\Samvad

Paush  Shukla 14 Vik. Samvat 2078, Yugabda 5123 : 16 January, 2022:SM 3020 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: VASANT PANCHAMI 2. RASHTRIYA SWYAMSEVAK SANGH: AKHIL BHARATIYA SAMANVAY BAITHAK
3. CASTE BARRIERS A HINDRANCE TO UNITY:DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT 4. RECOGNISE UNSUNG FREEDOM FIGHTERS: PM MODI
5. DECEMBER 26 TO BE OBSERVED AS 'VEER BAAL DIWAS': PM MODI 6. VENKAIAH NAIDU LAUDS BHARATIYA AMERICAN PHYSICIANS
7. PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS CELEBRATED 8. BICAS ODIA SAMAJ CELEBRATED NATIONAL YOUTH DAY IN BAHRAIN
9. GLOBAL SURYA NAMASKAR DEMONSTRATION ON MAKAR SANKRANTI 10. HOUSTON CHAPTER OF SEWA INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATES A YEAR OF DEDICATION, ACHIEVEMENTS
11. MARSHALL WILDFIRE SEWA 12. SEWA CANADA AID TO NEPAL
13. BHARAT SUPPLIES SECOND BATCH OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN 14. SENIOR SCIENTIST S SOMANATH APPOINTED AS NEW ISRO CHIEF
15. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTS QUALIFICATION TESTS OF CRYOGENIC ENGINE FOR GAGANYAAN 16. SUPERSONIC CRUISE MISSILE TEST SUCCESSFUL
17. JAN SHATABDI CONNECTING TRIPURA AND MANIPUR INAUGURATED 18. BHARATIYA PASSPORT HAS VISA FREE ACCESS IN 60 COUNTRIES
19. TASNIM MIR BECOMES FIRST BHARATIYA JUNIOR WOMEN'S SINGLE'S WORLD NUMBER ONE 20. OBITUARY: ‘MOTHER OF ORPHANS’ SINDHUTAI SAPKAL
21. OBITUARY: SHRI GYANESHWAR DAYAL 22. 84 KOSI PARIKRAMA MARG OF BRAJ TO BE DEVELOPED: NITIN GADKARI
23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Article:  HINDUTVA: THE BALANCE BETWEEN PRIDE AND ANGER

1. FESTIVALS: VASANT PANCHAMI  (February 5 this year) is a festival that marks the arrival of spring and sets off the preparation for Holika and Holi which takes place forty days later. It is also the day of Saraswati Puja.
In Bali and among Indonesian Hindus, Hari Raya Saraswati (the festival's local name) is celebrated with prayers in family compounds, educational institutions and public venues.

In Nepal, Bihar, West Bengal, Tripura and Assam, Saraswati pujas are arranged in schools. In Bangladesh, educational institutes and universities observe it with a holiday and a special puja.
On this day, children start their learning process in a ceremony named 'Khadi-Chuan' or 'Vidya-Arambha'.
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2. RASHTRIYA SWYAMSEVAK SANGH - AKHIL BHARATIYA SAMANVAY BAITHAK: The three-day Samanvay baithak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was held from January 5 to 7 at Rashtriya Vidya Kendram in Bhagyanagar. Addressing a press meet, Sah Sarkaryavah Dr. Manmohan Vaidya said that swayamsevaks are working in different sections of society through various organisations. 36 such independent and autonomous organisations participated in this meet. 216 representatives including 24 women were expected of which 91% attended. The representatives deliberated on malnutrition eradication, initiatives for employment generation and Bharat centric education.

