\SAMVAD श्री विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN
Pausha Shukla 10, Vik. Samvat 2075 Yugabda 5120: 16 January 2019
1. FESTIVALS: 1.4 CRORE PEOPLE TAKE DIP AS KUMBH MELA BEGINS: At the first Shahi Snan at the Kumbh Mela, Naga Sadhus - who get the first right to take a dip at the confluence of the holy rivers - queued up for their turn to immerse themselves in the Divine.
The sacred baths began at the break of dawn on Sakranti day 15th January as the sun rose over the horizon and went on through the day till the last rays set over the 'Sangam'. The chants of Har Har Gange reached a crescendo as around 1.4 crore people took the holy dip to mark the beginning of the 50-day-long Kumbh Mela.
Sadhus of 13 akharas (seven Shaiva, three Vaishnava, two Udasina, and one Sikh) were the first to take the holy bath followed by the devotees.
The 'Shahi Snan' is considered among the most significant components of the Kumbh. The Kumbh Mela is held every six years while the Maha Kumbh takes place every 12 years. Around 12 crore people are expected to attend the mela this year. The Kumbh Mela will reach its culmination on March 4, which also marks Maha Shivratri, the last of the six dates for the 'Shahi Snan'.-GoTop
2. SKY FILLED UP WITH KITES IN GUJARAT AHEAD OF MAKAR SANKRANTI: The sky of Gujarat has been painted with vibrant colours as kite enthusiasts flew their kites at the 2019 International Kite Festival in front of the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad. The festival, organized by the Gujarat government tourism department, kicked off on January 6 and concluded on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on January 14. Participants from 17 different countries came near the Statue of Unity and participated in the International Kite Festival against the backdrop of the world’s tallest statue.
A number of kite artists from across the globe have participated in the festival to showcase their skills. Kites of all shapes and sizes took over the sky as part of the friendly competition. The festival is being organized in the state since 1989 as part of the official celebrations for Uttarayan festival. Kite festival is being organized across Gujarat in towns such as Vadodara, Saputara, Rajkot, Surat, Songadh, Kevadia, Dwarka, Jetpurand Dorado over the nine days culminating in Ahmedabad on Makar Sankranti.-GoTop
3. MOHAN BHAGWAT PITCHES FOR RAM TEMPLE IN AYODHYA: RSS chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat asserted that only a Ram temple will be constructed in Ayodhya. His comments came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested that any decision on an ordinance on the Ram temple could only be taken after the completion of the judicial process, but stressed that the Centre was ready to make all efforts to fulfill its responsibility.
"We have faith in Lord Ram. It does not take time for times to change," he said. The RSS chief was speaking to the media after attending a programme at Nagpur on 2nd January. He said the saffron organization stood by the statement given by its general secretary, Bhaiyyaji Joshi, on the temple issue. Joshi had on Tuesday said the general public and also those in power wanted that a Ram temple be built at the disputed site in the holy town of Uttar Pradesh. -GoTop
4. HSS KENYA VARSHIK SHIVIR 2018: The Varshik Shivir 2018, was held in Nakuru at Shah Lalji Nangpar Academy, from 22 26 December. The total sankhya was 139 (40 Sevikas and 99 Swayamsevaks). This Shivir was a special one, as it focused on regular Shakha going Swayamsevaks. The theme of this Shivir was our regular Shakha. The morning and evening Shakhas focused on Samata. The Shivirarthis were taught all the basics of Samata with focus on stance, movement and pronouncing the orders correctly. The Bauddhiks were on all the different aspects of the Shakha vishays. The Nakuru team worked very hard and made the stay very enjoyable for all. The Samiti Shivir was very memorable with great bonding between the 40 Sevikas present. A Young and small team of Shikshikas handled the whole Sevika Shivir. -GoTop
5. CYCLE4SEWA – LONDON: Months of hard work and preparation by Newham Shakti and Bharatee Shakha created a great event at Cycle4Sewa London on 9th Sept. All records were broken on the seventh Cycle4Sewa held in London and the cyclists weren’t holding back on hitting new personal bests. With cameras in position, a drone in the air and cyclists on the start line, a determined group of 165 cyclists took to the Main Event - a 2 hour cycle to complete as many laps as possible individually.
