\Samvad

Marghshirsha Shukla 13 Vik. Samvat 2078, Yugabda 5123 : 16 December, 2021:SM 3018 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: SWAMI VIVEKANANDA JAYANTI 2. PM MODI INAUGURATES SHRI KASHI VISHWANATH DHAM
3. DHARMA IS ABOVE EVERYTHING - DR KRISHNA GOPAL 4. HINDU SANGAMAM IN TELANGANA
5. WORLD PAYS TRIBUTE TO CDS GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT 6. BARBADOS BECOMES REPUBLIC REPLACING BRITISH MONARCH
7. UAE WORKWEEK TO BE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 8. HINDU HERITAGE CAMP, ADELAIDE
9. SOUTH WEST SAMBHAG YUVA SANGAM, USA 10. BHAJAN NIGHT BY HINDU YUVA UBC
11. SEWA DIWALI DRIVE ACHIEVES RECORD PARTICIPATION AND DONATION 12. OXYGEN GENERATING PLANT SPONSORED BY SEWA CANADA COMMISSIONED
13. BHUMI PUJAN OF AAMA KO MAYA CHAATRAVAS, NEPAL 14. CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN THE BHARATIYA INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT
15. INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL INAUGURATED 16. INTERNATIONAL GITA MAHOTSAV 2021
17. BHARATIYA WINS `WOMAN OF THE YEAR` GLOBAL AWARD 18. AIR VERSION OF BRAHMOS SUPERSONIC CRUISE MISSILE SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED
19. 28 WOMEN OFFICERS DEPLOYED ON WARSHIPS 20. COVID WARRIORS WALK 24KM TO ADMINISTER VACCINE
21. OBITUARY: DR. MAHESH J. MEHTA 22. CENTURIES-LONG JOURNEY OF KASHI VISHWANATH
23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT  
Article: HINDUTVA VS HINDUISM: CONTOURS OF A FALSE NARRATIVE  - RAJIV TULI

1. FESTIVALS: SWAMI VIVEKANANDA JAYANTI: On January 12, 1863, Swami Vivekananda was born as Narendra Nath Datta in Kolkata. He became a disciple of Swami Ramkrishna Paramhansa and became a sanyasi for the service of humanity.

He became well-known for putting Bharatiya philosophies of Vedanta and yoga on the world map. Through his speeches and lectures, Swami Vivekananda tried to awaken the religious consciousness among people and also uplift the downtrodden using the principles of practical Vedanta. It was with his iconic speech at World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893 that he gained wider recognition as he touched upon topics like universal acceptance, tolerance, and religion. Since 1984, Bharat celebrates January 12 as National Youth Day.  -GoTop
 

2. PM MODI INAUGURATES SHRI KASHI VISHWANATH DHAM: On December 13, Pradhan Mantri Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase 1 of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, in the presence of over 3000 saints and dignitaries. PM Modi carried Gangajal from the river Ganga to Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham through Kashi Vishwanath corridor.

The project connects Ganga Ghats directly with the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir. 23 buildings were inaugurated in phase 1 of the project. A variety of facilities including Yatri Suvidha Kendras, Vedic Kendra, City Museum, Viewing Gallery, Food Court etc are made available for the pilgrims visiting Kashi Vishwanath Mandir. The project is designed to provide easy access for the disabled and old age people with provision of ramps, escalators and other facilities.  -GoTop

3. DHARMA IS ABOVE EVERYTHING - DR KRISHNA GOPAL: On the occasion of a book launch on November 29, RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Dr. Krishna Gopal said that the core of Bharatiya society was duty-based and the British imposed a rights-based system. The book ‘Reflections on Ancient Indian Jurisprudence in the Current Social & Judicial Set-up’ by Anupama Goel and Seema Singh was launched at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Art (IGNCA) in Delhi. Dr. Krishna Gopal added that Dharma is above everything and that our rights are implied in our duties.
He elaborated that ‘Nyay’ and ‘Nirnay’ are two different things and discussed the concept of ‘Dharma’ and ‘Satya’. National Convener of Prajna Pravah J Nandakumar also attended the event. -GoTop

4. HINDU SANGAMAM IN TELANGANA: Shri. Dattatreya Hosabale, Sarkaryavah, RSS, said that Hindutva would be strong if people of different castes and communities come together. He added that some divisive forces in the country were misleading the people and that RSS was trying to awaken the Hindu community.
He was speaking at the RSS District Maha Sanghik Public Program in Nallagonda town on December 12. During the program, he also said that Bharat is known for its ancient culture and wisdom and if Bharat realised its potential and moved forward accordingly, it would achieve miracles and become a world leader.  -GoTop

