1. FESTIVALS: Baisakhi on 14th
of April in 2013, the New Year's Day in Punjab,
commemorates the founding of Khalsa Panth in 1699 by the tenth Sikh guru, Guru
Gobind Singh, and distribution of amrit (nectar) to his first group of
followers (Panj Piaras). Typically Baisakhi is celebrated every year on 13
April with the festival date falling on 14 April once every 36 years. It is
believed that on this day, i.e. 13th April, the sun makes an entry into Mesh
Rashi. Legend also has it that on this day Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment
at Bodhgaya, which is why the day holds significance for the Buddhists. Baisakhi
holds significance for the farmers as it marks the time for harvest of the rabi
crop and on this day farmers express their gratitude to God for good yield.
Baisakhi is popular in Assam
as Rongali Bihu, and in Kerala it is known as Vishu.
2. MAHA KUMBHA WAS CRASH COURSE IN HINDUISM: FRENCH
FILMMAKER: French
documentary maker Diego Bunuel, who spent 21 days at the Maha Kumbha in
Allahabad, said it was more like a crash course in Hinduism. Diego, 38, was in
the holy city in Uttar Pradesh to shoot an hour-long documentary “Inside The
Mahakumbha” that covered the scale, details, quirks and moments of Maha Kumbha.
It was aired on National Geographic Channel March 4 and Diego hosted it for the
channel.
“Unlike Europe, where religion needs revival, in Bharat
it’s very much alive and has diversity that can encompass everyone”, added
Diego, who is of Spanish-French origin and grew up in the US harbouring a
passion for travel and journalism.
He was also impressed by the logistics of the event,
the facilities being provided at the location and the way the authorities
managed such huge crowds with promptness. He felt it was “nothing less than a
commendable military operation”. The filmmaker also felt that there is no need
to revive the religion and culture in Bharat because he saw people “living it
as part of their daily life” here. Dubbed in 26 languages, the documentary will
be broadcast in 68 countries.
3. Yoga &
Hinduism? It's all in the mind: The
opposition to the introduction of Ashtanga Yoga in schools in California, US, on the grounds that it has
religious connotations has flummoxed yoga experts in Bengaluru. "Can you
say that Newton's
Law of Motion is influenced by Christianity?" wonders H R Nagendra, vice chancellor,
Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA). "Such comments
betray ignorance. Although the Vedic science developed in Bharat, but it does
not mean it is inclined towards Hinduism or Buddhism or any other
religion." he explains.
'Yoga belongs to all religions' - "I’ve students from all walks of life, all
religions and nationalities. I've students who practise Islam, Christianity,
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and many other religions. Yoga is a way to bridge
the divide between the religions. It is all about how you connect with your own
body, mind, with other people and the universe," says Sawmya Ayyar, an
international yoga teacher and therapist.
Zeljka
Ciganovic, a yoga teacher from Croatia, based
in Bengaluru, agrees with that view. "I've been practising yoga for 10
years. Yoga does not promote any religion; but it depends on the teacher. There
have been instances when priests from various religions have spoken against
this science. In our country, yoga was described as demonic by the pope
himself. This is because most people do not know much about it,". H
Suleman Sait, another yoga practitioner, says, "I disagree that yoga
belongs to any particular religion. On the contrary, I believe, it belongs to
Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and all other faiths. My wife too practises yoga
regularly."
4. AKHIL BHARATIYA PRATINIDHI SABHA
(ABPS) was held in Jaipur on 15, 16
and 17 March 2013, in which about 1300 members participated from all over
Bharat. The visit of about 6000 of RSS swyamsevaks to border areas of Bharat
and participation of lakhs of people in Shobha Yatras on the occasion of
birthday of Swami Vivekananda ji and more than 2.5 crore in Surya Namaskar
Yajnas on February 18 as part of the celebrations during 150th birth
anniversary of Swami Vivekananda ji were specially mentioned in the baithak. A
resolution on the plight of Hindu refugees and demanding provision of basic
necessities to them was passed in the Sabha and a press statement was released
on the present scenario of the country including economical, security,
terrorism, appeasement and various issues related to the rivers of the country.
