Kartika Shukla 8 Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124 : 1 November, 2022:SM 4015 (For Private Circulation only)
1.
FESTIVALS: KARTIKA PURNIMA: Kartika
Purnima (November 8 this year) is a five-day festival that is celebrated by
Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. The festival celebrates Bhagwan Shiva’s victory over
the demon Tripurasuara and on this day Bhagwan Vishnu incarnated as Matsya - the
first avatar.
2. RSS AKHIL BHARATIYA KARYAKARI MANDAL BAITHAK: The
four-day baithak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s Akhil Bhartiya Karyakari
Mandal began in Prayagraj on October 16. The baithak was held at Vatsalya
Institute in Gauhania and concluded on October 19.
On October 15, Akhil Bhartiya Prachar Pramukh of RSS Shri Sunil Ambekar briefed
the media persons before the meeting and informed that currently there were
55000 shakhas in the country.
The meeting also took stock of the expansion of the organisational work and
Sangh Shiksha Varg and discussed important contemporary issues of the country.
Besides, the meeting discussed ways and means to follow up the important issues
that were raised by Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat in his speech on the
occasion of Vijayadashami. Furthermore, RSS will be completing its hundred years
in 2025, and therefore, the meeting considered plans to expand the number of
shakhas across the country.
While talking to reporters on the concluding day of the Akhil Bhartiya Karyakari
Mandal Baithak of RSS in Prayagraj, Sarakaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale said
that religious conversions are leading to population imbalance in the country.
Shri Hosabale said that due to conversions, the population of Hindus decreased
in many places and its consequences have been witnessed too. Hosabale further
said that those who changed their religion should not get the benefit of
reservation. He referred to the committee formed under former Chief Justice of
Bharat KG Balakrishnan to examine whether communities that adopted other
religions should get the Scheduled Caste status.
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3. UK PARLIAMENT IN LONDON CELEBRATES DIWALI: On October
17, prayers for peace recited by priests from the Hare Krishna Mandir and the
lighting of candles marked Diwali celebrations in the Houses of Parliament
complex in London. The celebration was held in the State Rooms of the Speaker's
House, described as the grandest residence within the Palace of Westminster. It
marked the largest Diwali event of its kind in the Parliament complex, which
brought together cross-party parliamentarians, diplomats, community leaders and
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) representatives.
A parliamentarian quoted a recent figure to say that British Bharatiyas make up
around 2 percent of the population, however, they contribute almost 8 per cent
of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 
On October 26, the newly appointed United Kingdom Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak,
shared Diwali wishes from his official residence in London after he attended a
Diwali reception at 10 Downing Street. Sunak extended Diwali wishes to everyone
and pledged to do "everything I can in this job to build a Britain where our
children and our grandchildren can light their Diyas."
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4. WHITE HOUSE HOSTS BIGGEST DIWALI CELEBRATION EVER: On
October 24, White House hosted the biggest Diwali reception ever, which also saw
the presence of several Bharatiya Americans from the Biden administration.
Wishing a happy Diwali to more than one billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and
Buddhists celebrating this Festival of Lights in the United States, Bharat and
around the world, Biden thanked the Asian American community in the US for
making the Diwali celebration a joyous part of American culture.
He also thanked the optimism, courage and empathy demonstrated by the incredible
South Asian community all across America.
First Lady Jill Biden praised the Asian American community in the US for
“helping us light our way forward.”
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5. UAE PRESIDENT EXTENDS DIWALI WISHES IN HINDI: On
October 24, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan wished peace and
prosperity to people celebrating Diwali in three different languages including
Hindi.
Besides the UAE President, several other world leaders and heads of state
including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese, Israel Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau extended their Diwali greetings.
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6. DIWALI CELEBRATIONS AT MATUA NGARU SCHOOL, NZ: On
October 21, Diwali was celebrated at Matua Ngaru School in New Zealand. The
program was supported by Durga Shakha and Auckland Northwest Nagar karyakartas
of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS NZ, along with few other parents.
The event was organized like a mela. The hall was decorated with artifacts
created by school students. Stalls were set up for diya decoration, Pin the Diya,
Photobooth, fun food race, Bharatnatyam dance display, rangoli and Mehendi. The
children came to school in traditional attire.
7. LEICESTER'S DIWALI CELEBRATIONS DRAWS HUGE CROWDS: On
October 24, the Diwali celebrations in Leicester concluded with a spectacular
light show. The city's famous Golden Mile lit up as the lights were joined by a
vast array of fairground rides and food stalls.
