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| 4-Day International Seminar begins at KU | | India, South Asian Republics poised to play great role in world peace: Governor | |
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 28- Governor Lt. General (Retd) S K Sinha today said that India and Central Asian Republics could play a meaningful role in heralding peace in the world as they have a common commitment to secularism and a common stand against the menace of terrorism.
Inaugurating the 4-Day International Conference on Central Asia in Retrospect and Prospect at University of Kashmir this morning, the Governor referred to the intimate and long association between the two and said that Central Asian Republics and India are building new bonds of friendship ‘to our mutual advantage’.
The Governor complimented the Vice Chancellor, Prof Abdul Wahid and Director of Central Asia Centre Prof Mushtaq Kaw for making his suggestion at the Conference last year to have an international seminar this year into a reality.
‘India’s booming economy and facilities for human resource development has been a growing area of cooperation between the two regions’, the General said, hoping that both will march together to make the world prosperous and harmonious for all humanity. He appreciated the role of Central Asian Republics for supporting India’s case in the United Nations.
Tracing the linkage and deep bonds of commonality between the two regions, the Governor said that India and Central Asian Republics became victims of European colonial expansion in 18th and 19th century. The landward thrust of Russia engulfed Central Asia and the maritime thrust of the British engulfed India. In the 20the century, he added, both these regions have emerged as Independent Sovereign Republics. ‘Today, with discovery of rich hydro-carbon deposits and the eruption of international terrorism, stakes of the Great Game of 19th century appears to be getting revived as both USA and Russia have interests in the area’. In this scenario, there is greater need for Central Asia Republic and India to come closer for mutual benefit of their peoples.
Striking a personal chord with the people of Kashmir by saying, amid applause, that as Head of the State he identifies himself as one of them, the Governor said that Kashmir had intimate relations with Central Asian countries as the great silk routes of trade and commerce linked the two regions. He said Bud Shah, the great ruler of Kashmir, built good relations with Timur and his court in Samarkand in the 15th century with his Ambassador staying their for seven years. He sent artisans from there and together here in the Kashmir Valley various arts and crafts like carpet, weaving, stitching of jamawars, paper mashie and architecture with lithe work were developed. He said Mirza Haider Dughlat from Kazakhstan, whose grave is preserved in Srinagar, ruled over Kashmir for ten years and is remembered as a benevolent ruler.
The Governor said that Central Asian Republics were not only the geographical neighbours but ‘we have deep and lasting bonds with them based on history, geography, religion, commerce and mutuality of interests’. He stressed the need for reviving, reinforcing and reinvigorating those bonds. ‘Kashmir is one part of India, which is close to Central Asia both on ground and thoughts’, he said while dwelling on the historical ties between the two regions. He said Ashoka the Great, who founded the City of Srinagar over 2000 years ago, built bonds of peace and friendship with all humanity, particularly the neighbouring countries. A couple of centuries later, a great ruler from Central Asia, Kanshika, established himself at Peshawar and became the Emperor of North-West India including Kashmir. He converted to Buddhism and held the fourth Buddhist Council at Srinagar. Great Buddhist scholars from all over assembled in this city and the noble ideals of that great religion of peace traveled to Central Asia, Tibet, China and other parts of the world. Centuries later, the Governor added another great religion of peace, Islam came to Kashmir. ‘This time the movement was from the other direction. It was what you may call a return movement from Central Asia to Kashmir. The harbingers of the movement were Sufi mystic saints from Central Asia, Syed Ali Hamdani and Baqi Bhilla’ He said Buddhism cemented Indian-Central Asia ties during the ancient period and Islam reinforced them during the medieval period. He said a unique feature of this cross movement of noble ideas was that it generated harmony and love without any trace of conflict.
General Sinha said the interaction between Islam, Shaivism and Buddhism led to the flowering of a unique pearl of great value, which is called Kashmiriyat. ‘We are proud of this great heritage of peace, amity and brotherhood in which Central Asia and Kashmir have made a joint contribution’, he said, adding that the message of Kashmiriyat should spread all over the world to make this planet a peaceful abode for the entire human race.
‘I will like you to carry the message of Kashmiriyat from this Paradise on Earth to different parts of the world, which will be a fitting tribute to the sublime ties of Central Asia and Kashmir’, the Governor told the delegates.
He also made a mention of Babar and the golden era of Moughal Rule in India. He urged the delegates to visit the Moughal Gardens in Srinagar laid by Jehangir. He said that Prince Dara Shikoh, a great scholar had Upanishad and other Hindu scriptures translated in Persian at Parimahal on the Zabarwan Hills.
The Governor, who is also Chancellor of the University, announced that a Memorandum of Understanding will be soon signed between the University of Kashmir and University of Kazakhstan.
The Governor released a compendium of the proceedings of various seminars and presented its copies to Chief Minister Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Vice Chancellor, Kashmir University.
The Chief Minister presided over the inaugural session.
Later, the Governor and the Chief Minister, along with delegates visited the museum where rare artifacts of Central Asia and Kashmir were put on display. |
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