\Samvad

Paush  Shukla 5 Vik. Samvat 2080, Yugabda 5125 : 16 January, 2024: SM 5020 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: PARAKRAM DIWAS 2. PROGRAMS OF RSS SARSANGHACHALAK DR MOHAN BHAGWAT
3. SJM SETS UP 448  ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRES 4. RAM MANDIR’S PRAN-PRATISHTHA EVENTS IN BHARAT
5. RAM MANDIR’S PRAN-PRATISHTHA EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD 6. SDSS MYANMAR WINTER CAMPS
7. CANADA HINDU SIKH FORUM COMMEMORATES VEER BAAL DIWAS 8. SEWA DIWALI’S ANNUAL FOOD DRIVES HELPED 245 ORGANIZATIONS IN 34 STATES
9. VISHWA VIBHAG PARIVAR MILANS IN BHARAT 10. SMRITI IRANI LEADS NON-MUSLIM BHARATIYA DELEGATION TO MADINA
11. NJ’S FIRST BHARATIYA AMERICAN WOMAN MAYOR 12. AMERICAN SCIENTIST FUNDS AWARD IN HONOUR OF JC BOSE
13. OBITUARY : PROFESSOR VED PRAKASH NANDA 14. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Article: BHAGWAN RAM OUTSIDE INDIA

1. FESTIVALS: PARAKRAM DIWAS: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born on 23 January, 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa, to Prabhavati Dutt Bose and Janakinath Bose. This year, Bharat will celebrate his 127th birth anniversary as Parakram Diwas. Netaji was a Bharatiya nationalist whose patriotism towards Bharat has left a mark in the hearts of many Bharatiyas.

He was influenced by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna after reading their works at the age of 16. He was then sent by his parents to the University of Cambridge in England to prepare for the Bharatiya Civil Service. In 1920 he passed the civil service examination, but in April 1921, after hearing of the nationalist turmoils in Bharat, he resigned his candidacy. He served as a 2nd leader of Azad Hind Fauj - Indian National Army - and head of the Provisional Government of Free Bharat. Netaji went to the Andaman which had been occupied by the Japanese and hoisted the flag of Bharat there. The Azad Hind Fauj became the symbol of unity and heroism to the people of Bharat. -GoTop


2. PROGRAMS OF RSS SARSANGHACHALAK DR MOHAN BHAGWAT: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat reached Jind on January 12 for a three-day visit to Haryana. He formally inaugurated a painting workshop based on the seven sections of Ramayana by lighting the lamp in Shri Ram Mandapam and applying colors with paintbrush on Ram Tilak in the children's section. The painting workshop was organized under the joint aegis of Haryana Kala Parishad and Sanskar Bharti. Speaking on the occasion he said that the world is in a turmoil and it will attain peace and prosperity when Bharat becomes VishwaGuru. The organized strength of Hindus has the capacity to create role models for such a society.

Dr. Bhagwat also addressed a gathering of esteemed sants at the Valmiki Ashram in Gohana, Haryana. Speaking on the occasion, he said that Bhagwan Valmiki introduced Prabhu Ramchandra to the world through Ramayan. He added that the epic embodies the concepts of ‘prem’ and ‘samarasata’. He also distributed the akshat from Ayodhya to the assembled dignitaries and invited them to participate in the pran-pratishtha program by celebrating it in local mandirs.
-GoTop


3. SJM SETS UP 448  ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRES: The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) along with 32 other organisations have set up 448 centres to promote entrepreneurship and help people, especially women and youth, start their own venture to become self-reliant.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, SJM co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan said that these centres have been set up as part of a joint programme 'Swavalambi Bharat Abhiyan' (SBA) launched about two years ago to motivate people to start their own venture.  "Its objective is to develop an unemployment free, poverty free and prosperous Bharat,” he said. Mahajan said that the joint initiative works in the field of labour, farming, cooperatives, small enterprises, education, consumer affairs and other sectors.  Entrepreneurs development programmes were also organised in more than 2,700 high schools and intermediate colleges, 1,500 institutions and colleges, and 150 universities. SBA also organised nationwide workshops between April to June which was attended by more than 6,500 participants. -GoTop


4. RAM MANDIR’S PRAN-PRATISHTHA EVENTS IN BHARAT: As per mandir officials, the pran-pratishtha ceremony of Bhagwan Ramlala will be held in Ayodhya over a span of seven days starting January 16.

