Bhadrapad 31 Vik Samvat 2066. Yugabda 5111: September 16, 2009

1. FESTIVALS: Navratri, literally means nine nights which will be observed from Sept 19-27 this year, start on Aashwin Shukla 1. Nine forms of Shakti/Devi i.e. female divinity like Durga, Kali, Saraswati are worshipped with fervour and devotion and Vijayadashmi sees the culmination on 10th day.
Navratri is celebrated throughout Bharat in different forms all depicting Goddess Mahishasura mardini – Durga. In Bengal, exquisitely crafted and decorated life-size clay idols of Ma Durga depicting her slaying the demon Mahishasura are worshipped. At places, a pot is installed (ghatasthapana) at a sanctified place at home and a lamp is kept lit in the pot for nine days. Saraswati puja is performed on 7th day while Kanya poojan is performed on 8th and 9th day. During Navratri devotees observe fast, read Devi Mahatmya while in Gujarat it is celebrated with famous dance ‘Garba’. Vijayadashmi sees ‘Ravandahan’, victory of good over evil which is also the day when Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar started Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1925.
2. LUNAR MISSION MET ENGINEERING, SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES: Even though the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has formally called-off the first ever Lunar Mission, Chandrayaan-I, the scientists associated with the project claim the exercise has met both its engineering and scientific objectives in its 10- month life. ISRO terminated the lunar mission on August 30 after losing hope of establishing contact with the spacecraft.
ISRO chairman Madhavan Nair said that Chandrayaan-I had taught crucial lessons which are important in launching the lunar mission-II. He said that due to very high radiation in the atmosphere, power-supply units controlling both the computer systems on board failed, which led to snapping the communication connectivity.
Nevertheless, Nair considered the moon mission a success and said 95 per cent of its objective was met. “We could collect a large volume of data, including more than 70,000 images of the moon.”
According to ISRO spokesperson S Satish, taking the spacecraft to four lakh kilometers near to the moon, inserting the spacecraft into lunar orbit, placing an object into the lunar surface and establishing ground instrument to track the satellite were the engineering objectives achieved. Further, he said mapping lunar surface and preparing a three dimensional map of the entire lunar surface, exploration of minerals and chemicals on the lunar surface and study of radiation environment around the moon were the scientific achievements of Chandrayaan-I.
3. DOORS of Sangh are open for all-Mohan Bhagwat: "There is no ban on the entry of anyone whether he is Hindu, Muslim, Christian or any other else, in the Sangh. Everybody born and brought up in this land is Hindu. Just a change in dress, language, traditions and way of worship does not change the ancestors and the culture. All people living here have the same Hindu blood. They all are inspired by the Hindu samskars and culture. The day everybody understands this fact, all disputes will be over. The Sangh has been working for organising such people and doors of the Sangh are open for all" said PP Sarsanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat. He was speaking at a function held in Karnavati (Ahmedabad) on September 6.
Prant Sanghachalak Amritbhai Kariwala, Sahprant Sanghachalak Jayantibhai Bhadesia and Karnavati Vibhag Sanghachalak Vallabhbhai Sanvalia also shared the dais. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, various ministers of the state government and leaders of many organizations were also present on the occasion.
Shri Bhagwat further clarified that those who see the Sangh from outside do not understand it properly. "When they see the swayamevak doing exercise at shakha they feel it a military organisation, when they see our Ghosh Varga they feel it music consort and when they see our intellectual discourse they feel it a political organization. Sangh cannot be understood from a distance. If one has to understand the Sangh, one will have to join it. Seventy eight percent people of the country agree with the Sangh ideology. They recognize it as the most disciplined and service-oriented organization. The swayamsevaks are running more than 1.5 lakh service projects across the country," Shri Bhagwat informed.
4. G. Madhavan Nair to head IAA: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairperson G Madhavan Nair has been elected as the next president of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), and will be the first non-American to head the organization fifty years after it was set up.
The announcement came at the inaugural function of the five-day Eighth International Conference on Low Cost Planetary Missions (LCPMs) being convened in Goa, and was made by the IAA's secretary general Jean Mitchell Contant.
The ISRO chairperson will take over the post of IAA president in October, and will have a term of two years.
5. EDUCATING girl child is the best investment-Pramilatai Medhe: "Bharat was made ‘India’ to ruin its svatva (self-respect). Now making it tejasvi again should be the prime objective of education system in the country. Today education to girl child is the best investment," said Rashtra Sevika Samiti Pramukh Sanchalika Vandaneeya Pramilatai Medhe. She was inaugurating a seminar organized on women education by Akhil Bharatiya Mahila Samanvya in New Delhi on September 6.
A total of 280 representatives from 28 organizations and delegates from 36 Prants participated in the seminar. Fifty women scholars presented their papers on various issues related to women education. Sahkaryavahika of the Samiti Rukminiakka, RSS Sahsarkaryavah Suresh Soni, head of Akhil Bharatiya Mahila Samanvya Geetatai Gunde, convener of the seminar Dr Sharad Renu were also present at the inaugural ceremony. Pramilatai praised the women who apart from doing jobs are also managing their families well. About the women education she said apart from helping the women identifying her internal qualities, they should also be apprised of their duties to the nation and the society.
6. Bharat is more competitive: Vibrant financial markets and a sound banking sector has helped Bharatiya economy move up a notch to 49th place on the global competitive scale, while Switzerland has toppled the US as the top-ranked nation, the World Economic Forum said on September 8.
The US has slipped to the second place and is followed by Singapore, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Canada and the Netherlands in the top ten, according to the annual ranking of the world’s most competitive economies.
Among the 133 countries featuring in the list, three nations in the BRIC grouping -- Bharat, China and Brazil have moved up the competitiveness ladder while Russia has witnessed a sharp drop.
7. Kashmir Hindu Foundation launched in US: The US’s Kashmiri Hindu fraternity has launched a new organization, the Kashmir Hindu Foundation, which has pledged to “promote and encourage the contributions of Kashmiri Hindus worldwide, improve the lives of some unfortunate ones in the community and bring them hope, and increase awareness of external threats to the community and issues within and help develop and implement meaningful solutions”.
Based in Fremont, California, the foundation also proposes to set up a Kashmiri Cultural Centre, the first of its kind outside Bharat.
8. DAY CAMP FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN Oz: Vishwa Hindu Parishad – Australia’s Hindu Social Services Foundation successfully organized a day camp for children and people with disability on Sunday 6th September at Crestwood Community Centre, Baulkham Hills. Many families from Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji, Korea, China, Cambodia, and local Australian families attended the event.
The aim of the proposed activity was to bring together families, which are caring for children with a disability and the elderly/the frail who need personal assistance, for a fun outing and socializing event.
The activities included Yoga, competitions like walking, musical chairs and rangoli and painting. Castle Hill Member of Parliament Michael Richrdson attended the program and gave a speech. The Special Need Children thrilled the audience with their great skills of art work and created a great deal of awareness among the audience and general public.
9. MUMBAI RAGPICKER SHOWS THE WAY: “A Aa Ee E Oo…,” a motley group of children chants the Marathi alphabet, unmindful of the stench and stray hens wandering about a makeshift shed that is their “school”.
