The Prospects of Cooperation of Indian and Russian Scientists

Panel Discussion at the Institute of Integrated Himalayan Studies India, Shimla

Shimla is an administrative center of the Himachal-Pradesh state, the most large mountain resort in India. In Shimla members of the Forum had visited the museum of military service residence, the complex of Hindu temples and the state museum of Himachal-Pradesh.

In Shimla works the scientific center, where the round table “Future prospects for cooperation of Indian and Russian scientists” was held. Members of the Forum and scientists from the Complex Himalayan researches Institute participated in it. From Indian side the President Sunil Kumar Gupta, director of the Institute Mr. Bansap, director of the department of language, art and culture Prem Sharma and other scientists took part in that round table.

Indian scientists spoke about the work in the Institute, where they study peculiarities of the Himalayan environment and nature, traditional culture and measures for maintaining health, explore social, cultural and language aspects of the region, examine carefully the problem of preserving forests of the Himachal-Pradesh state from damage.

The President of The International Council of the Roerich Organizations named after S.N. Roerich (Ekaterinburg) emphasized in her report that the aim of the Forum is to establish partnership in scientific and cultural spheres between India and Russia based on Roerich’s theory of Culture. This concept found the reflection in the Roerich Pact, which includes preserving of cultural and historical monuments, ancient religious beliefs, cultural traditions, scientific knowledge and natural landscapes. To protect the spiritual core of the humans is of great importance in the present conditions.

The Banner of Peace became the symbol of the Roerich Pact – The Banner of the spirit of Culture that unites all the peoples on the Earth, including Indians and Russians. This Banner would unite all the values on the Earth and in the entire Universe.

Olga Alekseevna narrated also that conferences and exhibitions, dedicated to the 75th Anniversary of the Pact, were successfully held in Vienna, Berlin, Moscow and Sophia. Great cultural and scientific contribution to the adoption of ideas of the Pact and realization of its propositions on practice belongs to the Center-Museum of the Roerichs named after N.K.Roerich, which was founded on the younger son’s – Svyatoslav Nikolayevich Roerich – initiative in Moscow in 1991. All these years the Museum is headed by an outstanding cultural worker, academician, Indologist L.V. Shaposhnikova. For examining history and culture of ancient Indian tribes she had become J. Nehru Prize laureate in 1968. Resting upon the intellectual heritage of the Roerich family and the Teaching of Agni Yoga Lyudmila Vassilievna works out philosophic problems of cosmic reality. She scrutinizes history of the society, culture and art in the light of Spiritual evolution laws. Under hers direction at the International Roerich center successfully works special unit – United scientific center of cosmic thought. This Center-Museum is one of the best in Russia. With the financial support of sponsors and the publicity here was reconstructed an excellent architectural complex of the 17th-18th centuries – Lopuhiny’s mansion. The scale of activity of the Center envelops a lot of countries and continents. Yearly conferences gather scholars from Europe, Asia and America. The Center-Museum actively explores and publishes the heritage of the Roerich family and scientific researches of cosmism.

The advisor of Russian Academy of Natural Sciences M.N. Chiryatiev (Saint-Petersburg) spoke on the work of the Urusvati Institute, established by the Roerichs in the Kulu valley, where they put into practice synthesis of the European science and Western wisdom. In the Urusvati Institute were opened different departments – archeological, natural sciences, medicine, scientific library, museum for storage of expedition finds. Under the archeological department sections of world history, history of Asian people’s culture, history of ancient art, linguistics and philology exist. The department of natural sciences dealed with botany and zoology, meteorological and astronomical observations studying of cosmic rays in high-mountain areas. In the department of medicine together with studying the ancient Tibetan medicine and pharmacopoeia was organized biochemical laboratory. Here scientists explored plants from the point of Indo-Tibetan medicine, biology, botany, collect herbariums. Great attention in the Institute was dedicated to the examination of Indian art. Times to time were held scientific expeditions to the Kulu valley. These Himalayan areas give rich opportunities for researches in botany and zoology, archeology, linguistics, traditional medicine and other sometimes unexpected directions of science. Results of such expeditions were published in special magazine. The Urusvati Institute cooperated with scientific establishments of different countries of the world and such famous personalities as Einstein, Milliken, Vavilov, Bosh and many others.

