Category: Bodhgaya

Bomb materials stored by JMB terrorist at Electronic City, Bengaluru seized by NIA

Source: oneindia.com

New Delhi, Sep 25: The National Investigation Agency has recovered improvised explosive devices based on the disclosure by a terrorist of the Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh. JMB Terrorist Jahidul Islam alias Kausar, who is in NIA custody disclosed that after the Burdwan blast in 2014, he and his associates took shelter in various locations in South India. He said that the hideouts were at Aribele, Kadugodi, K.R.Puram, Chikkbanavara and Shikaripalya, Electronic City in Bengaluru.

NIA officials tell OneIndia that from the hideout in Electronic City, several incriminating articles meant to be used for preparation of IEDs and grenades such as two cuboid shaped batteries wrapped with plastic tape and electrical wire, one capacitor, three switches, one micro lithium cell, one plastic transparent box containing black colour chemical wrapped in a white paper, hand gloves, identity cards, rent agreement of one of the hideouts, handwritten letters in Bengali language, one digital camera and silver articles looted during dacoities committed in Bengaluru in 2018, have been seized.

He further said that he and his associates had test fired three rocket shells at Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. He said he and his associates, Habibur had prepared these rockets using a crude device. From here the NIA seized remnants of explosive materials such as 8 batteries of 1.5 volt each, a hollow cylindrical carton used for launching the rocket shell and pieces of electrical wire.

Jahidul was arrested in August for his role in both the Burdwan and Bodhgaya blasts. Islam, who is a member of the Jamaat ul Mujahideen Bangladesh was arrested from Ramagara, around 50 kilometres from Bengaluru, Karnataka. Based on specific information, the NIA raided his home.

During the search, the NIA found some electronic devices besides traces of explosives. He is a top leader of JMB in India and is wanted in Burdwan blast case and in many other cases in Bangladesh also. He is the master mind of the Bodhgaya case.

Earlier the NIA arrested two persons in connection with the planning of a bomb blast at the Bodh Gaya complex on January 19 2018. The arrested persons have been identified as Abdul Karim and Mustafizur Rehman, both residents of West Bengal.

They were arrested from the labour camp of Bengali speaking persons in Mallapuram in Kerala. The NIA says that the duo were hiding in this camp after planting the improvised explosive devices.

The NIA has so far managed to establish the identity of 10 persons involved in the conspiracy. With the nabbing of these two persons, the number of persons to be arrested in this case has gone up to 5.

The NIA says that the conspiracy was hatched by ten persons belonging to the Bangladesh based outfit, Jamaat-ul Mujahideen, Bangladesh.

It may be recalled that the Intelligence Bureau had warned that several illegal immigrants would look to make their way down south and the entry point would be Kerala. In the above mentioned case, the arrests were made from a Bengali camp. Officers have been saying for long that illegal migrants from Bangladesh take shelter in such camps, as it becomes hard for security agencies to detect.

Bodh Gaya to be developed into a world-class tourist destination

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Tourism in Bihar is set to get a massive boost as Bodh Gaya is soon going to get developed as one of the 16 iconic destinations in India. According to reports, Bihar Chief Minister was presented a detailed plan regarding this by the tourism department of Bihar.

One of the most important places for the followers of Buddhism, it was in Bodh Gaya where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. The Chief Minister was informed that the tourism department is now planning world-class accommodation for tourists, who come here from across the world. The Chief Minister, in turn, asked the committee to make the development plan after visiting the spot. The government is also building a Mahabodhi Cultural Centre here at Gaya, which would seat about 2000 people. Also, a standard guest house is being built for travellers. Several other facilities are being put in place at Bodh Gaya for guests coming to the holy place.

According to the CM’s statement, “The state government is also working on a plan to link Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Vaishali, all the three important places where Lord Buddha visited and stayed. We are also working to provide all facilities to Buddhist monks and tourists visiting Bodh Gaya from other places.”

Bodh Gaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is also home to the tree under which Buddha got enlightenment; it also has the holy Mahabodhi Temple. Additionally, there are other important temples as well.

Jamaat man wanted in Bodh Gaya blast held

Source: telegraphindia.com

Calcutta police’s special task force arrested a suspected Bengal-based Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh leader from Chennai on Tuesday.

Asadullah Sheikh, alias Raja, 35, is wanted in the Bodh Gaya blast that was carried out last year during the Dalai Lama’s visit there, an officer of the special task force said.

Asadullah, originally from the Bhatar area in East Burdwan, was living in a rented house at Nilangarai in Chennai. “He was involved in the Bodh Gaya blast in 2018 and had been on the run since then. We arrested him based on a specific tip-off about his current address,” the officer said.

A court in Alamdur, Chennai, on Tuesday gave cops his transit remand for three days.

During questioning, Asadullah apparently told the sleuths that his superiors in JMB asked him to contact other operatives of the outfit in Chennai and spread their area of influence.

Last week, a special task force team had arrested another alleged JMB member, Mohammed Abul Kashem, alias Kashem, 22, from Canal East Road in north Calcutta.

