Caste cauldron

Almost 64 years after independence , India has in many ways changed beyond recognition but in social terms , large parts of it remain in a medieval time warp. from child marriages to khaps that order killings of young couples violating caste customs   Undoubtedly, India has had caste entrenched in its social fabric for centries but democratic politics in independent India , which should have been an agent of progressive change, has done quite the opposite  In spite of all the work done by social reformers including M K Gandhi and the founding fathers of our Constitution to get rid of the curse of caste in India, it has steadily been undone by our self serving politicians . It all started in recent times when prime minister V.P.Singh reopened the Mandal issue in 1990 as official govt. policy.

No reasonable person disputes the need for the state to help the economically downtrodden but when this is based on caste, it strengthens all the regressive forces in society. Since then the caste politics has got an official sanction in our electoral arithmetic. It is amply demonstared by politicians like Mayawati, lalu Prasad Yadav, and Mulayam Singh Yadav.and in varying degrees by every political party who have exploited caste to grab power. The Indian constitution places special emphasis on outlawing caste discrimination . Besides, it is a humiliating rejection of huge strides India has taken in economic growth and its efforts for creating a modern society.

The country is still ridden by caste hierarchies, as the matrimonial columns prove. but to enumerate caste in a census is to legitimise caste politics and all the social ills it brings. It makes a mockery of merit, opportunity and social equality. By authorising a caste-based  census the Centre is setting the stage for increased demand for reservations and the perpetuating of dangerous social divide that already exists. It is a shameful betrayal of the Constitution for the sake of political power.

India's caste and sub-caste matrix was a complex layer of identity and power where ones birth defined the social status , education, marriage, jobs and future prospects. Now in one stroke it is back again concealed in the garb of social justice and social science.  It is an open invitation with an official seal for the political bigots to further exploit the tyranny of caste politics  DT

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The battle for the FIH Hockey World Cup Drag n' drop

200 Jihadists try to attack VHP International General Secret

New Delhi, 11 pm, May 29, 2010 - About 200 Jihadists led by one Salim Javed and armed with sticks, stones and swords raising their war cry of "Allah O Akbar" laid siege to a house under S.R. Nagar Police Station at Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh at 10.15 p.m. on Friday, May 28, 2010 to launch a pre-planned attack on Dr. Pravinbhai Togadia, Secretary General of Vishva Hindu Parishad. Dr Togadiya was at the house of a VHP sympathiser for dinner. Dr Togadiya was on the Hyderabad leg of his routine All Bharat tour conducting peaceful organizational programmes. He had no public programme at Hyderabad city – he came there only in the evening after attending an organizational camp programme far away from the city.

VHP President Sri Ashok Singhal has sounded the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the Chief Minister and the Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh about the incident drawing their attention to the fact that this Jihadi posture has very serious implications. "After the Godhra incident, this is the first time that Jihadi elements tried to repeat their terrorist act of this nature.", Sri Singhal reminded them. Sri Singhal informed that the Hyderabad police was very lethargic in taking action. It came after 45 minutes and quelled the Jihadists.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and all its Chapters have taken this threat very seriously. VHP has requested the Central and the State Governments to bring to book the anti-national Jihadists and take stern action taken against them, so that such incidents do not recur anywhere in the country.
VHP Media Desk
http://vhpsampark.org/index.php/Cat-PressRelease/200-jihadists-try-to-attack-vhp-international-general-secretary-dr-pravin-togadia-at-hyderabad.html

BUDDHA POORNIMA

BUDDHA POORNIMA - 27TH MAY 2010

Taking a last look at his new-born son and implanting a kiss on the feet of his wife, a prince of 29 years old came out of his palace at the dead of night and mounted on his dear horse in search of real happiness.

The next 6 years of extreme spiritual exercises costed the body of the prince heavily thus making him to forego the path of extreme hardships and choose the middle path between self-indulgence and self-mortification by accepting rice porridge from a village girl. 

The prince sat under a pipal tree with a firm resolve to realize the truth.

What was his resolve?

"Let my body dry up, as it were on this seat, let the flesh thereof and the bone sink into dissolution; without realizing that Enlightenment which is difficult to attain even in aeons, this body shall not rise from its seat.

49 days thus rolled off.

On the 50^th day, the 35 years old prince became the enlightened one, the Buddha.

That was on Vaishaki Poornima day at Gaya, 2600 years ago.

Bahujana hitaya bahujana sukhaya,lokanukampa ya,

arthaya hitaya sukhaya devananussanam

"for the good of many, for the happiness of many, for showing compassion to the world, for realizing the spiritual purpose of life, for your own good and as well as the god and happiness of all men and gods you have to dedicate your lives."

Those were the words of Buddha to those who were around him on that day.

The next 45 years saw Buddha leaving no stone unturned in spreading his message of universal love.

Buddha spoke in the language then current in eastern India, Magadhi Prakrit.

He came out with his 4 noble truths.

1)      Suffering is an inherent part of existence

2)      The origin of suffering is ignorance the main symptoms of which are attachment and craving.

3)      The cause of suffering can be removed.

4)      The way for its removal is "Ashtangika marga – eight fold path"

The components of Ashtangika Marga are:

1)      right understanding

2)      right thought

3)      right speech

4)      right action

5)      right livelihood

6)      right effort

7)      right mindfulness and

8)      right concentration

The elapse of 2600 years brings us the common obstacle of "samsaya – doubtfulness about its present applicability" in our minds.  Let's see what the recent incarnations say about Buddha.

Sri Ramakrishna, the avatara varishtha – the bst among incarnations, believed that the incarnation of Buddha continued to be manifest even then in the image of Puri of the "three gems" in the forms of Jagannath, Subhadra and Balaram.  On another occasion upon seeing the drama "Buddhacharita" staged by Girishchandra Ghosh, Sri Ramakrishna remarked, "It is certain that Buddha was an incarnation of God.  There is no difference between the faith founded by him and the Vedic path of knowledge."