8. DIWALI AT TIMES SQUARE: On October 15. New York City
Mayor Eric Adams, Senator from NY Charles E. Schumer, and NY State Assemblywoman
Jennifer Rajkumar along with Bharat’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal
took part in Diwali celebrations at New York’s Times Square.
In a press conference on October 20, Mayor Adams announced plans to include
Diwali as a holiday in the public school schedule. State assemblywoman Jenifer
Rajkumar and Department of Education chancellor David Banks were present on the
occasion. Legislators swapped out Anniversary Day, traditionally celebrated on
the first Thursday in June, for Diwali. Rajkumar, who introduced the legislation
to recognize Diwali said that the time has come to recognize over 200,000 New
Yorkers who celebrate Diwali.
During the conference, Adams called the decision a “long overdue” acknowledgment
of Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities.
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9. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE ILLUMINATES IN DIWALI: On the
auspicious occasion of Diwali, Sydney Opera House lit up on October 23 after
several world leaders including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
wished Happy Diwali to everyone celebrating the festival across the world.
10. SEWADIWALI - USA: SewaDiwali is an initiative by
Dharmic communities, individuals and organizations who believe in Sewa Dharma,
i.e. Service to Humanity is Service to Divinity. Around Diwali, they organize
food collection drives in the USA and donate it to local food banks.
Hindu YUVA at Iowa State University started the food drive during the
celebration of Universal Oneness Week in October and it will continue until
November 15.
On October 25, Mayor John E. McCormac of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey,
presented the Diwali proclamation and thanked SewaDiwali for participating and
sharing the efforts to collect thousands of pounds of food for Aurora food
pantries. 
Similar efforts of food collection are undergoing in various cities of the USA
in the months of October-November. -GoTop
11. BAPS CHARITIES HOLDS BLOOD DRIVES IN US AND CANADA:
BAPS Charities organized a record-breaking 100 blood drives across North America
in partnership with local blood banks. These drives helped collect 4,000 pints
of blood to potentially save 12,000 lives (one pint can save up to three lives).
The blood donation drives were organized to commemorate the centennial
celebrations of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The nationwide campaign to donate blood
came during the worst blood shortage crisis in over a decade due to the COVID-19
pandemic and Hurricane Ian. Anna Feltham, Account Manager, American Red Cross
Blood Services in Chicago said that the blood collected will go a long way
towards replenishing blood supplies and, ultimately, saving lives. 
12. SEWA BHARATI HONOURS PHILANTHROPISTS: Along with
other philanthropists, chairman of TATA Sons Ratan Tata, Amul CEO RS Sodhi and
several other social activists were awarded ‘Sewa Ratna’ by the Sewa Bharati for
their contribution to the field of philanthropy. In a statement, Sewa Bharati
said that the awards were given on the basis of ‘priceless contribution in
social work or providing funds for social development’.
Around 500 selected people who work for the betterment of the society attended
the event.
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13. ‘HINDU HERITAGE MONTH’ CELEBRATIONS BEGIN IN USA:
Hindu Heritage Month (HHM) - started in 2013 - is a global coming together of
Hindus every year during the month of October to celebrate their rich heritage
and foster unity among diverse communities.
In Chicago, Hindus came together to organize a ‘Shobha Yatra’ on October 8.
Members of the diaspora from around the Chicago area gathered at Swami
Vivekanand Marg, near the Art Institute of Chicago where Swami Vivekananda
delivered his famous speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions in 1893 on
what being a Hindu means.
14. LARGEST, TALLEST TEMPLE IN NORTH AMERICA OPENS: A
new 87-foot tower at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Cary was inaugurated in the
presence of hundreds of devotees by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. The
tower named “Tower of Unity and Prosperity” is now the tallest of its kind in
North America.
The temple is modeled after the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati. Fourteen
artisans were brought in from Bharat to hand-carve the temple’s decorative Hindu
idols. -GoTop
15. UK GETS ITS FIRST BHARATIYA-ORIGIN PM RISHI SUNAK:
On October 23, Britain's Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak became the first
Bharatiya-origin Prime Minister of the UK. The former UK Chancellor of the
Exchequer became the Conservative Party leader less than two months after he
lost to Liz Truss in the Tory leadership race. 
Sunak, at the age of 42, is the youngest British leader in more than 200 years.
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16. ‘LIVING IN STATE OF FEAR’: OPEN LETTER TO UK PM BY 180
HINDU ORGANISATIONS IN UK: On October 16, over 180 British Bharatiya and
Hindu organisations, including the temples wrote an open letter to the then UK
Prime Minister Liz Truss, demanding stringent action against targeted hate
crimes against the Hindu community. They requested the prime minister to
intervene and protect them as they are being targeted and feel threatened in the
country following the violence in Leicester and Birmingham.
