BHOTBAGAN, GHUSHURI,
HOWRAH, WEST BENGAL
If anybody
gets down at Auto Rickshaw Stand in Ghushuri Bazar (Market Place), Howrah, enquire
the local about Gosain Ghat Math, people will guide him like this. - go through
the road at the back of the Auto Stand a litte futher, take a right turn in a
narrow alley “Bhotbagan Lane”, another left turn and almost immediately one
sharp right turn in a narrow pathway up to the bank of Ganga–the destination
what you are asking.
The aura
of the area is the old industrial labour colony of yester-years. Now, it
transformed in to lower middle class dwelling, surrounded by walls of small
manufacturing units or mammoth defunct factory shades. The prevailing language
is a mixture of Bengali & Hindi. Amidst this, the usual real- estate
construction drive of modern West Bengal has spared a chunk of land near the
river –bank which is the make-shift playground for the local boys. The land has one boundary wall and
a big iron gate. On this wall you have the following bengali inscription in a
marble plaque.
MARBLE PLAQUE ON THE
OUTER BOUNDARY OF BHOTBAGAN MATH
The English translation of
this Inscription is-
BHOT
BAGAN MOTH
5,
GosainGhat Road, Ghushuri
Howrah-711107
Math
Construction Period Bengali 1189 San
Consecratedthe
metallic
PrajnaParamitaLakhsmi
brought
By
Bholagiri from Lhasa, Tibet
English-
15th November 1825
Opening
Time of Temple
Morning
8 AM TO 12 Noon
Afternoon
4 PM to Evening 7.30 PM
Telephone-
2655-5795
One peep from this gated
entrance reveals a remarkable relic of two storied mansion, on its one side two
old impressive Bengali Atchala Temples, on the other-sidefour temples[one of
which is not Bengali Atchala], beyond this cluster, there are two more inaccessible Bengali Atchala
temples. In an angle to this main entrance another locked premises is the
current temple enclave which also has one illegible marble plaque.
THE RELIC OF AN IMPRESSIVE TWO STORIED MANSION OF BHOTBAGAN
MATH
The local Tiwari Family
keeps the key to this main temple enclave, inside it, is a rectangular court
yard, surrounded by the old double story building on one side, a newly
constructed room on the other side, a small well preserved Temple in the front long
with a garden in the middle of the courtyard.
In this garden a board of
the West Bengal Heritage Commission educates the visitor about the importance
of the structures. Within the enclave another plaque suggesting a trustee board
under Court Supervision is active for the administration of this Math.
Regular Puja is offered by
the Hindu priest appointed by the trustee board. The temple used to get open
daily during puja hours. The main temple having three separate doors side by
side, the left hand corner chamber has a metallic Shiva Linga, one old oil
painting & a marble plaque in Bengali inscription (Snap-11); numerous
Deities placed in the middle chambers are inside a locked cage for further
protection.
The marble plaque in the
left hand chamber of Main Temple showing some date of 1953 (30 Se
Chaitra, 1360 San), on which, a proclamation was made that religious activity
of Bhotbagan Math was now revived & the previous misdeeds of Mohanto became
a part of History.
TWO OLD BENGALI ATCHALA SHIVA TEMPLES IN BHOTBAGAN ENCLAVE
The oldness of the entire
surroundings sums up- once upon a time this place might have eminence&
certain linkage with Tibet, almost sixty five years back the institute was
subjected to some controversy. To some devoted persons of Kolkata the place was
having emotional linkage, for which they have taken up restoration work of Main
Temple as late as 17th December 2005 in loving memory of their
departed parents.
This relic of the
institute was established as a Tibetan Temple & Garden (Bhot -Tibet, Bagan
–a garden) in the seventies of eighteenth century as a token to emerging Tibet
and British Bengal’s economic relationship & Buddhist Hindu religious
synergy.
Our study pictured the
following social condition of Bengal & Tibet in the second half of
eighteenth century.
The British East India
Company, after the Battle of Palashi (1757) became the king-pin of Bengal
Sultanate. Entire military administration of Bengal was under British hand. Steadily
this military supremacy became unparalleled in South & North of India.
Company now staged the selection of Nawab of Bengal. Moghul Emperor was forced
to appoint Company as revenue collector of Sube Bangla (Bengal, Bihar &
Orrisa combined) after defeat in Battle of Buxar in 1763. The survival of
Bengal Nawab now depended on Company provided allowances.