Swami Vivekananda in his later days narrated his vision of Bhagawan Buddha in the following words:

"One day, when I was sitting …I saw the extraordinary figure of a monk appear suddenly, from where I did not know, and stand before me at a little distance filling the room with a divine effulgence.  He was in ochrecloth with a Kamandalu in his hand.  His face bore such a calm and serene expression of inwardness born of indifference to all things that I was amazed and felt much drawn towards him. He walked forward towards me with a slow step, with his eyes steadfastly fixed on me, as if he wanted to say something.  But I was seized with fear and could not keep quiet.  I got up from my seat, opened the door and walked out of the room with rapid step.  The next moment I thought," Why this foolish fear?" I made bold and went back into the room to hear the monk, who, alas, was no longer there.  I waited long in vain and felt dejected, repenting that I had been stupid enough to fly away without listening to him.  I have seen many monks, but never have I found such an extraordinary expression in any other face.  That face has been indelibly imprinted in my heart.  It may be a hallucination, but very often it comes to my mind that I had the good fortune of seeing Lord Buddha that day."

Vivekananda was fond of addressing Buddha as "the great preacher of the brotherhood of mankind."

"Among all the prophets of mankind here was a man who never had any cobwebs in his brain and who was sane and strong "said Vivekananda.    

Tibetan Spiritual leader Dalial Lama will inaugurate the country's first-ever Buddha Smiriti Park, sprawling 22 acres, in the heart of the city of Patna on Thursday morning, the 27^th May 2010, the Budhha Poornima Day.  The first-of-its kind park will house a 200-ft stupa containing holy relics from Japan, Thailand, Myanmar and South Korea and two saplings, one of the Mahabodhu Tree of Gaya and another from Sri Lanka.

The sight of an old man, a sick person, a dead body and a monk just only for one time was sufficient for a  29 year old prince Siddharth who was having all wealth and sense pleasures around him to understand the depth of all worldly pleasures.

6 years of hard austerities gave him the right direction in his search for Truth.

50 days was enough for him to have the Truth in experience.

May all of us pray for His blessings and love in realizing the Truth in this birth itself.!   

 

 

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SLOW DOWN", A MUST READ

(An excellent article to read and enjoy (may be actioned as well!!).
"It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule."
Globalized processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.
1. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants..
2. Stockholm has 500,000 people.
3. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, are some of its renowned companies. Volvo even supplies NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden , one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work).
The first day, I didn't say anything, neither the second or third days. One morning I asked him, "Do you have a fixed parking space?
I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot."
To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, don't you think that whoever gets in late will need a place closer to the door?" Imagine my face.
Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe named Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart, Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis
for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.
Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fuelled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being".
French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity driven up by 20%..
This slow attitude has come to the notice of USA , the pupils of the fast and "do it now" brigade.
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means re-establishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.
It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive work place where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do.
It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence.
In the movie, 'Scent of a Woman', there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al Pacino responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance the tango!  
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious to live for the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists.
We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".
Congratulations for reading this email till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this "Globalized" world..
 
Regards,
Nisarg Bhagat
Relationship Manager - Premium Banking
Navrangpura Branch,
Ahmedabad
Mobile : 9376952506
Direct No. : 079-39817047
 

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Remembering Baji Rao Peshwa – I:

Remembering Baji Rao Peshwa – I:

History has witnessed the coming and going of many great civilisations. Through its long history, the Hindu civilisation has endured numerous attacks and attempts at its destruction. However, it has also produced a long line of heroes and warriors to rise up and protect their motherland from the fate of every other ancient civilisation. Baji Rao Peshwa was one of the greatest warriors and protectors of Hindu Dharma in the History of Bharat in the 18th century.

Shrimant Baji Rao Peshwa (August 18, 1699 – April 28, 1740) :

The rebirth of Hindu polity after the Vijainaygar Kingdom under the nomenclature of Hindu Pad Padshahi, well founded by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, attained shape during the ascendency of the Peshwas.

Expert swordsman, outstanding rider, master strategist and leader by example, Baji Rao I succeeded his father as Peshwa when he was only twenty years of age…launching into an illustrious military career that occupies its own special place in the history of Hindustan.

Peshwa Baji Rao, the great Maratha general and statesman, changed the map of India in the mid-eighteenth century. His military campaigns were classic examples of his genius. In the havoc of the religious intolerance continued by the tottering Mughals after Aurangzeb, Baji Rao stood out as the champion of Hinduism as he protected Hindu Dharma from the onslaught of Islamic rulers.

 It was he who expanded the Hindu Kingdom beyond Maharashtra across the Vindhyas and got it recognised in Delhi, the capital of the Mughals who kept Bharat (India) under their rule for many hundred years. The Hindu Kingdom created by its founder, Shivaji, and later expanded by Bajirao reached its peak during his son’s reign twenty years after his death. After driving the Afghans out of the Punjab, they raised the saffron flag of Hindus not just on the walls of Attock, but even beyond.

Baji Rao is thus acknowledged as one of the greatest warriors of Hindu Dharma and  the most famous ruler in the history of Bharat. He was a noted general who served as Peshwa (Prime Minister) to the fourth Chhatrapati (Emperor) Shahu.

Birth and early life of Bajirao:

Baji was born on August 18, 1700, as the eldest son of Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath Rao who had taken the Peshwaship to a new height. He belonged to the reputed, traditional Chit-Pawan Brahmin family of Konkan. Balaji Vishwanath (Father of Baji Rao), though third among the Peshwas, had overtaken his predecessors as far as his achievements were concerned.

