\ SAMVAD

Pausha Krishna 7, Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124: 16 December, 2022: SM4018(For Private Circulation Only)


 1. FESTIVALS: GURU GOVIND SINGH JAYANTI 2. VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF SARASANGHACHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT
3. NATION WILL BECOME ‘VISHWAGURU’ IN 25 YEARS: RASHTRAPATI MURMU 4. VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF SARAKARYAVAH DATTATREYA HOSABALE
5. PUT EFFORTS TO BRING OUT TRUTH OF HISTORY: ARUN KUMAR 6. GOLKONDA SAHITYA UTSAV ‘SWADHEENTA KA AMRITAVARSH’
7. PURPOSE BEHIND CHARITY CANNOT BE RELIGIOUS CONVERSION : SUPREME COURT 8. NO CASTE RESERVATION FOR PEOPLE WHO CONVERT : MADRAS HIGH COURT
9. TWO-DAY ASHTALAKSHMI SANT VICHAR SAMMELAN HELD IN TRIPURA BEGINS IN TRIPURA 10. CENTRAL PACIFIC SAMBHAG PRATHAMIK VARG CONDUCTED
11. SEWA INTERNATIONAL TRINIDAD FLOOD RELIEF 12. SEWA INDONESIA: EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
13. SEWADIWALI 2022 CONCLUDED 14. NAGA ICON RANI GAIDINLIU’S BUST UNVEILED IN GORAKHPUR
15. SHABARIMALA MANDIR SEES RECORD FOOTFALL 16. BHARATIYA STARTUP KHEYTI WINS EARTHSHOT PRIZE
17. PRAMUKH SWAMI MAHARAJ’S LEGACY CELEBRATED AT UN 18. AROUND THIRTY FIVE COUNTRIES SHOW INTEREST IN RUPEE TRADE MECHANISM
19. BHARAT SET TO BECOME THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO RECEIVE $100 BILLION IN REMITTANCES 20. BHARATIYAS AMONG TOP FIVE NATIONALITIES WHO BECAME US CITIZENS
21. BHARATIYA AVIATION SAFETY ACHIEVED 48TH RANK 22. MAJOR MILESTONE ACHIEVED IN SRINAGAR RAIL LINK
23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Article: RELIGIONS-20: A PIONEERING INITIATIVE IN G-20 TO BUILD A GOD-CENTRIC VALUE SYSTEM

 1. FESTIVALS: GURU GOVIND SINGH JAYANTI: Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti (January 5, 2023) marks the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Maharaj, the tenth Sikh guru. According to Drik Panchang, Guru Gobind Singh was born on Paush Shukla Saptami to Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh guru, and Mata Gujri. He was born in Patna, Bihar. A shrine named Takht Sri Patna Harimandar Sahib marks the site of the house where he was born.

He founded the Sikh warrior community Khalsa in 1699 and enshrined the Guru Granth Sahib as Sikhism's primary scripture and eternal Guru. Guru Gobind Singh lived the life of a saint and inspired millions of Sikhs with his writings. On October 7, 1708, he passed away as the last Sikh Guru. -GoTop

2. VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF SARASANGHACHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: On December 11, RSS Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat said that the nation is a priority for all people, irrespective of their differences. Addressing the concluding event of a karyakarta varg in Assam, he also said that swayamsevaks should work for the progress of the nation with full conviction in Bharat’s heritage.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Tritiya Varsh Sangh Shiksha Varg in Nagpur on December 8, Dr. Bhagwat said that it is not an ordinary thing that Bharat got the G20 presidency and Bharatiyas have now become confident that they can lead the world. He added that entire society needs to walk together as Bharat cannot become Vishwa Guru through one organisation or institution.
On November 27, Dr. Bhagwat attended a ceremony at Malkhachak in Chhapra to honour freedom fighters and released the book ‘Scattered episodes of the freedom movement’ written by senior journalist Ravindra Kumar. On December 12, he also inaugurated the exhibition ‘Gallery of Braves’ - including heroes of 1962 Sino-Bharat war - at Donyi Polo Vidya Niketan, Talom Rukbo Nagar, Arunachal Pradesh.
On November 29, Dr. Bhagwat was the chief guest at the inauguration of ‘Aradhana Mahotsav' organized at the ashram of Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati in Alopibagh, Uttar Pradesh. Speaking on the occasion, he said that spirituality purifies our individual, family and national-social life and all the great men who awakened the society made spirituality their basis.
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3. NATION WILL BECOME ‘VISHWAGURU’ IN 25 YEARS: RASHTRAPATI MURMU: While addressing the Navy Day celebrations at the Ramakrishna Beach in Vishakhapatnam, Rashtrapati Draupadi Murmu exuded confidence that the country would become ‘Vishwaguru’ by the time it celebrated the centenary of its independence in 2047. She reminded the need to rededicate ourselves to taking Bharat forward, transiting through Amrit Kaal, towards a great future.
On December 9, the second day of her two-day visit to Uttarakhand, Rashtrapati Murmu performed a ‘rudrabhishek’ at the Raj Pragyeshwar Mahadev Temple inside the Raj Bhavan and inaugurated the Nakshatra Vatika at the governor’s official residence.
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4. VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF SARAKARYAVAH DATTATREYA HOSABALE: On December 12, RSS Sarakaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale inaugurated employment generation centers in 16 government districts of Madhya Pradesh. The centers are being operated under the Swavlambi Bharat Abhiyan. Speaking on the occasion, he said that there is a need to create an ecosystem for employment and youth should be encouraged to seek self-employment. He added that the campaign to make Bharat self-reliant should become a campaign of the entire society.
On December 5, Shri Hosabale attended the inaugural ceremony of Rashtrotthana Hospital and Research centre along with Jagadguru Sri Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswami of Sri Suttur Math Mysuru, Founder of Infosys Foundation and Chairman of Murthy Foundation Sudha Murthy and Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, Founder & Chairman of Narayana Health. In his address, Shri Hosabale emphasized that the health of society is not based only on physical health but also mental, spiritual, and cultural health. He said that creating a healthy society is our shared duty and the nation which has given the call of ‘Sarve Santu Niramaya’ to the world can be a model by providing affordable quality health care.
On December 1, Shri Hosabale inaugurated the special issue of Rashtra Dharma monthly magazine 'Rashtriya Vichar-Sadhana' at Ganna Sansthan in Dalibagh, Lucknow. Speaking on the occasion, he said that Bharat got political freedom on August 15, 1947, but not from intellectual slavery. The British divided Bharat for their selfishness and our history was misrepresented. Hindus of Bharat were declared communal in the illusion of secularism. He added that the work of rectifying this mistake is being done in the new education policy.
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5. PUT EFFORTS TO BRING OUT TRUTH OF HISTORY: ARUN KUMAR: On December 10, RSS Sah-Sarkaryavah Arun Kumar said that there is a need for positive and constructive approach and instead of blaming the historians who distorted history, it is time to put in dedicated efforts to bring out the truth. He was speaking at the launch of the book, ‘SWA: Struggle for National Selfhood’ by J Nandakumar, Prajna Pravah National Convenor. Renowned historian and author Dr Meenakshi Jain, Sanchi University of Buddhist Indic Studies VC Dr Neeraja Gupta and prominent persons from various walks of life attended the event at the Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi.
Shri Arun Kumar also said that the Islamic invaders destroyed Bharat’s social institutions, whereas the British ruined Bharat’s economy and tried to destroy its social fabric and values. The book talks about these two phases of the invasion and gives an elaborate idea of our struggle for Swatantrata and Swaraj.
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6. GOLKONDA SAHITYA UTSAV ‘SWADHEENTA KA AMRITAVARSH’: Hyderabad was liberated on September 17, 1948 and a year long celebration is being held to commemorate 75 years of liberation. As part of the celebrations, the media organization Samachar Bharati in collaboration with other organizations including Itihas Sankalan Samiti, Pragna Bharati, Sahitya Parishad and others organised the second edition of Golkonda Literary Festival on December 11 at Agarwal college campus, Patthargatti, Hyderabad. The day-long seminar organized with the spirit of ‘Swadharma, Swabhiman and Swarajya’ had several thought provoking debates and panel discussions and multiple book launches. Several scholars and authors were also felicitated during the event.
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7. PURPOSE BEHIND CHARITY CANNOT BE RELIGIOUS CONVERSION : SUPREME COURT: On December 5, the Supreme Court said that charity by religious groups is welcome but the intention of such acts cannot be religious conversion.
A division bench of Justice M.R. Shah and Justice C.T. Ravikumar refused to entertain interventions that sought the dismissal of the instant petition by Ashwini Upadhyay, who moved the court against fraudulent religious conversions. The bench asserted that the issue at hand was “very serious” and said that conversion by allurement, by offering food grains and medicines, was wrong. The bench further said that it is against the basic structure of our constitution and everyone who stays in Bharat will have to act as per the culture of Bharat.
Petitioner Upadhyay sought directions from the court to the Union and state governments to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversion by “intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits”.
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8. NO CASTE RESERVATION FOR PEOPLE WHO CONVERT : MADRAS HIGH COURT: The Madras High Court bench headed by Justice G.R. Swaminathan said that a person who has converted to another religion cannot claim the benefits of the community in which the person existed before the conversion. The court also dismissed a petition seeking the benefits of reservation which was filed by a youth who converted from Hinduism to Islam.
The petitioner had converted to Islam in 2008 along with his family. In 2018, he appeared for the Tamil Nadu Combined Civil Services Examination but failed to enter the merit list. The Public Service Commission, Tamil Nadu considered him under the general category. Following this, the man approached the High Court. However, the court pointed out that the Tamil Nadu government’s letter clarified that the candidate who converted to Islam will be considered as ‘Other category’.
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9. TWO-DAY ASHTALAKSHMI SANT VICHAR SAMMELAN HELD IN TRIPURA BEGINS IN TRIPURA: The two-day Ashtalakshmi Sant Vichar Sammelan began on December 9 in Tripura with an aim to awaken spiritual thoughts in the northeastern states of the nation. Signifying the gathering as ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, Tripura chief minister Dr Manik Saha inaugurated the Sammelan in presence of Deputy chief minister Jishnu Dev Varma, Chairman Haribhakta Parayan Justice Dr Madan Maharaj Gosavi and other important dignitaries. The meeting was presided over by Swami Chittaranjan Maharaj of Tripura’s Shantikali Ashram in Amarpur.
Speaking during the inaugural ceremony at the Rabindra Satavarshiki Bhavan, Dr Manik Saha said that Bharat was a land of sages and saints who have played important roles in establishing world peace since time immemorial. He added that the conference will strengthen ties between all the eight northeastern states and help in overall development.
Deputy chief minister Jishnu Dev Varma said that Bharat is not just a geo-political entity and therefore, to know the nation, we have to know spirituality. He added that the conference will enlighten everyone about the literature and knowledge of the saints in the North-east.
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10. CENTRAL PACIFIC SAMBHAG PRATHAMIK VARG CONDUCTED: Central Pacific Sambhag of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA - covering Sacramento, San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties - conducted the Prathamik Sangh Shiksha Varg from Novenber 23 to 27 at the HSS Property in Tracy, California. 21 shiksharthis including 4 kishoris, 7 kishors, 2 sevikas and 8 swayamsevaks participated in the varg. The varg was supported by 4 full time shikshaks and the bauddhik and vyvastha teams.

The inauguration ceremony started with Ganapathi vandan, shankhnaad and lighting of the lamp. One highlight of the varg was making of a ‘Rath’ by shiksharthis using simple waste materials. The samarop was attended by around 40 people and National Yuva Praumukh Jaymin Kathiriya delivered the samarop bauddhik. The SSV provided a good experience and training to participating shiksharthis. -GoTop

