Nālandā on the Move: Vulture's peak

Showing posts with label Vulture's peak. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Development of Griddhkuta(Vulture's Peak) Zone (Circuit)

Griddhkuta (Also Vulture's Peak) is a very important pilgrimage site for the followers of the teachings of the Buddha. Griddhkuta Hill is surrounded by many other important places. Unfortunately, many of these places are currently inaccessible to pilgrims. The Chinese monk scholars, Fahein (5th CE) and Xuanzang (7th CE), gave detailed descriptions about caves and rock shelters surrounding the base of Griddhkuta Hill. A meeting of concerned officials was called by Shri Sanjay Aggarwal, District Magistrate, Nalanda, to prepare a developmental plan for Griddhkuta and its surrounding areas which would make these places of pilgrimage interest accessible again.

The objective of the meeting was revival of the link path between Griddhkuta Hill, Ashokan Stupa and Vishwa Shanti Stupa, (refer to Fig-1 and Fig-2)

1-Access to the caves on the southern side of Griddhkuta Hill (to create a circumambulatory path around Griddhkuta Hill)

2- Link path between Griddhkuta and the Ashokan Stupa on the north of Griddhkuta Hill

3- Staircase reaching to the Ashokan Stupa

4- Link path between the Vishwa Shanti Stupa and the Ashokan Stupa

5- Circumambulatory path around the Ashokan Stupa

The idea is to create a Griddhkuta Circuit consisting of places in and around Griddhkuta Hill. A careful study of the Google Image (Fig-1 and Fig-2) suggests that there was some path connecting these hills, which was lost during the past centuries. This task required coordination among the officials of the Forest Department and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). We are grateful to Shri Rakesh Kumar Ji (Divisional Conservator of Forest), Dr. Pathak (Dy. SA, ASI) and Shri Keshto Ji (ASI) for their kind cooperation to make it all possible.

Shri Baban Pandey (Asst. Engineer, Government of Bihar) and Shri Manoj Kumar took time out to do all the measurement work.

Fig-1- The places around Griddhkuta and the ancient path connecting them

Fig-2- The proposed link paths and circumambulatory path marked in colours

DCF Shri Rakesh Ji , ASI Representatives Shri Krishto Ji and others at Griddhkuta

Shri Baban Pandey and Manoj Kumar making the measurments

Close view of the uneven ancient path

Path flanked by dense bushes

Myself with Baban Pandey ji at Ashokan Stupa

Dhamma Flags at Ashokan Stupa

View of Vishwa Shanti Stupa from Ashokan Stupa

We look forward to the completion of the Griddhkuta Circuit and the revival of the ancient pilgrimage to these places.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Development Plan for the Griddhkuta (Vulture's Peak)- Joint visit with the DCF

9th June-2011

Due to present-day forest management practices, many important ancient Buddhist sites now come under Forest Law, which often deprives the development of sites for the pilgrimage. Though there is a general understanding that developing these sites for the ancient Buddhist pilgrimage is important work, the procedure to do so is often so lengthy and difficult that many people are discouraged before completing the process. Pilgrimage development at Rajgriha is an appropriate step since the Rajgriha was a dense forest even at the times of the Buddha, as the Pali literature suggests. Even during the Visit of Fahein( 5th CE), Xuanzang (7th CE) and Dharmaswamin (12th CE) the place was dense forest full of wild animals. The Revival of ancient Buddhist pilgrimage in Rajgriha would necessitate development of forest.

We now have an opportunity to focus on the ecological, social and economic values of these forest areas by considering the local communities and stakeholders in sustainable forest management when developing sites for the Buddhist pilgrimage. We are privileged to be working with Shri Rakesh Kumar, a young and dynamic Divisional Conservator of Forest for Nalanda. Shri Rakesh believes in the middle path, one that takes both an interest in sustainable forestry and in Buddhist pilgrimage revival efforts. On 25th April 2011, we made a visit to Giriyak Hill to visit the site and estimate necessary action at his end to let the ball rolling. Today our objective was to visit Griddhkuta area and places of antiquities around the Jivaka amrawana.

Read more- Association of Jivaka with buddha

We visited all the places mentioned by Xuanzang and the leftover of the ancient pathways which were once walked by the pilgrims since 5th BCE. Shri RakeshJi took notice of all such antiquities. it was felt that the place can be suitably developed respecting the forest laws. Few things that could be easily done is repairing the ancient pathways and developing theme parks (Forest) based on what literature says about the place. Jiivaka Amrawana area can have a Mango grove and Peacocks should be introduced in Mornivapa (As name suggests).

It was decided we meet again with a comprehensive plan to take things to next level.This is just a beginning. We hope that with his efforts, other important places in and around Rajgriha may be appropriately developed to ensure a healthy relationship between forests and pilgrims.

The Jivaka Amrawana area

Shri Rakesh Ji with his team...taking the "Bimbisara path"

At Griddhkuta...a need of ambulatory path around the hill

Ancient shelters of Monks as suggested by Xuanzang

Scope for the Ambulatory path ....

