The Buddhist Legacy of Indonesia

Introduction: Lama Doboom Tulku, Founder and Managing Trustee, World Buddhist Culture Trust

 

Followed by screening of the film 

Learning from Borobudur (35 minutes; 1989; dvd; English)

Director: Fred Wibowo

 

Recipient of the First Prize Award, Feldafest 1990; and Golden Award, Transtel Prix Futura, Germany 1991

 

Famous as one of the seventh wonders of the world, Borobudur Temple is more than a historical remains, it is actually a monument for Cultural and Spiritual studies.

 

This documentary is about visiting Borobudur Temple in a “Correct Way”. Starting from Mendut and Pawon Temples, when we reach Borobudur Temple, we are guided to step the route to heaven. Pilgrims are invited to search for revelation inside the three temples. The revelations are disclosed from the stories on the relief and statue in the temples. At Borobudur Temple, we are faced by the biography of Buddha from his birth until his marriage, the time when Buddha left the palace and wandered to find the highest wisdom. The stories of a rabbit, a quail, a deer, a lion and a woodpecker invite the pilgrims to reflect their daily lives

 

(Collaboration: Embassy of Indonesia)

 

 

From 10:30 to 11:00 at Gandhi-King Memorial Plaza

Commemoration Service 

Songs by Choirs of Schools from Delhi NCR

 

Procession from Gandhi-King Memorial Plaza to C.D. Deshmukh Auditorium 

 

11:15 to 12:30 in C.D.Deshmukh Auditorium 

Mandela Katha Mala 

Message from the UN Secretary-General to be read by Shri Rajiv Chandran, National Information Officer, United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan 

 

Speakers: H.E. Mr  France Morule, High Commissioner of South Africa; Shri Virendra Gupta, former Indian High Commissioner to South Africa and  Shri Suhas Borker, Convener, Working Group on Alternative Strategies

 

Madiba and His Struggle 

An exhibition of paintings by children of Bluebells School International

 

On view in the Foyer outside C.D. Deshmukh Auditorium 

 

Organised as part of Taking Children to Gandhi series that brings children closer to the enduring legacy of Gandhi’s non-violent struggle for equity, justice, pluralism and sustainable development

 

(Collaboration: Gandhi Yuva Baradari, United Nations Information Centre & Working Group on Alternative Strategies)

 

 

 

Beyond Borders: IIC-NFI Lecture Series

 

Ancient Assam – Looking Back, Looking Forward

Speaker: Prof. Nayanjot Lahiri, Professor of History, Ashoka University, Sonepat, Haryana and recipient of the Infosys Prize in Humanities - Archaeology for 2013. Her most recent book Ashoka in Ancient India won the John F. Richards prize of the American Historical Association for the best book in South Asian History for 2015

 

Introduction: Dr. Monica Banerjee, Director NFI

Moderator: Kishalay Bhattacharjee, Associate Professor, O P Jindal Global University, Sonepat, Haryana

 

Nayanjot Lahiri began her research journey in Assam in the 1980s by looking at the epigraphs of ancient Assam. Published as Pre-Ahom Assam (1991), the book analyzed the physical and human landscapes immortalized in those epigraphs as also the links of Assam beyond the borders of the Brahmaputra valley. In this lecture, Lahiri returns to her research roots to offer some thoughts on ancient Assam, and about future research in that direction

 

(Collaboration: National Foundation for India)

 

DURGABAI DESHMUKH MEMORIAL LECTURE 2017

 

The Moral Economy of the Elite and Why they Can’t Confront the Inequality that is Our Greatest Crisis 

Speaker: P. Sainath

 

(Collaboration: Council for Social Development)

 

The Jain Philosophy of Death

A discussion on two books by S. Settar, Emeritus Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies: Inviting Death: Historical Experiments on Sepulchral Hill and Pursuing Death: Philosophy and Practice of Voluntary Termination of Life (Primus Books, 2017)

 

Release of books by Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi

 

Followed by:

 

The author in conversation with Dr. Sudhamahi Regunathan and Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi

 

(Collaboration: Primus Books)

 

  

 

 

Release of Dr. H. K. Kaul’s book Encounters with People and the Angels of Hope: Poems 

By Dr. Karan Singh, M.P.

Prof.  Riyaz Punjabi, Former Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmirwill speak on the book

Sunit Tandon and Dr.Lavlin Thadani will read poems from the book

 

Chair: Dr. Karan Singh

 

(Collaboration: The Poetry Society, India)

 

 

ART MATTERS

Malavika Sarukkai in conversation with Sudha Gopalakrishnan

 

(Collaboration: Raza Foundation)

 

 

Nadopasana – Carnatic Classical Vocal Recital

By Guruvayoor Dr. T.V. Manikandan

 

Accompanists: Adarsh M. Nair (vocal support & tanpura); Delhi R. Sridhar (violin); and Kumbakonam N. Padmanabhan (mridangam)

 

(Collaboration: Gurukulam Foundation)

 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

 

Two books by Audrey Truschke will be discussed - Aurangzeb: The Man and The Myth (New Delhi: Sage, 2017) and Culture of Encounters: Sanskrit at the Mughal Court (Gurgaon: Allen Lane, 2016)

 

Discussants: Prof. Farhat Hasan, University of Delhi; Prof. Sunil Kumar, University of Delhi; and Prof. Najaf Haider, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University

 

Chair: Prof. Upinder Singh, University of Delhi

 

Piano Recital

By Apurva Devarajan

 

Apurva was selected Young Musician of the Year, 2016 by the Olga and Jules Craen Foundation and NCPA, Mumbai

 

(Collaboration: The Olga and Jules Craen Foundation; and Delhi Music Society)