11. SEWA INTERNATIONAL TRINIDAD FLOOD RELIEF: In the morning of November 26, Trinidad experienced rainfall which was concentrated in the northern and central parts of the island. In the afternoon, Caroni River began to burst its banks in some areas causing flooding in many parts of Trinidad. More than 30 flood incidents and 51 landslides were reported across 12 administrative districts. Approximately 100,000 people were adversely affected.
From November 27 to 29, Sewa Inernational Trinidad and Tobago, along with several partner organisations conducted several rescues and served the flood victims by providing more than 6000 meals at different places.
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12. SEWA INDONESIA: EARTHQUAKE RELIEF: On November 21, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 struck Cianjur district, West Java Province, Indonesia. The earthquake which was felt strongly for about 3-10 seconds affected many districts. A 30-day state of emergency has been declared by the government and evacuation centers have been set up. According to an ongoing survey, more than 73,000 people have been displaced and more than 40,000 people live in the evacuation centres.
Sewa Indonesia has helped the earthquake victims by supplying / distributing essentials like rice, sugar, cooking oil, dresses, cooking items and non perishable food items to the regional Disaster Management Department.
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13. SEWADIWALI 2022 CONCLUDED: Sewa Diwali, a large food drive organized by Dharmic communities across the USA, donated over 630,000 pounds of food this year, benefiting more than 200 organizations from 32 states, including food pantries, homeless shelters, worship houses, and schools. Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS) volunteers enthusiastically coordinated these efforts regionally and nationally.
This year’s Sewa Diwali saw active and spirited participation from Sikh Gurudwaras, Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist mandirs, Yogic organizations, Interfaith organizations, Bharatiya American cultural and linguistic associations, and thousands of families and individuals all over the country. Several dharmic organizations such as BAPS, Chinmaya Mission, Arya Samaj, and Sewa International collected food among their supporters.
Sewa Diwali extended to more than 200 cities and towns in 2022, its fifth consecutive year. Since its inception in 2018, the Sewa Diwali project has donated close to 1.5 Million pounds of food nationwide.
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14. NAGA ICON RANI GAIDINLIU’S BUST UNVEILED IN GORAKHPUR: A 3.5 ft bust of Naga freedom fighter and champion of indigenous faith Padma Bhushan Rani Gaidinliu was installed in a public park in Rail Vihar Colony of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The bust was unveiled by Gorakhpur Mayor Sitaram Jaiswal on December 6 in a function attended by several socio-cultural organizations of Gorakhpur.
Speaking on the occasion Mayor Sitaram Jaiswal said that Rani Gaidinliu relentlessly fought against the British for the freedom of our country and opposed the conversion crusade of Christian missionaries. He also said that the story of the freedom struggle of Rani Gaidinliu is a golden chapter of Bharat's history and she is a source of inspiration for all of us. The function was marked by the Zeliangrong Heraka devotional song followed by the Heraka dance presented by Naga students of Shri Ram Vanvasi Chhatrawas, Gorakhpur.
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15. SHABARIMALA MANDIR SEES RECORD FOOTFALL: The Shabarimala mandir in Kerala received record bookings for darshan as over 1 lakh devotees thronged the mandir on December 12. Elaborate arrangements were made keeping the tremendous footfall in mind. Devotees were escorted from Pampa to Sannidhanam in a controlled and segmented manner and devotees waiting in the queue were provided light food and drinking water. The officials added that the darshan timing was also extended by one hour.
According to Kerala Devaswom Department Minister K. Radhakrishnan, more than 2.5 lakh pilgrims had visited Swami Ayappa Mandir at Shabarimala in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district in the first six days of the ongoing pilgrimage season.
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16. BHARATIYA STARTUP KHEYTI WINS EARTHSHOT PRIZE: Bharatiya startup Kheyti was among the five winners of The Earthshot Prize for their ground-breaking solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing the planet. Prince William and The Earthshot Prize announced the winners on December 2 in Boston. Each winner was awarded a 1 million pound prize at the second-annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony.
Kheyti has developed a simple Greenhouse-in-a-Box solution designed for small-hold farmers and the crops they grow, offering shelter from unpredictable elements and destructive pests. So far, 1,000 farms have a Kheyti greenhouse. Kheyti hopes they can reach 50,000 farmers by 2027.
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17. PRAMUKH SWAMI MAHARAJ’S LEGACY CELEBRATED AT UN: On December 7, the Permanent Mission of Bharat to the United Nations and the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha came together to honor the life and message of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and celebrate his centennial birthday at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Ruchira Kamboj, Bharat’s UN Ambassador, representatives of several countries and BAPS volunteers attended the event themed ‘The World is One Family’.
Dr. Kashyap Patel, a BAPS volunteer and cardiologist at the Northside Hospital Cardiovascular Institute in Atlanta introduced Pramukh Swami Maharaj, his life work surrounding humanitarian efforts for social and spiritual upliftment, and his foundational belief that the world is one family.
The program concluded with a recital of the Shanti Paath, a prayer for universal peace.
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18. AROUND THIRTY FIVE COUNTRIES SHOW INTEREST IN RUPEE TRADE MECHANISM: Intending to internationalise the Bharatiya Rupee and ease the flow of payments from certain sanction-hit or crisis-rid countries, Bharatiya Finance Ministry has asked Indian Banks Association to spearhead the awareness campaign of the rupee trade mechanism. This campaign will set the stage for other nations’ more significant and easier adoption of the rupee trade scheme. The Reserve Bank of India will guide the Indian Bank Association in this exercise.
In July 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) notified the new rupee trade mechanism to reduce the depreciation of domestic currency against the dollar. More than thirty-five countries from Asia, Scandinavia and Africa have expressed interest in this scheme. All these countries are facing a shortage of dollar reserves.
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19. BHARAT SET TO BECOME THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO RECEIVE $100 BILLION IN REMITTANCES: Bharat, Asia's third-largest economy, is set to become the first country in the world to receive $100 billion in remittances this year from migrant workers abroad. USA has surpassed the UAE as the top source country, according to a study by the World Bank.
Notably, Bharat had received $89.4 billion in remittances in 2021, according to the World Bank report, which then made Bharat the top recipient globally.
One of the reasons for the high remittance is a gradual structural shift in Bharatiya migrants’ key destinations from largely low-skilled, informal employment in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to a dominant share of high-skilled jobs in high-income countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and East Asia.
Around 20 percent of Bharat’s emigrants are in the United States and the United Kingdom.
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20. BHARATIYAS AMONG TOP FIVE NATIONALITIES WHO BECAME US CITIZENS: Nearly one million immigrants obtained US citizenship during the fiscal year 2022 — the highest number of naturalized citizens in almost 15 years, according to a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) report.
The top five countries of birth of immigrants who became naturalized US citizens were Mexico, Bharat, the Philippines, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic, according to the USCIS data. Immigrants with US citizenship are allowed to vote in federal elections, be eligible for candidacy in US elections, have greater access to government assistance programs, like Medicare, sponsor relatives seeking permanent residency, and ensure automatic US citizenship for children.
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21. BHARATIYA AVIATION SAFETY ACHIEVED 48TH RANK: On December 3, the Director General of Civil Aviation Arun Kumar said that Bharat has been ranked among the top 50 countries of the world in terms of comprehensive safety audits conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). He added that it is a great achievement in terms of ranking as they have jumped from the 102nd rank four years ago to the 48th spot this year and the challenge lies in retaining the newfound status.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) had audited the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in November to check its effective implementation (El) of critical safety elements.
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22. MAJOR MILESTONE ACHIEVED IN SRINAGAR RAIL LINK: The USBRL (Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link) is a National project undertaken by the Bharatiya Railways for construction of broad-gauge railway line through the Himalayas, with the aim of connecting the Kashmir region with rest of the country. On December 15, a major milestone has been achieved by executing the breakthrough of Escape Tunnel T-49 between Sumber and Khari Stations on the Katra –Banihal section of the USBRL project. The breakthrough of the 12.89 km long escape tunnel of T-49 was achieved without any flaw despite many geological challenges. 
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23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Vishwa Vibhag Samyojak Saumitra Gokhale and Sah Samyojak Anil Vartak will be travelling to Bharat.
Sah Sarkaryavah Krishnagopalji will be travelling to Kenya Visitors: Nirmal Laungani - Hong Kong
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Be a warrior with a noble cause who stands against injustice, promises to uphold dharma, is inwardly spiritual, is a fearless soul and is compassionate within oneself. — Guru Govind Singh
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JAI SHRI RAM
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RELIGIONS-20: A PIONEERING INITIATIVE IN G-20 TO BUILD A GOD-CENTRIC VALUE SYSTEM
Ram Madhav

