1. FESTIVALS: Vijayadashmi also known as Dasara, Dussehra is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrated on Ashwin Shukla Dashmi (3rd October this year) in various forms all over Bharat and neighbouring countries. It has a puranic history when Bhagwan Ram defeated Ravana on this day; Maa durga killed Mahishasura after a nine day battle, Pandavas completed their agyatvas and recovered their weapons kept on shami tree etc.
Vijayadashmi comes after 9 days’ celebrations
of Navratri and takes various forms like Aayudha puja, Durga puja, Ravan
dahan, Seemollanghan (crossing the border of the area for victory over
enemies). Dussehra celebrations of Kullu – Himachal Pradesh, Mysore and
Nepal are famous.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh – RSS was founded
at Nagpur in 1925 on this day and each year its chief - Sarsanghchalak
addresses Vijayadashmi utsav for Nagpur city. --top
2. RSS CHIEF: QUOTA NEEDED TILL THERE’S
EQUALITY IN SOCIETY: Conceding
inequality in society a reality, the RSS on 7th September
supported the provision of reservation, as it said the facility has to
remain to bring equality to those suffering from discrimination. It,
however, cautioned against politics on the quota issue.
“We support reservation. Till the time there
is inequality in the society, reservation is needed.” RSS chief Mohan
Bhagwat said during a book launch event at Delhi.. He went on to add that
for 1000 years, those people for the benefit of the country tolerated
injustice.
Recalling that the mentor of Jansangh,
Deendayal Upadhyay, used to say that if one has to bring everybody as
equals, then those who are above the ordinary masses should bow and extend
their hands to underprivileged.
--top
3. MORAL VICTORY FOR BHARAT IN BRITISH
PARLIAMENT'S KASHMIR DEBATE: The
British government on 11th September
condemned terrorism and violence and rejected mediation in the dispute
between Bharat and Pakistan on Kashmir in a parliamentary debate in which
pro-Bharat speakers among the MPs overwhelmed Pakistan supporters by almost
three to one.
Replying at the end of a three hour debate on
the political and humanitarian situation in Kashmir, Tobias Ellwood, a
junior minister in the foreign office, said: "Talks (between Bharat and
Pakistan) can only take place free from terrorism and violence." This seemed
to back the Bharatiya position that export of jihadis by Pakistan into
Bharat must stop.
He reiterated there would be "no mediation"
by Britain in respect of the differences between Bharat and Pakistan over
Kashmir.
Of the 18 speakers who participated, only
three clearly stood up for Islamabad's cause - the mover of the debate,
David Ward, who represented a Bradford constituency where most of the voters
or their families hail from Mirpur in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and
two MPs of Pakistani-origin. In contrast, only two of the lawmakers who
supported the Bharatiya position were of Bharatiya descent.
Leading the charge for Bharat, Barry
Gardiner, a Labour Party MP, stated: "Britain would be outraged if the
Bharatiya parliament debated the merits and demerits of the Scottish
referendum." Paul Uppal, a Conservative Party MP and Virendra Sharma of
Labour party participated in the debate. Bob Blackman, Conservative,
highlighted the issue of "ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits".
--top
4. SEVA BHARATI EXTENDS HELPING HAND TO
J&K FLOOD VICTIMS: The
Sewa Bharati organisation run by RSS swayamsevaks has extended its helping
hand in flood-hit Jammu & Kashmir regions. Hundreds of Karyakartas are
working day & night to rescue thousands of people trapped, arranging the
last rites of the dead, building temporary shelter for the homeless,
distributing blankets & warm clothes, arranging langars, milk for children,
medical aid etc. RSS and Seva Bharti has appealed for generous donations for
alleviating the sufferings and assist the relief work. For more
information,contact sewabhartijammu@gmail.com orrashtriyasewa@gmail.com
Sewa International Bharat is
also working with Jammu Kashmir Sahayata Samiti for providing relief to the
flood affected. For more info, contact:
5. RSS HITS ARE GROWING IN NUMBERS; SANGH
GAINING POPULARITY: Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is growing popular on monthly basis. More youngsters
are becoming keen to join RSS. From monthly requests of 1000 to join RSS in
year 2012, in the month of August in 2014, the number jumped to 13,000. The
information was revealed by Dr. Manmohan Vaidya, All Bharat Publicity in
charge of RSS while talking with media at Doraha - Punjab recently.
