\Samvad

Shravana Shukla 3 Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124 : 1 August, 2022:SM 4009 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI 2. IN HUMANS, THE FITTEST WILL HELP THE WEAK TO SURVIVE: RSS SARSANGHCHALAK
3. BHARAT AN IMMORTAL NATION: DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT 4. BHARAT’S FIRST TRIBAL RASHTRAPATI DROUPADI MURMU
5. PROTECT ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE: RASHTRAPTI KOVIND IN HIS FAREWELL MESSAGE TO NATION 6. BHARAT - A TEMPLE OF KNOWLEDGE:DATTATREYA HOSABALE
7. SPIRITUALITY IS THE SOUL OF OUR NATION – SHRI NAIDU  8. HSS DALLAS, USA 
9. BALAGOKULAM NAPERVILLE AURORA 10. HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH - SANSKRITI SHAKHA – MILWAUKEE - SHAKHA FAMILY CAMP
11. SEWA CANADA INTERNATIONAL AID INC  12. FIRST HINDU TEMPLE INAUGURATED IN MADAGASCAR
13. ANCIENT TEMPLE DISCOVERED IN AN 8000 YEARS OLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL RUINS IN SAUDI ARABIA 14. BAPS SWAMINARAYAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SYDNEY
15. 1200-year-old Lord Vishnu idol unearthed in J&K 16. WITH $87 BILLION, BHARAT TOP REMITTANCE RECIPIENT IN 2021, SAYS UNITED NATION REPORT
17. BHARATIYAS TOP IN IMMIGRANT FOUNDERS OF US UNICORNS 18. BHARATIYAS NOW GET VISA-FREE ACCESS TO 60 COUNTRIES
19. ISRO LAUNCHED SATELLITES FOR 34 COUNTRIES, EARNED $279 MILLION 20. HOLY ‘RAMAYANA MONTH’ BEGINS IN KERALA
21. RSS SENIOR PRACHARAK VINAYAKRAO KANETKAR PASSES AWAY 22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN
Article: A YATRA TO UNDERSTAND ANCIENT INDIAN SCIENCE

1. FESTIVALS: KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI: Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is an annual festival that celebrates the birth of Bhagwan Sri Krishna. It is observed on the Ashtami of the Krishna Paksha in Bhadrapada (August 18 this year).

Temples are decorated and the Bal Murtis of Bhagwan Sri Krishna are worshipped throughout the day till midnight when Sri Krishna was born. Singing Bhajans, playing dance-drama enactments of the life of Krishna according to the Bhagavata Purana (such as Rasa Lila or Krishna Lila), fasting and a night vigil are a part of the Janmashtami celebrations. At some places a tradition of Dahi Handi also organised. It is celebrated particularly in Mathura and Vrindavan and in the other states of Bharat. Devotees all over world in particularly in Nepal, Bangaladesh, Mauritius, Suriname, Guyana, Fiji, Reunion etc also celebrate Krishna Janmashtami.  -GoTop 

2. IN HUMANS, THE FITTEST WILL HELP THE WEAK TO SURVIVE: RSS SARSANGHCHALAK: “Mere survival can’t be the goal of life. Even Animals do survive. Without intelligence, man is the weakest animal on the earth. But in the course of evolution, cognitive impulse developed in him which changed his course of his life and he became the best creation. Even animals do things like eating, drinking and expanding own species,” Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat said. He was delivering the first convocation address of Sri Sathya University in Bengaluru on July 13.
“The survival of the fittest is the law of the jungle. This truth is applicable to animals not humans. Among humans, the fittest person will make others survive. The fittest will help the weakest to survive. To use your faculties to make the world grow, to make it happier, peaceful is being human,” the Sarsanghchalak added.
Dr Mohan Bhagwat presented honorary doctorates to six eminent personalities during the occasion. Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence was established at Kalaburagi district in Karnataka. It aims to impart high-quality, values-based education, on the foundation of ancient Bharatiya ideals. 
-GoTop

3. BHARAT AN IMMORTAL NATION: DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat said Bharat is an immortal nation with a unique essence of morality which brings peace and unites every country in the world. Dr. Bhagwat was speaking on July 18 at a religious discourse in a temple at Nagpur in Maharashtra.
Citing Swami Vivekananda, the RSS Sarsanghchalak said that every nation has a specific purpose. The nation emerges and prospers to fulfil that specific purpose. It then becomes history and withers away like the Roman Empire. "But, our nation's purpose is such that it is amar (immortal). We have the essence of 'dharmatatva' (morality) which balances the life of everyone in the world, brings peace and unites everyone. Bharat has the unique "dharmatatva" which keeps people, groups and also nature in a proper form with human development without harming the environment," Dr Bhagwat said. 
-GoTop

