Kabir Bedi Apologizes For Buddha’s Birthplace Error

If there’s one topic on the tip of everyone’s tongue right now then it’s about the new show on Zee TV titled “Buddha” which will air every Sunday at 11AM from September 8. When speaking with the media, actor Kabir Bedi stated that Buddha was born in India and Buddhism is one of India’s biggest export to the world. Unsurprisingly, the video footage taken at the press conference has gone viral amongst Nepalese internet users. Experiencing the backlash of some sorts, the actor took to twitter on September 7 to apologize for making the error.

Even though he has apologized, the many thousands who watch the video of the press conference from their television sets at home will go on believing that Buddha was born in India. The shows producer Dr BK Modi shared ”At first, I had thought of making this show for the audiences abroad. But when I realised that most people in India do not know the details of Buddha’s life, I changed my mind.” The producer who never shies away from controversies must be loving the growing attention that the TV show is attracting for all the wrong reasons. And everyone online, let us control our emotions and react in a more dignified manner… let us not lower ourselves by using degrading words that do nothing but harm our image. Right now, we have to wait and watch the TV show to see what it will teach. Now that is pretty bad – they want the attention and unfortunately they are getting it! One thing for sure, Zee TV and the makers of Buddha better get ready for more drama, messages and big-scale threats if the TV show is based on any inaccurate or manipulated historical facts.

Furthermore, as Nepalis and ambassadors of Nepal, our history, tradition and culture should not only be limited to us but shared to people from all over the world. It is only then that someone else from faraway will learn about a mystical place called Nepal and what she has to offer. Lets speak and share…

Writing angry statuses online is one thing but as Nepalis living abroad we must unite together to promote our culture and country with more strength and vigour. Whether it’s participating at the London Mela where over 80,000 people (from Asian background) attend or joining different international fairs, those are the opportunities that we must seize to educate non-Nepalis about what Nepal has to offer…

And you readers, what do you think should be done or how do you think we should act? We can’t go on being angry all the time… do we build more statues around Kathmandu? Do we go on a spree of building Buddhist temples and statues in different places of the world (a statue of Buddha was unveiled by a team of Non-resident Nepalis in Switzerland) with a plaque mentioning Buddha’s birthplace as Lumbini, Nepal? Do share your thoughts.

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