Sunday, August 8, 2010
Havoc of Flood in Ladakh
Dear friends of Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre, Leh, Ladakh.
The beautiful valley of Ladakh turns into a valley of horror in minutes. The noisy thunder, torrential rain and swift wave of storm and wind turn the atmosphere dark and gloomy. Suddenly an unprecedented flood created destruction, devastation, havoc and turn the city and valley into ghost city. Hundreds of residential houses are destroyed, several hundreds lives lost, thousand of people are severely injured and effected. Search for lost lives are in search process. Lots of cattle, wealth and crops are destroyed.
“I didn’t witness and heard about such devastation in my entire life” says an 80 years old man. Apart from lost of lives and property, all infrastructures, communication and social welfare installation are affected. Radio station, power supply, mobile phones, hospital are severely effected. There is no telephone, no power and no communication facilities for the last two days. Roads and bridges are cut and totally destroyed.
The Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre also witnessed flood resulting the Old Aged Home, the main secretariat and the hospital are made to non-functional. Drug store, ration store are flooded and water supply is partially destroyed. Thanks to the Triple Gem, there is no lost of life in Mahabodhi. All inmates are busy in cleaning process and revive the vital installation. Inmates of all residential buildings are evacuated to safer places on elevated points.
More detailed report will be submitted later on.
With Prayer
Bhikkhu Sanghasena
President,
MIMC, Ladakh.
Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre
Devachan, P.O. Box # 22, Leh - Ladakh 194101, INDIA
Ph: +91-1982-264372 Mobile: +91-9906902025, +91-9419178667
www.mahabodhi-ladakh.org
The beautiful valley of Ladakh turns into a valley of horror in minutes. The noisy thunder, torrential rain and swift wave of storm and wind turn the atmosphere dark and gloomy. Suddenly an unprecedented flood created destruction, devastation, havoc and turn the city and valley into ghost city. Hundreds of residential houses are destroyed, several hundreds lives lost, thousand of people are severely injured and effected. Search for lost lives are in search process. Lots of cattle, wealth and crops are destroyed.
“I didn’t witness and heard about such devastation in my entire life” says an 80 years old man. Apart from lost of lives and property, all infrastructures, communication and social welfare installation are affected. Radio station, power supply, mobile phones, hospital are severely effected. There is no telephone, no power and no communication facilities for the last two days. Roads and bridges are cut and totally destroyed.
The Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre also witnessed flood resulting the Old Aged Home, the main secretariat and the hospital are made to non-functional. Drug store, ration store are flooded and water supply is partially destroyed. Thanks to the Triple Gem, there is no lost of life in Mahabodhi. All inmates are busy in cleaning process and revive the vital installation. Inmates of all residential buildings are evacuated to safer places on elevated points.
More detailed report will be submitted later on.
With Prayer
Bhikkhu Sanghasena
President,
MIMC, Ladakh.
Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre
Devachan, P.O. Box # 22, Leh - Ladakh 194101, INDIA
Ph: +91-1982-264372 Mobile: +91-9906902025, +91-9419178667
www.mahabodhi-ladakh.org
Monday, March 1, 2010
Touching lives - article from TheStar
Excerpt from "Touching lives by MAJORIE CHIEW" from this article from TheStar Monday February 22, 2010.
Far-reaching aid
The compassionate arms of volunteers reach out to the far ends of the Earth. Some 39,000m up in the Himalayas lives a small community of 400 impoverished Ladakhis at the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre in Ladakh, Kashmir, in Northern India. For 23 years, they had to rely on well water which was not available during winter. Power supply was also disrupted after a certain time at night.
“Each building had a small well for water supply. This well water was pumped up to tanks on the roof-top. However, the pipes were not winter-proof, so piped water was frozen in the winter. A tanker would make its rounds to supply water to the buildings during winter,” explains retiree Lee Keat Hin, 68.
Lee from Petaling Jaya, Selangor, had volunteered his services as project manager for a solar hot water project in Ladakh. The project was funded by an anonymous donor from Sandakan, and Malaysian volunteers readily offered their services.
