竹島の日

〜竹島は日本の領土です〜

2月22日は「竹島の日」です。

2014年（平成26年）は竹島の島根県告示から109周年です。

韓国による不法占拠から61年目です。

日本政府への思い

「わが胸の 燃ゆる思いに くらぶれば

　　　　　　　　　　　　煙はうすし 桜島山」

平野国臣

Makha Bucha Day 万仏祭(ワンマカブーチャ)

　タイの朝は僧たちの托鉢によって始まる。愉楽に騒ぐ熱帯の夜の名残りと、新たな一日の光が生起する豊饒への胎動との境目に、密かに目と祈りが流れ出る。合掌した手の熱い思いから、あたかも一瞬一瞬紡ぎ出される奇跡のように、生きとし生けるものの時間が動き始める。

裸足の僧と、裸足で食物を捧げる叙の、大地を通した交歓のなかに、洗われる心が光る。「サバーイ　チャイ」という内面の輝きの美しさを、タイの人々は生れながらに具備している。祈りの溶け合うそこに、タイの朝がある。

タイ人は朝托鉢に来る僧侶に食物を捧げる。また、誕生日には早朝から寺へ行って捧げ物をする。これらも、幼少の頃から一つの習慣として受け入れられていくものである。「徳を積む」ことを社会と人生の価値観として学んでいく。「ナーム　チャイ」（水の心＝怦､）とか、「サバーイ　チャイ」（心がすっきりする）とか、精神の清らかさやさわやかさを表す言葉が、日常のなかに息づいている

。

ワンマーカブチャー (万仏節)

陰暦3月の満月の日に釈迦がウェールワン寺院を訪れた際、悟りの境地に達した1,250人の弟子が偶然一堂に会したという奇跡的な出来事を祝う日で、人々は寺で説法を聞き、手にロウソクを持って本堂や仏道を3巡します。

皇紀二千六百七十四年 奉祝 紀元節

奉　　　祝

日本の国体は、万世一系の　天皇をいただき、君臣一体となった民族国家にあります。

これだけ永きに渡り、同じ国体のまま存在している国は、我が日本だけであります。

天皇陛下の弥栄を念じ、日本国のますますの発展を願います。

彌榮　彌榮　彌榮

紀元節の歌

一　雲に聳ゆる 高千穂の。

　　高根おろしに　草も木も。

　　なびきふしけん 大御世（おほみよ）を。

　　あふぐ今日こそ　たのしけれ。

二　海原なせる　埴安（はにやす）の。

　　池のおもより　猶ひろき。

　　めぐみの波に　浴（あ）みし世を。

　　あふぐけふこそ　たのしけれ。

三　天津（あまつ）ひつぎの　高みくら。

　　千代よろづよに　動きなき。

　　もとゐ定めし　そのかみを。

　　仰ぐけふこそ　たのしけれ。

四　空にかがやく　日のもとの。

　　万（よろづ）の国に　たぐひなき。

　　国のみはしら　たてし世を。

　　あふぐけふこそ　たのしけれ。

インパール作戦７０周年 マニプール観光フォーラム

プレスリリース

2014年2月4日

70th Anniversary Commemoration of the Battle of Imphal (WWII)

Manipur Tourism Forum and 2nd World War Imphal Campaign Foundation will be organising the 70th Anniversary Commemoration of the Battle of Imphal (WWII) from March to June 2014. This is the period when the Second World War (WWII) was fought in the soil of Manipur 70 years ago. We feel that such a commemoration will allow us to remember and pay our respects to all those who fell, were injured or affected by the events of 1944. It will also help to shine a much-needed spotlight on what is otherwise a forgotten, yet important, chapter of Manipur’s, India’s and the world’s history.

We are pleased and honoured to announce that the Honourable Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri O. Ibobi Singh, has agreed to be the Chief Patron of the 70th Anniversary Commemoration of the Battle of Imphal. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to him for agreeing to take on this role, which will enable Manipur to successfully commemorate this historic event.

The year 2014 is the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Imphal of 1944. It was seventy years ago that Manipur was witness to an epic battle between the British-led Allies and the Japanese and the Indian National Army (INA). From March to July of that year, over 200,000 Japanese, Britons, Indians, Gurkhas and men from several other nations clashed in the hills and valley of Manipur in what has since been described as one of the greatest battles of the Second World War. Indeed, on 20 April 2013, the combined battle of Imphal/Kohima was named as Britain’s Greatest Battle by the National Army Museum of the United Kingdom.

The Battle of Imphal is also significant from a national perspective. It saw Indian soldiers fighting on both sides in the Second World War – together with the Japanese as part of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s INA and with the British as part of the British-Indian Army. The area surrounding the Moreh Road is the only place in India where more than 6,000 men of the INA’s 1st Division was deployed and fought during the War. The INA flag was also hoisted for the first time in the country at Moirang on 14 April 1944.

For Manipur and its people, the Battle of Imphal in particular and the Second World War in general, was a period of no less importance. The year 1944 saw destruction and fighting take place on an unprecedented scale across Manipur. Many thousands were displaced. It was also for the first time that the land saw such a diverse gathering of nationalities and people from around the country and the world. Indeed, it would be hard to find a household in Manipur today that was not affected in one way or another by the dramatic happenings of 1944 and the Second World War.

Following is a proposed programme for the 70th Anniversary. It involves organising a series of events to mark and commemorate key dates from the Battle of Imphal:

23 March 2014: Inauguration (Tentative)

26 March 2014: Battle of Sangshak

28 March 2014: Start of Imphal Siege (Kangpokpi)

4 April 2014: Battle of Kameng

7 April 2014: Battle of Kanglatombi

13 April 2014: Battle of Nungshigum

14 April 2014: INA flag hoisting in Moirang

19 April 2014: Battle of Tengnoupal

19 May 2014: Battle of Torbung

29 May 2014: Observation at Red Hill/ Maibam LokpaChing

7 June 2014: Battle of Motbung

12 June 2014: Battle of Bishenpur

22 June 2014: Lift of Imphal Siege/ Milestone 109

25 June 2014: Fighting on the Silchar Track

28 June 2014: Closing Ceremony

Further the observation of such annual events will help in bringing the veterans and the family of the officers and soldiers who laid their life fighting the war to our state and extend them with a platform to pay homage. We also hope the commemoration will help in promoting Manipur as a Second World War Tourism destination.

https://www.facebook.com/manipurtourismforumから