\ SAMVAD

Kartik Krishna 3, Vik. Samvat 2080, Yugabda 5125:1 November 2023: SM 5015 (For Private Circulation Only)


1. FESTIVALS: DIWALI 2. RSS VIJAYADASHAMI UTSAV
3. SANSKRIT IS THE LANGUAGE OF OUR IDENTITY : PM MODI 4. PM MODI INVITED FOR PRAN PRATISHTHA OF AYODHYA'S SHRI RAM MANDIR
5. WORLD IS IN CRISIS BECAUSE ‘WE’ HAS BEEN REPLACED BY ‘I’: DR JOSHI 6. VIJAYADASHAMI UTSAV IN DARLAGHAT
7. DAKSHIN LA VIBHAG HINDU HERITAGE CAMP 8. DUSSEHRA-MILAN IN JAPAN
9. HSS VIJAYADASHAMI UTSAVS 10. HSS USA CELEBRATED RAKSHA BANDHAN
11. UK PARLIAMENT CELEBRATED J&K DAY 12. PARANITYA NARASIMHA MANDIR DEDICATED IN NEW YORK
13. NEW YORK CITY MAYOR HOSTED DIWALI CELEBRATIONS 14. RAM JANMABHOOMI TRUST RECEIVES FCRA CERTIFICATION
15. BHARAT REPORTS RECORD FOODGRAIN PRODUCTION 16.NAVRATRI CELEBRATED AT ANCIENT SHARDA PEETH
17. NEW HEALTH CENTRE AT KASHI VISHWANATH MANDIR 18. BHARAT’S HUMANITARIAN AID FOR PALESTINIAN PEOPLE ARRIVES IN EGYPT
19. SCIENTISTS SUBRA, GADGIL GET NATIONAL MEDALS 20. TEEN WINS SECOND SPOT IN 3M YOUNG SCIENTIST CHALLENGE
21. JP MORGAN ELEVATES BHARAT TO ‘OVERWEIGHT’ RATING 22. OBITUARY: RANGA HARI
23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Article: BHAGWAT’S MANTRA FOR BHARAT

1. FESTIVALS: DIWALI: Diwali (November 12 this year), the festival of lights, is celebrated as the day Bhagwan Ram returned to his kingdom in Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshman after defeating Ravan. It is also widely associated with Devi Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and Bhagwan Ganesha, the god of wisdom and the remover of obstacles.

Jains observe Diwali to mark the final liberation of Bhagwan Mahavira. Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release of Guru Hargobind from a Mughal prison. Newar Buddhists celebrate Diwali by worshipping Devi Lakshmi, while the Hindus of Eastern Bharat and Bangladesh generally celebrate Diwali by worshipping Maa Kali.
The festivities are held from two days before amāvasyā, on Dhanteras, until the second day of the month of Kartik.
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2. RSS VIJAYADASHAMI UTSAV: RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat paid tribute to the founder of the organisation KB Hedgewar and also performed the 'Shastra Pooja' on the occasion of Vijayadashami on October 24. Singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan was the Chief Guest of the function in Nagpur. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were also present at the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Bhagwat said that due to Bharat’s distinct thoughts and vision, our guiding principle of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' has now been incorporated in the philosophy of the entire world. Citing the examples of Bharat’s medal tally at the Asian Games and the Chandrayaan-3 mission, he said that Bharat is now moving forward on the path of material and spiritual progress. He also said that the world is facing the scourge of fanaticism and hysteria stemming from religious sectarianism and hence it expects Bharat to emerge with a new vision, germane to the times, and based on its own value systems, to meet the contemporary needs and challenges of the globe. He added that we ought to rid ourselves of the colonial mindset, and embrace from the outside world only what suits our country and make what is already available in our country appropriate and relevant to the times. It will bring about a meaningful transformation for Bharat.
However, by plunging education, culture, politics and social environment into confusion, chaos, and corruption to create a cycle of fear, confusion and hatred, efforts are being made by some people to ensure that this transformation is not achieved. The right answer to this has to be found only through the unity of the society. We are fortunate to have inherited an all-inclusive culture with a tradition of unity. It is our way of life that transcends the differences between worship, tradition, language, region, caste etc., and extends our affinity from our own family to the entire world-family. We will have to work with the actual situation on the ground, and not be misled by propaganda or guided by assumptions. It is pertinent to persevere with our efforts for a long time, with patience, restraint and tolerance. He concluded by saying that when a nation, full of vigour and glory has a culture like Bharat’s Sanatan culture, that nation restores the balance of the world and brings the world the blessings of a happy and peaceful new life. This is the real purpose of the revival of our immortal nation that is Bharat in the present times.