“The new water supply system has an insulated 450,000-litre reservoir and insulated pipes for distributing water during winter,” says Lee.
With the installation of solar panels for the seven buildings, at a cost of RM600,000, hot water was available to the community, even during winter.
The Ladakhis were overjoyed to find water gushing out of the tap to meet their daily needs. They could enjoy hot water too, thanks to the solar hot water system.
Lee was a technical assistant with a plantation company, prior to his retirement.
In 2006, Lee was approached by a friend, Charlie Chia, 54, general manager of a property firm, for his expertise during a charity lunch. For his volunteer work in Ladakh, Lee had to forego a one-and-a-half-year contract as project manager of a new palm oil mill in Papua New Guinea.
Devachan going through a harsh winter in the desert. Thanks to a generous Malaysian donor, folks here were able to get piped water and a solar hot water system after years of depending on well water and in the winter, tanker water.
Lee’s first trip to Ladakh was in 2007. He was there for 10 days to get a feel of the place and to see if he could fit in.
“For the first two days, I was gasping for air and was advised to take it easy to allow the body to acclimatise to the high attitude,” Lee recalls.
The Ladakhis call the area surrounding the meditation centre, Devachan (which means shangri-la). Located on a sprawling 80ha of desert land, the centre has a school, hospital and guesthouse for visitors.
Devachan, an integrated community, was set up by Ven Sanghasena, a Ladakhi monk, in 1986.
“Initially, Ven Sanghasena took in 20 children, aged three to four, from poor villagers in the Himalayas to provide them with education. The young charges were housed in a small school and hostel,” says Chia.
“In 1992, the first batch of children graduated and six stayed behind to work in the school,” says Chia, who plans to revisit Devachan soon.
‘For the first two days, I was gasping for air,’ says Lee Keat Hin of his first trip to Ladakh
Lee himself has been to Ladakh thrice. His second trip was in May 2008 to implement the water and solar power project. He stayed on for four months. When he left, the reservoir was completed and water pumped into it, ready to be channelled to the buildings.
According to Lee, the reservoir of reinforced concrete was built to store water for domestic use and for irrigation of orchards. Two wells were dug to channel water to the reservoir.
Lee’s last visit in July last year was to oversee additional piping works for the solar hot water system. He was there for two months.
“It is satisfying to know that I can do my bit to benefit the folks up in the Himalayas,” says Lee.
Far-reaching aid
The compassionate arms of volunteers reach out to the far ends of the Earth. Some 39,000m up in the Himalayas lives a small community of 400 impoverished Ladakhis at the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre in Ladakh, Kashmir, in Northern India. For 23 years, they had to rely on well water which was not available during winter. Power supply was also disrupted after a certain time at night.
“Each building had a small well for water supply. This well water was pumped up to tanks on the roof-top. However, the pipes were not winter-proof, so piped water was frozen in the winter. A tanker would make its rounds to supply water to the buildings during winter,” explains retiree Lee Keat Hin, 68.Lee from Petaling Jaya, Selangor, had volunteered his services as project manager for a solar hot water project in Ladakh. The project was funded by an anonymous donor from Sandakan, and Malaysian volunteers readily offered their services.
“The new water supply system has an insulated 450,000-litre reservoir and insulated pipes for distributing water during winter,” says Lee.
With the installation of solar panels for the seven buildings, at a cost of RM600,000, hot water was available to the community, even during winter.
The Ladakhis were overjoyed to find water gushing out of the tap to meet their daily needs. They could enjoy hot water too, thanks to the solar hot water system.
Lee was a technical assistant with a plantation company, prior to his retirement.In 2006, Lee was approached by a friend, Charlie Chia, 54, general manager of a property firm, for his expertise during a charity lunch. For his volunteer work in Ladakh, Lee had to forego a one-and-a-half-year contract as project manager of a new palm oil mill in Papua New Guinea.
Devachan going through a harsh winter in the desert. Thanks to a generous Malaysian donor, folks here were able to get piped water and a solar hot water system after years of depending on well water and in the winter, tanker water.
Lee’s first trip to Ladakh was in 2007. He was there for 10 days to get a feel of the place and to see if he could fit in.