The contributions for Bharat’s independence of 250 valorous and unsung heroes including those from the SC and ST have been documented by organizations working in the intellectual sphere. Sanskar Bharati has made 75 skits and dramas to recognize their contributions.
Sangh shakhas which were closed during first pandemic have restarted now and 55000 shakhas are being conducted across the country.
While answering questions, Dr. Vaidya explained that Sangh works to consolidate the entire society and an alert society will solve its problems. He informed that through the Samajika Samarasta initiatives, swayamsevaks are working to eradicate caste discrimination and bring social harmony and that intellectuals across the country are bringing awareness for decolonization in various fields.
Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, Shri Sunil Ambekar also participated in the press meet.
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3. CASTE BARRIERS A HINDRANCE TO UNITY:DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: Addressing a select audience from different walks of life in Kalaburagi, Karnataka on January 12, RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat highlighted the need for social equality among Hindus and said casteism is an obstacle to Hindu unity.
He added that since its inception, the RSS has propagated the ancient values of Hinduism which stands for unity in diversity, humanity and a life of character. Dr. Bhagwat interacted with the dignitaries who were present on the occasion and addressed their questions and concerns.
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4. RECOGNISE UNSUNG FREEDOM FIGHTERS: PM MODI: While inaugurating the 25th National Youth Festival in Puducherry on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi asked the youth to do research on forgotten freedom fighters who did not get recognition and bring them to the forefront. During the event on January 12, PM Modi unveiled selected essays on “Mere Sapno ka Bharat” and “Unsung Heroes of Indian Freedom Movement” via video-conferencing. These essays were selected from submissions by over 1 lakh youth on the two themes.
PM Modi also inaugurated a Technology Centre of the MSME Ministry in Puducherry and the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Manimandapam - an auditorium with an open-air theatre - in Tamil Nadu.
He also noted the added significance of this year as the celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo and the 100th death anniversary of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathi is falling in the same period.
PM Modi said that the youth of the country has always come forward in times of need. He cited examples of Aadi Shankracharya who stitched the country in the thread of unity when the national consciousness got divided, the sacrifices of Sahibjaade of Guru Gobind Singh and the supreme sacrifice of young revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who came forward to dedicate their lives for the country.
Several Union Ministers and Chief Minister of Puducherry Shri N. Rangaswamy virtually attended the function.
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5. DECEMBER 26 TO BE OBSERVED AS 'VEER BAAL DIWAS': PM MODI - On the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh’s Jayanti on January 9, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi announced that as a tribute to the courage of Sahibzades (Guru Gobind Singh's sons) and their quest for justice, December 26 will be observed as 'Veer Baal Diwas'.
On December 26, 1705, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh attained martyrdom after being sealed alive in a wall by Aurangazeb. PM Modi tweeted that these two greats preferred death instead of deviating from the noble principles of Dharma. He added that the bravery and ideals of Mata Gujri, Sri Guru Gobind Singh and the 4 Sahibzades who never bowed to injustice gives strength to millions of people .
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6. VENKAIAH NAIDU LAUDS BHARATIYA AMERICAN PHYSICIANS: Addressing the 15th Annual Global Healthcare Summit 2022 organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in Hyderabad on January 5, Uprashtrapati Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu praised Bharatiya American medical professionals for “making their mark in every corner of the world” and being the “personification of our nation’s civilizational value of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.”
He observed that AAPI has proved to be beneficial not only to Bharatiya-origin American physicians, but to Bharatiya healthcare as well.
The Uprashtrapati complimented AAPI for raising $5 million during the second wave of the pandemic and its ‘Adopt a Village’ program in Bharat.
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7. PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS CELEBRATED: The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated to recognise the contribution of overseas Bharatiya community towards the growth and development of Bharat. January 9 was chosen for PBD as it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi returned to Bharat from South Africa. A virtual global Youth Conference PBD 2022 was organized with the theme - “Role of Diaspora Youth in Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav – Innovation and New Technologies.”
Addressing the conference, Minister of State for External Affairs Shri V Muraleedharan said that the Bharatiya diaspora serves as a living bridge connecting Bharat to the world and hailed its achievements. He added that even as they hold esteemed positions, leading from the front in their respective spheres, they retain and nurture an abiding bond and interest in staying connected with their roots and upholding their traditions, rites and rituals, culture, cuisine and language.
The minister also spoke extensively about the success stories of the diaspora and mentioned the achievements of Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Twitter CEO Parag Agarwal, Inmarsat CEO Rajeev Suri and Chanel CEO Leena Nair.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also greeted the Bharatiya diaspora on the occasion of PBD. In a tweet, he said that their achievements are a source of pride for us.
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8. BICAS ODIA SAMAJ CELEBRATED NATIONAL YOUTH DAY IN BAHRAIN: With the help of the Bharatiya Embassy in Bahrain, the Odia Samaj affiliated to the Bahrain India Cultural and Art Society (BICAS) observed the National Youth Day on January 12.
Vishwa Vibhag sah-sanyojak Dr Ram Vaidya inaugurated the programme. Speaking on the occasion, he said that nation-building is never a part-time job and it is necessary for all of us to put the ideologies of Swami Vivekananda into practice in a productive way.
Bharatiya Embassy Second Secretary Ihajas Islam and BICAS vice-president and Odia Samaj founder Dr Arun Kumar Praharaj spoke on the life and ideology of Vivekananda.
A Nrutya Natika on Swami Vivekananda was also presented on the occasion.
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9. GLOBAL SURYA NAMASKAR DEMONSTRATION ON MAKAR SANKRANTI: Under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative, AYUSH Ministry organised a global Surya Namaskar demonstration - ‘Surya Namaskar For Vitality'. Around one crore people globally took part in the virtual demonstration on Makar Sankranti, January 14 and shared videos of them performing the 'Surya Namaskar’.
The programme was launched virtually by Union AYUSH minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of State Munjapara Mahendrabhai.
Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, ‘Art of Living’ founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and many other dignitaries participated in the event.
Tamaki Hoshi, 2021 Miss World Japan, joined the event and said that a large number of Japanese people have included yoga in their daily routine.
President of Italy Yoga Institute Dr Antoniette Rossi, President of American Yoga Academy Dr Indranil Basu Roy and members of the Singapore Yoga also participated in the event.
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10. HOUSTON CHAPTER OF SEWA INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATES A YEAR OF DEDICATION, ACHIEVEMENTS: On December 12, Sewa International’s Houston, Texas, chapter held a gala celebration highlighting the year-round work of its volunteers. The theme of the event was “local presence and global impact" and it showcased SI’s accomplishments in responding to and combating the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as serving the local communities and making an impact beyond the city’s borders.