The open letter made six appeals, including ensuring sufficient security is
provided to the Hindu community in the short and long terms.
The open letter was signed by major Hindu organisations that include National
Council of Hindu Temples, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Sanstha UK, Indian National
Students Association UK, ISKCON Manchester, Overseas Friends of BJP (UK), the
Hindu Lawyers Association (UK) and Insight UK .
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17. AYODHYA DEEPOTSAV WORLD RECORD: On October 23,
Ayodhya entered the Guinness Book of World Records by lighting up 15.76 lakh
diyas as part of the grand celebration on the occasion of Chotti Diwali at Ram
Ki Paidi on the banks of the revered Saryu river. 19000 volunteers ensured that
the event was a success. A total of 17 lakh earthen lamps were lit across 37
ghats of Ram Ki Paidi. The lighting up of the ghats began at 5:15 PM and an
official from the Guinness Book of Records oversaw the proceedings.
Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi was the chief guest during the occasion which was
witnessed by more than 50000 people. In his speech PM Modi said that Ram’s
ideals were like a beacon that gave light to the whole world. Before his address
at Ram Katha Park, PM Modi performed the symbolic ‘rajyabhishek’ of Ram and Sita.
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18. 6TH INTERNATIONAL RAMAYANA FESTIVAL BY ICCR: On
October 19, Minister of Culture G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated the 6th
International Ramayana Festival at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi. The festival
was organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and president of
ICCR, Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe delivered the inaugural speech.
The Ramayana dance-drama troupe from Sri Lanka - 'Natya Kala Mandhir' -
performed ‘Shree Rama Rajyaabhishekam’ at the GMC Balyogi Auditorium at the
Parliament of Bharat.
19. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES FIRST DEDICATED COMMERCIAL
MISSION: On October 23, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched
its first dedicated commercial mission of the 43.5 metre Launch Vehicle Mark 3
(LVM3), weighing around 644 tonne, from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre
Sriharikota (SHAR) in Andhra Pradesh. 36 satellites of UK based global
communication network company OneWeb were injected into the orbits successfully
around 75 minutes after the rocket blasted off from the spaceport in Sriharikota.
Speaking to the media, Sunil Mittal of One Web said that LVM3 launch will boost
the confidence in ISRO at international level to look out for commercial
satellite launches. -GoTop
20. US RESTORED 307 ANTIQUITIES TO BHARAT: On October
17, US authorities returned to Bharat 307 antiquities valued at $ 4 million -
the single largest restoration to date.
In an official release, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said that all
the 307 antiquities were returned during a repatriation ceremony at the
Bharatiya consulate in New York attended by Bharat’s consul general Randir
Jaiswal and US Homeland Security Investigations acting deputy special
agent-in-charge Tom Lau. The returned artefacts include the 12-13th century Arch
Parikara crafted from marble and a murti of Vishnu and Lakshmi with Garuda dated
11th century CE. -GoTop
21. BHARAT’S DONATION OF MEDICINES DURING COVID-19
INCREASED ITS IMPACT ON INTERNATIONAL STAGE: UN CHIEF: Terming Bharat a
partner of choice of the UN, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on October
19 that New Delhi has increased its impact on the international stage due to the
donation of medicines, equipment, and vaccines at height of Covid-19 to
neighbouring countries.
The UN Chief also said that Bharat’s digital platform Cowin is the largest
vaccination program for Covid-19 which is delivering more than 2 billion doses.
He also congratulated Bharat on its achievement over the last 75 years “as the
world’s largest democracy and now as the fastest-growing major economy."
-GoTop
22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Vishwa Vibhag Sah
Samyojak Dr. Ram Vaidya will be returning to UK. Visitors: Kishor Mistry
- New Zealand
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: We have resolved to dedicate our whole life for the
purpose of making the entire Hindu society stand on its own feet in a united
manner. - Dr Keshavrao Baliram
Hedgewar -GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
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RESTORATION OF TEMPLES; AWAKENING COUNTRY TO ITS DHARMIC HERITAGE
David Frawley
India has historically been a great land of
magnificent temples. Temples were not only important sites for religious worship
but also served as centres of learning, art, community gatherings and festivals.
Temples held great wealth and were the pride of the communities in which they
were built.
After Marathas defeated the Mughals and became the dominant power in India in
eighteenth century, they began an active campaign to take back important
temples, or to restore those that had been damaged or neglected. Other Hindu
communities did the same.