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3. SANSKRIT IS THE LANGUAGE OF OUR IDENTITY - PM MODI: On October 27, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi said at Shri Tulsi Peeth Seva Nyas in Madhya Pradesh’s Chitrakoot that Sanskrit is not only the language of traditions, but it is also the language of our progress and identity. He further said that Sanskrit got refined with time but did not get polluted adding that our culture is still intact and steadfast.
PM Modi also said that Ashtadhyayi is a thousand-year-old text of Bharat’s linguistics, Bharat’s intellectuality and our research culture. He highlighted the genius of Ashtadhyayi as it encapsulates grammar and science of language in pithy capsules. PM Modi also offered prayers at several Ram Mandirs in Chitrakoot including the Kanch Mandir. Shri Tulsi Peeth Seva Nyas is a religious and social service institution based at Janki Kund, Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh.
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4. PM MODI INVITED FOR PRAN PRATISHTHA OF AYODHYA'S SHRI RAM MANDIR: On October 25, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi met office bearers of Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, as he was being invited for the Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ram Mandir.
The PM said "I feel very blessed. It is my good fortune that in my lifetime, I will witness this historic occasion."
 "The consecration of the new idol of Ramlala in Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will take place on 22 January 2024. PM Narendra Modi will himself be present on this occasion. 4,000 saints, Mahatmas of the country and 2,500 eminent personalities of the society will witness this historic occasion," General Secretary of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Trust Champat Rai posted on X.
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5. WORLD IS IN CRISIS BECAUSE ‘WE’ HAS BEEN REPLACED BY ‘I’: DR JOSHI: On October 26, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, eminent thinker and former Union Minister attended the launch of the book ‘We and the World Around’ at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi. Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhada and spiritual Guru Swami Avdheshanand Maharaj graced the occasion as Chair.
The book is a collection of articles written by Dr Manmohan Vaidya, Sah Sarkaryavah, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Joshi said that the world is in a crisis because ‘We’ has been replaced by ‘I’. He added that the land of Bharat talks about everyone, but the western world does not and the book touches upon such issues. Dr Manmohan Vaidya, while addressing the gathering, recalled an incident that provoked him to write. He added that there are 34 articles in the book.
While talking about RSS, Dr Vaidya said that it is difficult to understand RSS from outside. However, if one enters into Sangh, it becomes very easy. The book also mentions how a section of people tried to create misconceptions about Sangh, and also how people change their perspective about Sangh after knowing it. Dr Vaidya also said that the title of this book clearly says that Bharat’s view to see the world is different than others in the world. He added that we believe in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and always see the world as one and never divide it.
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6. VIJAYADASHAMI UTSAV IN DARLAGHAT: The Vijayadashami Utsav of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Darlaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, began with the shastra-pujan.
In his address, Dr Manmohan Vaidya, the Sah Sarkaryavah of RSS, emphasised the importance of shakhas as a means to foster a sense of belonging and unity within the community. He highlighted the significance of giving back to society and said that RSS plays a crucial role in bringing like-minded individuals together to work for the betterment of society. Dr Vaidya also underlined the duty of every RSS karyakarta to contribute to the overall development of the nation.
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7. DAKSHIN LA VIBHAG HINDU HERITAGE CAMP: Dakshin LA Vibhag of HSS USA conducted Hindu Heritage Camp in the Aliso Viejo Area on September 8 to showcase what HSS can offer. Outreach was done using evite, grocery door flyer handouts and door-to-door invites. The program started with ice-breaker games.
This was followed by basic yoga, Surya namaskar and games conducted separately for children and adults. Adults were also involved in a discussion regarding challenges faced in raising children as Hindus in USA. Children made Diwali hanging decorations, listened to Prahlada story and learnt slokhas. Southwest Sambhag karyavah Pravin Tanwar addressed the adults explaining the values of HSS activities. The event was attended by more than 90 participants.
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8. DUSSEHRA-MILAN IN JAPAN: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Japan celebrated 8th Dussehra-Milan along with first ever Path Sanchalan in Edogawa city, Tokyo. More than 200 participants including sevikas and bal swayamsevaks attended the sanchalan which concluded in the premises of a local Japanese school. The Dussehra-Milan witnessed participation of social workers from 20 different nationalities including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Tibet, US, UK, Austria, Czech Republic, South Korea, Vietnam, and Philippines. Many people who have recently started Hindu Mandir projects in various parts of Japan also attended the event.