The main event was followed by the Team Event. Thirteen teams consisting of 5 cyclists each had an hour to complete the most laps as a team. The top teams from last year battled it out once again this year, however they were no match for debutants ’Rubber Dingy Riders' who shocked the crowd with an enormous 155 laps, beating their nearest rivals by almost 30 laps! The event was a fundraising initiative for the Sewa International UK. -GoTop
6. SEWA INTERNATIONAL SRILANKA SERVES FLOOD AFFECTED: In the last week of December, Mullaitivu and Kilinochi the two districts of Northern Province of Sri Lanka were heavily affected by rain and flood. Around 50,000 people were displaced. Sewa International northern province chapter planned for some relief work. To stay away from any disease, mosquito nets were distributed to the kanagaratnapuram village in Mullaitivu district.
In Samanankulam village essential materials, especially materials needed to celebrate the Pongal festival that is Makar Sankranti were distributed. Notebooks were distributed to poor students who are entering to 2019 academic year. -GoTop
7. MAKE EDUCATION KNOWLEDGE-ORIENTED: BHAYYAJI JOSHI: Emphasizing the need to overhaul the entire education system of Bharat to make it knowledge-centric, RSS Sarkaryawah Suresh alias Bhayyaji Joshi said that the present education system has lost its real goal of identifying and honing the potential qualities of students.
Joshi was speaking after inaugurating the Golden Jubilee celebration of Dharampeth MP Deo Memorial Science College at Nagpur on 1st January. Kanchan Gadkari, chairperson of the reception committee, Adv Ulhas Aurangabadkar, President of Dharampeth Education Society and other office-bearers were present on the occasion.
Bhayyaji Joshi also referred to the ancient “Gurukul” system in vogue in our country till the advent of British Education system. He said that the education should inculcate wisdom in an individual so that he can utilize his knowledge for progress and constructive activities for the betterment of the society. -GoTop
8. PRADHAN MANTRI MODI VISITS CELLULAR JAIL IN PORT BLAIR: Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi, visited Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 29-30 December. In Port Blair, he laid a wreath at the Martyrs Column, and visited the Cellular Jail. At Cellular Jail, he visited the cells of Veer Savarkar, and other freedom fighters. He hoisted a high mast flag and offered floral tributes at the Statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
At a public event to mark the 75th anniversary of the hoisting of Tricolour on Bharatiya soil by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Pradhan Mantri released a commemorative postal stamp, coin, and First Day Cover. He also unveiled a series of development projects related to the energy, connectivity and health sectors.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not just a symbol of Bharat's natural beauty, but are also like a place of pilgrimage for Bharatiyas. He said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands remind us of the collective resolve of our freedom fighters.
On this occasion, he announced that Ross Island would now be named Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep; Neil Island would be known as Shaheed Dweep; and Havelock Island would be renamed as Swaraj Dweep. -GoTop
9. SPACE DIPLOMACY: BHARAT TO SET UP GROUND STATIONS FOR 5 NEIGHBOURS: As part of New Delhi’s space diplomacy, a tool the foreign ministry has been trying to wield as part of its neighbourhood-first policy to counter China’s influence in the region, Bharat will set up five large ground stations and more than 500 small terminals in five neighbouring countries – Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Apart from boosting regional cooperation, the move to set up tracking and receiving centers will also help put in place strategic Bharatiya assets on their soil. These stations and terminals will help put in place applications ranging from television
broadcasting to telephony and internet, disaster management and tele-medicine. ISRO meanwhile can use these ground stations to communicate with its own satellites. -GoTop
10. BHARATIYA CONSULATE ORGANISES POSTER EXHIBITION OUTLINING CONCEPTS OF BHAGVAT GITA IN DUBAI: Grounding to the roots, Bharat has inherited rich heritage and history pertaining to mythology and fight for independence. Highlighting the values of Bhagvat Gita which Bharatiyas, as well as people around the world, comply on, the Bharatiya consulate in Dubai has held a two-day poster exhibition from promoting thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi and also showcase a variety of handcrafted Khadi products.
The poster exhibition dwells on the relevance of the Bhagavad Gita and is being organised as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, said the Bharatiya Consulate General in Dubai, which is organizing the exhibition. -GoTop
11. HSS ANNOUNCES TWELFTH ANNUAL "HEALTH FOR HUMANITY YOGATHON: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS) announces the twelfth annual "Yoga for Health, Health for Humanity Yogathon" also known as “Surya Namaskar Yajna". The 16-day event aims to create awareness about Yoga and its advantages in achieving a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Surya Namaskar integrates simple Yoga postures in 10-steps that, along with easy breathing technique, can provide immense health benefits to both the body and the mind.