4. BHARAT’S FIRST TRIBAL RASHTRAPATI DROUPADI MURMU: Marking an incredible journey from Rairangpur to Raisina Hills, Droupadi Murmu was sworn in as the 15th Rashtrapati of Bharat on July 25. Murmu, 64, the youngest Rashtrapati yet, and the first to be born in independent Bharat, was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of Bharat, N V Ramana in the Central Hall of Parliament packed with dignitaries.
Rashtrapati Murmu - the first tribal head of state and the second woman in the top constitutional post,  succeeds Shri Ram Nath Kovind.
Wearing a traditional tri-coloured Santhali saree that acknowledged her tribal roots, Rashtrapati Murmu in her maiden address quoted Odia poet Bhima Bhoi’s prayer to Bhagwan Jagannath and said that the welfare of the Universe is important, even if one has to suffer the most for that. She acknowledged the contributions of all freedom fighters in Bharat’s freedom struggle and also referred to the sacrifice of ‘Dharti Aaba’ Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Murmu also laid emphasis on the need to take pride in Bharat’s ancient traditions that blend growth and environment preservation. 
-GoTop

5. PROTECT ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE: RASHTRAPTI KOVIND IN HIS FAREWELL MESSAGE TO NATION: In his farewell address to the nation on July 24, outgoing Rashtrapati Ram Nath Kovind said that mother nature is in deep agony and the climate crisis can endanger the very future of this planet. He appealed to all to protect the environment for the coming generations. Emphasising that the country is getting equipped to make the 21st century “the century of Bharat”, Kovind highlighted the importance of healthcare and education. Referring to his interaction with the Bharatiya diaspora during his visits abroad, Kovind said that he found their love and concern for the homeland very touching. Kovind said that among the most memorable moments of his life has been visiting his home during his term and touching the feet of his teachers at Kanpur to seek their blessings. 
-GoTop

6. BHARAT - A TEMPLE OF KNOWLEDGE:DATTATREYA HOSABALE: During the inauguration of a new building of Maharashtra Education Society’s Institute of Management and Career Courses (IMCC), Pune, on July 20,  RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said that Bharat has been a temple of knowledge since ancient times.
Now youth should become teachers again and go all over the world and make the whole world civilized. Shri Hosabale also said that he keeps visiting institutions in the education sector in the country as well as abroad. Every year three and a half lakh management students graduate in our country. He added that like IT, Bharat can carve out a special place in the field of management and can create a wonderful world with our management skills.
-GoTop

7. SPIRITUALITY IS THE SOUL OF OUR NATION – SHRI NAIDU: Uprashtrapati Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu on July 24 said that Bharatiya civilisation stands for the universal values of unity, peace and social harmony and called for a ‘spiritual renaissance’ to preserve and propagate these age-old values. While releasing the book, “Sing, Dance and Pray – the inspirational story of Srila Prabhupada”, authored by Dr. Hindol Sengupta and published by ISKCON Bengaluru at New Delhi, Uprashrapati appealed to youngsters to take inspiration from great saints and spiritual masters like Swami Prabhupada. He said that spirituality has been the soul of our nation and the foundation of our civilisation since ancient times. Praising our ancient scriptures for their transcendental spiritual value, Shri Naidu said that for millennia, they have been manuals directing people to lead an ideal life based on ethics and values. 
-GoTop

8. HSS DALLAS, USA: On July 15, volunteers of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) and Sewa USA from Flower Mound and Coppell in Denton Texas, along with their families, served meals at Our Daily Bread facility in Texas. Our Daily Bread feeds, shelters, and cares for the homeless and at-risk in our community while maintaining the dignity of the guests and offering opportunities for a new start. Volunteers from HSS and Sewa USA helped in decorating the cookies which were then served along with meals to the guests and around 100+ meals were served by the volunteers.
Development Director and Volunteer Coordinator from Our Daily Bread provided an overview of their work and facility, including their plan to expand to the new location this year. HSS and Sewa had a fruitful conversation about future partnerships and volunteering opportunities. 
-GoTop