Text of the resolution and that of the Statement of Sarkaryavah Shri
Bhayyaji Joshi on Sufferings of the Sri Lankan Tamils are given below:
Resolution: ADDRESS
THE CONCERNS OF THE PERSECUTED HINDUS OF BANGLADESH
AND PAKISTAN: The Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha expresses serious
concern over endless persecution of Hindus in Pakistan
and Bangladesh
resulting in large scale continuous influx of them as refugees into Bharat. It
is a matter of great shame and sorrow that these hapless Hindus are being
forced to lead pathetic lives both at their respective places as well as in
Bharat.
The ABPS condemns the recent attacks on Hindus including Buddhists in Bangladesh and their places of worship by the fundamentalist groups like the notoriously anti-Hindu and anti-Bharat Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh etc. This has become a phenomenon in Bangladesh for the last several decades. The Hindus and other minorities have been facing the brunt of Islamic fury for no fault of theirs time and again. The persecution and helplessness is forcing thousands to flee for their lives and dignity into Bharat. Such Bangladeshi Hindus and Chakmas have been staying in West Bengal and Assam as refugees for decades on and newer ones are joining them everytime there is fresh violence in Bangladesh.
The ABPS draws the attention of the nation towards the plight of the Hindus in Pakistan too. All available reports suggest that the Hindus in Pakistan lead most wretched lives deprived of security, dignity and human rights. Constant attacks on Hindus including Sikhs have become the order of the day. Forced conversions, abductions, forced marriages, rapes, killings and destruction of places of worship have become a part of the persecuted lives of the Hindus there. No constitutional entity of Pakistan comes to their rescue. As a result the Hindus of Pakistan too are forced to flee to Bharat seeking refuge.
The ABPS wishes to remind the government, political, intellectual and social leadership of Bharat that these hapless Hindus of Bangladesh and Pakistan have not become victims of Islamic persecution out of their own volition. It is a consequence of the utterly tragic and irrational partition of our motherland in 1947. The Partition of Bharat was thrust upon the innocent Hindus of Pakistan and Bangladesh by the political leadership. Overnight their motherland became foreign to them. It is a travesty that these unfortunate Hindus are paying the price of their lives for the omissions and commissions of their past political masters.
The ABPS calls upon the Government of Bharat to revisit the entire issue of Hindu refugees and Hindu citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh. The government can't shy away stating that it is an internal matter of the respective governments. The Nehru-Liaqat pact of 1950 had expressly stated that the minorities on both sides would be accorded full protection and citizenship rights. In Bharat every Constitutional measure was invoked to accord not only protection and security but also many special provisions amounting to appeasement in favour of the so-called minorities. They are well-placed in our country today in terms of their demographic, economic, educational and social status.
On the contrary the Hindus of Bangladesh and Pakistan have been subjected to continuous persecution resulting in severe depletion of numbers, absolute poverty, human rights abuse and migration. The Hindu population of East and West Pakistan at the time of the Partition was 28% and 11% respectively where as the Muslim population of what became truncated Bharat was 8%. Today while the Muslim population in Bharat has risen to 14% the Hindu population in Bangladesh has come down to less than 10% and in Pakistan to less than 2%.
The ABPS insists that it is the responsibility of the Government of Bharat to challenge Pakistan and Bangladesh on the issue of violation of Nehru-Liaqat Pact conditions. Disappearence of millions of Hindus can't simply be brushed aside by invoking sovereignty principle. These two countries need to be questioned on the continuous influx of Hindu refugees into Bharat. While not a single member of the so-called minority community has ever gone over to these countries from Bharat as a refugee, millions have crossed over to this side and are continuing to do so.
In view of this heart-wrenching scenario the ABPS urges the Government of Bharat to initiate new discourse on the question of Hindus living in these two countries, which is markedly different from Hindus living in other countries. The Government must:
1. exert pressure on the governments of Bangladesh and Pakistan to ensure security of the Hindus there;
2. draft a National Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation Policy ensuring dignified living conditions for all Hindu refugees from these two countries pending their return with safety and honour to their respective countries;
3. demand compensation in appropriate form from Bangladesh and Pakistan for the Hindus displaced from their respective countries; and
4. demand international institutions like the UNHCR, UNHRC etc to play a role in ensuring safety and honour of the Hindus and other minorities in these countries.
The ABPS is compelled to state that the apathy of our Government to the plight of these people is only due to the fact that they are Hindus. The countrymen should come out strongly against this callous and cavalier attitude. The entire nation needs to stand by the right of security, honour and livelihood of each and every Hindu living in Pakistan and Bangladesh including those who have been pushed out of those countries and become refugees.