Every member of the Roerich family made his contribution to the Urusvati Institute work. Elena Ivanovna was its president and founder. Nikolai Konstantinovich with all his synthesis of art, science and great organizing skills, also must be mentioned like Elena Ivanovna as its ideological founder. Jurii Nikolayevich, the eldest Roerich’s son, became the director of the Institute. To that moment he was already a well-known scientist of very wide cosmic outlook, who granted a lot of creative ideas in the development of the Institute. Svyatoslav Nikolayevich, the youngest son, a painter and an expert of prehistoric art and native flora, was at the same time a brilliant scholar in the fields of botany and ornithology. Versatility of knowledge and occupation of each family member in addition with their collaboration and untiring energy brought wide recognition to the Urusvati Institute in India and beyond the borders of the country.

In the work of the Round table also took part professor A.V. Ivanov and professor M.J. Shishin from Barnaul. They showed computer presentation named “The Altai Fund – XXI century” and told about the special features of the Altai region (major and minor Altai), climate conditions, flora and fauna, and its great cultural heritage. They demonstrated ancient drawings, performance of folk tales narrator called kaichi. In relation to the presentation of the Altai region to scientific publicity of Shimla O.A. Urozhenko told a few words about the Ural region. In Sanskrit Ural articulates “Ur Alaja”, what means “Light of the World Soul”. In accordance to the geological theories of academicians Nalimov, Fersman and others, Ural is a part of single mountain chain – Ural – Altai – Tibet – Himalaya. This mountain zone unites the sacred space of the Meru Mountain and the sacred Himalayan space. Examination of this cultural environment can reveal some general forms of culture. For example, during the archeological excavations was founded a burial place dated the 1 century BC, where on the body of the departed was discovered rock crystal in the third eye and heart areas what is so similar to the customs of India. One more side of similarity between India and Russia is presented in the Bazhov tales and myths about the underground nation, stone of happiness – stone Chintamani. “We are studying this material in the Ural State University named after Gorky, - told O.A. Urozhenko. I represent the department of culture and art of USU, where we learn about Indian miniature, Khangra and Pahaty schools, Buddhist metal plastic art”.

Grand Ph.D. of historical sciences V.N. Tuguzhekova from Abakan told about the peculiarities of work in the Khakassian scientific research institute of language, literature and history which is headed by her, where historical monuments are studied, particularly, Scythian culture. “The Khakassian scientific research institute of language, literature and history cooperates successfully with institutes of Finland, Germany and India, - mentioned Valentina Nikolaevna. We offer collaboration also to the Complex Himalayan researches Institute in Shimla”.

The president of the Roerich Society in Saratov, director of the cultural innovation center “Academy of the innovations Globelix-R” V.S. Vojtenok told about cultural programs of The International Council of the Roerich Organisations named after S.N. Roerich. Especially detailed was her report about the elaborated youth program “We would live in the country of Culture”, that includes participation in cultural and historical projects contests. Valentina Ivanovna invited students of the Complex Himalayan researches Institute in Shimla to take part in this program.

T.S. Kupava, director of the health center in Tallinn shared her thoughts about using the methods of Ayur Veda in practice of her institution.

Members of the Forum got acquainted with publications of Indian Scholars at the Institute being represented in the special location.

That scientific meeting in Shimla resulted with the agreement about cooperation between the Himachal-Pradesh state and the Altai region in purposes of preserving the unique environment and nature of the Altai and Indian Himalayas.

Review has been prepared by E.S. Kulakova

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• The Roerich Pact and the Banner of Peace as a Remarkable Phenomenon of the World Culture
Reports and Speeches at the International Social and Scientific Conference.
Delhi – Kullu – Shimla – Kalimpong October 22– November 5 2010