Thus, Bajirao was an infant with a silver spoon in his mouth. Bajirao was well trained by the Maratha cavalry generals who were distinguished in the war of 27 years. For the young Bajirao, in the absence of his mother, his close association with his father was a mobile school of politics. Bajirao, even while he was quite young, rarely missed the military campaigns of his father. This provided maturity to Bajirao, in practical military science. Father Balaji’s role in Bajirao’s life was similar to that played by Mother Jijabai in Chatrapati Shivaji’s life.

In 1716, Maharaja Shahu's army-in-chief Dabhaji Thorat treacherously arrested Peshwa Balaji. Bajirao also chose to accompany his father for two years till he was released. Bajirao shared the torture bestowed upon his father during his imprisonment. This experience brought him face to face with their treachery.

The post-imprisonment career of Balaji Vishwanath reached a new dimension in the history of the Maratha-Mughal relationship. Young Bajirao was eye-witness to all this development. In 1718 AD he travelled to Delhi along with his father. In the capital he witnessed unimaginable intrigue and learnt quickly to cope with the devious ways of political machinations.These and other experiences coupled with his own youthful energy, vision and skill prepared him for the position that he was to rise to. He was a natural leader who preferred to lead by example, inspiring his troops by his own skill at using the deadly circular danapatta sword of the Marathas and riding a horse into the thick of battle.

Baji Rao becomes the Peshwa (Prime Minister) :

On April 2, 1719, Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath breathed his last. The Satara royal court, nay, different Maratha power agglomerations were humming with only one question-would Bajirao the son of the deceased Peshwa, just 19, devoid of experience, be suitable for the supreme post ? There was criticism against deciding on a person so young.

Maharaja Shahu a great jeweller of human qualities, made no delay in answering this question. He immediately announced the appointment of Bajirao as the new Peshwa. The announcement was soon translated into a royal function. It was April 17, 1719, when Bajirao was ordained with the regal formalities. He was entrusted with the high honorable post much more because of stout mental and physical constitutions clumped with his political sagacity rather than due to conventional hereditary or reward against the great services rendered by the late Peshwa. Still a number of nobles and ministers were unable to hide their jealousy towards Bajirao. Bajirao, however, hardly spared any opportunity to justify the decision of the King and thereby deftly shut the mouths of his rivals.

Expansion of Hindu Kingdom under the supremacy of Peshwa Baji Rao:

Bajirao soon realised that the feudalistic forces had a tendency towards segmentation and that the honour of the kingship required determined deterrence to the centrifugal forces. Then alone the expansion of the Hindu Pad Padshahi could be ascertained. Bajirao's realistic insight was phenomenal. He was quite aware of his inimical surroundings. Nizam, the governor of Mughal Sultan, the vexatious terrorist Siddi of Janjira and the bugbear Portuguese along with internal rivals demanded his immediate commanding performance for the sake of the security of the Hindu Kingdom on which was based the volume of expansion of Hindu Pad Padshahi across the Vindhyas in the north.

Bajirao believed that if the lofty dream of Shivaji Maharaj for a Hindavi Swarajya or “Hindupad Padshahi” as he called it was to be achieved, the two Maratha factions of Satara and Kolhapur had to come together. When Baji Rao realized that this was unacceptable to the Kolhapur faction, he decided to achieve his objectives without their help. To accomplish his dream of Hindavi Swarajya (Hindu Kingdom) Bajirao’s brain was working faster than anything else and finally he decided to put forth his thoughts in the court (darbar) of Chatrapati Shahu.

Standing tall, poised and confident before Shahu Maharaj and his court, the young new Peshwa Baji Rao is said to have thundered, “Let us transcend the barren Deccan and conquer central India. The Mughals have become weak, insolent, womanizers and opium-addicts. The accumulated wealth of centuries in the vaults of the north, can be ours. It is time to drive from the holy land of Bharatvarsha the outcastes and the barbarians. Let us throw them back over the Himalayas, back to where they came from. The saffron flag must fly from the Krishna to the Indus. Hindustan is ours”.

The members of the court (Pratinidhi) opposed the idea and suggested that they should first consolidate in the Deccan but Baji Rao insisted on his original plan.

He fixed his piercing gaze on Shahu Maharaj and said, “Strike, strike at the trunk and the branches will fall off themselves. Listen but to my counsel and I shall plant the saffron flag on the walls of Attock”.

Chatrapati Shahu was deeply impressed and exclaimed, “By heaven, you shall plant it on the Himalayas” and permitted the warrior Peshwa to lead the armies and launch forth.

This story itself indicates the vision of Bajirao and Shahu Maharaj's faith in the young man. Shahu Maharaj appointed him as a Peshwa at such a tender age, recognising his talents and entrusting to him imperial troops which had recently emerged victorious in the Mughal-Maratha conflict which ended in 1707. Baji Rao's greatness lies in that true judgment of his master and the seasoned troops at his disposal. Thus his conquests brought on a feeling of terror towards the Maratha armies in the sub-continent of Bharat (India).

He then embarked on a ceaseless twenty year campaign in a strike northwards, every year inching nearer to Delhi and towards the extinction of the Mughal Empire. It is said that the Mughal emperor was in such terror that they refused a meeting with Baji Rao, fearing to even sit in his presence. The holy pilgrimage routes of the Hindus from Mathura, to Benares to Somnath were made free of harassment.

Bajirao's first campaign in the north-west started from 1723 with the victory of Malwa followed by Gujarat. Baji Rao conquered Gujarat and most of central India and even shook the foundations of the Mughal Empire by attacking imperial Delhi. It was he who really went ahead and occupied many Mughal provinces right under their nose. Bajirao's political wisdom stands out in his Rajput policy. He sought to avoid confrontation with the Rajput houses, the ex-supporters of the Mughal rule, and opened a new era of friendly relations between the Marathas and Rajputs. To name the houses were Bundi, Amer, Doogargarh, Udaipur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, etc. Visualising the danger lurking dangerously close to Delhi, the Sultan called for the help of the once vanquished Nizam. Bajirao again raised him to the ground. This wielded considerable influence of Bajirao over the Delhi court.