Bharatiya Consul General Aseem R. Mahajan, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine Dr. Peter Hotez attended the event.
Shri Mahajan commended SI for working with several community initiatives in organizing food distribution, imparting education, and offering other services in a demanding and challenging year.
Mr. Hotez said that he valued working hand in hand with the Bharatiya government's extraordinary developers of the COVAXIN vaccine in Hyderabad. Rep. Fletcher thanked Sewa International for working tirelessly in responding to COVID-19 affected families in the community in recent years. 
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11. MARSHALL WILDFIRE SEWA: The wildfire that swept through suburban areas between Denver and Boulder of Colorado, USA on December 30 was among the most destructive in the state’s history, destroying almost 1,000 homes and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents.
The Hindu Temple of Colorado, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA and Sewa International, working with many other local organizations, came forward to help in many ways.
Sewa International is helping the families in need of shelter, water, food, other essentials or any other help that is needed to support the community during this difficult time. It has released an initial set of funds ($5000) to help the community with relief efforts.
With the help of more than 50 volunteers, 375 meals were cooked and distributed to local community members and relief volunteers. 
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12. SEWA CANADA AID TO NEPAL: SEWA Canada continued its COVID aid to strengthen the health infrastructure in Nepal.
Medical equipment & supplies were provided by Sewa Canada International to local government health care authorities/hospitals to counter COVID-19 in Galchhi Village in Bagmati Province, GP Koirala Respiratory Centre, Tanahun and Primary Healthpost in Barhadashi, Jhapa.
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13. BHARAT SUPPLIES SECOND BATCH OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN: On January 1, Bharat supplied the second batch of ‘humanitarian assistance’ consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan. An MEA statement said that it was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul and that another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. Earlier in December, Bharat delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through World Health Organization.
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14. SENIOR SCIENTIST S SOMANATH APPOINTED AS NEW ISRO CHIEF: Scientist Dr. S Somanath is all set to take over as the new Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), succeeding Dr. K. Sivan.
Dr. Somanath did mechanical engineering from the TKM College of Engineering, Kerala and joined the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) centre in Kerala in 1985. He later did his Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore with specialisation in Dynamics and Control. At ISRO, he has been associated with both the Polar and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV and GSLV) projects. He was also the Deputy Director of Propulsion and Space Ordinance Entity till November 2014. Dr. Somanath is currently the Director of the VSSC and will take charge as the Chairman of ISRO.
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15. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTS QUALIFICATION TESTS OF CRYOGENIC ENGINE FOR GAGANYAAN: On January 13, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted qualification tests of the Cryogenic Engine for Gaganyaan human space programme.
The ISRO Propulsion Complex in Tamil Nadu conducted the test for 720 seconds duration and met the test objectives. A release by ISRO said that the engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test. This successful long duration test is a major milestone for the Human Space programme Gaganyaan. The engine will further undergo four more tests for a cumulative duration of 1810 seconds to complete the cryogenic engine qualification for the Gaganyaan programme.
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16. SUPERSONIC CRUISE MISSILE TEST SUCCESSFUL: On January 11, Bharat successfully test-fired the indigenously designed and manufactured Brahmos supersonic cruise missile. It was a validation test of the naval variant of the missile jointly manufactured by Russia and Bharat.
The missile was fired from a stealth guided-missile destroyer and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said that the missile hit the designated target “precisely”.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that successful launch of the missile reconfirmed the robustness of Bharatiya Navy’s “mission readiness”.
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17. JAN SHATABDI CONNECTING TRIPURA AND MANIPUR INAUGURATED: In a historic event for the entire Northeast, the first Janshatabdi express train connecting Manipur and Tripura via Assam was virtually flagged off by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, on January 8.
Agartala–Jiribam Janshatabdi inaugural special trains were flagged off from Agartala and Jiribam railway stations simultaneously. The inauguration programme was attended by Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region G. Kishan Reddy, Chief Minister of Manipur Nongthombam Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb and other dignitaries. The Janshatabdi train will provide direct connectivity to the people of Manipur going to Tripura for educational and health facilities, and the people of Tripura also gets an opportunity to visit Manipur for trade, tourism etc., thus boosting the overall economy of the region.
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18. BHARATIYA PASSPORT HAS VISA FREE ACCESS IN 60 COUNTRIES: Bharat’s passport power has improved this quarter compared to 2021. It now ranks at 83rd position in the Henley Passport Index, climbing seven places from 90th rank last year.
Since 2005, Henley Passport Index ranks world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa and is based on data from International Air Transport Association (IATA). Bharat now has visa-free access to 60 destinations worldwide with Oman and Armenia being the latest additions. Bharat has added 35 visa-free destinations since 2006.
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19. TASNIM MIR BECOMES FIRST BHARATIYA JUNIOR WOMEN'S SINGLE'S WORLD NUMBER ONE: Young shuttler Tasnim Mir became the first Bharatiya to claim the world no 1 ranking in under-19 girls singles in the latest Badminton World Federation junior rankings. 16-year-old Mir jumped three places to reach the top position in the junior world rankings in the women's singles category with 10,810 points.
Tasnim, who hails from Gujarat, has won 4 junior international tournaments, with 3 of them - Bulgarian Junior Championship, Alpes International, and Belgian Junior coming in 2021.
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20. OBITUARY: ‘MOTHER OF ORPHANS’ SINDHUTAI SAPKAL: The 'Mother of orphans' and Padma Shri recipient, Sindhutai Sapkal, breathed her last in the Galaxy Care Hospital, Pune on January 4. She was 73 years old. The entire life of Sindhutai - popularly known as “Mai” – is an inspiration.
Born on November 14, 1948, in the Wardha district of Maharashtra, Sindhutai dropped out of school after she had passed the 4th standard and had to face many hardships in life. However, overcoming these circumstances, she started working for orphans' welfare. She ran an orphanage - Sanmati Bal Niketan Sanstha - near Hadapsar in Pune and adopted more than 1,000 orphan children over her long career and has received several awards for her social service.  
In 2010, a Marathi biopic on her life, ‘Mee Sindhutai Sapkal’, was released and selected for the world premiere at the 54th London Film Festival.
President Ram Nath Kovind expressed condolences at the demise of Sindhutai and said that her life was an inspiring saga of courage, dedication and service. Expressing his grief over Sindhutai’s demise, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi said that she will be remembered for her noble service to society.
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21. OBITUARY: SHRI GYANESHWAR DAYAL - senior swayamsevak - passed away on January 10 at his residence in Munich, Germany. Shri Dayal was a sangh swayamsevak since childhood. He lived in Munich, Germany for more than 50 years and worked as a scientist at Max-Plank Institute. He actively represented Bharatiya diaspora through Jansangh, Friends of India and was also involved in philanthropic activities in Bharat. He was the backbone of Sangh activities in Germany.