5. WORLD PAYS TRIBUTE TO CDS GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT: Rashtrapati Shri Ram Nath Kovind joined the nation in mourning the unfortunate demise of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat. He said that the nation has lost one of its bravest sons and that Gen Rawat’s four decades of selfless service to the motherland was marked by exceptional gallantry and heroism.
Pradhan Mantri Shri Narendra Modi expressed his grief and anguish and said that Gen Rawat was an outstanding soldier and that he greatly contributed to modernising our armed forces and security apparatus. RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said that Gen Rawat dedicated his life to patriotic duty and led by example. He added that Gen Rawat's exemplary service to the nation - from being awarded the Sword of Honour at the IMA to being appointed the first CDS of the country - will be an inspiration for future generations. Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his father the Fourth Druk Gyalpo offered their prayers for General Rawat. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders of many countries including Israel, Australia, UK, USA, Russia, and Nepal expressed condolences on the demise of General Bipin Rawat.
Gen Rawat’s untimely demise aroused nationalistic feelings among common masses as reflected by spontaneous tributes offered to him by women, villagers, school children etc. -GoTop

6. BARBADOS BECOMES REPUBLIC REPLACING BRITISH MONARCH: Barbados became a republic on November 30, replacing the British monarch as its head of state and severing its last remaining colonial bonds, nearly 400 years after the first English ships arrived at the Caribbean island.
The new republic was born to the cheers of hundreds of people lining the Chamberlain Bridge in the capital, Bridgetown.
A 21-gun salute was fired as the national anthem of Barbados was played over a crowded Heroes Square.
After a dazzling display of Barbadian dance, music and speeches celebrating the end of colonialism, Sandra Mason was sworn in as Barbados’s first president.
Barbados will remain a republic within the Commonwealth, a grouping of 54 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe. But its withdrawal from the monarchy will bring the number of Commonwealth realms – countries that continue to have the queen as their head of state – to 15. The last country to renounce the Crown was Mauritius in 1992.  -GoTop

7. UAE WORKWEEK TO BE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY: On Demeber 7, The United Arab Emirates said that its official workweek will move to Monday to Friday, a major change that brings the Islamic nation that is home to major financial institutions in line with Western schedules.
The decision, which is to take effect from January, makes the Gulf Arab state - home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai - one of the few places in the Middle East to operate on Western hours instead of on a Sunday through Thursday working week. The announcement said that government employees would work a half-day on Friday, the traditional Muslim holy day, and then take Saturday and Sunday off. Private industry and schools are likely to follow suit.
The Emirati government hailed the decision as making it "the first nation in the world to introduce a national working week shorter than the global five-day week" - a reference to Friday becoming only a half-day workday. -GoTop

8. HINDU HERITAGE CAMP, ADELAIDE: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, HSS Adelaide organized Hindu Heritage Camp 2021 on November 28 in Hillcrest Primary School Playground. The aim was that children and parents learn about Sanatan Hindu Heritage values while participating in fun games, bauddhik and yoga. It also gave an opportunity to invite new families and introduce them to HSS activities.
More than 200 participants including around 110 children aged between 5 years to 15 years registered for the camp. Around 150 people including 95 children attended the event. A yuva team of mukhya shikshak, sharireek pramukh, gana shikshaks and vyavasta pramukh conducted the event. There were lots of positive emotions and feedback from many participants. A great testimony for the success of the camp was that children made lots of new friends and families bonded with each other. -GoTop

9. SOUTH WEST SAMBHAG YUVA SANGAM, USA: Hindu YUVA Southwest Sambhag conducted Yuva Sangam at the Lutherhill Camp Retreat in La Grange, Texas from November 26 to 28. This Yuva Sangam was the first one since the Covid-19 pandemic. Around 50 Yuvas (high school seniors, university students and young professionals) from all over Texas attended. The universities which were represented were the UT Arlington, UT Austin, UT Dallas, Univ of Houston, and Texas A&M.
The 2-day camp had yoga, games, interactive bauddhik sessions as well as a cooking competition. A major focus of the bauddhik sessions was discussing how it feels to be a Hindu in the US, addressing Hinduphobia in light of recent events and talking about how to more effectively run Hindu YUVA chapters and Yuva shakhas.  -GoTop

10. BHAJAN NIGHT BY HINDU YUVA UBC: On December 3, Hindu Yuva UBC (University of British Colombia, Canada) hosted it’s first-ever Bhajan Night. Club members of UBC Sargam (a club at UBC involved in promoting Bharatiya Classical Music) and devotees of ISCKON Burnaby sang beautiful bhajans.
More than 60 people attended the function which ended with saatvik bhojan and fun discussions about the Bhagwad Gita.  -GoTop

