Disket Document: Stadium Roundtable 3

Cinematographer: Shaina Anand

Duration: 00:19:21; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 44.252; Saturation: 0.054; Lightness: 0.422; Volume: 0.379; Cuts per Minute: 8.785; Words per Minute: 64.647

A number of historians, journalists and activists are invited to Disket in the Nubra Valley, Ladakh to participate in National Integration Conference. However, it appears that the same has been misrepresented, on arrival they are told that the actual event is the celebration of "Buddh Mahotsav", the first in a series of Nation-wide Events (the next was to be in Arunachal Pradsh) master-minded and organised by the VHP. What were a bunch of left-liberal folks to do? They performed their speeches for the good citizens and children of Disket, and talked late into the night.

It turned out that this part of the "Buddh Mahotsav" was organised along with 'Operation Sadbhavana', an insidious army-led initiative that was only very recently introduced (mid 2001) by Maj. Gen. Arjun Ray. The cultural festival of Ladakhi dance and music was organised by the Army officers' wives. Our delegates found themselves co-opted into this farce as they addressed this vast crowd in Hindi, Urdu or English on the topic of National Integration, the speeched interspersed with various performances. This is part three of the 'Stadium Roundtable.'

(While their conference was completely hijacked by the VHP machinery, the colleagues did have many candid and sometimes intense discussions over meal times, etc. For more, search for 'Disket')

A Ladakhi folk dance is being performed by local women at the Disket stadium. The dance begins with the women taking slow steps to the beat of the music. The women are dressed in their traditional colourful outfits, made up of the turquoise-studded headgear called the Perak, which resembles the head of a cobra. This headgear also has ear-flaps that helps protect them against the cold.

They are also seen wearing a brightly coloured bok made of yak skin, which is also used as a shawl for protection against cold. In the background, the men are seen sitting in a row, each playing two semicircular drums.
audience
clothing
entertainment
folk-dance
musical instrument
performance
Disket, Nubra Valley Ladakh

Nubra Valley, Ladakh

A Ladakhi folk dance is being performed by local women at the Disket stadium. The dance begins with the women taking slow steps to the beat of the music. The women are dressed in their traditional colourful outfits, made up of the turquoise-studded headgear called the Perak, which resembles the head of a cobra. This headgear also has ear-flaps that helps protect them against the cold.

They are also seen wearing a brightly coloured bok made of yak skin, which is also used as a shawl for protection against cold. In the background, the men are seen sitting in a row, each playing two semicircular drums.
audience
clothing
dance
entertainment
folk-dance
musical instrument
performance

A Ladakhi folk dance is being performed by local women at the Disket stadium. The women make gestures meant to represent the plucking of flowers. The women are dressed in their traditional colourful outfits, made up of the turquoise-studded headgear called the Perak, which resembles the head of a cobra. This headgear also has ear-flaps that helps protect them against the cold.

They are also seen wearing a brightly coloured bok made of yak skin, which is also used as a shawl for protection against cold. In the background, the men are seen sitting in a row, each playing two semicircular drums.
audience
clothing
dance
entertainment
musical instrument
performance

A Ladakhi folk dance is being performed by local women at the Disket stadium. The women make gestures meant to represent the plucking of flowers. The women are dressed in their traditional colourful outfits, made up of the turquoise-studded headgear called the Perak, which resembles the head of a cobra. This headgear also has ear-flaps that helps protect them against the cold.

They are also seen wearing a brightly coloured bok made of yak skin, which is also used as a shawl for protection against cold. The women are also wearing heavy silver jewellery, with turquoise beads and other embellishments. The women are also wearing shell bracelets and colourful Ladakhi footwear made of yak leather. They bow to the audience during the dance. Men, in the background, are seen sitting in a row and each playing two semicircular drums.
audience
clothing
dance
entertainment
musical instrument
performance

A Ladakhi folk dance is being performed by local women at the Disket stadium. The women make gestures meant to represent the plucking of flowers. The women are dressed in their traditional colourful outfits, made up of the turquoise-studded headgear called the Perak, which resembles the head of a cobra. This headgear also has ear-flaps that helps protect them against the cold.

