अमेरीका । बुद्धको जन्मस्थल
नेपालको लुम्बिनी भएको तथ्यलाइ केही भारतियहरू
तोडमोड गरीरहन्छन् । यही तोडमोडलाइ प्रष्ट
पार्दै अमेरिकी पत्रिका द वासिङ्टन पोस्टले एक
समाचार छापेको छ । पत्रिकाले समाचार नै
यसरी बनाएको छ( भारतियहरूले हल्ला गरे
जस्तो होइन । पोस्टको समाचार यस्तो छ
(Nepal battles misconceptions over
Buddha’s birthplace Quick: Where
was the Buddha born? To hear
many Indians talk, you’d think it
was India, where he attained
enlightenment and gave his first
sermon.
But the people of Nepal know better
— and they are eager to correct
misconceptions about the
Awakened One, considered one of
the world’s most revered figures.
Next month, Nepal will circulate a
new 100-rupee note with the
imprint, “Lumbini: The Birthplace of
Lord Buddha.” The currency is part
of the government’s most recent
effort to correct the record.
It comes amid protests following a
promotional video on the private
Indian channel Zee TV, which
claimed the Buddha was born in
India.
Zee TV corrected the error, but
Nepal Cable TV Association blocked
the channel when the new series on
the life of Buddha premiered on
Sunday (Sept. 8). The association’s
chairman described the move as a
way to prevent possible unrest in
the country, which is predominantly
Hindu but proud of its Buddhist
heritage.
“We believe it was a mistake by
Zee TV,” said association Chairman
Sudhir Parajuli. “The official stand
of the Government of India is that
the Buddha was born in Nepal, but a
few people not having sufficient
knowledge proclaim that his
birthplace is in India.”
Most scholars agree that Buddha
was born in 623 B.C. in the sacred
area of Lumbini located in the
plains of southern Nepal. An
inscription on a pillar erected by
the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in
249 B.C. testifies to it.
Still the misconception persists.
In 2010, Indian-American journalist
Fareed Zakaria, host of CNN’s
flagship foreign affairs show and
editor-at-large at Time magazine,
sparked protests in Nepal for
stating in a book that the Buddha
was Indian.
And just this Monday (Sept. 9) at a
Buddhist function in Delhi, the
state’s Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit referred to the Buddha,
saying, “India has been fortunate
that he was born here and today we
find that his message spread to
millions of people brings them
solace and comfort all over the
world.”
In April, a former TV journalist from
Nepal, Rabi Lamichhane, returned to
his country from the United States
determined to clear the record. He
did so by staging a marathon talk
show that lasted 62 hours and 12
minutes titled “Lord Buddha was
born in Nepal.” The marathon was
certified by the Guinness World
Records as the longest talk show.
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