This made every employee
of the Company a private businessman, ready to make huge fortune by any means within
least possible time. This unethical approach systematically annihilated the
world-famous Bengal cottage industry. In line with the demand of European
industrial revolution Company continued collecting Raw Material from Bengal
without any investment. Monopolistic marketing of inferior quality European
goods in Bengal became the set agenda of East India Company. This Overall
chaotic environment, far from the traditional business pursuit of a mercantile
agency, resulted in to the negative surge in Company’s balance sheet. To
counterbalance, the residential Company management involved in numerous paid
military campaigns across India. On the other-hand drive for collection of
maximum revenue through selected Indians & dual Government-ship of
Bengal abolished the old Mughal land-holding patterns. The in-built social
security provided for the common people also went in to trash with abolition of
that old system. As a result, in 1770, almost one third of the Bengal inhabitants
failed victim to one of the worst famines of modern history. During this
century, as a new culture, a few Dashnami Shaiva Hindu Maths got establish in
Bengal by the patronage of elite class
of non-Bengalis (immigrants from Northern &Western parts of India,
fortune-seekers during disorder of Bengal politics). In the last three decades
of eighteenth century, the sporadic Sanyasi Revolutions in
certain parts of Bengal (Central & North) posed an uphill law & order
challenge for British Bengal administration. In British capital, London, this
mismanagement of Indian affairs & accumulation of immense personal wealth
of Company professional became the talk of the town. British Parliament
introduced partial control over its Indian territory by declaring Regulating
act of 1773, a baby step towards governance & judiciary control of India
under British Crown. By this charter
-Warren Hastings became the First Governor General of British India, -our first
character for the saga of Bhotbagan Math.
A CLUSTER OF FOUR OLD TEMPLES IN BHOTBAGAN MATH OUT OF THESE
THREE- BENGALI ATCHALA, THE FURTHER RIGHT ONE A CONICAL STRUCTURE
Tibet
(capital- Lhasa), on the other side of the Himalayan range, with an average
elevation of 16,000 feet from mean sea level was the highest region on Earth,.
In eighteenth century, its access through land was always an utmost challenge
to the bravest adventurist. To Europeans this was a land of mystery, black magic
& immense reserve of gold. It was the land of Tibetan Buddhism, which was
an evaluation of North Indian Mahayan Buddhism through the stages of Dhyan,
Mantra, Tantra, Bajra, Mahakal-chakra, Idolatry worship & ultimately
Avatar-bad of Lamaism. In this Avatar-bad, the belief was, for the well-being
of society & its people, God was incarnated again & again through the
mortal institutional chief of certain Buddhist monastery. From 1642 until the
1950s (except for 1705 to 1750), the Dalai Lamas(City– Lhasa, Seat-Potala
Palace) or their regent headed the Tibetan
government in Lhasa which
governed all or most of the Tibetan plateau with
varying degrees of autonomy, up
to complete sovereignty, remarkably without any Tibetan army! This government
also enjoyed the patronage and
protection of firstly Mongol Kings (1642–1720) and then of
the Chinese Emperors (1720–1912). In this system Panchen Lama(City-
Shigatse
/ Seat-TashiL hunpo) was authorized to find the incarnation linage of Dalai
Lama & acted as spiritual guide to young Dalai Lama. For this, like Dalai
Lama, Panchen Lama was also one sacred authority of Tibetan Monastic government,
well accepted in the entire Buddhist circuit of Kashmir, Ladakh, Mongolia,
China, Nepal, Sikkim, & Bhutan. From ancient past, Tibet was in trade
relationship with Northern India through the mountain passes of Nepal. The
Tibetan exports were gold dust, borax, musk, wool, salt and sheep (meat);
imports were textile, tobacco & grains.
In 1769, Gurkhas invaded Nepal, the age old passes were blocked, the
commerce between Tibet & India almost seized. For Tibetan livelihood,
alternative trade route with Bengal through Bhutan was the only lifeline. Sixth Panchen Lama of Tibet had rightly
accessed this situation in 1773- another
character in the fascinating tale of Bhotbagan Math.
TWO INACCESSIBLE BENGALI ATCHALA TEMPLES IN BHOTBAGAN COMPLEX
Hindu Shaiva Dashnami
sanyasis had a rich heritage of studying Vedanta &highest
degree of Shaiva philosophy. They were ten main disciple linages offour central
Shaiva Hindu Math of India - Rameshwaram, Puri, Badrinath & Dwarka. These maths
were established by Adi Guru Shankaracharya (greatest thinker & writer of
Hindu philosophy) in ninth century. After centuries, these Maths& their
affiliated bodies became very influential, rich & highly connected within
Indian society. Manas Sarovar in Tibet was one of their most sacred pilgrimages.
