Greetings &
Best Wishes for a Very
Happy New Year 2007 --
May this year
bring you
Progress, Prosperity and
Peace
------------------------------------------------
You must wake and call me early, call me early,
friendly dear;
To-morrow 'ill be the happiest time of all the glad
New-year;
Of all the glad New-year, friend, the maddest merriest
day.
..... Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Thinking
together is a new vision of start. Going together is a new start for march.
Walking together is a real march for progress. Realising together is the final
progress towards revelation – enlightenment.
A
spiritual walk is the ladder, sacred ways are the steps, and human understanding
is the destination. Without a way a
pilgrim or traveller gets lost in the route. The way is a ‘spirit’ – spirit is
an eternal sight for passing on the path in the right order. This ‘spirit’ is a
blessing from the Mother Earth/ Mother Nature.
Let us
keep the spirit always awakened and pray the Mother to always direct us on the
right path.
This is a call
for the nourishment of Soil, Soul and Society where the Humanity meets to the
Divinity". Let us try to Understand it and Feel it". ......... Rana
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The peace in the sky,
the peace in the mid
air.
The peace on the earth,
the peace in the
water.
The peace in plants,
the peace in the forest
trees.
And peace in all the divinities,
the peace in
ultimate reality.
The peace in all things.
The peace in peace.
May that peace come to
us".
............ thus said the
Yajur Veda (X.17.1), a text of the 10th century B.C.E.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
# Think universally, see
globally, but act locally. --- Rana
TO:
Our very dear friend, co-pilgrim
and inspirer:
You would wake and see the fresh
light,
Remember the friendship and be full of
delight.
Tomorrow will be happiest time welcoming New
Year,
In memory of all the grand New-years enjoy
sweet beer.
Sweet
returns,
Lovely
greetings &
the Best wishes for the
Happy, Peaceful & Prosperous New Year 2007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A) Rana P.B. Singh: Collaboration, Activities &
Major Events of 2006.
02 Jan., the saddest day to know
that my old doctoral student, Dr Shyam Pyare (38 yrs) along with his wife Poonam
and 1½ yr son, died at the spot in a road accident by a loaded truck.
07 Jan., received and welcome to
Prof. Sandy Huntington and his 11 students, USA .
08 Jan., boating and walking
along Ghats with Prof. Sandy’s group; & lecture in the
evening.
10 Jan., Area walk, Durgakund,
Tulasi Manas Temple with Prof. Sandy’s group.
11 Jan., lecture in the evening
on ‘Sacred Geography of Kashi’ for Prof. Sandy’s group.
12 Jan., Panchakroshi
pilgrimage, Kardameshvara to Kapildhara, with Prof. Sandy’s
group.
14 Jan., Usha, Rana’s wife,
51st birthday celebrated by the family members.
15 Jan., afternoon: visit
Shitala-Ji at Adalhat with Prof. Sandy’s group.
17 Jan., visit and walk around
Sarnath’s Buddhist landscape, museum with Prof. Sandy’s
group.
22 Jan., visit to Vindhyachal
Goddess territory – Pilgrimage, with Prof. Sandy’s group.
24 Jan., visit to Lekhania Dari
Pre-historic paintings, waterfall with Prof. Sandy’s group.
26 Jan., forenoon visit to
Southpoint School function with Prof. Sandy’s group; afternoon meeting with
Austrian film director, Dr. Michael Stöger.
27 Jan., send off/ Good Bye to
Prof. Sandy Huntington’s group, railway stn. Varanasi , evening.
03 Feb., meeting and dinner with
Dr Ms NAGASAKI Hiroko ( Japan ), together with Dr Ravi.
04 Feb., addressed the
International Future Forum (20 scholars delegation from Europe ), Jnana
Pravaha.
06 Feb., meeting and discourses
with Dr Roxanne Gupta, Prof. Sukdeo Singh, and Dr Mark
Dyczkowski.
08 Feb., evening discourses and
dinner with French (Prof. Serge Santelli) and Austrian architects (Dr. Grigor Doytchinov, Dr. Hasso Hohmann and Dr.
Wolfgang Dokonal) at Ravi ’s
home.
09 Feb., evening Seminar, French
and Austrian architects, Kautilya Society, org. by Ms Vrinda Dar.
10 Feb., morning Rana’s lecture
on Culture of Banaras at Radisson Hotel for American delegation.
11 Feb., discourses with
Austrian architects: Hasso, Griger and Dokonal and lunch at Rana’s home.