The ABPS condemns the recent attacks on Hindus including Buddhists in Bangladesh and their places of worship by the fundamentalist groups like the notoriously anti-Hindu and anti-Bharat Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh etc. This has become a phenomenon in Bangladesh for the last several decades. The Hindus and other minorities have been facing the brunt of Islamic fury for no fault of theirs time and again. The persecution and helplessness is forcing thousands to flee for their lives and dignity into Bharat. Such Bangladeshi Hindus and Chakmas have been staying in West Bengal and Assam as refugees for decades on and newer ones are joining them everytime there is fresh violence in Bangladesh.
The ABPS draws the attention of the nation towards the plight of the Hindus in Pakistan too. All available reports suggest that the Hindus in Pakistan lead most wretched lives deprived of security, dignity and human rights. Constant attacks on Hindus including Sikhs have become the order of the day. Forced conversions, abductions, forced marriages, rapes, killings and destruction of places of worship have become a part of the persecuted lives of the Hindus there. No constitutional entity of Pakistan comes to their rescue. As a result the Hindus of Pakistan too are forced to flee to Bharat seeking refuge.
The ABPS wishes to remind the government, political, intellectual and social leadership of Bharat that these hapless Hindus of Bangladesh and Pakistan have not become victims of Islamic persecution out of their own volition. It is a consequence of the utterly tragic and irrational partition of our motherland in 1947. The Partition of Bharat was thrust upon the innocent Hindus of Pakistan and Bangladesh by the political leadership. Overnight their motherland became foreign to them. It is a travesty that these unfortunate Hindus are paying the price of their lives for the omissions and commissions of their past political masters.
The ABPS calls upon the Government of Bharat to revisit the entire issue of Hindu refugees and Hindu citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh. The government can't shy away stating that it is an internal matter of the respective governments. The Nehru-Liaqat pact of 1950 had expressly stated that the minorities on both sides would be accorded full protection and citizenship rights. In Bharat every Constitutional measure was invoked to accord not only protection and security but also many special provisions amounting to appeasement in favour of the so-called minorities. They are well-placed in our country today in terms of their demographic, economic, educational and social status.
On the contrary the Hindus of Bangladesh and Pakistan have been subjected to continuous persecution resulting in severe depletion of numbers, absolute poverty, human rights abuse and migration. The Hindu population of East and West Pakistan at the time of the Partition was 28% and 11% respectively where as the Muslim population of what became truncated Bharat was 8%. Today while the Muslim population in Bharat has risen to 14% the Hindu population in Bangladesh has come down to less than 10% and in Pakistan to less than 2%.
The ABPS insists that it is the responsibility of the Government of Bharat to challenge Pakistan and Bangladesh on the issue of violation of Nehru-Liaqat Pact conditions. Disappearence of millions of Hindus can't simply be brushed aside by invoking sovereignty principle. These two countries need to be questioned on the continuous influx of Hindu refugees into Bharat. While not a single member of the so-called minority community has ever gone over to these countries from Bharat as a refugee, millions have crossed over to this side and are continuing to do so.
In view of this heart-wrenching scenario the ABPS urges the Government of Bharat to initiate new discourse on the question of Hindus living in these two countries, which is markedly different from Hindus living in other countries. The Government must:
1. exert pressure on the governments of Bangladesh and Pakistan to ensure security of the Hindus there;
2. draft a National Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation Policy ensuring dignified living conditions for all Hindu refugees from these two countries pending their return with safety and honour to their respective countries;
3. demand compensation in appropriate form from Bangladesh and Pakistan for the Hindus displaced from their respective countries; and
4. demand international institutions like the UNHCR, UNHRC etc to play a role in ensuring safety and honour of the Hindus and other minorities in these countries.
The ABPS is compelled to state that the apathy of our Government to the plight of these people is only due to the fact that they are Hindus. The countrymen should come out strongly against this callous and cavalier attitude. The entire nation needs to stand by the right of security, honour and livelihood of each and every Hindu living in Pakistan and Bangladesh including those who have been pushed out of those countries and become refugees.
Statement of Sarkaryavah Shri Bhayyaji
Joshi on SUFFERINGS OF THE SRI LANKAN TAMILS: Around this time last year, just before the last
meeting of the UNHRC at Geneva, we had issued a statement calling upon the
Government of Sri Lanka to proactively take steps to alleviate the sufferings
of the Tamils of that country and also to ensure proper rehabilitation,
security and political rights to them. I am constrained to observe that one year
down the line there has not been much improvement in the ground situation. If
anything, the suspicions of the world community over the intentions of the
Government of Sri Lanka have further deepened.
