Buddha Purnima unites humanity all over the world for a common cause – to celebrate the three main events of the life of Buddha- his birth, enlightenment and nirvana. It builds awareness of the teachings of Buddha in a way that respects all cultures at a time when divisions on many counts are flagrant all over the world. Celebrated in several countries including Sri Lanka, Japan, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Tibet and Mongolia, this day marks Lord Buddha’s day of enlightenment after almost eight years of complete sadhana or penance. The story holds a number of messages for the humanity all across the globe.
Buddha Purnima commemorates the life of a historical figure whose teachings have changed the lives of millions. There is no denying the fact that the words and preachings of Buddha and other great ascetics and spiritual teachers, like Lord Mahavira, Guru Nanak Dev, etc. have had a strong impact on people for centuries. Such illuminated souls used to have an influence so strong that it would turn folks into disciples, disciples into monks.
It is part of recorded history of this land that Buddha and Mahavir used to move from village to village with a big band of monks. The status of villages was such that they could prove to be good hosts for such a large number of guests. These seem to be very local affair i.e. managed at the village level itself. It is a matter of wonder as to how were these villages and rural settlements so organised and facilitating at that time. Catering to such a large troop for days becomes a heavy affair economically, resourcefully and spatially. A common pattern has been seen in expansion of various religions – Buddhism spread wherever Buddha traversed, Jainism spread with movement of Lord Mahavira, Bishnoi Panth with Guru Jambheshwar, and so on. Such a spread thus, is a result of a lifetime of spiritual journeys with villages or remote settlements being like pearls in a necklace. Similar excerpts are seen in stories of Ramayana & Mahabharatha where village settlements and forest and tribal folks have catered to great men/preachers along with their followers and associates. Villages thus seem to have played an important role in a planned and hospitable manner in India’s history. Similar strength of rural economy needs to be recreated today as empowering villages will mean deep-rooted and true development.
The hallmark difference of modern India vs the one of glorious past is the status of villages. Panchayats despite being a decentralized organization have not gotten to deliver on accountability and people’s participation objectives. At best, they are acting as Central and State Governments’ nodal agencies for implementation. Crux of the matter is dependence on the governments for Finances. Unless the tax raising capabilities get vested with Panchayats, real reforms and true empowerment will remain far cry. Further, the damages done by Land Acquisition Act 1894, Agriculture Act 1938 etc need to be reversed for rejuvenation of the sustainable village ecosystem. Damage had begun with Lord Mayo’s resolution (of 1870) on decentralization being adopted which took away the autonomy of village Panchayats to introduce British model of administration in India. Aatmanirbhar Bharat is not possible unless it’s villages become Aatmanirbhar Gaon once again.
Total number of villages in India is 5,93,731 where 72.2% of India lives today. Available and useful land for Agriculture in the country is around 3,946 lakhs acres, second largest in the world & is fit enough to produce food for entire globe. Thus, well-structured planning and implementation is key to rejuvenate and tapping the full potential of such an empowering resource.
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