From 11.30 am to 3.30 pm every day, their teacher instructs them using a chipped blackboard and reads poems to them from donated textbooks.
The students, aged 3 to 6, are rag-pickers’ children; the school stands in the Mulund dumping ground, which receives 300 metric tonnes of waste daily; the teacher is Kavita Sopane, a Class 10 drop out who used to be a rag-picker.
Sopane (21) started this informal playgroup in the 75-family Durgawadi slum in the dumping ground to encourage children to get a formal education by laying a foundation. There is no government-run anganwadi (childcare and pre-school centre) in the area because under the central government scheme these centers are set up in areas with a population of more than 1,000 people. The nearest civic school, which enrolls children only over six years of age, is a 45-minute walk.
10. BANGLADESH CABINET NOD TO LAW TO RETURN HINDU PROPERTY: The Bangladesh cabinet on September 9 approved a draft law to return land to members of the Hindu families, which were confiscated by the erstwhile Pakistani regime when they fled the country during the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
"The cabinet approved Vested Property Return (Amendment) Act 2009 to be tabled in parliament" restoring a nearly identical law enacted during the previous 1996-2001 tenure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government, her press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said.
11. VKI CELEBRATES CHICAGO SPEECH ON SEPT 11: “The wisdom of our ancient seers coupled with spirit of nationalism, as propounded by Vivekananda shall lead to Universal peace and harmony “said RSS sahsarkaryavaha Suresh Soni while delivering a lecture organized by Vivekananda Kendra International – Chanakyapuri New Delhi on Sept 12, 2009 to commemorate the historical speech by Swami Vivekananda in Chicago in 1893. He dwelt upon the conflict lines such as global /local, tradition / modernity and suggested that the Hindu thought has the way to guide the mankind amongst the cauldron of theories and isms. He remembered the famous invocation ‘My American brothers and Sisters ‘as an expression from heart manifesting the principle of Universal Brotherhood which drew thunderous applause in US. Former Union Minister Jagmohan presided over the function. Others present on the dais were Ajit Doval and former Lt. Gen Delhi Vijay Kapoor.
12. INDIA SETTING UP RADAR NETWORK IN MALDIVES: India is installing 10 radars across islands in the Maldives to help it monitor the surrounding seas. The radars, besides assisting the Maldives in building a maritime surveillance system, will also help India keep track of its strategic interests in the region.
Maldives’ first democratically-elected president, Naseed said on the issue of radars, “India is not trying to influence us. We wanted the radars. A lot of bio-mass poaching (poaching of fish and corals) happens in the area. So does a lot of illegal commercial fishing,’’
The Maldives, made of 1,192 islands, stretches for 1,200 nautical miles from north to south and the radars would help in keeping a watch on activities around the vast stretches of the Indian Ocean.
13. DUTCH HINDU STUDENTS CONDUCT SEWA WEEK: Dispelling the common image of a modern student, the Hindu Students Forum Netherlands (HSFN) held its third annual Sewa Week to show students that they can contribute to society. The members of the HSFN go along with other volunteers for one week’s time. Sewa Week is observed from August 24 to August 29 with a traditional opening ceremony in the cities of Den Haag, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Utrecht. Sewa is done at elderly centers, food banks and the Salvation Army. “The word Sewa comes from the Indian Sanskrit language and means selfless service without attachment,” says Harish Lakhi of HSFN.
14. SAKSHAM LAUNCHES AUDIO BOOK READER: Saksham, a national organization dedicated to the all-round progress of physically-challenged persons, launched the first-ever Audio Book Reader (ABR) for the visually-challenged students in New Delhi on September 7. It is a pocket-sized device that enables the visually-challenged students to study with much more ease. The device, which has been invented by Nagpur-based Shirish Darwhekar, has been developed keeping in mind the specific needs of the visually-challenged students. General Secretary of Saksham Avinash Sangwai, vice president Dr Milind Kasbekar and organizing secretary Dr Kamlesh Kumar were also present at the ABR launch ceremony.
First launched on trial basis earlier this year in Nagpur, the device, in the first phase, is being used by over 75 visually-challenged students in Nagpur. "While one needs to shell out anywhere between Rs 25,000 and Rs 70,000 to buy a similar device available in the market, the manufacturing cost of ABR is only about Rs 5,000. But Saksham supplies it on cost-to-cost basis to the visually-challenged students," informed Shirish Darwhekar.
Saksham has made arrangements to provide the device free-of-cost to the visually-challenged students by finding sponsors for them.
The ABR device reads the audio tracks stored in a multimedia memory card (MMC) with a random access to any subject, book or chapter. With its large storage capacity of 60-hour duration audio with a 2 GB memory card, it provides the facility of putting the entire curriculum up to the 12th standard in a pocket. Its special feature is that it can be operated through voice menu and embossed buttons.
For availability of the ABR device one may contact Shri Shirish Darwhekar at shirishtalk@gmail.com or write to ‘SAKSHAM’, Madhav Netra Pedhi, 16, Devadutta Bhavan, Rana Pratap Square, SE Railway Colony, Nagpur 440022 (Maharashtra).
15. Bharat to lend up to $10 billion to IMF: bharat, which had to resort to IMF financing on a few occasions, will lend a significant $10 billion to International Monetary Fund (IMF) to shore up its resources. “It is significant that Bharat, which had to resort to IMF financing on a few occasions till the early nineties, will now be participating in an international effort to make resources available to the Fund for lending to countries in need,” an official statement said.
16. PAK HINDUS FLEE TALIBAN BY TRAIN: In the past four years, some 5,000 Hindus may have crossed over from Pakistan, never to return. It has not been easy, abandoning their homes, sometimes even their families, but they say they had no choice: they had to flee the Taliban.
It started as a trickle in 2006, the year the Thar Express was flagged off. The weekly train starts from Karachi, enters Bharat at Munabao a border town in Barmer and runs up to Jodhpur. In the first year itself, 392 Hindus crossed over. This grew to 880 in 2007.
Last year, the number was 1,240, and this year, till August, over 1,000 have crossed over and not gone back. They just keep extending their visas and hope to become Bharatiya citizens.
Immigration officer at Munabao railway station, Hetudan Charan, says the arrival of Hindu migrants had suddenly increased as over 15 to 16 families were reaching Bharat every week. None of them admits they are to settle here but seeing their baggage, we easily understand, he said.
17. WEST COAST YUVA VARGA: The first west coast Sambhag Yuva Varg was held in Lewis and Clark State Park over the Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 5 - Sept. 7). The number of total Shiksharthis was 37.
Varg was started by Deep-prajwalan, a parichay session and a short Bauddhik by Vinod ji. Shobhit's presentation of social entrepreneurship was motivating and liked by all.
The programs included khel, treasure hunt, danda, niyuddha etc. Among various discussions and presentations was one by Vrindavan Parker on similarities between Hindu culture and other ancient cultures of the world. There were also sessions on Yuwa for Sewa and Q&A. The varg was successful in recharging and motivating the Karyakartas and improving their skills.
