Margshirsh 6 Vik Samvat 2067. Yugabda 5112: 20th January 2011

1. FESTIVALS: IF WINTER COMES CAN SPRING BE FAR BEHIND? – P B Shelley: Vasant Panchami or Shree Panchami, also known as Saraswati Puja, celebrated on the fifth day of Magha, falling on 8th February this year, is the festival to adore mother Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. The festival is celebrated in Bharat, Nepal and Bangladesh to invoke wisdom and consciousness in human beings. With Her grace, the mute, it is believed, have been able to speak and people have been blessed with the ability to write or compose poems. The children are taught to write their first words on this day. Yellow colour plays an important role in this festival. People wear yellow garments. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped dressed in yellow. Yellow sweets are specially prepared for the day.
2. SWAMI ASEEMANANDA NEVER HELD ANY POST IN RSS: IN a statement issued from Bengaluru on January 8, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Dr Manmohan Vaidya said the reports, published in the media on January 8 about the confessional statement by Swami Aseemananda, mentioned him as a leader of RSS which is not only incorrect but also misleading and mischievous. He said Swami Aseemananda has never held any post at any level in the RSS. The said statement by Aseemananda is full of contradictions which will be contested in the court of law. However the manner in which some of the information was selectively leaked to the media confirms the suspicion about the intentions of the investigating agencies and their masters. It is becoming clearer that their objective is to malign the image of some individuals and organisations and we condemn their designs. RSS has repeatedly made it clear that it neither believes in nor supports any activity involving violence or terror. RSS has always been cooperating with honest investigation conducted with due legal procedure,” the statement said.
In a similar gesture, RSS National Executive Member Shri Indresh Kumar served a legal notice to CBI accusing it for “deliberately leaking” the so-called confession of Swami Aseemananda to media to jeopardize his reputation.
3. SELECTIVE LEAKS TO DEFAME US: Indresh Kumar to Vikas Pathak of Hindustan Times: In a conversation with HT, RSS functionary Indresh Kumar — whose name has been doing the rounds in relation to terror strikes — demanded that the ongoing probe be made public in view of "selective leaks". Excerpts: Aseemanand’s confession says that you provided money for terror strikes. What is your response?
In the last three years or so, the government and investigation agencies first gave the confession of Safdar Nagori. Narco-test was also done. Many Muslims were put in jail on this basis. Why is that after three years investigation is taking place outside that probe now? Was the government fooling people? This is an anti-national act and this government should be booked for sedition. The government gave names to Pakistan. These names and proofs should be made public. Selective leaks are being made to defame nationalist organizations without verification and this is a crime against democracy.
If you object to the probe, is there another way out? If government has the courage, they should make the probe public. Rahul Gandhi’s conversation with Timothy Roemer should also be included in it. Digvijaya Singh’s connections with the probe officials should also be included.
Have you met Sunil Joshi and Aseemanand? If so, how many times? Thousands and lakhs of people meet me. They too met me in programmes. But to say that I mentored them is wrong. I am not responsible for what people meeting me do. Meeting is neither a confession nor a charge.
There is a demand that the Joshi murder case be shifted to NIA. What’s your take? NIA is the probe agency in the Samjhauta case and two sets of confessions have come. How can we say they are impartial? They have by their actions raised a question mark on their own sincerity.
The families of Muslim youth in jail have demanded that they be released because new evidence has come out. What do you say? Government first troubled Muslims, now it is doing the same to Hindus. May be both are innocent. The government has shown double standards on the probe. Is it not committing a fraud and dividing the country, which is dangerous?
Why is your name repeatedly coming out? I have worked for Hindu-Muslim harmony. Can you name one Congressman who is doing so. I learn from media reports this is a reason to frame me.