The Shaiva Tantricism was not an unknown doctrine to many of the Dashnamis.
Many aspects of this philosophy were close to the Tantric Buddhism practiced in
Tibet. For this, Tibetan Monastic government allowed Dashnami pilgrimages
inside Tibet from ages. During eighteenth century, some of these Dashnamis
became globetrotter of their era. Among these, a few selected, were gifted with
tremendous sense of business acumen ship & maintained communication channel
with Tibetan Monastery & traders. One
of this Dasnami Sanyassis of second half of eighteenth century, PuranGiri,
would be referred time & again in the story of Bhotbagan Math.
AN ILLEGIBLE MARBLE PLAQUE ON THE ENTRANCE OF MAIN TEMPLE YARD
AT BHOTBAGAN DATED 17/12/2005
East
India Company’s business with China during the same period (1757 onwards) was
performed under severe restrictions. Europeans sea-traders were only allowed to
deal at Chinese port of Canton on exchange of silver bullion. The dealing was
permitted with single Chinese trading window. No direct inland trade was allowed.
Residential passport for European traders beyond Canton port in Chinese
mainland was an unthinkable affair.
The
age old Buddhist religion of Tibet was skeptical to open its door to strangers
other than Hindu sages & always remained protective about its rich gold
mines from outside world. With this established tradition &
continued Chinese influence & presence at Lhasa,eighteenth century Tibet
remained as a “Forbidden Land” to European trade circuit.
In
1772-73, the dispute between Bhutan & Cooch Behar (where British were the paid
troops of Cooch Behar state) almost stalled the available mountain passes from
Tibet through Bhutan to British Bengal. For a resolution, Sixth Panchen Lama approached
Warren Hastings. One young Hindu Dashnami Sanyasi Puran Giri Gosain, met
Hastings at Calcutta on 29th March 1774 as an emissary on behalf
Tibetan team. Hastings responded quickly. A treaty with Bhutan entered on 25th
April, 1774. Bhutanese were allowed to visit a tax free annual trade-fare at
Rangpur.
Hastings
was eager to establish an Indo Tibetan direct trade relationship for reaching
the back-door of China. For this, he immediately sent a British envoy of George
Bogle, Dr. Hamilton &Puran Giri to Shigatse, Tibet. This envoy came back
from Tibet in June 1775. Though this envoy was unable to reach Tibetan capital,
Lhasa, their commission revealed two aspects.
THE TWO STORIED MANSION FROM MAIN TEMPLE ENCLAVE OF BHOTBAGAN
First,
Sixth Panchen Lama assured Bogle that during his forthcoming tour to Peking,
Lama would be instrumental for arranging a passport for overland journey of
Bogle from Canton port to Chinese capital through the intervention of Emperor.
It might enable Bogle to represent British commercial concern in front of
Chinese Monarch.
Secondly,
Lama put up a request for a piece of land, near Calcutta, at the bank of sacred
Ganges, for establishing a Tibetan Temple & Guest House. This would be treated as temporal
accommodation for Tibetan monks & traders who would visit Bengal in Indian
winters. Monks would be sent for pilgrimage for Indian Buddhist circuit &
traders for business ventures within British Bengal. The fund for this
construction would be remitted through Bogle by the Lama& management of the
Institute would be bestowed upon Puran Giri. Panchen Lama even showed Bogle the
Tibetan deities which he wished to send for this proposed Temple in Bengal
capital.
Hastings
readily obliged, 100 Bighas of tax free land at Ghushuri awarded to Panchen
Lama & subsequently to Puran Giri on 12th June 1778. This was
the inception of Bhot Bagan Moth. Puran Giri became its first Mohanto / Gosain
(Chief).
THETOMB OF GEORGE BOGLE AT SOUTH PARK STREET CEMETRY
Hastings
planned for the second British expedition of Bogle to Tibet in 1779.As
scheduled,Puran Giri went to Tibet in 1778 for accompanying Panchen Lama to
Peking. The detail of this trip was well documented in British archive from the
verbatim of this Hindu sanyasi. Unfortunately this expedition ended without a
result. The reasons- Panchen Lama died in Peking on 12th November
1780owing to small pox, Bogle had his most untimely death on 3rd
April 1781 at Calcutta due to fever. Puran Giri was back to Hastings on 12th
February 1782.
THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ROOM OF BHOTBAGAN MAIN TEMPLE ENCLAVE
THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ROOM OF BHOTBAGAN MAIN TEMPLE ENCLAVE
The
demise of two principal characters for the proposed Indo-Tibet trade
relationship did not hinder the initial success of the first mission. The Bhot
Bagan math became a destination for visiting monks, traders & Dashnami sanyasis
from Tibet. The garden was scattered with temporal cottages for visitors.
Further 50 Bighas of tax free land was awarded to Panchen Lama & Puran Giri
by British Bengal on 11th February 1783.
Hastings
continued his communication through the net-work of Puran Giri with the-then
monastic regent & cup-bearers of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery at Shigatse,
Tibet.
Ultimately,
the second expedition of Tibet from British Bengal made on 9th January
1783 under Captain Samuel Turner. Robert Saunders &Puran Giri were the
other members of this commission. This time, once again, the envoy was failed
to visit Lhasa, came back to Calcutta in March 1784 with assurance that the
friendship initiated by late Panchen Lama will be continued by his faithful
administration. Any Indian merchant, endorsed by Hastings would be cordially
accepted by Tashi Lhunpo monastery at Shigatse.
MAIN TEMPLE OF BHOTBAGAN MATH
During fag end of his Indian service, Hastings, decided to send Puran Giri to Tibet as his representative to young Dalai Lama in early 1785. Under, the temporal Governorship of Macpherson, Puran Giri commenced his journey to Tibet, the translated report of this visit submitted in Calcutta on 6th February 1786.
It
was now the regime of Lord Cornwallis in India. Under this able colonial
administrator, a war veteran of recent American war of independence, trade with
Tibet was no more a British priority.
Based
on the treasure-myth of TashiLhunpo Monastery, reigning Gurkhas of Nepal
attacked the institute in 1792. Distressed Tibetan lamas appealed to the
Chinese dynasty for rescue. Chinese military rushed to Tibet, repulsed the Gurkhas
from Tibetan plateau. Cornered Gurkhas were contacting English for assistance-
this intelligence, almost sealed all Tibetan passes to Bhutan by the Chinese
army. Chinese strictly banned the pilgrimage of Hindu sanyasis to Tibet in fear
of British spying. The direct Tibetan connection of Bhotbagan severed.
THE NOTICE OF WEST BENGAL HERITAGE COMMISSION IN THE GARDEN
OF MAIN TEMPLE ENCLAVE
The first five Tibetan Deities of Bhotbagan remained as the
features of its Tibetan linkage. These deities were elaborated by Indo-Tibetan
scholar Sarat Chandra Das in the article of Gour Das Basyac (1890). This important description was:-
No. I. TARA.
The principal
deity is Arya Tara. She is identified by the Nepalese Buddhists with
PrajnaaPaaramitaa or transcendental wisdom and is universally believed to be
the mother of all the past Tathaagataor
Buddhas, in Tibet. According
to the doctrine of
the Tantric school
of the Northern Buddhists, she is the wife
of all the present, past and future
Buddhas, in which case she resembles
the female energy or 'Sakti of the Indian Tantrics’.The Tibetan name of
Tara is Grolma. Her image is made of copper, gilt with Chinese gold. It was evidently brought from China (Peking) by PuranGiri who accompanied the Tashi Lama (Sixth Panchen Lama) to Peking.
During my(Sarat Chandra Das) stay at Peking I paid
a visit to the image manufactories near
Hwangs-se or the yellow temple, which is situated at a distance
of three lee to the north of the Antaman
gate, where I saw images resembling
this (image) in construction The
goddess Tara holds a mendicant's bowl
filled with gems in her left hand. With her right hand she holds a lotus. She
wears a crown with five spires all of which are studded with rubies and
turquoises. Her locks are coiled, in the
Indian Buddhist fashion, at the crown of her head, at the top of which there is
a beautiful gem, called Norbu-mimbar. Her dress is different from that of the
Tibetan image of Tara. She wears a
Chinese petticoat with broad and loose sleeves, and a pair of Chinese
embroidered shoes like a, Manchu lady. The image is about two feet. The
daughter of the Emperor Tai-tsung of the great Tang dynasty was married to the
first Tibetan king in 630 A. D. She was an acknowledged incarnation of
Tara. The image probably represents her
figure.