Expressing grief over the demise of Shri Dayal, RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale said that his yeoman contribution to Hindu society and the noble cause of Bharat and humanity will be cherished for long. -GoTop
 

22. 84 KOSI PARIKRAMA MARG OF BRAJ TO BE DEVELOPED: NITIN GADKARI: On January 7, Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the 84 Kosi Parikrama Marg of Braj (around Mathura) will be declared as a National Highway (NH) and it will be developed on the lines of Parikrama Marg of Ayodhya.

Gadkari made this announcement while virtually laying the foundation stone for 10 NH projects in Mathura totaling 336 km. Shri Gadkari said that the road would connect all religious places on the route and pilgrims would get a feeling of the life and teachings of Bhagwan Krishna.  -GoTop


23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN:Pravas: Visitors: Satya Narayan and Vaidik Kothari - Indonesia; Ashish Channavar - UK


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: This is the gist of all worship - to be pure and to do good to others. - Swami Vivekananda.
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JAI SHRI RAM

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HINDUTVA: THE BALANCE BETWEEN PRIDE AND ANGER

The core mission of the RSS, re-establishing the centrality of Hindu cultural and civilisational identity in India's national life, has become a reality. In 2022, the sangh needs to correct the misconceptions arising out of it. : Ram Madhav (Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini Sadasya, RSS)
On the new year day, Mohan Bhagwat, Sarsanghachalak of the RSS addressed a gathering of eminent citizens in Bengaluru. He was there not to talk about Hindu Rashtra or about Hindus Muslim relations, but about ‘Paryavaran’ – environment. Long considered an NGO domain, the RSS is now looking at it as an area of interest. A new wing – Paryavaran Gatividhi – climate activism – has been added to the roster of the RSS recently.
Not just environment, the RSS inspired NGO activism can now be found in many other areas including healthcare, education, and social welfare. ‘Saksham’ is one such NGO that works among the disabled, whom the RSS had christened as ‘Divyang’, much before the government started using that term. During the crisis months of Covid pandemic, the RSS had quietly organized extensive training programs for over a lakh of village health volunteers across the country who were given basic training by experienced doctors to tackle any future wave of the pandemic. From running primary and secondary institutions, the RSS members are now venturing into setting up universities and institutions of excellence.
Coupled with this NGO style activism is the focused effort to correct the image and perception. In the last more than a decade, the RSS has quietly increased its outreach through a new activity called Vishesh Sampark – targeted reach out. All senior functionaries including Bhagwat undertake regular initiatives of reaching out to the influencers in the society to explain the cause of the RSS. The RSS chief is reaching out to leaders of Muslim, Christian and other communities exhorting them to overcome prejudices and know the RSS from the horse’s mouth.

Extending it further, the RSS has now embarked on the task of reaching out to political, academic, intellectual, religious and social leaders in dozens of countries across the world in an effort to address the disinformation challenge and affect image makeover globally.
A new confidence is conspicuous in the once reticent organization these days. This confidence stems from the fact that the core mission that it has pursued for over ten decades – reestablishing the centrality of Hindu cultural and civilizational identity in India’s national life – has now become a reality. Hindutva occupies national centerstage today. Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader wants to call himself a Hindu; so is Mamta Benarjee, leader of the Trinamool Congress. Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi has made budget allocation for a free pilgrimage to Ayodhya for Ramlala’s darshan for all the city’s senior citizens.
It was inconceivable a decade ago. Dominant political discourse in India’s post-independence decades was centered around secularism. Hindu, Hindutva and Hinduism were relegated to the fringes and dubbed communal. Renowned Hindu Mahasabha leader N B Khare’s description of Jawahar Lal Nehru as a “Hindu by accident” came to be identified with the mainstream polity in all these years. A false notion of secularism that got equated with rejection of Hindu identity as majoritarianism and yet pandering to minorityism in the same breath had become the dominant political discourse after independence.
That distorted notion of secularism, dubbed by many Hindutva protagonists as pseudo-secularism, has now been rejected by majority of Indians. To call oneself a Hindu is no longer a matter of hesitation or shame. Even prominent Congress leaders are writing books about Hindu history and civilization. No less credit for it should go to the RSS.
Every movement passes through four stages, Gandhi used to say – “First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they attack you. Then you win”. Many movements lose steam during the first three stages. The RSS has successfully passed through all of them and emerged as the national mainstream, overcoming ridicule and rejection. Not many organizations have survived for a century. But the RSS has not only survived but growing.
Besides more than fifty thousand Shakhas, the RSS activity today spawns across lakhs of villages in the country. One barometer for assessing its spread and influence could be the recent campaign for mobilizing financial support for the Ram Janma Bhumi temple at Ayodhya. Undertaken earlier this year, thousands of RSS cadres had reached out and secured support from over 13 crore (130 million) Indians, that included people from all parties, social groups and even members of other religions like the Muslims and Christians. No other social organization can claim such an expansive reach and connect with the ordinary masses.
As it nears its centenary and embarks on a course befitting its strength as well as the need of the changing times, the organization is faced with some critical challenges. Although emerged as the fulcrum of Hindu civilizational reassertion, it is still subject to scrutiny and criticism. Its exponential growth has resulted not only in organizational spread but also in influence of its thought process, the latter many times higher than the former. In fact, the RSS outside the Shakhas is much larger than that inside. And it is not necessary that the discipline found inside can be found outside too.
That puts greater onus on the RSS leadership. Mohan Bhagwat understands it. He faced sharp criticism from that section when he talked about ‘common DNA of all Indians’ sometime ago. His original emphasis was on telling the Muslims that they were not alien to the cultural-civilizational life of this ancient nation. But when he reiterated recently that “the DNA of all the people of India from 40,000 years ago is the same as that of the people today”, it was probably his response to those angry sections, and also a likely theme for the organization in coming years.
There is widespread Hindu pride in India today, not necessarily against any other community or religion. There is also Hindu anger in some sections – a sense of persecution, genuine or otherwise – triggered by the acts like proselytism and Islamic radicalism. While pursuing its centenarian agenda, the challenge for the RSS will be to find a balance between the pride and anger, ensuring that neither spill over. (Ref: https://www.rammadhav.in)
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\Samvad

Paush Krishna 14 Vik. Samvat 2078, Yugabda 5123 : 1 January, 2022:SM 3019 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: MAKAR SANKRANTI

2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHCHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT

3. SOUL OF BHARAT IS HINDU — DATTATREYA HOSABALE

4. BHARAT CELEBRATED SWARNIM VIJAY DIWAS

5. NEED TO INDIANISE EDUCATION SYSTEM: VENKAIAH NAIDU

6. MAHAMANA MADAN MOHAN MALAVIYA UTILIZED SCIENCE TO FIGHT AGAINST THE BRITISH

7. RASHTRIYA SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH PRAHAR DIWAS

8. SURYANAMASKAR MAHAYAGYA: MYANMAR

9. SE SAMBHAG PRATHAMIK SANGH SHIKSHA VARGA : USA

10. HSS UK: 5 YEARS OF UK PARLIAMENT WEEK PARTICIPATION

11. HINDU SEVAI SANGAM MALAYSIA RELIEF WORK

12. SEWA VOLUNTEERS HELP TORNADO VICTIMS

13. BLOOD DONATION DRIVE BY HSS JAPAN

14. HINDU COMMUNITY IN MADAGASCAR HELPS FIGHT DROUGHT

15. NATIONAL MEETINGS OF VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS

16. UK HINDUS TO GET FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT CREMATORIUM

17. ‘DURGA PUJA IN KOLKATA’ ON THE REPRESENTATIVE LIST OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY

18. FARMING RETURNS TO LOC AFTER 20 YEARS

19. DRDO CONDUCTS MAIDEN LAUNCH OF NEW GENERATION SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILE

20. BHARAT TOPS MEDAL TALLY AT JUNIOR SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Articles: TIME TO DEVELOP A MODEL FOR MANAGEMENT OF HINDU TEMPLES 


1. FESTIVALS: MAKAR SANKRANTI  is a harvest festival dedicated to Surya Bhagwan. It is observed each year on the day (January 14) the Sun enters Capricorn zodiac. Makar Sankranti is also known as Magh Bihu in Assam, Maghi (preceded by Lohri) in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Maghe Sankranti (Nepal), Songkran (Thailand), Thingyan (Myanmar), Mohan Songkran (Cambodia), and Shishur Sankrat (Kashmir).

Different rituals and activities are carried out in different communities to celebrate the festival, including kite flying. Preparations made from til or sesame seeds and jaggery are common on Makar Sankranti. The festivities mark their respect for the earth's bounty and celebrate the end of winter. -GoTop

2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHCHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat was the keynote speaker at the ‘Godavari Sangamam’ programme held on December 26 in Palakollu, West Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh. The program was attended by 12,736 swayamsevaks. On the occasion, he said that attending the Sangh Shakha every day will make a positive change in our lives and enhance the qualities of swayamsevaks. Head of the Nagarjuna Construction Company Shri Alluri Venkata Narasimha Raju was the Chief Guest and Kshetra Sanghachalak Shri Doosi Ramakrishna and Prant Sanghachalak Shri Nagareddy Hari Kumar Reddy were also present on the occasion.
On December 15, Dr Bhagwat attended the Hindu Ekata Mahakumbh conclave in Chitrakoot and administered the Hindu unity oath to the attendees. The attendees pledged to work for the upkeep and enrichment of the Hindu culture, Hindu dharma and Hindu society. The emphasis of the saints and seers, who participated in the conclave, was on the unity of the Hindu society. Founder of ‘Art of Living’ Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and many other personalities from several sections of the society also attended the event.
On December 20, Dr Bhagwat met Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at McLeodganj in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh.
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3. SOUL OF BHARAT IS HINDU — DATTATREYA HOSABALE: While addressing a kutumb prabodhan program at Dr. MPS School in Sikandra, Agra, Uttar Pradesh on December 23, RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale said that the identity of Bharat is that of Hindu Rashtra and the soul of Bharat is also Hindu.
He added that the unit of the society is the family and there can be no nation without the family. He also said that that in our families we learn culture, values etc which is useful throughout our life. 
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4. BHARAT CELEBRATED SWARNIM VIJAY DIWAS: On December 16, Bharat celebrated the 50th anniversary of Swarnim Vijay Diwas - its victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war that led to redrawing of the political map of South Asia.
Rashtrapati Shri Ram Nath Kovind was the "Guest of Honour" at the Victory Day Parade in Dhaka. A 122-member strong tri-services contingent from Bharat also took part in the parade. Addressing the Victory Day celebrations in Dhaka, Rashtrapati Kovind said that the 1971 struggle for freedom of Bangladesh has a special place in the hearts of every Bharatiya.
Four Vijay Mashaals, which were taken to various parts of Bharat during the last one year - including villages of the awardees of Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra of the 1971 war - were merged into the eternal flame of National War Memorial in Delhi by Pradhan Mantri Shri Narendra Modi. The event was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the three service chiefs.
Bharatiya parliament also paid tributes to Bangladeshi freedom fighters and Bharatiya armed forces with Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla remembering the exemplary courage displayed by them.
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5. NEED TO INDIANISE EDUCATION SYSTEM: VENKAIAH NAIDU: Rishiwood University, which aims to prepare leaders in the coming generations for social impact and nation-building, held its inauguration ceremony on December 18 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. On the occasion, Uprashtrapati Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu called for Indianising the education system based on Bharat’s great wealth of ancient wisdom, knowledge, traditions and heritage. Suggesting that the colonial education system has created an inferiority complex and diffidence in people, he called for a value-based transformation in the education system, as envisioned by the National Education Policy 2020.
The inauguration ceremony was hosted by Founding Chancellor & Rajya Sabha member Shri Suresh Prabhu. Founding members like Motilal Oswal, Dr Chinmay Pandya and Ashok Goel also expressed their thoughts at the event. Books authored by Rishiwood faculty members and founders were released by Uprashtrapati Shri Naidu.
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6. MAHAMANA MADAN MOHAN MALAVIYA UTILIZED SCIENCE TO FIGHT AGAINST THE BRITISH: On January 26, an event was organized by Mahamana Malaviya Mission to commemorate the 160th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya at NDMC convention center in Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion, National Organising Secretary of Vijnana Bharati, Jayant Sahasrabudhe said that Mahamana Malaviya was a warrior of Bharatiya freedom struggle and he utilized science as a way to fight against the British.
Chief Guest of the event Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah expressed his feelings about Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya and said that the credit of laying the foundation of modern Bharatiya nationalism in the Bharatiya independence movement goes to Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya .
He added that Pt. Malaviya was not just a person but an institution.
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7. RASHTRIYA SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH PRAHAR DIWAS: On the occasion of Vijay Diwas - Bharat’s victory over Pakistan in 1971 - Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh organized Prahar Diwas across its shakhas on December 16.
36,063 shakhas and 4938 weekly milans organized such events all over Bharat. More than 4.5 lakh swayamsevaks participated in it and performed around 250 million prahars.
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8. SURYANAMASKAR MAHAYAGYA: MYANMAR: Sanatan Dharma Swayamsevak Sangh, SDSS Myanmar is conducting a round the year Suryanamaskar Mahayagya from July 21, 2021 to July 20, 2022. During the first 21 weeks of this nationwide drive, 555 registered swayamsevaks and sevikas organised Suryanamaskar Mahayagya at different places and participants performed more than 5 lakh Suryanamaskars.
On reaching the milestone of 5 lakh Suryanamaskars, Sanghachalak of SDSS Myanmar Shri Bajrang Lal Sharma congratulated the swayamsevaks, sevikas and other yoga lovers and urged them to continue this endeavour in the coming days.
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9. SE SAMBHAG PRATHAMIK SANGH SHIKSHA VARGA : USA - The South East Sambhag of USA conducted the Prathamik Sangh Shiksha Varga (SSV) from November 25 to 28. 43 shiksharthis from all 4 vibhags of the sambhag participated in the SSV along with 14 shikshaks and 4 prabandhaks. Shiksharthis were divided into 4 ganas based on their age and gender. All the shiksharthis got trained in shareerik activities - niyuddha, samata, danda, yogchap, shikshan vidhi, acharpaddhati and ghosh (vamshi). Boudhik activities included chintan satra, boudhiks, charcha, samvad etc. Planning started 5 weeks before the SSV dates. A week before the varg, shareerik e-abhyas varg was conducted to review the syllabus with shikshaks. Boudhik team also conducted separate calls for charcha, samvad, prarthana and boudhik with the assigned shikshaks. This resulted in the smooth execution of the varg and left a positive imprint in the minds of the shiksharthis.
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10. HSS UK: 5 YEARS OF UK PARLIAMENT WEEK PARTICIPATION: 5 years ago Finchley shakha held the only UK Parliament Week (UKPW) activity by any Hindu organisation in the UK. Swayamsevaks and sevikas of this shakha - aged 9 to 90 - and three local members of parliament became a springboard for the success story of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS UK at UKPW. In 2018, nine shakhas and in 2019 six shakhas took part in UKPW. In 2020, in spite of the pandemic, 39 shakhas took part in the virtual UKPW. After a slow start in 2021 there are 46 registrations and 34 activities were conducted in hybrid format.

