\ SAMVAD
Sharad Navratri 6, Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124: 1October, 2022: SM4013(For Private Circulation Only)
1. FESTIVALS: DIWALI:
Deepawali or Diwali - celebrated on Karthik Amavasya (October 24 this year)
- is a festival of lights which usually lasts five days. It symbolizes the
spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over
ignorance. The festival is widely associated with Maa Lakshmi and Bhagwan Ganesh.
Many other regional traditions connect the festival to Sita and Rama, Vishnu,
Krishna, Durga, Shiva, Kali, Hanuman, Kubera, Yama, Yami, Dhanvantari or
Vishvakarma.
During this period, Jains observe the final liberation of Mahavira, Sikhs
celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release of Guru Hargobind Sahib from a
Mughal prison and Newar Buddhists celebrate Diwali by worshipping Lakshmi.
19. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN:
Pravas: Anil Vartak, Vishwa Vibhag Sah-Samyojak will be travelling to Thailand.
Visitors: Vijay D. Y., Vivek Singh - USA
JAI SHRI RAM
RAJIB DUTTA
Lokmanthan, the churn of the nation, is a journey
embarked upon by Prajna Pravah to seek the cultural and traditional treasures
hidden in the various corners of our country. Lokmanthan is that intended churn
which would provide a chance to all ethnic groups and communities to bring forth
their traditional knowledge in various spheres which are entwined in their
cultural practices. It is a platform to all thinkers and practitioners for whom
the national interests are primary. The very concept of Lokmnthan is conceived
as a “Colloquium of Nation First Thinkers and Practitoners’ that offers a common
platform to not just intellectuals but all those who have excelled in their
respective fields and contributed to realizing the idea of Rashtra (Nationhood).
The Akashiganga that is situated near Malinithan is regarded as one of the 51
Shakti Pith of Bharat. Nilmat Puran written by Saint Neel mentions that the Nag
KanyaUllupi was married by Arjuna. The Dimasa of Nagaland consider themselves as
the descendants of Hidimba, the wife of Bhim. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN
shrivishwaniketan@gmail.com
http://svn.epapers.in
Along with the Bharatiya diaspora, many governments and their elected
representatives officially celebrate Diwali in various countries around the
world. -GoTop
2. RASHTRAPATI MURMU INAUGURATED MYSURU DUSHERRA FESTIVAL:
On September 26, Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the ten-day Mysuru
Dusherra festival by offering prayers to Devi Chamundeshwari atop Chamundi
hills. She extended her greetings to the people and sought the blessings of
Bhagawati Chamundeshwari for the well-being of the nation and its people.
Rashtrapati Murmu also noted that the festival celebrates women's power and
recalled the role played by Rani Abbakka Devi and Rani Chennamma in fighting
foreign colonial powers, and Onake Obavva of Chitradurga who countered the
soldiers of Hyder Ali. -GoTop
3. DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT AT DIFFERENT PROGRAMS: On September
25, RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat attended a public meeting at U Soso
Tham auditorium in Shillong, Meghalaya. While addressing the meeting, Dr.
Bhagwat said that the oneness of Bharat is its strength. He added that the
mission of Sangh is to make the society organised in order to make Bharat attain
all round development. On September 26, he joined the head priest of Seng Khasi,
Skor Jala, for a prayer at the sanctum sanctorum of the sacred peak U Lum
Sohpetbneng (Navel of the Universe) for the well-being, growth and prosperity of
‘Ka Mei Ri India’ (Bharat Mata) and all its citizens.
On September 18, Dr. Bhagwat addressed a gathering of swayamsevaks from
Guruvayoor district and said that Hindutva is the name for divine qualities and
not the name for any race, caste, creed, language or religion. Earlier, on
September 15, he met Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and sought her blessings at Mata
Amritanandamayi Math in Amritapuri, Kollam.
On September 19, Dr. Bhagwat launched the book "Connecting with the Mahabharata"
in Delhi. The book authored by Neera Mishra and Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Rajesh
Lal is dedicated to B. B. Lal who carried out excavations at Hastinapur and
Indraprastha as he worked to discover the historicity of Mahabharata.
