Visits to Pune

On 16 December 2017 His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche headed to Pune, from New Delhi, and in the morning of 17 December 2017 when His Eminence visited Agha Khan Palace, a place deeply related with Indian Freedom Movement, the official host there gave detailed tour of each section of the palace.

This was the place where when Quit India Movement was launched, Gandhi, his wife Kasturba, his personal secretary Mahadev Desai, Sarojini Naidu, Miraben, and others, were imprisoned for twenty-one months (from 9 August 1942 to 6 May 1944) by the British government. It was also the place where Kasurba and Mahadev Desai passed away.

In the afternoon His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche officially inaugurated, in the hall of S. M. Joshi Trust, a three-year movement—comprising of various programmes—of “Gandhi 150,” on the 150^th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The event began with His Eminence Rinpoche and the guests lighting the ceremonial lamp, followed by an introduction of the occasion by Dr. Sugan Baranth. Thereafter the guests were offered a rosary with khadi-handwoven thread, and a scarf. Then, Ms Radha Bhatta and Vēdya, renowned followers of Gandhi, gave speeches, followed by the launch of the special periodical of Maharastra Sarvodya Mandal, and a speech by Jaywant Matkar, President, Sevagram Ashram Pratishtan, Wardha.

And then, His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche addressed the gathering, pointing out that to have organised such an event is not just for India, rather important for world in general; responsibilities are already formed from the time of our birth; the need of the four noble truths’ view in solving of problems and conflicts; how modernity produces the five inequalities: body and mind, self and others, individual and society, competition and co-operation, rights and responsibilities—how because of those inequalities there is the growing gap between the poor and the rich, ever increasing violence, environmental degradation, increasing intolerance related with religion, that the means for the removal of these inequalities are not to be found in science, technology, and political leaders; through this movement of “Gandhi 150” there needs to be plans for the next 500 years; for that the need to know the merits and the shortcomings of the modern civilisation; the need for implementation of self-sufficient at village/rural level; the need for partyless democracy; and so forth. His Eminence Rinpoche thereafter announced the movement opened.

The meet concluded with words of thanks by the honourable Justice, on behalf of the organisers. This inaugural meet and the to-be-ensued movements are organised jointly by several renowned all-India Gandhi organisations, and many eminent followers of Gandhi attended the event.