Vaidya also stated that per year 1 lakh
persons are coming to the RSS training camps and apart from this, they are
also focusing on professionals now and they have named such units as
Information technology (IT) milan. These are going on in the 10 states
with IT hubs .” till now we have 222 such IT milans and over 10,000
professionals are connected with us who attend meetings on weekends or for
short duration as they are not able to devote much time because of their
busy schedule.”
--top
6. PRESIDENT VISITS VAISHNO DEVI
INAUGURATES TWO NEW FACILITIES: President
Pranab Mukherjee on 2nd September
concluded his maiden two-day visit to Jammu by paying obeisance at the Mata
Vaishno Devi cave shrine where he inaugurated two new facilities for
pilgrims.
Accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Governor
N.N. Vohra, the president performed 'darshan' at the cave shrine after
inaugurating Shridhar Bhawan Elevator and the Panchi Helipad.
The new Panchi helipad has reduced the
distance for pilgrims visiting the cave shrine by air. It is located at
distance of 2.8 km from the Bhawan. The previous one was at Sanjichat, five
KMs from the shrine. The elevator can be used by the aged and infirm
devotees to reach the shrine without having to climb the 127 steps up the
mountainous trek.
The president was driven to the shrine in a
battery car and after performing the 'puja' he interacted with pilgrims who
were happy to have the First citizen of the country amongst them.
--top
7. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRES
N-CAPABLE AGNI-I MISSILE: Bharat
on 11thSeptember successfully test-fired it’s indigenously built
nuclear capable Agni-I missile, which has a strike range of 700 km, from a
test range off Odisha coast as part of a user trial by the Army.
Agni-I missile has a specialized navigation
system which ensures that it reaches the target with a high degree of
accuracy and precision.
The missile, which is already inducted in to
Armed Forces has proved its performance in terms of range, accuracy and
lethality. Weighing 12 tonnes, the 15-metre-long Agni-I, which can carry
payloads up to 1000 kg, has already been inducted into the Bharatiya Army.
--top
8. FOLLOW VIVEKANADA'S MESSAGE TO AVERT
ACTS LIKE 9/11: MODI: If
Swami Vivekananda's message of universal brotherhood been followed by the
world, history would not have witnessed "dastardly acts" like 9/11 in the
US, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 11thSeptember. .
"Had we followed Swami ji's message, history
would never have witnessed such dastardly acts as we saw on 11th September
2001 in USA. Let us remember the words of Swami Vivekananda and dedicate
ourselves to furthering the cause of unity, brotherhood and world peace,"
Modi said in a tweet.
On this day in 1893, Swami Vivekananda had
created history by his soul-stirring address at World Parliament of
Religions in Chicago.
"There are two images of 11th September - one
of the trail of destruction in 2001 and the other - the message of Swami
Vivekananda in 1893. Through his address, Swami Vivekananda drew the entire
world's attention to our nation's rich history and strong cultural roots.
"Sisters and brothers of America with these words of Swami Vivekananda,
India's message of universal brotherhood reverberated across the world," he
added.
--top
9. RINGZHEN TUNDUP SHASTRI: THE DEVOUT
BUDDHIST WHO HELPED RSS REACH LADAKH
For Ringzhen Tundup Shastri, the floods
sweeping Kashmir valley is like yesterday once more.
Shastri, a practising Buddhist like many
Ladakhis, was a part of the relief effort in 2010 when a cloudburst caused
massive floods and wiped away entire villages in the region.
His 'voluntary organisation', the Ladakh
Phande Tsogspa (LPT), was among those which sought to fill in where the
government failed, earning goodwill from locals and contributing to the
creation of a fertile ground for the first ever LS victory for the BJP from
Ladakh.
Shastri, a 'scholar' of comparative religion
from Banaras, is the head of RSS in Leh district; and President of the
Tsogspa or 'Ladakh Welfare Sangh', which is a front organization of the RSS.
Parivar activists see the floods of 2010 as a watershed event in Ladakh for
the organization as hostility from locals towards it decreased notably
following its extensive relief work carried out in the aftermath of the
floods.
"In Ladakh, people do not know us as the
Sangh. They all know Phande Tsogpa, because of our relief work after the
2010 flashfloods. Like the Kashmir's floods today, Ladakh also saw
devastation and we put in severe effort in helping the flood affected, which
created goodwill for us," Shastri said. But this was not always the case.
In the early 80s, when a team of RSS workers
sought to put up the first shakha in Ladakh, there was resistance from
Buddhists as well as political parties, as the latter was perceived as a
'missionary organisation' working with an agenda to convert people to
Hinduism.
Ladakh Pracharak Dhaniram says, "We had to
assure people that, unlike some Christian NGOs, we are not here to convert
people from Buddhism to Hinduism." According to BJP's Leh president Cheering
Dorjee, anti-RSS hostility grew during the NDA's first reign. "Then J&K
Pracharak Indresh Kumar pushed for the Sindhu Darshan Yatra, which was taken
up by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani by officially inaugurating it on
the banks of the river outside Leh town. I think there was some Hindu agenda
in that, which they could not fully realise then," Dorjee explained.
He further claimed that the "Hindu Agenda"
could not be realised because of anti-RSS campaign by the Ladakh Buddhist
Association, Congress and National Conference. But a combination of
different tactical measures adopted by the Parivar's outfits helped it
overcome the social opposition.
THE LADAKH MODEL OF THE PARIVAR
Committed Buddhist cadres like Shastri and
Vice President of LPT, Lama Tashi from Zanskar, were uniquely placed to
allay fears among Buddhist majority about the RSS.
For, both are practicing Buddhists of the
Mahayana school and the local Buddhist religious organizations appear to be
favourably disposed towards them.
Pracharak Dhaniram detailed some subtle but
symbolically important practices adopted in Sangh-run institutions here. "We
told them (the Buddhists) our agenda is nationalist, not religious. At our
Shakhas, we started hoisting both the RSS' saffron as well the colourful
Buddhist flag. In schools, we recited Sanskrit prayers as well as Buddhist
goddess Manjushree's prayers. This assured the local people that we are not
here to carry out conversions," he said.
Other RSS full timers point out towards the
social welfare activities taken up since 2010. "When local residents
witnessed work done by 'Phande Tsogspa' and Seva Bharati, they warmed up to
us.
Schools, computer training centres,
environment awareness seminars get better response now," said a pracharak
from Jammu. Today, there are at least four active Shakhas in Leh town, and
more are sought to be made operational.
BUDDHIST CLERGY WARMS UP TO RSS
Konchuk Namgyal of the Ladakh Gompa
Association, which controls all monasteries, said, he has heard positive
things about LPT's activities.
"They even call me for their annual Sindhu
Darshan yatra, as has been their practice for the past few years of calling
five Buddhist priests to offer prayers alongside Hindu priests. I attended
it once in 2013. While I am aware about the agenda to convert Buddhists to
Hinduism, I have not seen anything like that so far. If they do it, we will
oppose it," he said. Dr Tondup Tsewang of LBA was a little more circumspect.
"I do not know of links between LPT and RSS.
I had heard about Phande Tsogspa while
co-ordinating relief works of NGOs in 2010. They were very much involved in
the work," he said.(Akshay Deshmane, Economic Times Sep 12,
2014) --top
10. SEWA USA – HOUSTON CHAPTER is
conducting multitude of activities, especially for Bhutanese refugees.
Sewing and tailoring classes have been moving along smoothly due to the huge
effort of the dedicated volunteers. Sewing classes are intended to help
students develop their sewing skills and sell their products for profit.
Computer Literacy Classes were launched on 8th July
which help refugees develop their computer literacy skills that are
important for their self-empowerment. Children’s activities have been a huge
hit among the children living in Los Arcos. Activities include arts and
crafts, games, sing-alongs, etc.
Sewa partnered with Texas Children's Hospital
to provide free immunizations for children living at the Los Arcos
apartments. Get Inspired Houston (GIH) interns began holding weekly health
camps in the Los Arcos apartment on Thursday, July 10th. In these health
camps, GIH interns discuss various health topics with the aim of improving
health within the community. These topics include nutrition and hygiene,
women’s health, and tobacco.
--top
11. MUSLIM WOMAN NOW HEADS SANSKRIT DEPT: For
many it may come as a big surprise. The name of the head, department of
Sanskrit at Allahabad University, current head happens to be a Muslim woman.
Once regarded as the Oxford of the East, a
history of sort was created at Allahabad University when Kishwar Jabin
Nasreen took over as the head of the Sanskirt department.
