Review: The Buddha and the Borders by Nirmalaya Banerjee – Hindustan Times
Posted: July 6, 2020 at 5:49 pm
Prayer flags and stupas in the eastern Himalayas. (Shutterstock)
pp 183, Rs 500; Palimpsest Publishers
The recent border standoff between India and China along what is the Indo-Tibetan border has captured international news headlines. In this standoff, China enjoys several advantages in terms of military strength, infrastructure, road and an expanding rail network which will link Nepal with Tibet, although India is fast catching up. China also has the advantage of sitting atop the worlds highest and largest plateau, the source of Asias six major rivers which China plans to dam and divert, regardless of downstream concerns. But these advantages are offset by Indias staying power and its ancient and deep-rooted cultural and spiritual bonds with the Buddhist Himalayan belt, which irreversibly identifies with India. The only exception to this is Nepal, which is willingly falling on the lap of the Chinese motherland.
In a visit to Northeast India in 2012, the Dalai Lama once referred to the Buddhist Himalayan belt as Indias frontline, totally oriented towards Indias open, plural society and the freedoms that go with it.
A part of the belt, Indias northeast, is explored by Nirmalya Banerjee in his leisurely and rich travelogue, The Buddha and the Borders. He has covered for himself and for India the whole of the eastern Himalayas, Kalimpong, Sikkim, the kingdom of Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. In all of them, Banerjee found a common cultural thread, the lama dances performed by monks whose lives revolve around the monasteries dotting the entire stretch of the eastern Himalayas from Bhutan, Sikkim, Kalimpong up to Tawang.
One place Banerjee explores in fascinating detail is Kalimpong, which the writer considers a jewel in the Himalayan crown. Kalimpong once served as an entree-port for Tibet, Sikkim and Bhutan. Those were the days when the mule train operating between Tibet and the Indian hill station ferried wool from Tibet on its onward journey to Calcutta and shipped to Britain and America.
Banerjee writes, Prior to the 1962 border war between India and China, Kalimpong was a major urban centre close to the meeting point of India, Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim Because of its locational advantage, Kalimpong had emerged as a convergence centre of trade and commerce, governance and regional politics, a playground of international intrigues evocative of Kiplings Great Game. What was once a silk route to Tibet is now a blind alley running into a Chinese wall.
Since the fall of Tibet in 1950 to 1959 when Tibetans rose up against Chinese rule, Kalimpong because of its close proximity to Tibet served as a listening post to interested parties eager to know what communist China was up to on the Roof of the World. Indias first Prime Minsiter Pandit Jawarhalal Nehru in his non-aligned exasperation called Kalimpong a nest of spies.
A view of Kalimpong today. ( Shutterstock )
In his exploration of the cultures and sentiments of the people of the Northeastern Himalayas, Banerjee makes it abundantly clear that in the new Great Game played out between Asias two dominant powers, the Buddhist Himalayan Belt stands resolutely with India. The regions cultural cohesion and the spiritual depth and links with India are something China can only envy. It seems for the author, a dedicated and equally fascinated explorer of the eastern Himalayas, the Buddha guards the border for India. In fact, Banerjee is one of a few scholars to make a convincing case for the link between the immense stability of the Himalayan Belt and Buddhism. He credits the quiet region of eastern Himalayas hallowed by the benign presence of Buddhism in the footsteps of lamas down the centuries.
Looming large behind Banerjees narrative of the eastern Himalayas is the question of Tibet. Independent Tibet shared the longest unguarded border in the world with India. Freely crossing the border down the centuries were pilgrims, traders, scholars and students from both sides. They were not hassled by checkpoints, border patrol or any visa requirements. It was one of the most open borders in the world between two countries with a shared culture and based on trust and mutual respect.
In considering the situation in Tibet and this side of the Himalayas, a reader of The Buddha and the Border is left with a question. Why is Tibet racked by constant turmoil and the Buddhist Himalayan Belt not? Perhaps the answer lies in the nature of governance in Tibet and the Buddhist Himalayan Belt. In Tibet Beijings rule is enforced by brute force and down south by the rule of law.
Thubten Samphel is an independent researcher and a former director of the Tibet Policy Institute.