On January 10, Ayodhya Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra and International Working President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Alok Kumar extended an invitation to Dr. Mohan Bhagwat in Delhi to attend the Ram Mandir pran-pratishtha ceremony. On January 12, they also extended an invitation to Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu at her residence. Earlier, on January 11, UpRashtrapati Jagdeep Dhankhar was also invited for the ceremony.
Mata Amritanandamayi Devi accepted the akshat consecrated at Ram Mandir from senior RSS leader S. Sethumadhavan who, along with a team of RSS workers, visited Amma at her Ashram in Kochi on January 6. The image of Amma reverently accepting the akshat and touching it to her forehead in a gesture of deep respect resonated with many people across Bharat.
Iqbal Ansari, the former litigant in the Ayodhya land dispute case, was also extended an invitation to attend the ceremony. The invitation marks a significant moment as Ansari, who once played a crucial role in the legal proceedings, embraced the upcoming event with positivity. Expressing his sentiments, he stated, “I am happy that the idol of Bhagwan Ram is going to be installed. Ayodhya is the land of Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Christian harmony. It will always remain intact.”
On January 13, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi started a special 11-day fast to prepare himself for the pran-pratishtha ceremony, saying that the day will mark the culmination of over 500 years of enduring patience, and realisation of the pledge and dream of generations which made tremendous sacrifices for it. PM Modi spent more than 40 minutes performing rituals at Ramkund and Kala Ram Mandir along the banks of Godavari. He also appealed to people to light special diyas — Shri Ram Jyoti — in their homes to celebrate the day as Deepawali.
RSS and other related organisations started a campaign to reach out to people across the country and invite them to join the pran-pratishtha ceremony by offering prayers at mandirs in their neighbourhoods. Besides the invitation, a picture of Bhagwan Ram is also being presented to every household.
The pure silk clothes brought on behalf of the Kapse Foundation in Yeola for Bhagwan Ram, Ma Sita, Lakshman, Bharat, Shatrughan and Bhagwan Hanuman were prepared by a team of three hundred specially abled devotees. Along with this, other puja materials also arrived in Ayodhya. The General Secretary of Shri Ram TeerthKshetra Trust, Champat Rai, accepted these sacred materials for worship.
Vishwaprasanna Tirtha, a revered member of the mandir trust, has issued a heartfelt appeal to the Hindu community to look to the profound reservoir of Hindu texts, such as the Vedas, Puranas, Ramayana and Mahabharata, for inspiration when naming their children. This call to connect with ancient scriptures is not merely an effort to preserve cultural heritage but also to instil a profound sense of identity and belonging in the younger generation.
Ahead of the pran-pratishtha, JNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit referred to the event as the “resurgence” of Bharatiya civilisation.
Lal Krishna Advani said that the inauguration of the mandir was a "fulfillment of a divine dream" as destiny had decided that a grand mandir of Bhagwan Ram will be built in Ayodhya. Advani also stated that when the pran-pratishtha ceremony would take place, PM Modi would be representing every citizen of the country.
-GoTop


5. RAM MANDIR’S PRAN-PRATISHTHA EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD: The pran-pratishtha of Bhagwan Ramlala on January 22 has captured the attention of the entire world. Several programs have been organized worldwide to commemorate this event. Many special gifts have also been sent from abroad to Ayodhya ahead of the ceremony. The much-awaited pran-pratishtha ceremony will also be telecast at various Bharatiya embassies overseas. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has outlined plans for events in over 50 countries worldwide including USA, UK, Canada, Ireland, Fiji, Indonesia, and Germany.
A live broadcast of the ceremony is scheduled at Times Square. Mandirs across USA and Canada will conduct prayers and organize festive events. Car rallies are also being organized in California, Washington, Chicago, and other places.