For Nasreen, a language has nothing do with
one’s religion. “For me every language is a source of knowledge,” Nasreen,
who has been studying Sanskrit from sixth standard, said.
Nasreen throughout her academic career
excelled in the language. A recipient of Junior Research Fellowship in the
language, she joined the varsity after completing her PhD a little later.
Nasreen’s family always encouraged her. “My
parents never looked at a language from the point of view of religion…and
truly speaking language must never be clubbed with the religion,” she said.
Her husband is a computer engineer and is
currently in the USA. Her son, however, is pursuing a different career. “He
wants to be an IAS officer,” she said.
She also never faced any problem from within
the Muslim community. “The community members may have found it strange but
they never discouraged me or felt uncomfortable with my education,” she
remarked.
Nasreen has received several prestigious
awards, including Sahitya Shree, Mahadevi Kiran Samman, Prayag Gaurav,
Rashtriya Gaurav and Father Kanil Bulke Award for her achievement in the
field of Sanskrit.
12. BHARATIYA ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GAIN
GROWTH MOMENTUM - OECD: Bharat's
economic growth continues to gain momentum while most major economies are
seeing stable prospects, according to Paris-based think-tank OECD. The
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a grouping
of 34 countries.
The readings are based on Composite Leading
Indicators (CLIs), which indicate turning points in economic activity
relative to trend, for the month of July. "In India, growth continues to
gain momentum while in China and Russia CLIs point to stabilisation of
growth momentum. The CLI for Brazil suggests a tentative upward change in
momentum," OECD said in a statement.
Bharat's CLI in July rose to 99 compared to
98.9 in June. The same has been improving since it stood at 98.5 in March.
The country's growth touched 5.7 per cent in April-June quarter, the highest
in two-and-a-half years.
--top
13. PAKISTANI HINDUS IN BHARAT MAY GET
VISA REPRIEVE: Seeking
to facilitate Pakistani Hindus wanting to stay back in Bharat for fear of
religious persecution back home, the Union home ministry has constituted a
taskforce that will monitor and expedite processing of citizenship and long
term visa applications for such applicants.
The taskforce, to be headed by joint
secretary (foreigners) in the home ministry, will start its work in two
weeks.
Home ministry sources said the taskforce will
work to grant citizenship to all Pakistani Hindus with complete documents
within two months. For those with inadequate documents, long-term visa will
be facilitated.
Most Pakistani nationals belonging to the
minority community come to Bharat on a tourist visa only to claim refugee
status. Seeking to stay back, they usually apply for citizenship or long
term visas.
As per data put out by the union home
ministry, 3,753 Pakistani nationals were given long-term visas over 2013 and
2014 (up to June 30) and 1,093 granted citizenship between 2011 and the
current year.
--top
14. AUSTRALIAN PM TONY ABBOTT RETURNS 11TH
CENTURY STOLEN IDOLS TO MODI:Australian
Prime Minister Tony Abbott on 5th September
handed over to his Bharatiya counterpart Narendra Modi two antique statues
of Hindu deities which were allegedly stolen from temples in Tamil Nadu
before being bought by art galleries in Australia.
During his meeting with Modi, Abbott returned
the idols, one of which is a Nataraja — the dancing Shiva — which belonged
to the Chola dynasty of 11th-12th century.
The other sculpture is of Ardhanariswara,
which represents Shiva in half-female form, and dates back to 10th century.
Both the statues were allegedly stolen from
temples in Tamil Nadu and their return was sought by Bharat in March.
Returning the sculptures is a testimony to
Australia's good citizenship on such matters and the importance with which
Australia views its relationship with Bharat, Abbott's office said.
--top
15. NALANDA VARSITY RESURRECTS AFTER 800
YEARS: The
centuries old, world-famous Nalanda University marked its revival on 1st September
with the beginning of its academic session with 15 students and 11 faculty
members.
The academic session temporarily began at the
Government-owned Convention Centre while the adjacent hotel was converted
into a hostel for research scholars and faculty members as well.
To get admission in the ambitious Nalanda
International University over 1,400 students from 40 countries had applied
but only 15, three from Bihar and one each from Japan and Bhutan, were
selected in two streams: School of Historical Studies and School of Ecology
and Environmental Studies.
Later, there will be a total of seven streams
and each discipline will have a maximum of 20 students. When asked about the
low-key start the Vice-Chancellor of the University Gopa Sabharwal said that
they wanted to begin the academic session on a small note so that students
and teachers could settle down first.