13 Feb., received FWP-LIU New
York , Dr. Kristy Coleman & Mr. Matthew Wilson and 13
students.
14 Feb., boating to see
riverfront Banaras with FWP-LIU NY group; evening discourses with Austrian
architects: Hasso, Griger and Dokonal and dinner at Aman Restaurant, together
with Ravi .
15 Feb., evening to
Dashashvamedha Ghat: see the Ganga Arati with FWP-LIU New York
group.
16 Feb., visit to Muslim
landscape and culture with FWP-LIU New York group; afternoon meeting with Prof.
Pramod Chandra and Ms Vrinda Dar about INTACH Banaras; evening
concert.
18 Feb., visit to Buddhist
landscape and monasteries, Sarnath with FWP-LIU New York group; evening lecture
on Vindhyachal goddess area.
19 Feb., visit and pilgrimage to
Vindhyachal Goddess Territory with FWP-LIU New York group.
20 Feb., meeting and discourses
with Prof. SHINODA Takashi ( Japan ), at Assi Ghat.
21 Feb., together with Usha
visit to Shitala goddess (Adalpura), Bhimachandi and Kardameshvara with FWP-LIU
New York group.
22 Feb. morning walk to Durga
and Tulasi Manas temple with FWP-LIU NY group; evening concert.
23 Feb., visited Lekhania Dari
hills and falls (63km SW of Varanasi), where in an accident Rana’s right leg
ankle fractured; later on plastered & complete rest required for
5-weeks.
26 Feb, Shivaratri, morning
visit of Raoul Ravena ( Italy ) and have religious
discourses.
28 Feb., at Rana’s house:
Puja-Katha rituals, attended by FWP-LIU NY group and
Philippa (UK); also Rana’s lecture on sacred geography of Banaras ; Celebrated
36th marriage anniversary: Rana- Usha.
01 Mar, evening,
FWP- Long Is Univ. Group left for Kolkata; Dr Ravi look after and send
off at Stn.
02 Mar, meeting and discourses
with collaborator Dr Marc Katz ( Karlstad , Sweden ) at Rana’s
home.
06-7 Mar, presided over
students’ seminar, MA/MSc IV semester Geography, B.H.U.
01 April, the Fools’ Day: Rana’s
right leg ankle plaster is cleaned up, after accident on 23 Feb.
13 Apr., discourses about the
heritage and planning of Banaras with Austrian delegation: Andy Maleta,
Ilsa Bernhard and Dr. Herbert Schwabl at Rana’s
home.
18 May to 20 June, as Visiting
Professor, seminar and lectures at Karlstad Univ. , Sweden .
28 to 30 May, stayed at Oslo
University College and gave lectures and have discourses with
colleagues.
15 to 18 June, Convened a panel “Landscape and Spirit of Place’,
Conference on ‘Space, Discourses and Haunting’, Karlstad University , Sweden .
Discourses with Prof. Martin Haigh ( Oxford ) and Prof. Jamie Scott ( Toronto
).
20 to 26 June, stay with Prof.
Erik R. Sand, Copenhagen University , lecturing on Indian culture and discourses
with old students and faculties.
27 to 30 June, Convened and
Chaired a Panel “Pilgrimage and Planning the Heritage Cities’, in the 19th
European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies’, Leiden University , the
Netherlands .
14 August. Malviya Peace
Research Centre, BHU: discourse with Prof. Amresh Dubey ( New Delhi ), Dr. M.
Satish Kumar ( UK ), and dinner & reception with them and other scholars.
22 Aug., evening meeting and
discussion on Riverfront Heritage with Ms Vrinda Dar.
25 Aug., Rana’s Interview and TV
shooting on Kashi by the E-TV, Mr Rohit
Singh.
29 Aug., slide-show lecture on
‘Sacred Kashi’, Univ. of Wisconsin USA students group.
07 Sept., Evening meet and
discourses with Prof. David Haberman ( Indiana Univ. , USA ), Assi Ghat.
08 Sept., meeting and discourses
with Ms Philippa Williams (Geogr. PhD student from Cambridge , UK
)
21 Sept., meeting and discourses
with Prof. Taigen HASHIMOTO ( Tokyo , Japan ), an
Indologist.
22 Sept., meeting and discourses
with Dr Niels Gutschow (a renowned architect, Germany ).