I take this opportunity to once again remind the Government of Sri Lanka that it can't continue to turn a blind eye to the plight of the Tamils in the Northern Province who had suffered immensely during the 30 year-long war between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Forces losing lives, livelihood, homes and temples. Tens of thousands of them had to flee the country and more than a lakh had arrived on the shores of Tamilnadu as refugees.
It is our considered opinion that lasting peace will return to Sri Lanka only when the Government of that country sincerely and amply addresses the grievances of the Tamils of the North and East as well as those refugees living in Bharat. We urge the Government of Bharat to ensure that the Sri Lankan Government acts in a responsible manner in rehabilitating and providing full civil and political rights to the displaced Tamils.
It must also be borne in mind that this neighbourhood Indian Ocean island with millennia-old linkages with Bharat shouldn't be allowed to become a pawn in the great geo-strategic power game being played out by the global powers with the Indian Ocean as the battle-ground. Attempts to widen the gulf between the Sinhala and Tamil population of that country must not be allowed to succeed. Therein lies the key to lasting solution to the Sri Lankan crisis.
I take this opportunity to once again remind the Government of Sri Lanka that it can't continue to turn a blind eye to the plight of the Tamils in the Northern Province who had suffered immensely during the 30 year-long war between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Forces losing lives, livelihood, homes and temples. Tens of thousands of them had to flee the country and more than a lakh had arrived on the shores of Tamilnadu as refugees.
It is our considered opinion that lasting peace will return to Sri Lanka only when the Government of that country sincerely and amply addresses the grievances of the Tamils of the North and East as well as those refugees living in Bharat. We urge the Government of Bharat to ensure that the Sri Lankan Government acts in a responsible manner in rehabilitating and providing full civil and political rights to the displaced Tamils.
It must also be borne in mind that this neighbourhood Indian Ocean island with millennia-old linkages with Bharat shouldn't be allowed to become a pawn in the great geo-strategic power game being played out by the global powers with the Indian Ocean as the battle-ground. Attempts to widen the gulf between the Sinhala and Tamil population of that country must not be allowed to succeed. Therein lies the key to lasting solution to the Sri Lankan crisis.
RSS Sarkaryavah Bhaiyyaji Joshi’s
Statement on CURRENT SITUATION IN THE
COUNTRY: The economic crisis aggravated by the myopic policies of the
Government and neglect of the Agriculture, SSIs and such other employment
oriented sectors is emerging as a serious cause of concern for the country. The
growth rate of manufacturing sector has nose – dived to the lowest ever level
since Independence.
Growing unemployment due to this decline, unabated price rise, widening deficit
in foreign trade and growing dominance of the foreign companies over the
country’s industry, trade and commerce are pushing us to a grave economic
crises and foreign dependence.
Besides,
the growing scarcity of resources for Agriculture, Defence and Public Welfare
on account of fiscal crisis is also a matter of serious concern.
Growing
incidents of suicides by the farmers due to neglect of agriculture, dependence
of increasing number of farmers on Contract Farming and the irrational obduracy
of the Government in Land Acquisition matters, etc. are pushing the life of
crores of farmers into grave crisis, besides, affecting Food Security of the
country.
It
is a matter of grave concern that multi-lateral trade agreements and free trade
agreements have been restricting the Government in taking decision in all areas
in national interest and leaving it without option. In the given circumstances
urgent initiative is needed for restructuring the economy for self reliant
development.
Rivers
like Ganga and Yamuna on the one hand are held
as centres of profound reverence, and on the other hand they sustain the
livelihood of crores of people besides sustaining ecological order of a large
part of the country. The Government’s attempts to obstruct flow of these
rivers, its neglect of keeping them pollution free and its apathy towards the
popular river protection movements by ignoring their sentiments are also
matters of grave concern. The RSS welcomes all these popular movements.
On
the other hand, river water disputes, like that of Cauvery, are also a matter
of grave concern. Sharing of river water amongst the States must be done in a
judicious and harmonious manner in the context of larger public good.