18. TSAMPA ON MY SHOULDER: In Tibet, there is an overwhelming sense of history and a stark beauty in the landscape. There is also, always, an invisible line between communities and people. A line neither side, Tibetan or Chinese, dared to cross, but were forced to negotiate in order to survive ‘today in the hope of a better future’. The place has a false sense of calm, deceptive to the less discerning.
In the wake of the suppression of the Tibetan uprising last year, and failure of the talks between the Chinese government and representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, it is not difficult to imagine that for now, the divide has deepened and it will be difficult to sustain the enforced peace.
The physical landscape and demography of Tibet are changing rapidly. Over decades, Chinese migrants have moved in large numbers to Tibet — for them a land of opportunity. However, adapting to the harsh environment — physical and otherwise — has not been easy. Many continue to stay for lack of anything better back home.
Tibetans see the movement of people to the plateau as an attempt to diminish their claims to the land of their ancestors. This form of subversion extends to education, popular culture and religion, an attempt to end a way of life. It is difficult to say that the plateau would have been different had Tibetans been in power, but like other marginalized communities, their struggle is for self-determination.
For now, there is an uneasy coexistence between the two sides. Tibet is important to the Chinese because of its proximity to India, and as a vast reserve of natural resources with potential for economic use. Meanwhile, the Tibetan movement stands at a critical juncture and seeks global support for the dialogue necessary to sustain a way of life on the roof of the world.
To quote Ma Jian, a dissident Chinese author, “In China, there is a saying; that which is united will eventually separate, and that which is separated will eventually reunite.” If so, Tibet’s eventual separation from China is inevitable. Till then, the Tibetans wait patiently, their desire for freedom articulated succinctly by an elderly gentleman I met in Lhasa: “...our Gandhi will come one day...” Vidura Jang Bahadur, Hindustan Times 4/9/2009.
19. DALAI LAMA MAY VISIT TAWANG IN NOVEMBER: Amid reports of a Chinese military build-up in Tibet, the Dalai Lama has decided to visit Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as its own, in November.
The proposed visit comes exactly a year after the exiled Tibetan leader dropped his plan to visit Tawang "because of the Lok Sabha elections''.
"China doesn't need to worry about the trip. It's purely a spiritual and religious visit,'' said Chimme Choekyappa, the Dalai Lama's secretary. Last year, the Dalai Lama was denied permission to visit Tawang, reportedly under pressure from China.
This is the Dalai Lama's fifth visit to Tawang that he had passed through while fleeing to Bharat in 1959. He has visited other parts of Arunachal six times since then. Beijing describes Tawang a part of China on grounds that the VIth Dalai Lama was born there in the 17th century.
Besides holding spiritual and religious discourses, the Dalai Lama would inaugurate a multi-speciality hospital at Tawang with the money that he had got from his followers.
20. PRIESTS DIVIDED OVER GOVERNMENT MOVE FOR INCLUSIVE DUSSHERA: On Aug. 30, Karnataka state’s Minority Welfare Minister Mumtaz Ali Khan proposed inviting Christians and Muslims to celebrate Dusshera saying that Dusshera is not just for Hindus and that religious minority communities should take part in it.
To give the festival what he calls a ‘secular’ touch, the minister suggested illuminating churches and mosques at the government’s expense. One church selected for illumination is Mysore’s St. Philomena’s Cathedral. Parish priest Father William Pinto said that local people celebrate Dusshera as a cultural festival. “We have no objection to Catholics joining the festival or our church looking elegant.”
However, Father Faustine Lobo, spokesperson of the Catholic Church in Karnataka, says he sees “no good intention” in it, especially since the government does not recognize the festivals of other communities.
“Will the state government illuminate the cathedral when it celebrates Saint Philomena’s feast?” the priest asked.
But Father John Fernandes, a senior priest who has given talks to Hindu groups, finds “nothing threatening” in the government proposal, which he said aims to draw in more tourists.
21. ROADMAP TO REVOLUTION: CLASS X BOARDS TO GO: A school examination system designed to cut stress and bring India up to par with international educational standards kicks in from this year, and will truly come into its own in 2011 when Class X boards pass into history.
There will be no boards, and no marks, only grades.
The students at the end of their academic year will be handed their results based on internal exams and Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation of such qualities as physical education and speaking skills. It will also test students on such co-scholastic skills as attitude towards teachers, understanding of values, thinking and emotional skills and creative and scientific activities. In English for instance, a student will be tested for diction, fluency and content knowledge.
The new exam system will apply only to the 11,000 schools affiliated to the Central Board for Secondary Education, better known as the CBSE, all over the country.
22. INDIA SPEEDS PAST CHINA IN AUTO EXPORTS: China may be the world's shop floor, but India is rolling it out faster when it comes to automobile exports. India exported a total of 2.30 lakh cars, vans, SUVs and trucks between January and July 2009, a growth of 18% even as China’s exports tumbled 60% in the same period to 1.65 lakh units.
Industry experts pointed out that India scores due to its liberal investment policies and high quality manufacturing which stems from its growing prowess in research and development.
Cheap labour costs and especially-tailored lower manufacturing tax (8% excise duty) make small car manufacturing in India a highly-competitive option which more and more companies are padding up for — Suzuki, Hyundai, Nissan, General Motors, Toyota, to name a few.
23. NASA astronaut Fincke to take Assam tea to space during his next mission: Michael Fincke, who married an Assamese girl Renita Saikia, had carried the traditional Assamese gamocha (traditional cotton scarf) to space during the Expedition 18 Mission to the International Space Station (ISS) last year. He was commander of Expedition 18 and spent six months, between October 2008 and April 2009, in ISS. He is currently on a visit to Assam along with his wife Renita, an engineer with Nasa and three children.
Assam Tea Planters' Association (ATPA) and North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) met Fincke and proposed that he carry along Assam Tea to space during his next mission. Mike heartily accepted the proposal, but he will be allowed to carry it only after clearance from Nasa.
24. MAHARASHTRA’S VOCATIONAL CENTRES PART OF SILENT REVOLUTION
Far from the glamorous world of MBA job fairs and corporate recruiters, a silent revolution is brewing in Maharashtra’s labour market — one that might prove crucial to the country’s economic growth.
The state’s network of 750 Industrial Training Institutes (ITI), the country’s largest, which teach highly specialised vocational trades such as welding and auto mechanics, has tied up over the past two years with more than 100 companies, such as Bharat Forge and Indian Hotels, which runs the Taj chain.
These companies are helping train these youngsters, many of who are school drop-outs, and employ them.Unlike graduates and post-graduates, these youngsters are guaranteed work because there is such a huge demand for them.
A Confederation of Indian Industry survey estimates that, at the current economic growth rate, Maharashtra will need 40 lakh industrial skilled employees (distinct from professionals such as software engineers and chartered accountants) by 2010. But the state’s ITIs produce less than 500,000 employees every year.
25. INDIA'S LOW-COST FOOD FOR BELLY-UP WEST: When the global economy was mired in recession through 2008-09, exports of farm products from Bharat peaked with its ready-to-eat and pre-cooked meals preferred all over the developed world.
According to data from Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) exports grew by 24% (worth Rs 39,461 crore) in 2008-09.