25 to 27 September;
UNESCO Conf. on ‘Networking Indian Cities of Living Heritage’, Jaipur.
05 to 7 October; 1st
International Indian Geography Congress; Osmania University , Hyderabad
.
11 Oct, evening meet and
discourses with Karolina, a student from Karlstad Univ. , Sweden
.
16 Oct., evening, meeting with
German scholars: Axel Michaels, Joerg Gengnagel, Christiane Broius,
etc.
17 Oct., morning boating along
the Banaras Ghats with German scholars from Heidelberg .
21 Oct., Dipavali, Festival of
Light, morning meeting with Greek photographers led by Alexander.
23 Oct., evening meet & discourses with
Mark Tully & Gillian Wright (ex-BBC corr.),at my
home.
10 to 12 Nov., 28th
Indian Geography Congress, NAGI, Magadh University Bodh
Gaya.
17 Nov., Evening meet &
discourses with Prof. David Habermann ( Indiana Univ. , USA
)
18 Nov., Lecture and meet with
scholars group from Belgium , & dinner; u/d Prof. Winand
Callewaert
13 to 29 Nov., coordinated
NYSICCSI-USA Group in Varanasi , Director: Prof. Rob Linrothe.
15 Nov., Boating and Ghat view
with group of students, NYSICCSI-USA, u/d Prof. Rob
Linrothe.
21 Nov., Panchakroshi pilgrimage
with group of students, NYSICCSI-USA, u/d Prof. Rob
Linrothe.
23 Nov., visited Kabir Math and
Muslim shrines with NYSICCSI-USA, u/d Prof. Rob Linrothe.
24 Nov., Vindhyachal goddess
pilgrimage with NYSICCSI-USA group, u/d Prof. Rob Linrothe.
25 Nov. , evening meeting Ms Cathy Pearson
& Randall, ref. Fernadale Films, Ireland : filming death & life in
Banaras.
26 Nov., Lekhania Dari: Ashokan
inscription, waterfall with NYSICCSI-USA group, u/d Prof. Rob
Linrothe.
27 Nov., Evening meeting with Dr
Assa Doren ( Israel ), Post-Doc Singapore Univ.
29 Nov., Meeting at Sarnath with
NYSICCSI Group, u/d Prof. Rob Linrothe.
30 Nov., Slide-show lecture on
Sacred Banaras, for Global Learning Group USA, u/d Dr. Galen
Murton.
02 Dec., Panchakroshi pilgrimage
with group of students, Global Learning Gr. USA, u/d. Dr Galen Murton.
08 to 09 Dec., gave four power
point lectures on Modern Geographical Thought, ASC Gorakhpur Univ.
10 Dec., Interview and
videography of Rana by Italian journalist Leonardo Ferri at Assi Ghat, Varanasi
.
13 Dec., a domestic dog (native area
Revelganj) bitten Rana in the thumb.
15 Dec., Rana’s 56th
Birthday celebration by the family members in Revelganj (native village
area).
18-19 Dec., with Prof. Pushpesh Pant, co-chaired Panel
‘State, Society & Culture’, International Seminar on ‘Challenges of
Democracy and Development in Nepal ’, at Centre for the Study of Nepal, Fac. SS,
B.H.U.
19 Dec., Discourses on Yogini Pithas with Dr
István Keul ( Berlin ), evening at Assi
Ghat.
28 Dec., Welcome to
Prof. Erik R. Sand and his wife Jonna ( Copenhagen , Denmark ), in Varanasi .
29 Dec.,
Boating and Ghat view
with Prof. Erik Sand & his wife ( Denmark ).
30 Dec.,
Vindhyachal goddess
pilgrimage with Prof. Erik Sand & his wife ( Denmark ), and Usha.
31 Dec., Panchakroshi pilgrimage with Prof.
Erik Sand & his wife ( Denmark ), and Usha; dinner at home.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
A- ii, 2007: Collaboration, Activities & Major
Events.
02-3 Jan., wandering, experiencing old
Banaras with Prof. Erik R. Sand and his wife Jonna ( Denmark )
8-10 Jan., meeting and discourses with Dr
Oluf Schönbeck & his wife
Charlotte ( Denmark ).
11-12 Jan., address to 4th
International Seminar on Sacred Places-Sacred Journeys; Kumbha Mela, Allahabad .
IGU-CCHD Meet.
14 Jan., Usha, Rana’s wife, 52nd
birthday celebrated by the family members.
