Arunachal moves ASI for Tawang heritage tag

- Though a tad late, govt wakes up to preserve 400-year-old relics at Buddhist treasure house ATONU CHOUDHURI

Itanagar, June 4: One of Asia’s biggest and most revered Buddhist treasures — the magnificent Tawang monastery — could finally see the “scientific preservation” of its priceless relics with the Arunachal Pradesh government moving the Archaeological Survey of India for granting it heritage status.

Years of monumental neglect have taken their toll on the monastery’s 400-year-old relics, but the state government has finally woken up to the danger. “It is already very late, but we have moved the ASI for the heritage tag. Once the ASI moves in, the monastery and its relics could be preserved in a scientific manner,” Tage Tada, the director of the state research department said.
Considered a cornerstone of Buddhist faith, the monastery is an architectural marvel besides being a treasure house of rare manuscripts and artefacts. Nestled amidst picturesque snow-clad hills, it was built in 1680-81 and is the second largest monastery in Asia after the Potala monastery of Lhasa in Tibet.

The monastery in Tawang is famous for its 8.3-metre-high golden Buddha statue. It also houses a library, which is a treasure trove of valuable sculptures, scriptures, manuscripts and other old books, both handwritten and printed. Its museum has rare and beautiful artefacts, including some personal possessions of the 6th Dalai Lama, who was born in Tawang.

Tada said many 17th century artefacts like exquisite paintings, mostly murals and staco, had faded beyond restoration. These paintings, portraying Buddhist mythological tales and dance forms of Monpa tribesman, are known for their sheer grace and finesse.

“However, the remaining paintings and other Buddhist artefacts made of wood and metals can be preserved in a scientific manner to ensure that they survive the ravages of time,” he added.
Tada said several scriptures and manuscripts depicting the Jataka Tales were also facing the danger of extinction.

The ASI had tried to help the monastery in 2003, but had to back out in the face of opposition from the monastery authorities and local people.

A monk in the monastery, Lama Sanglu, admitted that a team of the ASI and officials of the state research department were obstructed by the Lhangekhang or a group of lamas.
The lamas’ argument was that “if outsiders were allowed to work on the premises, it would desecrate the sanctity of the monastery”.

Another state government official said, “The monastery authorities have now realised the necessity of proper preservation to save invaluable artefacts.”
Besides proper preservation measures, the “heritage tag” will also ensure a steady flow of central funds to the monastery for its maintenance.

“In a tribal state like Arunachal Pradesh, where people are least aware of the artistic and aesthetic values of heritage sites that bear testimony to the glorious past, it is the government which must initiate measures to educate people on the importance of such sites,” the official added.

S.K. Manjul, the superintending archaeologist of the ASI’s Guwahati circle, said: “The apathy of the monastery authorities to protect and renovate it is very sad. Hopefully, things will look up. We will do whatever is required once we get a formal request from the government.”

China-Dalai talks likely next month

China-Dalai talks likely next month

MELBOURNE, June 12 – The Dalai Lama today said that talks between his envoys and China on the festering Tibet issue may resume next month as he reminded Beijing that “stability must come from the heart, not a gun.” The Dalai, now on a visit to Australia to deliver a series of meditation lectures, said he hoped that a new round of talks between his envoys and Chinese officials would take place “maybe next month.” Representatives of the Tibetan government-in-exile met with Chinese officials in early May in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and held inconclusive talks on the Tibet issue, weeks after the worst anti-government riots erupted in mid-March in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. The two sides had agreed to meet again but did not specify any date. The Dalai Lama said he backed China’s quest for a stable and harmonious society, but he also renewed his call for Tibet to be granted meaningful autonomy. “Stability must come from the heart, not a gun,” he said. The Tibet violence spread to neighbouring provinces in which at least 22 people were killed. The clashes fuelled anger over China’s rule in Tibet and the Olympic torch relay became the target of Tibetan pro-independence protests in Paris, London, San Francisco and other cities that threatened to cast a shadow over the Beijing Games in August. At a press conference in Sydney, the 72-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader also urged Tibetans not to hamper the Beijing Olympic torch relay when it passes through the restive Himalayan region. “We have fully supported the Olympic Games right from the beginning. The torch is part of that,” he said.“Over 1 billion Chinese brothers and sisters feel really proud of that. We should respect that,” he said, adding that “I don’t think there will be any trouble” when the torch relay passes through. The Olympic torch relay is due in Tibet from June 19 to 21. China blames the Dalai Lama for the recent Tibetan unrest, saying it was part of a campaign to split the region from the rest of the country. The Dalai Lama has denied these charges, saying he wants a meaningful autonomy for his people under China’s rule, not independence. – PTI