--top
16. BOOK ON YADAVA RAO JOSHI, RSS PIONEER
IN KARNATAKA, RELEASED: Veteran
RSS Pracharak Kru Suryanarayan Rao released a special Kannada book ‘Yadava
RayaraLekhaniynda’, a compilation of articles by Yadava Rao Joshi, the man
who pioneered RSS in Karnataka.
The book was released on the occasion of
Birth Centenary Day of Yadava Rao Joshi on September 07, 2014 at RSS Pranth
Baitak held at Kapu, Udupi. RSS Pranth Sanghachalak M Venkataramu was
present on the dais. The book was published by Vikrama Prakashana,
Bangalore.
In 1946, Kru Suryanarayan Rao became
Pracharak from Bangalore, was one of the first Pracharak from Karnataka who
dedicated his life for a social cause inspired by Yadava Rao Joshi. After
the book release, Kru Suryanarayan Rao shared his memories of those days
when Yadava Rao Joshi toured across the length and breadth of Karnataka, to
strengthen the roots of RSS, Sanghparivar organisations.
A special Video depicting the life and
message of Yadava Rao Joshi was screened in the Baitak. Nearly 500 select
district level cadres attended the annual Pranth Baitak.
--top
17. BHARATIYA SCIENTIST GETS 2014 MIDORI
PRIZE FOR BIODIVERSITY: An
evolutionary Bharatiya ecologist, Kamal Bawa has won the prestigious
$100,000 Midori Prize for biodiversity for his pioneering research,
including in climate change in the Himalayas.
The AEON Environmental Foundation, Japan,
established the Midori Prize for Biodiversity in 2010, which is given to
only three individuals, who have made outstanding contributions to the
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity at global, regional or
local levels.
Bawa, 75, would be receiving the award in
October, 2014 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, at COP-12, when Bharat, current
chair of the Conference of Parties (COP-11) to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD), will pass the baton to Korea, according to a media release
from ATREE.
Bawa, who has taught at the University of
Massachusetts for more than 40 years, had also received international
recognition as the recipient of the first Gunnerus Award in Sustainability
Science, a major international prize, in 2012.
--top
18. NEEL MUKHERJEE’S BOOK MAKES THE CUT
FOR MAN BOOKER PRIZE: Kolkata-born
British author Neel Mukherjee’s latest novel The Lives of Others, set in
troubled Bengal of the 1960s and centred around a dysfunctional family, has
been shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize 2014, in its debut as a
global literary award.
Mr. Mukherjee, who studied at Oxford and
Cambridge, was also the only Bharatiya origin author to be longlisted
earlier this year, the first time the prestigious literary award opened up
for anyone writing in English regardless of nationality.
Mr. Mukherjee, now a British citizen, reviews
fiction for the Times and the Sunday Telegraph and his first novel, A Life
Apart was a joint winner of the Vodafone-Crossword Award in Bharat.
--top
19. BANGALORE BOYS WORLD TOPPERS IN
CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL EXAM: Bangalore
student Manas Kohli is a world topper in Computer Studies in the Cambridge
International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
examination. It's the world's most popular international qualification for
students between 14 and 16 years old.
Another IGCSE student, Manik Raghu Reddy of
the Centre for Learning, Bangalore, is the world topper in combined science.
Manik and Manas are world toppers among 30 Bharatiya toppers who achieved
highest marks in the world in individual subjects in the November 2013 and
May 2014 Cambridge International Examination series - Cambridge
International IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Level and Cambridge
International A level.
Also, 18 students from Bangalore secured the
highest marks in Bharat in individual subjects. For their outstanding
performance, they'll receive the 'Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award'. Of
the world toppers, 15 students got the awards for outstanding performance in
Mathematics. The rest excelled in subjects including English, Information
Communication and Technology, Biology and Economics.
--top
20. REPORT: SPIRITUAL RETREAT: The
Spiritual Retreat programme was concluded at Golden Pagoda, Tengapani
district Namsai of Arunachal Pradesh on August 24. The programme was
organised by Janjati Faith and Culture Protection Forum. While delivering
his blessings for the audience Revered Pragya Sara, Delhi expressed, “For
universal peace and harmony, tolerance and non violence are the most
essential values which we Indians have in heritage and every community of
this earth has to inculcate it.”