Likewise,
the Ram Setu, besides being an object of faith for crores of Hindus, is
effectively safeguarding the rare Thorium reserves, abundantly available in the
region. The people in the country will never accept the obstinate attempt of
the Government to go ahead with the Setu Samudram project by destroying the Ram
Setu.
In
the past as well, the Government had to give up before the wrath of the Ram
Bhaktas, its attempt to start the work to build a shipping canal by destroying
the Ram Setu. The affidavit filed by the Government in the Supreme Court,
declining to adopt the alternative alignment, suggested by the Pachouri Committee
raises the questions about its intentions.
We
urge the Government to respect the popular sentiments and dare not touch the
Ram Setu, else it will once again become a target of massive public fury. On
all such issues, the Government should act in national interest, keeping in
view the public sentiments.
5. New
Dimensions of Youth Activism needed: Dattaji: RSS Akhil Bhartiya Sah-sarkaryawah,
Dattatreya Hosabale in his address to a gathering of more than 150 alumni and
other audience in Convention Center of JNU on ‘Glorious Traditions of
Nationalist Movement in JNU’ mentioned three crises – those of character, of
leadership and of consensus are affecting our overall development. The solution
propounded by him to overcome these crises was to have character, intellectual
honesty and intellectualism combined with action in our life.
Suresh Jain, former Delhi Sah Prant Pracharak, Umesh
Upadhyay, Pro Vice Chancellor of a university in Raipur, Dr. Sunil Mohanty, also attended the
program.
6. 'BHARAT FIRST': MODI: Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi addressed the Bharatiya diaspora in Edison,
New Jersey, Chicago
and Illinois, on March 9 at 8.00 pm, US local time
saying his idea of secularism is "Bharat First". Modi stated that Gujarat
has become a symbol of development and no one can stop Bharat from becoming a
world leader. "I don't want to criticise any government. My definition of
secularism is simple - Bharat first." "Gujarat
has become a symbol of development. Even during the worst times of recession, Gujarat was always developing in this competitive world. Gujarat always has been praised for its good governance,
efficiency and cheap labour. Our focus is on skill development,” he added. "More
and more Non-Resident Bharatiya youth are coming to Bharat for development of Bharat,
which is a good sign. 19th century belonged to Europe, 20th to the USA and now 21st century is for Asia. Bharat and China are the main
competitors," said Modi.
The
event was organised by the OFBJP. Modi's address at Wharton Business
School was cancelled
under pressure from the school's management and alumni. In a Wall Street
Journal poll on the Wharton snub issue, 92.5 per cent of nearly 5000 votes cast
from around the world said the university had made a mistake in Modi's case.
7. Bharat Vikas
2013, KUWAIT: Swami Vivekanand’s speech
delivered in Chicago was highlighted at ‘Bharat
Vikas 2013’ programme organized by Seva
Darshan, Kuwait
at Marina Hall, Abbasiya on 25th February, 2013. Mohana Warrier, Vikas Project
Trustee & Akhil Bharatiya Secretary, 150th Swami Vivekananda Jayanthi
Celebrations Committee in his keynote address said that Swamiji emphasized the
need for upholding our tradition and culture in front of the whole world. Subrahmanyan
Viswananda Dy. General Manager, Karoor Vaisya Bank was also present on the
occasion.
8. Waytha begins hunger strike for Hindraf
blueprint: in a drastic move, Hindraf
chairperson P Waythamoorthy has embarked on a solo hunger strike to press BN
and Pakatan Rakyat to endorse Hindraf’s five-year blueprint to solve the
problems of the marginalised Bharatiya community. “The purpose (of the hunger
strike) is for them (BN and Pakatan) to acknowledge that the human rights of Bharatiya
Malaysians have been violated,” Waythamoorthy told reporters after prayers at
the Rawang Hindu temple on March 10.
9. All
knowledge to us has come from BHARAT: Dalai Lama - Delivering the first convocation address at the
Kushabhau Thakre University of Journalism and Mass Communication in Raipur, the Nobel laureate
said he had learnt a lot from Bharat and its ancient traditions which stress
compassion based on non-violence and religious harmony. "Bharat is our
guru and we are her 'chelas' (disciples). All the knowledge to us has come from
Bharat. he added. Speaking on the occasion, Chhattisgarh Governor Shekhar Dutt
said Dalai Lama's teachings can help the students to touch great heights in
their lives. Twenty-four gold medals and 425 degrees were conferred during the
convocation ceremony.
