\ SAMVAD संवाद
Ashadh Krishna 7, Vik. Samvat 2078, Yugabda 5123:1 July, 2021: SM 3004 (For Private Circulation Only)
1. FESTIVALS:
GURU PURNIMA: Guru Purnima is a festival dedicated to all the spiritual and
academic preceptors, evolved or enlightened humans, who willingly share their
wisdom without any expectation of return. Celebrated by all the communities in
Bharat and neighbouring countries, it falls on Ashadh Purnima ( 24th July this
year ).
Devotees and disciples offer flowers and gifts as tokens of respect to their Gurus and 'prasad' and 'charanamrita' is distributed. In all Shakhas of RSS, Bhagwa Dwaj is worshipped as Guru and a bouddhik session is organized giving emphasis on the significance of the day and importance of Bhagwa Dhwaj as guru. -GoTop
2. HINDU SANGATHAN DIVAS UTSAV CANBERRA:
3. SEVIKA SAMITI RAJASTHAN’S 108 SURYA NAMASKAR PROGRAMS: Rashtra Sevika Samiti organized a serial Suryanamaskar program at 108 places in Rajasthan on 21st June. The chain started at Jodhpur early morning at 7 am and concluded at Jaisalmer at 7 pm. As a precursor to this, Yog shibirs were
4. SURYATHON : 27.5 LAKH SURYANAMASKARS-22K PARTICIPANTS: Youth for Sewa, volunteer based organization at Bengaluru, in collaboration with Indica Yoga and Lifecykyl organized a novel campaign to perform
5. IDY– 2021 ‘YOGA FOR WELL BEING’: 7th International Day of Yoga was enthusiastically celebrated across the world by various organizations on 21st June despite the ongoing pandemic. This year’s theme of this UN initiated event was ‘Yoga for well being’. The celebrations were either online or at some places in limited numbers. HSS volunteers took lead role in organizing the events in many countries with the help of various Bharatiya and other local organizations.
Indian Cultural Association and Indian association Mozambique took lead in organizing the Yoga day along with HSS Maputo Chapter and High Commission of Bharat and other organizations. Yoga sessions were organized at many places in remote villages in Mozambique.
Chief guest for the event, David Houbert, Alameda county supervisor. shared his thoughts as, "yoga is something that brings everyone together no matter what community, religion or color you are from….yoga is great for staying fit physically, mentally and spiritually."
Tirlok Malik, Bharatiya American Emmy-nominated filmmaker and co-creator of Happy Life Yoga, initiated the event while Consul General of Bharat in New York Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, who was the chief guest, commented, “The idea of yoga is truly universal and it must be heard, celebrated and promoted in each and every part of our society and community.
Dr. Bhuvan Lall, award-winning filmmaker, international entrepreneur, motivational speaker and author, touched upon the importance of yoga in our day-to-day life.
Deborah Fishman Shelby, founder and executive director of FED, talked about the teachings of Judaism while sharing examples from Torah and exploring the idea of happiness.
Dr. Thomas Abraham, GOPIO chairman, complimented GOPIO-Manhattan for taking this initiative and organizing the event.
Saudi Arabia signed MoU with Bharat on 21st June for promotion of Yoga in the country and became first Gulf country to do so.
The MoU was signed between Bharat's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, and Abdullah Faisal Hammad, Director General, Leaders Development Institute, Ministry of Sports.
6. COVID RELIEF ACTVITIES BY SEWA INTERNATIONAL: Sewa International team distributed 220 grocery kits on 18th June in two different low income neighborhoods of Bijoygunge Bazar and Patharberia, in West Bengal. The kits were distributed to fishermen and farmers in Patharberia whose source of income was severely affected due to cyclone Yass and Covid 19 lockdown. In Bijoygunge bazar, kits were distributed to street vendors, bus drivers and conductors.
On 24th June, a vaccination awareness camp and aid distribution was organized in presence of Shri Ratan Jarambusa, Member of Autonomous Council of Kalachand Constituency, North Cachar Hills.
Sewa international in collaboration with Nipuna, TASC (Telugu Association of Southern California), IQuadra Information services, and Parivruddhi foundation, distributed 445 grocery and health and hygiene kits to the handicraft workers in Kondapur, Mallapur, and Barapur area near Hyderabad, Telangana on 13th June. The team also assured supply of medicines and nutritional food for pregnant women of the community until they deliver children.