No. II.
MahakalBhairava
The most
ingeniously constructed image is that of MahaakaalaBhairava. It represents him
in a hideous mood, with his Sakti in his embrace. His nine heads on all four sides, with a
central one on the top, his thirty six
arms and eighteen legs, his weapons, and the string of skulls
hanging down his neck to the extremity of his belly, give him a
truly horrible appearance. He is the
principal guardian of the Tibetan Lamas, particularly of the Tashi Lama (Panchen Lama).
No. III.
Sambhara Chakra
Sambhara Chakra
is the chief of the Tantric deities of Tibet.
He has ten arms, but one head. He
also has the 'Sakti in his clasp. He
stands on the breast of a vanquished demon, probably the devil Mara. He is painted with yellow. The image is of copper gilt, about nine
inches high.
No.IV.
SamajaGuhya
SamajaGuhyais
another Tantric deity, with three faces and six arms. He clasps his consort Sakti who also has
three faces and six arms.
No.V.VajraBhrukuti
Another form of
Tara is called Vajra Bhrukuti. The figure of it, evidently cast in Nepal,
represents the second wife of king Srongtsangampa. She was the daughter of king Prabhavarma of
Nepal, who reigned between 630 and 640 A. D.
There is a saint's glory round her head.
THE METALLIC SHIVA LINGA, AN OLD OIL PAINTING & LOOSE
MARBLE PLAQUE IN MAIN TEMPLE DATED BENGALI 30 Se Chaitra, 1360 San
(1953)
It
was evident the earliest collection of Bhotbagan Math was quite unique &
very valuable. As indicated in British reports, Dashnami Sanayshis were
entrusted by Tibetan with commodities of “lesser in bulk but
higher in value”- Tibetan gold dust for mercantile exchanges in
Bengal. This myth of rich reserve of Bhotbagan Math brought one cold-blooded
attack of robbers in early 1795.
PuranGiri lost his life to safe-guard his Math during this attack.
Robbers ransacked the institute. Afterwards, four robbers who were caught by
British police were hanged in the institute itself. The Tibetan Mahakal Bhairava
was lost forever.
Surprisingly,
till date the priest of Bhotbagan referred it as a seat of Mahakal! It is a typical religious synergy of Shaiva
doctrine with Tantric Buddhism of Tibet.
The
absence of Mahakal made the idol of Prajna Paramita one of the leading deities
of this temple [Snap 13]. As per internet information, this original Idol was
stolen once again in early years of twenty first century, retrieved within a
short period by police. Tony Huber opined the original Tibetan idols were well-preserved
in a vault of local police station. The correctness of this information is not
cross-checked from our side. But the caged enclave in the main temple &
daily night picket of police suggest the archeological importance of these
Idols is on priority list of local administration [Snap-14].
MAIN DEITIES OF
BHOTBAGAN TEMPLE WITHIN A LOCKED CAGE FOR PROTECTION
As
per the Dashnami tradition, PuranGiri was buried in this temple enclave &
on his Samadhi a Shiva Linga was placed & the First Shaiva Temple of the
current enclave was built. The date of consecration
of this tomb & his homage towards his demised Guru inscribed in Bengali by
the second Mohanto Daljit Giri on the wall of this particular temple tomb. The date corresponded 3rd May 1795.
Slowly,
the British Officers directly involved with Bhotbagan Math went back to
England, the agenda for setting of this establishment faded away from
Government records & public memory. The diplomatic agenda of British India
omitted Tibet for almost further hundred years. Forgetting its Indo- Tibetan
cultural synergy, the institute became one Hindu Shaiva Math under Tarakeswar Mandali.
No more Tibetan inflow of wealth, for subsistence, within a century, the Math
started to rent its land for commercial purpose. Clock ticked. Successive
Mahanto’s (Daljit Giri, Kalit Giri, Bilas Giri, Umrao Giri, Trilok Nath Giri)
natural deaths increased the number of Shaiva Temples around the enclave. From
1935 onwards, the selection of Mohanto-ship became a subject under judiciary
verdicts. Shortly after independence, the relic of the institute became a
property of court. Though subsequently it came under the protective umbrella of
West Bengal Heritage commission; prevailing ambience of Bhotbagan could not
attract visitors with any uniqueness.