Visit link:
Review: The Buddha and the Borders by Nirmalaya Banerjee - Hindustan Times
- Happening this week: Queer Climbing Night, Basics of Buddhism and more - Vail Daily News - February 1st, 2021
- How Durga images and sculptures showed up in Ghazni, Afghanistan - ThePrint - February 1st, 2021
- Explained: What are the amendments in Thailands abortion law? - The Indian Express - February 1st, 2021
- Dying 'the Buddhist way' gains in hospice centers in the West - Religion News Service - November 12th, 2020
- Buddhist thought and practice: an exploration | Columnists - Herald Review - November 12th, 2020
- Buddhist Nuns and Their Crusade for Recognition in Southeast Asia - VICE - November 12th, 2020
- The Angsty Buddhist: Chronic Pain & Trying Not To Be A White Yoga Lady - Autostraddle - November 12th, 2020
- Meet Thich Nhat Hanh, the man behind Escondido's famed Deer Park Monastery - The San Diego Union-Tribune - November 12th, 2020
- One Man's Trash, Another Man's Tradition - Earth Island Journal - November 12th, 2020
- China wants to build a Tibet with more wealth and less Buddhism - Livemint - October 30th, 2020
- Buddhist Insights on Peace & Love, Hosted by the Peacemakers - The All State - October 30th, 2020
- The Angsty Buddhist: Learning Anger And White Buddhism - Autostraddle - October 30th, 2020
- Days After 230 Dalits Accepted Buddhism In UP, FIR Registered Over "Conversion" Rumour | HW English - HW News English - October 30th, 2020
- Miracle Grow: Zen in the Mulch Pit - Splice Today - October 30th, 2020
- India to spend $15 million to boost Buddhist ties in region - ABC News - October 3rd, 2020
- The Return of the Pope of Buddhism Scepter by His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III was Rejected - PRNewswire - October 3rd, 2020
- Do a temple stay at the headquarters of Soto Zen Buddhism - Japan Today - October 3rd, 2020
- Catholics spread joy to disabled Buddhist children in Vietnam - UCAN - October 3rd, 2020
- Travelling to Indias Himalayan frontiers? Heres why you see fluttering colored flags and stone stacks - The Financial Express - October 3rd, 2020
- Sikkim to establish new Buddhist university in accordance with National Education Policy guidelines -... - The Sentinel Assam - October 3rd, 2020
- NFU: Understanding the spirit and intent of the Lands Protection Act - TheChronicleHerald.ca - October 3rd, 2020
- The True Nature of Self: A Live-Streaming Buddhist Retreat - Patch.com - October 3rd, 2020
- Understanding the spirit and intent of Lands Protection Act - peicanada.com - October 3rd, 2020
- Looper column: The role of desire in the religious life - Sentinel-Standard - September 4th, 2020
- Prof. Stephen Long stresses recognition of Buddhist in the US - Asian Tribune - September 4th, 2020
- Buddhist nun challenges hatred of women - The Star Online - September 4th, 2020
- Where Buddhist mindfulness and Black activism meet - Vox.com - July 6th, 2020
- Buddhist Temple Archway Preserved in High Detail with Artec 3D Scanning - 3DPrint.com - July 6th, 2020
- THE FIFTH OF JULY: A Buddhist Analysis of What's Wrong, and What Might be Right. - Patheos - July 6th, 2020
- VICE - This Beatboxing Buddhist Monk Is Out to Change Perceptions of Spiritual Music - VICE - July 6th, 2020
- Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon on Guru Purnima: A look at some of his teachings and quotes - Times Now - July 6th, 2020
- How Many Dragon Balls Are There in The Original Manga? - Screen Rant - July 6th, 2020
- Young Japan priests try to breathe life into fading Buddhism - Religion News Service - June 14th, 2020
- Confluence of ideas - Chinadaily.com.cn - Chinadaily USA - June 14th, 2020
- 5 Facts To Know About The Future Of Buddhism - World Atlas - June 14th, 2020
- Emily Temples The Lightness Spins a Mystery Around Troubled Teen Girls at Summer Camp - Observer - June 14th, 2020
- Indian philosophy helps us see clearly, act wisely in an interconnected world - The Conversation US - June 14th, 2020
- COVID-19 and the link between religious practices and personal health - Deseret News - June 14th, 2020
- Japanese art and rinpa: Buddhism, Maple trees, and a lovely stone lantern - Modern Tokyo Times - June 14th, 2020
- Montaigne to perform at the Art Gallery of New South Wales for Make Music Day - Aussievision - June 14th, 2020
- Don Farber, Visions of Buddhist Life by Andy Romanoff - The Eye of Photography - May 26th, 2020
- Susy Powlesland obituary - The Guardian - May 26th, 2020
- Water, reciprocity, and the anthropocene in the Himalayas - Advanced Science News - May 26th, 2020
- The robot does the hard work. Can you still attain enlightenment? - MIT Technology Review - February 21st, 2020
- Open hearts: The Buddhist approach to love and loving - Irish Examiner - February 21st, 2020
- Simon Walker invests the grand resign of living in the now - Newcastle Herald - February 21st, 2020
- Buddhist conference to be attended by 21 countries - Himalayan Times - February 21st, 2020
- Solitude in Buddhism | The Art of Solitude - Tricycle - February 1st, 2020
- Race and Class in Buddhism: A Vision of What Could Be - Tricycle - February 1st, 2020
- Buddhism and Relationships: Love at First Sit - Tricycle - February 1st, 2020
- How to Read the Lotus Sutra: A Guide for the Uninitiated - Tricycle - February 1st, 2020
- Investigating the Mind: What Buddhism Says About Our Likes and Dislikes - Tricycle - February 1st, 2020
- Cycles of Motherhood by Barbara Gates - Tricycle - February 1st, 2020
- The Gandharan manuscripts change what we know about the course of Buddhist history - Scroll.in - February 1st, 2020
- Liberate: Why Julio Rivera Created a Meditation App for People of Color - Tricycle - February 1st, 2020
- When Religion Kills lives up to the hype - The Kingston Whig-Standard - February 1st, 2020
- The American Jewish Romance with Buddhism - Mosaic - January 7th, 2020
- Ernest & Dorothy Hunt: Early Links in the Golden Chain of Buddhism Coming West - Patheos - January 7th, 2020
- Tara Goddess of Compassion and Savior of the Suffering - Ancient Origins - January 7th, 2020
- Buddhism and poetry in Japan during the Nara Period - Modern Tokyo Times - January 7th, 2020
- The mysterious Irishman who was the first westerner ordained a Buddhist monk - The Irish Times - January 7th, 2020
- CHINA Sichuan, the government closes a network of Tibetan Buddhist centers - AsiaNews - January 7th, 2020
- After you have a panic attack on live TV, being 10 percent happier is a good start to a changed life - The Boston Globe - January 7th, 2020
- Protection of Sinhala Buddhists will ensure religious freedom - PM - Ceylon Daily News - January 7th, 2020
- The Buddhas Words Open Up Ancient Worlds at the British Library - Tricycle - December 22nd, 2019
- Buddhist Drug and Alcohol Rehab - Addiction Center - December 22nd, 2019
- What Is Buddhism & 6 Meditations To Find Your Zen - YourTango - December 22nd, 2019
- The Gross National Happiness of Bhutan - Geographical - December 22nd, 2019
- Sri Lankan authorities delay on whether to prosecute award-winning writer Shakthika Sathkumara - World Socialist Web Site - December 16th, 2019
- Spot the difference between sign and symbol - The Hindu - December 16th, 2019
- MIT historian Sana Aiyar sheds new light on the complexities of independence movements and global migration - India New England - December 16th, 2019
- Using The Four Noble Truths To Go from Burnout to Bliss - Thrive Global - December 16th, 2019
- The Last Jedi put Star Wars Buddhist philosophy in the foreground - Polygon - December 14th, 2019
- How the Library of Congress Unrolled a 2,000-Year-Old Buddhist Scroll - Atlas Obscura - December 14th, 2019
- Dutch officials after church sale: 'It's better to have Buddhists than apartments' - Crux: Covering all things Catholic - December 14th, 2019
- You probably knew mindfulness could help you with stress. But did you know it could save your marriage? - ABC News - December 14th, 2019
- The Buddhist Kathina Festival - The Good Men Project - December 14th, 2019
- Photos of the Week - Religion News Service - December 14th, 2019
- 'He was like, what?': Why 4 women left their 'normal' lives to become Buddhist nuns - CBC.ca - December 14th, 2019
- Grassroots Buddhism Flourishes in the Outskirts of Bangkok - IDN InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters - December 14th, 2019