On August 22, Dr. Bhagwat met with many Muslim intellectuals and discussed
recent controversies and ways to strengthen religious inclusivity in the
country. The meeting was attended by many intellectuals like Former Chief
Election Commissioner S Y Qureshi, Former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung,
Former Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University Lieutenant General Zameer Uddin
Shah and others. -GoTop
4. LOKMANTHAN – CELEBRATION OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY : The
3rd edition of Lokmanthan - the Colloquium of Nation First Thinkers and
Practitioners - was held at Guwahati from September 22 to 24. It was organised
by Prajna Pravah along with like-minded intellectual and cultural organisations
such as Sanskar Bharati, Vijnana Bharati, Sahitya Parishad, Itihas Sankalan
Samiti and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. The theme of Lokmanthan was Lokparampara and
it explored how lok traditions have kept our cultural consciousness intact and
strengthened our feeling of National Selfhood.
UpRashtrapati of Bharat Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated Lokmanthan on September 22
in the presence of Governor of Assam Jagdish Mukhi and Chief Minister Dr.
Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The four-day convention brought together intellectuals and practitioners working
to preserve cultural heritage and served as a landmark for accelerating the
multifarious culture and traditions of North East Bharat. It provided a chance
for all the ethnic groups and communities to bring forth their traditions in
various spheres which are entwined in their cultural practices.
On September 24, chief guest of the valedictory function - Governor of Kerala
Arif Mohammad Khan - quoted Rabindranath Tagore and said that Bharat cannot get
its true independence until the people understand that independence comes from
their mind itself. RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale, main speaker on the
occasion, said that in the Bharatiya tradition, the ‘sthaan’ of ‘Maa’ is
believed to be of highest repute. He added that a nation is built by Bhoomi,
Jana, Sanskriti, and Niyam. -GoTop
5. SAKSHAM’S WORK IS EXCELLENT : KERALA GOVERNOR: On
September 17, while inaugurating Saksham’s two-day National Delegate Conference
at Elamakara Bhaskariyam Convention Center, Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammad
Khan lauded Saksham for doing yeoman service among the physically challenged. He
said that kindness, charity and dharma are the foundations of Bharat and Saksham
is working based on the ideal of Manav Seva - Madhav Seva.
The conference was
presided by the National President of Saksham Adv. S. Govindaraj and RSS Sah
Sarkaryavah CR Mukunda delivered the keynote address. SAKSHAM is a charitable
national organization registered at Nagpur. It was established with an aim to
bring all physically challenged persons in the mainstream of our nation. -GoTop
6. NEELAMPEROOR PADAYANI CELEBRATED ‘SWADHEENTA KA
AMRITAVARSH’: ‘Neelamperoor Padayani’ is a 2000 year old celebration of
culture at the ‘Palli Bhagavathi Kshetram’ (Mandir of Devi Durga) in
Neelamperoor, Kerala. According to the Malayalam calendar, it falls in the
Chingam month (August/September) and involves celebration of the incarnation of
Devi giving darshan to the masses. During the procession, exceptionally
decorated effigies of various Devis come alive through a dance form in all its
majestic grandeur and bursts of vibrant colours. The effigies are decorated with
natural materials such as Ixora flowers, lotus leaves, coconut palm leaf, the
stem of plantain etc.
As part of the ‘Swadheenta Ka Amritavarsh’, this year, the effigy of ‘Bharat
Mata’ was added as ‘Bharatamba Kolam’ to celebrate the reawakening of Bharat. It
was made with the same ritualistic divination as the other Devis and was
received with reverence by the devotees participating in the Padayani. -GoTop
7. HINDU YUVA HOSTS LARGEST HINDU STUDENT LEADERSHIP EVENT
IN NORTH AMERICA: As a celebration of 15 years of organizational growth and
Hindu activism on campuses across North America, more than 200 Hindu student
leaders from 64 universities gathered for ‘Charaiveti: The Hindu YUVA National
Summit’ from September 9-11 in Chicago. Hindu Youth for Unity, Virtues and
Action (YUVA) has 48 registered university chapters that practice, promote,
protect and preserve Hindu Dharma on campus. The summit had the highest
representation of universities among any Hindu student leadership event in North
America.
The sessions were themed around the acronym YUVA: Youth for Unity, Virtues and
Action. There were panel discussions reflecting on the need for Hindu
representation in all aspects of society and how to address growing Hinduphobia
in university spaces. Speakers also discussed the relevance of Hindu Dharma, and
how their experiences can shape the way young leaders create change in society.
Professor Ved Prakash Nanda, America Zone Sanghachalak of Hindu Swayamsevak
Sangh, implored students and organization leaders to recognize that the “time is
now that Hindus stand together and work in different facets of society towards
the same vision.”