In a remarkable show of solidarity and celebration, over 40 giant billboards featuring Shri Ram and the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya have been erected across more than 10 states in the United States including Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and Georgia. The strategically placed billboards aim to convey the enthusiastic participation of Hindu Americans in this historic event.
In a vibrant mix of faith and unity, the Bharatiya-American community organized a car rally with Hindu symbols and saffron colour flags in Houston, Texas.
The around 5-km line of 216 cars were escorted by eight policemen on bikes. Starting at Shri Meenakshi Mandir and concluding at Shri Sharad Amba Mandir in Richmond, the procession covered 160 km and stopped at eleven mandirs over a period of six hours. Around 2,000 devotees welcomed the procession at the temples with bhajans, expressing overwhelming devotion.
VHP of America organised an Epic Tesla Musical light show at Shri Bhakta Anjaneya Mandir in Maryland. More than 150 cars, parked strategically in the ‘Ram’ formation, participated in the light show with people holding flags inscribed with images of Bhagwan Ram and raising ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Ram Lakshman Janki, Jai Shri Hanuman Ki’ slogans.
In Paris, a grand Ram Rath Yatra is scheduled for January 21 to attract participants from across Europe.
President of the Mauritius Sanatan Dharm Temples Federation, Bhojraj Ghoorbin said that all mandirs in Mauritius will organise Ramayan chanting on January 22. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth said in a statement that the Mauritius government will grant a two-hour break for public officials of Hindu religion on January 22 to participate in prayers.
More than 3000 gifts for Bhagwan Ram were sent to Ayodhya from Nepal’s Janakpur, the birthplace of Sita. The gifts, including silver shoes, ornaments and clothes, were transported in a convoy of around 30 vehicles from the Janakpur Dham Ramjanaki Mandir in Nepal to Ayodhya.
Speaking at an event titled ‘Ramayana across Asia and Beyond’ at the US Capitol Hill in Washington DC on January 10, the Bharatiya envoy to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu said that Ramayan is a bridge across geographies and teaches people about the complexities of human relationships and the eternal struggle between good and evil.
While attending a Mata Ki Chowki at the Geeta Mandir in New York, Mayor Eric Adams of New York City said that the pran-pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya is extremely important for Hindus not just in Bharat but also from South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities living in New York City.
According to an official statement from the Uttar Pradesh government, 2,500 folk artists will perform on 100 stages in Ayodhya on January 22. More than 5000 artists from around 15 countries will also stage Ramlila at 10 public locations over a period of 70 days from January 14 to March 24.
-GoTop

 
6. SDSS MYANMAR WINTER CAMPS: Winter camps were organized in December by the Sanatan Dharma Swayamsevak Sangh SDSS Myanmar at 4 places in 4 vibhags. Around 450 people including 350 shiksharthis, 40 shikshaks and 60 prabandhaks participated in it. The programs from 5am to 10pm included many physical and intellectual activities. Kabaddi and kho-kho competition, yoga practice and several traditional games were part of the shareerik sessions. Bauddhik sessions included topics to inculcate pride in the Hindu culture, history of SDSS Myanmar, contribution of Hindus to the world and introduction to great Hindu personalities. In some places, meetings were also organized with the local community as part of the camp.

A two day sevika camp was also organized separately at one place. The camps helped in connecting with and introducing SDSS to new people. -GoTop