They are also seen wearing a brightly coloured bok made of yak skin, which is also used as a shawl for protection against cold. The women are also wearing heavy silver jewellery, with turquoise beads and other embellishments. The women are also wearing shell bracelets and colourful Ladakhi footwear made of yak leather. They bow to the audience during the dance. Men, in the background, are seen sitting in a row and each playing two semicircular drums. Next to them, other men play the trumpets.
audience
clothing
dance
entertainment
musical instrument
performance

A Ladakhi folk dance is being performed by local women at the Disket stadium. The music, gradually, has picked up speed and now the pace of the dance steps has increased considerably to keep up with the music. A Ladakhi folk dance is being performed by local women at the Disket stadium. The women make gestures meant to represent the plucking of flowers. The women are dressed in their traditional colourful outfits, made up of the turquoise-studded headgear called the Perak, which resembles the head of a cobra. This headgear also has ear-flaps that helps protect them against the cold.

They are also seen wearing a brightly coloured bok made of yak skin, which is also used as a shawl for protection against cold. The women are also wearing heavy silver jewellery, with turquoise beads and other embellishments. The women are also wearing shell bracelets and colourful Ladakhi footwear made of yak leather. They bow to the audience during the dance. Men, in the background, are seen sitting in a row and each playing two semicircular drums. Next to them, other men play the trumpets. The music ends with the women saluting the audience.
audience
clothing
dance
entertainment
musical instrument
performance
tradition

A Ladakhi folk dance, performed by women, has just ended. The women leave the stage. An announcement is heard as soon as the clapping ends.
(Hindi)

Announcer - Thank you. You have just now witnessed the Ladakhi celebration dance.
dance
entertainment
folk-dance
musical instrument
performance

- Actually, I have never spoken in Hindi to a large gathering like this one. So, as a part of National Integration, I would like to saw a few words in Tibetan. And with the permission of the chairman I would like to request my friend Mr. ______ to please come and help me. Could you please come and help me?
As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, a speaker is called upon to give a speech. He in turn calls upon a friend to translate his speech in Ladakhi, into Tibetan.
VHP
celebration
national integration
speech

- (Ladakhi)

- (Tibetan)
As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad )at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, a speech is being given in Ladakhi. The same is being translated into Tibetan by a friend of the speaker.
VHP
celebration
national integration
speech

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad )at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, a speech is being given in Ladakhi. The same will be translated into Tibetan by a friend of the speaker.
- (Ladakhi)
VHP
celebration
national integration
speech

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, a speech is being given in Ladakhi which is being translated into Tibetan by a friend of the speaker.
- (Ladakhi)

- (Tibetan)
VHP
celebration
national integration
speech

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration.
- (English) You know that when we were invited from Delhi, Mumbai and elsewhere to come for this seminar, we were told it was a small in-house event. But by the time the message passed the Khardung La Pass, it became a public event, and that too in the middle of a cultural festival. So my apologies to the public.

- (Hindi) Now when we talk of national unity, what Gautama Buhdda had preached about ahimsa (non-violence), about the search for satya(truth), these teachings we must keep in our mind and chehen(consciousness). And I only want to talk on the issue of talim (education). I, myself am a principal, a professor, and I teach.
Gautama Buddha
VHP
celebration
culture
education
national integration
speech
truth
unity

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration. He discusses the importance of education in relation to national integration.
- (Hindi) Unlike our lectures, which are of one hour, I will finish what I have to say in five minutes. A great professor of Cambridge University, Joan Robinson, used to say that whatever you say about Hindustan (India) is true. And even if you say something bad, that also is true. Because the diversity of our country cannot be found anywhere else. When the people of the Anthropological Survey, when Kumar Suresh Singh, studied the language, region, state, religion, caste, etc, of this place, he concluded that nearly 3000 people reside here, and if you include the smaller languages... (The scene is cut.)
VHP
celebration
culture
national integration
religion
speech
unity

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration. He focuses on the importance of education in regard to the same.
- In the Senapati zilla (district) of Manipur, if you walk within a radius of fifty miles, then you will find that five different languages spoken there. So that is why, in Hindustan (India), to talk about national integration is a big thing. And during the British rule, the British colonialism, they used to say that "we can give independence to India because it has a huge variety of people here, and they will fight amongst each other, will kill each other, and so our rule here is important."
VHP
celebration
national integration
speech
unity

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration. He focuses on the importance of education in regard to the same.
- (Hindi) But the thing is that though we have even spent more than fifty years of independence together, we have not progressed. But our democracy, our unity has various strengths and I want to talk about one new strength, a new wave, a new flow and that is related to talim (education). We know that in the 21st century, if we wish that our children may progress, get a job, discard poverty, and do something for others, then it is important for them to receive talim(education).
VHP
celebration
culture
national integration
poverty
speech
unity