"Bharatiya companies are adhering to cost competitiveness, trying to keep it low or manageable in a year of low income. The government's support has been the key," Praveen Gupta, APEDA's general manager for processed foods said.
26. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Dr. Shankar Tatwawadi , Samyojak Vishwa Vibhag is in Bharat till Nov., Ravikumar, Sahsamyojak will be in Guyana and Trinidad before returning to Bharat by Sept end. Shyam Parande, Secretary Sewa International will return Bharat after his tour to US and Canada. Visitors: Smt. Jyotsna Raichura, Trishul and Pritul from UK.
27. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Belief in karma ought to make life pure, strong, serene and glad. Only our own deeds can hinder us; only our own will can fetter us. Once let men recognize this truth, and the hour of their liberation has struck. Nature cannot enslave the soul that by wisdom has gained power and used both in love. – Annie Besant
JAI SRI RAM
A FULFILLING SUMMER
(Volunteering in Bharat and Guyana )
APURVA KAUSHIK
Though this summer began with ambivalent uncertainty, it ends with contented fulfillment. Since I was given the extraordinary opportunity to dedicate the entirety of my summer volunteering in both India and Guyana, I was decidedly excited but a tad apprehensive about, well, everything: could I handle the doubtless myriad issues that daily life in foreign places would entail? As my project mostly involved teaching children English (in Bharat) and Vedic Math (in Guyana), I was also anxious about how it would be—would there be communication issues? Would I be able to deal with them, to reach them? Would they like me?
I was extremely privileged to commence my sewa experience at the Maitreyi Gurukula in the village of Moorkaje (located in the south Bharatiya state of Karnataka). The Maitreyi Gurukula is a free boarding school, funded by the Ajaya Trust, for exceptional girls between the ages of 8 and 16 of rural or impoverished background—brilliant and talented girls who would otherwise never receive the opportunity to realize their potential. Many of these girls would have been married off at a young age simply because their families could not afford to keep them, let alone give them the education their talents merit. The purpose of the school is to educate these girls so that they can go back and educate others in their villages, as well as properly educate and bring up their children with Satvic values—a sort of intellectual trickle-down. By giving these girls a holistic and well-rounded education, it is ensured that not only is an individual being helped but also the next generation has a greater chance of being raised with strong, positive morals and ethical values.
It is simultaneously heart-warming and wrenching to see them. Though a delight to watch them flourish in the wholesome and intellectual environment in which they clearly belong, it is beyond heartbreaking to imagine how many such children are languishing in surroundings undeserving of their ability. I am immeasurably lucky my project teaching English allowed me the opportunity to interact with these girls on a very familiar level.
The very first thing I noticed about everyone—not just the students—at the Gurukula was their profound contentment, unfaltering joie de vivre, and absolute graciousness. Despite being afforded but the barest minimum of luxuries, they are utterly satisfied with their lot. They are uprooted from their native villages and families at the age of 8, schooled in a wholly different language (the medium of instruction is Sanskrit; they are taught upon arrival and become fluent in usually a year or two), wake up at 4:30 in the morning, and—in addition to classes—daily clean the buildings, tend to the gardens and do all the required upkeep themselves. The Mathrushris (the teachers) are all absolutely wonderful women for whom my respect knows no bounds. As their title suggests, they are all extremely nurturing, caring and devoted; these brave ladies have literally dedicated their whole lives to improving the world by beginning at the foundation of society: caring for the wellbeing of less fortunate children.
My weeks at the Gurukula were among the most fulfilling and inspiring of my life. Seeing the simplicity of these girls, how happy they were even though they woke up at the crack of dawn every morning, swept and mopped the whole school, had three pairs of clothing (two for everyday wear and one for special occasions), washed their clothes everyday by hand on a stone, slept on straw mats atop the concrete floors in their classrooms with all their possessions placed in one square foot’s space on a communal rack—this was indescribably inspirational to me! I experienced a complete paradigm shift.
It is commonly thought that people lacking material luxury are unhappy, but it seems to be the very opposite to me. Too often people look to material goods for fulfillment and validation. The means become the end, and people attach their identity to transient things; they become their statuses, their possessions. And since things are ephemeral, they find no fulfillment or joy in their lives. Those who do not have the crutch of material comfort find their value and happiness in the internal, the intangible, and that which can never be taken from them.
My experience in Guyana was markedly different. At the Gurukula, I was more of a friend to the girls, and treated as a respected peer rather than as an authority figure, but my role in Guyana was decidedly that of a teacher. Teaching math is far different from teaching English. At the Gurukula, my English classes were mostly teaching conversational English and improving pronunciation, resulting in an informal and casual atmosphere where I learned as much (if not more) from the students than they from me. I had no challenges teaching because the girls didn’t require any disciplining: there was nothing for me to control or to do besides presenting the coursework, which the girls dutifully followed.
In Guyana I taught at the Saraswati Vidya Niketan School, a Hindu school taking inspiration from Vidya Bharati in Bharat. It is located in Cornelia Ida and serves to educate Guyanese Hindu children (who are fifth or sixth generation Indians) on Hindu values, and to experientially teach them their cultural heritage. Here, I did a lot more teaching and a lot less conversing. I learned to control a classroom of noisy adolescents who are but a few years younger than I (asking nicely, speaking sternly, yelling a bit, and issuing ultimatums of extra homework—in that order), and how to command authority. Whereas at the Gurukula, all my classes consisted of between twelve and twenty extremely respectful girls who viewed being educated as a high honor and privilege and firmly practiced acharya devo bava (treating the teacher as god), at SVN, I had classes of thirty normal kids. Of course, it was a mixed bag. Some classes were a real pleasure to teach: one of my classes asked me if I could come teach them every day (I taught five grades, each twice a week) and if I could keep teaching through the next period as well, and the youngest class was so unabashedly enthusiastic, sweet and eager that they would beg me for homework and further practice! Only one class (the eldest students) was unruly. The rest were more than manageable. In Guyana I learned to deal with the disciplining aspect and leadership that is part and parcel of teaching.
Both of my projects were deeply satisfying, albeit in completely different ways. I loved almost everything about both of the countries I had the honor to visit. Though I suppose my original trepidation was not baseless, I fortunately experienced no insurmountable difficulties. Sure there were cultural differences and quite a bit of miscommunication (the supreme irony that I had no problem communicating in my second language, Kannada, but I could not for the life of me discern what was being said to me in English-speaking Guyana), but even that which was originally unpleasant became wonderful. I would not change a single detail of my experiences during this internship.
Apurva is an undergraduate student at Case Western Reserve University, majoring in philosophy. This summer she volunteered in Bangalore and Guyana, through the Yuva for Sewa fellowship program. For more information about the program, please visit www.sewausa.org/yuva-for-sewa.

Bhadrapad 16 Vik Samvat 2066. Yugabda 5111: 1 September 2009

1. FESTIVALS: Vishwakarma Puja, dedicated to Bhagwan Vishwakarma - the divine architect of the universe as described in scriptures like Rig Veda and Sthapatya Veda, is celebrated annually on September 17.