Leaders from BAPS Campus Fellowship, Hindu Students Council, National Hindu
Students Forum (NHSF UK), Young Jains of America, Isha Foundation and
International Society for Krishna Consciousness discussed the challenges faced
by Hindu students on campus and how they could move forward together to address
these challenges. Energized by the atmosphere of the summit and bolstered by the
support of their peers, the Hindu student leaders returned more passionate than
ever to represent the Hindu voice and contribute positively to their campus and
community around them. -GoTop
8. HINDUS OF GREATER HOUSTON HONORS 75 YOUTH: At an
event hosted by Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) at Sri Meenakshi Temple on
September 10, 75 youth were recognized and honored for their strong sense of
community, fostering conversations about Bharatiya culture and inspiring the
next generation of leaders with their contributions.
More than 500 people from around 44 organisations attended the event. The 75
awardees selected included those of Caucasian, African American, Caribbean,
Nepali and Indo-American origin. Keynote speaker Partho Ghosh dwelt on how
Vedanta philosophy’s tenets can drive better leaders. Deputy Consul General of
Bharat in Houston, Sandeep Choudhary, congratulated the awardees and spoke
briefly on the importance of connectivity of the youth awardees with those in
Bharat. Kim Marby, Program Manager for Interfaith Ministry of Greater Houston,
also attended the event. -GoTop
9. GURU PUJAN IN BELGIUM: On September 25, Hindu
Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Belgium conducted the first in-person Guru Pujan Utsav in
Leuven city area of Belgium.
Around 30 swayamsevaks and sevikas attended the
utsav. In an interactive session, the children discussed their views on the idea
of ‘Guru’. In his address, karyavah for Europe Mainland (EML) Abhinav Sharma
explained the concept of Guru and touched upon the different forms of Guru that
we encounter in our life. The significance of Bhagwa Dhwaj as Guru in Sangh and
the concept of Guru Dhakshina were also introduced to the swayamsevaks and
sevikas. -GoTop
10. HSS WOODBRIDGE DONATED BACKPACKS TO LOCAL KIDS IN NEED:
In September, Woodbridge chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA
partnered with Goel CPA LLC and donated more than 40 backpacks and other school
supplies to Woodbridge Township schools. This initiative was named ‘Vidyadaan’.
16 backpacks were donated to the Indiana Avenue School #18. Principal
Christopher Chiera received the backpacks and appreciated the work done by HSS.
More than 24 backpacks were donated to Councilwoman Sharon McAuliffe who will in
turn distribute the backpacks to individual students in need. -GoTop
11. INTERNATIONAL GITA MAHOTSAV CELEBRATED IN CANADA:
International Gita Mahotsav was celebrated in Canada from September 16-18.
According to a statement issued by Bharat Sevashram Sangha Canada, the Mahotsav
commenced on September 16 in the Canadian Parliament.
The festival was
celebrated at the Living Art Center of Mississauga on day two and it ended on
Yonge-Dundas Square in the downtown Toronto community on day three with a
parade. Speaking at the event, Chandra Arya, Member of Parliament Nepean, House
of Commons of Canada emphasized on his private member's bill to celebrate
November as Hindu Heritage Month. Arya stated that the Canadian government
should recognize the contributions that Hindu Canadians have made to the
socio-economic development of Canada and their services to Canadian society.
-GoTop
12. INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP DAY IN BHARAT:
International Coastal Cleanup Day is celebrated globally on the third Saturday
of September every year. On September 17, the Government of Bharat along with
other voluntary organisations and the local society conducted a cleanliness
campaign - “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar” - along Bharat’s entire coastline.
Efforts were undertaken to collect scientific data and information on Marine
Litter in various matrices such as coastal waters, sediments and beaches. This
campaign was launched by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in support of
Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Along with other
social and educational organizations, Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster
Management Authority (NDMA), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and
Paryavaran Sanrakshan Gatividhi (PSG) participated in the event.
More than
hundred thousand volunteers from around 10,000 organisations covered close to
900 locations in 11 states and union territories. More than 700 tons of waste
was cleaned up during the drive. -GoTop
13. SEWA INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT HONOURED: Recognizing
Sewa International's work during the Covid-19 pandemic in the US, Bharat and
worldwide, the Federation of Indo-Americans of Northern California honoured Arun
Kankani, President, Sewa International with the "Festival of Globe Hero Award"
on August 21. Speaking at the event in Fremont, California, Arun Kankani thanked
the Bharatiya American community for serving local US communities during the
pandemic in 2020-2021 and supporting Bharat and nine other nations when Covid
infections were at their peak.