A musical concert ‘Umeed Ke Sur' –a fundraiser for COVID rehabilitation of Uttarakhand was organized by Sewa Internaitonal for Help Himalayas Breathe. #TogetherWeCan on the occasion of World Music Day i.e. 19th June. Jubin Nautiyal played for a cause that is extremely close to his heart, i.e. the rehabilitation of Uttarakhand.
Sewa International Nepal along with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Nepal and Maheshwari Samaj distributed more than 250 medicine kits to the local people on 18th June in presence of the ward President of Namobuddha municipality ward number 4 and 5, and heads of the health department in Kavrepalanchok district. Medical kits and Ayurvedic kadha were also distributed in Lalitpur, Gosaikund, Manthali nagar etc.
Sewa International Nepal along with HSS Nepal distributed medicine kits on 16th June at Ramechhap Municipality Ward No. 8, Bhangeri and Manthali Municipality Ward No. 1 & 7 respectively. Sewa volunteers also handed over 205 medical kits to the chairperson of the ward and health post chief in Khandadevi village municipality, ward no 4.
7. ARCHER DEEPIKA KUMARI IS WORLD NO 1 WITH GOLD AT WC: Archer Deepika Kumari became the world number one as World Archery unveiled its latest rankings. She completed her hat-trick of gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Paris by winning the Recurve individual event by 6-0 on 27th June.
"I am happy, but at the same time, I have to continue my performance like this. I want to improve that, because the upcoming tournament is very, very important to us. I am trying my best to continue learning whatever I can," the official website of World Archery quoted Kumari as saying. -GoTop
8. DRDO SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRES PINAKA ROCKET: Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired extended
range version of indigenously developed Pinaka rocket from a Multi-Barrel Rocket
Launcher at Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on 24th
June.
The DRDO also successfully test fired enhanced range versions of indigenously developed 122mm Caliber Rocket from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher at Integrated Test Range, Chandipur. Four enhanced range versions of 122mm rockets were test fired with full instrumentation and they met the complete mission objectives. -GoTop
9. BHARAT TEST FIRES NUCLEAR CAPABLE AGNI-PRIME MISSILE: The first test of the new generation nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni Prime was conducted from the launching complex IV of the Abdul Kalam Island on 28th June.
Agni P is the latest and the most advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles. It is a canisterised missile with range capability between 1000 km and 2000 km. The new Agni missile has been developed with the cutting-edge technologies used in 4000-km range Agni-IV and 5000-km Agni-V missiles. -GoTop
10. NEW SPIDER SPECIES NAMED AFTER COP TUKARAM OMBLE, WHO CAPTURED TERRORIST KASAB: In an act of laudatory recognition, a new species of spider has been inducted into the scientific community with the name of sub-inspector Tukaram Omble. Known as Icius Tukarami, the new species has been mentioned in a paper published by a team of researchers which describe two new species of the genera Phintella and Icius from Maharashtra state.
Tukaram Omble was awarded Bharat's highest peacetime gallantry award Ashoka Chakra. -GoTop
11. JAMSETJI N. TATA TOP PHILANTHROPIST OF THE LAST CENTURY
With donations worth $102.4 billion, Bharat’s pioneer industrialist and Tata Group founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata is the world’s biggest philanthropist of the last century, much ahead of Bill and Melinda Gates, who came in second.
12. SUMITA MITRA WINS 2021 EUROPEAN INVENTOR AWARD: The European Patent Office honored Bharatiya American chemist Sumita Mitra with the European Inventor Award 2021 in the “Non-EPO countries” category on 18th June. Mitra was the first to successfully integrate nanotechnology into dental
13. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The body of a man is like the chariot; his soul, the
driver; and his senses, the horses. Drawn by those excellent steeds when well
trained, he that is wise and patient, performs life’s journey in peace.– Vidura
in Udyoga Parva, Mahabharata -GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
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MIZO RAM KATHA - THE STORY OF KHENA AND RAM
Virag Pachpor
Mizoram, meaning ‘ Land of Mizos’, a
small state in the Northeastern region of Bharat is known for its hilly terrain
and scenic beauty. With a population of just over a million, it is also known
for secessionist movements and the evangelical activities saw most of its tribal
population getting converted to Christianity.