Artisans, craftsmen, mechanics, and industrial workers, worship Vishwakarma on this day and pray for a better future, safe working conditions and success in their respective fields. Workers also pray for the smooth functioning of various machines.
The festival is mainly celebrated in Eastern parts of Bharat such as Bengal, Orissa and Tripura. Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, through its unions and federations, has successfully established this pooja in the traditionally left dominated labour field all over Bharat.
2. KASHMIR 'INTEGRAL PART' OF INDIA: P.P. SARSANGHCHALAKJI: Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Rao Bhagwat on August 23 said that Kashmir is an 'integral part' of Bharat and no power could take it away from the nation. He said the militancy and separatism once flourished in the state but with the strong will of the country, especially the Hindus, the militants are losing their strength.
Shri Bhagwat, who was on a three day visit to the state, addressing a citizens meeting said that the country is well aware of the sufferings of Kashmiri Pandits and that their brethren are facing exile in their own land. He said return of Kashmiri Pandits is the top priority of RSS and the organization is working in this regard.
3. DR PRAKASH AND MANDAKINI AMTE WIN MAGSAYSAY AWARD: Renowned social activist Baba Amte’s son, Dr Prakash Amte and his wife Dr Mandakini Amte have been awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for community leadership for the year 2008 in recognition to their path breaking work amongst the Madia Gond tribes.
Beginning in 1975 Prakash and Mandakini built a small hospital in remote interior tribal area of Chandrapur - Vidarbh and performed surgeries, treated malaria, tuberculosis and such other diseases. When they realized that illiteracy was making the Madia Gonds easy prey for corrupt forest officers and other greedy outsiders, they opened a school in 1976.The Amtes then introduced the Madia Gonds to agriculture-growing vegetables, fruits, organic farming and irrigation techniques and also encouraged them to conserve forest resources.
Today, the Amte's hospital has fifty beds, a staff of five doctors, and treats 40,000 patients a year free-of-charge. The school, meanwhile, has grown to five hundred students.
4. SIXTH DHANVANTARI SEWA YATRA TREATS OVER 7,700 PATIENTS IN NORTH-EAST: Sixth Dhanvantari Sewa Yatra, was successfully conducted by the Sewa Bharati Purbanchal, the National Medicos Organisation and the Sewa International in Northeastern states of Bharat to provide the best medical treatment to the needy people of remote areas, during July 5-12.
During the yatra, which is being conducted for the last six years, the doctors treated a total of 7,739 patients including 3,697 male, 4,242 female and 2,286 children. A total of 42 doctors including 24 from BHU, 16 from Guwahati Medical College and two from Meghalaya participated in the yatra. It visited 144 villages and organised 50 medical camps covering the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
5. IISC IS BHARAT'S NO. 1 TECH INSTITUTE: IISc at Banglore has been ranked the number one engineering/technology institute among top 67 science institutes in the country. IIT-Kanpur comes in at second place, followed by IIT-Mumbai, IIT-Kharagpur and Delhi at third, fourth and fifth position respectively.
The ranking, published in the Current Science, has been done by scholars Gangan Prathap and B M Gupta of the National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources and National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies, New Delhi.
6. MAHA SANKIRTAN YATRA: Year 2010 is the 500th year of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Sanyas and Bharat Parikrama. A Maha Sankirtan Yatra has been planned from Katwa (Burdwan, W.Bengal) to Jagannath Puri during 19th January, to 14th February, 2010 traversing the path followed by Sri Krishna Chaitanya 500 years ago with His Sankirtan Mondalis.
Bhagwan Sri Krishna Chaitanya, popularly known as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in his short sojourn of life, established himself as a visionary, a true religious teacher, and ardent devotee, a saviour of mankind and icon of humanity and a social reformer..
This Sankirtan Yatra will enthuse spirit in Hindus to stand united against the onslaught of alien faith today, will re-establish Mahanam Sankirtan Mandalies as preached by Sri Mahaprabhu, will publish books, booklets etc..
7. KEDARNATH SHRINE WAS UNDER GLACIER FOR 400 YRS: The devotees of the world-famous Kedarnath shrine have another astounding fact to revel in: The historical temple, believed to be built by the Pandavas, survived mammoth glacial pressure for at least 400 years. A team of scientists at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in Dehradun , while studying the effects of climatic change on the Chorabari glacier (source of the Mandakini) in the Kedarnath area, was surprised to find multiple evidence indicating that the temple remained completely submerged in colossal ice for as many as four centuries. Foremost among them were the striations found on the shrine’s walls and pillars. Lead researcher RK Chaujar explained that these patterns were formed when the ice body picked up sediments during its movement.
8. NARENDRA MODI CHOSEN AS THE fDi ERSONALITY - 2009: Narendra Modi, The Chief Minister of Gujarat has been chosen as The Asian Winner of the fDi Personality of the Year awards for 2009 by fDi Magazine, a premier publication and a leading title for the business of globalisation. The awards recognise the political and business leaders around the world who have been the most proactive, dynamic and innovative in securing foreign investment and improving the business environments of their jurisdictions.
Narendra Modi, is better known for his progressive skills in attracting domestic and international investment and for creating a conducive business environment for global investors. Last year, Gujarat attracted $2.8bn in FDI, 10.3% of all foreign investment inflows into the country and an increase of 57% on the previous year.
9. AMERICANS INCREASINGLY ADOPTING HINDU CONCEPTS’: 'Lets all say Om' seems to be the new American mantra with an increasing number of people subscribing to the essentially Hindu belief that there is no one way to salvation and that many religions could lead to eternal peace.
A piece in the Newsweek magazine titled ‘we are all Hindus now’ says that Americans are slowly becoming more like Hindus "conceptually" and less like traditional Christians in the ways they think about God and eternity. A poll in 2009 shows 30 per cent of Americans call themselves "spiritual, not religious," up from 24 per cent in 2005.
10. RAMSHANKAR AGNIHOTRI HONOURED: "There are only three countries in the world-England, America and Australia-where English is national language. Whereas majority of the developed nations like France, Germany, Italy, Russia, China have made tremendous progress with the help of their local languages. The rural talent of the country should be given a fair chance to flourish and we must see that they do not develop inferiority complex due to English," said former RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri KS Sudarshan. He was presenting Manik Chandra Vajpayee Rashtriya Patrakarita Puraskar to noted Hindi columnist Ramshankar Agnihotri in Bhopal on August 23. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan was also present on the occasion. The Puraskar consists of a cheque of Rs one lakh, a shawl, coconut and a memento.
11. GIVE IMPORTANCE TO SANSKRIT-N GOPALSWAMY: "I am alone here who cannot speak in Sanskrit. But promise you that next year I will talk to you in Sanskrit. Now I am retired. I will attend the class for learning Geeta through Sanskrit. Our countrymen have given importance to English and French but not to the Sanskrit. This is a pathetic situation," said former Chief Election Commissioner of Bharat N Gopalswamy. He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of Sanskritotsava organised by the Samskrit Bharati in Chennai on August 15.
Senior Swamiji of Ramakrishna Mission Swami Muditavadananand inaugurated the Utsava which saw participation of IT professionals, IIT students, professors, teachers, students, housewives etc.