He also said that Sewa International was able to
serve all without discrimination as they believed the world to be one family.
-GoTop
14. HIGH COMMISSION CONDEMNS ATTACK AGAINST BHARATIYA
COMMUNITY IN LEICESTER: On September 19, the High Commission of Bharat in
London condemned the violence perpetrated against the Bharatiya community in
Leicester.
“We strongly condemn the violence perpetrated against the Indian Community in
Leicester and vandalisation of premises and symbols of Hindu religion. We have
strongly taken up this matter with the UK authorities and have sought immediate
action against those involved in these attacks. We call on the authorities to
provide protection to the affected people,” the statement read.
The cycle of violence was triggered on August 28 after Bharat won the Asia Cup
T20 match against Pakistan. The police have made 47 arrests in this matter so
far. -GoTop
15. HINDU CANADIANS CONCERNED ABOUT RISING HINDUPHOBIA: MP
CHANDRA ARYA: Chandra Arya, an MP of the Canadian Parliament, urged the
parliamentarians to take necessary remedial measures to address the increasing
incidents of hate crimes against Hindus in the country. In a Parliamentary
address in the Canadian Parliament, Chandra Arya said, "Hindu Canadians are
legitimately concerned about the rising Hinduphobia in Canada." The MP further
added, "The increasingly vocal and well organized Anti India and Anti Hindu
groups in Canada has resulted in increasing Anti Hindu sentiments...I urge all
levels of government to note this and take remedial actions now.
Let us all work
hard, to make sure that people of all religious faiths continue to peacefully
coexist in Canada." -GoTop
16. NEW JERSEY HINDU AMERICANS DEMAND RESCISSION OF HATEFUL
RESOLUTION BY TEANECK DEMOCRATS: Almost fifty-five Hindu American
organizations representing more than 155,000 residents of Bergen County, NJ and
surrounding areas signed a coalition letter condemning a hateful resolution
recently passed by the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC). The
resolution has outraged Hindu Americans who see this as a vicious, false and
provocative act by Democratic Party activists in Teaneck to demonize the entire
Hindu community, their activities, their beliefs and their political
participation in New Jersey.
Civic leaders and officials from the surrounding areas also expressed their
support for the Hindu American community while condemning the Hindu hate
campaign initiated by the TDMC. New Jersey State Senator Vin Gopal, in a
strongly worded statement of support for the Hindu American community condemned
the resolution and called for its immediate rescission. Teaneck City Council
Members Keith Kaplan and Michael Santiago Pagan also issued a strong statement
in which they proclaimed that hate has no home in Teaneck.
Hindu American organizations, some of which were demonized by the TDMC
resolution, collectively donated over 30 million pounds of food and over $50
million dollars worth of food, supplies and other essential services during the
pandemic to help the elderly or lower-income communities hit hard by the COVID
lockdowns. The letter urged the TDMC to do the right thing by immediately
rescinding their hate-filled resolution and apologizing for hurting the
sentiments of the Hindu American community and for endangering the security,
well-being, and safety of Hindus in New Jersey.
On September 12, Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC) of Teaneck, NJ
had passed a resolution that wrongly condemns almost every major Hindu American
organization in the United States as an organization that promotes hate and
terrorism. -GoTop
17. OBITUARY: ACHARYA SWAMI DHARMENDRA MAHARAJ: Shri
Panchkhand Peethadheeshwar Acharya Swami Dharmendra Maharaj was under treatment
at the Sawai Man Singh Government Hospital in Jaipur from August 28. He was put
on ventilator support as his health deteriorated. However, he could not recover
and passed away on September 19. He was 79.
Born on January 9, 1942, in Malvada, Gujarat, Acharya Dharmendra was one of the
tallest figures in the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir movement. To stop cow slaughter,
he started a massive movement in 1965 with a 52-day fast and many public
awareness campaigns in the country. He had also served in the Kendriya
Margadarshak Mandal of Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Many leaders, including Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister
Amit Shah have condoled his demise. PM Modi described Acharya's death as an
irreparable loss to the spiritual world. In his condolence message RSS
Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat said that in the passing of Shri Panchkhand
Peethadheeshwar Acharya Shri Dharmendra, Hindu society has lost one of its
inspiring spokesman and a vigilant crusader of Hindu dharma and culture. -GoTop
18. OBITUARY: KESHAVRAO DATTATREYA DIKSHIT : Keshavrao
Dattatreya Dikshit, a senior pracharak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, breathed
his last at a private hospital in Kolkata on September 20. He was 98. Keshavrao
was born in 1925 at Pulgaon village of Wardha district in Maharashtra and he
graduated in Marathi and Sanskrit from M.J. College, Jalgaon in 1949. He was a
swayamsevak from a very young age and became a sangh pracharak in 1950.