Ancient path connecting the stupa on the North Hill

The Paths that needs to be repaired

Myself and the team of Shri Rakesh Ji

Saturday, February 5, 2011

A Tribute to Venerable Xuanzang- Making of the Movie "Journey of the Heart"

"Journey of the Heart"
A Heart-Felt Tribute to Venerable Xuanzang

A US film crew, headed by Amardeep Kaleka, with fellow production crew, Ole Brereton and Noah Woodburn, visited Nalanda as a part of the filming of the movie, "Journey of the Heart," which follows the footsteps of Xuanzang. Filming in Nalanda from the 26th of January to the 2nd of February, the crew filmed at several of the important places visited by Xuanzang that were associated with the Buddha.

The Team

Ravi Verma, the man behind the concept and also
the producer of this grand project

Amardeep Kaleka.....The Director

Ole Brereton....Assistant Director

Noah Woodburn...Sound Recorder

Monica Harvey.......Logistics

"Journey of the Heart," a documentary, is about the Heart Sutra, the Buddha, and Venerable Xuanzang's journey. Shooting at Sarnath, Kushinara, Vaishali, and Bodh Gaya, the team eventually arrived at Nalanda to capture the places associated with Venerable Xuanzang; sites in and around Nalanda and Rajgriha. We know Xuanzang took a pilgrimage to the holy land of India to pay his homage to the land of the Buddha and to collect manuscripts of the Buddha's teachings.

As site interpreter for the film crew, it was my desire to pay my tribute to this important world citizen whose contribution to mankind is unfathomable; a feeling that cannot be expressed in words. My intent was to share Xuanzang's journey in and around Nalanda with the world. No words or emotions can truly do justice to the emotions that must have overflowed when Xuanzang reached Nalanda, after years of trekking through insurmountably difficult mountains, glaciers, hot plains and near death situations.

We owe the rediscovery of our heritage, the cultural past, to the Master Xuanzang, who with meticulous details recorded events in this area. Our effort with this documentary is to let the world know this heritage and how much we collectively owe to Venerable Xuanzang.

Remains of Ancient Nalanda University

Xuanzang was received by the monk community and the laity at Nalanda, staying here for about 15 months. Visiting the Ancient Nalanda University, the film crew tried to capture the essence of Venerable Xuanzang's visit with help of monks from Nava Nalanda Mahavihara. Chanting, an integral part of the day-to-day life at Nalanda, was once again demonstrated as the film crew did its best to capture this ancient tradition.

Monks chanting at the Ancient Nalanda Ruins

Monks receiving directions from director, Amardeep

Manuscript Library, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara

Xuanzang carried valuable Buddhist manuscripts back to China to transcribe into Chinese. The film crew visited the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara Manuscript Library to shoot ancient manuscripts. Viewing the various types of manuscripts from Tibet, Cambodia, and Myanmar, the film crew tried to show what the Buddhist texts Venerable Xuanzang carried must have looked like and how difficult it must have been for Xuanzang to collect the extensive texts and transport them back to China.

Viewing the ancient Heart Sutra in Tibetan

Xuanzang Memorial Museum

The Xuanzang Memorial Hall was constructed as a joint effort between China and India to commemorate the great efforts of Venerable Xuanzang. Dr. Panth, the director who renewed construction and saw the completion of the Hall, is the authoritative expert to describe the Heart Sutra and momentous contribution of Venerable Xuanzang to the larger of mankind.

Interview with Dr. Panth, Vice-Chancellor of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara

Xuangzang Memorial Hall

Re-creation of ancient script writing with help of Dr. Lalan Jha

Indrasaila Guha, Parwati

Parwati was an important pilgrimage place and among one of the many places that Xuanzang visited. As the film crew had only a few days to shoot, this important site, among the many, was deemed a must to visit. In a cave at the top of the hill, Buddha sat to meditate. Xuanzang must have become very emotional to find this place where the Buddha meditated and to see the brick stupa erected in honor of the Hamsa (Swan). Perhaps Xuanzang also added his own bricks to the stupa, now covered by grass and a Bodhi tree.

Ole, followed by village children

Picturesque Parwati hill

Noah attaching the microphone to me

Discussing the Shot

A stupa and its exposed layers of reconstruction

Local villagers, film crew, and stupa mound (in background)

Expressing Xuanzang descriptions to the camera

Reflection of Xuanzang on Camera

Talking to the inquisitive local community

Vulture's Peak (Griddhkuta)

Talking about Vulture's Peak was a real challenge as this place was very close to the heart of Xuanzang. All the way along his journey, his desire was to survive the arduous journey and near death situations in order to reach Vulture's Peak and bend his legs at the place where the Buddha delivered the Heart Sutra.

Finding the right spot to capture the feelings of the Xuanzang

Getting ready for the Shot

Gurupada (Cock-Foot Mountain)

Gurupada is the place associated with the Maha Kassapa, the third important disciple of the Buddha, who exchanged robes with the Buddha, as the story goes. Xuanzang visited this place and gave a description about Maha Kassapa, his association with the Buddha and his valuable contribution to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. Xuanzang also talked about the Matriyea Buddha, the future Buddha, who will come here to Gurupada to collect the robes of the Gautama Buddha, which were kept with Maha Kassapa. This important event makes Gurupada a very appropriate site to showcase the sublime elements of the story of the Buddha.