11-16 Feb., area walk, Panchakroshi and Siva
temples with Raoul Ravena ( Italy ) group.
22-24 Feb., meeting & discourses with Dr Roxanne Gupta
(USA), visit to Vindhyachal.
28 Feb., at Rana’s house: Puja-Katha
rituals; Celebrate 37th marriage
anniversary: Rana- Usha.
28 Feb.-2 Mar., meeting,
walks, visiting sacred places with Ms Diana Huntington
(USA).
22-24 Apr., meeting &
discourses with Prof. N. Robert Glass, Dean & colleagues ( LIU , USA
).
13 to 28 Nov., coordinate NYSICCSI-USA Group
(20 students) in Varanasi , Director: Prof. Lisa Trivedi.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(B) Rana P. B. Singh: Publications,
2006:
1.
Singh, Rana
P. B. 2006 a. Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi (1869‑1948). In, Fifty Key
Thinkers on Development, ed. David Simon. Routledge, London & New
York : pp. 106-111.
2.
Singh, Rana
P. B. 2006 b. Pilgrimage in Hinduism, Historical Context and Modern
Perspectives; in, Tourism, Religion, and Spiritual Journeys, eds.
Dallen J. Timothy and Daniel H. Olsen; Routledge, London & New York: pp.
220-236.
3.
Singh, Ravi
S. and Singh, Rana P. B. 2006 c. Goddesses in Kashi ( Varanasi ): Spatial
Patterns and Symbolic Orders; in, Visualised Space in Banaras : Images,
Maps, and the Practice of Representations, eds. Martin Gaenszle and Jörg
Gengnagel. (Ethno-Indology Series, vol. 4. Heidelberg Studies in South Asian
Rituals). Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden : pp. 41 – 68.
4.
Singh, Rana P.B.
2006 d. Temples of Hindu Gods in the Core Area of Varanasi . Magazin
ISG (Internationales Städteforum Graz; Graz , Austria ), 4
(December):
(C) Anthologies released,
2006
#
Michell, George
and Singh, Rana P.B. (eds.) [31 December] 2005.
Banaras, the City Revealed. [13
short thematic essays by T.K. Biswas, Sandria B. Freitag, Klaus Rötzer, Niels
Gutschow, Julia Hegewald, Christopher London, P.S. Dwivedi, Vrinda Dar, Rana
P.B. Singh, George Michell]. Marg Publications, Mumbai. Size 305 x 241 mm, 152pp
with 133 coloured photos and illustrations.
ISBN: 81-85026-72-6, LC: 2005-318067. Price: IN Rs 2,500, US$ 66 (postage not
included).
(D) Articles/Research Papers in Process, to
be released in 2007
- Singh, Rana P. B. 2007 a. The contestation
of heritage: the enduring importance of religion; in
Graham, Brian and Howard, Peter (eds.). Ashgate Research Companion
to Heritage & Identity. Ashgate Publs., Aldershot & London.
- Singh, Rana P. B. and Singh, Ravi S. 2007
b. Varanasi, the eternal city of India; in, Misra, R. P. ed.
Million Cities of India. Concept Publ., New Delhi .
- Singh, Rana P. B. 2007
c. Banaras Hindu University,
Architectural Plan: Symbolism & Meaning; in Gupta, R.C. et al.
(eds.) SOUVENIR. Third International BHU Alumni Meet, &
International Seminar on Education in the 21st Century and
Mahamana’s Vision, 6-7 January 2007. BHU in association with Mahamana
Malviya Mission, Varanasi : 50-57.
- Singh, Rana P. B. 2007
d. Banaras (Kashi): Setting the Culture & Breathe of India ; in Gupta,
R.C. et al. (eds.) SOUVENIR. Third International BHU Alumni Meet, &
International Seminar on Education in the 21st Century and
Mahamana’s Vision, 6-7 January 2007. BHU in association with Mahamana
Malviya Mission, Varanasi : 77-93.
- Singh, Rana P.B. 2007. Ghats and Palaces of Varanasi
. Magazin ISG (Internationales Städteforum Graz; Graz , Austria
), 1 (March):
- Singh, Rana P. B. 2007
e. Representation of Kashi through the Cartographic Art in the 19th
Century. In, Contribution of Banaras to Indian Art and Culture
(Proceedings of a National Seminar, 22-24 March 2004); eds. Ananda Krishna and
Mukul Raj Mehta. Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Simla.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(E) Other books in preparation [To
be released by 2008]
* Kashi & Cosmos. Ritualscape
and Sacred Geography of Banaras .