Representatives from various Japanese and Bharatiya organizations attended the event and supported the initiative by HSS to felicitate social workers and associations from various nationalities. Mrs Kanika Agrawal, Director of Vivekanand Cultural Center from Embassy of Bharat and Edogawa Councilor Mr Hideyuki Masu also attended the event. During the event, a drama in Sanskrit on selected stories from Ramayan was presented by the HSS volunteers.
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9. HSS VIJAYADASHAMI UTSAVS: On October 29, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, HSS Botswana conducted the Vijayadashami Utsav at Botswana Hindu Society in Gaborone.
Around 65 swayamsevaks and sevikas in HSS ganvesh participated in the utsav and around 85 more people participated in the programme. Swayamsevaks and sevikas demonstrated vyayamyog, geet and ghosh. Deepti Sharma, a balagokulam volunteer, elaborated the religious and social aspect of Vijayadashami in her speech and narrated the inspiring story of Sadhu Sewadas from Trinidad. The winners of ‘Balagokulam Mantra Chanting Competition’ were also announced during the event.
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh,  Taiwan conducted their first Vijayadashami Utsav on October 28. Around 40 people participated in the event. The program included ‘aayudh puja’ and yogabhyas. Participants shared their thoughts on how Vijayadashami is celebrated in different parts of Bharat.
This was followed by the Gayatri Mantra chanting by shishus, bhajans and classical music. The event concluded with the HSS prarthana.
HSS Thailand also celebrated the Vijayadashami utsav on October 29 at the Hindu Dharma Sabha Vishnu Mandir. Vishnu Mandir President Shyam Vihari Singh and president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Thailand Sushil Saraf were the guests of honour at the event. Swami Vigyananad, Akhil Bharatiya General Secretary of VHP was the main speaker on the occasion. The event included a path sanchalan, collective Suryanamaskar and yoga.
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10. HSS USA CELEBRATED RAKSHA BANDHAN: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA celebrated Raksha Bandhan, also called Universal Oneness Day, which underscores the values of unity, love, and protection in society.
This year, HSS organized Raksha Bandhan celebrations in over 80 chapters across 20 states in the United States. Volunteers tied rakhis to various protectors of society, including police personnel, fire personnel, civic officials, and others who dedicate their lives to ensuring the safety and well-being of their communities. HSS volunteers also tied rakhis to faith leaders during this year’s Parliament of World Religions in Chicago.
While appreciating on behalf of his team, Fire Chief James Blanchfield, Wilton, CT, said, “It’s nice when we get together for something like this. On behalf of all the emergency services here today, we thank you guys for coming out here and spending the day with us.”
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11. UK PARLIAMENT CELEBRATED J&K DAY: The House of Commons (UK Parliament) celebrated Jammu & Kashmir Day on the eve of the 76th anniversary of the accession of the then princely state to Bharat on October 26, 1947. The program was organised by the J&K diaspora based in the UK and hosted by Rt Hon Bob Blackman, MP Harrow East. Other parliamentarians attending the event included Rt Hon Jonathan Lord, MP Woking, Rt Hon Theresa Villiers, and MP Chipping Barnet.
The special guests for the evening included Ajatshatru Singh and Ritu Singh from the erstwhile royal family of Jammu & Kashmir. The proceedings were inaugurated by MP Jonathan Lord.
MP Theresa Villiers spoke about the importance of Jammu & Kashmir Day and also highlighted the significant progress made by the region since the revocation of Article 370.
The event was well represented by political and community activists based in the UK, the wider British Bharatiya and J&K diaspora.
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12. PARANITYA NARASIMHA MANDIR DEDICATED IN NEW YORK: In the small town of Elmira, New York, USA, Swami Paramahamsa Vishwananda completed the inauguration of the Paranitya Narasimha Mandir and ashram on September 3.
Hundreds of devotees from Russia, Brazil, Canada, Bharat and Africa all landed on the small town of Elmira to volunteer and help at this historic event. The main deity of the mandir is Paranitya Narasimha, the eternal form of Narasimha. It took two and a half years for the black granite carving of the murti to be completed and shipped. It was installed in elaborate ceremonies over a period of four days by head priest Samudrala Venkatacharyulu from Pittsburgh.