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration. He focuses on the importance of education in regard to the same. The camera tilts down and zooms in to show him tracking the time on his watch, in order to keep to his time limit.
- (Hindi) But today in the field of education, there are two things that are taking place. One of them is nijikaran (privatization). Education is being privatized. So in a place like Ladakh, or other places which are a little backward, where poverty exists, it has become difficult to acquire education. The government schools do not get enough money. The private schools demand huge fees. And along with privatization, the syllabus is undergoing a a deliberate bhagva-karan (saffron-isation).
Hindu
VHP
celebration
culture
illiteracy
national integration
poverty
speech
unity

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration. He addresses the crowd regarding his perception of the Indian education system as being saffron-ised i.e. made such that it is aimed primarily at Hindus. And how, therefore, the concept of 'integration' now means being integrated into a singular Hindu religion.
- (Hindi) So, now we are being told that when we are learning mathematics, we must learn vedic mathematics. Or that we should learn vedic astrology as that is science. Also along with that, we should learn the mantras that are recited by the Hindus in order to become pundits.
Hindu
VHP
celebration
culture
national integration
religion
speech
unity

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration. He addresses the crowd regarding his perception of the Indian education system as being saffron-ised i.e. made such that it is aimed primarily at Hindus. And how, therefore, the concept of 'integration' now means being integrated into a singular Hindu religion.
- (Hindi) And the government funds that we should be getting... I also have a university (to run) - Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which is considered as one of the top-most universities in Hindustan (India). In our university also, for the posts of professors, we are not receiving any funds. They are asking us to teach Sanskrit. Now, I can understand if you are asking me to teach Ladakhi, or Tibetan, or the language of Nagaland; the smaller languages. Teach ____, teach Bhojpuri, teach Konkani. But we are being told, that "no, on the basis of political understanding knowledge should be sowed."
Hindu
VHP
celebration
culture
national integration
religion
speech
unity

- (Hindi) Now, is this in any way related to National Integration? Along with that, these people even say that our political understanding is "one nation, one people, one language, one culture." Now, when we are so different, then how is this going to happen? You know when you need to pick up something heavy, you do not do it with just one finger. You bring together all five fingers, and with one hand you pick it up; and also bring together all ten fingers, and use two hands to pick it up.
As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration. He addresses the crowd regarding his perception of the Indian education system as being saffron-ised i.e. made such that it is aimed primarily at Hindus. And how, therefore, the concept of 'integration' now means being integrated into a singular Hindu religion.
Hindu
VHP
celebration
culture
national integration
speech
unity

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration.
- (Hindi) So in this way, our people who are so different (from each other), they too are like the different fingers (of a hand) that provide strength to our country. If all those fingers are cut and only one remains, then that strength of the country will not be sustained. And what we don't know is that in our country, during 1947, a partition took place of our country on the name of religion. And the direct effect of this partition, our soldier brothers at the Siachen and other borders are still facing each other.
VHP
celebration
culture
diversity
national integration
speech
unity

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration. He focuses on the importance of education in regard to the same.
- (Hindi) Now, if we really want national integration, then merely by bringing in Doordarshan or other channels, or by showing films from Mumbai, or by wearing gair-jati clothes, or your children, like mine, eat chewing gum, it is not going to happen. People will have to be united together. And to bring about this unity, it is necessary that this difference and variety of people is respected. And in order that people respect these differences, it is important that they are provided with enough knowledge on how different are the other people, what are the good and the bad things about them. They must get to know everything. And this can only be achieved through education.
VHP
celebration
culture
diversity
national integration
speech
unity
westernisation

As a part of the National Integration seminar, which turns out to be a 'Buddh Mahotsav' celebration organised by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) at the Disket stadium in the Nubra Valley, Mr Kamal Mitra Chenoy (Professor of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University [JNU, Delhi]) delivers a speech on the subject of national integration. He focuses on the importance of education in regard to the same.
- (Hindi) And if you manipulate education, or if you lower the standard of education, or put in hardly any money in education, or if you twist education the communal way, then that will result in a great loss. That is why I'm saying that, though our brother from Rajasthan, _____, who is from the army, has said that education is important. But what should be a part of education, and what should be taught during education? And for this we must remember what Gautama Buddha said. He used to say that we must tread on the path of satya (truth), to stay away from asatya (untruth), and to always fight against falsity. This we must include in our education.
Gautama Buddha
VHP
celebration
culture
national integration
speech
truth
unity

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