Bajirao's, crowning success was the defeat of Bungash Khan, near Mahoba, who was regarded as the bravest commander of the Mughal army, while he was busy bullying the old Hindu King of Bundelkhand. This act of military assistance provided by Bajirao made Chhatrasal feel passionately indebted to him forever.

He moved the administrative capital of the Maratha Empire from Satara to the new city of Pune in 1728 with the permission of his master.

The Kingdoms of Scindias (Ranoji Shinde) of Gwalior, Holkars (Malharrao) of Indore, Gaekwads(Pilaji) of Baroda, and Pawars (Udaiji) of Dhar were Baji Rao's creation of a Maratha confederacy as he wreaked havoc on the disintegrating Mughal Empire and set up his jagirdars (fiefdoms).

The greatest of the warriors of the empire, Mughal, Pathan and Central Asian alike were defeated by Baji Rao: Nizam ul Mulk, Khan I Dauran, Muhammad Khan are but a few of the names of the warriors who failed before the Marathas. The Battles of Bhopal, Palkhed, the victories over the Portuguese invaders in Western India are amongst his great achievements.

Baji Rao fought over 41 battles and is reputed to have never lost one. He is one of the three Generals in world history who never lost a battle. He is often compared with Napoleon Bonaparte by many great historians. His first encounter, the Battle of Palkhed was a good example of his innovative warfare tactics. Looking back at this battle one is compelled to admire him. His battle with the Nizam at Bhopal is known to be a masterpiece of tactical war strategy and maturity of political view.  A brilliant military tactician, a born leader and a brave soldier; in every possible, sense he was the true torchbearer of Chhatrpati Shivaji's dream.

Jazia on Amarnath yatra: furthering the Islamic cause

21 May 2010
Vijayvani
 

The dark ages of Islamic domination seem to be slowly seeping back into independent India. First was the Kashmiri Muslim hegemony of not allowing land and infrastructure for Hindu yatris; and now Jazia has been levied on the pilgrims and langars for the revered Amarnath Yatra.

In their appeasement of Muslims, the Omar Abdullah Government and Governor N.N. Vohra-led Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), have fallen on the repressive Mughal policy of imposing Jazia (religious tax) on Hindus in their very own country.

The abode of Lord Shiva, Amriteswara tirtha, is a pilgrimage precious to Hindus; the Shiva lingam manifests itself in the holy cave of Sri Amarnathji. The yatra to Sri Amarnath is as old as the history of Kashmir and Neelmat Purana bears testimony to this. Rishi Kashyap, Adi Sankara, Vivekananda and the common Hindu find peace and solace in the darshan of the Holy Lingam; the soul is entrenched in the divine manifestation.

A levy of Rs 15/- from each yatri (pilgrim) for registration was not considered sufficient by the authorities, so they imposed a charge of Rs 2,800/- per day (earlier Rs 300/day) on the buses and trucks, and Rs 2,300/- on light vehicles, carrying food supplies and pilgrims, in addition to the toll tax on entering the State of Jammu & Kashmir at Lakhanpur. The State Government has not stopped at this, and has further sponsored the radicalisation process by asking the Langar committees, which constitute religious and social organisation, to deposit a non-refundable sum of Rs 25,000/-! At the same time, the area on which the langars are to run has been considerably reduced.

The proponents of Islam have thus imposed religious tax on Hindu yatris, whereas they spend thousands of lakhs of rupees on Muslims in terms of Urs and Haj.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in one breath does away with the tax on houseboat owners and hoteliers in Kashmir, and on the other hand imposes Jazia on Hindus; they will have to pay even for placing their shoes in the racks near the cave and toll on entering the State. These measures reek of an illogical bent towards Islamic talibanisation and immense hatred channelled at slighting the religious sentiments of the Hindus.

Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) is in charge of the yatra and the money that the devotees offer. The Board has yet to come clean on how the money is used. The money accumulated should have been used for infrastructure development and yatri comfort; however, typically this money donated by Hindus is being diverted towards the amusement and entertainment of Kashmiri Muslims. In 2006, the then Governor Lt Gen (retd) S.K. Sinha launched a Sufi festival (SASB along with ICCR) in Srinagar on the banks of the Dal Lake, where artistes from Pakistan apart from others participated, with the money of Sri Amarnath Shrine Board! Lakhs was spent and since then ever year this sham of Sufism is conducted from the money of the devotees of Amarnath ji.

Governor Vohra has increased the paradigm of this entertainment sham and it continues. The role of Shri Vohra during the Amarnath Yatra and his overtures to Muslims are neither reformed nor new. His closeness to the People's Democratic Party is no secret, and along with the Kashmiri Muslims he was largely responsible for the atrocities heaped on the nationalistic Jammu population when they stood up for the Yatra in 2008.

As Chairman of the SASB, N.N. Vohra wanted Muslims as Board members, a move which would have meant direct Muslim interference in a Hindu shrine, whereas no moves to include Hindus in Wakf Boards are ever conceived. Yet the present committee of six members has so far maintained silence over this issue.

The present Chief Minister, who has yet to prove his acumen, has rushed to play to the separatist gallery. His by now famous speech in Parliament, "I am a Muslim and I am an Indian…" and, "not even an inch of land will be given," with reference to the Amarnath agitation of Jammu cannot be wished away.