10. World's largest magnet, weighing 50,000 tonnes, is being designed at the
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Trombay these days. It will be several
times bigger than the one in the Compact Muan Solenoid detector at CERN in Geneva. The magnet will
play a major role in the Rs 1,500-crore Bharat-based Neutrino Observatory
coming up 4,300 ft below a cave in a mountain not far from Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Vivek
Datar, head of BARC's nuclear physics division, said the current plan envisaged
the magnet having three modules and work on the engineering model was expected
to be completed in about three years.
11. US AND CHINESE Universities leARN
human values from Ramayana: Students at many Chinese universities are getting
lessons on human values from the great Hindu epic - Ramayana. Wise sayings from
Valmiki's text are being adapted by the universities teaching Hindi in China and are
being made relevant to the current world situations. At least six leading
universities as well as colleges in different parts of China are teaching Hindi, which has become a
popular foreign language in China.
Similarly several universities in the US
have included reading the Ramayana as part of comparative humanities and
literature sessions on Asia.
12. Highest statue of Lord Shiva in the world, towering 20
metres above the ground level was unveiled in South Africa. Nine artisans from Bharat spent 10 months building and putting
the finer details on the steel statue at Actonville in Benoni which features
Lord Shiva on one half and Mother Shakti on the other.
“With so much emphasis in South Africa at present
for the lack of respect for female gender, how appropriate for us as an
organisation, is to honour the females and the mother of our community, Shakti.
We have a murthi that is half mother, half father, symbolising the equality of
gender,” said Karthie Moothsamy, the Chairman of the Benoni Tamil School Board.
13. ‘A
Spiritual Yatra’: (As narrated by a Chennai IT Milan swayamsevak) We, 25 Swayamsevaks of various IT milans in Chennai,
started on Feb 22 evening by Kanyakumari express and reached Kanyakumari Saturday
morning. We all walked to the Vivekananda Kendra which was a 10 minute walk
from the rail station. As soon as we entered the sprawling campus dotted with
pictures of Swami Vivekananda and his ever inspiring quotes a sense of purpose
for the trip dawned on us. First of all, we visited the Kanyakumari Amman
temple and bathed in the ocean.
After
lunch all of us wore our Ganavesh and left for the beach to take a ferry to the
Rock Memorial. Amongst our fellow passengers, a couple of German tourists asked
us if we belonged to any particular organization. We briefed them about
Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its noble mission. They were all ears and
wished us the best in our endeavour. We all got on to the ferry and as soon as
the ferry left for the Rock Memorial slogans like “Bharat Mata ki Jai” filled
the air. As we were sailing through the turbulent ocean it made me think of the
turbulence in the mind of Swami Vivekananda which prompted him to swim in such
treacherous conditions to the rock and meditate upon Bharat Mata which fell
from its pinnacle of glory and her beloved kids who were once the thought
leaders of the world, now living in abject moral and monetary poverty.
With
all these thoughts we reached the rock and went around visiting the Sri Pada
Mandapam and the Vivekananda Mandapam. Then we assembled on the rock facing
mainland Bharat and sung our RSS prarthana. By that time many people flocked
around us in curiosity. Some tourists came and introduced themselves to us
saying that they wanted to join RSS and some said that they used to attend
shakha in their childhood. We sat around and sung patriotic songs for a while
and returned back to the mainland.
Next
day we visited few temples nearby and met Lakshmanji who was living in the
Vivekananda Kendra. He narrated to us his role in reclaiming the rock from the
Christian Missionaries who were trying to occupy it. It was an awe-inspiring
story which brought tears in my eyes. We returned home with a sense of commitment
to positively contribute to this great Motherland of ours.
14. 2 Muslim students WIN SANSKRIT medals in Gujarat University:
Defying
stereotypes, a Muslim boy and a girl have bagged all the three medals
instituted for the BA course in the ancient Bharatiya language by the Gujarat University. Two of the medals for
Sanskrit were won by Taiyab Sheikh, a student of Y S Arts and Commerce college
in Devgadh Baria in Panchmahals district. The third went to Yasminbanu Kothari
of the Adiwasi Arts and Commerce college in Santrampur in the interior of the
state's tribal belt. Sheikh got 75.5 per cent marks and Kothari 68.5 per cent.