“For the first two days, I was gasping for air and was advised to take it easy to allow the body to acclimatise to the high attitude,” Lee recalls.
The Ladakhis call the area surrounding the meditation centre, Devachan (which means shangri-la). Located on a sprawling 80ha of desert land, the centre has a school, hospital and guesthouse for visitors.
Devachan, an integrated community, was set up by Ven Sanghasena, a Ladakhi monk, in 1986.
“Initially, Ven Sanghasena took in 20 children, aged three to four, from poor villagers in the Himalayas to provide them with education. The young charges were housed in a small school and hostel,” says Chia.
“In 1992, the first batch of children graduated and six stayed behind to work in the school,” says Chia, who plans to revisit Devachan soon.
‘For the first two days, I was gasping for air,’ says Lee Keat Hin of his first trip to Ladakh
Lee himself has been to Ladakh thrice. His second trip was in May 2008 to implement the water and solar power project. He stayed on for four months. When he left, the reservoir was completed and water pumped into it, ready to be channelled to the buildings.
According to Lee, the reservoir of reinforced concrete was built to store water for domestic use and for irrigation of orchards. Two wells were dug to channel water to the reservoir.
Lee’s last visit in July last year was to oversee additional piping works for the solar hot water system. He was there for two months.
“It is satisfying to know that I can do my bit to benefit the folks up in the Himalayas,” says Lee.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
A New Year Message by Ven. Sanghasena
Dear dhamma friends,As the New Year is about to knock at the doors, before it enters your life, I wish you all a very good beginning of the year 2010. May it brings you all enormous joy, happiness, contentment, prosperity, good health and real peace of mind.
Dear friend, in the novel year, let our lives be;-
A source of happiness for those who are unhappy,
A source of water for the thirsty,
A source of food for the hungry,
A source of healing for those who are ill,
A source of light for those in darkness,
A source of companionship for those who are lonely,
A source of protection for those without protection,
A source of help and friendship for all in need,
A source of crutches for those with broken limbs,
A source of parental love and care for the orphaned,
A source of shelter for the homeless,
A source of asylum for those who have no safe place,
A source of warmth, of real love and compassion for those who are abandoned in the coldness of war and hatred.
May each moment of the New Year give you and your near and dear ones real happiness, real peace and real harmony.
With best wishes for a very happy and prosperous New Year 2010
Yours truly
Bhikkhu Sanghasena
Monday, August 31, 2009
Letter from Bhante Sanghasena > Search for Sis Jennie Cheong in Ladakh
Dear Charlie,
First of all please accept my sincerest condolence on the unfortunate and sudden demise of our sisters in dhamma Late Tan Guat Gnoh, Late Ang Ee Lee, Late Lee Ah Yem and our missing sister Jennie Cheong. It has shaken our consciousness and definitely all of us will take a very long time to overcome this grief. We are still in a state of shock and despair.
We are very sorry; we couldn’t share many emotions when you had to leave Ladakh with an utter sense of deprivation and sadness. When I came to see you off at the airport, my emotion charged with a great despondency. I had no words in my mind to share with you that would have equated your sadness at that moment. I still cannot believe that we are having such a harsh moment to experience. What we anticipated a pleasant trip, turned into a fearful nightmare. I am feeling deeply sorry for what has happened with our departed dhamma sisters and their grieving families.
Though we all had a tough time to live through, I deeply appreciate the state of equanimity and courage that you had maintained during that phase. You had taken more than half of my loads on your own shoulder. I shall ever remain grateful to you for your supports. I can imagine the hardships that you had to go through in the entire process. I don’t know how to thank you for all your helps, the state of mind that you maintained and the heavy responsibility that you took to manage everything in that distressed situation. Please accept many many thank from the depth of my heart.