4. 5TH LAKSHMANRAO BHIDE MEMORIAL lecture was delivered by Seshadri Chari, Joint Director Institute of National Strategic Studies on the topic ‘Dharma for fostering Global Pluralism’ on 7th Jan at Vidyanagari, Kalina – Mumbai. The well attended function was presided over by Ramesh Sheth – President Shram Sewa Nyas and Smt. Kirtida Bhat VP (retd) Chase Manhattan Bank was the Chief Guest. Two books namely, Secrets of RSS – Ratan Sharda & The saga of Hindu Migration – Ramesh Subramanian were launched at the function.
5. NEW DEOBAND CHIEF LAUDS MODI'S GUJARAT: The new Darul Uloom vice-chancellor, Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi, has said "all communities" are prospering in Narendra Modi's Gujarat and there was "no discrimination against the minorities in the state as far as development was concerned."
This is arguably the most significant endorsement of Modi. Darul Uloom, based in Deoband in Uttar Pradesh, is a leading Islamic seminary in Bharat. .
Vastanvi, himself a Gujarati from Surat, is an MBA graduate and has been instrumental in introducing modern subjects in institutions run by Darul Uloom in Gujarat and Maharashtra, including medicine, engineering and allied subjects.
Asked about the riots, Vastanvi didn't give Modi a clean chit, but stressed that it was now time to move on. "The issue is almost eight years old now and we should move forward," Vastanvi said. "Rioting anywhere — in Gujarat or in any other part of the world — is bad for humanity and it should never happen. Gujarat riots were a blemish for Bharat and all culprits should be punished."
Vastanvi said "there are not as many problems in Gujarat as has been projected." Asked about justice for the Gujarat riot victims, he said the riots had worsened "because the police did not act due to political pressure during those days".
6. FIRST WORLD SAMSKRIT BOOK FAIR: The world’s ever first of its kind, World Samskrit Book Fair held at Bangalore from January 7 to 10, has been huge success in terms of both- to imbue spirit of Samskrit enthusiasm at all levels and the number of books sold, along with a massive presence of Samskrit well wishers in this 4-day historic event. Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa inaugurated this mammoth event organised by Samskrit Organizations led by Samskrita Bharathi. Scholars from about 14 Samskrit universities, 5 Samskrit Academies, 18 Oriental Research Institutes, National Manuscript Mission, Samskrita Bharati, International Institute of Samskrit Studies, Paris, various NGOs, scholars and lovers of Samskrit from all parts of Bharat participated in this conference.
Inaugurating the Book Fair and the associated Rashtreya Samkrit Sammelan CM Yeddyurappa said that “Samskrit is a rich language with a great Heritage. If we lose Samskrit, we are losing nothing other than our culture and tradition. Sanskrit represented the deep-rooted wisdom and knowledge of Bharatiya culture. The Karnataka government supported the language for the last two years and promoted Sanskrit in the majority of universities” ‘The already established Samskrit University will be strengthened with more facilities’, he added.
For having made Samskrit as Second official language of Uttarakhand, Ramesh Pokhriyal, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand was honoured during the occasion. Former Chief Justice of Bharat Justice MN Venkatachalaiah presided over the inaugural event.
Anil Kumble, former Bharatiya cricket captain inaugurated the Jnanaganga — an exhibition showcasing the knowledge heritage of Bharat. Samskruta Gramaha, a model of the working Sanskrit village was inaugurated by Vishwshwara Hegade Kageri, Education Minister of Karnataka. In the valedictory event, Dinesh Kamath, the national organising secretary of Samskrit Bharati stressed the need for promoting awareness in the society about Samskrit learning and speaking.
Former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy, Union Minister for State in Human Resources and Development Dr Purandareshwari, noted Kannada scholar G Venkatasubbaiah, Justice Rama Jois, Justice R C Lahoti, Dr. Dayanand Pai Industrialist, Dr. M M Alex, Director IAITR, Chennai, along with RSS Sahasarakaryavah Suresh Soni, Dattatreya Hosabale, RSS veterans like K Sooryanarayana Rao, Dr Manmohan Vaidya, MC Jaidev, Samskruta Bharati National Organising Secretary Dinesh Kamath and several others were present during the event.