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13. NEW YORK CITY MAYOR HOSTED DIWALI CELEBRATIONS: On October 17, New York City Mayor Eric Adams hosted the annual Diwali celebration at his New York residence, Gracie Mansion.
At the celebration attended by hundreds of prominent members of the Bharatiya-American and South Asian community as well as diaspora from other nationalities and government officials, Adams said that Diwali is more than lighting a candle or oil lamp and is about “lighting up our lives”. New York State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, who led efforts to make Diwali a school holiday in New York City and Deputy Commissioner at the New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, Dilip Chauhan also attended the event.
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14. RAM JANMABHOOMI TRUST RECEIVES FCRA CERTIFICATION: Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has received FCRA certification from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. It will allow the trust to receive contributions from foreign sources for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The Trust's General Secretary Champat Rai said in a post on X, "The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has been approved by the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Bharat, to receive voluntary contributions under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act 2010". He also said that such contributions can be sent to a designated bank account of the trust in the SBI's main branch located in Delhi.
Mandir Construction Committee Chairperson Nripendra Mishra shared through an interview that the construction of the ground floor of the three-storey Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will be completed by end of December and the ’Pran-Pratishtha’ ceremony is expected to take place on January 22, 2024.
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15. BHARAT REPORTS RECORD FOODGRAIN PRODUCTION: Bharat’s total foodgrain production is estimated at a record 3296.87 lakh tons for 2022-23 which is 140.71 lakh tons higher than the corresponding figure of 3156.16 lakh tons achieved during 2021-22, according to the final estimates of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare released on October 18.
The foodgrain production during 2022-23 is also higher by 308.69 lakh tons than the average of the previous five years (2017-18 to 2021-22). This increase in production is seen across multiple foodgrains like rice, wheat, Nutri/Coarse Cereals, pulses. Oilseeds, sugarcane etc.
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16.NAVRATRI CELEBRATED AT ANCIENT SHARDA PEETH: For the first time since Bharat became independent, Navratri has been celebrated at the ancient Sharda Peeth, located across the LoC, in Kashmir's Teetwal. In a social media post on X, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "It is a matter of profound spiritual significance that for the first time since 1947, the Navratri pujas have been held in the historic Sharda Mandir in Kashmir this year."
He said that this not only signifies the return of peace in the valley but also marks the rekindling of our nation's spiritual and cultural flame.
The mandir is considered to be the oldest among 18 Maha Shakti Peethas. It is believed to be built on the place where the right hand of Sati fell. The Sharda Peeth is significant as a Hindu and Buddhist mandir university and it also housed several students from many countries, including Tibet, China, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Iran, Afghanistan and Cambodia.
The 14th century literary and cultural text 'Madhaviya Shankaravijayam' refers to the 8th century Vedic scholar, Adi Shankaracharya, who is believed to have established the university within the mandir premises. The 11th century Kashmiri poet Bilhana details the ornaments of the Devi and the famous 12th century Kashmiri Historian Kalhana's seminal work 'Rajatarangini' certifies the exact location of the mandir.
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17. NEW HEALTH CENTRE AT KASHI VISHWANATH MANDIR: In the wake of the surge in number of devotees visiting the Kashi Vishwanath mandir, steps have been taken to provide medical relief to them by setting up a health centre in close proximity of the mandir.
Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham Health Centre has been opened right next to Gate No 4 of Kashi Vishwanath Mandir. Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham Health Centre will be open 24 hours for the devotees.
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18. BHARAT’S HUMANITARIAN AID FOR PALESTINIAN PEOPLE ARRIVES IN EGYPT: The humanitarian aid sent by Bharat for the people of Palestine arrived in Egypt on October 22, the Ministry of External Affairs said. The Bharatiya envoy to Egypt, Ajit Gupte, handed over the relief material to the Egyptian Red Crescent for onward transmission to Palestine.
The disaster relief material weighing approximately 32 tons includes tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, basic sanitary utilities, water purification tablets, essential life-saving medicines and protective and surgical items etc.
Taking to X, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated, “India sends Humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine. An IAF C-17 flight carrying nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material for the people of Palestine departs for El-Arish airport in Egypt."