Omar Abdullah is so emotionally overwrought for the gun-totting terrorists and their life in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, where they went for terror training to unleash violence in Jammu & Kashmir and the rest of India, that he wants the Centre not to ask them to surrender, but to give them an honourable return. He wants the Central Government to clear four crossover points for them to return to India with their families. Such magnanimity for one group, such pettiness for another community!

The terror network that these terrorism-trained Kashmiri Muslims are part of in PoK and Pakistan is still intact; so is the motive to unleash terror on India through overt and covert means and thousand cuts. Pakistan has not resiled from its agenda of terrorism against India, nor has Lashkar-e-Toiba and many such terror factories. In a recent meeting organized by the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (new name of the banned LeT) in Lahore, it demanded that the government  of Pakistan should either stop India from building dams on rivers flowing into Pakistan or give a 'free hand' to the 'Kashmiri mujahideen' (read terrorists) to deal with the issue. After the meeting a joint declaration was issued by the JuD which asked the Pakistan government to keep open the option of using force to protect its water resources if India does not stop work on projects on rivers flowing into the country.

The head of JuD's political affairs wing, Abdur Rehman Makki, and the group's Pakistan Water Movement convener, Hafiz Safullah Mansoor, presided over the meet. It included representatives of major political parties including the Pakistan Peoples Party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the Jamaat-e-Islami and cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's Tehrik-e-Insaaf.

Interestingly, Omar Abdullah wants the Indian State to give amnesty to terrorists who could still be part of this terror network. The terror network with the active help of Pakistan is also taking advantage of the trade and bus routes between Kashmir and POK. Recently, two PoK citizens were sent to judicial lock-up for smuggling satellite phones for a commander and working for militants (read terrorists). One of them had reached Poonch via the weekly Poonch-Rawlakote bus service, while the other was arrested in Mendhar for travelling via the Wagah border.

Another ISI agent managed to return to PoK after spending a month in Mendhar; his involvement surfaced only after he had gone back. Earlier, few traders on Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote route were found working for militants/terrorists by providing hawala money which was being used to fund militancy and terrorism. Sources confirm that the intelligence agencies have issued an alert on this front again.

As if this was not enough, Omar Abdullah has further rushed to the rescue of terrorist Afzal Guru, who has been sentenced to death by the Supreme Court for masterminding the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001. He wants Afzal Guru to be treated like other criminals. A person holding the office of Chief Minister should know better, for Afzal Guru is no criminal but a terrorist. This love for a terrorist is followed by another MLA of Kashmir.

Abdul Rashid, MLA from Langate, attended the funeral prayers of three terrorists killed in a recent encounter with security forces in Handwara area of the frontier Kupwara district. A fortnight ago, the Army launched Operation Thunder Strike, to neutralize terrorists. The MLA in his speech in Shazipora grounds wanted the government to talk to armed terrorists. "The key of peace lies with militants, and there should be direct negotiations with them for they have rendered sacrifices," he said.

This appalling love for Islamic terrorists and Jazia for Hindu Yatris raises vital questions about the efforts of Pakistan, terror organisations, and the likes of Omar, Mufti, Rashid and others. The effort to Talibanise Indian Muslim society is getting a fillip by such overt and covert actions.

It will be pertinent to watch what the UPA chairperson will do about this tax on Amarnath, as it was her mother-in-law and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who desired the concrete flight of stairs to be made in the 1970s; Indira ji's love for Shiva and Shakti is well known. Her interpretation of Kashmir was not Islam, but the thousands of years of Advaita Shaivism and Shakti – the fountainhead of Indian Hindu Sanskriti and heritage. She would visit Amarnath and a Shakti peeth in Kashmir with deep devotion.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will also have to answer the nation for this talibanisation in Jammu & Kashmir under his watch. On a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, First Lady Gursharan Kaur, the Prime Minister's wife, insisted on wearing her usual dress of sari and half-sleeve blouse. Will she stand up this time too?

Will the Prime Minister, for he had said:

Deh shiva var mohe hai shubh karman te kabhun na daroon

na daroon ersoh jab chahe laroon, nishche kar apni jeet karoon

[O Siva, grant me the boon that I will never fear to do the right action

That I will not fear, will fight when I want, and with determination will be victorious]

-         Guru Gobind Singh

Or do Indians have to look for Guru Teg Bahadur, Guru Gobind Singh, and Shivaji Maharaj.

The author is convener, Daughters of Vitasta

 

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Swami Vivekananda's Message

 

Now you have come to know your own powers. Strike the iron while it is hot. Idleness won't do. Throw overboard all idea of jealousy and egotism, once for all. Come on to the practical field with tremendous energy; to work, in the fullness of strength! As to the rest, the Lord will point out the way. The whole world will be deluged by a tidal wave. Work, work, work " let this be your motto. I cannot see anything else. There is no end of work here " I am careering all over the country. Wherever the seed of his power will  find its way, there it will fructify "  " be it today, or in a hundred years." You must work in sympathy with all, then only it will lead to quick results . . . .  Our object is to do good to the world, and not the trumpeting of our own names.  -Swami Vivekananda.

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Cloth merchant uses Sanskrit as business lingo

Cloth merchant uses Sanskrit as business lingo



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http://timesofindia .indiatimes. com/City/ Hubli/Cloth- merchant- uses-Sanskrit- as-business- lingo/articlesho w/5904310. cms






BIJAPUR: These days, a revival in ancient languages is palpable, and


Sanskrit is no longer a forgotten tongue. There is also talk of


establishing a Sanskrit and Vedic university in the state. But off


campus, right in the city, is a trader who uses the language for his


day-to-day business.






3R Garments Shop, at Meenakshi Chowk in Bijapur city is owned by Ram


Singh Rajput. He has eight employees, and for the past eight years,


they have been using the language for business.