12. PROF. JS RAJPUT AWARDED THE JAN AMOS COMENIUS MEDAL: Five years after the UNESCO decided to honour Prof. J S Rajput, former Director, NCERT, with the prestigious Jan Amos Comenius Medal for his outstanding achievements in the fields of educational research and innovation in July 2004, the New Delhi office of UNESCO handed over the Jan Amos Comenius Medal to Prof. Rajput in a quiet ceremony.
The delay in the award of the medal to Prof. Rajput was due to an unprecedented move by the MHRD in 2004 which wrote to UNESCO in 2004 to keep the award to Prof. Rajput in abeyance and also withdrew the nomination of Prof. Rajput in January 2005.
On receipt of the award, Prof. Rajput expressed his gratitude to the UNESCO which continued to take his services after 2004 as well.
13. IIT-KGP LEADS THE WAY: The oldest Indian Institute of Technology at Kharagpur will be the first IIT to start a medical school two years from now. The 59-year-old institute has signed a deal with University of California, San Diego in the US, to set up a state-of-the-art 300-bed hospital. It can be expanded in future to 750 beds.The school will offer graduate, post-graduate and research programmes in medicine and bio-medical engineering.
14. CABINET APPROVES SEVEN NEW IIMs: The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of seven new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) that will get operational in two phases.
Four IIMs would be set up in Trichy, Ranchi, Raipur and Rohtak in the first phase and the classes would start from the 2010-11 academic year. The other three in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan will get operational from 2011-12.
15. DR. HEDGEWAR HOSPITAL, AURANGABAD: Dr. Hedgewar Hospital, Aurangabad Maharashtra, was started by a group of young Medical graduates some 20 years back with the sole objective of ‘giving back’ to society and providing the needy patients best medical treatment at an affordable cost. This laudable initiative can now truly be called as ‘the healing touch’ as it successfully marches on its path of serving the needy populace of country. Year 2000 was a major leap in its journey when it shifted to the new hospital premises with special design, immaculate atmosphere, everything under one roof, enhanced scope of services, ultramodern equipments and highly affordable treatment. The hospital experienced huge influx of poor, rural & urban, patients leaving the hospital with immense satisfaction. Due to large premises, it could treat more than 2.7 million patients. The standards of quality of service have been raised to much higher level now including NABL Accreditation for the Pathology Laboratory’
But….the impact of expansion of hospital was much wider and deeper! A world class blood bank was created! The hospital is now treating 1 lakh free patients through 6 centres; 3 in slums, 2 rural & a mobile clinic! 5000 adolescent girls are under comprehensive empowerment training! During an animal disease outbreak in 100 villages, no animal death was reported in 25 villages covered under Pashu Aarogya sathi Project! 450 slum women have started earning 3 times more by starting their own business. The list of accomplishments will go on!
Yet… there was a concern that who will continue this work? And whether it will spread in other parts of the country where there is need?
As a spin off effect of Hedgewar Hospital, a team of new young specialist doctors have committed to take on similar mission for life time. This small group has started similar hospital in Nashik; with same spirit & dedication! The team comprises of An Anesthetist, Gynecologist, Ophthalmic Surgeon, Radiotherapist, pathologist, ayurveda specialist, Orthopedic Surgeon and pediatrician! In spite of coming from different cultural backgrounds, all have created unique culture of team work, service and humanity within this hospital. A year back, this was inaugurated by Man. Shri. Mohan ji Bhagwat! In a year since commencement, this hospital in Nashik has been successful in creating similar image like Hedgewar Hospital in line with the name it has got- Shree Guruji Rugnalaya, Nashik!
16. NW ARKANSAS SHAKHA CELEBRATES UNIVERSAL ONENESS DAY WITH MAYOR OF ROGERS: As a part of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) celebrating ‘Universal Oneness’ as the basic tenet of Hindu Dharma, throughout August, Northwest Arkansas shakha observed Raksha Bandhan with the Mayor of Rogers, Arkansas.
The evening of August 24th 2009 was marked with volunteers visiting Hon. Mayor Steve Womack’s office and getting introduced to him. This was followed by a visual presentation covering HSS objectives, background of Raksha Bandhan and motive of service to community. Youngest of all, Vishva tied Rakhi to the Mayor. The root message of Hindu Dharma – Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole world is a family) and Sarve api Sukhina Santu (may all live happily) were conveyed to the Mayor.
17. HSS CANADA VARGA AT ONTARIO: Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada, successfully held its Sangh Shiksha Varg 19-26 July at Blue Spring Scouts Camp, Milton, Ontario almost after a gap of 6 years. There were totally 23 shiksharthis 9 Sevikas and 14 Swayamsevaks; mostly all kishors and yuva. There were 6 shikshaks from US.
18. BANGLADESHI INFILTRATION BIGGEST THREAT: NE CMS --Cutting across party lines, Chief Ministers from North-eastern States raised strong concerns on the infiltration threat from Bangladesh. They were speaking at the Chief Ministers’ conference called by the Centre to discuss security issues facing the country.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio expressed fears over the increasing influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants into Nagaland. “The decadal population growth rate between 1991-2001 was 64.41 per cent — the highest in the country. Further, it is worrying that number of masjids and madrassas has increased from 27 to 48 between 2007 and 2008 in the State,” he said.
Similar concerns were expressed by Chief Ministers of other states viz. Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya etc.
19. UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD DAY IN MUMBAI: was organized by Vishwa Adhyayan Kendra (VAK-Mumbai) on Friday 7th August.
Chief Guest Mr. Alexey Redkin, Consul at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Mumbai in his short speech thanked VAK for conducting the function at the Cultural Centre of Russia. “Rakshabandhan, in fact, has a much broader perspective and a universal outlook. Efforts like observing Universal Brotherhood Day will make an important contribution in creating better appreciation of peace, cooperation and harmony in the world, particularly among the increasingly influential and extremely talented younger generation.”
The Keynote Address was given by Dr. B. K. Modi – an eminent industrialist and a global visionary. He said “We are all brought up hearing the verses vasudhaiva kutumbakam. We all earnestly look forward to the day when the world will understand the meaning of these verses and start living like a family”.
A Paper Presentation Competition (PPC) was also held among students of Technology, Management and International Studies from 20 institutions of Mumbai on the topic ‘India in centre stage of emerging i2i nations’. Dr. B. K. Modi distributed certificates and cash prizes to the winners of PPC.
20. IF DAIRY FOOD GIVEN IN CHILDHOOD CHANCES OF LIVING LONG INCREASE: Researchers in Bristol and Queensland in UK after a study of 4,374 children revealed that children who eat plenty of dairy foods such as milk and cheese can expect to live longer.
A higher daily intake of calcium, of at least 400 mg as found in just over half a pint of milk, cut the chance of dying from stroke by as much as 60 percent. Three servings of dairy foods - for example, a 200 ml glass of milk, a pot of yogurt and a small piece of cheese - will provide all the calcium most people need each day.
Dairy consumption may also influence heart and circulation health through a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), say the researchers. In adults, high circulating levels of IGF-1 are linked with reduced cases of heart failure and heart disease deaths.