15. With IQ of
162, NRI girl smarter than Einstein:
A 12-year-old Bharatiya girl has recorded a score of 162 in one of the world’s
toughest IQ tests that makes her smarter than scientist Albert Einstein and
physicist Stephen Hawking neither of whom has taken the Mensa test but are
estimated to have an IQ of 160. Neha Ramu, who migrated to the UK along with
her doctor parents five years ago, achieved a score of 162 on IQ test. The
score makes the girl one of the brightest people in the UK. A devoted
swimmer, Neha wants to be a doctor like her parents and intends study at
Harvard. She is also believed to have appeared in the SAT exam scoring 740 /800
in the test primarily designed for 18-year olds.
16. Global
honour for book on
vegetarian food in Paris: Bharat made history in Paris, the world's gourmet capital, at the
Gourmand World Cookbook Awards recently. The prestigious Oscars of food awards
were held at the historic Carrousel du Louvre, with over 171 countries in
participation. And Rashmi Uday Singh's pathbreaking book A Vegetarian In Paris,
a Times Group Books publication, is the only one from Bharat that won an award.
The glittering ceremony, attended by the creme de la creme of the global
culinary world, was presided over by Edouard Cointreau.
17. Bali Shuts
Down as Local Hindus Observe Nyepi: Bali's
tourist hotspots were deserted on Tuesday, March 12 as the country's most popular
island observed the day of silence known as Nyepi to mark the Hindu new year. Balinese Hindus avoided regular activities
in observance of the holiday, while visitors were told to respect the event by
staying inside their hotels. Bali’s Ngurah
Rai Airport,
the main entry point to the island, stopped a total of 334 flights to and from
the airport from 6 a.m. on March 12 until 6 a.m. on March 13, Indonesian news
portal antaranews.com reported. Sea ports including Benoa port in Denpasar, Gilimanuk Harbor
which connects Bali and Java, Padangbai port which connects Bali to West Nusa
Tenggara, and Tanah
Ampo Harbor
which commonly serves cruise liners, were all shut down for the holiday. Cars
and motorcycles were also not allowed on the road. During Nyepi, which marks
the beginning of the Balinese Hindu Saka New Year, people perform catur brata
penyepian, or avoid four taboos, which are working, turning on lights, going
out and enjoying entertainment. “Only sick people and women that will give
birth may be taken to hospitals, after securing permission from pecalang
[traditional village guards] and with their company,” said Ketut Teneng
spokesman of the Bali provincial
administration. Television and radio stations also halted broadcasting programs
on March 12.
While
Indonesia is a majority
Muslim nation, the majority of Bali’s nearly 4
million population practice a local version of Hinduism.
18. MPs
for steps to save Yamuna, Ganga: MPs united across party lines to express concern over
pollution in the Yamuna after leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj
raised the issue, saying the river had become thoroughly polluted despite
thousands of crores being spent on cleaning it. Congress, BJP, SP, BSP and RJD
members joined Swaraj in expressing anguish over the state of Yamuna and Ganga, forcing environment and forests minister Jayanthi
Natarajan to promise that she will work towards setting up a commission with
powers to prevent "atrocities" against rivers. While BJP leaders
referred to a march to save the Yamuna that reached the capital on March 11,
other MPs like S P Singh Baghel of SP said the money sanctioned under various
plans had been misutilized.
19. SHREE VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale, samyojak Vishwa Vibhag will
tour Bali – Indonesia
to attend World Hindu Youth Conference. Visitors:
Dr.Radheshyam Dwiwedi – USA,
Sardar Aridaman Singh – Canada.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors,
and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.
- Abraham Lincoln
JAI SHREE
RAM
A
low-cost pre-school chain FOR rural Karnataka families
sARITHA rAI
In a
classroom fashioned out of a cattle shed in Kyathanahalli, a village off the
beaten track 110 km from Bangalore, three-year-old Likhith Gowda reeled off a
breathless introduction in near-perfect English — "My name is Likhith
Gowda, I am a boy, I study in pre-KG, my teacher's name is Geethanjali, I live
in Kyathanahalli."
The
toddler then walked to the long blackboard fashioned out of the sides of a cattle-feeding
trough and proceeded to point out and recite the days of the week —
"Sunday, Monday, Tuesday..." Once done, he headed back to the floor
mat littered with Lego bricks in the well-lit shed with walls adorned with
colourful charts of fruits, birds, shapes and numbers.
