Kartik Shukla 12 Vik. Samvat 2078, Yugabda 5123 : 16 November, 2021:SM 3016 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS: GURU NANAK DEV
JI GURPURAB & DEV DIWALI: Guru Nanak Dev Gurpurab, also known as Guru Nanak
Dev's Prakash Utsav and Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti is celebrated on Kartik Purnima -
November 19 this year. It celebrates the birth anniversary of the first Sikh
guru, Guru Nanak - the founder of Sikhism.
The celebration of Guru Nanak Dev Gurpurab begins 15 days before his birth
anniversary with pheris (processions). Two days ahead of Gurpurab, Akhand Path
or a 48-hour non-stop reading of Guru Granth Sahib is held in the Gurdwaras. A
day before Gurpurab, Nagar Kirtan is organised.
Dev Diwali, also known as Tripurotsav or Tripurari Purnima is celebrated every
year at the holy city of Varanasi on Kartik Purnima.
It is believed to be the Deepavali celebrated by gods to mark the victory of
Bhagwan Shiva over demon Tripurasur. Hence, to welcome the Gods, ghats are
decorated with millions of earthen lamps on the day of Dev Diwali.
On this auspicious day, a large number of devotees come together to take a dip
in the holy river Ganga (also called 'Kartik snan’).
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2. POSTAL STAMP OF DATTOPANT THENGADI RELEASED: On the
eve of 101st birth anniversary of Shri Dattopant Thengadi, veteran sangh
pracharak and founder of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, a postal stamp in his memory
was released by Shri Ashwini Vaishanav (Ministry of IT & Railway, Government of
Bharat) on November 10 at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, he
said that Shri Thengadi was a true seer who foresaw the fall of all ‘ism’s.
He
added that Shri Dattopant was of the opinion that policies should be formulated
in accordance with the human nature. On the occasion, Shri Suresh (Bhayyaji)
Joshi (National Executive Member, RSS), said that Shri Thengadi was a proponent
of mutual cooperation and coordination rather than conflict. The program was
presided by Shri. Hiranmay Pandyaji (President, BMS) and attended by Smt
Meenakshi Lekhi (Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of Bharat)
and Shri Kashmiri Lal (National Organising Secretary, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch)
along with other dignitaries .
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3. TODAY’S BHARAT IS CONFIDENT OF ITS HERITAGE - PM MODI:
Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi invoked the great “rishi tradition” of Bharat
as he inaugurated several development works in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, on
November 5. PM Modi unveiled a 13-foot tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya and
monuments related to his Samadhi.
4. DIWALI IN BHARAT AND AROUND THE GLOBE: Ayodhya's
Deepotsav makes it to Guinness World Record: Ayodhya's Deepotsav made it to
the Guinness World Records after Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department lighted over
nine lakh oil lamps along the banks of river Saryu as a part of the grand Diwali
celebrations on November 3. Apart from this, 3 lakh diyas were lit separately at
different places in Ayodhya. 
Ambassadors of Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam, and Kenya also participated in the
event.
Prime Minister and Home Secretary of United Kingdom Visit Neasden Temple for
Diwali: Hon Boris Johnson MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Hon
Priti Patel MP, Secretary of State for the Home Department of UK, celebrated the
vibrant festival of Diwali with worshippers and members of the local community
at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London – popularly known as ‘Neasden Temple’ –
on November 7. 
National Diya, Guyana: On October 31, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d)
Mark Phillips of Guyana noted that Diwali serves as more than a cultural symbol
of light where good overcomes evil and said that the holiday is a time of
national unity where Guyanese across cultural backgrounds come together in a
grand national celebration. The Prime Minister made these remarks at the Seventh
National Diya Light-Up which was hosted by the Hindus for Selfless Service at
the intersection of Rahaman’s Park on the East Bank of Demerara.
Canada’s Trudeau extends greetings on Diwali: The Indo-Canadian community
celebrated Diwali with fireworks as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
joined the festivities at an event in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) along with
the Canadian minister of national defence Anita Anand. Fireworks for Diwali were
permitted in several municipalities including those in the GTA. Canada Post has
also issued a special commemorative stamp to mark Diwali this year. It is
layered with a Rangoli pattern and features a lotus, symbolising new beginnings,
along with a ring of heart-shaped diyas expressing love and gratitude; and a
spice box in the centre alluding to the food shared during the Festival of
Lights.