Chief Guest of the Valedictory function Shri
Chawna Mein, Minister Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, Dairy of
Arunachal Pradesh stressed on the importance of spiritual education for
strengthening vital values of tolerance and non violence. Main speaker of
the session RSS Sah Sarkaryavah, Shri Sureshji Soni ventilated his thoughts
and said, “Diversity is plan of nature which is widely accepted in all
Janjati faith and beliefs. Denying this beautiful diversity is denying the
will of God. Janjati communities don’t have any religion; it is a myth which
is intentionally propagated by western thinkers. This seminar proved that
the myth is absurd”. Others who particiapated were Shri L Khimun, convenor
Shri B B Jamatiya, Shri Jaleswar Brahma, and several prominent personalities
from Arunachal , Assam ,Meghalaya Nagaland and Mizoram were the resource
persons of the seminar. Total 119 delegates representing 33 tribal
communities of North-East participated in the seminar. Programme ended by
Donypolo prayer presented by Dadumjona villagers. --top
21. RSS DELEGATION MEETS UNION HOME
MINISTER: An
RSS delegation called on Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh on September
2 and demanded strict action against the CPM goons who brutally killed a
senior RSS worker at Kannur in Kerala.
In a statement issued after the meeting, RSS
Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal said: “The brutal murder of RSS worker K
Manoj by CPM goons in Kannur shows the frustration of the CPM. We outrightly
condemn this dastardly coward act of violence by CPM. Recently, there has
been rise in CPM workers joining RSS activities in large number. This
frustration has resulted into such inhuman violent act by CPM. It is highly
deplorable that even some national leaders of the CPM have made provocative
speeches against RSS and related organizations during their recent tour to
Kannur. They have repeatedly referred to ‘Kannur model’ as a successful
model to be followed elsewhere.
The Congress government had a tacit
understanding with the CPM in these matters. In this context a State based
investigation cannot identify or punish those who have sponsored the terror
for the last half a century in the killing fields of Kannur. Only an
independent central agency will be able to untangle the mass of political
patronage, terror financing and murder, which has gripped this area. Hence,
we humbly appeal to the Union Home Ministry to take proper action in this
matter.”
--top
22. COMMUNITY LAUNCHES ITS FIRST MUSEUM IN
AUSTRALIA: Bharatiya diaspora
in Australia has opened its first museum comprising over 1200 rare pieces
including pictures, paintings, photographs, coins and stamps at Melbourne on
the Independence day.
Partly funded by Bhartiya High Commission in
Canberra, the museum is an initiative of Federation of Indian Associations
of Victoria (FIAV).
The entire collection showcased in the museum
is a personal collection of an Bharatiya doctor, living in Melbourne, Dinesh
Parekh who has been collecting arefacts for the last 50 years.
The museum was launched by Consul General of
Melbourne Manika Jain in the presence of the state Minister of planning
Matthew Guy, Dandenong Mayor Jim Memeti and several other high profile
leaders and Bharatiya community members.
--top
23. NAVY’S
LARGEST PATROLLING VESSEL COMMISSIONED: Aimed
at enhancing the Navy’s coastal surveillance, its largest offshore patrol
vessel INS Sumitra was formally commissioned by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral
RK Dhowan on 4th September
at Chennai. The vessel is the fourth in its class and built on in-house
design of state-owned Goa Shipyard Ltd.
The ship, which has a displacement of 2,200
tonnes and can travel a speed of up to 26 knots, is equipped with
state-of-the art medium and short range weapons which include 76mm medium
range gun, a potent Close-In Weapon System, Electronic Support System Sanket
Mk III and Communication Intelligence System ELK 7036.
--top
24. MAHANT AVAIDYANATH PASSES AWAY: The
ailing `Peethadheesh’ of much revered Gorakshnath Temple in Gorakhpur,
Mahant Avaidyanath passed away late on 12th September
after a prolonged illness. He was 92.
Mahant Avaidyanath, who had in the past been
a Lok Sabha member four times, was an important member of the `Ram Temple’
movement of Ayodhya. He was ailing for quite some time. The heir apparent of
the “Peeth”, Yogi Adityanath, was by his side when the Mahanat Avaidyanath
breadth his last.