9. BALAGOKULAM NAPERVILLE AURORA: On July 9, volunteers from HSS Aurora-Naperville-Balagokulam and Sewa  volunteers cleaned the 75th street as part of Adopt-A-Highway program.
The event was attended by a good mix of youth and adults. Several bags of plastic waste and general waste were collected as part of the clean up. The high energy volunteers are eager to return and sustain the effort to rid plastic waste one street at a time. 
-GoTop

10. HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH - SANSKRITI SHAKHA – MILWAUKEE - SHAKHA FAMILY CAMP: Approx 118 swayamsevaks and sevikas (36 families) came together for an overnight family camp in the second week of July.  One of the focus areas of the camp was introducing HSS to Dharma Internship Program families & encourage them to continue attending shakha. A  variety of activities were conducted during the family camp including nature walk / hike on the lake, Outdoor games, Indoor quiz, Maha khel.  Debate on interesting current topic, Shakha games and Campfire was also organised.
The participants also experienced camping in tents and had the opportunity to do Sewa through various sessions. 
-GoTop

11. SEWA CANADA INTERNATIONAL AID INC: Sewa Canada International Aid Inc became instrumental in setting up 6 Oxygen Plants (100 LPM to 800 LPM) with Electrical Generator units in Bharat. The oxygen plants were installed & commissioned in Rajasthan & Assam as part of Sewa Canada’s commitment to provide long term Oxygen requirements in remote and rural hospitals, as part of the COVID-19 Relief in Bharat program.
These 6 plants were funded via partnership with Trillium Health Partners Foundation, with on-site implementation/supervision by Sewa International Bharat. On June 26, ambulances sponsored by Sewa Canada International were commissioned in Ernakulam district of Kerala, Bharat, to serve the needy. 
-GoTop

12. FIRST HINDU TEMPLE INAUGURATED IN MADAGASCAR: A grand first Hindu temple was inaugurated on July 26 in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar. Bharatiya Ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros Abhay Kumar participated in the event.
Speaking on the occasion, president of the Hindu Samaj Sanjeev Hematlal said that the opening of the grand temple is a matter of great pride for the Hindu community in Madagascar. There are over 20,000 people of Bharatiya origin in Madagascar. The new grand temple will help them to get together more often and strengthen the spirit of the community. Bharatiyas arrived in Madagascar in the late 18th century, mostly from Gujarat, in small boats to engage in Indian Ocean trade and since then have greatly contributed to the development of trade and commerce in Madagascar. 
-GoTop

13. ANCIENT TEMPLE DISCOVERED IN AN 8000 YEARS OLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL RUINS IN SAUDI ARABIA:  The Saudi Heritage Commission discovered an 8000 years old archaeological site at the site of Al-Faw, south-west of the country’s capital, Riyadh.
Among the many discoveries at the site, the most significant one was the remains of a stone temple and parts of an altar, with clear indications that a life of ceremonies, worship and rituals were intrinsic to the lives of Al-Faw locals once upon a time. The rock cut temple sits on the edge of Mount Tuwaiq, known as Khashem Qaryah, east of Al-Faw. The site also confirms the existence of a complex, aesthetic and well-planned city with foundations of four monumental buildings, corner towers, internal plans, and open-air courtyards. More importantly, the discoveries at the Al-Faw site demonstrates that a culture of temples, rituals and idol worship predated the monolithic, non-idol worshipers, anti-temple practises of Islam that exist there today. 
-GoTop

14. BAPS SWAMINARAYAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SYDNEY: At the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sydney  the BAPS Swaminarayan Research Institute, Australia was inaugurated.
His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj blessed the event via a live webcast from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Bharat, and lit the inaugural divo to open the institute on July 24. On this occasion, Mahamahopadhyay Bhadreshdas Swami was present to give his expert guidance and explanations. 88 representatives from 41 organizations including religious and community leaders and media personnel were present on the occasion. The research institute will include in-depth teaching of Hindu shastras, Sanskrit, the Akshar–Purushottam Upasana and traditional Hindu practices. Earlier, on June 18, a similar research centre was opened in Riobinsville, New Jersey, USA. 
-GoTop

15. 1200-year-old Lord Vishnu idol unearthed in J&K:On July 27, a Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums team confirmed that the sculptures, found by residents of Gudasathoo village of Budgwam while digging land, dates back roughly to the 9th Century AD  and is around 1,200 years old.
The sculpture is a three-headed form with four arms. It has a lotus on the upper right hand of the idol. The expert team informed that the sculpture is a mix of Gandhara and Mathura School of Art. Another sculpture was recovered from Budgam’s Khag area. On examination, the team of Department Archives, Archaeology and Museums found out that the sculpture is part of Panch Mukh. Both the artefacts were handed over to Deputy Director, Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums, Kashmir by the police. 
-GoTop