7. INTELLECTUALS’ RALLY: Forum for Justice and Human Rights staged a peaceful demonstration at Jantar Mantar, Delhi on January 17, 2011 to protest against the blatant misuse of investigation agencies by the Central governments for political ends.
Convener of the Forum Prof. Rakesh Sinha alleged that the Central government is using investigation agencies viz. National Investigation Agency (NIA), CBI and ATS as the political tools of the ruling party. Whatever investigations are being carried out by these agencies about terrorism, are being leaked selectively to the media for media trial. Even the alleged confessional statements of the accused under Sec. 164 which are legally the property of the courts, are being leaked to selected media. This clearly shows that the intention of the government is not to abide by the legal norms but to discredit the innocent individuals and nationalist organizations for their political ends.
The Forum demanded that action should be taken against persons responsible for this selective leakage of alleged confessional statements to the media. Air Marshal R.C. Vajpayi, Dr. Ashwani Mahajan, CA Rajesh Sharma, CA Gopal K. Agrawal, Md. Kasmi, Mufti Sahab Abdul Sami, Jyotika Kalra, Sant Hardayal Singh joined the demonstration with large number of intelligentsia, educationists, journalists and retired bureaucrats.
8. APPEAL FOR SEWA INTERNATIONAL: Sewa International has applied for a grant from PepsiCo for its Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment Project and seeks help to win this grant. The highest Top 10 voted proposals will win the grant. Please see the information below about voting and help SI promote the project by status update at http://www.refresheverything.com/sewausabre
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Everyone can vote both the below links upto 3 times by using the link, kindly do it with all you friends and family till Jan 31st .
9. BUSINESS-FRIENDLY GUJARAT NOW GETS MORE VIBRANT: More than 12 Bharatiya states including Congress-ruled States like Andhra Pradesh and Assam, CPI (M)-governed Tripura as well as BJD-ruled Odisha participated in the fifth edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit (VGGIS), which began in Gandhinagar on January 13, 2011 in search of investments for themselves. “We have moved out of the traditional approach of piecemeal actions and knee-jerk reactions. We now look at fundamental changes and aim at qualitative and quantitative leap,” Modi told corporate leaders and other investors attending the summit. More than 350 MoUs, including 161 in knowledge sector and 111 in infrastructure sector, worth $50 billion were signed during the seminars that preceded the business meet.
Corporate leaders like Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, his younger brother Anil Ambani, Anand Mahindra, Gautam Adani, Adi Godrej, Prashant Ruia and many other foreign delegates were all praise for Modi for his effective leadership and good governance.
10. FOR THIS BRIT, SANSKRIT IS LIKE HIS MOTHER TONGUE: For Michael Williams (25), from Manchester, UK, Sanskrit is like his own language. He speaks fluent Sanskrit, like any child born in Mattur, the village renowned for the revival of the language. Michael, who took part at the World Sanskrit Book festival, looked a little out of place in the Bharatiya milieu. ''Yes, I speak Sanskrit, I love this culture,'' he said. He was the only student of Oxford University to have taken up a course on Bharatiya languages and religion in 2006. He went on to do MPhil in classical Bharatiya religion.
He teaches Sanskrit at Manchester University. His dream is to become an 'Upadhyaya' in a 'vishwavidyalaya' (university)! This is his third trip to Bharat. On his previous visits, he was busy looking for manuscripts while working on a ''critical edition on Krishna devotion.'' Michael has also learnt to speak Tamil, Kannada and Hindi.