President Cyril Ramaphosa wished Hindu community during Diwali:
5. CANADA BEGINS CELEBRATIONS FOR HINDU HERITAGE MONTH:
November is celebrated as Hindu Heritage Month in Ontario, Canada. Devi Mandir
in Pickering and Hindu Forum Canada, an NGO, organized a program to commemorate
the event. The ceremony which included bhajans and ethnic dances was attended by
about 200 people. Bharat's Consul General in Toronto Apoorva Srivastava
inaugrated the program and wished everyone in the community a happy Diwali.
Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario's Minister of Finance, delivered the Canadian
Premier's message to Hindu Forum Canada. He stated that Hindu Canadians have
played a significant role in the country's efforts to get back on track, and
that multicultural groups and organisations have played an effective role in
combating the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
The school board of trustees in Toronto district decided to dedicate the month
of November to the sound of the cosmos, Om.
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6. HSS SewaDiwali: SewaDiwali is an initiative by
Dharmic communities, individuals and organizations who believe in Sewa Dharma,
i.e. Service to Humanity is Service to Divinity. Around Diwali, they organize
food collection drives in the USA and donate it to local food banks.
On November 3, Aurora City Mayor Irvin issued ‘Diwali Proclamation’ and
presented ‘Mayors Award of Excellence’ for ‘SewaDiwali Food Drive’ efforts to
more than 40 organisations.
Eight partners collected and donated more than 1500 lbs of food items to Muffin
and Shawnee Community Services in Kansas City.
Maine became part of SewaDiwali for the first time. Sewa USA and HSS
Sanskriti Shakha together raised 1500 pounds of food for local food pantry.
More than 1500 volunteers of about 290 partner organizations are working in more
than 100 cities and 31 states for this food collection drive which will continue
in the month of November.
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7. COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD TO SEWA INTERNATIONAL USA:
Sewa International - Houston Chapter received the prestigious Community Service
Award at the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston’s Annual Gala
on October 30. Bharatiya Ambassador in USA Taranjit Singh Sandhu presented the
award in the presence of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Fortbend County Judge
KP George and other dignitaries. 
8. SEWA BHARATI RELIEF OPERATIONS IN KERALA: Rashtriya
Sewa Bharati (RSB) has intensified its relief operations in the landslide
affected areas of Kootikal, Kerala. Around five-hundred houses were sanitized
and rendered fit for use in a cleaning drive. 25 task force teams, each having
five volunteers were deputed to carry out the operation. Various public
buildings were also sanitised and cleaned.
9. INTERNATIONAL AYURVEDA DAY IN BALI: An International
virtual Ayurveda conference was organized by ICCS and Universitas Hindu
Indonesia (UNHI) on the occasion of 6th Ayurveda day on November 2. The event
was supported by Embassy of Bharat in Indonesia, Griya Sehat Ayurveda
(traditional health centre, UNHI), Ikayuveda (Alumni association of health
faculty, UNHI) and BEM FKES (students union of health faculty, UNHI).
A month long Indonesia wide video competition was also conducted. Participants
had to submit 1-2.5 minute video related to any herb in Indonesia. Three winners
were selected from the received videos by a jury comprising of faculty of
health, UNHI and other eminent personalities of Bali. Competition results were
declared on Ayurveda day.
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10. ‘SHRI RAMAYAN YATRA’ STARTS WITH 100% OCCUPANCY: On
November 8, Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the first
glimpses of the ‘Shri Ramayan Yatra’ on twitter. Specifically designed to
promote religious tourism in places associated with the Ramayana, Shri Ramayan
Yatra rail circuit has been launched under the “Dekho Apna Desh” initiative by
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). 
11. IIM AHMEDABAD LAUNCHES COURSE ON BHAGVAD GITA: The
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has launched the
first-of-its-kind executive programme on 'Understanding Bhagavad Gita' for
corporate professionals to teach management lessons. 