Gowda
is one of the 36 students enrolled in the Kyathanahalli branch of Hippocampus
Learning Centre, a low-cost pre-school chain in Karnataka. Its 77 branches
already make it Karnataka's largest and among Bharat's fastest-growing pre-school
chains, with a further 40 pre-schools due to open in the next couple of months.
What
makes it unique is that its kindergarten centres are in the heart of rural Bharat
where children's English rhymes reverberate through the verdant sugarcane fields
and tall coconut palms. Its students are the children of cane and sheep
farmers, silkworm rearers and rural traders, some of them the first in their
families to step inside a school and a majority of them first-generation
English learners.
Even
more groundbreaking is the fact that the chain is a for-profit social
enterprise backed by Rs 7.5 crore venture capital from Acumen Fund, Unitus and
Lok Capital, all international funds which finance entrepreneurs building
bottom-of-the-pyramid social ventures.
The
founder is Umesh Malhotra, 44, an IIT alumnus who was earlier with Infosys and
one of the first of a wave of stock option millionaires to leave the
outsourcing firm to turn to entrepreneurship. The idea of a rural pre-school
chain came to Malhotra, who earlier co-founded and sold an IT infrastructure
firm and then launched a library chain (by the same name Hippocampus) and a
restaurant business, when he partnered with an NGO to build libraries in rural
government schools.
"In
order to make a real difference and to build scale, we had to make this a
commercial venture, but with a social heart," said Malhotra. "The
parents at our school are not on dole, they are paying customers," he
said.
Malhotra
seeded the company in 2010 with Rs 2 crore from family and friends, before
getting venture funded last year. In three years, the chain has grown to 220
teachers and 3,000 students.
The
pre-schools are situated in large villages of Mandya and Chitradurga districts.
The annual fees range from Rs 2,000-3,000, depending on the student's
kindergarten level.
In
many villages in Bharat, the only option for parents is to pack their children
off to a ubiquitous network of government-run baalwadis or anganwadis, which
are crèches rather than learning spaces. Only the very privileged and ambitious
transport their kids to kindergarten in a nearby town, the mere logistics of
such conveyance making it an expensive proposition.
Consequently,
many rural chidren arrive at the local private or government school for first
grade without having been in any prior school-type learning situation.
In
contrast, by the time he "graduates" in three years, Likhith Gowda
would have picked up the fundamentals of math, spoken and written English,
Kannada, environment awareness, good manners and a bit of polish. The
bi-lingual kindergarten combines many fun elements with learning basics drawn
from Montessori and Playway methods.
Early
childhood offers a powerful learning window which makes early intellectual
nurturing critical, said C P Vishwanath, founder CEO of the Chennai-based
Karadi Path which makes tools to teach English to early learners.
"Initiatives like Hippocampus are critical. When a child from a rural or
under-privileged background enters school, there is high probability that the child
is starting with learning deficits due to poor nutrition and intellectual
nurturing," he said.
Hippocampus'
rural kindergartens aim to stimulate an environment where children can think
and express, said its director of curriculum and training, Gayatri R P. "In
rural Bharat too, 'convent' denotes a privately-run English-medium school, but
the standard of education is very poor," said Gayatri. "We want to
encourage creative thinking rather than learning by rote."
To
keep costs low, Hippocampus trains and employs local women graduates or those
who have passed Class 12 as teachers. As an additional revenue stream, each
learning centre runs "after-school support" in the evenings where
children in Class 1 to 5 from nearby schools are coached in English and Math.
Nearly 1,800 rural children are enrolled in Hippocampus' after-school centres
today besides the 1,200 kindergarten children.
The
changes are already noticeable, said parents. The students are carrying their
learning home in visible ways. They are neat, proudly identify English words on
signs and often reprimand their parents for not washing hands or praying before
a meal.
"The
word in the village is that the children are learning well and speaking English
too," said Krishna Kumar, a farm labourer at Kyathanahalli whose
three-year-old son Hemanth does not want to miss a day of school. "We have
not studied but we want our only son to get a good education," said Kumar
who dropped out of school after Class 5.
But
as with everything else in rural Bharat, it is not easy going. Malhotra said he
is working on building acceptance among parents for the school's methods.
"Parents want their children to write, write and write as they believe
that is what constitutes education," he said. Instead, Hippocampus focuses
on creative learning, where the learning outcomes are gradual but of high
standard. "But we will not dumb down," he averred. – Indian Express, 2 March 2013.
