Maleban emerges in Indian ocean atoll- Hindu-Buddhist past erased without a whisper from New Delhi

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Maleban emerges in Indian ocean atoll- Hindu-Buddhist past erased without a whisper from  New Delhi

 Image source-http://www.maldivesculture.com

Goddess Nidhi-lakshmi as represented on a 9th century coral block

While  Maldivian President, Mohamammad Nasheed, who was elected through popular vote in the 2009 parliamentary elections, was forced on gun-point to resign on 7th February by the supporters of the opposition coalition being led by the Adhaalat (Justice Party), the Islamic fundamentalists attacked the National Museum of Maldives at Male  and vandalized  Hindu- Buddhist artifacts, erasing a monumental treasure from the Maldivian history. Though, Maldives is an Islamic state with 100% Sunni Muslim  totaling 328,536 persons  that inhabits 200 of its 1,192 islands, Islam came to the garland of atolls only in 1153A.D. Maldives has a Hindu-Buddhist past. Many of the atolls were also part of the Chola Empire and Buddhism is believed to have reached the islands during Ashoka’s time itself. Before Buddhism, Maldivians practiced  Srauta tradition of Hinduism.

News report mention that around half a dozen  of radical Muslim fanatics entered the museum and completely destroyed the  collection of coral and lime figures, including  the famous six-faced coral statue( Buddhist Tantric image)   and famous Buddha’s head,  Nearly 35 artifacts of Hindu and Buddhist tradition have been completely destroyed, some dating back to 6th century and most from 8-9th century. These   were the main items of attraction since the time  museum was  opened on 26 July, 1952. The Chinese government  had  built the Museum as part of a UNESCO project . Museum Director has told media that 99 percent of the Maldives' pre-Islamic artifacts from before the 12th century, have been  completely destroyed.

 Six-faced coral-stone stele

Period: Circa 9th century CE ; 

Place found: Ameeru Ahmad Magu, Henveiru, Male', early 1960s

                                               Image source-http://www.maldivesculture.com

What is surprising is utter silence of Indian government on this vandalization of a tradition linked with India’s civilizational glory that too in a small state which is part of the SAARC &SAFTA. What  further astonishes is the alacrity  which the  government  showed in bestowing  recognition to the  coup d’etat within 24 hours and to add to the worse part, Indian Prime Minister made a phone call to congratulate the new President Mohammad Waheed Hassan Manik. Not a single whisper of condemnation came against the vandalism perpetrated by the Islamic fundamentalists of the Maldives, the Male-bans.

Coral stone head

Period: Circa 6th-7th centuries CE ; 

Place found: Thoddoo island in North Ari atoll

                                               Image source-http://www.maldivesculture.com 

   Now, one can see the differential treatment meted by the government of India on two  religious-cultural  issues in the same month. When Jay Leno was joking about   American Republican  Party Presidential election contender ,Mitt Romney's wealth by pointing to a picture of the Golden temple  and  describing the GoldenTemple as Mitt Romney's summer home, the whole Indian establishment went into a tizzy. Indian government lodged a formal protest with the US government  mentioning that it has offended Sikhs sentiments. MEA, Overseas Indian Affair Ministry, Indian Ambassador in the US all went into a huddle as if it was a national emergency. But, in the case of Malibanese erasure of Hindu-Buddhist past in the courtyard, what to say about the condemnation, the whole establishment is busy burying the incident under the Indian Ocean itself.  One can also contrast the way the Rajya Sabha condemned the humiliation of Sikhs who were being forced to remove their turbans in the name of security at international airports, especially in Italy on 8th December, 2011. Italian Ambassador Giacomo Sanfelice di Monteforte was summoned in Delhi and protests lodged twice with the Italian government. Indian Foreign Minister called dishonor to Sikhs as “national insult”.  One can also see the urgency on this very issue  when Indian Prime Minister takes up the  matter of Sikh turbans at important meeting of G-20 with the French President. It appears as if the whole establishment is so much engrossed in the issue of Sikh turbans that it is apt to call the administrative machinery as undergoing “turbanization”. But, the vandalization and erasure of a whole past rooted in the non-violence and compassion in the little island-state of Maldives is not even an issue to be condemned by the same bunch of people.

                                                        Tantric deity in coral stone

                                            Image source-http://www.maldivesculture.com 

The double standard meted by the state vis-à-vis majority community and selected minority community is quite evident. There are people who drumbeat about secularism , but what they practice is utter devastative path of erasing the  culture and creativity of the  Indian civilization.

It is right time that India takes up a tough stand in its own backyard. India cannot afford to lose Maldives  in the hands of Maleban who would turn it into a relay station for the Sea Ghazis, the Muslim fundamentalist pirates who now straddle Indian Ocean from the Strait of Hormuz to the Strait of Malacca and have  emerged as the gravest threat to the  safety of international navigations in the common waters.

(16.2.2012)

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