Did God exist? This question bothered the West for centuries. One of the earliest arguments for the existence of God, which Immanuel Kant called “ontology”, was given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Anselm, in 1078 AD. “Id quo maius cogitari nequit”, Anselm argued, meaning “there must be that (thing), the greater than which cannot be conceived”. Since God cannot be conceived to be non-existent, he is deemed existent, was Anselm’s ontological argument.
This idea of an “inconceivable” God had led to conflicts over His interpretation, with various Semitic religions drawing daggers at each other. Crusades followed, tempting Napoleon to famously quip that “religious wars are basically people killing each other over who has the better imaginary friend”.
It led to the rise of Deism which insisted on having God, but not religion, and atheism which rejected both God and religion. Receiving French mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace’s work, Napoleon asks, “They tell me you have written this large book on the system of the universe, and have never even mentioned its Creator”. Laplace defiantly replies, “Je n’avais pas besoin de cette hypothèse-la” (I had no need for that hypothesis).
But the deists and Enlightenment thinkers wanted a universal God. Spinoza, the 17th-century Dutch philosopher, equated God with nature, proclaiming “deus sive natura” (God or Nature). Voltaire, the French philosopher, despite being critical of the Catholic church, declared: “Si Dieu n’existait pas, il faudrait L’inventer” (If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him). “I shall always ask you if, when you have lent your money to someone in your society, you want neither your debtor, nor your attorney, nor your judge to believe in God,” he indignantly asked.
God was reason and ethics for the Enlightenment deists. But the medieval understanding of an inconceivable God, often jealous, continued. Managers of those medieval beliefs became merchants of death. God needed to be rescued. A new enlightenment became the need of the hour.
“The need for spiritual guidance has never been greater. It is imperative that we double our efforts to spread the message of good neighbourliness based on our common humanity, a message shared by all faith traditions,” the United Nations said recently.
Can this enlightenment come from the eastern religious beliefs that offer universalism of divinity, respect for diversity and spirit of dialogue and accommodation as an ontology? “God is not inconceivable; He is omnipresent; there is not One God; there is Only God” — they say.
Two important Muslim organisations, coming from two corners of Asia, want to take the lead in this effort by launching the R-20 (Religions-20) forum on the sidelines of the G-20 summit. Indonesia is the chair of the G20 in 2022 and the leaders’ summit will take place in November in Bali. The Indonesian government has chosen “Recover Together, Recover Stronger” as the theme.
The keen interest taken by Joko Widodo, the President of Indonesia, has led to the inclusion of R-20 in the agenda as the G-20 Forum of Religions this year. Global issues like health, economy, climate and technology, besides issues like war, hatred and disharmony have, for a long time, been considered the concern of the political leadership. That religious and cultural leaders too can play a complementary role has not been fully appreciated. Politicians, technocrats and professionals are the new popes and power; economy and technology have become demigods.
It is in this context that the Indonesian government’s initiative to bring religious and cultural leaderships into active discourse acquires significance. The two organisations taking the lead in this endeavour are — the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) of Indonesia and the Muslim World League (MWL) of Saudi Arabia.
The God/religion dichotomy is not fully resolved in the Western world with religions still competing with each other leading to theories like the clash of civilisations. The leadership of the Enlightenment era (17-18th century) had largely addressed this issue within the domain of Christianity. A similar enlightenment is dawning on the world’s second-largest religion, Islam. Countries such as Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, and organisations like the NU and MWL, are at the forefront of this development.
The NU, the largest Muslim organisation in Indonesia with over 90 million members, has been spearheading what it describes as Eastern Humanitarian Islam. Under the leadership of its dynamic chairman, Yahya Cholil Staquf, it has been working towards rejecting radicalism and exclusivism and bringing humanitarian values to the centre stage. The NU rejects concepts like kafir and insists on putting the love of country ahead of the love of religion.
The MWL, under the leadership of Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, is also actively seeking to promote a more humanitarian version of the Islamic worldview that rejects narrow and fundamentalist interpretations. The invisible hand of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman behind this progressive initiative cannot be missed. The MWL, despite the criticism it has endured in the last six decades, takes a strong stand against extremism today, emphasising that “Islam understands the existence of religions as a universal design that must be celebrated, since difference, diversity and multiplicity are characteristics of human nature”.
At an interfaith forum conducted earlier this year at Riyadh, Al-Issa called for building a universal consensus on “common principles of human values, values of moderation and harmony, tolerance and peace, and rational intellectual frameworks to immunise against the dangers of extremist ideology and behaviour”.
The R-20 will be historic if it succeeds in building a God-centric value system in place of the current religion-centric one. Religion-centrism is no longer limited to the West today. Hatred, exclusivism and cancel culture have entered the eastern religions also as a reaction, diminishing the beauty of their universalist doctrines.
The R-20 will move from Muslim-majority Indonesia this year to Hindu-majority India next year and Catholic-majority Brazil in 2024. This process can help the three world religions, together with Buddhism and other important religions, evolve a universal value system and also become equal partners with the political, economic and technological leadership of the world in defining the destiny of mankind in the 21st century.

https://www.rammadhav.in/articles/religions-20-a-pioneering-initiative-in-g-20-to-build-a-god-centric-value-system/  -GoTop


SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN shrivishwaniketan@gmail.com http://svn.epapers.in


\Samvad

Marghashirsha Shukla 9 Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124 : 1 December, 2022:SM 4017 (For Private Circulation only)


