"Yes, we are busy shooting the documentary film for the last few days. I hope we will finish it soon. A 15-member Hollywood crew is enjoying shooting the film in Bihar," Verma told IANS over telephone from Bodh Gaya Wednesday morning before leaving for Rajgir for a day long shoot.

Verma, who hails from Katihar, around 350 km from Patna, is the CEO of Telecommand Software and Services in the Silicon Valley that maintains the Entrepreneur Resource Planning (ERP) systems of the state of California.

He says it was his dream to make a documentary about a subject relevant to Bihar, India and Buddhism for the World audience. "This documentary film is a small step," he said.

He also feels perhaps this is the first time a Hollywood crew is shooting a documentary film in Bihar's popular Buddhist spot.

"It is a good beginning to re-tell the world about Bihar and its heritage," said Verma, who converted to Buddhism a few years ago.

"Hridayasutram" will also be shot in Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh and Lumbini in neighbouring Nepal. "Hridaysutram" is a part of the Buddhist collection Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, which inspired the monk Hiuen Tsang to travel to India.

Hiuen Tsang stayed for 17 years in India and later returned to China with three copies of the sacred text and translated it into Chinese.

Verma says the documentary will also detail different aspects of Buddha's life, but the primary focus will be on Hiuen Tsang, who travelled to India to collect authentic Buddhist parchments and spent his entire life transcribing them.

According to Buddhist experts, Hiuen Tsang visited India to study Buddhism at Nalanda university during the Gupta period. He stayed at Nalanda for 12 years.

Hiuen Tsang mentioned his India visit at length in his autobiography "Great Tang Records on the Western Regions", one of the most authentic first hand accounts of the social and political aspects of South Asia at that time.

Comment

comments...

Well, I am not against Ravi Varma or any other NRB (Non-Resident Biharis). There have been few such cases where some rich Biharis come from other states or countries and just visit their native places, take some video shots as Memory and go back to their places. Now, this is something that is point of concern.

Just look at those big South Indians like NR Narayan murthy, KV Kamath had so much of love for their home state that they left their lucrative jobs Abroad and came back to their home state...And all of us know that their home state is a big success story..

This is one point that i want to emphasize on...If we will try to search out, we can find enough Intellects from Bihar, staying outside....Bihar's situation is right now good enough to invest and start organizations like Infosys, CTS, MindTree etc..

So, i will urge these Biharis -- Dont just come to do some video graphy of Bihar, but also change the Demography of Bihar...Do some innovative stuffs here.

Amit

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Both Shyam Kumar and Amit seem to be a little angry (or, irritated) with the NRI Ravi Verma's documentary making activity in Bihar and at the way Bihar Times seems to have given this news a prominence. Whereas it's true that Bihar Times should present more news, views and writings since many readers around the world log on to read it, the importance of the news in question doesn't fade into insignificance and, therefore, should not be rejected.
The fact that overseas Biharis are making trips to their homes for any reason is a welcome sign. I know many documentary makers wouldn't have dared to go into the Bihar region in the previous administration. Please understand that the documentary makers and the crew (or, for that matter, any one visiting Bihar) are the new ambassadors to and from Bihar. Their criss-crossing will improve the status of Bihar in every respect including financial. The same NRI will develop bonds with the local people, and may like to invest more or bring in more investments for different projects in Bihar. So will the Americans accompanying him.
I would, therefore, counsel my Bihari brothers, and Bihar Times readers like Shyamji and Amitji, not to equate every Bihari NRI with moneyed people who would like to have fun with their White friends in the US. There are innumerable Biharis around the globe who are still waiting to have their love and affection for Bihar poured out. Just give them a chance..
Dr Binoy Shanker Prasad
Dundas, Ontario, Canada

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But what is wrong with the news and the documentry? He is already running a call centre at the remotest place of Bihar i.e.from Katihar. I appreciate Ravi Verma for his step.
Sarvesh
Bangalore

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I entirely agree with Mr. Shyam Kumar, this type of ‘self-advertising’ news should not even appear in media (and particularly in Bihartimes.)..
If that super rich Ravi Verma is so concerned with Bihar and people of Bihar, why does not he expand his US-based company in Bihar? This will create lot of jobs and money in Bihar. But instead of doing that, he came to just showcase how rich and powerful he is. He will advertise this in US as well and will gain some social and political Mileage there…

Go back to your country - USA, Mr. Ravi Verma…Bihar or India is not your place. Be there in USA with those whites and Western People….

Amit

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This is an over exaggeration saying "California-based NRI filmmaker Ravi Verma" or "Hollywood crew is shooting a documentary film in Bihar's popular Buddhist spot"..

I guess, your news are of high standards and news like these doesn't qualify as the very 1st news.


Shyam Kumar