11. SEWA DIWALI DRIVE ACHIEVES RECORD PARTICIPATION AND DONATION: In the 2021 Diwali season, 315 Dharmic-American organizations and communities came together to collect over 590,000 pounds of food, donating to about 240 food distribution centers across the USA. The effort extended across 31 states and involved over 200 townships. Through Sewa Diwali, communities throughout America which align themselves with the Dharmic values originating in Bharat - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains - channeled their continued dedication to selfless service and shared celebration into a collective, far-reaching initiative involving volunteers across all age groups and serving a wide American demographic.
Mayor John B. Muns of Plano, Texas, while thanking local volunteers, noted that the generosity and hard work that goes into giving back to a community gives hope to folks who have food insecurity.
The distribution centers which received food through Sewa Diwali included food pantries, schools, colleges, and houses of worship. Sewa Diwali also received recognition from several government officials across the United States including State Senator Paul Newton of North Carolina.
In Canada, Halifax chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, HSS Canada volunteers along with community members collected 1600lbs of non perishable food and raised $2200 in monetary donations for Feed Nova scotia as part of their first ever Sewa Diwali campaign in Halifax. -GoTop

12. OXYGEN GENERATING PLANT SPONSORED BY SEWA CANADA COMMISSIONED: On December 6, a 250 Litres per Minute (LPM) oxygen generation plant sponsored by Sewa Canada International was commissioned at Chetana Vihara Elder Care Centre, Bommasandra, on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Chetana Vihar hosts a Retirement & Assisted Living Facility and hence this plant will serve the elderly and other needy patients.
This is the second of 8 oxygen plants being supported by Sewa Canada International. Earlier, a plant was commissioned in rural Gujarat.  -GoTop

13. BHUMI PUJAN OF AAMA KO MAYA CHAATRAVAS, NEPAL: In a bhumi-pujan ceremony on December 10, foundation stone was laid for the construction of Aamako Maya Hostel at Bhimeshwar Municipality, Charikot (Ramkot).
The hostel managed by Janajati Kalyan Ashram, Nepal has the capacity to provide facilities to around 50 students and help them continue their education. Shri. Acharya Karma Sangbo (Ex-Vice President of Lumbini Development Fund), Shri. Kamala Basnet (Deputy Mayor of Bhimeshwar Municipal Corporation) and Dr. Ram Vaidya (Vishwa Vibhag sah-sanyojak) participated in the function.  -GoTop

14. CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN THE BHARATIYA INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT: On November 29-30, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) in association with Vigyan Prasar and Vijnana Bharati organised a National Conference of Science Communicators & Science Teachers on ‘Indian Independence Movement & the Role of Science’.
The meet was organised as a tribute to the indomitable spirit of Bharatiya scientists, science communicators and science teachers during the Bharatiya Independence Movement.
Delivering the keynote address, National Organizing Secretary of Vijnana Bharati, Shri Jayant Sahasrabudhe urged for remembering the patriotic spirit of Bharatiya scientists who squarely challenged the discriminatory and hegemonic tendencies of the British as the warriors of struggle to attain independence. Dr Ranjana Aggarwal (Director, CSIR-NIScPR) and Dr Nakul Parashar (Director Vigyan Prasar) were also present on occasion.  -GoTop

15. INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL INAUGURATED: On December 11, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the India International Science festival (IISF 2021) in Panaji, Goa and emphasised “sustainable” StartUps with livelihood, which, he said, would be the key to the future economy of Bharat.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Jitendra Singh called upon the youth with right kind of aptitude to think of generating alternate means of livelihood by exploring avenues in sectors like Agriculture, Dairy, Animal Husbandry, Healthcare, Education, Pharma, Logistics and Waste to Wealth through innovative Start-ups eco-system. Some of the main events at the inaugural function were Science Village, Traditional Crafts and Artisan Meet, Games and Toys, Global Indian Scientists and Technocrats Fest, ECO-FEST, New Age Technology and Mega Science and Technology Expo.
India International Science festival is a joint program of Ministry of Science & Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA).  -GoTop

16. INTERNATIONAL GITA MAHOTSAV 2021: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the Bhagavad Gita does not belong to any particular language, region or religion but to the entire humanity.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the valedictory function of the seminar held on December 11 as part of the International Gita Mahotsav. The mahotsav is being organized from December 2-19 by Kurukshetra University (KU) and Kurukshetra Development Board. Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar and State Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta also participated in the function. At the event, 75 families of freedom fighters from Haryana were honoured to mark the 75 years of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'.  -GoTop