  1. FESTIVALS: BHAGWAN DATTATREYA JAYANTI 2. ALL PEOPLE OF BHARAT ARE HINDUS : MOHAN BHAGWAT
3. BREAKING FOUR ECOSYSTEMS KEY TO BHARAT’S RISE: ARUN KUMAR 4. PM MODI INAUGURATED 'KASHI TAMIL SANGAMAM'
5. SANGH SHIKSHA VARG TRITIYA VARSH COMMENCED IN NAGPUR SANGH SHIKSHA VARG 6. 400TH JANMAJAYANTI OF LACHIT BORPHUKAN CELEBERATED
7. SC: FORCED CONVERSION TO IMPERIL NATIONAL SECURITY 8. MAURITIUS SANGH SHIKSHA VARG
9.  HINDU CIVILIZATION EXHIBITION, DARSHANA, CONTINUES TO BE WELL RECEIVED AT STATE CAPITOLS 10. RAMAYANA VAIBHAVAM CONTEST CONDUCTED
11. HSS DALLAS-FORTWORTH: SEWA DIWALI 12. OVER 40 MISSIONS HEADS VISITED CELLULAR JAIL
13. AYURVEDA DAY CELEBRATED IN BALI 14. MAURITIUSIAN PRESIDENT, WIFE PAY OBEISANCE AT RAM LAL VIRAJMAN AT AYODHYA
15. BHARATIYA CANADIAN APPOINTED VICE CHANCELLOR OF MCGILL UNIVERSITY 16. BHARATIYAS STUDENTS INCREASED IN USA AND UK
17. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Article: SANATANA DHARMA IN THE 21ST CENTURY

1. FESTIVALS: BHAGWAN DATTATREYA JAYANTI: Bhagwan Dattatreya Jayanti is a festival commemorating the birth day of the Bhagwan Dattatreya (Datta), a combined form of the divine trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It is celebrated throughout the country on the full moon day of Margashirsha ( December 7 this year).

Bhagwan Dattatreya was the son of sage Atri and Anusuya. On Datta Jayanti, people take bath in rivers, observe fast, and do puja & bhajans. Bhagwan Dattatreya’s six hands hold Shankha, Chakra, Gada, Trishul, Kamandal, and a bowl. Some of Bhagwan Datta’s important temples are located at Gangapur in Karnataka, Narasimha Wadi in Maharashtra, Pithapuram in Andhra Pradesh, Audumbar in Sangli and Girnar in Saurashtra. -GoTop


2. ALL PEOPLE OF BHARAT ARE HINDUS : MOHAN BHAGWAT: On November 15, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat said that all people of Bharat who consider Bharat as his motherland is a Hindu irrespective of any religion.

He added that this is the reason we have been united for hundreds of years and Sangh speaks this truth out. He said this while addressing a public meeting at Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh’s Surjuga district.  He also said that joining sangh is the best way to understand Sangh and one can only know the Sangh by coming to the Shakha. The Sarsanghachalak also paid homage to Bhagwan Birsa Munda and  unveiled the statue of Kumar Dilip Singh Judeo. -GoTop

 
3. BREAKING FOUR ECOSYSTEMS KEY TO BHARAT’S RISE: ARUN KUMAR: On November 17, RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Arun Kumar expressed concern over the way anti-Bharat forces have been working against the interest of the nation.  He said that while the ideas of the Sangh are accepted and adopted by the people, Maoists, cultural Marxists, Islamists and global capitalists have set up an ecosystem against Hindutva and Bharat to impose their views on the mainstream. He was addressing the inaugural session of a three day conference on ‘Education System in India’ organised by Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas (SSUN).  Atul Kothari, National secretary of SSUN explained the idea behind the third edition of Gyanotsav, focusing on implementation of NEP-2022. Speaking at the event, Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar underlined the importance of education in the country’s development.
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4. PM MODI INAUGURATED 'KASHI TAMIL SANGAMAM': On November 19, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi inaugurated a month long 'Kashi Tamil Sangamam' in Varanasi to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi. More than 2500 delegates from Tamil Nadu will visit Kashi over a one month period. While inaugurating the Sangamam PM said that Kashi and Tamil Nadu were two cultures closely associated with Lord Shiva and the confluence of the two places was as sacred as the Sangam of Ganga and Yamuna. Uttar Pradesh  Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel, Union ministers Dr L Murugan, Dharmendra Pradhan, MP Ilaiyaraaja were also present on the occasion during which Ilaiyaraaja enthralled the audience through his recitals.
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5. SANGH SHIKSHA VARG TRITIYA VARSH COMMENCED IN NAGPUR SANGH SHIKSHA VARG: Tritiya Varsh Sangh Shiksha Varg of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh commenced at the Maharshi Vyas Sabhagriha, Dr. Hedgewar Smriti Bhavan premises in Reshimbagh, Nagpur from November 14.

While addressing the participants gathered from across the nation, Arun Jain, Palak Adhikhari of the varg, highlighted the importance of Sangh Shiksha Varg in Swayamsevak’s life. He said that trained Swayamsevak’s have a big role in social change. The faith and curiosity towards Hindutva and Bharat has increased in the world. The importance of the virtuous Bharatiya way of life has also come to the fore during the Corona period. Favourability towards Hindutva has increased. In such a situation, the responsibility of the swayamsevak’s increases and they are trained for it through Sangh Shiksha Varg. 632 swayamsevaks are undergoing training in this 25 day Varg. -GoTop

 
6. 400TH JANMAJAYANTI OF LACHIT BORPHUKAN CELEBERATED: On November 25, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi addressed the closing ceremony of the year-long celebrations of 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan. During the event in New Delhi, PM Modi also released the book - 'Lachit Borphukan - Assam's Hero who Halted the Mughals'.
Lachit Borphukan was the General of the Royal Army of the Ahom Kingdom of Assam who defeated the Mughals and successfully halted the ever-expanding ambitions of the Mughals under Aurangzeb.

On November 24, Home minister Amit Shah evoked the need to rewrite Bharat’s history to free it from distortions. He stated that a nation which does not derive pride from its glorious past and does not garner inspiration from its heroes can never create a bright future for itself and cannot create better citizens Urging historians and history students to identify 30 great empires of Bharat and 300 warriors, Shah said writing extensively on these warriors who showed exemplary valour to protect the motherland will bring out the truth and the distorted historical narratives will vanish on their own.
He was speaking at a plenary session of the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Barphukan. Shah said that the 400th year of Lachit Borphukan’s Jayanti has unveiled the stories of all the valorous heroes of Assam before the students of history to research and explore. These heroes includes Maharaj Prithu of Assam who defeated Bakhtiar Khilji in 1206 to Lachit Barphukan who defeated Mughals in 1671.
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7. SC: FORCED CONVERSION TO IMPERIL NATIONAL SECURITY: The Supreme Court on November 14 said that forced religious conversion may pose a danger to national security and impinge on the religious freedom of citizens. The apex court warned a “very difficult situation” will emerge if proselytisation through deception, allurement and intimidation is not stopped and asked the Centre to step in and make sincere efforts to tackle the “very serious” issue.
The apex court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking direction to the Centre and States to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversion by “intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits”.
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8. MAURITIUS SANGH SHIKSHA VARG: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Mauritius successfully conducted 7 days Sangh Shiksha Varga (SSV) from November 20 - 26 at DAV college in Morcellement Saint Andre village. 62 Swayamsevaks and 14 Sevikas from 14 places participated in this first post pandemic SSV. Bauddhik sessions were conducted on the vision and mission of HSS and essence of Prarthana.

On November 26, a path-sanchalan with ghosh was performed at Village Triolet. Around 130 people attended the samarop function on November 26. The highlight of the Samarop was demonstration of sharirik learned during the SSV. Chief guest of the Samarop Shri Govind, Chairman - Mauritius Sanatan Dharma Temple Federation, appreciated HSS activities and mentioned the need for such activities on a regular basis among the youth. Shri Jagan Mohan, HSS Pracharak, highlighted the global presence of HSS and the importance of sanskars. HSS Mauritius Karyavah Pawan Beekam and Sahsanghachalak Dr Riwij Oodum were also present on the occasion. -GoTop


9.  HINDU CIVILIZATION EXHIBITION, DARSHANA, CONTINUES TO BE WELL RECEIVED AT STATE CAPITOLS: The Hindu Community of Illinois held an exhibition, "Darshana – A Glimpse into Hindu Civilization," at the Illinois State Capitol Building in Springfield, Illinois, on November 15.

It was also introduced in the Illinois State House by State Representative Daniel Didech and on the State senate floor by State senators Laura Murphy, Ram Villivalam and Adriane Johnson. Over 40 state legislators attended the exhibition and provided positive feedback. This exhibition has already been showcased in 165 cities, including Capitol Hill (Washington D.C.), state capitols, City Halls, Universities, public libraries, schools, and inter-faith groups. -GoTop


10. RAMAYANA VAIBHAVAM CONTEST CONDUCTED: On October 1, South West Vibhag of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA organised 16 different contests for baal and shishus based on 16 Kalyana Gunas of Shri Rama with the aim to learn and imbibe the qualities of Shri Rama. 110 children participated in these contests and six new families were introduced to HSS.

' Ramayan Vaibhavam' contest was a unique for the fact that it focused on gunas rather than just the story of Ramayana. The activities for the contest included interviewing parent and grandparents regarding the gunas, talking about the gunas, categorising action scenarios as right/wrong, identifying incidents from their lives when such gunas were demonstrated and video, card and poster making. Along with the children even parents and grandparents were involved in discussing the gunas. Parents were happy to note children were able to relate to the gunas in their day to day lives. -GoTop


11. HSS DALLAS-FORTWORTH: SEWA DIWALI: On November 12, Plano Police Department helped the Sewa Diwali Dallas team with a mega food drop-off at the North Texas Food Bank.  More than forty communities in over sixty vehicles donated around 27892 pounds of food. HSS-SEWA volunteers of Dallas-Fortwoth worked together with multiple communities and Hindu American organizations to bring food to those in need.  Plano Police Department thanked HSS and Sewa International for coordinating and bringing all the communities and organizations together for this drive.
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12. OVER 40 MISSIONS HEADS VISITED CELLULAR JAIL: On November 25, more than 40 mission heads and international organisations visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the G20 curtain raiser. The delegates took a tour of the Cellular Jail where author and ideologue Veer Savarkar was lodged by the British. G20’s Bharat coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla and G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant accompanied the delegates during the tour.

Shri Kant said that the journey was started from Andamans because unsung freedom fighters of Bharat were imprisoned in the cellular jail there and so it was thought fit that many of our freedom fighters should tell their stories to all the foreigners and ambassadors, as well as leading international organisations and all the invitees. British High Commissioner to Bharat Alex Ellis said, “Cellular Jail, Port Blair is a part of the past here. It’s important for someone in my position to bear witness and acknowledge some of the shameful acts perpetrated there. It’s a place I show respect to and understanding of.”-GoTop


13. AYURVEDA DAY CELEBRATED IN BALI: In October, International Ayurveda Day with the theme of ‘Every Day, Everywhere Ayurveda’ was organised in Bali by International Centre for Cultural Studies in association with Universitas Hindu Indonesia, Fakultas Kesehatan Ayurweda UNHI and other organizations.

The activities included making Herbal Oil On Campus, medicinal plant gardening and Baksos (community social service) at Banjar Tembau Tengah, Denpasar.  Mr. Prakash Cand, Consul general, Consulate of Bharat in Bali attended the concluding event on October 23 in which Dr. Ida Bagus Sutama, Faculty of Health, UNHI, spoke on how traditional Balinese Health services can be uplifted and promoted through Ayurveda Day. Many scholars including Naveen Meghwal, director of Swami Vivekananda Indian Cultural centre, Drs. Ida Bagus Suatama Dean, health faculty of Ayurveda, Universitas Hindu Indonesia, Denpasar, Bali and Dr. Abhishek Joshi, Chair of Ayurveda, UNHI addressed the congress.
This event was intended to introduce Ayurveda and Usadha Bali to Balinese community and raise public awareness about living in harmony with nature through traditional medicine. -GoTop


14. MAURITIUSIAN PRESIDENT, WIFE PAY OBEISANCE AT RAM LAL VIRAJMAN AT AYODHYA: On November 21, a seven member delegation from Mauritius led by President Prithvirajsing Roopun and his wife Sanyukta Roopun paid obeisance at Ram Lala Virajman and offered prayers at Ayodhya.

The President also inspected the grand Ram temple being constructed in Ayodhya and was briefed about the construction updates. He also visited Hanuman Garhi, offered prayers at Kanak Bhawan and inspected Ram Ki Paidi with a boat ride in the Saryu river. President Roopun visited International Ram Katha and was presented a model of Bhagwan Ram temple and a prototype of Veena installed at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk. -GoTop


15. BHARATIYA CANADIAN APPOINTED VICE CHANCELLOR OF MCGILL UNIVERSITY: Bharatiya-origin academic H. Deep Saini has been appointed as Montreal-based McGill University’s 18th Principal and Vice-Chancellor, and will begin his five-year, renewable term from April next year. Saini, who grew up in Punjab, is currently President and Vice-Chancellor of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.