12. DRONE DELIVERS VACCINE IN KARNATAKA: On November
13, a remote primary health centre in Anekal taluk, Bengaluru Urban district,
received a consignment of Covid-19 vaccines through a drone. The delivery was
made by a new octocopter drone developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories
(NAL), which is capable of hefting 15-kg payload over 24 km. The octocopter flew
from the Chandapura primary health centre (PHC) at an altitude of 300 metres at
a speed of 10 metres per second and covered an aerial distance of about seven km
in about 10 minutes. 
13. JANAJATIYA GAURAV DIWAS: On November 10, the Union
Cabinet approved the declaration of November 15, the birth anniversary of
Bhagwan Birsa Munda, as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’. Birsa Munda, born on 15
November, 1875, was a Bharatiya freedom fighter, religious leader and folk hero
from the Munda Tribe of the Chhota Nagpur Plateau area. Week-long celebrations
have been planned from November 15 to 22 to commemorate the glorious history of
tribal people, their culture and achievements. On November 15, Pradhan Mantri
Narendra Modi participated in the 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas' celebrations in
Bhopal's Jamburi Maidan where more than two lakh tribals - many in traditional
attire - had gathered from across Madhya Pradesh. In his speech on the occasion,
PM Modi said that the inspiring stories of tribal heroes and heroines in the
freedom struggle should be remembered, honoured and introduced to the new
generation.
14. OBITUARY: SHRI OM PRAKASH GARG: Shri Om Prakash
Garg, who was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) since his
childhood, breathed his last at a hospital in Patna on November 6. He was 95
years old. Shri Garg was born in Uttar Pradesh in 1926 and was a pracharak since
1946. From 1991 to 2000 he worked in Nepal where he was one of the founding
members of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, HSS Nepal. 
15. OBITUARY: PADMA VIBHUSHAN SHRI BABASAHEB PURANDARE:
Padma Vibhushan Shri Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, popularly known as Babasaheb
Purandare, died at 5 am on November 15 at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune.
He was 99 years old. Babasaheb Purandare was a celebrated author, historian and
theatre personality. He was known for his scholarly work on the life of
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He wrote several books on the king, his
administration and the forts from Shivaji’s era. Babasaheb Purandare also
directed ‘Jaanta Raja’, a popular play on Chhatrapati’s life.
Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi extended his condolences on the demise of Babasaheb
Purandare and tweeted that Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare leaves behind a major
void in the world of history and culture.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat said that
with Shri Purandare's death we have lost a Shatayu Shiv Rishi. Noting that
Babasaheb had fought as a soldier in the Dadra Nagar Haveli Mukti Sangram
(struggle for the liberation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli), Dr. Bhagwat also said
the historian's life will inspire the society for generations to come.
Vice President Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah and
Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Uddhav Thackeray also expressed grief at the
demise of Babasaheb.
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16. HABIBGANJ RAILWAY STATION RENAMED AFTER GOND QUEEN:
On November 15, Pradhan Mantri Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the modern Rani
Kamalapati railway station (earlier known as Habibganj) in Bhopal. Madhya
Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hailed Rani Kamalapati as the pride
of the Gond community. The Gond community comprises the largest tribal group of
Bharat with more than 1.2 crore population. Rani Kamalapati was the last Hindu
queen of Bhopal who in 1722 built the now ASI-protected seven-storey Kamlapati
Palace that overlooks Upper and Lower Lakes in Bhopal. 
17. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:
Sachin Tripathi, USA
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Religion means to abide by the laws of God, just as
good citizenship means to abide by the laws of the government. Faith may be
blind faith. Faith is not the real description of religion. Religion means the
laws given by God, and anyone who follows those laws is religious. – Srila
Prabhupada
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JAI SHRI RAM
---
A WORLD UNION BASED ON RESURGENT ASIANISM
RAM MADHAV
Hindu and Buddhist priests and monks were the
first people to carry India’s influence across its boundaries two millennia ago.
The Buddhist monks largely chose the land routes with the exception of Sri
Lanka, where Buddhism was taken by the son and daughter of emperor Ashoka –
Mahinda and Sanghamitra – in 3rd century BCE. Monks from Northern India had
traveled to Tibet, China, Mongolia and Bhutan carrying the religion of Buddha.
On the other hand, the Hindu priests too managed to reach countries as far as
Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia in the initial centuries of the first millennium
carrying with them the benign religion of Hinduism. While there were references
to instances of the Greek and Hindu scholars exchanging philosophical ideas in
the pre-Christian era, recorded evidence of Hindu influence over the countries
in the Indian Ocean region dates back to 4thcentury CE.