THE CHINESE GOD GILT PRAJNAPARAMITA IN BHOTBAGAN MAIN TEMPLE
We
came to Bhotbagan after reading certain details about Puran Giri Gosain,
unfortunately, could not detect his tomb temple. All of the structuresare on
the way to oblivion hence the earmarked Bengali inscription of 1795 is now
untraceable.
The
British documents covered almost last twenty five years (Age- 25 years to 50
years) of Puran Giri’s life. It mainly
centered about his diplomatic endeavors.
The package Puran Giri was – a Hindu sage with simplest attire (koupin in
loin, one tiger skin on shoulder)& a stick (danda) in hand, being fluent
with several languages (Hindustani, Bhutanese, Tibetan, Mongolian), accustomed
with Tibetan cultures, customs, rituals & commerce. He had been expressed
as one impeccable guide in a most difficult terrain, commendable horse-rider
(comparable with skilled Europeans). He was amicable but firm negotiator, well
regarded within Tibetan monastic hierarchy & readily accepted within Tibetan
trading community. By this reports, Puran Giri used to have his humble self-cooked
vegetarian meal only once in twenty four hours. His observance power&
oratory skill was amply reflected in those reports.
NUMEROUS TIBETAN DEITIES
OF BHOTBAGAN TEMPLE
Surprisingly,
in that era,the administration of British Bengal was under tremendous threat
from rebellion militant sanyasi groups (the truce with Bhutan clarified the
Sanyasis detrimental to Company were banned to enter Bengal boundary). But in
his Tibetan policy, Hastings put immense reliance on this sanyasi time and again. Though the diplomacy of Puran Giri
was initiated by Tibetans, ultimately he became the British India’s
representative!
Was
the mercantile instinct of Hastings detected the business acumen of this Hindu
sage at their first meeting? Was he being the means to accumulate Tibetan
gold? Was he being the proposed conduit
to retrieve personal British wealth involved with Chinese business connection
at Canton through Tibetan Monastery? (Puran
Giri’s 1778 Tibetan passport for Manas Sarovar pilgrimage amply displayed the
high esteem of this Hindu Achraya to the issuing authority, the Sixth Panchen
Lama).
THE PRESENT CONDITION OF ONE OF THE DASHNAMI SHIVA TEMPLE
TOMB OF BHOTBAGAN
All
these unanswered questions firmly vouched that this person was far from an ordinary
sanyasi; a modern day mediator, whose influence was spread within the highest
political lobbies, various religious institutes & mercantile adventures.
It
took almost eighty years to fill the gap of first twenty five years of
PuranGiri’s life. Jonathan Duncan published in the Asiatic Journal the life
history of one Hindu sanyasi PuranPuri in 1799. Its Bengali version first
appeared in print by Akhay Kumar Dutta in 1882. In 1978, Binay Ghosh logically established
Puran Puri & Puran Giri are representing same person.
From
this, we came know Puran Giri had a North Indian origin. Being a Sanaysi, he
became a globe-trotter from tender age of nine years. His remarkable endurance
& devotion took him extensively through modern India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia,
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bharin, Muscat, Iran, Russia, Samarkand, Nepal &
Tibet. This traveling sage, in due course followed the merchant-monk tradition
of Dashnamis for his own philanthropic pursuit. By virtue of his cool human
qualities he became the most trusted lieutenant of Tibetan monastery &
visited the office of British authority at Calcutta for Tibetan cause.
THIS COLORED BELGIAN GLASS - SIGNATURE OF COLONIAL BENGAL
It
was a feat of a tremendous adventurist, sailing the sea to visit Sri Lanka,
Malaya & Oman, walking through the hot deserts in Hinglaj, Iran &
Middle East, moving around Caspian coast, travelling through the ice cold
Moscow, crossing the Kashmir valley, passing the rustic Ladakh, experiencing
Himalayan passes, meeting different religions & cultures, facing unique
situations, knowing the Asian trade routes & learning about the different
international commerce. Indeed a very rich bio-data for a remarkably
intelligent & secular person.
Our
search for the last resting place of this exceptional Indian became a fruitless
quest at Bhotbagan. But internet gave us a glimpse of this unique person. First
it was through a sketch enclosed in the article of Duncan (1799) & then
through a portrait of Tilly Kettle (1775).
Interestingly,
independent Tibet is no more indicated in the Google World map, Tony Huber
expressed, none in Delhi or Dharamshala (Central Tibetan Government in exile)
had any attention to Bhot Bagan.