 
7. CANADA HINDU SIKH FORUM COMMEMORATES VEER BAAL DIWAS: Veer Baal Diwas is a solemn remembrance of the young sons of Shri Guru Gobind Singh, Sahibzades Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, whose supreme sacrifices epitomize bravery and unwavering faith in the face of adversity. The Hindu Sikh Unity Forum Canada paid homage to the valiant Sahibzades through a series of poignant events, fostering unity and solidarity.
On December 23, the Vaishno Devi Mandir in Oakville, Ontario hosted a gathering, supported by the Hindu Canadian Foundation. Esteemed speakers including Swami Advaitan and Dr. Pargat Singh Bagga who spoke eloquently about the enduring legacy of the Sahibzades and the intertwined destinies of Hindus and Sikhs. On December 24, a similar program was held at the Bharat Mata Mandir in Brampton, with the support of the Hindu Forum Canada.
On December 31, the Hindu Mandir in Montreal, Quebec marked the Veer Baal Diwas event. Distinguished attendees included Mr. Ratan Jaku of Shri Ravidas Gurudwara, Mr. Shyam Singh of the Dr. Ambedkar Association, and Mr. Rajveer Singh Bhandal of the Punjabi Association. All events culminated in the spiritual serenity of Bhajan, Shabad Kirtan, and distribution of Langar Prasad. These events not only celebrated historical courage but also served as a cohesive force, uniting participants in cultural and spiritual contemplation.
-GoTop


8. SEWA DIWALI’S ANNUAL FOOD DRIVES HELPED 245 ORGANIZATIONS IN 34 STATES: Sewa Diwali, a charitable food drive organized by Dharmic communities across the United States, donated more than 502,000 pounds of food in 2023, benefiting over 245 organizations from 34 states, including food pantries, homeless shelters, worship houses, and schools. Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) volunteers participated in this drive and coordinated the collections and donations regionally and nationally, a press release from Sewa Diwali said.

This year’s Sewa Diwali saw active and spirited participation from Sikh Gurudwaras, Hindu and Jain mandirs, school districts, Interfaith communities, Bharatiya American cultural and linguistic associations, and thousands of families and individuals. Several Dharmic organizations such as VT Seva, Chinmaya Mission, Arya Samaj, Samskrita Bharati USA, and Sewa International collected food among their supporters.
Lisa Kelly, the Executive Director of Middlesex College Foundation in NJ, thanked Sewa Diwali for its generous donation. US Congressmen Kevin Kiley and Ro Khanna of CA provided Special Congressional Recognition to Sewa Diwali.
 -GoTop


9. VISHWA VIBHAG PARIVAR MILANS IN BHARAT: Many overseas Bharatiyas visit Bharat in the month of December. Vishwa Vibhag Kendras in Bharat took the opportunity to connect with them during their visit.
A program for the current and former HSS karyakartas and their family members was organized by the Vishwa Vibhag Pune Kendra on December 25 at Motibaug Karyalay. 51 participants from 9 countries and 26 karyakartas of Vishwa Vibhag Kendra Pune attended the event.

Lokvikas Mandal which currently runs 49 projects for the underprivileged section of the society presented their activities. The attendees - in two groups – visited the sewa projects at various locations around Aundh and Baner areas for a first hand experience of the activities.
Lunch was followed by Shri Ram Pujan and Ramraksha stotra recital. The Vishwa Vibhag Kendra activities were introduced to the participants and HSS karyakartas gave information about the work carried out by HSS in their respective region.
Saumitra Gokhale, Global Coordinator of HSS, enlightened the audience on the different work and activities carried out by HSS globally. He expressed that the work carried out by HSS is unique to each territory and that accomplishments of HSS, in difficult circumstances, in regions like Ukraine, African countries, etc. was only possible through the dedication shown by local karyakartas.
The day-long program ended with the conclusion of a family shakha.
The first Parivar Milan of Bengaluru Vishwa Vibhag Kendra was organized at Rashtrotthana Vidya Kendra, Banashankari on December 17. The event was inaugurated by V. Nagaraj, Kshetriya Sanghachalak, RSS and Saumitra Gokhale, Global Coordinator, HSS.
About 120 delegates including 70 men, 40 women and 10 children from Bharat, USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Singapore, Sweden, Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Oman participated in the event which opened with a Ganesh Vandana rendition by children from Manonandana, a rehabilitation Centre for neuro-divergent children.
Srinivas Bhagavatula, Coordinator, Vishwa Vibhag Bengaluru Kendra, spoke on the idea behind the program, its scope and the journey ahead.. V. Nagaraj, who gave the presiding address for the event, highlighted the importance of the Soft power of Bharat that comes from our cultural heritage and concluded his speech with a call to the Kannada diaspora to be the cultural ambassadors of Bharat. Venkatesh Murthy, National Member of Seva Bharati and Parimala V Murthy of Youth For Seva, gave a short presentation on a variety of Seva projects and volunteering opportunities available in Karnataka. Visiting delegates from USA, Germany, UK and Singapore briefed about HSS activities and different Seva projects happening in their respective countries.
In his concluding address, Saumitra Gokhale spoke about HSS and Sewa International activities and their impact on local communities. He shared a number of inspirational and impactful stories from HSS engagements across multiple countries. He also touched upon examples of how HSS helped save lives across different countries including blood donations post a terror attack in Nairobi (Kenya), the excellent yeomen service during Covid pandemic by different HSS Shakhas and the service provided by Ukraine and European HSS members towards the evacuation of stranded Bharatiyas and other nationals from Ukraine War zone.
On December 22, around 20 families whose children are either studying or working overseas participated in a similar program in Indore. Four visiting families from four countries were also present. There was some information sharing and interaction followed by dinner.
 -GoTop