11. GLORIA ARIEIRA, A BRAZILIAN and an authority in Sanskrit has translated the Bhagawad Gita and parts of the Vedas to Portuguese. So, if you are seeking spirituality in the holiday resort of Copacabana, Rio, then you will find it at Vidya Mandir, a school of Vedanta studies founded and run by Gloria. Gloria, who is visiting Kalady, with a group of 28 students, has been to Kerala before. A disciple of Swami Chinmayananda and of Swami Dayananda, Gloria's entry into the world of spirituality was after she heard Swami Chinmayananda's talk on Vedanta in Rio. That was in 1973. Gloria felt that her search for the greater meaning to life was answered. Dissatisfied with her search in other philosophies, she was drawn towards Vedic ways. Gloria learnt Sanskrit because it was the only way she could reach the depths of knowledge that she was seeking. The Bhagvad Gita and the Upanishads had to be read in the language they were written in. Gloria dresses like a Bharatiya. Gloria, 57, is married and has three children, a lawyer, an engineer and one studying social sciences. Her husband is a yoga teacher. Does her family practise her way of life? She says that there is no compulsion to change. "The Vedic dharma does not ask for conversion. But the understanding of the Vedas changes life completely." Her children are proud of her work and value the Vedic tradition. Based on a report by Smt Priyadershin S in THE HINDU (Kochi), September 8, 2010.
12. CHRISTIAN CHURCH BECOMES GANESHA HINDU TEMPLE IN SCOTLAND: Before the Temple organizers purchased it, Wardlawhill Church was affiliated to Church of Scotland, the majority church in Scotland. It was then renovated and refurbished into the Sri Sundara Ganapathy Hindu temple. On the opening day, following the milk abhishegam ritual for Lord Ganapathy, the Deity was carried on a decorated palanquin in a procession from the City Centre to the Temple hall through the Main Street with a police escort. A Hindu priest from London conducted the opening ceremony. Two area councilors, the Consulate General of Bharat, and many others attended the inaugural ceremony. The Ganapathy Temple, whose aim is to "promote the ideals of Hinduism" and which is part of the South Indian Cultural Centre, plans to serve the religious, spiritual, cultural and social needs of the community.
13. EYE ON CHINA, ARMY FOCUSES ON MOUNTAIN WARFARE: After concentrating for long on taking the war to the enemy in the plains, basically a Pakistan-centric policy, the Army is now also steadily building its capabilities for offensive mountain warfare with China on mind. This comes at a time when the Army's new doctrine and "proactive strategy", which also factor in the worst-case scenario of grappling with both China and Pakistan simultaneously in a two-front war, are now ready and the 1.13-million force is poised for a comprehensive transformation into a lean, mean fighting machine.
"As of today, we are capable of meeting any threat on our borders, whether it is simultaneous, single or double...We are also restructuring to ensure offensive capabilities in the mountains as well," said General V K Singh on January 14, 2011, a day ahead of the Army Day.
14. BHARATIYA ECONOMY WILL GROW FASTER THAN CHINESE IN 2012: For years, Bharat has been the second-fastest growing major economy in the world. That could soon change, with the Bharatiya economy set to expand at a faster pace than the Chinese economy in 2012, according to World Bank data.
This is expected to result from continued high demand in Bharat even as measures to combat overheating kick in for the Chinese economy.
The multilateral agency`s World Economic Outlook has projected that Bharat will grow at 8.7% in 2012, compared to China`s 8.4%. In 2011, however, China would continue to grow at a faster pace than Bharat.
Although no reasons were mentioned in the report released on January 13, 2011, the slowdown in China could be the result of an increase in interest rates as inflation has emerged a major concern across the border too, economists said. In case of Bharat, the economy has benefited from robust domestic demand and a revival in investor and consumer sentiment although higher interest rates are expected to shave off a few basis points from the overall growth rate.