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19. SCIENTISTS SUBRA, GADGIL GET NATIONAL MEDALS: On October 24, US President Joe Biden honoured two Bharatiya American scientists — Subra Suresh and Ashok Gadgil — with National Medals for their pioneering contributions in the fields of science and technology innovation at a ceremony in the White House. In his remarks at the ceremony in the East Room, Biden said that for this year’s recipients, ‘outstanding’ may be an understatement and that they have paved the way for a generation of other scientists and innovators to pursue their own discoveries.
A professor at large at Brown University’s School of Engineering and former director of the National Science Foundation, Suresh of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was honored for pioneering research across engineering, physical sciences, and life sciences.
The National Medal of Technology and Innovation was awarded to Ashok Gadgil of the University of California Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for providing life-sustaining resources to communities around the world.
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20. TEEN WINS SECOND SPOT IN 3M YOUNG SCIENTIST CHALLENGE: Bharatiya-American teen Shripriya Kalbhavi has won second place at the annual 2023 3M Young Scientist Challenge, a premier science competition for middle school students.
Kalbhavi, a ninth grader at Lynbrook High School, received $2,000 prize money for developing EasyBZ — a cost-effective microneedle patch that allows for self-automated drug delivery without pills or needles. Kalbhavi said in a blog post on the 3M Young Scientist Challenge website that she entered the contest because she wants to help change lives.
Apart from Kalbhavi, five other Bharatiya-American teens were among the top ten finalists and each of them received a $1,000 prize and a $500 gift card.
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21. JP MORGAN ELEVATES BHARAT TO ‘OVERWEIGHT’ RATING: JP Morgan, a leading global brokerage firm, has upgraded Bharat to an “overweight” rating, reaffirming the country’s growing appeal to investors. Several factors underpin this decision, including the robust growth in emerging markets’ nominal GDP, and the expansion of the domestic bond market which is expected to reduce risk premiums.
This move by JP Morgan follows other major brokerages’ endorsements of Bharat’s growing prominence. Morgan Stanley previously upgraded Bharat to “overweight” due to improved economic and earnings growth, while CLSA boosted its Bharat portfolio allocation by 20 percent, and Nomura also upgraded Bharat to “overweight” in September.
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22. OBITUARY: RANGA HARI: Senior pracharak and ideologue of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Ranga Hari passed away in Kochi on November 29 at the age of 93. He served as the Akhil Bharatiya Boudhik Pramukh from 1991 to 2005 and remained an active member of the executive committee.
Ranga Hariji, was born on December 5, 1930. After passing his BA (Politics, History & Sanskrit), Hariji studied Sanskrit separately. He became a pracharak of Sangh on May 3, 1951. During the emergency and the ban on RSS, Hariji was one of the three seniormost underground leaders of RSS and Lok Sangharsh Samiti (LSS) in the state. He was in charge of Kurukshetra, the Malayalam underground fortnightly of Lok Sangharsh Samiti.
His contributions extended beyond Bharat, as he provided guidance to the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in Asia, America and Australia from 1994 to 2005, traveled extensively to 22 countries, and participated in global conferences on pre-Christian religions and tradition.
Hariji commanded excellent proficiency in Malayalam, Sanskrit, Hindi, Konkani, Marathi, Tamil and English. Hariji authored 20 books in Malayalam, 8 in Hindi, and one in Konkani. He also compiled three Malayalam books and a comprehensive compilation of Golwalkar’s works, titled ‘Shri Guruji Samagra,’ consisting of 12 volumes in Hindi. His range of works varies from organisational matters to epics to history to philosophies.
In a condolence message RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat and Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said that the sad demise of Shri Ranga Hari ji had robbed us of a profound thinker, practical worker and ideal of behaviour and most of all a loving and encouraging elder.  They added that Ranga Hari ji had lived his life fully and meaningfully.
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23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The great secret of true success, of true happiness, is this: the man or woman who asks for no return, the perfectly unselfish person, is the most successful. —Swami Vivekananda
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JAI SHRI RAM
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BHAGWAT’S MANTRA FOR BHARAT
RAM MADHAV

RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat’s address at the annual Foundation Day function in Nagpur on Vijaya Dashami earlier this week provides significant insights into the organisation’s thinking about contemporary issues and challenges.

Bhagwat dwelt at length on core Sangh themes like “Swa” — national self-hood and national unity. Bharat-centricity — turning to our own wisdom and experience for shaping our national future — was the core message of his address. He rightly pointed out that this urge to return to our roots and preserve self-identity is being witnessed in many countries today.