Presence of Ram Katha: Presence of the story of Ramayana among the dominantly
Christian Mizo people came as a surprise when Dr. Lal Ruanga presented his paper
on ‘The Mizo Ramayana’ at the first ever symposium on ‘The Ram Katha in Tribal
and Folk Traditions with special reference to North-East India’ organized way
back in February 1986 at Guwahati. The symposium was jointly organized by the
Folklore Research Department of the Gauhati University in collaboration with the
Anthropological Survey of India (ASI).
Presenting his research paper along with Dr. Biren Dutta, Dr. Lal Ruanga
mentioned the presence of Ram Katha among the Mizos as “Khena leh Ramate Unane
Thawn thu” meaning “The Story of Khena and Ram”. Khena is the name for Rama’s
brother Lakshman.
The Mizo Ram Katha is basically an elaborate folktale which is soundly based on the Ramayana story incorporating most of the basic components of this epic. The story has been current among the Mizo people since at least a century and a half ago. It was first collected by J. Shakespeare who conducted expeditions in the then Lushai Hills (As Mizoram was known until 1972). He included this in the collection of tales in Mizo language and published in 1878. His edited work “Mizo Leh Vaik Thon Thu” (Mizo and non-Mizo Tales) was printed in Assam Secretariat Printing Office, Shillong in 1897.
It is generally believed that the Mizo people settled in their present habitat in northeast India comparatively recently as compared to other janjatis. Prior to their migration to Mizoram, they had occupied the Chin Hills of Myanmar. It is therefore possible that the story of Ram had reached them while they were still residing in the Chin Hills; or as they came in contact with other Hindu or Buddhist immigrants during the course of their migration to Lushai Hills. There are a few Mizo folklores that allude to such outside contacts with the Mizos.
In a book titled “Essays on the History of the Mizos”, author Sangkima mentions the presence of Ram Katha. He discusses the Mizo variant of the Ramayana obtained indirectly from the Buddhist resources and draws astute parallels between the Karen folklore and the Mizo tradition.
Ram Katha is accepted in the Mizo traditional folk lore (Thawnthu in Mizo parlance). The influence of this great epic has cut deep roots as the Mizos have imbibed a concept of divinity attached to Ram and Khena (Lakshman) in such a manner that both have been accepted as members of the Mizo family of Gods and the creation of the rice plant is ascribed to them.
This is evident from an invocation recited by a Mizo traditional priest (Bawlpu) while practicing divination with the help of a few grains of clean rice put on his palm.
“You the Mother and Father of Paddy
Your roots covered vast lands
Your shoots pierced the sky
When thalanrawkpa celebrated khuwanchawtu
While the slow-paced lemna took fire from the original source
While the earthworm took earth for shaping the world
While Mother Nature modeled the world
You were created by Khena and Rama
To predict the Truth
Your should predict the Truth, You should sing the Truth
And not forewarn deception”.
The entire tale of Khena and Ram is covered in five sections. The first section tells the story of the birth of the twin brothers Khena and Ram; their hunting for the golden barking deer, and the trouble at heaven amongst the seven brothers of god on matters of succession to the throne after the death of their father.
Ram and Khena go to heaven at the request of gods and resolve their problems. The God has a beautiful daughter named Seeta kept inside a very large iron box with a condition that anyone who could lift the box would marry her as a reward. All the members of the community of god try their luck but fail to lift the box. At the request of the people Ram tries and easily lifts the box up to his shoulder and wins the hand of Seeta.
Section two deals with the character of Ravana. His name is Lusariha, the man with seven heads. (In the Mizo version of Ram Katha, Ravan is endowed with seven and not ten as is generally believed). This Lusariha appears before Ram and Seeta in the form of a beautiful golden barking deer. Seeta insists that Ram should catch the graceful animal for her. In his pursuit of the golden deer Ram goes far away chasing it. Seeta sends Khena to search for Ram. He moves out of the hut leaving Seeta alone. He finds Ram and as they tread towards their home, they meet Hawlawman (the Mizo name of Hanuman) and help him in solving his personal problems. In return Hawlawman accompanies them as their follower and helper.
