While in Ayuthya visited Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU) campus at Ayuthya and interacted with Prof Surasak Paccantaseno, Vice Rector, Director of the upcoming Bharat Studies Centre and Assistant Abbot of the ancient Wat Ratchasittharam (Raja Sitharam) monastery in Bangkok. A multi-talented scholar, alumni of Delhi and Jammu University Prof Surasak is deeply immersed in and knowledgeable about Bharat’s traditions and knowledge systems.
‘We are Hindus first and then Buddhists. In our monastery Sri Ganesha is also worshipped, we first offer him our actions and then proceed. We want to encourage studies on Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and Tagore…” Was delighted to see his reverence for these epochal figures and to hear him mention Sri Aurobindo in this far-off place! Presented books for the Bharat Studies Centre library.