HSS has organized the "Yoga for Health, Health for Humanity" Yogathon from January 12th to January 27th, 2019.
HSS initiated this health awareness project in 2006. Since its inception, participants from 40 states actively took part via various Yoga Centers, community organizations, schools and colleges regardless of individual faiths and beliefs, have participated and collectively performed over 4 million Surya Namaskars. Community leaders and many elected officials across the nation have appreciated this initiative and encouraged their residents to participate and gain the benefits of an overall healthy lifestyle.-GoTop
12. HINDUS MOST EDUCATED RELIGIOUS GROUP IN THE US, SAYS NEW REPORT: Hindus are the most educated — based on college degrees — among US religious groups, followed by Unitarians Universalists, Jews, Anglicans and congregants of the Episcopal Church, according to a new study. They are ahead also of atheists and agnostics.
The study by Pew used the four-year college degree as the marker, saying it is generally regarded as the key asset for economic success.
Hindus accounted for the largest share of those with college degrees, with 77%. Unitarians, a religious group that says it has no creed and draws inspiration from a range of sacred scriptures — Bharatiya American lawmaker Ami Bera is one — came second with 67%. Jews and Anglican Church adherent were a joint third at 59%, and Episcopal Church rounded off the top five with 56%.
The United States doesn’t keep an official count of its population based on religion, but an estimated 0.7% of America's 325 million population could be Hindus, according to a 2014 study by Pew. There are other estimates that put the number between 2 million and 3 million.-GoTop
13. MUMBAI SCIENTIST PLAYS KEY ROLE IN NAVIGATION OF NASA SPACECRAFT TO ULTIMA THULE: American space agency NASA’s ultimate New Year party is taking place four billion miles off Earth in Ultima Thule. NASA spacecraft called ‘New Horizons’ made its historic flyby to the most icy, ancient rock in the Kuiper Belt on 1st January. Reportedly, Ultima Thule is believed to be the farthest, the oldest, cosmic body to be ever explored by humankind. The best part about NASA’s historic feat is the involvement of a Mumbai scientist Dr. Shyam Bhaskaran who is playing a key role in navigating the spacecraft’s journey to the object. Ultima Thule was discovered four years ago.
Dr. Shyam Bhaskaran began his career at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in January of 1992, and has been there since. He also concurrently led the EPOXI Navigation Team in its successful flyby of comet Hartley 2, and led the Independent Navigation Team’s which supported the European Rosetta mission, the Japanese Hayabusa 1 and 2 missions, and the Applied Physics Laboratory’s New Horizons Pluto mission.-GoTop
14. SHAKHAS IN ALL BASTIS WILL MAKE HINDU SOCIETY INVINCIBLE, DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: The Basti Sangamam of Chennai Mahanagar was held on 5th January 2019 at the prestigious Ramachandra Convention Hall.
Speaking in the programme, RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohanji Bhagwat highlighted the importance of Shakha work which is the antidote for the ills plaguing the Hindu society. Though the Hindu nation is denoted by men with character, talent, seva attitude etc., it is because the Hindus identify themselves as Brahmin, forward/backward caste etc., or Gujarati, Bengali etc., there is negligence on the issue of Rama Janmabhoomi or the audacity of the forces in Kerala to desecrate the Sabarimala temple. Similarly, since the Hindus forgot their glorious past and became selfish, we were enslaved by handful of people. In order to make the Hindu society invincible the Sangh was started and Shakha is a simple technique for consolidating the Hindu society.
He concluded his speech declaring that no force on earth can stop Bharat becoming Viswa Guru.
Out of the 880 Bastis in Chennai Mahanagar, 2913 Swayamsevaks from 825 basits attended the programme. A book on the life of Ma Bhaurao Deoras who was the Saha Sar Karyavah of Sangh was released on the occasion by Dr.Mohanji Bhagwat. -GoTop
15. DELHI: WAR MEMORIAL READY: “When you go home, tell them of us, and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today”. This evocative eulogy to soldiers who make the supreme sacrifice to defend their country is all set to resonate in the New Year.