Keshavrao came to Bengal in 1950 as a pracharak of RSS and guided the sangh work
there for 72 years in various capacities. In a shraddhanjali sabha in Kolkata on
September 28, RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat said that Keshavraos’s life
teaches us to constantly and continuously work for the society and nation.
-GoTop
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Radiate boundless love towards the entire world. —
Mahatma Buddha -GoTop
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LOKMANTHAN UNRAVELS CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL TREASURES IN THE NORTH EAST
For the last ten centuries India was in a state of insularity facing political
and social precariousness which not only had an impact on its social and
religious values, but also knowledge and economic prosperity. However, the
essence of our Rashtriyata lays not in religious, political or administrative
apparatus but on an immutable culture binding masses across the country. This is
an attempt to connect intellectuals and practitioners in connecting the present
to the past, and thus create a future which can secure our cultural heritage.
Lokmanthan was first organised in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh in the year 2016 and
the theme was “Decolonising of Indian Minds” which is an attempt to reinventing
the national self-consciousness and linking the young generation to the lost
roots of our culture. Similarly in 2018 Lokmanthan was organised in Ranchi,
Jharkhand with the theme “Bharat Bodh-Jana Gana Mana”. Through Bharat Bodh, it
is to remind that Bharat was well known throughout the world for its economic
prosperity and philosophy, and was rich culturally and economically.
Lokmanthan 2022 is being organised in Guwahati, Assam in the month of September
at Srimanta Sankardev Kalashetra and the theme is “Lok Parampara”. North East in
context of Bharat is the “Isahan Kon” of the geographical region. It is the land
of rising sun and connects north with the east which is considered as one of the
holy place. Earth magnetic field travels from North to South and Sun magnetic
field travels from East to West. These two magnetic field superimposition
happens in the North East and is our believe that our gods are based in this
region, Himalaya.
Since ages past, the North Eastern region of India has either been disregarded,
unexplored, misunderstood, or inaccurately portrayed in both ethos and
sentiments on one hand, and on the basis of theme, contextual, and logical
reasons on the other hand. The widely held belief has been that the North
Eastern region of our nation not only differs significantly in its Mongoloid
details, but also holds a separatist, nonconformist, and dissident perspective
on its historical past and cultural present.
The eight North East States including the seven sister states of Assam,
Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and the eight
brother state in Sikkim have been obtrusive examples of the other’s blurred or
ignorant gaze and the insider’s distorted or misunderstood perspective.
However, North East from the very Vedic period is very much bonded with Bharat
and have given birth to many famous heroes. In Kalikapuran it is mentioned that
Bhagwan Parashuram to evade his ills took bath in present Parashuram Kunda which
is situated in Lohit River near Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh.
It is mentioned in Mahabharata that King Bhagadat was the king of Pragjyotishpur.
The name Pragjyotishpur was mentioned more than 20 times in Mahabhrata.
Undivided North East was known as Pragjyotishpur which means “Ancient”(Prag)
“Jyotish” (Astrology) :City of Ancient Astrology”. In ‘Vishnu Puran’ the war
between Krishna and Narakasur, King of Pragjyotishpur was mentioned.
Bhagwan Krishna married Rukmini the princess of Bhishmaknagar of Arunachal
Pradesh. The Misimi tribes still consider them as the descendants of Rukmini.
While returning from Bhishmaknagar, Krishna with his wife Rukmini took rest and
Shiva and Devi Parvati welcomed them with flowers which is at present known as
Malinithan. The name Malini got its name as Krishna used to call Devi Parvati as
Malini.
The Bodo community of Assam consider themselves as the descendants of Vishnu the
creator and the Karbi’sof Karbi Anglong consider themselves as the descendants
of Sugriva the younger brother of King Vali. Similarly the Tiwa community
consider themselves as the descendants of Sita.