Kashem was remanded in police custody till September 16.

Shortly before his arrest, the special task force had picked up a suspected top JMB operative, Ejaz Ahmad, from Bihar’s Gaya.

An officer in Lalbazar said the special task force had “successfully nabbed the entire gang of JMB operatives” from Bengal who were behind the Bodh Gaya blast.

“There are a few more who were part of the JMB team that carried out the blast. Some of them are already on our radar,” a special task force officer said.

Bodh Gaya to be Developed as Next Tourist Destination: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

Source: india.com

New Delhi: Amongst the 16 tourist destinations in the country, Bihar government’s tourism department has prepared an elaborate plan to develop Bodh Gaya as one of the iconic travel destinations.

The State tourism department on Monday held talks with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar while showcasing a detailed presentation on the action plan to promote tourism and the developmental vision for accommodating tourists in the district.


As per a Times of India report, the CM subsequently addressed a meeting with the tourism department at ‘Sankalp’ hall in his residence in Patna and recounted that the government was already taking concrete steps to promote tourism in Bodh Gaya.

The government is setting up a Mahabodhi Culture Centre with an auditorium to accommodate up to 2000 people as a part of the tourism goal. He also directed the tourism department to fix a date to visit Bodh Gaya for a better understanding of the vision.

Further, the CM said that the state government was also working on a plan to link Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Vaishali, the three important places where Lord Buddha visited and stayed. “We are also working to provide all facilities to Buddhist monks and tourists visiting Bodh Gaya from other places,” he added.

CM Kumar has also asked the tourism officials to work on promoting agroforestry produces as a part of the marketing strategy as well as educate farmers on promoting crop cycle.

The Principal Secretary of tourism department Deepak Kumar Singh earlier informed that a total of 846.83 lakh saplings have been planted in the state from 2012 to 2019.

JMB operative arrested in Chennai, more inroads into Burdhwan, Bodhgaya blast cases

Source: oneindia.com

Chennai, Sep 10: A terrorist suspected to be associated with the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh has been arrested from Chennai.

The arrest comes in the wake of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) making several arrests from in connection with the Bodhgaya and Burdwan blasts case from South India.

The arrest was made on the basis of the investigation of Habibur Rehman, a close aide of Jahidul Islam arrested by the NIA last year from Ramanagara near Bengaluru. The sleuths of the NIA are currently questioning Rehman and during the interrogation, it came to light that he had travelled to several places across the country.

He told the NIA during interrogation that he had travelled to Bengal, Bengaluru, Kerala and Chennai. During the interrogation of Islam to the NIA had learnt that he had travelled to several places across the country and the agency suspects that it was to strengthen the activities of the Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Rehman according to the NIA landed in Bengaluru in 2015. He then took up a job with a contractor in K R Puram. However, following an NIA crackdown which led to arrests in Maharashtra, he moved out of Bengaluru. The case of Islam too is similar. He was residing in Bengaluru and following the crackdown, he moved to Ramanagara, the NIA has learnt.

NIA officials tell OneIndia that these persons had a free run all these years. They would mingle with the local population and take shelter. They were so convincing that their contractor for whom they worked had no idea about their activities. The NIA is now trying to ascertain, where these persons had transported the bombs that they had prepared. It may be recalled that hours after Habibur’s arrest, two bombs were found in a drain at Ramanagara.

Rehman was a close associate of senior JMB leader Jahidul Islam alias Kausar. He was also associated with other JMB leaders like Rahamatullah and Moulana Yusuf. He was an active member of JMB, Bolpur Module in West Bengal. He had attended a number of training camps conducted by JMB.

India to help Mongolia mitigate impact of smog

Source: dnaindia.com

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga, who met on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, discussed was on how India can help mitigate the impact of smog in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar.

The foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said, “President of Mongolia spoke of the success India is having in mitigating the pollution due to stubble burning of wheat in the winter months”

According to Indian Council of Agricultural Research, there have been 41% decline in burning of crop stubble in 2018 as compared to 2016 in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCR region due to central government measures.

President Battulga will be visiting India later this month and will be touring Delhi, Bodh Gaya and Bengaluru. India is helping the landlocked country build an oil refinery through a line of credit announced during PM Modi’s visit to the country. In 2015, PM Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the country.

Mongolia, which is landlocked between Russia and China considers India as its “third neighbour” with which it has a spiritual connection.

IIM Bodh Gaya Conclave: Flexi timings and virtual workplaces crucial to keep Generation Z happy

Source: news.careers360.com

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 13: Human Resource experts from across the country came together at the HR conclave held at IIM Bodh Gaya to discuss innovative concepts like flexi timings, virtual workplaces and their importance in retaining the future workforce.

The two-day event, named Gyanodya 2.0, held panel discussions involving HR Heads from reputed firms like Admiral Group, Tata Consultancy Service, Bar Code India, etc., on coping with the changing trends in the workplace.