Over the 5 years HSS UK has seen an exponential increase in participation and had conversation with 58 politicians which includes MPs, Peers, Councilors and Mayors. There were several milestones during this journey: HSS UK became Official Partner of UK Parliament week and was awarded UK Parliament Week Official Partner of the Year Award 2020. HSS UK also participated in a Podcast called 'Why Parliament Works' with the Leader of The House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg and swayamsevaks & sevikas were prominently featured on UKPW Kit and in the official promotional video. -GoTop

11. HINDU SEVAI SANGAM MALAYSIA RELIEF WORK: On 16 December, a tropical depression made landfall on the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia, bringing torrential downpours throughout the peninsula.
The non-stop heavy rainfall lasted for a few days resulting in floods, affecting eight states across Malaysia. The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) has reported 33 districts in 8 states as flood affected and around 63,000 persons have been evacuated to 430 evacuation centres. Hindu Sevai Sangam with the support of few NGOs organised relief work in three areas namely, Hulu Langat, Sri Muda Shah Alam and Kapar.
HSS has organised temporary shelters, is providing cooked food, helping in cleaning the houses and temples, providing clothes and other basic necessities and arranging medical camps.
HSS is also coordinating with some well-wishers and NGOs to procure and distribute basic household necessities such as towel, blanket, mattress, mat, pillow, stove, rice cooker, blender, electric kettle, medicines, and groceries to the flood affected families.
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12. SEWA VOLUNTEERS HELP TORNADO VICTIMS: On December 10, 2021, a violent tornado moved across Western Kentucky, USA, producing severe to catastrophic damage in numerous towns, including Mayfield, Benton, Dawson Springs, and Bremen. Volunteers of Sewa International and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA travelled to the epicenter of the damage in Mayfield and visited AME church, Scientology Ministries and Mayfield Fairgrounds.
As per the request of the church, they donated diapers and extension cords to Scientology ministries and chain saws, extension cords, tarps, diapers, cleaning supplies, brooms, plastic cutlery, soap, toiletries, sanitizer, canned food, cookies, cereal, other non perishable food etc to the AME church.
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13. BLOOD DONATION DRIVE BY HSS JAPAN: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Japan regularly organizes blood donation drive at various locations in Japan, twice a year. Last year due to COVID-19, demand of blood increased more than ever.
In November-December 2021, HSS Japan conducted drives to approach many individuals and requested them to donate blood. At some places, where blood donation centres are not nearby, a bus facility was also made available to the donors. The blood donation drives were conducted in Ojima (Tokyo), Funabori (Tokyo), NishiKasai (Tokyo), Kawasaki (Kawasaki), Kirigaoka (Yokohama), Saitama and Kobe. Around 150 people donated blood at each of these centres.
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14. HINDU COMMUNITY IN MADAGASCAR HELPS FIGHT DROUGHT: On December 22, The Hindu Samaj Association of Antananarivo donated 25 tonnes of rice and 10 tonnes of beans to fight drought in Madagascar.
In partnership with NGO Fraternidade sem Fronteiras, the Hindu Samaj has distributed those donations to 5000 families from 11 villages in the worst affected District of Ambovombe.
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15. NATIONAL MEETINGS OF VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS: AKHIL BHARATIYA ADHIVAKTA PARISHAD: National Council Meeting of Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad (ABAP) commenced with Lightning of Lamps and rendition of National Song Vande Mataram on December 25 at Bhagyanagar.
The theme of the two day meet on December 26 and 27 was “De-Colonisation of Indian Legal Systems”. On December 26, Supreme Court Justice S Abdul Nazeer said that the way to free administration of justice in Bharat from the colonial psyche is to teach law students about ancient yet advanced Bharatiya legal jurisprudence. He said the legal norms developed by great personalities like Manu, Kautilya, Brihaspati and others were worth studying and emulation. During the meet, Shri K. Srinivas Murthy was declared as the President of ABAP and Shri D. Bharat Kumar was declared as the General Secretary.
VISHWA HINDU PARISHAD: The meeting of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Board of Trustees and Governing Council was held in Junagadh, Gujarat from December 24-26. Around 350 officials and saints attended the meet.
Two resolutions regarding constitutional provisions to stop the benefits being given to the tribals who convert to other religions and freeing of Hindu temples from government control were passed during the meeting.
SANSKAR BHARATI: The Akhil Bharatiya General Assembly of Sanskar Bharati was held in Karnavati, Gujarat on December 4-5. More than 225 members and workers of Sanskar Bharati from across the country attended the meet. Noted painter Vasudev Kamat was unanimously elected as the National President of Sanskar Bharati. Educationist and culturalist Dr Hemlata S. Mohan, renowned violinist Shri Mysore Manjunath and actor Shri Nitish Bhardwaj were nominated as Vice Presidents.
Renowned surbahar player Shri Ashwin Dalvi will discharge his responsibility as General Secretary. Last year’s report presented in the meet highlighted that Sanskar Bharati through its ‘Peer Parai Jaane Re’ programme gave financial assistance to folk artists who were affected by lack of work during COVID-19. To commiserate with the plight of 771 artists, Sanskar Bharati disbursed financial grants to them. Along with this, more than five thousand artists have been assisted across the country as per their need.
AKHIL BHARATIYA VIDYARTHI PARISHAD: The 67th National Conference of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad was held in Jabalpur from December 24-26. 655 delegates were present at the event and more than 70,000 students participated virtually.
Three resolutions were passed in the meet regarding improving the standard of education, increasing sports activities in schools and celebration of birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda as “Tribal Pride Day”.
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16. UK HINDUS TO GET FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT CREMATORIUM: The proposal to create the first purpose-built crematorium for Hindus in the UK has been approved, fulfilling the community’s long-standing wish to be able to bid a dignified farewell to the departed with traditional rites.
On December 16, the Planning Inspectorate gave planning permission to Anoopam Mission UK for the crematorium on the 15-acre campus of Shree Swaminarayan Spiritual Cultural and Community Centre site near Denham in the southeast of England. The crematorium will have a large ceremony hall, two private ritual rooms, shower facilities, a crematory hall, and a separate canteen building. The facility will accommodate up to 500 attendees and will have a dedicated parking space.
Over 2,000 signatures of support were received for the proposals, with Lord Jitesh Gadhia and Bob Blackman MP speaking in favour of the application during the appeal process.
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17. ‘DURGA PUJA IN KOLKATA’ ON THE REPRESENTATIVE LIST OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY: In an important announcement, the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention on Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has inscribed ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 16th session being held at Paris, France from December 13 to 18.
In its statement, UNESCO said that Durga Puja is seen as the best instance of the public performance of religion and art, and as a thriving ground for collaborative artists and designers.  With the inscription of Durga Puja in Kolkata, Bharat now have 14 intangible cultural heritage elements on the prestigious UNESCO Representative List of ICH of Humanity. In recent years, the ICH elements that saw inscriptions are Kumbh Mela (2017) and Yoga (2016).
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18. FARMING RETURNS TO LOC AFTER 20 YEARS: Farming along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Hira Nagar sector in Jammu & Kashmir was discontinued 20 years back because of heavy firing from the Pakistani side.
Over 200 acres of the farmland was lying vacant ever since. On December 20, the Border Security Force (BSF) escorted the farmers so that they could plough the land and sow the seeds. Along with other efforts, this will help restore confidence of the people of J&K and bring normalcy to the erstwhile state.
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19. DRDO CONDUCTS MAIDEN LAUNCH OF NEW GENERATION SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILE: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the maiden flight test of indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile ‘Pralay’, from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on December 22. The mission has met all its objectives. The new missile followed the desired quasi ballistic trajectory and reached the designated target with high degree accuracy, validating the control, guidance and mission algorithms.
All the sensors deployed near the impact point across the eastern coast, including the down range ships, tracked the missile trajectory and captured all the events. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh complimented DRDO for the fast-track development and successful launch of modern surface-to-surface missile.
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20. BHARAT TOPS MEDAL TALLY AT JUNIOR SCIENCE OLYMPIAD: Six Bharatiya students have pushed team Bharat to the top of the medals table at the 18th International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) 2021, held in Dubai, UAE, from December 13 to 20. 
All the six students participating in the contest from Bharat bagged gold medals. This is the third occasion, after 2014 and 2019, that Bharat has achieved a full cache of gold medals in IJSO. 
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21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors: Dr. Yashwant Pathak - USA, Anggraini Utari, Krishna Hari - Sanskrit students from Indonesia. -GoTop


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: In life and in death, in happiness and in misery, the Lord is equally present. The whole world is full of the Lord. Open your eyes and see Him.
- Swami Vivekananda. -GoTop

JAI SHRI RAM
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TIME TO DEVELOP A MODEL FOR MANAGEMENT OF HINDU TEMPLES

It is time we developed a model for management of Hindu temples wherein the greater responsibility is vested in the Hindu citizens and institutions.