--top
25. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: RSS
sahsarkaryavaha Ma Dattatreya ji is on a tour to UK and some European
countries.Visitors:
--top
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Just
as the fire is the direct cause for cooking, so without Knowledge no
emancipation can be had. Compared with all other forms of discipline
Knowledge of the Self is the one direct means for liberation. – Adi
Shankaracharya.
--top
JAI SHREE RAM
DEEP CULTURAL ROOTS BECKON US ALL
Anirban Ganguly
A re-imagined and re-awakened new Asian Order
is in the making with Prime Minister Modi reaching out to the East and South
East countries
It augurs well that over the past few months
India has begun to look and act East with renewed vigour and commitment.
India's recent reaching out to the members of the Asean, to Myanmar, Vietnam
and now to Japan is symbolic of its pledge to re-imagine and re-lay its
age-old civilisational links with this crucial region and to infuse them
with a new dynamism and vision for the creation of a restructured Asian
Order.
Such a determined move towards reaching out
to India's natural civilisational allies often bring to mind efforts — past
and present — made by scholars who have spent a lifetime re-configuring
India's cultural-philosophical contour as a great civilisational state. Be
it Central Asia and beyond, be it the archipelago là-haut, India's
civilisational reach has always been multi-dimensional and multi-region.
In a study on the “Expansion of Indian
Medicine Abroad”, French physician and Indophile Jean Filliozat pointed at
such multi-dimensionality, when he wrote of how elements from Indian
medicinal systems, especially Ayurveda, reached the Greeks and were
incorporated in their medical lexicon.
“We have several direct references”, argued
Filliozat, “in the Hippocratic Collection to the borrowing of some Indian
drugs and Indian medical formulas in Greece”. In the period of the expansion
of Indian civilisation towards Central Asia, China, Indo-China and
“Indonesia beyond the seas”, Filliozat wrote, “Indian Ayurvedic medicine has
been one of the main matter of export, along with astronomy, religion and
arts”.
The other iconic Western scholar of Eastern
civilisation, Sylvain Lévi , in his ‘L'Inde et le Monde’ (1928) also
referred to India's reach, “l'étude des monuments et des inscriptions a
montré dans l'Indochine et dans l'Insulinde des colonies hindoues fidèles
aux arts, aux religions, aux oeuvres littéraires de l'Inde” (Study of
monuments and inscriptions in Indo-China and Maritime South East Asia reveal
the existence of Hindu colonies that remained faithful to the arts, religion
and literature of India). Lévi read in the ancient world an Indian
civilisation inspired world order, he saw India's footprints far and wide,
“de la Méditerranée à l'Océan Pacifique, les nations proches et lointaines”
(from the Mediterranean to the Pacifique ocean, nations far and wide)
revealed India's civilisational reach), the countries that had preserved
India's civilisational footprints, came round together around India, as it
were, and projected converging rays of light, at last lightening up the
night that had long silenced or engulfed her civilisational memory, “un
faisceau convergent de rayons sur la nuit muette de son passé”.
One such scholar who has untiringly studied
India's past in that converging light for nearly half a century is professor
Sachchidanand Sahai, perhaps the only scholar of India's civilisational
reach in Southeast Asia to have successfully completed his thesis on the
‘Institutions Politiques et l'Organisation Administrative du Cambodge Ancien’
(The Political Institutions and Administrative Organisations of Ancient
Cambodia), from the University of Sorbonne and under the guidance of the
legendary scholar of the ‘Hinduisation’ of Southeast Asia, George Coedès
(1886-1969). In his widely acclaimed and path breaking study, ‘Les Etats
hindouisés d'Indochine et d'Indonésie’ (Hinduised States of Indochina and
Indonesia) (1948, 1964) Coedès, referring to the civilisations of this
region and their religio-cultural-societal expressions, argued that under
their “apparent uniqueness, lies the imprint of the Indian genius” which
give these countries “a family likeness and produces a clear contrast
between these countries and the lands that have been civilised by China”.
Professor Sahai's prolific academic quest,
like that of his celebrated guide, has been dedicated to unearthing facets
of that "family likeness" through a study of Hindu India's civilisational
achievements and expressions. In this he has dedicated a lifetime to
travelling and mingling with the people and civilisations of Southeast Asia,
making them his partners and co-seekers in this fascinating search of his.
His latest study, ‘Shiva Beyond India’,
examines the widespread and influence of the parampara of Shiva worship in
the archipelago and beyond. It promises to reveal a fascinating
civilisational journey.
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