The British had no campaign to destroy or expropriate temples, but did not
support efforts to restore them either. The result was when India achieved
Independence in 1947 many important and famous ancient temples had not been
reclaimed or restored though there was a strong sentiment to do so. There was an
expectation that Independent India would continue the process that the Marathas
and others had started.
Yet, though India was divided into a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority
Pakistan, the Nehru government, much like the British, did not allow Hindus to
reclaim their sacred sites or offer government support in restoring them. Not
much support was given to Jains, Sikhs or Buddhists or other dharmic traditions
either.
This means that the policy of restricting Hindus from reclaiming or renovating
their sacred sites continued unbroken through the Mughal, British and Nehruvian
periods. Only Somnath managed to escape the Nehruvian restriction, but that was
owing to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, not Jawaharlal Nehru who opposed it. Pakistan
meanwhile was happy and proud to fund new mosques, renovate the old, and
restrict or destroy existing Hindu temples.
The question arises – Can India be India without honouring its civilisational
heritage, including its magnificent temples? India’s Independence movement
followed the inspiration of modern Rishis and Yogis such as Swami Vivekananda,
Lokmanya Tilak, Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi and Sri Aurobindo. The need
to restore India’s dharmic civilisation was their motivation, the awakening of
Sanatan Dharma, not just modern political independence.
Today in 2022, 75 years after Independence in 1947, a New India is arising under
the Narendra Modi government, which has a profound respect for India’s enduring
civilisation and its diverse traditions. We see a new concern for temple
restoration as part of a national cultural awakening. This extends to sacred
sites of all of India’s dharmic and mystical traditions. It is not just a
UNESCO-type approach or museum centre, but as a living restoration of an ongoing
cultural creativity. Modi is fulfilling the call for a spiritual and cultural
revival made by the Independence movement, to awaken India to its dharmic
heritage including its numerous temples throughout the country, such as can be
found from Kanyakumari to Kedarnath, from Kamakhya to Somnath, which he has been
visiting and supporting.
Mahakal Jyotirlinga in Ujjain
Modi recently inaugurated the renovation and expansion of the Mahakal Temple in
Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, for which he gave what has been regarded as one of his
most inspiring speeches: A call to a New India which honours all its spiritual
traditions and sacred sites, Gurus and Devatas.
Mahakal is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas or temples of light of Shiva Mahadev, and
one of the most important ancient Hindu temples. Mahakal means the great Lord of
Time and Eternity (Kala). Renovating Mahakal means restoring India’s ancient
history, cosmic view of time, civilisational continuity and connection to the
Eternal.
Mahakal in Ujjain represents the Prime Meridian for Vedic astronomical
calculations and timing issues going back to ancient texts like Surya Siddhanta.
Mahakal in Madhya Pradesh also marks the centre of India in terms of geography
and travel. It is very important for Vastu, the Vedic science of directional
influences as well. Renovating Mahakal means renewing the presence of India in
terms of history and geography, restoring its vision of sacred time and sacred
space, opening to the universe as a whole.
India’s temples include many important sites to Shiva, Vishnu, Rama, Krishna,
Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Ganesha, Hanuman and the many Devatas and forms
of Brahman. Each temple has its own Jyotish and Vastu, its own power of sacred
time and sacred space as a gateway to the Eternal and the Infinite. The temple
is not just an outer structure to be admired but an inner presence to take us to
a higher consciousness.
Through restoring these extraordinary temples, one is purifying not only Bharat/India
but the entire Earth, and aligning it with the Supreme Consciousness, which the
planet desperately needs today to move beyond all the conflict we see
developing, and learn to use our new powers of technology for the good of all.
Certainly, people from the entire world will come as pilgrims to visit them.
This new labour and sadhana of restoring and renovating important temples need
to go forward with determination and confidence as part of a greater cultural
unfoldment and civilisational affirmation for India as a whole. Many more temple
sites throughout the country need to be examined and restored, a number of which
are suffering from neglect unworthy of their historical and cultural value.
New temples also need to be built, such as we see with BAPS Swaminarayan and
Akshardham in Delhi and their many great temples throughout the world. The art
and science of temple construction and design needs to be encouraged, sustained
and renewed on all levels.
It is wonderful to see this temple restoration increasing and its growing
momentum for the future of India and the world, including many countries that
have similar ancient sacred sites needing renovation. It is part of India’s
affirmation of its Yogic and Dharmic traditions in which temples and sacred
sites are an integral component, if not the pillar that upholds the teachings
and traditions. (The writer is the director of the American Institute of Vedic
Studies and the author of more than 30 books on yoga and Vedic traditions.)
October 15, 2022 https://vskbharat.com/restoration-of-temples-awakening-country-to-its-dharmic-heritage/?lang=en
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SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.
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