Kashi is an ancient city, “older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend” as American writer Mark Twain described it. Sage Vyasa had compiled the Vedas sitting on the banks of river Ganga in this holy city. The Pandava brothers had visited this city founded by Lord Shiva. Skand Purana gives elaborate description of this holy city. From Buddha, to Shankara to Guru Nanak - every spiritual leader had his footprints etched on its sacred soil.
The Vishwanath temple is utmost sacred, a “Jyotirlinga” Lord Shiva in the form of a radiant light - considered by millions as a “crossing place” - Tirtha - “between this world and the ‘far shore’ of the transcendent Brahman” as eminent American scholar Diana Eck puts it.
The temple had witnessed destruction repeatedly during the iconoclastic invasions of Muhammad Ghori, Sikandar Lodhi and finally Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb’s destruction also saw a mosque rising over the ruins of the ancient temple.
Like a sphinx, the temple had bounced back to life after every demolition. Raja Man Singh and Raja Todar Mal, the two generals in Akbar’s court, were credited with rebuilding the temple towards the end of the 15th century. After Aurangzeb’s destruction, Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar, the ruler of Indore and Maharaja of Jaipur had attempted to restore it unsuccessfully in the middle of the 18th century. Finally, Malhar Rao’s daughter-in-law and the famed ruler of Indore, Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar had succeeded in rebuilding the temple next to the mosque in 1780.
Since then, this magnificent temple has been serving the seekers uninterruptedly.
People of all faiths, from world over, come to Kashi seeking spiritual bliss. Famed poet Ghalib was there proclaiming that Kashi was “the Kaaba of Hindustan”.
“Ibadat khana e naqoosian ast - hama na kaaba e Hindustan ast”
(This is a place of worship where people make music from conch shells; This truly is the Kaaba of Hindustan), he said.
Allama Iqbal had found in Ganga the pride of our civilisational caravan.
“Ai aab rooy e Ganga, woh din hain yaad tujhko, utra tere kinare jub karavaan hamara?”
(O Ganga, our very pride is bound with you; Do you remember our caravan, which rested on your banks forever?), he wrote.
Who can forget the soothing tunes of Ustad Bismillah Khan’s mesmerising shehnai in the temple precincts!
Medieval Islamic iconoclasm had subjected many temples to vandalism. Most sacred among them were in Kashi, Mathura and Ayodhya. Ayodhya temple was handed back through a judicial process recently, where a magnificent temple is coming up. Demands for restoration of the remaining two also come up consistently from Hindus. Like the Holocaust-deniers in the West, there are iconoclasm-deniers in India too. Historian K N Panikkar had come up with the whitewashed narrative that Aurangzeb’s destruction of Vishwanath temple had “political motives”, while B N Pande peddled the bizarre theory that Aurangzeb had done it out of rage because the temple priests had
kidnapped and dishonored a Hindu princess of his entourage in the basement “beneath Lord Jagannath’s seat”. Proof? Certain manuscript in the possession of an unknown Mullah of Lucknow. Neither the manuscript nor the Mullah ever surfaced. In fact, history shows that Aurangzeb had never traveled to the East and never visited Varanasi. Moreover, the entry in Masir-i-Alamgiri, the court chronicle of Aurangzeb, on September 2, 1669 categorically states: “News came to court that in accordance with the emperor’s command his officers had demolished the temple of Vishwanath in Benaras”.
In response to these negationist narratives of the ‘eminent historians’, some insist that the historical wrongs must be avenged in the same way. In 1740s, Raja Malhar Rao had attempted to remove the mosque and build the temple exactly on that location. But the intervention of Nawab of Avadh had prevented it. Should that 18th century path be applied in the 21st century? In the case of Ayodhya, none had supported the demolition in 1992, although it paved the way for a resolution three decades later. Babri was a non-functioning mosque structure under which a functioning temple had existed. Also, after the Babri demolition, a Places of Worship Act came into existence, which prohibits raising of any other such disputes.
In such a scenario, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s path of restoring existing temples - from Dwarika to Char Dham to Kashi - to their pristine glory, while waiting for an amicable moment to resolve other issues, could be a reasonable approach.
Gandhi was in Varanasi in February 1916 for the foundation laying ceremony of the Benaras Hindu University. Anguished at what he witnessed during a visit to the Vishwanath temple, he poured out his heart saying: “Is not this great temple a reflection of our own character? I speak feelingly, as a Hindu. Is it right that the lanes of our sacred temple should be as dirty as they are? If even our temples are not models of roominess and cleanliness, what can our self-government be?”.
Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar had not been able to replace the mosque but built a glorious temple in the vicinity. What we had done to that temple in just a century’s time calls for urgent introspection. It needed the resolve of Prime Minister Modi to bring back its order and glory after 240 years. Gandhi had suggested that the temples must be transformed into “abodes of holiness, cleanliness and peace” immediately after independence. What happened to many temples was just the opposite.
Hindu temples are the abodes of spiritual solace for the entire humanity. Managing them in a pristine and tranquil manner requires an important reform. The British had introduced endowment laws taking over the control of the temples and their assets. Those laws continued after independence with governments having total control over Hindu religious establishments. Besides being grossly discriminatory, these laws also go against the secular credentials of the Indian state.
It is time we developed a model for management of Hindu temples wherein the greater responsibility is vested in the Hindu citizens and institutions. (https://www.indiatoday.in/opinion-columns/story/develop-model-management-hindu-temples-1891795-2021-12-24)
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