10. SMRITI IRANI LEADS NON-MUSLIM BHARATIYA DELEGATION TO MADINA: In a historic visit showcasing significant diplomacy with Saudi Arabia, Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs Smriti Irani led the non-Muslim Bharatiya delegation to the holy city of Madina, one of Islam’s holiest cities. Irani was accompanied by Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V. Muraleedharan. This marked the first time a non-Muslim delegation had been welcomed to Madina. The visit was part of an ongoing diplomatic mission.

The delegation visited the perimeter of the Prophet's Mosque (Al Masjid Al Nabwi) in the Markazia area of Madina, the mountain of Uhud and the Quba Mosque. Quba Mosque is the first Mosque of Islam while Uhud Mountain is the final resting place of a number early Islamic martyrs.  -GoTop


11. NJ’S FIRST BHARATIYA AMERICAN WOMAN MAYOR: Neena Singh became the first Sikh and Bharatiya American woman to be sworn in as Mayor of Montgomery Township in the US state of New Jersey. She was administered the oath of office by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman at the Montgomery Township Reorganization Meeting on January 4.

Singh, who has lived in Montgomery for 24 years, was unanimously selected to serve as Mayor by her fellow Township Committee members. “What energizes and motivates me is the spirit of service. I strongly believe we all have a responsibility to give back, and I am blessed to do so in a town that reflects America’s diversity,” said Singh, whose priorities for 2024 are public safety and health.  -GoTop


12. AMERICAN SCIENTIST FUNDS AWARD IN HONOUR OF JC BOSE: Jagadish Chandra Bose, invented the detector for wireless telegraphy which was used by the Italian inventor and engineer G Marconi for his historic demonstration of the first ever trans-Atlantic radio telegraphy. Since Marconi did not mention Bose, Bose’s vital contribution remained hidden. Efforts to publicly acknowledge the contributions of Bose began with The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), located in New York City, placing a memorial plaque at the Presidency College in Kolkata where Bose came up with his ground-breaking invention. Now, the IEEE has decided to establish a prestigious medal known officially as the IEEE Jagadish Chandra Bose Medal in Wireless Communications. Bengal-born Mani Bhaumik, who lives in Los Angeles has offered to donate one million US dollars to sponsor the medal and award in perpetuity. Bhaumik holds numerous patents and is the inventor of the laser technology that paved the way for Lasik eye surgery. Bhaumik says he feels his donation is a way of paying back for all that he gained from his teacher and mentor, Satyendra Nath Bose of the Bose-Einstein statistics fame who was a student of J C Bose.
 -GoTop


13. OBITUARY : PROFESSOR VED PRAKASH NANDA - Senior swayamsevak and Sanghachalak of Americas Zone Prof. Ved Prakash Nanda passed away on January 1 in his hometown Denver. He was surrounded by his close family and HSS volunteers.