16. WITH $87 BILLION, BHARAT TOP REMITTANCE RECIPIENT IN 2021, SAYS UNITED NATION REPORT: Bharat received 87 billion dollars in remittances in 2021, the top remittance recipient, and way ahead of countries like China and Mexico, according to a World Health Organisation report released on July 20.
With USD 87 billion, Bharat was the top remittance recipient among low and middle-income countries, as per 2021 estimates, way ahead of China and Mexico’s 53 billion dollars, the Philippines (36 billion dollars) and Egypt (33 billion dollars). The United States was the largest source country for remittances in 2020, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. Remittances increase or maintain consumer spending and soften the blow of economic hardship, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic. 
The report said that remittances are an “important and positive” economic result of migration for migrants themselves and for family and friends remaining in their home countries. 
-GoTop

17. BHARATIYAS TOP IN IMMIGRANT FOUNDERS OF US UNICORNS: More than half (319 of 582) of America's startup companies valued at $1 billion or more - known as unicorns - have at least one immigrant founder. Bharat, with 66 companies, tops the chart as the country of origin for the immigrant founders of US unicorns, shows a report released by National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP).
Immigrants from Israel founded the second-most billion-dollar companies at 54, followed by the UK (27), Canada (22), China (21), France (18), Germany (15), Russia (11), Ukraine (10), and Iran (8).
The NFAP research has identified at least 10 immigrants who have founded two or more unicorns. Four of them are from Bharat - Mohit Aron (founded Nutanix & Cohesity), Ashutosh Garg (Bloomreach & Eightfold.ai), Ajeet Singh (Nutanix & ThoughtSpot), and Jyoti Bansal (AppDynamics & Harness). The others are Al Goldstein (born in Uzbekistan), Noubar Afeyan (Lebanon), Ignacio Martinez (Spain), Elon Musk (South Africa), Sebastian Thrun (Germany), and Ion Stoica (Romania).
The collective value of the 319 immigrant-founded companies is $1.2 trillion, which is more than the value of the companies listed on the major stock markets of many countries, including the Brazil Stock Exchange ($925 billion), Madrid Stock Exchange ($727 billion), and Singapore Exchange ($679 billion).
In addition to the 319 billion-dollar startups with at least one immigrant founder, NFAP identified 133 other companies with at least one immigrant in a key leadership position, such as CEO, CTO or VP of engineering. 
-GoTop

18. BHARATIYAS NOW GET VISA-FREE ACCESS TO 60 COUNTRIES: In a recently released global passport ranking chart, Bharat has ranked 87 among 199 passports.
The Henley Passport Index defines the strength of diplomatic relations of countries with each other. The more 'ease of access' a country offers to others, the higher its ranking. The data to compile this index was derived from International Air Transport Association (IATA).
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Bharat had access to only 23 countries. But now, Bharatiya passport holders will get visa-free access to these 60 countries.  The Henley Passport Index is published quarterly and in the last quarter, Bharat had ranked 83, up from the 90th position in 2021's rankings. The top ranks in the Henley Passport Index were secured by the following countries: Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Germany.  The countries at the bottom are: Pakistan, Syria, Iran, and Afghanistan. Japan has topped the index with Japanese passport holders enjoying easy access to 193 countries. In 2020, they had easy access to 76 countries. 
-GoTop

19. ISRO LAUNCHED SATELLITES FOR 34 COUNTRIES, EARNED $279 MILLION: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), through its commercial arms, has earned $279 million in foreign exchange by launching satellites for global clients, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said in the Lok Sabha on July 27.
Shri Singh said that ISRO in association with its commercial arms has successfully launched 345 foreign satellites from 34 countries on-board Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). "Total foreign exchange revenue earned through launching of foreign satellites amounts to $56 million (one million=10 lakhs) and 220 million Euros approximately," Shri Singh said. As per current exchange rates, 220 million euros are equivalent to $223 million.
The latest PSLV mission was on June 30 when ISRO's warhorse launch vehicle placed three Singaporean satellites into orbit. PSLV-C53 mission by ISRO, successfully launched three Singapore customer satellites namely DS-EO, NeuSAR and SCOOB-1. 
-GoTop