Saini completed his Master of Science (Honors) in Botany from Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhia Australia and a PhD in Plant Physiology from the University of Adelaide. He has earned several awards and recognitions, including honors from the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists, Nanjing University, Queen Elizabeth II Platinum and Diamond Jubilee Medals, in recognition of his service to education and Canada.-GoTop


16. BHARATIYAS STUDENTS INCREASED IN USA AND UK: The number of Bharatiya students in the United States increased by 19 per cent over last year to two lakh, according to an annual Open Doors report released by the Institution of International Education on November 14. The report, sponsored by the US Department of State, reveals the trend of international student exchange for the academic year 2021-22.
Surpassing Chinese nationals, Bharatiya students have now become the largest group of foreign students in the UK, according to the recently released latest Immigration Statistics Report. The data shows that there has been a 77 per cent increase since 2019 in study visas of Bharatiya students. The UK Home Office data collated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that Bharatiya continue to be the top nationality granted visas in the skilled worker category, with 56,042 granted work visas in the past year.  At 36 per cent of the total, they also represented the highest number of visas under the tailored Skilled Worker Health and Care visa.
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17. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors: D. N. Pathak - Tanzania, Abhinav Sharma - UK


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one’s own feet. - Swami Vivekananda
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JAI SHRI RAM

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SANATANA DHARMA IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Ravi K umar Iyyer

Environmentalists and economists, physicists and philosophers, linguists and storytellers, astrologers and astronomers, musicians to mathematicians, all have benefitted from Hinduism.
Hinduism is the third largest and the oldest surviving religion in the world with over one billion (100 crores) people belonging to the faith. Hinduism is not a religion but it is a unique faith. It is a way of life. The teachings of this religion have always attracted people from all around the world as they find in it something relevant to their lives. 
Environmentalists and economists, physicists and philosophers, linguists and storytellers, astrologers and astronomers, musicians to mathematicians, all have benefitted from Hinduism.

PUTIN’S RESPECT FOR HINDUISM : An incident took place in between Interviews of Indian PM Shri Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin and hosted by famous American journalist Megyn Kelly. In between interviews, Journalists asked PM Modi “President Putin said that Russia doesn’t engage in state-sponsored interference with other countries’ elections.
Do you believe that ?” PM Modi replied,” You are talking about America, Germany, Russia, President Trump, Mrs. Hillary, Chancellor Angela Markel, and President Putin. You have been talking about such big people. I don’t think, you need a lawyer like me in between all of you”. With such an unexpected and brilliant reply, the Audience who were sitting there couldn’t control themselves to applause.
President Putin laughingly replied “It’s very hard to deal with Hindus. You cannot trick them because their philosophy is very old. We are very simple people, we say what we think. 
LAWMAKERS’ PRIDE IN HINDUISM : Rishi Sunak the present Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Smt Kamla Persad Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad in 2010, Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and Alok Sharma England’s Member of Parliament in 2019 took the oath of office on Bhagwad Gita. Chandrika Persad
Santoshi, the present President of Suriname since 2020, took his oath holding Vedas and reciting Hindu Sanskrit shlokas and mantras. Dr. Gaurav Sharma, New Zealand’s Member of Parliament took oath in 2020 in Sanskrit - thereby becoming the first lawmaker in the country to do so. Basdeo Panday, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago charmed a massive 50,000-person crowd at January’s ‘Puja 2000,’ when he burst into Hanuman Chalisa, a popular Hindu song to Lord Hanuman. 
SANATANA DHARMA ATTRACTS HOLLYWOOD: Julia Roberts, one of Hollywood’s most successful actresses is a practicing Hindu. She said that it makes her a more compassionate and loving person. She has named her children Ganesh, Krishna Balram, and Mahalaxmi. Miley Cyrus, the pop singer, and actress is a Hindu worshiper. Sometimes back, she was in the news for sharing a picture of Lakshmi Pooja in her house. Angelina Jolie, the famous Hollywood star adopted a Buddhist child in 2002. Since then, Jolie accepted Buddhist learning as an integral part of her life. She has four Buddhist Sanskrit prayers of protection among her tattoos. Russell Brand, the famous comedian, and actor, follows transcendental meditation and actively follows Hinduism. He had a Hindu wedding with American celebrity Katy Perry in 2010 in a traditional Hindu ceremony near the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan. Robert Downey Jr, the Iron-Man star is a firm believer in the Hare Krishna ideology. Hugh Jackman the Wolverine star, follows the Upanishads and Bhagwad Gita. He has a Sanskrit inscription engraved wedding ring. Jackie Hung, a famous actor from Hong Kong and a martial arts expert is also deeply influenced by the Sanatan Dharma after a visit to Chennai. Ricky Williams,
a famous American soccer player has a deep interest in yoga, meditation, and Hindu rituals. He has an Aum tattoo on his right hand. 
SANATAN DHARMA’S SPIRITUALISM WILL SHOW THE PATH TO FUTURE BILLIONAIRES : Hindu Sadhu Neem Karoli Baba died in 1973 but continues to enchant several high-profile Americans including Hollywood actress Julia Roberts, Apple founder Steve Jobs and Daniel Goleman author of the best-selling book Emotional Intelligence. In 1974 Steve Jobs stayed in the ashram of Neem Karoli Baba. Baba’s favorite fruit the apple became the logo of one of the world's most renowned companies.
Influenced by Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, visited Neem Karoli Baba's ashram. Larry Brilliant took Google's Larry Page and Jeffrey Skoll, co-founder of eBay, on a pilgrimage to his ashram. George Harrison, who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles was attacked in 1999.
Harrison was hospitalized with more than 40 stab wounds, and
part of his punctured lung was removed. He released a statement soon afterward saying, “Adi Shankara, an Indian historical, spiritual person, once said, 'Life is fragile like a raindrop on a lotus leaf.' And you'd better believe it." A quotation from the Bhagavad Gita is included in his final album's liner notes: "There never was a time when you or I did not exist. Nor will there be any future when we shall cease to be."
Over half a million Russians and Ukrainians and thousands of Africans in Ghana have adopted Hinduism. Jagannath Rath Yatras, vegetarian restaurants, yoga centers, Sanskrit classes, and Bhagwad Gita study centers are a common scene in most cities of the world. St James Internationals are running more than 40 schools across the globe, where Sanskrit, Bhagwad Gita, Vedic Chantings, and Vedic Mathematics are compulsory.
CREMATION BECOMES POPULAR IN WESTERN NATIONS: Cremation is a Hindu method of the final disposition of a dead body through burning. Though burial is the norm in Christian-majority western nations more people are opting for cremations. The cremation rate varies considerably across countries with Japan reporting a 99% cremation rate. The cremation rate in the United Kingdom is 75.44%
in 2015 and the cremation rate in the United States in 2016 was 50.2 percent. As of 2019, countries like Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Tibet, Sri Lanka, South Korea, and Thailand have cremation rates ranging from 80% to 99%. During the corona pandemic authorities in many countries encouraged rapid cremations. Albert Einstein, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, Sigmund Freud, Walt Disney, and English poet PB Shelly are some of the celebrities who were cremated. Wangari Maathai, an environment activist from Kenya and the first African woman to receive a Nobel Peace Prize was cremated in a Hindu crematorium amidst chantings of the Bhagwad Gita.
George Harrison, the famous guitarist of the Beatles died in 2001 in the company of Hare Krishna devotees Shyama Sundar Das and Mukunda Goswami chanted verses from the Bhagavad Gita. He died peacefully with Hare Krishna prayers on his lips.
He was cremated in California. His close family scattered his ashes according to Hindu tradition in a private ceremony in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers near Varanasi, India. Action star Sylvester Stallone sent his family to Haridwar to perform a shradh of his son. Church attendance has dwindled in most western countries. Hundreds of Churches are being auctioned and purchased by BAPS, ISKCON, India, Fiji, Sri Lankan and
Afghan Hindu organizations and converted into Hindu Mandirs. Hindu celebrations in these temples attract Indian and western Hindu devotees in large numbers.
HINDUISM IN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES: When Ramayan and Mahabharat TV Serials were telecast in Bharat, millions of Bangladeshi and Pakistani viewers were glued to the TV screens. Even Kashmiri militants were in an undeclared truce mood. Children started addressing elders such as Pitashri, Mata-Shri, and Acharya-Shri. 
NAVROZ CELEBRATED BY LAKHS OF MUSLIMS DESPITE FATWAS : Hindu kings in 1300 BCE ruled the ancient Mitanni and Hittites kingdoms in Syria, the Levant, Anatolia, and parts of Turkey. They taught the Arabs, the use of horse chariots. Hittites and Mitanni's worshipped Hindu Gods Mitra, Varuna, Indra, and Nasatya (Ashvins). Jewish prophet Moses and his followers were able to escape from Egypt
only after the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II was challenged by the Hittite king. Yazidi tribes in the Sinjar mountain regions of Iraq still practice Hindu rituals like worship of snakes, peacocks, fire, aarti, etc. Umar Mohammed, the uncle of Prophet Mohammed wrote a Shiv Stuti in the Arabic language.
The same is engraved in one of the pillars in the yagna mandap in Birla Mandir, New Delhi. Navroz is the New year celebrated by lakhs of Muslims in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan and Uyghuristan (Xinjiang). Navroz is based on the Islamic calendar. In the Islamic world, calendric calculations devised by Aryabhata formed the basis of the Jalali calendar was introduced in 1073 CE. Fatwa after fatwas by Islamic clerics has not deterred the masses from celebrating this pre-Islamic Hindu festival. As one Afghan minister clarified, ‘when I say I am a Muslim, I am 1400 years old; but when I celebrate
Navroz I become 6,000 years old.’ 
BHAGWAD GITA - LOVE AND HATE STORIES OF TWO PRIME MINISTERS OF TURKEY : After the 1971 military crackdown on the left, the Upanishads, Gita, and Tagore’s Geetanjali were banned in Turkey. These books had been found, along with the writings of Karl Marx, F. Engels, and V.I. Lenin, in the custody of the university leftist students. But the ban on Indian writings was lifted soon. The Turks have a lot of regard for India, its leaders, civilization, culture, and democracy, despite their support to Pakistan on Kashmir in exchange for the latter’s support of Cyprus.
Bulent Ecevit, a Sanskrit and Bengali scholar opposed the 1971 ultimatum issued by the military.
He translated some poems from Bhagwad Gita and Gitanjali. He served as the Prime Minister of Turkey four times between 1974 and 2002. While one Prime Minister banned Gita and Gitanjali in 1971, Ecevit, the other PM not only lifted the ban but also translated portions of the two books. 
Millions of Muslims in Indonesia join Hinduism:
Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population. But they also have 60 Lac Hindus, mostly in Bali and Java. Majority of the Muslims are proud of their Hindu ancestry. The official mascot of the 1997 Southeast Asian Games played in Indonesia was the Ramayana epic character "Hanuman". The Ramayana, known in Java, Indonesia as Kakawin Ramayana is an Indian epic, which spread into Southeast Asia including the Indonesian archipelago during ancient times. It not only exists in oral and literary works but also serves as the underlying theme for art performances and as the inspiration for other works, such as sculptures, paintings, and literature. Parisada Hindu Dharma, the largest Hindu organization in Indonesia, has succeeded in reconverting millions of Muslims back to Sanatan Dharma through a ritual called Shudhi Wadani. Ifa Sudevi is the Chief Judge of Indonesia. She was a born Muslim. In 2002 Islamic terrorists attacked the country with explosives. She gave the death sentence to all the terror convicts. One of the convicts was even an Imam. After spelling out her judgment, she studied Sanatan Dharma deeply and converted to Hinduism. Kanjen Raden Mahendrani, the princess of Java, the capital of Indonesia, re-converted to Hinduism after she went through a Shudhi Wadani Ritual on July 17, 2017. Sukmawati Sukarnoputri, 69, the daughter of Sukarno, Indonesia’s founding father and the first president also converted from Islam to Hinduism in 2021. 

