Amartya Sen urges Jain industrialists to invest in Pawapuri

PATNA: Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Saturday urged industrialists the Jain community to take initiative to develop Pawapuri in Bihar's Nalanda district, where Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, is believed to have attained enlightenment.

"They (Jain industrialists) should invest for its development," Sen told reporters here.

The renowned economist, who visited Pawapuri Friday, said there was a need to set up three-star hotels, an engineering college and other infrastructure for the area's development.

Sen recalled that last time he visited Pawapuri in 2003 when he was part of the delegation of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Pawapuri is nearly 90 km from Patna.

He is currently in Bihar for a meeting of the mentor group of the proposed Nalanda International University in Nalanda. Sen heads the mentor group.

Thousands of Jains from across the world visit Pawapuri to offer prayers at the site where Mahavira's last rites were performed.

From Economics Times

Parasnath on amenity drive

ARTI SAHULIYAR

Ranchi, Jan. 30: Once it was a must-visit spot for both Jains and tourists, but neglect has led to a dwindling footfall of visitors to the Parasnath hills.

But, the state tourism department, it seems, has woken up to the problem and is now mulling plans to provide “world-class” facilities to visitors to the Parasnath hills — also referred to as Shri Teerth.

Located 170km from Ranchi, every year lakhs of Jain pilgrims visit Parasnath hills. The tourism department has mooted a plan to develop the area and rope in the occasional foreign visitor as well. Plans include a bus stand, a shopping complex, a mediation-and-yoga centre, hotels and an amusement park.

State tourism secretary A.K. Singh said they are in the process to procure 106 acres to start the project in three months. “We are also chalking a blueprint for the mega project by roping in department officials. The government has decided to sanction Rs 50 crore shortly,” the secretary said.

“The project would also provide employment to local youths. We would take in 400 men for this project in a bid to improve the socio-economic condition of the area. The people would also be responsible for the upkeep of the hills,” Singh said.

"Over foreign 1,000 tourists come here every year, including some NRIs. We also receive some 5 lakh domestic tourists. We want these numbers to increase and promote the area as a must-see spot.”

Apart from the Parasnath temple, there are several Jain temples belonging both to Digambers and Svetambers sects. On Mahavir Jayanti, the temple is chock-a-block with visitors and pilgrims.

The ‘don’ of non-violence

Sanjay Singh
Tribune News Service

Patna, December 16People facing serious criminal charges being elected to the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha is hardly a surprise in Bihar. Almost all political parties have a fair share of such don-turned-politicians. There are also instances of incarcerated MLAs and MPs doing graduation, postgraduation and Phd from different varsities.

But how about an MLA, involved in various crimes, including murder, loot, extortion and kidnapping, getting a doctorate for his research on non-violence. Meet Narendra Kumar Pandey alias Sunil Pandey, who has been awarded a PhD degree by Veer Kunwar Singh University (VKSU), Ara, for his research on the topic “Mahavir’s Preachings in Modern Context”. Interestingly, the legislator — who has been suspended by the ruling JDU for his continued criminal behaviour — made headlines four months ago when he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court for getting a Patna neuro-surgeon Dr Ramesh Chandra kidnapped for ransom.

Once again, he is in the limelight but for totally different reasons. The university published the result on November 27. A varsity source revealed that a team of experts on Jainism had taken Pandey’s interview (viva-voce examination) for the doctorate degree on November 25. He had appeared in the oral examination under police custody and the vice-chancellor of VKSU was also present there.

Pandey’s guide for PhD was Dr Ramji Rai, head of the history department of S.B.College, Ara. Pandey has been awarded a gold medal by the institute for excelling in studies and extra- curricular activities. Considered as an authority on Jainism and Prakrit, he has to his credit many articles on ‘non-violence’. Pandey is said to be a lifetime member of All India Oriental Conference (Pune), Indian Society of Budhist Studies (Jammu) and Indian Society of Gandhian studies. If his supporters are to be believed, Pandey has set his eyes on DLitt now.

उग्रवादियों ने जैन तीर्थस्‍थल मधुबन पर हमला किया

गिरिडीह (झारखंड): उग्रवादियों ने जैनियों के सबसे बडे तीर्थस्‍थल मधुबन पर हमला किया है. गिरिडीह स्थि‍त मधुबन में निर्माणाधीन टूरिस्‍ट कॉम्‍प्‍लेक्‍स को बम से उडा दिया. 20 लाख से अधिक की संपत्ति नष्‍ट हो गई है. किसी के हताहत होने की सूचना नहीं है. इस घटना से दूर-दराज से आ रहे जैन यात्रियों व धर्मावलंबियों में भय व्‍याप्‍त हो गया है.

घटना मंगलवार अर्द्धरात्रि की है. करीब 40-50 की संख्‍या में हमलावरों का एक जत्‍था उस भवन परिसर में पहुंचा. चौकीदार को कब्‍जे में लेने के बाद वहां दो केन-बम लगा कर विस्‍फोट कर दिया. दूसरे दिन घटना स्‍थल पर पहुंचे एसपी ए के सिंह के अनुसार यह करतूत भाकपा माओवादियों के एक गुट का है. दरअसल, इस इलाके में माओवादी दो खेमों में बंटे हुए हैं. एक खेमे को लेवी नहीं मिली थी उसी का खामियाजा इस तीर्थ स्‍थल को उठाना पडा है. करीब सवा करोड की लागत से बन रहे इस टूरिस्‍ट कॉम्‍प्‍लेक्‍स का निर्माण भारत सरकार की ओर से कराया जा रहा था.