21. PAKISTAN TEXTBOOKS WELCOME BHARATIYA HISTORIANS: Pakistan is rewriting history. From a parochial view of the subcontinent's past, it is shifting towards a more inclusive reading.
From an exclusive focus on Islam, college history books have come to include Buddhism and Hinduism. Once barred from textbooks, Mohenjodaro and Harappa now appear in them telling students how a large part of Pakistan formed the bedrock of the Indus Valley civilisation. Moreover, once unthinkable, the work of Bharatiya historians is at present part of the curriculum, said Tahir Kamran, chairman, department of history, Government College University, Lahore.
22. HOUSTON OFFERS SHELTER FOR EXILES: After a long and harrowing journey from horrific camps when over 100,000 Bhutanese were exiled to Nepalese refugee camps by their own government ; Bhutanese refugees have found a haven in Houston through Sewa International.
Sewa International public relations intern Melissa Ramdass said. “We help them with computer skills, resumes and job interview etiquette.”Refugees attend English and computer classes to study grammar and spelling as well as how to make resumes. The organization is also starting a buddy program that will match refugees with high school students, according to common interests.
23. TRIBUTE TO SARDAR RULDA SINGH: Punjab Prant president of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, Sardar Rulda Singh passed away on August 15 in PGI Chandigarh. He had been shot by two unidentified armed persons on July 28 and a separatist organisation owned the responsibility of the attack by sending e-mails to newspapers offices.
24. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Visitors: Sh. Kumar Parthasarathy from Ireland. Pravas: Dr. Shankar Tatwawadi, Samyojak – Vishwa Vibhag will be in Bharat after Sept 14; Sh Ravikumar, sah samyojak will tour Carribean countries of Suriname, Trinidad and Guyana in Sept. Sh Shyam Parande, Secretary Sewa International is in US for a month long tour.
25. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The essence of spiritual practice is your attitude towards others. When you have a pure, sincere motivation, then you have right attitude towards others based on kindness, compassion, love and respect. – Poojya Dalai Lama
JAI SHREE RAM
YESTERDAY ONCE MORE
SWATI DAS
Since the turn of this century, the southern part of the Indian peninsula is emerging as a repository of pre-historic study with many of the unearthed sites giving evidence of Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Iron Age civilizations dating back to much over 10,000 years.
These finds span most parts of Tamil Nadu and the adjoining areas of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
As recent as early July, a huge megalithic tomb with an urn burial was unearthed in Sambandhanur village in Tiruvannamalai district when a foundation for a temple was being laid. The Kallarai (tomb made of stone) seem to belong to a village head or a chieftain. The capstone (covering portion) of the tomb was 15 feet wide. The inner portion was six feet high, eight feet wide and 10 feet long. A small opening atop the tomb was big enough for a person to slip in and out.
It is meant for a person to enter the tomb to perform rituals for the deceased. The presence of two iron swords, three daggers and two axes only confirms the ancient practice of burying the dead with the things used by them when alive, with the belief that their spirits might use them later.
Vellore Government Museum curator Saravana who inspected the site, estimated it to be between 350-260 BC. Polished thick red and black ware pottery was also found with graffiti which is typical of the pottery of the 3rd and 4th centuries BC. Human bones were also found. Unfortunately, villagers had broken all the four urns found looking for treasures. Two pots with mud and ash were spared.
Earlier this year, excavations by Prof K Rajan, Pondicherry University’s History department head, in Porunthal near Palani in Dindigal district at the foot of the Western Ghats revealed an Iron Age burial area and a bead making factory that indicated bead manufacturing prevailed in different periods of time.
Prehistoric human existence was found in Thanjavur area early May, following excavations by the Tamil University inside the university campus itself. The excavations were done under the UGC funded project Landscape Archaeology of Prehistoric Cultures of Southern Tamil Nadu and clear evidence of Palaeolithic and Mesolithic human settlements were found. The excavation was directed by Prof V Selvakumar of the Department of Epigraphy and Archaeology and this is the first time such evidence has been found in the Thanjavur region.
Interestingly, two cultural phases of Palaeolithic and Microlithic (Mesolithic) eras were found. The Palaeolithic articles were scrapers and flake tools. According to a release from the university, these were found in the laterite rock surface below a sterile layer that underlies the layer which produced Mesolithic artefacts. This signified the chronological gap between these two cultures.
The microlith implements included tiny stone tools like scrapers, triangles and points made of quartz. Apparently, Masolithic people were hunters, with no knowledge of metal implements or pottery. Though stratigraphic evidence indicates that the two cultural phases could go back to well over 10,000 years, a scientific dating is in process.
What has taken experts by surprise is the finding of a narrow channel for water harvesting in the Mesolithic phase.
The Vallam area of Thanjavur is rich in Palaeolithic finds, similar to the findings in Sri Lanka (Horton Plains), where evidence of a prehistoric occupation dates back to tens of thousands of years. Palaeolithic evidences were earlier found around Chennai. But the Thanjavur Palaeolithic culture is of a later period, according to topological analysis. Excavations done under Prof Rajan unearthed Palaeolithic sites in Dharmapuri area (north-west Tamil Nadu bordering Karnataka).
Evidence of Mesolithic culture was also found by the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department in Mangudi (near Kumbakonam) and Teriruveli (Ramanathapuram district). Surveys done for over a year indicated more than 100 Microlithic sites and five Palaeolithic sites in Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Thuthukudi (Tuticorin) districts.
Another excavation in May by the Geo-Heritage Archaeological Research Centre in the Palakkad region of Kerala, bordering Tamil Nadu, unearthed three Palaeolithic, 27 Microlithic and 26 Megalithic sites in the Thenmala valley in Kollengode. This is the first find of a pre-historic habitation in Kerala.
The excavation, led by the centre’s director V Sanal Kumar, yielded postholes and sockets and rock engravings. He was assisted by Prof Selvakumar in analysing these findings. While the postholes, in various shapes, indicate Neolithic residences, the rock engravings dates back to the Palaeolithic age.
The area spreads across Kollengode, Muthalamada, Elavancherry and Pallasena – between the Ikshumadi and Gayathri streams. According to Sanal Kumar’s research paper, the centre has located the ancient Chera capital of Vanji (Vanchi) or Porainadu (land of granite), taking into account physical and cultural evidences of the study area.
Porainadu/Vanji finds mention in various Sangam and post-Sangam literatures like Periyar, Muchiriyar, Porunai, Kottambalam, Kudalur, Venkundram, Imayam, Erakam, Vencatam, Kollimala and Parambumala. All the geographical names mentioned in these works have been identified.
What really has been a gateway to such finds is the unearthing of a prehistoric burial ground on a mound in Adhichanalur village 24 km from Tirunelveli in April 2003. The urn burial site on the Thambraparani river bank indicated settlement and subsequent surveys led the ASI to an Iron Age settlement. Though Iron Age burials were found in Chengalpet near Chennai earlier, Adichanalur was the first evidence of settlement.