A PORTRAIT OF PURAN PURI -1799
Today
we are equipped with GPS, internet and several fast and safe mode of
transportation, till how many of us had visited the countries and places
where Puran Giri had reached in his life-time? We feel only a few. Who had gone
to those countries on their foot? The answer is none. Don’t we feel ashamed
that such a brilliant Indian explorer (geographical as well as spiritual)
buried in our city gone to dust due to social amnesia?
KETTLE’S PORTRAIT (1775) – BOGLE (EXTREME LEFT), YOUNG PURAN GIRI (CENTER)& SIXTH PANCHEN LAMA (SECOND FROM RIGHT) ALL IN SINGLE FRAME
Our earnest request to West Bengal
Government is kindly preserve Bhotbagan, restore the Temple Tomb of Puran Giri. Otherwise,
this unique Indian adventurist would only be remembered under the shadow of an
unimportant road - “Gosain Ghat Road”. The young generation of Indians will be unware
of this Travelling Hindu for whom the entire world was his play ground, much before
the invention of What’s App, Twitter or Instagram.
Sources :
To
know details of this remarkable Traveling Tapashyi & his unique institute
following books /articles / documents may be helpful for the interesting
readers:-
Sl No
|
Heading
|
Writer’s Name
|
Year
|
Type of Document
|
1
|
An
account of Two Fakeers with their Protraits – Jonathan Duncan
|
Jonathan
Duncan
(Journal of Asiatic Society)
|
1799
|
English PDF Soft Copy
|
2
|
An
account of an embassy to the court of the teshoo lama, in Tibet; containing a
narrative of a journey through Bootan, and part of Tibet
|
Captain
Samuel Turner
|
1800
|
English Text Soft Copy
|
3
|
Oriental Repetory Vol-II
|
Alexander Dalrymple
|
1808
|
English PDF Soft Copy
|
4
|
Narrative of George Bogle to Tibet & Journey of
Thomas Manning at Lhasa
|
Clements R Markham
|
1876
|
English PDF Soft Copy
|
5
|
BharatiyaUpasakSampraday- Akhay
Kumar Dutta- 2 nd Part
|
Akhay Kumar Dutta
|
1882
|
Bengali Book
|
6
|
The Lives of the Panchhen-Rinpochees or Tashi Lamas
|
Sarat Chandra Das
(Journal of Asiatic Society)
|
1882
|
English PDF Soft Copy
|
7
|
Notes on a Buddhist Monastery at Bhot Bagan in Howrah
|
Gour Das Basyac
(Journal of Asiatic Society)
|
1890
|
English Text–Soft Copy
|
8
|
Bengal District
Gazetteers: Howrah.
|
L S S O'Malley, MonmohanChakravarti,
|
1909
|
English Text–Soft Copy
|
9
|
India & Tibet
|
Sir Francis Younghusband
|
1910
|
English PDF Soft Copy
|
10
|
PaschimBangaSanskriti
Part-3
|
Binay
Ghosh
|
1978
|
Bengali Book
|
11
|
Surendra Nath And Anr. vs DandiswamiJagannathAsram
And ... on 4 September, 1952
|
Dasgupta
(Indian Kanoon -
http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1619140/)
|
1952
|
English PDF Soft Copy
|
12
|
The
Holy Land Reborn: Pilgrimage and the Tibetan Reinvention of Buddhist India
|
Toni
Huber
|
2008
|
English Text- Limited View
|
13
|
Routing the Commodities of the Empire through Sikkim
(1817-1906)
|
Vibha Arora
|
2008
|
English PDF Soft Copy
|
To
understand the Hindu Buddhist regional synergy followings may be useful tool:
Sl No
|
Heading
|
Writer’s Name
|
Year
|
Type of Document
|
1
|
Rachanabali -3 rd Part
|
HaraprasadShastri
|
Articles are written in between 1877 to 1932
|
Bengali Book
|
2
|
BouddhaDharmerItihas
|
ManikuntalaHaldar
|
1996
|
Bengali Book
|
Photograph
Reference-
Barring
last two- By the author.
PuranPuri-
Courtesy Google Book.
Kettle’s
Portrait (1775)- CourtesyWikipedia.
Research - Abhijnan Basu.
Picture Courtesy - Abhijnan Basu & Santanu Roy.
Research - Abhijnan Basu.
Picture Courtesy - Abhijnan Basu & Santanu Roy.
