Indians need to be proud that a glorious religion or way of life like Buddhism originated from our country. We are the possessors of the rich cultural and religious legacy of this religion which was founded by the Buddha.
The thousands of years old religion is, however, not being treated properly by our country. At a recent visit to the National Museum I was shocked to see that Buddhists from several countries were offering their respects and performing religious rituals in the room where Buddha's mortal remains have been kept.
This incident make me realise that Indians have been indulging in chauvinism against the Buddhist countries and the Buddha himself. The religion once held sway across the country and major part of Asian continent. However, it was replaced by the brahminical religion sometimes also known as Hinduism.
The religious monks from other nations have to perform their rituals in the presence of policemen, wielding weapons and also under surveillance of CCTV cameras.
By not allowing a decent resting place or proper area wherein Buddha's ashes and remains are kept the dominant religion which had overtaken Buddhism can continued to express its chauvinism. The Indian government's stinginess or apathy regarding the issue is also revealed by the fact that the pavilion in which the remains of the Buddha are kept is also donated by the Thai king Bhumipol Adulyadej.
it is a matter of great concern and shame that our country fails to acknowledge the contribution made by the Buddha to its rich cultural heritage. Are we better than Taliban in this context who had demolished the Bamiyan Buddhas'? They were removing the physical being of Buddha holding sway of the population of that region several millennia age, while we are indulging in intellectual and psychological double speak.