17. BHARATIYA WINS `WOMAN OF THE YEAR` GLOBAL AWARD: On Deecmber 2, legendary Bharatiya athlete Anju Bobby George won the Woman of the Year award by World Athletics for grooming talent and encouraging young girls in Bharat to join sports.
Anju Bobby George is a gold medallist in the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Finals and 2003 World Championships bronze medalist in the long jump. In 2016, Anju opened a training academy for young girls, which has already helped to produce a World U20 medallist. -GoTop

18. AIR VERSION OF BRAHMOS SUPERSONIC CRUISE MISSILE SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED: On December 8, an air version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test fired from the supersonic fighter aircraft Sukhoi 30 MK-I from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The missile launched from the aircraft followed the pre-planned trajectory meeting all mission objectives. During the test, the structural integrity and functional performance have been proven. The launch is a major milestone in the BrahMos development. It clears the system for the serial production of air-version BrahMos missiles within the country.
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has praised Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), BrahMos, Bharatiya Air Force and the industry on the successful test firing. -GoTop

19. 28 WOMEN OFFICERS DEPLOYED ON WARSHIPS: Providing more opportunities to women officers, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said 28 women officers have been deployed in different roles on different warships including the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.  While addressing the annual press conference on December 3 - a day before the Navy Day—he said that the Navy has taken measures to provide additional opportunities to women officers and that the first women provost officer joined in March this year.
India celebrates Indian Navy Day on December 4 in commemoration of Operation Trident and Operation Python, the attacks launched by the Indian Navy missile boats on Karachi harbour during 1971's Indo-Pakistan war. The operations were one of the wherein the navy showcased bravery and valour that symbolises the Indian Navy.

20. COVID WARRIORS WALK 24KM TO ADMINISTER VACCINE: On December 3, a health team in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh walked 24 kilometres along rocky hills to reach Shankli village atop the hills to administer the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine to beneficiaries, ensuring that every citizen is fully vaccinated.  -GoTop

21. OBITUARY: DR. MAHESH J. MEHTA: Dr Mahesh J. Mehta - popularly known as Maheshbhai - , senior swayamsevak, breathed his last in a hospital in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) on December 14 morning.  He was 89 years old.  
Dr Mehta had settled in the USA as a scientist.
With inspiration from Shri Guruji (M.S. Golwalkar – the then Sarasanghachalak of RSS), he became a leading founder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) on October 19, 1970. He served VHPA in the capacities of General Secretary and President. His life was dedicated to laying the foundation of Hindu movement and Hindu identity in the USA and also in positioning the Hindus there as a leading contributor in the growth and development of their adopted country. He also served as a Central Vice-President and a member of the Board of Trustees and Governing Council of Vishva Hindu Parishad in Bharat. 
Dr. Mehta was also the recipient of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman. RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale expressed his condolences on the sad demise of Dr Mahesh J. Mehta. -GoTop

22. CENTURIES-LONG JOURNEY OF KASHI VISHWANATH:

- The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is mentioned in the Vedas & Skanda Purana. The fourth Khanda In The Skanda Purana is the Kashi Khanda, which has 11,000 verses in praise of Lord Shiva.
- An Avimukteshwar Seal from 1000 BCE was found during excavations at Varanasi, indicating a structure that is at least 3000 years old.
- There are records of a Kashi Vishwanath Temple constructed in 500 CE by Gupta King Vainyagupta. Chinese Pilgrim Hiuen Tsang describes a grand temple in 635 CE.
- The temple was destroyed by an army of invader Qutub ud din Aibak in 1194 CE. A Gujarat based merchant rebuilt the Kashi Vishwanath Temple 50 Years after it was destroyed.
- In 1450 CE, The Temple was again destroyed under the reign of the invader Ibrahim Lodhi. The temple was built again by Raja Todar Mal nearly 100 years later.
- In 1699 CE Mughal Invader Aurangzeb demolished Kashi Vishwanath Temple and built The Gyanvapi Mosque over the temple, which can be seen even today.