20. HOLY ‘RAMAYANA MONTH’ BEGINS IN KERALA: Reciting the divine story of Bhagwan Sri Ramchandra, the Ramayana month observance began in Kerala on July 17.
The Hindus in Kerala observe ‘Karkidakam’, the last month in the Malayalam calendar as Ramayana month, chanting the verses from Adhyatma Ramayana, Malayalam translation of Valmiki Ramayana by medieval poet Thunchath Ramanujan Ezhuthachan.
Karkidakam month is dedicated to chanting Ramayana, prayers, and worship of Lord Rama. The month is considered inauspicious for deeds other than the worship of God. All the temples and households observe the holy month of Ramayana. This year, Karkidakam spans from July 17 to August 15.
RSS Pracharak, the late P. Parameswaran, affectionately called Parameswarji, popularised the Ramayana among the ordinary Hindu families in Kerala. Ramayana Masacharanam, or observing Ramayana month in Karkkidakam at Hindu temples and homes, was a concept mooted by Parameswarji at the Vishala Hindu Sammelanam held in Kochi in the late 1970s. 
-GoTop

21. RSS SENIOR PRACHARAK VINAYAKRAO KANETKAR PASSES AWAY: RSS senior Pracharak and former Sanghatan Mantri of Akhil Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal Shri Vinayak Vishwanath Kanetkar (age 83 years) passed away on July 18 at Kaushik Ashram in Pune. Vinayakrao Kanetkar was born on September 5, 1939. He did his MA in Economics from Fergusson College, Pune. After serving in Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad from 1961 to 1963, he became a full-time Pracharak of the RSS. He was among the first few swayamsevaks who went to North-East Bharat for RSS work. He was one of those who laid the foundation of what we see today as Sangh’s work from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh. He worked in very unfavourable conditions.
Kanetkar held the responsibility as the Prant Sah Bouddhik Pramukh of Assam for 12 years from 1984. He then worked in the Itihas Sankalan Yojana from 1996 to 2003. He was the Akhil Bharatiya Sah-Sangathan Mantri of the Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal from 2003 to 2007 and Sangathan Mantri from 2007 to 2016. Vinayak Kanetkar was relieved of all liability in 2016 after more than five decades of dedicated work. Presently he was staying at Kaushik Ashram.
-GoTop

22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: PRAVAS: VISITORS: Lalit Jha - USA


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Through selfless service, you will always be fruitful and find the fulfillment of your desires. ― Srimad Bhagavad Gita 
-GoTop

JAI SHRI RAM
----

A YATRA TO UNDERSTAND ANCIENT INDIAN SCIENCE
Balakrishnan Satyam
Vijnana Yatra envisages journey through scientific heritage to ignite minds to further build greater edifice of discoveries

The word pilgrimage carries immediate connotations. It is a trip undertaken to offer thanks. We embark on it to experience a higher state, an elevation — sometimes physically represented by a hill summit. The determined spiritual seekers go into deep forests and remote mountain caves, while the more ordinary among us visit major and lesser shrines that honour deities, saints, or ascetics. Likewise, our scientific teams go as far as Antarctica or dive under sea to study ancient port cities. They journey to remote places to study the grammar structure in isolated dialects as spoken currently. So we too ourselves can undertake modest but stimulating itineraries.
The benefits of a Vijnana Yatra are closely comparable to any Teerth Yatra or trips to holy sites. Let’s make the comparison in some details. Science has given our lives many things we can be thankful for — life saving medicine, effort saving appliances, entertainment devices, speedy transport, and when we look to our history — Ayurveda, astronomy, semantics, calisthenics with a holistic approach, textiles, manuscripts on constructing structures, mathematics and many more.