On the 26th, 27th and 28th of this month we had arranged for a very special Puja and Merit Sharing Ceremony in our campus for our departed sisters and for sister Reena’s and the driver’s speedy recovery. A condolence meeting was also held on the 28th along with the prayer and merit sharing sessions. On the same day robes and alms bowls were offered to the members of the Sangha in the name of the departed sisters especially Sister Julie. The other gifts from the Malaysian devotees were also distributed and the merits were offered to the departed ones. We had also arranged for special Pujas in various monasteries in Ladakh for all of them. And we are praying day and night to find Sister Jennie at the earliest.
We have also decided to build a small Stupa on a very nice site in the campus in the memory of our departed sisters. Our prayers will continue for them and we do hope our sincere efforts and prayers will be answered soon.
Regarding Sister Jennie’s search operation, we had approached the top civil authorities in Ladakh to get resourceful helps from the Indian Army in the search operation. They agreed to pass on the appeal, but their response has not been as prompt as we expected. And today we have approached to them to pressurize the India Army in this regard yet again.
I have heard that the Malaysian embassy has sent an appeal letter to the Indian Ministry of Defense to render help in the search operation of Sister Jennie. I guess it would be really helpful in intensifying the operation from the Army’s side if we can get a copy of that appeal letter. Thus, I have requested Mr. Paul in this regard to try and get a copy of that letter to us.
At our own level we are trying all efforts to find Sister Jennie as soon as possible. The Mahabodhi search teams from Leh and Tingmosgang branch are continuing the search with sincere prayers and efforts. A group of 30 volunteers have spread out in various regions in search for her in the last two days but unfortunately they still couldn’t trace. Never the less the search is still on. The police from the Khalste stations are also continuing the search in all the possible areas.
The Mahadbohi Tingmosgang branch had called for an emergency meeting yesterday and they have formed a “Search Team” to intensify the search process further for the next one week. We have also sent posters of Sister Jennie, with an appeal to inform at the earliest, to Leh town and many villages, especially towards the regions where people can possibly find her.
We have also made repeated announcements in the local radio news so that more and more people can join hands with us to look for her at various places. We shall try every way out and will make all possible arrangements required in this operation.
And regarding sister Reena, we are constantly in touch with sister Bee and Mr. Sonam in Delhi to enquire about her health progress. We leant from them that Sister Reena is fine and getting better. Mr. Sonam and Gurmet are there in Delhi to give any help that she and her family require.
Yesterday the rest of the Malaysian guests left for Delhi. We were very sad that we didn’t have sweet memories to send with them. All the members of the Devachan family were really heart broken to send them with such harsh experiences. But our Malaysian friends were so encouraging and strong minded that they boosted our hopes and determinations. They also collected donations for the suffering driver and his family before leaving. It was really touching and all were moved by their gesture. I must say we really feel proud and fortunate to have such friends like you all, around us. And they also expressed that they would love to visit Ladakh and Mahabodhi again in the future. It was very kind of them to show such enthusiasm and interest in continuing the friendship and understanding with Mahabodhi. I am grateful to all the members of the Malaysian team, to have shared their emotion, wisdom and co-operation in the hour of sadness. And thank you once again for your help and concern.
I shall update you soon as things develop.
Yours in Dhamma,
Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena
Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre
Devachan, P.O. Box # 22, Leh - Ladakh 194101, INDIA
Ph: +91-1982-264372 Mobile: +91-9906902025, +91-9419178667
www.mahabodhi-ladakh.org
First of all please accept my sincerest condolence on the unfortunate and sudden demise of our sisters in dhamma Late Tan Guat Gnoh, Late Ang Ee Lee, Late Lee Ah Yem and our missing sister Jennie Cheong. It has shaken our consciousness and definitely all of us will take a very long time to overcome this grief. We are still in a state of shock and despair.
We are very sorry; we couldn’t share many emotions when you had to leave Ladakh with an utter sense of deprivation and sadness. When I came to see you off at the airport, my emotion charged with a great despondency. I had no words in my mind to share with you that would have equated your sadness at that moment. I still cannot believe that we are having such a harsh moment to experience. What we anticipated a pleasant trip, turned into a fearful nightmare. I am feeling deeply sorry for what has happened with our departed dhamma sisters and their grieving families.
Though we all had a tough time to live through, I deeply appreciate the state of equanimity and courage that you had maintained during that phase. You had taken more than half of my loads on your own shoulder. I shall ever remain grateful to you for your supports. I can imagine the hardships that you had to go through in the entire process. I don’t know how to thank you for all your helps, the state of mind that you maintained and the heavy responsibility that you took to manage everything in that distressed situation. Please accept many many thank from the depth of my heart.
On the 26th, 27th and 28th of this month we had arranged for a very special Puja and Merit Sharing Ceremony in our campus for our departed sisters and for sister Reena’s and the driver’s speedy recovery. A condolence meeting was also held on the 28th along with the prayer and merit sharing sessions. On the same day robes and alms bowls were offered to the members of the Sangha in the name of the departed sisters especially Sister Julie. The other gifts from the Malaysian devotees were also distributed and the merits were offered to the departed ones. We had also arranged for special Pujas in various monasteries in Ladakh for all of them. And we are praying day and night to find Sister Jennie at the earliest.
We have also decided to build a small Stupa on a very nice site in the campus in the memory of our departed sisters. Our prayers will continue for them and we do hope our sincere efforts and prayers will be answered soon.
Regarding Sister Jennie’s search operation, we had approached the top civil authorities in Ladakh to get resourceful helps from the Indian Army in the search operation. They agreed to pass on the appeal, but their response has not been as prompt as we expected. And today we have approached to them to pressurize the India Army in this regard yet again.
I have heard that the Malaysian embassy has sent an appeal letter to the Indian Ministry of Defense to render help in the search operation of Sister Jennie. I guess it would be really helpful in intensifying the operation from the Army’s side if we can get a copy of that appeal letter. Thus, I have requested Mr. Paul in this regard to try and get a copy of that letter to us.
At our own level we are trying all efforts to find Sister Jennie as soon as possible. The Mahabodhi search teams from Leh and Tingmosgang branch are continuing the search with sincere prayers and efforts. A group of 30 volunteers have spread out in various regions in search for her in the last two days but unfortunately they still couldn’t trace. Never the less the search is still on. The police from the Khalste stations are also continuing the search in all the possible areas.
The Mahadbohi Tingmosgang branch had called for an emergency meeting yesterday and they have formed a “Search Team” to intensify the search process further for the next one week. We have also sent posters of Sister Jennie, with an appeal to inform at the earliest, to Leh town and many villages, especially towards the regions where people can possibly find her.
We have also made repeated announcements in the local radio news so that more and more people can join hands with us to look for her at various places. We shall try every way out and will make all possible arrangements required in this operation.
And regarding sister Reena, we are constantly in touch with sister Bee and Mr. Sonam in Delhi to enquire about her health progress. We leant from them that Sister Reena is fine and getting better. Mr. Sonam and Gurmet are there in Delhi to give any help that she and her family require.
Yesterday the rest of the Malaysian guests left for Delhi. We were very sad that we didn’t have sweet memories to send with them. All the members of the Devachan family were really heart broken to send them with such harsh experiences. But our Malaysian friends were so encouraging and strong minded that they boosted our hopes and determinations. They also collected donations for the suffering driver and his family before leaving. It was really touching and all were moved by their gesture. I must say we really feel proud and fortunate to have such friends like you all, around us. And they also expressed that they would love to visit Ladakh and Mahabodhi again in the future. It was very kind of them to show such enthusiasm and interest in continuing the friendship and understanding with Mahabodhi. I am grateful to all the members of the Malaysian team, to have shared their emotion, wisdom and co-operation in the hour of sadness. And thank you once again for your help and concern.
I shall update you soon as things develop.
Yours in Dhamma,
Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena
Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre
Devachan, P.O. Box # 22, Leh - Ladakh 194101, INDIA
Ph: +91-1982-264372 Mobile: +91-9906902025, +91-9419178667
www.mahabodhi-ladakh.org
Update from the Ladakh Tragedy
Funerals for sis Julie Ang and sis GG Tan was held on 29th Aug 2009 and the funeral for sis Lee Ah Yem was held on 28th Aug 2009. Sis Reena is recovering in Apollo Hospital in Delhi accompanied by her family members. Sis Jennie Cheong is still missing and efforts have been amplified to search for her, including giving out posters to the villagers living along the Indus River.