- In 1776 CE Rani Ahilyabai Holkar built a new temple next to the original temple.
- In 2021, Varanasi MP Prime Minister Modi completed The Grand Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, which connects the temple with River Ganga. -GoTop


23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors: Rajiv Sharma - Ethiopia, Vishnu Chirmula and family - USA
Food for Thought: Keep the motto before you “Elevation of the masses without injuring their religion.”  -GoTop

JAI SHRI RAM
----
HINDUTVA VS HINDUISM: CONTOURS OF A FALSE NARRATIVE
RAJIV TULI

There is a concerted effort about creating a public discourse and national debate on 'Hindutva vs Hinduism' where Hinduism is being projected as the 'right' alternative whereas 'Hindutva' is being projected as a divisive ideology. In fact, there is a sustained campaign on 'dismantling Hindutva', though it has fallen flat on its face. This 'word play' is being carried out by detractors of 'Hindutva'.
One of the key elements of this debate is an effort to club 'Hinduism' with Semitic or Abrahamic monolithic religions. With the Bharatiya Janata Party, a party which has always unapologetically stood for 'Hindutva', being catapulted to power at the Centre, the mandate of the people has clearly endorsed their stand, leaving the opposition in disarray. This has resulted in its opponents fighting a fierce battle for survival. Hence, there are attempts to create fault lines, dividing Hindus as the opposition is not able to avoid Hindu consolidation and awakening.
To understand Hindutva or Hinduness, the word "Hindu" needs to be understood first. Various scriptures and religious leaders have tried defining it. Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahirishi Aurobindo, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Swami Vivekananda are amongst the galaxy of great personalities who have espoused their views on being a 'Hindu'. Their definitions and interpretations have to be seen in a particular context which is defined by the era in which they exercised their intellect and the context was set up by the socio-cultural circumstances prevailing at that time.
From the very inception of RSS, there have been many questions about who is a Hindu and what is Hindutva. Few political leaders, especially TV panellists, attribute coining of the word Hindutva to Veer Savarkar. In fact, the concept of 'Hindutva' word was first elaborated upon by Chandranath Basu from Bengal in the year 1892 in his article "Essentials of Hindutva". To understand 'Hindutva' or 'Hinduness', one needs to dig a little deeper than merely googling and referring to unauthenticated resources like Wikipedia. Dr KB Hedgewar, the founder of RSS, was close to Veer Savarkar. Hence, there were discussions between them on 'Hindutva' and issues related to it. For Dr. Hedgewar, as mentioned in 'RSS: Evolution from an organisation to a movement' by Dr. Ratan Sharda, the first condition for independence was that Hindus, as defined in such commonly held views, be united and awakened. He further writes, "In a meeting in Pune addressed by Dr. Hedgewar, a person arrogantly countered him by asking, ''Who is that fool who says Bharat is a Hindu Rashtra?" Dr. Hedgewar, without quoting any book, scripture or scholar responded, 'I, Dr Keshav Bali Ram Hedgewar, say that Bharat is Hindu Rashtra'. He would never argue with people telling him to define Hindu or Hindutva.
A few of the scholars and scriptures try to figure out geographical boundaries or cultures to figure out the essence of 'Hindutva' or 'Hinduness'. RSS is not a religious organisation, so it is not bound by any codified texts, scriptures or religious gurus. Hence, it has an objective view of 'Hindutva'.
Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, the present Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, recently talked, in one of his statements, about most of the people living in Akhand Bharat having the same DNA, and hence a common civilisation and culture. This in turn means that all are Hindus. In the same statement, he said something which wasn't discussed much. He said that all those who have common ancestry are also Hindus. It is a historical fact that most of the Muslims or Christians living in Bharat today were converted to these faiths either due to anomalies in Hinduness or by force, coercion or inducements. However, their subsequent generations kept adhering to that faith. However, a change of faith didn't mean a change in nationality.
Hinduness or Hindutva is all inclusive. It includes both the geographical expanse of Hindu Rashtra as mentioned in Vishnu Puraan as well as people bound by common and eternal cultural and civilisational values. Those living on the land mass below Himalayas and above Indian Ocean and also those who have common ancestry can be broadly defined as 'Hindus'. It doesn't matter what their way of worship is. They can go to Mosques and Churches, but that doesn't stop them from being a Hindu.
To understand the concept of Hindu, Hindutva, Hinduness and Hindu Rashtra, it would be pertinent to quote French philosopher and orientalist of nineteenth century Ernest Renan who answered this question 'What is a nation': "A nation is a spiritual principle, the result of the intricate working of history, a spiritual family and not a group determined by the configuration of the earth. Two things which are really one go to make this soul or spiritual principle. One of these things lies in the past, the other in the present. The one is the possession in common of a rich heritage of memories and the other is actual agreement, the desire to live together and the will to continue to make the most of the joint inheritance." In a nutshell, all Bharatiyas are Hindus, irrespective of their religion, and as Hindus, we adhere to Hindutva and are guided by it. So, the debate on 'Hinduism' vs 'Hindutva' has no meaning. -Writer is member All India team for media relations, RSS (Courtesy: www.indiatoday.com)  -GoTop


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