It takes us to a higher plane of knowledge — through particle physics, the study of genes, molecular structure, carbon compounds, life cycle of stars, and marine biology. It powerfully harnesses wind, solar, hydel, hydrocarbon and atomic energy. There are modern plants and installations where hundreds of megawatts are generated and distributed.
Our scientific research, like our pilgrimages, connects us with the larger forces and mysteries of Nature. Like scripture, it gives us an opportunity to ally with a tradition of belief and dedication. Science has an organised body of updated theory and ongoing saga of rigorous research. It is a fine example of proceeding with established knowledge and determinedly pursuing new results. The struggles of scientists, their perseverance and steadfastness can serve as lessons for us.
Exploring our scientific heritage in an intensive and educative way is vastly different from forwarding vainglorious WhatsApp messages about fortress designs, and rust-free columns. A Vijnana Yatra can be empowering to give insights, while also being inspirational — a pilgrimage that helps us develop and apply a scientific approach to more aspects of our lives.
We need better curated walk-throughs of Ayurveda and ancient astronomy. The emphasis has to be on how the knowledge was obtained, how it was applied, and the extent of proof or results obtained. An input from today’s scientists can be of help to us in connecting ancient records with the current frontiers of knowledge and application.
Scientific knowledge quite often has economic and cultural implications. An institution such as the Calico Museum in Amdavad conveys information on the manual, technical, chromatic, aesthetic, social, commercial and historical aspects of weaving in an inter-related manner. Our prominent science museums help us understand basic laws in physics through their apparatus displays. The planetariums create a mind-expanding experience by helping us conceive how vast the galaxies and nebulae are. The Jantar Mantar in various cities tells us a fascinating story of how techniques and implements were devised to measure distances to celestial bodies with remarkable accuracy.
Our manuscript museums and preservation centres in Pune, Thanjavur, Tirupati, Varanasi, Guwahati, Shravanabelagola, Sambhalpur, Nalanda, Gaya, Kolkata, Guwahati and elsewhere hold centuries-old commentaries and detailed debates on methods, rules of evidence, atoms and states of matter, and the experiencing of eternity.
To really cherish something we have, we should actually feel thankful for it. Without such a felt gratitude, we merely take all that long legacy for granted, which we can wave airily at and swagger about. When we sincerely treasure knowledge, we have an idea of how it is gleaned, refined and transmitted.
We can actually appreciate the human attentiveness and diligence required for these processes.
Isaac Newton said that he saw because he stood on the shoulders of giants, and we have more reasons than anyone to be grateful to so many savants, sages, scholars and scribes for adding to the wealth in almost every generation to the extent the general circumstances allowed.
Tours need promoters. Traditional bus tour operators typically offer religious tours of a week or two, and similarly the online travel portals should be able to
easily market Vijnana Yatras to colleges, where they can do an informative three-hour pre-tour orientation. Not only would such a trip be relevant to science and engineering students, it’s easy to chalk out customised itineraries for life science or mathematics or linguistics students. The idea of relating concepts to actual places, objects, history and people, is to take the successors physically closer to their vast legacy in enquiry and systematic knowledge.
To extend support and encourage such Vijnana Yatras, the railways can subsidise these bookings or have the fare partially borne by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Over time, various student groups can be safely expected to assemble and edit video clips from their tour and upload the content to an online platform, which itself would be richly informative to all students. Labs, factory floors, power stations, observatories, botanical hothouses, sanctuary parks, heritage institutions, museums, archives have lessons to offer about nature, society and scientific principles. Not only young students, other types of visitor groups — families, corporate groups, media teams, bureaucrats, science publishers and others — could find them appealing and useful.
In our country especially, pilgrims derive satisfaction from a dip in a lake or river, or from wearing certain clothes during the journey. To satisfy such needs, it shouldn’t be difficult to develop selfie points and suitable souvenirs to celebrate these Vijnana Yatras.
There is a true saying that you can take a fellow pilgrim to the river bank, but it’s up to him or her to take a dip. Science itself is a body of evidence about a unifying supreme principle as there is an unmistakable similarity of structure across the basic laws operating in Nature. The spirit of science is to share and explore patterns in the vast universe around us, and not to thrust limiting conclusions or narrow dogmas. Its message is always to foray towards a further frontier.
The common faith that drives both the Teerth as well as the Vijnana Yatra is that with an openness and a seeking, we receive glimpses and have insights by the hour and by the day. Over a few years, they add up to a vision of what is true and properly aligned with the universal principle. Thus, pilgrimages are cumulative. They begin in the very first step of the journey and are not only about a grand culmination at the end.
This is why inculcating a scientific outlook in our everyday living does so much for us as it encourages an active intellect and alert senses and reasoning in every individual. Underestimating the place of science can make us rely heavily on some revelation experiences of a few. Taking sound guidance where it’s available can be advantageous. Placing our trust could also serve us. However, a detailed understanding of a masterpiece in its outer and inner dimensions is the best tribute and salute to its creator, and reached only through scientific knowledge.
(The writer is a creative director, advertising faculty.) https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/a-yatra-to-understand-ancient-indian-science.html Saturday, 23 July 2022 
-GoTop


No comments: