Kaushambi
From DFoundation
Kaushambi Village Project
Providing preservation, development and hope for a destitute community, while creating a space for humanity and history
Territorial and environmental introduction
Kaushambi is located in the southern part of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India, which occupies the great flood plain of the River Ganges. Kaushambi district encompasses an area of 2000 sq. km.
Situated on the banks of the sacred Yamuna River some fifty kilometres from the city of Allahabad where the Yamuna meets with the Ganges, it is one of many thousands of villages whose people struggle for their livelihoods in the searing dry heat of summer, the deluge of the monsoon, and the freezing temperatures of winter (temperature ranges between a maximum of 47 ° C and a minimum of 5 °C). The two rivers play a very pivotal role in the agriculture of the district.
The district of Kaushambi has an agrarian economy. The crops which are mainly cultivated are wheat and rice. Some other crops like chana, arhar and urad dals are also grown. Kaushambi grows the special kind of guava, the Surkha guava. The principal sources of irrigation are canals and tube wells.
Kaushambi is located in the southern part of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India, which occupies the great flood plain of the River Ganges. Kaushambi district encompasses an area of 2000 sq. km.
Situated on the banks of the sacred Yamuna River some fifty kilometres from the city of Allahabad where the Yamuna meets with the Ganges, it is one of many thousands of villages whose people struggle for their livelihoods in the searing dry heat of summer, the deluge of the monsoon, and the freezing temperatures of winter (temperature ranges between a maximum of 47 ° C and a minimum of 5 °C). The two rivers play a very pivotal role in the agriculture of the district.
The district of Kaushambi has an agrarian economy. The crops which are mainly cultivated are wheat and rice. Some other crops like chana, arhar and urad dals are also grown. Kaushambi grows the special kind of guava, the Surkha guava. The principal sources of irrigation are canals and tube wells.
Historical introduction to Kaushambi
The Kaushambi Village Project is an undertaking by members of the D-Foundation NGO to help protect a site of enormous historical importance, and to use this site to benefit the disadvantaged and starving people of the surrounding area. It is an effort to purchase a 15,000m2 site with ancient links to the beginnings of Buddhism and use it for the good of the local people. The historically significant areas of the site will be protected and excavated further, while the government will provide further land which will be used to house, care and educate the local impoverished people.
Kaushambi bacame the capital of Buddhism in years long gone and it was here that the Buddha provided teachings to some 60,000 monks and disciples. Several ancient historical scripts of Buddha’s teachings have been discovered here. Although only ten percent of Kaushambi has been excavated, it has already revealed a number of temples, libraries and living quarters which were built for the disciples at the time of Buddha.
In later years, the Great Emperor Ashoka recognised the importance of the site and marked it with an Ashoka Pillar which were used to mark sites of importance visited by the Buddha. The Ashoka Pillar remains standing today and is a reminder of how important this area once was.
The historical significance of the Kaushambi is unquestionably, however this ancient site is under serous threath. The bricks of the 2500 year old buildings are being used by local people to build houses for themselves and their families. The locals are left with little choice as this is an area of extreme poverty and inhabitants stuggle to survive under the rule of the rich landlords. The D-Foundation has been helping these people for several years now and sees the Kaushambi as a key stepping stone in the preservation of these people and the heritage that belongs to them. The Indian government own the entire Kaushambi area but lacks the finance to protect and properly excavate the site. With the help of sponsors and the necessary finance, the D-Foundation can purchase this site as agreed by the Indian Government and change the fortunes of the area. The aim is to protect the existing structures on the site and to excavate further, while also creating an adjacent village to educate and support the local people in becoming self-sustainable and sufficient in the future.
The D-Foundation
The Kaushambi Village Project is being developed by the D-Foundation for human resource development, to enhance the lives of destitute people and reduce social stigma towards such ill fortuned people. In order to do this, the D-Foundation has created a rapport with government and local organisations over the past 5 years to set up support networks, livelihood training and education. We also provide medical, legal and immediate direct support to those in desperate circumstances, with a particular focus on women and children. We work with children suppressed by forced labour, the local destitute and those who have suffered from social injustices in jails and government holding centres.
The Kaushambi Village Project
The importance and benefits of the Kaushambi Project have become a major focus for the D-Foundation. The project will both ensure the preservation of Kaushambi’s glorious past, and support the improvement in the quality of life of the local people. In spite of its status as one of the most important pilgrimage sites of Buddhism in India, currently there is virtually no infrastructure to receive and lodge pilgrims, devotees, or tourists nor any place to honour the sacred Kaushambi. The fact that the locals are driven to vandalise the monuments for construction materials attests both to their material situation and the lack of appropriate respect for Kaushambi’s significance.
The integration of the historical need and the human situation will be approached as a community project, in which the cultural importance of Kaushambi will be enhanced and serviced by the people in greatest need of support and uplift. This will be achieved through an educative and training program which will ensure that the environment will be improved and sustainable.
Working in coordination with local communities and government organisations, a village for 250 people will be set up on the edge of the Kaushambi ruins. A meditation and retreat centre will also be set up and will help to fund and facilitate the project. A model village focusing initially on shelter and care and then on training and education will be established. This will accommodate and provide for the poorest people as they harness their capacities and move towards self-sufficiency and a better future.
The adult men will be educated in ecologic skills and will prepare the fields to plant organic vegetables, cotton and linen. The local hotels, restaurants and other official institutions have requirements for these produces and this will generate incomes for these people. The women will be involved in the creation of organic textiles and will produce threads and fabrics which can also be sold to create further income.
The meditation and retreat centre will offer space for pilgrims while creating awareness about Kaushambi and the plight of the local people. A religious Buddhist monument called a stupa will be built to re-mark the land as an important site in present-day Buddhism. Pilgrims visiting Kaushambi will be encouraged to share their skills and time for the betterment of the village people who in turn will be trained to service the pilgrimage centre and to take an active part in the excavation of the site and the preservation of its priceless past.
Alongside the historical and cultural preservation, productive and environmental issues are also key elements of the project. Indigenous knowledge and methods will be honoured while also providing the opportunity for them to evolve appropriately to meet contemporary circumstances. Homes will be built from mud according to Indian tradition, but also utilising modern advancements. Training programs will focus on organic agriculture, dynamic agro-forestry and alternative energy production and use (solar and bio-fuel).Tree planting, water and soil conservation and ecological agricultural practices will be promoted, with the emphasis on organic farming to access niche markets as well as to ensure a healthy local environment.
The long-term goal is for the local people to be self-sufficient in the keys areas; financial, nutritional and social. However we are currently at the early stages and we require the necessary skills and funding for our aims to be achieved.
We are looking for a way to help break this cycle of human suffering. The lives of these Indian people are unbearable and they need our help. We believe the Kaushambi Village Project will help to alleviate many of the current problems in this region but we need help and donations to put our plans into place. Please consider our proposal and needs carefully and if you feel this is a worthwhile cause, please help us in whatever you can. This project will have an enormous impact on this region and will save not only an area of colossal historical value but also help and save countless lives.
Please read the donation letter: Kaushambi Hope e.V. Aid association of the D-Foundation
To view more Kaushambi Village Project Pictures