15. PRAVASIS HONOURED: Inaugurating the valedictory function of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9, Rashtrapati Smt Pratibha Patil called upon Bharatiya Diaspora to participate in building a better future of Bharat for the disadvantaged sections of society. She urged the overseas Bharatiyas to contribute their services in health and education sectors, in efforts to make Bharat slum-free, as well as in the participation in infrastructure development projects. 15 eminent overseas Bharatiyas – activist Lata Pada, who fought for justice for victims of Air India’s Kanishka disaster; Rajiv Seth, chief of the USAID and key member in US President Obama’s team; Governor General of New Zealand Sir Anand Satyanand; Professor Veena Harbhagwan Sahajwalla (Australia); Harindrapal Singh Banga (Hong Kong); Mohammad Munir Nazir Hassan Ansari(Israel); Upjit Singh Sachdeva(Liberia); Tan Sri Dato Ajit Singh(Malaysia); Saleh Wahid (Netherlands); Indian Community Benevolent Forum of Qatar; Mohiaddin Syed Karimuddin of Saudi Arabia; Mano Selvanathan (Sri Lanka); Mohan Jashanmal (UAE); Baroness Sandip Verma (UK) and Ashook Kumar Ramsaran(USA) – were honoured with Pravasi Bharatiya Samman on the occasion. In the Chief Ministers’ interaction with overseas Bharatiyas, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said that Gujarat had brought a paradigm shift in the strategy for inclusive growth and during last whole decade.
16. 250 YEARS AFTER DEFEAT AT PANIPAT, MARATHAS REMEMBER MARTYRS: Although Marathas had a terrible defeat at Panipat in 1761 at the hands of the Afghan marauder, Ahmad Shah Abdali - despite losing that battle and in the process, losing all possibility of becoming masters of Delhi and Bharat — the Marathas never lost their pride. It was this unsinkable spirit that was visible on January 14 when Marathas from across Bharat gathered at Panipat, 250 years later, to remember their heroes.
Admitting that the defeat still hurts, BJP leader Gopinath Munde- the chief guest at the function- said, "We should leave the feeling of bitterness behind and not make such comments (Iska Panipat...) anymore." Munde added, amid applause, "It's a painful truth that we suffered heavy casualties in the battle here 250 years ago. But we should remember this day for the bravery of our ancestors who never accepted defeat. They continued the struggle to save their pride against invaders."
Kala Amb, the site of the third battle, has no detail of the event, the names of the martyrs, or tales of their bravery. The Marathas would like a memorial at Kala Amb in memory of heroes who could have changed the course of Bharat's history but for a tactical mistake.
"We would like our future generations to learn about the tales of bravery and sacrifices of their ancestors, Munde said.
17. KABADDI IN US CLASSROOM: Ajay Kumar Nair, who teaches English language and literature, has come to Johnsburg, a town with a population of 2,450 in the mountains of the Adirondacks, Houston on a six-month long Fullbright Teacher Exchange grant programme.
In his class, the students, a mix of sophomores, juniors and seniors at Johnsburg Central School, remove their shoes, watch their instructor and try to grab the rules of kabaddi, a popular team sport in Bharat. Students were advised to play barefoot to gain better traction on the gym foot.
18. BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN WORLD CULTURES: When leaders of the Hindu and Jewish communities came together past weekend at the India House, it turned out to be more than just an afternoon of revelry in celebration of two world cultures.
Hosted jointly by the Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) and BridgeHouston (BH) the 1st Annual Hindu-Jewish Solidarity Day held on January 9, 2011, with a limited guest list of only 100 vetted invitees, brought together prolific leaders, rabbis, monks, and activists from several influential synagogues, temples, and organizations in Houston.
The program began with invocations in Sanskrit and Hebrew by Swami Nikhilananda of Barsana Dham in Austin, and Rabbi Steven Morgen of the Congregation Beth Yeshurun. Ira Bleiweiss, founder of BH, lauded HGH's Ravi Raghavan for being "the driving force" in facilitating the occasion. "For over 2000 years Jewish people have lived in Bharat and have never been persecuted by the Hindus. This forum will give us a better understanding of Hinduism and hopefully will be the start of something bigger and better and set an example for the rest of the nation” said Bleiweiss. He added that BH and HGH are planning a joint public event later in the year in celebration of Hannukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, and Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights.
