Report on Chandigarh events

Inauguration of Mahabodhi Padmaloka Girls Hostel, Chandigarh Branch,
Mahabodhi Int’l Meditation Centre, Chandigarh Branch
&
One-Day International Seminar on Buddhism

in Panchkula, Chandigarh

For hundreds of poor children in Ladakh, the miracle of education came as a blessing in disguise called Mahabodhi. Mahabodhi has been a haven for hundreds of children to realize their potential and dreams, a support for old to live with dignity, a shelter for the sick to get care and medical attention and a solace for the truth seekers. The Mahabodhi Residential School was started in the year 1992 by Ven. Sanghasena, in a deserted place in Ladakh with 25 little girls selected from the most remote areas of Ladakh. Today, the school has grown in its size and facilities embracing more than 700 children in Ladakh who are provided the most essential education and other facilities free of cost. Mahabodhi school has also successfully established its three sister branches in three of the most remote villages of Ladakh. However, the main school in the campus has facilities up to 10th std only after which the students have to move out of Ladakh to pursue their higher education. Accordingly under the Mahabodhi higher education scheme, the 1st batch girls who passed out in the year 2002 from Mahabodhi were sent to Bangalore for their further studies. Thereafter, the subsequent batches of students were sent to Bangalore every year.

With the growing number of students each passing year, the expenses involved were becoming unbearably expensive in a metro city like Bangalore. Thus, choosing an alternate place closer to Ladakh and less expensive for the post-metric students became inevitable and crucial. Chandigarh being an educational hub with a wide range of educational institutions and colleges offering students a wealth of curriculum choices apart from its beauty was the most appropriate place in all aspect to send the girls for their higher studies. However, there were currently no existing hostel facilities to accommodate these students, as a result, they either had to hire rented rooms or stay with the local residents as paying guest (PG) in their houses. Moreover, the issues of social security in rental accommodation and the growing expenses of the PGs provisions are matters of great concern and worry for the parents and guardians of these Ladakhi students.

As such, to facilitate our girl students to pursue their studies in a safe and congenial environment, Ven. Sanghasena very kindly made efforts to established the Padmaloka Girls Hostel at Ramgarh where at present 32 girls are comfortably continuing their studies in different schools and colleges of Chandigarh. The hostel building is designed to accommodate 100 students in the future. A branch of the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre is also being established alongside the hostel, to provide spiritual guidance for students studying away from home, and for the residents of Chandigarh city, Panchkula city, Punjab and surrounding areas who are also inspired to follow the teachings of the Buddha. Ven. Sanghasena again has taken the pioneering initiative to establish a meditation centre alongside the Padmaloka hostel, enabling the Mahabodhi Meditation Centre to impart holistic, spiritual and value-based education along with the more conventional curriculum subjects. It will serve as a vital source or nucleus to facilitate both spiritual and secular education to the students in this most challenging of times, bringing together and bonding a strong sense of shared community and values for the future.

The formal inauguration of the hostel and the meditation centre was scheduled on Saturday the 4th of Dec 2010. The meditation centre was very kindly inaugurated by Most Ven. Lama Lobzang, Hon’ble President, Ashoka Mission, New Delhi and the Padmaloka Girls Hostel was very kindly inaugurated by Datuk Dr. Victor Wee, Hon’ble President, Buddhist Gem Fellowship, Malaysia. The inaugural ceremony was studded with the blissful presence of Ven. Sanghasena, President, Mahaobdhi Int’l Meditation Centre other venerable monks and nuns from Taiwan, Myanmar and delegates from Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand and India. The hon’ble members of Mahabodhi from Ladakh, Jammu and the Tricity were also present along with many other well wishers from various parts of India and abroad. Many students from Ladakh, north-east states of India, Lahaul Spiti, Bhutan and Myanmar were also present on the occasion.

Mahabodhi also organized a One-Day International Seminar on Buddhism on the theme “Resurgence of Buddhism in the land of its birth” at Inderdhanush Auditorium Hall in Panchkula city on Sunday the 5th of Dec, 2010. His Excellency the Governor of Haryana, Shri. Jagannath Pahadia very kindly inaugurated the seminar. Datuk Dr. Victor Wee, Hon’ble Chairman, Tourism Malaysia and President, Buddhist Gem Fellowship, Malaysia, Most Ven. Lama Lobzang, Hon’ble President Ashoka Mission, New Delhi, Mr. Charlie Chia from Malaysia, Prof. P.R Trivedi Pro Chancellor, Global Open University, Nagaland, Dharmacari Lokamitra, President, Jambu Dvipa Trust, Nagpur, Dr. Ravindra Panth, Vice Chancellor, Nava Nalanda University, Bihar, Lt. Gen. M.S Buttar, Chief of Staff, HQ Western Command, Lt. Gen. S.S Grewal, (Retd), Shri. Phunchok Stobdan, Hon’ble Vice-President Ladakh Buddhist Association and Shri. Tsewang Thinles, Hon’ble President, Ladakh Buddhist Association Youth wing were among the guests of honour who graced the opening ceremony along with Ven. Sanghasena, the founder President of Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre.

Many eminent personalities and scholars from India and abroad shared their insight and addressed the various challenging issues such as Buddha’s teaching and the Global Weather Change, Ancient wisdom for the modern problems, Peace through Vipassana Meditation, The Buddha’s teachings and challenges of the 21st century; terrorism, fanaticism and sectarianism, Importance of Pali language and the History of Buddhism, Buddha’s teachings and modern education, Balance between spirituality and materiality etc. Over 1000 audiences including students’ community of Chandigarh and Buddhists from the adjoining states thronged the auditorium. The Mahabodhi cultural troupe and delegates from Malaysia presented a colourful songs and dances during the opening ceremony as well as the valedictory function. The Ladakhi cultural troupe was invited to perform at the SAARC Folklore and Heritage festival, where they were honoured with a cash prize. All the electronic and print Medias did a wide coverage of the inaugural function of the Girls Hostel and Meditation Centre on 4th of December and the seminar on 5th of December.

We express our grateful thanks for the generous donation by the members of Buddhist Gem Fellowship (BGF) and the Mahabodhi Desk for Ladakh (MDL) towards the construction of the Girls Hostel. Our special thanks to Datuk Dr. Victor Wee, President BGF and Mr. Charlie Chia for organizing the big group of devotees and we also thank all the Malaysian delegates for their participation in the Inaugural ceremony of Mahabodhi Girls Hostel, Mahabodhi Meditation Centre and the One Day seminar on Buddhism. The talks and the Dhamma songs presented by Datuk Dr. Victor Wee and Mr. Charlie Chia were applauded by everyone present on the occasion.

May all the Buddhas, Bodhisattavas and the Devas shower their blessing upon all of you.
May all of you continue to progress on the path of Dhamma.

With kind regards and much Metta,
Bhikkhu Sanghasena