Below is email from Bro. Lee KH currently in Ladakh sent on 31st Aug 2009 >>
Dear Bro. Charlie,
The search for Sis Jennie is till going on -
30th. Aug. 09.
V. Nagasena together 5 members of MIMC equiped with the walkie talkie you brought and about 100 copies of the posters set out to paste at stragistic location of villages along the Indus. They will try also to hire two rafts to again check and look out at the two sides of the Indus river at the likely stretches to locate the body. (We understand the police had enlisted some assistance with two rafts on the 25th Aug. to scout along the two banks).
At the same time the police from Khaltse and the members of Mahabodhi Tingmosgang Mngmt.continue wih their search.
They MIMC search team stayed back in Tingmosgang for the night after calling of the search when darkness fell. Still no good news has been received so far.
31st Aug.09 ( Merdeka Day)
Today An Executive member of the Ladakh Hill Autonomous Authority came to MIMc to discuss with Bte. Sanghasena on the next course of action. The meeting is still on.
Will update on the status in the atfernoon as soon as fresh information is received.
Meanwhile progress on the water supply project No. 1 (2008) and drip irrigation for orchard project No. 2 (2009) has come to a halt due to the Holiness Dalai Lama's visit, and during your group's visit and compounded by the tragic accident. Two friday meetings have been missed to-date.It is my intention to finallise everything within whatever is available that is reasonable to put them together the accounts and impending project costings for presentation.
I will be leaving MIMC 2 to 3 days earlier (likely on 12th.Aug. 09 ) by road to Delhi to board my flight back to KL on 15th. Aug.09.
Sukhihotu.
Leekh.
The search for Sis Jennie is till going on -
30th. Aug. 09.
V. Nagasena together 5 members of MIMC equiped with the walkie talkie you brought and about 100 copies of the posters set out to paste at stragistic location of villages along the Indus. They will try also to hire two rafts to again check and look out at the two sides of the Indus river at the likely stretches to locate the body. (We understand the police had enlisted some assistance with two rafts on the 25th Aug. to scout along the two banks).
At the same time the police from Khaltse and the members of Mahabodhi Tingmosgang Mngmt.continue wih their search.
They MIMC search team stayed back in Tingmosgang for the night after calling of the search when darkness fell. Still no good news has been received so far.
31st Aug.09 ( Merdeka Day)
Today An Executive member of the Ladakh Hill Autonomous Authority came to MIMc to discuss with Bte. Sanghasena on the next course of action. The meeting is still on.
Will update on the status in the atfernoon as soon as fresh information is received.
Meanwhile progress on the water supply project No. 1 (2008) and drip irrigation for orchard project No. 2 (2009) has come to a halt due to the Holiness Dalai Lama's visit, and during your group's visit and compounded by the tragic accident. Two friday meetings have been missed to-date.It is my intention to finallise everything within whatever is available that is reasonable to put them together the accounts and impending project costings for presentation.
I will be leaving MIMC 2 to 3 days earlier (likely on 12th.Aug. 09 ) by road to Delhi to board my flight back to KL on 15th. Aug.09.
Sukhihotu.
Leekh.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Three Malaysians Killed In Road Mishap In Kashmir
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=435667
By: Ramjit-->
By P.VijianNEW DELHI, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- Three Malaysian tourists died in Ladakh, Kashmir, when the vehicle they were travelling in skidded and plunged into the Indus River on Tuesday.The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that the three victims, Angee Lee, 52, Lee Ah Yem, 59, and Tang Guat Gnoh, 54, died on the spot.Another passenger, Lin Bee Wong, 47, was injured and admitted to a nearby hospital.Meanwhile, police are still searching for another Malaysian, Cheon Swee Chuan, 42, who is missing in the mishap.The local driver of the vehicle was also seriously injured.The accident happened in Leh, one of the largest districts in Ladakh, located about 450km from Srinagar, capital of Jammu and Kashmir.-- BERNAMA
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