? What--have you become >American or something ? > > >How did the municipality land got to Sai Baban's? Good question Ram. >But not a smart one if you forgot what I mean. > > >> >Why did the interested public not protest before the construction >>of the Sai >>Baba temple started? > > >I have been trying to educate you folks about that., But obviously >you don't learn do you? > > >> >Lastly, why did the Sai Baba people want to build a temple right next to a >>historical site? > >Take a wild guess! > > >> >Lastly, why did the Sai Baba people want to build a temple right next to a >historical site? > >Take another wild guess! > > > >**** Bottom line Ram is this: These are structures of Assam's >historical /archaeological heritage . The deserve not to be >desecrated by new construction within its visual bounds -- no matter >dedicated to what god/s , no matter how beautiful. It is a matter of >cultural aesthetics, something our people need a ahuge amount of >educating on. > >Incidentally, when I become the Emperor of Xiboxagor, one of the >first things I will do will be to tear down that horrible water tank >that was built rifght near the Xibo-doul, nearly a quarter century >back. > > >*** The Texan Mosque v/s the Church is an issue of religious >bigotries on the part of the Church-wallas. >The Moswquewallas got the permit obviously because it is an area >zoned for Places of Worship. So the Zoning authorities were not at >fault. When the dispute goes to litigation, I would bet you a dollar >the Mosque-wallas will win. Exactly similar thing happened right here >in St. Louis, TWICE. Both the times the Mosques got built. > >c-da :-) > > > > > >At 8:48 AM -0600 3/27/08, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > >C'da, >> >>The preservation of historical and ancient idols are, of course, paramount, >>and all of us should support such efforts. >> >>Some questions do arise though: >> >>How is it possible for any private organization to build on land owned by > >the Sivasagar Municipality Board? >> >>It seems the Sai Baba temple is being built as we speak, so how did the >>District authorities give it permissions? Aren't these authorities also >>interested in the preservation of these ancient idols? >> >>Why did the interested public not protest before the construction of the Sai >>Baba temple started? (when the permits were issued or the when the >>foundations were just being laid). How does it benefit anyone at mid-waters? >> >>Lastly, why did the Sai Baba people want to build a temple right next to a >>historical site? >> >>In Texas there was something vaguely similar. >> >>A mosque was being built (on land purchased by some Muslim business people). >>There was a Church nearby. >>The issuing authorities of course issued permits without batting an eyelid. >>But, no one protested when the permits were issued. Then there was a huge >>public outcry against building of the mosque. >>Now, I think it is in in litigation, and there is lot of ill feelings in >>both communities. >> >>Sometimes such confrontations can be deftly avoided with some prudence by >>both the issuing authorities and the protesting public. >> >>Religious groups often want to force their presence in some place or the >>other, just because they have a 'right' to do so. And their reasoning seems >>to be to propogate their brand of religion - make it more palatable among >>the natives, so to speak :) >> >>Also would a Naam Garh have made a difference? Don't know. >> >>Skeptical as always:) >> >>--Ram >> >> >> >>On 3/27/08, Chan Mahanta wrote: >>> >>> Can we raise OUR voices in support of these 'scribes'? It will be a >>> worthy effort. >>> >>> cm >>> >>> >>> >>> http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=mar2708\State2 >>> >>> >>> Scribes oppose Sai Baba temple near Bishnu Dol >>> From Our Correspondent >>> SIVASAGAR, March 26 - Scribes in Sivasagar, accredited to various >>> newspapers and channels met DC Sivasagar NM Hussain and submitted a >> > memorandum requesting him to intervene personally on behalf of >>> District Administration in the construction of a three storey mandir >>> of Sri Satya Sai Baba on a plot allegedly belonging to Sivasagar >>> Municipality Board barely a few meters away from historic Bishnu-dol. >>> It may be mentioned here that the three historic dols, Vishnu, Shiva >>> and Devidol built by Borraja Draupadi Modambika, 2nd queen of King >>> Shivasingha in 1731 AD are under preservation and protection of >>> Archeological Survey of India (ASI) since 1988. According to ancient >>> monuments and Archeological Sites & Remains Act 1959, no permanent >>> construction on excavation work can be undertaken within a distance >>> of 200 metres of the monuments protected by ASI. Therefore, the >>> scribes feel that the construction of the Sai Temple should be halted >>> and also other constructions in the entire area without ASI approved. >>> >>> The scribes included Prof Sonaram Boruah, Prof Guna Baruah, Manoj >>> Borthakur, Maniram Dutta, MI Bora, Mujhaheed Ali, Purusuttam Kalita, >>> Ratu Das, Ratul Konwar, Konkan Bora and Jyotirmoy Rajkhowa. The >>> scribes have also sent copies of the memorandum to regional director >>> ASI, NE Circle, Sivasagar Development Authority and Sivasagar >>> Municipality Board. >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> assam mailing list >>> assam@assamnet.org >>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >>> >>_______________________________________________ >>assam mailing list >>assam@assamnet.org >>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > >_______________________________________________ >assam mailing list >assam@assamnet.org >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > >--------------------------------- >Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. >_______________________________________________ >assam mailing list >assam@assamnet.org >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > >Uttam Kumar Borthakur > > >--------------------------------- > Get the freedom to save as many mails as you wish. Click here to know how. >_______________________________________________ >assam mailing list >assam@assamnet.org >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