Ram Singh says there is no difficulty in using the language. "After we


started using Sanskrit, our customers increased. Most of the customers


first want to talk and learn some Sanskrit, then they buy clothes."


Inadvertently, it has worked as an advertising gimmick.






Ram Singh is an active member of the Sanskrit Bharati organization. He


had learnt Sanskrit at a 10-day camp, and then started using it at


home. After that, he introduced it for the first time in his business.


He has now done his MA in Sanskrit.






His inspiration is North Karnataka's most powerful seer, Siddeshwar


swamiji. On many occasions, the seer has introduced Ram Singh to his


followers as the "Sanskrit man and his family", which inspired Singh


to learn more.






His younger brothers, Mohan Singh and Vitthal Singh, also work in the


shop. All of them speak Sanskrit fluently, though their mother tongue


is Hindi.






According to the brothers, Sanskrit is the language of God, and


learning it purifies a person's life by reducing bad habits and


arrogant behaviour. "We automatically become polite, and good thoughts


come to our mind," they say.






Says Mohan Singh: "Our customers believe more in us because of our


language. They don't bother to question the price, but pay what we


quote because they feel we do not deceive anybody. We too keep their


faith."






Following this attraction at Ram Singh's shop, now barbers, kirana


shop owners, beauty parlours, cloth merchants and several traders have


begun to use Sanskrit as their business language.

The Relations Between United States, India, and Israel

http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2010/04/22/the-zionist-hindu-crusader-alliance-marches-on/




THE AMERICAN INTEREST ONLINE



WALTER RUSSELL MEAD



Posted on April 22nd, 2010



The "Zionist Hindu Crusader" Alliance Marches On



Documents captured from radicals and terrorists in Pakistan warn darkly about a new axis of evil in the world: a 'Zionist Hindu Crusader' alliance bringing Israel, India, and the United States together in a war on Islam. They are wrong about the last part; all three countries want peaceful relations with Islamic countries based on mutual recognition and respect. The alliance isn't a closed club, and Islamic countries are welcome to join. Otherwise, however, the radicals have a point. The deepening relations between the United States, India, and Israel are changing the geopolitical geometry of the modern world in ways that will make the lives of fanatical terrorists even more dismal and depressing (not to mention shorter) than they already are. Israel and the United States are both in a better long term position than many Americans sometimes think; one of the main reasons is an Indian-Israeli connection that most Americans know nothing about.



Americans often underestimate Israel: we underestimate Israel's ability to conduct a foreign policy independent of US support and we underestimate Israel's long term prospects for success in its region. Indeed, Americans often talk about Israel as if we were the Jewish state's only real friend — and that Israel is completely dependent on American goodwill.



That's not true historically and it's not true today. The Soviet Union (through its Czechoslovakian satellite regime) provided Israel with the arms that gave it the decisive advantage in its War of Independence. The British and French armed and supported Israel in the 1956 Suez War. France provided Israel with the core of its nuclear technology and France supplied Israel with the Mirage jets which destroyed the Arab air forces at the outset of the Six-Day War. During all this time the United States government did not provide Israel with much help; no Israeli prime minister was even invited to Washington until 1964 when Levi Eshkol met with President Lyndon Johnson.



While the United States today is unquestionably Israel's most important ally and partner, we are not the only game in town. The United States isn't the country where Israel enjoys its highest favorable ratings; according to a survey carried out for the Israeli Foreign Ministry in 2009, India is the country where people like Israel the most. According to the survey, 58 percent of Indians supported Israel; 56 percent of Americans in the survey felt that way.



What makes that more surprising is that India is the country with the third-largest number of Muslims in the world. An estimated 160 million Muslims live in India, 13.4 percent of the total population. Even Muslims in India are (relatively) pro-Israel; in 2007 a delegation of Indian Muslims led by a group representing the 500,000 member All India Association of Imams met in Jerusalem with Israeli President Shimon Peres on a visit intended to advance the 'democratic understanding' of Israel among Indian Muslims.



The relationship isn't just about good wishes. India has the largest (reported) defense budget of any developing country; Israel is India's largest supplier of arms. As two of the leading IT countries in the world, India and Israel also collaborate on a variety of high tech projects, some with military implications.



Although both India and Israel were born at the same time — a collapsing British Empire was hastily liquidating its overseas commitments — for many years they had little to do with each other. Britain's inglorious scuttle from imperial responsibility left festering issues for both countries: Palestine and Kashmir. It was a strategic objective of Indian foreign policy to keep the Kashmir question away from the United Nations, and in particular to avoid a united Islamic bloc on the question. Siding with Israel seemed a good way to trigger exactly the hostility India wanted to avoid. Later in the Cold War period, India's close relationship with the Soviet Union encouraged a distance between India and America's close Middle Eastern ally. As a result, as a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement, India was one of Israel's toughest opponents, voting consistently with the Arabs to isolate Israel in international bodies (informally, ties were often closer, especially in business).



In one of the least-noted but perhaps more important shifts of the post Cold War world, that has all changed. Currently, Israel isn't just popular in India. It is India's largest supplier of high-tech weapons and the growing cooperation between the two countries is spreading into both economic and political fields. There is a strategic compatibility in their interests. Economically, the marriage of Indian and Israeli high-tech know how with India's enormous force of educated, English-speaking labor, its vast internal market, and Israel's marketing experience and connections with the advanced industrial economies make for a natural complementarity. Israel welcomes the rise of Indian economic and political influence in the Middle East and East Africa. Both countries view the activities of radicals in Pakistan and their use of Pakistan and Afghanistan for wider regional ambitions with deep concern.



There's another connection. The United States increasingly favors the emergence of India as a world and regional power. In the context of the Middle East and Africa, Americans see India as a stabilizing, anti-extremist force. More broadly, while the United States isn't (and shouldn't be) operating a policy of containment against China, the growing prosperity and power of India in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East is an important positive factor in maintaining the kind of international order the United States wants to see. That means, among other things, that the United States is likely to look with more favor on transfers of technological know how and the sales of advanced weapons systems from Israel to India than from Israel to China. This preference reinforces the ties between the two most successful democracies to emerge from British colonialism in modern Asia.



The growing Israel-India connection is only beginning to make itself felt. Long term, the relationship provides Israel with another great power ally to supplement its relationship with the United States. From both a geopolitical and an economic point of view, the relationship with India helps assure Israel of a long-term future in the region. As India develops and its power grows, the Gulf Arabs, Iran (a natural long-term ally for both India and Israel once it moves beyond the delusional and dead-end geopolitical agenda of its current government), and countries like Sudan and Somalia will increasingly feel its influence. India and Israel, with the quiet blessing of the United States, can also do more to promote economic development and democracy in East Africa — a region that has historically had close links to India and which is of great strategic importance to Israel.



This "Zionist Hindu Crusader" alliance is a nightmare scenario for radicals and terrorists in the Islamic world. The emergence of closer relations between the American global superpower, the regional Israeli military, and technological superpower, and the rising superpower of India is a basic challenge to the worldview of the extremists. The radicals have imagined a world in which the west and especially America is in decline, Israel faces a deep crisis, and a resurgent Islamic world is emerging as a new world-historical power.



Suppose none of that is happening. Suppose instead that both the United States and Israel are going to prosper and grow, based in part on their economic relationship with India. Suppose that Israel's extraordinary culture of high-tech innovation will be energized by the relationship with India so that Israel's technological and scientific lead over its neighbors continues to grow over time. Suppose that Indian power will be returning to the Gulf and East Africa, and that not only Pakistan but the Arab world will be increasingly focused on accommodating the rise of a new regional, and ultimately global, superpower. Add to this that immense natural gas discoveries off Israel's coastline are revolutionizing the country's long term economic position and security strategy.





In that kind of world the arguments and the ideas of religious radicals won't make much sense to most people. On the other hand, the economic dynamism created by the explosive growth of the Indian economy (assuming of course that the trend toward double-digit GDP growth continues) will offer the Arab world (and Pakistan) new opportunities for rapid economic development of their own. At the same time, the growing diplomatic and political influence that a rising India will have in the region will add new weight to American efforts to help the region move toward peace and reconciliation. In this kind of world, Islamic radicalism can't deliver and its basic assumptions look shallow and unconvincing.



India has some unfinished business at home and in the neighborhood before it can fully emerge as the kind of power it hopes to become. The benefits of economic growth need to be felt more widely and long-festering social tensions and issues need to be addressed. More Indians need more access to more education and more personal and intellectual freedom. Relations with Pakistan need to improve; nothing would improve India's security at home or enhance its ability to play a major regional role as much as reconciliation with Pakistan (And nothing could be worse for India than the continued descent of Pakistan into the horrors of terrorism and civil strife). India must also keep up with China in the race to develop; one area in which it lags considerably behind is infrastructure, and unless India finds a way to accelerate the construction of roads, power plants, port facilities and to provide for the orderly and rapid development of land for industrial sites it will have a hard time matching China's awesome surge forward.



It will take time for India to overcome these obstacles, but in the last twenty years it has managed to double its economic rate of growth while changing the fundamental orientation of its foreign policy after the Cold War. These are the marks of a country led by serious people who understand their long-term interests, have a clear view of the world, and are prepared to move with great determination to secure their vital interests. They are, in other words, good people to have on your side.



Israel's strategic relationship with India–warmly embraced by both countries and cheered on by the United States,– may well turn out to be one of the most important international connections in the twenty-first century. That it receives so little attention in the US and abroad illustrates the difficulty of understanding the twenty-first century with ideas and assumptions forged in the twentieth. India is no longer a relatively minor power and it is no longer anti-American and anti-Israel. Those are big changes; attention must be paid.

Greetings of Akshaya Tritiya Festival

ll Sree ll

Akshay Tritiya is one out of the three and a half auspicious occasions (muhurts). This day is significant as according to some it is the beginning of the Krutayug or the Tretayug. Since Indians always consider the first day of any time period to be auspicious, the scriptures prescribe rituals like ritualistic bathing, donations (dan), etc. on such days. T

Significance of 'Akshay Tritiya'

A combination of frequencies of 'Brahma' and 'Sree Vishnu' come from the region of Supreme Deities i.e. 'Sagun-lok' to the Earth due to which the 'sattvikta (pre-dominance of 'Sattva' component)' on the Earth increases by 10%
1. Meaning: If the Deity that bestows constant happiness and prosperity is worshipped on the day of 'Akshay-trutiya' with the feeling of gratitude, the Deity's grace never wanes. One should worship the Deity with gratitude on 'Aksahy-trutiya' for acquiring her constant grace.

2. Worship of 'Mrutika (Soil)' : We can acquire 'Dhanya (grains) -Lakshmi', 'Dhana (wealth) -Lakshmi' and 'Vaibhav (glory)- Laksmi' due to 'Mrutika (soil)' who always bestows her grace. The day of 'Akshay Tritiya' is the day of worshipping 'Mrutika' with gratitude.

And Read many more details like

* Importance of making offerings on Akshay Tritiya

* 'Tiltarpan', meaning in the context of worldly matters and spiritual meaning

Benefits of Surya Namaskar

Benefits of Surya Namaskar


TNN, May 7, 2010, 01.46pm IST





The simple Surya Namaskar that has been practiced in India for years has recently found a whole lot of takers.