Experts discussed the importance of innovations in the office environment considering the imminent presence of the internet-savvy Generation Z (born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s) in the future workforce. The conclave had three panel discussions on the topics: flexible timings and virtual workplaces, challenges in HR management, and the role of human resource in gaining competitive advantage.

Flexi timings are flexible working hours which require the workers to be working as usual during the ‘core hours’ while the rest of the hours are flexible for the employee. Similarly, virtual workplaces allow the employees to work from home through a network of several workplaces connected through the internet.

The expert also highlighted the greatest challenges of HR, which include the absence of any binding qualification requirement for the profession, the challenge of contract labour, and that of retaining talent. Highlighting the human aspect of HR, the importance of having face-to-face interactions for workplace productivity was stressed on during the conclave.

The conclave was attended by dignitaries such as Dr. Vinita Sahay, Director, IIM Bodh Gaya; Anurag Chandra, Head HR, Admiral Group; Surabhi Sanchita, Head-HR, Bar Code India Ltd.; Amitava Sinha, VP-HR, Business Standard Pvt Ltd, among others.

The Power of Pilgrimage

Source: lionsroar.com

You don’t need to walk where the Buddha walked or sit where the Buddha sat. You don’t need to go on a pilgrimage, because you can awaken anywhere. And yet, for so many people, it’s transformative to leave home, travel for miles and miles, and go to the places — be in the places — associated with the Buddha’s life. I know it was for me.

Last summer, I attended the International Buddhist Conclave in India and had the opportunity to sit under the Bodhi tree, where it’s believed Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, was sitting when he reached enlightenment. Generation after generation of Buddhists have gathered to practice in this spot, and when I joined them and listened to the chorus of birds in the branches above me, I discovered a new appreciation for lineage and the precious relationship between teacher and student. My practice was enriched.

As the dharma teacher and pilgrimage guide Shantum Seth put it, “That tree has a characteristic chime sound when the wind blows through, and it calms your mind. There are experiential things that you can only do while you’re there.”

Of course, you can gain realization under any tree in your very own yard or local park. “But sometimes,” Seth continued, “you have to go to the Bodhi tree once or twice to realize that the maple tree at home is your tree of awakening.”

In addition to the Bodhi tree, I journeyed to several other Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India. I wrote the three stories in this Weekend Reader about that trip. In “The Buddha Was Here”, I go to places associated with the life of Siddhartha Gautama and explore what it means that he was actually a living, breathing human being. In “The Dharma Was Built on These Bricks” and “Only Nirvana Is More Beautiful” I visit magnificent ancient ruins that offer a window into how Buddhism took root and began to flourish. Perhaps these stories will inspire you to take a trip of your own.

IIM Bodhgaya All Set To Get New, Green Campus Building

Souece: sentinelassam.com

Patna: The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bodh Gaya in Bihar is all set to get a new look by 2020. The new IIM campus, located in the sacred and historic and city of Bodhgaya, will be spread over 73 acres. The concept for the campus takes inspiration from Buddhist ideologies, evolving into a design which promotes a search for progression in the field of management studies, an official said on Saturday.

Established in 2015, IIM Bodhgaya is the 16th such institute in the country. One of India’s leading architectural firms, C.P. Kukreja Architects have been selected through a national competition to design it. Speaking on the execution of this first-of-its-kind project, the C.P. Kukreja Architects Managing Principal Dikshu C. Kukreja said: “It is our endeavour to create a 21st century world class campus set in a city with deep-rooted historical significance.” The grandness in the campus architecture is translated through different design elements. Entering the campus, one is greeted with the Buddhist ‘toranas’ (ornamental gateways), the abstract demeanours of which are imposing and yet rooted to the ground. (IANS)

Guru Purnima 2019: Know the Date, Pooja Timings and Significance

Source: oneindia.com

New Delhi, July 14: Guru Purnima 2019, also known as Vyasa Purnima, is celebrated on full moon day or Purnima of the Shukla Paksh or the waxing moon in the Ashadha month of the Hindu calendar.

As the name denotes, the day is dedicated to gurus or teachers. On Guru Purnima, the students worship their gurus or teachers, by offering puja and paying respect to them. 

Guru Purnima commemorates the birth anniversary of Ved Vyasa, the author and a character in the epic Mahabharata. The day is also believed to be the day when Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh.

On this auspicious day, students pay respect to their favourite gurus by sending them wishes, messages and quotes.

Guru Purnima 2019:

Date The word ‘Guru’ is derived from Sanskrit and means ‘remover of darkness’. The festival this year falls on July 16.

Guru Purnima 2019 Tithi:

The Guru Purnima Tithi will begin at 01:48 am on Tuesday, July 16, and will end at 03:07 am on July 17. Interestingly, July 17 will also the mark the partial Lunar Eclipse 2019 or Chandra Grahan 2019 in India.

History of Guru Purnima 2019

Buddhists celebrate Guru Purnima in honour of Lord Buddha, who gave his first sermon on this day. After five weeks of achieving enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, Buddha went from Bodhgaya to Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh where he gave the sermon on the full moon day.