The National War Memorial (NWM) is now finally ready, around 60 years after it was first proposed by the armed forces and remained stuck in general politico-bureaucratic apathy, to honour the over 22,600 soldiers who have laid down their lives in wars and operations since Independence. Defence officials say Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the “world-class” NWM, adjoining the India Gate complex on the majestic Rajpath in the capital, on January 25. India Gate itself was constructed by the British in memory of the 84,000 Bharatiya soldiers killed fighting for the Empire in World War-I and the Afghan campaign, with the Amar Jawan Jyoti later being built under its arch to honour the 3,843 soldiers who died liberating Bangladesh in 1971. -GoTop
16. ISRO TO SEND 3 BHARATIYAS TO SPACE BY 2021 IN GAGANYAAN MISSION: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced its plan to send Bharatiya astronauts to space in December 2021 under Bharat’s flagship human space mission programme Gaganyaan, at a cost of Rs 100 billion. The crew, which is expected to have up to three members will include a woman and will orbit in space for up to a week.
ISRO chairperson K Sivan announced that a Human Spaceflight Centre will come up in Bengaluru to train crew and make systems safe for space missions, starting with Gaganyaan. “With the addition of this new aspect, this is a major turning point for ISRO. This programme will not end with just sending humans to space, but continue with sending humans to a space station and then, to the moon,” said Sivan.-GoTop
17. DEMOCRAT TULSI GABBARD ANNOUNCES 2020 RUN FOR PRESIDENT TO TAKE ON TRUMP: Democrat Tulsi Gabbard announced on 11th January that she would run for president in 2020, entering what is expected to be a crowded field of liberal contenders.
Gabbard, who was elected to Congress in 2012, was the first Samoan-American and the first Hindu member of Congress. An Iraq veteran, Gabbard, 37, serves on the House Armed Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee.She previously served as the vice-chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee but resigned to endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders during the 2016 campaign.-GoTop
18. PAKISTAN DECLARES PANJTIRATH HINDU RELIGIOUS SITE AS NATIONAL HERITAGE: The provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in northwest Pakistan has declared the ancient Hindu religious site of PanjTirath in Peshawar as national heritage.
PanjTirath, which got its name from the five pools of water present there, also contains a temple and a lawn with date palm trees. The KP Directorate of Arcahaeology and Museums issued a notification under the KP Antiquities Act 2016 declaring the land in the PanjTirath park as a heritage site.
It is believed that Pandu, a mythical king in the Mahabharata, belonged to this area and Hindus used to come to these pools for bathing during the month of Kartik and worship for two days under the trees.-GoTop
19. DEOROO TEEMAL AAPOINTED SENATOR IN TRINIDAD: After 7 months in office, Trinidad and Tobago President Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes O.R., having deliberated upon the most desirable composition of the bench both at this particular point in time and in the foreseeable future, has appointed 6 new senators.Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh ( HSS ) Trinidad and Tobao Sanghachalak and a practicing Civil & Structural Engineer Deorrop Teemal is one of them who was appointed as Independent Senator. He has over 37 years experience in Project Management, Contract Administration, Construction Implementation and Water and Waste water Engineering. -GoTop
20. PM ADDS JAI ANUSANDHAN TO JAI JAWAN, JAI KISAN AND JAI VIGYAN: Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi added Jai Anusandhan to former Pradhan Mantri Lal Bahadur Shastri's famous slogan of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Jai Vigyan.He was speaking on Future India: Science and Technology at the 106th Indian Science Congress in Jalandhar on 3rd January.
The prime minister said the life and works of Bharatiya scientists are a compelling testament of integration of deep fundamental insights with technology development and nation-building. -GoTop
21. INDIC ACADEMY ANNOUNCES FUND TO PROMOTE RESEARCH IN INDIC STUDIES: Commemorating the 20th death anniversary of Hindu thinker and scholar Shri Ram Swarup, Indic Academy announced that it has instituted a Ram Swarup-Sitaram Goel Memorial Fund for promoting Indic research and publication.
Shri Ram Swarup and Shri Sitaram Goel were both towering intellectuals and widely regarded as the pioneers in Indic history research and politics in the post-Independence time frame.The memorial fund, established with an initial corpus of Rs 20 lakh is aimed at the propagation, research and publication of studies in different areas of Indic history, culture and religion as earlier carried out by these stalwarts. -GoTop
22. SLAIN FIJIAN INDIAN AMERICAN POLICE OFFICER HAILED AS AN ‘AMERICAN HERO’ AT FUNERAL: A California police officer who was killed in the line of duty was hailed as a “Fiji-born American hero” who made the ultimate sacrifice for his adopted country.