In contemporary history, Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva was a great
saint-scholar, poet, playwright, dancer, actor, musician, artist
social-religious reformer and a figure of importance in the cultural and
religious history of Assam, Bharat. He was instrumental in bonding the North
East with mainland Bharat. “Hena jani naratanu nena aale jale, Katikhyan pora
aashi dharileko kale. Devara durlava etu janma bharatat, Horai Chintamani jena
janiba hatot” (from Bhagavata Adi Dashan) meaning It is very difficult for
“Devata” (Demigoad) to be born in Bharata, so do not spend the human life in
vain because a being never knows when death calls upon Him, so do the needful to
serve Lord Krishna, or else you will let loose the most precious thing (Chintamani)
from your hand. His main disciple, Sri Sri Madhabdev in his quote “Dhanya Dhanya
Kali Kal, Danya Nara Tanu Bhala, Dhanya Dhanya Bharat Barikha”. Apa apa Jagya
Tezi, Tumaro Charane Bhaji, Tuwa Naam Ghosibu Harise (Borget). Glory to the
Kaliyuga blessed human birth and the land of Bharatavarsha; renouncing penance,
sacrifice at your feet, let all sing in praise of Your name with blissful joy in
praise of your name. It is worth mentioning that the great leader Lachit
Borphukan defeated the Mughals 7 times and saved the entireSouth East Asia from
the barbaric rule of Mughals. Historically, the Northeastern region had been an
integral part of India's freedom struggle.
Kanaklata Barua was a freedom fighter who sacrificed at the age of 17 during the
Quit India Movement.
One of the most revered figures of the Anglo-Manipur War in 1891 was Major Paona
Brajabashi, a soldier of the Kangleipak kingdom (Kingdom of Manipur) under
Maharaja Kulachandra.
Bir Tikendrajit Singh, the crown prince of Manipur, who laid down his life along
with his General Thangal for protecting the territorial integrity of the state
against British imperialist design, has gone down in the annals of history as a
hero of supreme sacrifice and extraordinary valour.
“We are free people, the white men should not rule over us,” said a 13-year-old
Rani Gaidinliu of the Rongmei Nagatribe in 1927, while issuing a clarion call to
all ethnic Naga tribes from remote hills of the Northeastern region.
Haipou Jadonang, A Rongmei Naga leader from present-day Manipur, he was a
spiritual leader, social reformist, and political leader who sought to
emancipate the Naga people from the clutches of British colonial rule during the
early decades of the 20th century.
Born in 1802, U Tirot Sing Syiemlieh was a native chief of Nongkhlaw, a
territory in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, wholed the Khasis in their fight
against the British during the 1829-1833 Anglo-Khasi War.
Moje Riba became the first INC President from Arunachal Pradesh. For his
sacrifices and contributions in the India's movement, he was conferred with
Tamra Patra by the then PM of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi.
Born on 6 June 1890, Gopinath Bordoloi not only challenged the British, but also
ensured that at the time of Independence, Assam remained part of India, and
eventually became the first Chief Minister of undivided Assam.
Northeast India has over 220 ethnic groups and an equal number of dialects with
rich and vibrant culture. At present prospective, if we explore and unravel, we
shall find that the tradition of North East is very much related to the rest of
Bharat. In Assam we celebrate “Bohag Bihu” in the month of April similarly in
Northern India it is celebrated as Vaishakhi, as Vishu in Kerala and Puthandu in
Tamilnadu. The North East communities had a close binding but was divided by the
Britishers in the name of Tribals-Nontribals, Hills-Plains, and in the name of
cast and creed. The conversion of people to Christianity by certain tribal
policy during the British Rule divided the people of Northeast. In the name of
protection the Bharatiyas of the plain needed passes and inner line permits to
visit their own countryman in the hills and forest but the Christian
missionaries were given easy and free access which helped them to fulfil their
agenda of conversion.
The oneness that we seven sisters and one brother along with the Bharat with our
similar Lok Parampara is an example of Akhanda Bharat. As famous Hindi Novalist
and Historian, Shri Hazari Prasad Dwivedi said “The meaning of the word ‘Lok’ is
not tribal or rural, instead, it is the whole people residing in cities and
villages, whose practical knowledge was not based on texts. These people are
more simple and trained in organic lifestyle in comparison with the city
dwellers”. This Lokmanthan2022 will be a curtain riser for the people of North
East to be in oneness and bring back the tradition and ethos of its own
community and assimilate the region with Akhanda Bharat. (www.organiser.com) -GoTop