And if you want a good start to your day, what better than the Surya Namaskar, which is known to have a host of health benefits. There are 12 different poses to do in a Surya Namaskar and you're known to have finished a complete round when you've performed two consecutive sets.



- You don't need to be doing yoga regularly in order to practice the Surya Namaskar. If performed correctly, this exercise does not strain or cause injury. If performed in the morning, it relieves stiffness, revitalises your body and refreshes the mind. Do it during the day and it will instantly boost you up, practice it after sundown and it helps you unwind.



- Not only does the Surya Namaskar give you a great stretch and keep you fit physically (it is extremely beneficial for your joints, ligaments and improves flexibility and posture), but is also does wonders for your mental and emotional health.



- Surya Namaskar stimulates almost every system in your body - the cardiovascular system because it keeps the heart strong and, the digestive system as well as the nervous system.



- It also makes endocrinal glands like the thyroid, parathyroid and pituitary glands, function normally.



- Practising the Surya Namaskar regularly is also known to ease stress and give you peace of mind besides increasing your levels of concentration.



- If you have trouble sleeping at night, the Surya Namaskar will help you fall asleep without using any external stimulants.





http://timesofindia. indiatimes.com/Life/Health- Fitness/Fitness/Benefits-of- Surya-Namaskar/articleshow/ 5419872.cms

OVER 2200 PEOPLE RETURN TO HINDU FOLD IN GUJARAT

 

http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=343&page=36

Home > 2010 Issues > May 09, 2010 OVER 2200 PEOPLE RETURN TO HINDU FOLD IN GUJARAT

MORE than 2200 people belonging to 384 families of 20 villages returned home on March 20 at a function organised at Sutarpada village under Kapvada teshil of Valsad district. These people belong to Varali and Konkana Vanvasi communities and had sometime back embraced Christianity. More than 300 other people belonging to seven other villages were also present on the occasion to welcome these people. In the beginning, all the people offered ahutis in the yajna which was conducted by a team of Arya Samaj Purohits. The function was organised by Dharma Prasar Samiti. Addressing the gathering after the poornahuti of the yajna, VHP central secretary Shri Mohan Joshi reminded them of the glorious history of their ancestors. He said they fought for the protection of Hinduism from foreign invaders and made many sacrifices. Swami Omkaranand Maharaj said Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world and we should protect it even by sacrificing our lives. He said Hinduism teaches both peace and love to the mankind. Gujarat state president of VHP Shri Dilipbhai Trivedi, Prant Dharma Prasar Pramukh Shri Dharmendrabhai Patel, joint secretary Shri Lalit Suvakia, state secretary Shri Neeral Patel, etc. were also present on the occasion. (FOC)

Health tips

Health Tits Bits....... 

(૧) આંખે પાણી દાંતે લૂણ, પેટ ના ભરો ચારે ખૂણ
    મસ્તકે તેલ, કાને તેલ, રોગ તનના કાઢી મેલ

(૨) ઉનાળે કેરી ને આમળા ભલા, શિયાળે સુંઠ, તેલ ભલા,  
   ચોમાસે અજમો-લસણ ભલા, ત્રિફલા જાણી જો બારે માસ

(૩) ઉનાળો જોગીનો, શિયાળો ભોગીનો, ચોમાસુ  રોગીનું,
    મિતાહારી આચાર સંહિતા જે પાળે દર્દ ના લે કોઈનું

(૪) બાજરીના રોટલા ને મૂળાના ખાય જો પાન,
     હોઈ ભલે કો ઘરડા, મિતાહારે લે થા જવાન

(૫) રોટલા,કઠોળને ભાજી, ખાનારની તબીઅત તાજી
    મૂળો, મોગરી,ગાજર, બોર રાતે ખાય તે રહે ન  રાજી  

(૬) ફણગાવેલા કઠોળ જે ખાય, લાંબો, પોહળો, તગડો થાય
    દૂધ-સાકર, એલચી, વરીયાળી ને દ્રાક્ષ ગાનારા સૌ ખાય

(૭) મધ ,આદુ રસ મળવી, ચાટે પરમ ચતુર
     શ્વાસ ,શરદી, વેદના, ભાગે જરૂર

(૮) ખાંડ,મીઠું અને સોડા એ સફેદ ત્રણ ઝેર કહેવાય,
     નિત ખાવા પીવામાં એ વિવેક બુદ્ધિથી જ લેવાય

(૯) કજીયાનું મૂળ હાંસી અને રોગનું મૂળ ખાંસી

(૧૦) હિંગ,મરચું ને આમલી ને સોપારી ને તેલ
      જો ખાવાનો શોખ હોઈ તો પાંચેય વસ્તુ મેલ

(૧૧) લીંબુ કહે હું ગોળ ગોળ ,ભલે રસ મારો છે ખાટો,
      મારું સેવન જો કરો તો પિત્ત ને મારું લાતો

(૧૨) ચણો કહે હું ખરબચડો, પીળો રંગ જણાય,
     ભીના દાળ ને ગોળ ખાય, તે ઘોડા જેવો થાય

(૧૩) મગ કહે હું લીલો દાણો ને મારે માથે ચાંદુ,
     બે ચાર મહીને પ્રેમે ખાય તો માનસ ઉઠાડું  માંદુ

(૧૪) આમલીમાં ગુણ એક છે,અવગુણ પુરા ત્રીસ
       લીંબુમાં અવગુણ એક નહીં,  ગુણ છે પુરા વીસ

(૧૫) કારેલું કહે હું કડવું ને મારે માથે ચોટલી,
       જો ખાવાની મઝા પડે તો ખાજે રસ-રોટલી

(૧૬) સર્વ રોગોના કષ્ટોમાં ઉત્તમ  ઔષધ ઉપવાસ  
       ન હોઈ જેનું પેટ સાફ, તેને ભોજન આપે ત્રાસ