Rana P. B.
Singh
8 ½” x 11”. 600pp. 150 maps/ figures, 64 B-W
photographs.
* Roots of
Geographic Thoughts in India :
Message for 21st Century Ethics, Ecology and
Culture.
Rana P. B. Singh
5 ¾ ” x 7 ½”. 224pp. 50 maps/
figures..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(F) Anthologies/ book/s in Process, to be
released by 2007
§ (1) Singh, Rana P. B.
Banaras ( Varanasi ): History, Geography, &
Bibliography (950). 126pp., 15 Figures. Sundeep Publ., New Delhi
.
§ (2) Singh, Rana P. B. (ed.),
Sacred Geography of Goddesses in South Asia . A
Festschrift to David Kinsley. [essays by Annette Wilke, Georgana Foster
& Robert Stoddard, Xenia Zeiler, Laura K. Amazzone, Claudia Ramasso, Hillary
Rodrigues, Amita Sinha, Elinor W. Gadon, Rana P.B. Singh, Ravi S. Singh].
Sundeep Publ., New Delhi
§ (3) Singh, Rana P. B. (ed.),
Sacred Places, Ritualscape and Pilgrimage. [essays
by Rana P.B. Singh, Vatsala Iyengar, Padma C. Poudel, Ravi S. Singh, Eric R.
Sand, Assa Doron, Peter G. Friedlander, Fukunaga Masaaki, D.P. Dubey, Amita
Sinha]. Sundeep publ., New Delhi .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(E) Other recent books released
recently
Pilgrimage & Cosmology Series: 1.
* Banaras Region. A Spiritual and
Cultural Guide
Rana
P. B. Singh and Pravin S.
Rana
March 2002; 402pp, 111 maps/figs. ISBN
81-86569-24-3. Rs 350/ $ 20.
Pilgrimage & Cosmology Series: 3.
* Towards the Pilgrimage Archetype. Pancakroshi Yatra of
Banaras .
Rana P. B.
Singh
May 2002. 222pp, 72 figs/maps. ISBN:
81-86569-30-8. Rs 250/ $16.
Pilgrimage & Cosmology Series: 5
* Where the Buddha
Walked.
A
Companion to the Buddhist Places of India
Rana P. B. Singh
May 2003. 322pp., 110 Figs. ISBN:
81-86569-36-7. Hb Rs 375/ $ 22. Pb Rs 295/ $ 18.
Pilgrimage & Cosmology Series: 6.
* Cultural Landscapes and the Lifeworld. Literary Images
of Banaras
Rana P. B. Singh
December 2004. 398pp., 55 figures. ISBN:
81-86569-45-6. Pb Rs 375, $ 22, Hb Rs 450/ $ 24.
Publisher: INDICA BOOKS : D 40/ 18 Godaulia,
Varanasi , UP 221001. INDIA
Tel. & Fax : 091-542-2321640, &
2357401. E-mail: indicabooks@satyam.net.in
Distributor: Harmony Books, B 1/160 Assi Ghat,
Varanasi , UP 221005, India .
_____________________________________________________________________________
§ In unknown territory look for a
compass, not a map.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Prof. Dr. RANA P. B. SINGH
Professor of Cultural Geography, Banaras
Hindu University , Varanasi , UP 221005.
[Founding President: Society of Heritage
Planning and Environmental Health; & Founding President:
Society of
Pilgrimage Studies; & Founding President: Indo-Nordic Cultural Association,
INCA ]
Member: European Association of South Asian Studies, EASAS (IIAS,
Leiden, the Netherlands)
Member, South Asia, IGU Initiative CCHD: Cultures
and Civilizations for Human Development
Member, UNESCO Networking Indian
Cities of Living Heritage (; myself representing Varanasi)
Chief Advisor
& Member: INTACH, Indian National Trust for Art, Culture and Heritage (site:
Varanasi)
POSTAL ADDRESS [Residence] :
# New F - 7 Jodhpur Colony,
Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi, UP 221005.
I N D I A
Tel. (Res.):
+091-542-2575-843.
Mobile: (+091)- (0)- 9838 119474.
(Tel. hours 06.00-09.30 AM & 17.00-22.30
PM IST= + 5.30hr GMT)
PLEASE USE only this EMAIL.
Fax: c/o Geography, B.H.U.: +091-542-2368174.
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