At a funeral held for Fijian Indian American Cpl. Ronil Singh, mourners remembered the 33-year-old as a hard-working immigrant who worked his way up to become an officer in the small town of Newman.
US President Donald Trump hailed him as ‘National Hero’ and spoke to the family members including wife of the officer and his colleagues in the law enforcement agency. Modesto police Officer Jeff Harmon said, “Hestood so much for what is right in our world and yet unfortunately was taken too soon from us by what is wrong in our world,” Singh was shot to death in the early hours of December 26 after he pulled over a suspected drunk driver. The gunman fled, and a two-day-long manhunt led to the arrest of a man who authorities said was in the country illegally and was preparing to flee to Mexico. -GoTop
23. GOVERNMENT TO CONSTRUCT 44 ROADS ALONG BHARAT-CHINA BORDER: The Central government will construct 44 strategic roads along the border with China to ensure quick mobilization of troops in case of a conflict, according to an annual report released by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The nearly 4,000-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) between Bharat and China touches areas from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh. The report comes at a time China is giving a priority to projects along its Bharat borders. According to the report, these 44 strategically roads along the Bharat -China border will be constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 21,000 crore. -GoTop
24. AMPUTEE MOUNTAINEER ARUNIMA SINHA FLAGS BHARAT ON ANTARTICA’S MOUNT VINSON: Being both valiant and strong is a combination the Bharatiya origin women Arunima Sinha have proved it precise. The mountaineer, being the first woman amputee of world to scale the Mount Vinson, the highest peak of Antartica has set a world record upright. It is earlier in year 2013 that the lady had marked herself as the world’s first woman amputee to climb Mount Everest. Sinha, using the social media, shared her success saying, “The wait is over we are glad to share with you The World record World's 1st woman amputee who climbed Mount Vinson (highest peak of Antarctica) has become to the name of our country India. Thanks to all for their blessings and pray Jai Hind..!” -GoTop
25. DRDO DEVELOPS QUICK RESPONSE MOBILE FACILITY FOR NUCLEAR INCIDENTS: With threat perception of terrorists using weapons of mass destruction increasing, the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has developed a mobile facility to help provide immediate relief in case of any attack involving radioactive material.The key equipment in the facility include a whole body radiation counter, storage system for containment of radioactive waste and provision for preliminary decontamination of the affected areas.
Whole body radiation counters are generally large and expensive devices consisting of massive high-density radiation shields and sophisticated instrumentation. The new facility helps to avoid the handicap and at the same time provide a quick assessment of the nature of the radiation contamination and its extent. -GoTop
26. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale, samyojak Vishwa Vibhag is on a tour to South Africa and Mozambique. Visitors: Surendra Upadhyay – Netherlands, Kishor Mistry, Priyanka Mistry, Dinesh Pahuja – New Zealand, Vineet Goyal – USA
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: I came into the world charged with the duty to uphold the right in every place, to destroy sin and evil... the only reason I took birth was to see that righteousness may flourish, that good may live, and tyrants be torn out by their roots. - Guru Gobind Singh -GoTop
JAI SHREE RAM
SOMNATH AND AYODHYA: REINSTATING BHARAT’S PRIDE
Dr Manmohan Vaidya
Dr Rajendra Prasad believed that the resurrection of Somnath would only be complete when India reclaims its lost cultural and economic glory. Similarly, in order to realise Gandhi’s dream of Ram Rajya, it is vital that the Ram Mandir, a symbol of our ancient culture, be reinstated in a manner that reflects Bharat’s pride and resolve
The apex court of India has ruled that a mosque is not an integral part of Islam – namaz need not be offered exclusively in a masjid, it can be offered anywhere, even in an open field.
This begs the question - when Mughal conqueror Babar sought to build a mosque in 1528, why did he feel the need to destroy a temple in order to build it when it could easily have been built elsewhere? Even Islamic scholars hold that namaz should not be offered in a place that has been forcefully acquired and occupied. Thus the act of vandalising Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya was neither religious nor Islamic, but part of Babur's commander strategy to outrage and intimidate the indigenous Hindu population.