GROWING HINDUISM IN ARAB COUNTRIES: In October 2022, the Hindu Festival of Lights, Diwali, was celebrated at the BAPS Hindu Mandir by over 10,000 devotees for the third consecutive year. His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Co-existence of the UAE, after lighting a lamp, wished everyone a very happy and luminous Diwali.
Earlier Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, and International Day of Yoga were also celebrated in the midst of thousands of devotees and Arab dignitaries. Thousands of Arab men and women have taken a liking for Hindu Bhajans, Ramayana, Mahabharat, Gita, yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda. During the visit to Sant Murari Bapu, an Arab lady carried the holy book Ramayana on her head and the Arab dignitary welcomed the audience by uttering Jai Siya Ram. If a Hindu Mandir can come to Arabia before Ayodhya, we can expect Hindu mandirs in Mecca and Madina before Mathura and another mandir in the Vatican before Varanasi. 
WHAT WE HINDUS SHOULD DO; ¨ Hindus should prepare a dictionary showing Sanskrit-based words in Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Russian, and other languages. This will help the neo-Hindus to feel proud. ¨ Short plays based on the moral, family, and eternal values of Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagwad Gita should be uploaded in different foreign languages and in Urdu and Kashmiri languages to foster enduring peace. ¨ Efforts should be made to start radio and TV Programs to attract lacs of Baluchs, Sindhis, Iranis, Arabs, Chinese, Indonesians, Marathi-speaking Jews in Israel, Russians, Lithuanians, and Spanish listeners. https://www.newsbharati.com/Encyc/2022/11/15/Hinduism-in-21st-century.html
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