Varanasi: A three-day international seminar, ‘Kashi Vaibhav: A Historical Discourse', was organised by the department of History at Banaras Hindu University and commenced at the Vedic Science Center on Friday.
Dr K Siri Sumedh Thero, president of the Sri Lanka International Buddhist Association, Sarnath, inaugurated the event along with numerous scholars and researchers from around the world. A commemorative booklet related to the seminar was also released, containing abstracts from over 150 researchers and scholars.
In his inaugural address, Thero highlighted the historical ties between Kashi and Lord Buddha, describing Kashi as the city of ‘Earning, Learning and Burning', whose grandeur has persisted through various times and contexts. Thero also mentioned that the next Buddha (Bodhisattva) will be born in Kashi, and at that time, Kashi will be known as ‘Ketumati'. He described Kashi as an eternal city whose significance cannot be understated.
Keynote speaker, Prof Maruti Nandan Tiwari described Kashi as the abode of Shiva, where Shiva's presence can be felt in every corner. Prof Tiwari expressed concern over the growing individualistic and superficial culture in modern society, which, he felt, was harming Kashi's spirit.