There was another Hindu temple that had been desecrated by Islamic invaders that saw resistance to its resurrection by sections of society – the Somnath Mandir. This was met with similar resistance by certain sections of society. However, despite PM Jawaharlal Nehru’s disapproval, the first President of independent India Dr Rajendra Prasad approved of its restoration and even participated, performing the "PRAN-PRATISTHA' (consecration of the diety) on May 11, 1951.
His speech on that occasion remains greatly relevant today. In essence, he spoke about re-establishing the cultural glory of Bharat and the national approach towards these monuments of cultural and religious significance that had been violated. He was clear and precise on the vandalisation the birthplace of Raja Ramchandra from whom even Mahatma Gandhi drew his metaphor for an ideal state – Ram Rajya.
He said, "Brothers and sisters, our religious books have mentioned Somnath Mandir as one of the twelve JYOTIRLINGAS (the radiant representation of Lord Shiv). Hence, this temple happened to be the centre of religion, culture and wealth in ancient India and was known all around the world. However, although a centre of faith and worship can be demolished, its source can never wither away. And this is the reason why the flame of worship remained illuminated in the hearts of the Indian people despite the temple being vandalised. The dream of those people is now being met as the PRAN-PRATISTHA is being carried out in the presence of people who have come from different parts of the country.
The Somnath temple stands today with its head held high proclaiming that one who is loved by the people, and for whom people carry faith and belief in their hearts can never be destroyed by anyone in this world. Come what may, this temple will stand erect till the time people carry faith for this temple in their heart.
Today on this sacred and historic day, it is essential for us to understand this significant element of religion to understand further that there are many paths which can take one to the almighty. Unfortunately, this aspect of faith was not correctly recognised in many castes, cultures and communities which led to massive destructions and wars in the name of religion. History has taught us that religious intolerance only spreads hatred and disharmony. It is imperative for every person of this country to understand that we as a nation should always be tolerant of any caste, culture community or ideology and every religion should be properly respected.
Keeping these objectives in mind, we have shaped our nation into a secular nation and have guaranteed equality to every religion of the country. On this holy day, we should learn from the PRAN-PRATISHTA of this Somnath Mandir, and all of us should vouch for the re-establishment of the dominance of India in terms of prosperity in the world. Our country was the industrial pioneer in ancient times, the products which were made here were exported all over the world. Our export was higher than the import, and thus India became a land of wealth. The gold and silver which are stored in the treasury of the developed nations were once stored in the temples of India. An example of which is the temple of Somnath. I think that this PRAN-PRATISHTA will only be completed on the day, we reclaim that dominance and do justice to the Somnath Mandir. Moreover, we should also strive to achieve the level of cultural brilliance which we had in the ancient times so that when people judge us by today's culture, they should know that we are still far better than them.
Sardar Vallabhai Patel started this work of re-establishment. He played a vital role in uniting the fragmented states of India and wished in his heart that with that re-establishment, we should also re-establish this ancient heritage of India. God has fulfilled his dream today, but his vision will only be completed when India achieves the cultural glory which it had in the primitive era. LONG LIVE INDIA”
One cannot help but wonder - what was so objectionable in this speech that Jawaharlal Nehru did not allow it to be recorded in government documents? This dictatorial and intolerant act of Nehru’s was the beginning of the tussle between an Indian or Bharatiya idea of Bharat and a non-Indian idea of Bharat. Ever since independence, Indian Communists have been trying to introduce a non-Indian idea of Bharat into Indian culture in the name of Nehru. This is the reason that Bharat is not in a position to completely spread its Indic approach and efforts. The orchestrated manner in which the resistance is being organised against the desire (of Muslims and Hindus) to build the Ram Mandir by a small section of people, displays how this non-Indian ideology is continuing with its attempts to impose itself on the tolerant and accepting ways of the Bharatiya way of thought.
It is important to bear in mind that Dr Rajendra Prasad believed that the resurrection of Somnath would only be complete when India reclaims its lost cultural and economic glory. Similarly, in order to realise Gandhi’s dream of Ram Rajya, it is vital that the Ram Mandir, a symbol of our ancient culture, be reinstated in a manner that reflects Bharat’s pride and resolve. (Organiser Weekly, 4th January 2019, The writer is joint General Secretaryof RSS) -GoTop
Shri Vishwa Niketan www.shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com vishwav@bol.net.in