Born in 1934 in Gujranwala of the undivided Bharat, Prof. Nanda underwent an arduous immigration to the Punjab state in Bharat along with his family during the partition of Pakistan from Bharat. He went on to build an exemplary career starting with M.A. Economics from Punjab University, Law degree from Delhi University, and LLM from Northwestern University and subsequent postgraduate work from Yale University in the US. He was a champion of Human Rights and a successful International Law professor at Sturm College of Law, University of Denver, since 1972. He was also Honorary President of the World Jurist Association, former honorary Vice President of the American Society of International Law, and a member of the advisory council of the United States Institute of Human Rights. He authored or co-authored 24 books in various fields of international law. He was a regular columnist for the Denver Post and wrote on a wide range of topics including human rights and international relations. In 2006, Sturm College of Law alumni founded the Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law in his honor. He has also received a number of awards including the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Award for Community Peace Building in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2018 by the Government of Bharat.
Prof. Nanda started the first shakha in the US in 1961 at the University of Chicago. Since 2001, after becoming Sanghachalak of HSS, he constantly travelled across the country to meet, guide, and inspire HSS volunteers. He took initiative to reach out to the opinion makers of the society for various Hindu-American causes.
He also served as the Chairman of the Board of Hindu University of America. He was the chairman of the board of trustees at Hindu Mandir of Colorado and also remained active in interfaith activities in Colorado.
He leaves behind his daughter, Anjali, son-in-law, granddaughters and extended family.
In their condolence message, RSS Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat and Sarakaryavah Dattratreya Hosabale said that with the passing away of Prof Nanda, the life journey of an ardent swayamsevak of Sangh and a person endowed with great human qualities came to an end. His contributions as zonal Sanghachalak of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in America will always be remembered with reverence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences on X, acknowledging Prof. Nanda’s invaluable contributions to the legal field and his unwavering commitment to legal education.
 -GoTop


14. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Vishwa Vibhag Sah Samyojak Dr. Ram Vaidya will be travelling to Bharat for the ICCS Elder’s Conference. Visitors: Rakesh Shukla - USA, S.N. Kothari - Indonesia, Hemant Raj - South Korea, Kirti Lodhe with family - Germany, Sumitra and Tapash Pal - Canada.
-GoTop


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: To be happy always is something which is difficult to achieve. That is to say, happiness and sorrow alternate in one's life and there cannot be unintrerrupted happiness alone. - Bhagwan Sri Ram to Mother Kaikeyi (Ramayana).
 -GoTop

JAI SHRI RAM
---
BHAGWAN RAM OUTSIDE INDIA

 Satyajit Shriram Joshi

Maharishi Valmiki’s Ramayana is a much-loved tale of good triumphing over evil, the world over. Valmiki Ramayana is recognized as the original but over 300 Ramayana versions are known to exist, especially in South East Asia, when around the 12th and 13th centuries, the region received and imbibed many of the cultural traits, along with goods and services, traveling from Indian shores.