Almost for a millennium after that, the region, which is today described as
South East Asia, used to be called as Greater India. Although the southern
empires like the Cholas and Pandyas had undertaken military expeditions through
the great oceans to expand their influence over remote islands like Borneo and
Bali, it in effect remained cultural only to a great extent. The religion and
culture of the benign colonisers were heartily welcomed by the subject societies
leading to establishment of not only the religious customs and traditions but
also large temples and monuments. From Bali in Indonesia to Cham areas in
Vietnam to Angkor Vat ruins in Cambodia, the living and historical evidences of
the influence of India is conspicuous to this day.
History progressed, and socio-politico-religious realities of these lands had
undergone major changes over centuries. India too was preoccupied with its
battles against the invaders for almost a millennium, and hence had no time for
its cultural empire. Yet, the historical memories did not fade away. When the
time came to unshackle from the imperialist yoke, India did not think only about
itself, but the entire Asian neighbourhood. If Rishi Aurobindo talked about
Asian renaissance as India’s historic responsibility, Gandhi and Nehru talked
about Asian relations for anti-imperialist brotherhood.
In his address to a radio station in Tamil Nadu on the eve of independence,
which also happened to be his birthday, Rishi Aurobindo talked about his five
dreams. While advocating for freedom and unity for people of India as his first
dream, Aurobindo turned to Asian resurgence as his second dream in which India
had an important role to play. “Asia has arisen; large parts are now quite free
or are at this moment being liberated; its other still subject or partly subject
parts are moving through whatever struggles towards freedom. Only a little has
to be done and that will be done today or tomorrow. There, India has her part to
play and has begun to play it with energy and ability which already indicate the
measure of her possibilities and the place she can take in the council of
nations,” he exhorted.
A few months before Aurobindo’s exhortation came the Asian Relations Conference
on 23-25 March 1947 called by Jawahar Lal Nehru with the objective of bringing
about a “psychological revolution,” “a new imagination of Asia”. There were 230
delegates and observers from 30 countries at the conference, highlighting the
faith and trust reposed by many of them in India’s leadership. A new ‘Asianism’
or ‘Third Worldism’ was born at the conference. Unlike the Asianism of India
thus far, which was limited to the cultural remnants in Greater India, Nehru’s
mission was to create an Asian federation that would eventually be a step in the
direction of greater world federation. Interestingly, Aurobindo too talks about
the same idea as his third dream a few months later.Although Nehru declared that
his intention was not “against anybody,” he and other speakers at the conference
were equally categorical that the new Asianism would make sure that Asians
wouldn’t become the “playthings of others”. There was a clear desire articulated
by many speakers at the conference that Asia should be free of Western
influences. It cannot be Communist either. Hence the idea that Asian nations
should form a coalition as Third World countries.
Gandhi was invited to deliver a speech on the last day of the conference. He
made certain interesting observations. Terming all wise men from Zoroaster to
Buddha to Jesus to Mohammad – not to talk of Rama and Krishna – to be belonging
to East, Gandhi emphasised on Asia’s antidotal message to the West. “What I want
you to understand is the message of Asia. It is not to be learnt through the
western spectacles or by imitating the atom bomb. In this age of democracy, in
this age of awakening of the poorest of the poor, you can redeliver this message
with the greatest emphasis. You will complete the conquest of the West, not
through vengeance, because you have been exploited, but with real understanding.
I am sanguine, if all of you put your hearts together – not merely heads – to
understand the secret of the message these wise men of the East have left to us,
and if we really become worthy of that great message, the conquest of the West
will be completed. This conquest will be loved by the West itself”, Gandhi told
the conference.
Asian Relations Conference did not survive for long. Nehru’s Asianism dream died
its quiet death after the Bandung Conference of Non-Aligned nations in Indonesia
in 1955. But Asianism and Third Worldism did not die. Asianism survived through
different experimentations in the region like EAS, SAARC, BIMSTEC and IORA. It
manifested through the principle of ‘Neighbourhood First’ in 1990s and
transformed into the principle of ‘together we grow’ under Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. Third Worldism took the shape of non-alignment in later years and
‘strategic autonomy’ today.
At a time when a new Cold War is beginning to threaten the world order, India
needed to turn a leaf or two from the old-world politics of Asian centrality and
strategic neutrality. More importantly, it should realise that it has a much
bigger role to play in the world politics than what Nehru had intended to seven
decades ago.
Asianism of the last century did not succeed partly because India and China –
two large nations in the region – could not get along. The Sino-Indian War of
1962 had thrown water over Indian romanticism about leading the Third World with
Asian centrality. But the fact that its immediate playground is its Asian
neighbourhood was never forgotten. With the formation of SAARC and BIMSTEC, it
tried to return to its pet theme. It evolved further when India became a full
dialogue partner with ASEAN in 1995 and developed its own ‘Look East policy’.
Nelson Mandela, the legendary leader of South Africa visited India in the same
year. That visit had resulted in the birth of another regional coalition called
the Indian Ocean Rim Association – IORA. During Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s regime,
the Look East policy has been upgraded into Act East policy. Through these
initiatives India tried to revive its Asianism theme. It had its Achilles’ Heel
to its west in Pakistan and by extension the Arab and Islamic Middle East and
West Asia. In the last few years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has successfully
attempted to overcome the jinx and build stronger ties with that region too.
While the 20th century ended with the collapse of the Cold War politics, the
world did not remain multilateral for long.A new Cold War is taking shape in the
new century with Eurasia and Indo-Pacific emerging as the epicentres of global
power politics. Unlike the last century when the Cold War between the Soviet
Union and the United States was fought in far away Pacific-Atlantic region, the
new Cold War is raging in India’s immediate neighbourhood.
One of the central themes of the Asianism of 1940s and 50s was that Asia
wouldn’t be allowed to become a playground of big power rivalry. In his Shangri
La address in 2018 at Singapore, Prime Minister Modi reiterated it by insisting
on Indo-pacific region to be inclusive and peaceful. Many Asian nations aspire
for it as new war clouds gather in the region.
Like at the time of budding Asianism in the last century, China remains a
challenge in this region now also. During the last Cold War, China benefitted
massively by siding openly with America from 1970s onwards. China’s current
economic prosperity is a gift of America in the 1980s and 90s. India cannot
afford such politics because the new Cold War is being fought at its doorstep.
Aggression of China in the Indo-Pacific region and formation of new military
alliances like AUKUS led by America to counter that aggression have the
potential to turn the Asian region into an Armageddon. Together, they will bring
highest number of nuclear submarines in India’s backyard.
India needs to recalibrate its response to this evolving challenge carefully.
Western Quad may be a romantic idea to checkmate China in UAE and Israel, but
what is more important for India is the Indian Ocean region. Countries in this
region look up to India as the biggest power in the neighbourhood. At the Asian
Relations Conference, there were a large number of leaders present from this
region and they were the most supportive of all to India’s leadership. In a way,
it is India’s natural region of comfort.
India needs to invest more energy on this region. It’s relations with immediate
neighbours like Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, with whom it
shares a strong cultural and people-to-people bonds, need greater attention.
China’s footprints are all over in the region. India needs to go beyond its
diplomats and build newer and firmer bridges with leaders and peoples in these
countries.
There is a misplaced obsession with India’s soft power potential in its
neighbourhood among sections of Indian political establishment. It is time we
realised that soft power in its conventional form is an over-used and outlived
concept. Need of the hour is smart or sharp power, where the cultural advantages
are used strategically to secure national interests. Building an International
Airport at the Buddhist pilgrim centre of Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh by Modi
government is one such example of smart power in action.
While we should continue to benefit from our growing bonds with America and
other western powers, we must never give up on the core principles of foreign
policy set at the time of independence that include Asian centrality,
inclusivity, and strategic autonomy. While China is a ‘risen power,’ India is
the ‘rising power’ in the region and if strategised well, it has the potential
to play the pivotal role in building a ‘world union’ envisaged by Aurobindo and
other leaders of independence on the basis of a resurgent Asianism.
Author Brief Bio: Shri Ram Madhav is an author and thinker who is the Former National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is a Member of the Board of Governors of India Foundation. He also serves as a Member of the National Executive of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). (www.indiafoundation.org) -GoTop
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