Of enhancing Nagpur’s pride - II
| Date :17-Oct-2019 |
Vijay Phanshikar :
There is no doubt that the city of Nagpur, the State of Maharashtra, and the nation as a whole has recognised the historic importance of Deekshabhoomi as a place where larger Indian society took a major step in its own transformation. There also is no doubt that the city of Nagpur treats Deekshabhoomi as well as the annual pilgrimages (on Dussehra and on October 14) with a much respect. But the question is: Should something more not be done to enhance Deekshabhoomi as one of the city’s signatures highlighting its identity?
That the Government is planning a Buddhist Circuit to promote tourism, is by now a point of common knowledge. But that programme should not be kept limited only to making a travel-connect possible. For, once the tourist arrives in Nagpur on the Buddhist Circuit, he will need a lot more to see and feel fascinated about -- like permanent exhibitions on Buddha, contemporary Buddhist movement, archives that will have documents and letters and pictures etc related to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and thought-leaders of the movement. And all this will have to be created sans the political aspect that has a tendency to be raucous, shrill. Though the current Buddhist movement began in Nagpur, the city does not have anything like these in its folds to attract people. Beyond Deekshabhoomi and the Dragon Palace Temple of Kamptee-Kanhan, there is nothing major as a Buddhist attraction in Nagpur.
This may prove to be too small a component. Obviously, this means something much more, much bigger will have to be evolved -- to enhance the city’s identity as a Buddhist centre on international merit. And this means a deeper thought will have to be generated -- not just by the Government but also by the people. That will have to be a project of massive thought-dimensions, to say the least, and designed and planned with much care and implemented with much enthusiasm and integrity. It is time, the city of Nagpur did something substantial in this regard, requiring some big money all right, but more importantly some big and deep and sensible thinking.
This will have to be not just a tourism project but an endeavour to promote an important aspect of our national philosophical heritage. When such a project is thought about in all its dimensions and implemented after a careful planning, tourism will be only one of the fall-outs. The major outcome of the effort will be to highlight what India has to offer to the world by way of spiritual legacy. It will not be possible for us to develop something only at Deekshabhoomi since there is no space there.
Therefore, the new facilities will have to be created at other places in an organised manner, involving Buddhist scholars, historians, architects, town-planners, designers, artists, painters, sculptors, litterateurs, philanthropists, social workers, political leaders sans political agenda, Government leaders, bureaucrats ...! In short, such a project will require a massive social mobilisation -- to make possible in Nagpur some symbolism that will become one of its signatures in time to come. The project will be truly of massive proportions in every term. But this is one project that is within the realm of possibility.