The Adichanalur burial site (Tuticorin district) was first discovered by Dr Jagor of Berlin Museum in 1876. Some excavations were done in 1910 which brought out some burial urns. Gold diadems with parallels from Mycenae, bronze objects like lids with exquisite finials depicting animal forms, iron objects and potsherds were also recovered. The excavation was resumed by the ASI in 2003, and
subsequently a township was discovered. A town was discovered with a fortification wall with potters’ quarters in the town. There were three potters’ kilns with ash, charcoal and
The excavation was resumed by the ASI in 2003,
and broken pots in wet and baked forms, iron knife, beads of carnelian, terracotta and couex, bone implements and potsherds with graffiti.
The then ASI Superintending Archaeologist, Chennai circle T Satyamurthy had said that the findings indicated that it was a busy urban centre. On one side of the town was the burial mound and on the other, the kilns. A smith’s shop was also found within the town. The civilisation has been dated back to 1000 BC.
The burial urns contained Tamil Brahmi engravings. Tamil-Brahmi is the term for usage of Brahmi script in Tamil language. Brahmi is a Prakrit form of script used during the Mauryan period. This script was brought to the Tamil country in 3 BC by the Jains and Buddhists in the post-Ashokan period.
Skeletal remains were found in 15 of the urns, along with miniature pots, paddy and husk, ritual pots and iron implements like daggers, broken swords, spearhead and celts. Husks indicate an agrarian life. The skeletal remains in the urns are in crouched position. There was evidence of primary and secondary burials. A potsherd had appliqué narrative scene – a slim woman standing beside a banana tree. An egret is sitting on the tree with a fish in its beak. Near the woman is an alligator and a deer.
Studies on skeletal remains in Adichanalur claim that the pre-historic humans on the south east coast of Tamil Nadu were Caucasoids, Mongoloids, Negroids and Australoids. This was concluded from a dental anthropological study of more than 1,000 teeth found in Adichanalur’s harbour site and these date back to 2500 BC. The study also listed the pathological ailments of the people then!
The perpetual city
The golden age of Tamil country evolved from the Sangam period during
the ancient Chola dynasty between the third century BC and third century AD and
its capital was the prosperous international port city of Kaveripoompattinam,
now the town of Poompuhar in Nagapattinam. It was also known by various other
names, including Kaveripattinam and Puhar (river estuary in the sea). It is
situated at the mouth of the Cauvery, where the river meets the bay. Scientists
believe that this city was destroyed possibly by a tsunami, perhaps following
the Krakatoa earthquake in 416 AD. Most part of the port city is now submerged
in the Bay of Bengal. Kaveripoompattinam was part of the ancient maritime silk
route, with traders from Rome and China alighting on this land with rich
merchandise. Several poets of the Sangam period had sung praises of this capital
port, including great works like Silapadikaram and Manimekalai. It was a city of
peace, prosperity, honesty and justice. Buddhism flourished and
Kaveripoompattinam is mentioned in Buddhist literature in Pali language. The own finds mention in Periplus of Erythraean Sea and is also mentioned by Ptolemy and Plini. Underwater explorations carried out by the State archaeology department and the National Institute of Oceanography found ruins of walls and ells.
However, the explorations are not complete yet.Another popular centre of Roman
trade was Arikamedu (current fishing village of Veerampattinam) just south of
Puducherry which was discovered in 1930. It was a centre for making stone and
glass beads (Indo-Pacific) and rouletted ware. It is the largest and
longest-lived glass bead industry ever, according to experts. The stone beads
are of megalith origin. Two dyeing vats were found here. This was the first
discovery of Roman connection in south India. The lowest layer of this
excavation goes back to second century BC, much before the Romans came. In the
second and third centuries BC, Arikamedu was a Buddhist Mauryan empire capital.
In the later period, Jain figurines were excavated. Finding of Chola coins,
Chinese Celadon pottery and East Asian glassy ceramics indicate that Arikamedu
was a Medieval East-West maritime trade centre.Further up north, between
Puducherry and Chennai was another seventh century Pallava dynasty port city of Mamallapuram, now a UNESCO heritage site. This beautiful port city, also called the Land of the Seven Pagodas, flourished till the ninth century. Shore temple is the only pagoda that has survived, while the other six are submerged under the sea. It was a city sculpted out of granite rock face with several bas
reliefs in open air. The architecture is a blend of Dravidian and Buddhist
styles.Fishermen often said that they have seen other pagodas glittering through
he water. The 2004 tsunami has washed away some of the sand on the shore,
exposing relics buried under. The ASI carried out underwater exploration
ollowing the tsunami and found the walled portions of the city whose layout
resembled a Pallava-era painting of the ancient city that hangs in Hotel
Mamalla. The earliest European visitor to have marked the Seven Pagodas was
Marco Polo in his Catalan map in 1275.

Pre-Adichanalur sites included Mangadu in Kerala and Kodumanal in Tamil Nadu. Burial stones called Topikals (hat shaped stones) or Kudikals (umbrella shaped stones) in Mangadu, date back to 1,000 to 100 BC. The stones used for these megaliths were laterite. The topikals were prepared by first digging a pit and placing four stones vertically in it and then covering it with a circular stone, thus making it look like a cap or hat.
The burial urns were kept beneath in an underground hole. The kudikals were also made in a similar manner, but with the slight difference that the stone kept on top was big, resulting in an umbrella-like appearance.
There were other structures found in Mangadu too, including cluster burials with several capstones. Apart from Stone Age burials, handmade and wheel-made earthenware and iron implements like sickles and knives were found. Iron slag indicated manufacturing of iron.
Kodumanal village is located near the iron-rich hill of Chennimalai in Erode bordering Kerala on the banks of the Noyyal, a tributary of the Cauvery. Megalithic burials have been found here. Kodumanal was an important trade centre on the Indo-Roman trade (300 BC-300 AD) corridor between Mussiri on the Malabar Coast and Kaveripoompattinam (a flourishing trade centre of Sangam period, now lies submerged in the Bay of Bengal off Nagapattinam coast) on Coromandel Coast. Interestingly, the recent historical findings in Tamil Nadu and Kerala find its links with Sri Lanka which was part of Indian land mass, at least 8,00,000 years ago, until the sea level rose to separate the island from the mainland (except for an umbilical link comprising shoals called Adams Bridge). Dr SU Deraniyagala, former D-G, Archaeological Survey Department and consultant to Sri Lanka Archaeological Survey Department, who was in India in 2004, talked about pre-historic burials, settlements and Brahmi-scripts found in caves and especially in Horton Plains. They bear resemblance to findings in Adichanalur, Chennai region and Western Ghats.
The findings in Sri Lanka, including human and animal bones, charcoal, stone implements etc date back to beyond 30,000 years.
In an interview to a leading daily, Dr Deraniyagala suggested that wet parts like Kerala, Western Ghats and Assam are rich pre-historic depositories. “The discovery of cultivation of oats and barley, and herding about 10,000 years ago (initially at 17,000 BC) in the Horton Plains has given a totally new dimension to what has been known about the origin of farming and herding in the world. So far, it has been assumed that it was West Asia, South-East Asia and East Asia which formed separate cradles of revolution in the subsistence strategy. But now we have yet another nucleus - South Asia,” he said.

( Pioneer 23/ 8/2009 )