Section three discusses the episode of Seeta’s kidnapping by Lusariha (Ravana). In the absence of Ram and Lakshman, Lusariha abducts Seeta. The two brothers and Hawlawman carry out a search operation for her in which Hawlawman takes the leading part. When he is fast asleep, Luphirabon (Priest of Ravana) takes Ram and Khena to a far off place beyond the sea. However, Hawlawman manages to cross the sea; enter the land beyond the sea and kill Luhirabon to rescue the two brothers. Hawlawman again manages to enter Ravana’s place and conveys the messages of Ram to Seetha. He engages in a battle with Ravana’s army and sets ablaze his capital.
This story has resemblance with the story of Ram and Lakshman being kidnapped by Mahiravana the brother of Ravana to Patal Loka during the war with Ravana. He tries to kill them in sacrifice to his goddess.
Hanuman goes to Patal Loka, fights with Makardhwaj; gains access to the place where Ram and Lakshman were tied to a sacrificial pole and kills Mahiravana and rescues them.
Section four of the Mizo Ram Katha is devoted to the battle between Ram and Lusariha. Ram and his army cross the sea and enter Lusariha’s territory where the final battle is fought. One of the eldest priests of Lusariha defects and joins Rama’s party with full information about Lusariha and his weapons including the techniques guarding against such weapons. The fierce war between Ram-Khena and Lusariha begins and finally, Lusariha falls to death at the hands of Ram. Before he breathed his last, Lusariha gave advice to Ram.
The fifth section includes the rescue operation for Seeta and her subsequent exile to the forest on the suspicion of her chastity; Rama’s Ashwamedha Yagya (Horse Sacrifice) and reconciliation between Ram and his two sons.
There are some distinguishing features of the Mizo Ramayana.
1. The principal characters in this version of Ram Katha are Khena and Ram (who are twin brothers); Hawlawman (Hanuman), Vawmnuman (Jambavan), Luphirabon (Mahiravan) and Lusariha (Ravan). Other characters like King Dasharath and his three queens, Bharat and Shatrughna and King Janak etc. do not figure in this story.
2. There is a mention of the place of Lusariha which is located beyond the sea; an obvious allusion to Lanka. But there is no mention of Ayodhya, Mithila and other places referred to in other versions of Ramayana.
3. We come across the presence of most of the main episodes of the original Ramayana in the Mizo adaptation of Ram Katha except the one that relates to Rama’s exile to Dandaka forest.
4. The Mizo story of Ram is basically a folklore preserved through the oral tradition down the ages.
5. The most interesting and distinguishing peculiarity of Mizo Ram Katha is that the hero’s army carry guns and actually use them or threaten to use them on provocation. This indicates that the Ram Katha came to the Mizo community in the fairly recent period as the practice of using the guns in Mizo society, maybe, in the later part of the 17th century or the beginning of the 18th century, according to Dr. Lal Ruanga.
6. We find inclusion of many such episodes and motifs that are not mentioned in the original version of the Valmiki’s Ramayana. But they are found in some other versions including the Buddhists Ram Katha that is in vogue in the South East Asia such as Seeta being put in an iron box and thrown into the sea; Seeta drawing a picture of Ravana and the animated figure of Ravana attempting to kidnap Seeta and her protective garment etc. This indicates that some non-Valmiki versions could be the source of Mizo Ram Katha.
Thus, Ram Katha plays an important role in Mizo folk belief and proverbs as well. Rama and Khena are accepted as gods. In an invocation to rice used in various rituals related to marriage, death, birth etc. the two characters are mentioned in the following manner:
While the earthworm took earth for shaping the world,
While Mother Nature modeled the world,
You were created by Khena and Rama
To predict the truth and to sing the truth…
While Hindus believe Ram to be the personification of Dharma, the Mizos look at him as an embodiment of Truth. What a coincidence!!
(Excerpts from: https://www.newsbharati.com/Encyc/2021/6/24/Mizo-Ram-Katha-The-story-of-Khena-and-Ram.html ) -GoTop
SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN vishwav@bol.net.in http://shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com
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