The Ramayana adaptations have influenced their folklore and cultural beliefs, changed plots, character traits, attire, choice of weaponry, and locations, and in turn, offer an array of refreshing perspectives on the original version.
Ram outside India
Many of the versions may not ascribe to certain values in the original Ramayana but different versions and interpretations are found in Indian versions of Ramayana as well. For example, some different characters are found in Jain texts. Such texts seem to have influenced Ramayana versions outside India. Ram is depicted and considered as a respectable figure in the Buddhist version in South Asian countries. The Buddhist version of Ramayana is called `Dasarata Jataka’. We find two versions here. Firstly, Dashratha sent Ram, Sita, and Laxmana to live in the forest to protect them from his third ambitious wife. The second version does not have the abduction of Sita.
The fact is that both versions got immense popularity and gained social acceptance. It is seen that Ramayana was even used by the rulers to legitimize their kingship. Eleventh-century Burmese stone is found, with an inscription in the Mon language. The inscription describes King Kyanzittha, who belonged to the Bagan dynasty, as Ram’s close relative. In several countries like Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, Hinduism had a large following before Buddhists entered in these regions. Orissa and Tamil sea merchants were responsible for the proliferation of Indian culture to Southeast Asia, when they would undertake an annual voyage, and along with the goods exchanged stories. In some Southeast Asian versions, Hanuman is depicted as someone playing mind games, who charms and outwits, especially the female characters. Despite having multiple versions, Ram continues to be a dominant character in these countriesThe Cambodian Ramayana is known as Reamker (Ramakerti–Ram + Kirti/glory), a text of Khmer literature, which takes from both Hinduism and Buddhism to demonstrate the balance of good and evil. In Cambodia, Ram is known as Phreah Ream, and Sita, Neang Seda. A corridor with carved episodes on Ramayana is seen in 12th-century Angkor Wat ruins. Some murals are also noticed on the walls of Phnom Penh’s royal palace. Interestingly, Hanuman is shown expanding his body between India and Sri Lanka so that Ram’s army could cross the sea.
The monarchs of Thailand, erstwhile Siam, used to call themselves as descendants of Ram. Their names had Ram either as a prefix or a suffix. Its capital city was Ayutthaya, which sounds similar to Ayodhya. In the 18th century, Burmese soldiers invaded Ayutthaya, and the name was changed to Rama I, this happened despite him being a practicing Buddhist. Later, he wrote the Thai version of Ramayana, which is known as Ramakien and it is still considered as a national epic.
Myanmar (Burma) has a national epic, known as Yamayana; Yama or Zatdaw was introduced during King Anawratha’s reign in the 11th century CE. This version calls Ram as Yama and Sita as Thida. Ravana is called Yawana. Ram is portrayed as a Bodhisattva. The narrative is mostly the same as Valmiki’s Ramayana, except for localised names of places and characters.
In Laos, the national epic is Phra Lak Phra Ram. Lao devotees believed that their ruler King Lava was Ram’s son. They believe that Lava gave Laos its name. This is viewed as a Jataka story. Malay version of Ramayana - Hikayat Seri Rama – is very similar to the original Sanskrit text. But the central character in Malaysia is Laxman and not Ram.
Spread and versions of Ramayana in Southeast countries can be understood by the fact that every island has different versions.
In Bali, it is Ramakavaca, in Java its Kakawin or Yogesvara Ramayana, and in Sumatra it is Ramayana Swarnadwipa. In the latter version, Tamawaka (Ram) rescues Himegini (Sita), from Baramon (Ravan). The Javanese Kakawin is a Sanskrit-metre-poetry composed during the Medang kingdom era. In some Indonesian versions, Sita is shown as a fierce lady, who fought against Asuras on her own. In the Maranao version of the Philippines, which is called as Maharadia Lawana, a completely new version is seen, in which adventures of monkeys can be seen. Deep influence of Ramayana on Southeast countries continues even today. The opening ceremony of the 2017 ASEAN summit involved a staging of the musical version of Ramayana.
In China, few parts picked up orthodox and ethical values noted in the Indian epic. Jataka Katha of Ram are popular with the Chinese. China has also a Buddhist text Liudu ji jing. This is an elaborate account of the Ramayana, while in Sun Wukong, Hanuman finds some representation in the form of a monkey-king.
Japan has two versions namely, Hobutsushu and Sambo-Ekotoba. Hanuman has a diminutive role in another adaptation titled, Ramaenna or Ramaensho, and in the Bontenkoku version, Tamawaka (Ram), a flute player rescues his wife Himegini (Sita) from King Baramon (Ravan).
In Nepal, Mahakavi Siddhidas Mahaju Amatya wrote Siddhi Ramayana in the Nepal Bhasa. There’s also Bhanubhakta Acharya’s Bhanubhaktako Ramayana in Khas language. However, the revelry of Dussehra called Dasain or Mohini in Nepal is more about the Goddess Durga, than Ram’s triumph over Ravan.
https://www.newsbharati.com/Encyc/2024/1/8/Bhagwan-Ram-outside-India.html   -GoTop


No comments: