> >I am as sentimental as you are on the preservation of historical >/archaeological heritage.
You got it wrong again Ram. It is not about sentimentality. People who do not know how to preserve their cultural heritage will lose their cultural identity very rapidly. Last November I was horrified to witness the last remaining pieces of the over 400 years old Tawang monastery's original timber craftsmanship and frescoes of a very sophisticated Tibetan architectural heritage torn down and being replicated by North-Indian laborers, in cement and concrete. I asked if the ornate, carved and painted timber would be re-used. The workers shook their heads --- naaah! More than likely they will be burnt by the next cold spell to warm some cold and culturally dead bodies. Nobody was there to give a hoot about what a priceless heritage the Monpas have so easily given away to Indian rupees that bought their culture over, while some Rajasthani Military Engg. Service bigwig in full regalia, surrounded by soldiers of many ranks in battle fatigue, were taking pictures of his family standing in front of this and that. > >Hehehe! Still hasn't filtered thru yet, C'da. You will have to be much >clearer. *** I was afraid so Ram :-). Let me ask you this: HOW exactly do you figure those folks you expect to have risen to their duties of helping avoid such an intrusive and invasive action ? What do they know about civic involvement and citizens' responsibilities? What DID you know when you grew up in Assam? These things don't come imprinted on your genes . People have to learn. It is not something pour people have seen to learn from. These collective knowledge and wisdom come from generations of evolution , of learning from their mistakes and seeing better examples. Whatever such social knowledge existed were first destroyed by the British, and then thoroughly wiped by a horribly depraved Indian non-system. The Monpas developed a highly sophisticated architectural idiom and craftsmanship over millenia, that has its root in Tibetan civilization. Their close-knit villages and interdependencies are quite amazing. But in Tawang you can see it rapidly being displaced by North-Indian garbage architecture , with nary a sign of any craftsmanship anywhere. The only saving grace was that I found these Monpa towns nearly as not filthy as our own plains settlements. *** To put it very simply: The values that you cite so effortlessly have to be INCULCATED by those who know. Just like HOW a western style DEMOCRACY that you so ardently hold up , works, has to be inculcated, TAUGHT! It does not fall from the skies, nor does it get imbued just because they read about them, or see it on TV. That simple! Here in, those who know better have a responsibility to stand up and be counted. At 11:09 AM -0600 3/27/08, Ram Sarangapani wrote: >C'da > >I am as sentimental as you are on the preservation of historical >/archaeological heritage. We can never emulate or replicate these original >artifacts. > >The essence of what I'm trying to say is that a lot these problems could be >at least be warded off. Here, I blame the Municipality for being lax, the >Sai Baba people to trying to somehow take advantage of a possibly corruupt >district authority. >I'm also quite sure that the ASI is totally unaware of what is happening. >They might get into it after the temple is finisfed and you have devotees >running around. > >But this: > >>>>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? > >Hehehe! Still hasn't filtered thru yet, C'da. You will have to be much >clearer. > >I'm wondering, why these interested people did not protest right at the >begining. Why really wait till the temple is half-done? > >Now, of course, it is entirely possible that they had no earthly idea that >the Baba temple people was going up. > >>Incidentally, when I become the Emperor of Xiboxagor > >Now, there you have my full support, because I know, you will atleast be >ever vigilant and pre-empt any attempts that may affect ancient architecture >and historical monuments.:):) > > >--Ram > > > > > > >On 3/27/08, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 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 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 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<http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=mar2708%5CState2> >> >> >> >> >> >> 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 >> >_______________________________________________ >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