Bhagwat delineated the contours of that self-identity as devotion to the motherland, pride in forefathers, and common culture.
“These three elements make us stand out proudly as one nation by tying together all the diversities of language, region, sect, caste, sub-caste etc,” he averred. Bhagwat acknowledged the fact that ours is a remarkably diverse society and insisted that there are good people in all religions — “Hindus, and also those who are called Muslims and Christians because of their way of worship” — who believe that “fitna, fasaad, and kitan” (discard, strife and violence) should be rejected and “sulah, salamati, and aman” (reconciliation, security and peace) should be pursued.
Bhagwat suggested that such discussions shouldn’t become transactional. As “the children of one motherland, and the inheritors of one culture,” we have to understand our inherent unity and “get connected again on that basis”.
Talking about the “destructive, all-devouring forces” out to destroy that unity, Bhagwat referred to “cultural Marxists or wokes”, blaming them for capturing institutions like media and academia and plunging education, culture, politics and social environment into chaos. He held them responsible for creating a “vicious cycle of fear, confusion and hatred”. He described their modus operandi as “mantra viplav”.
In his criticism of cultural Marxism and wokeism, Bhagwat will find many supporters in the West. Cultural Marxism can be traced to the Frankfurt School in Germany and scholars like Antonio Gramsci in Italy in the early 20th century. Cultural Marxists deviated from Karl Marx’s economy-centric theory of proletarian revolution and argued that the culture and traditions of a society are the real oppressors of mankind and hence they should be uprooted for the oppressed classes to get justice.
Gramsci argued that classical Marxist ideas like violent revolution should be abandoned, and the ideologues should instead infiltrate institutions to create a new cultural worldview. Fidel Castro of Cuba, the darling of the American New Left in the late 1950s and early 1960s, confessed that he had agreed to address Harvard students in 1959 only because “that is where you find the real ‘military spirit’: In students, not in the barracks.”
In the West, the cultural Marxists theorised that the entire Western civilisation, including its governments, rules, norms, behaviours, traditions and mores are all manifestations of “White Supremacy”. Family, nation, god, religion — all these are oppressive institutions according to them, and destroying these edifices was the only way to secure freedom for the “oppressed”. They invented the new classes of the “oppressed” based on race and gender.
In Bharat, the ideological fellow-travellers of the cultural Marxists have wreaked havoc by capturing premiere institutions and academic and intellectual spaces for decades after independence. Like their Western counterparts, the native cultural Marxists developed a narrative that projected Hinduism, caste and social institutions like the family as oppressive and exploitative. They challenged the national identity of Bharat and advocated for the dismemberment of the country, acquiring in the process, the sobriquet “tukde-tukde gang” too.
Western cultural Marxists developed Critical Race Theory (CRT) holding white people to be the fount of all oppression. Their Indian counterparts replaced race with caste and sought to equate Hinduism with upper-caste hegemony and oppression. Cultural Marxists are as much the enemies of the liberal order as they are of the conservatives. Sadly, not realising these pitfalls, some politicians in our country are trying to walk into that minefield in the name of caste census, etc.
Fortunately, in India, unlike in the US, these cultural Marxist campaigners encountered organised resistance from the nationalist forces led by organisations like the RSS. Still, their efforts to demonise Hinduism and equate caste with race to sow seeds of discord in society continue.
Bhagwat took up cudgels against them. But he also wished to caution activists against being trapped in the action-reaction syndrome. He invoked Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution of India as the basis for achieving “emotional unity”.
“There exist bitter experiences, ranging from not being able to get a house in each other’s localities, to being treated with mutual contempt. Blame games ensue over incidents of violence, riots, harassment, etc. The misdeeds of an individual are extrapolated and portrayed as the misdeeds of an entire community, and then a war of words ensues, followed by provocative invocations and calls to action. Forces that want to break the country by making us quarrel also take full advantage of this situation,” he warned.
Bhagwat’s important message to all citizens was about building a climate of trust and harmony in the country. That is possible only by increasing “mutual dialogue and understanding with a calm and stable mind and evolving respect for each other’s beliefs,” he insisted.
The only response to the “mantra viplav” of the cultural Marxists should be “to follow law and order, and abide by the Constitution” — this is Bhagwat’s mantra for Bharat. (The article was originally published in Indian Express on October 28, 2023 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’.) https://www.rammadhav.in/articles/bhagwats-mantra-for-bharat/
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SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN vishwav@bol.net.in http://shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com