There were programs based on classical dances by artistes from the Nrityasri School of Dance and an impromptu Jewish dance.
Speaking on Hinduism, Swami Nikhilananda told "God is absolute, He is one Supreme Being, formless, yet can have a form. He is omnipresent,"
Ravi Raghavan worked with the HGH team Girish Naik, Dharminder Dargan, and Vijay Pallod to put together the event.
19. FLOOD RELIEF IN SRI LANKA: Sewa International Foundation, Sri Lanka is providing milk powder packets for children of Flood affected areas of Eastern province of Srilanka. Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee Districts are mostly affected specially Batticaloa district. SIF has provided milk powder packets for children of malwattai, malligaithivu and weeramunai in Ampara district. Swayamsevaks are working at Thirukkovil and Tambiluvil areas.
20. GRAND BEGINNING OF HEALTH FOR HUMANITY YOGATHON 2011: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), USA volunteers and fitness enthusiasts from all across the nation began the fifth year of annual Yogathon or "Surya Namaskar Yajna (SNY)" by offering 51,056 Surya Namaskar in 89 cities across 26 states. In a nationwide wave or lehar, 1239 participants performed 50 sets of Surya Namaskar (13 Surya Namaskars per set) starting from the East coast and ending in the West coast between 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. This 15 day Yogathon that began on January 15, 2011 will continue till January 30, 2011. All participants and beneficiaries of this unique event will continue practice sun salutation yoga individually at home or collectively at community centers or other public gathering places all across the United States.
Last year, close to 9,000 people from 40 states participated in this unique yogathon performing nearly one million Surya Namaskar. A number of schools, universities (students), yoga clubs, community leaders and many volunteers expressed their willingness to participate in this Yogathon which is open to people of all ages, gender, and races. Details of this event are available on www.hssus.org/sny.
21. IMPRESSIONS OF A SHIVIRARTHI: I had no idea about Vishwa Sangha Shivir. Subhash Rawal- Nairobi had introduced me to shakha. Since my sudden arrival in the UK in 1971, this activity ceased. However, I maintained some relationship with Subhash and his family. Sometime back, his brother Nalin Rawal mentioned that he will be attending the Shivir and I agreed to visit it too, but only for a day. What I saw and experienced on the first day, prompted me to stay for the full period.
The Shivir was more than I expected and I felt I belonged there as everyone was kind and friendly to me. Moreover, the Hinduness in me, which never ever left, returned with vengeance.
The Shivir gave me a huge opportunity of meeting many of learned people and enjoyed chatting & discussing (both hard & soft topics) with many. Two of my best events of the Shivir were the drama of Chatrapati Shivaji’s coronation and the speech of Sarasanghachalak Bhagvatji at Samarop on January 2. – Navtam Gosai, - Bulgaria.
22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Dr.Shankar Tatwawadi, samyojak Vishwa Vibhag will leave for UK on Jan 21st. Most of delegates for VSS 2010 will leave for their destinations by Jan 31st.Visitors: Ma. Ghanashyam Gupta & others - Myanmar, Purnandan Barclay & team – Guyana, Shivprasad – Trinidad, Shri Ramyavaran Ramaswamy & family – Australia, VSS delegates from South Africa & Sri Lanka, Shri Dineshmani Dubey – Thailand..
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Seekers of Truth, aspirants on the path of Yoga, devotees of God, lovers of Mankind, all these have to pay tribute to the Supreme Father of the energy vital, which is Surya. If you have any visible God, it is the Sun before you. – Swami Krishnananda

JAI SHREE RAM

TURN OFF THE SPOTLIGHT PLEASE, I’M JUST A SCIENTIST

The 2009 Nobel Prize for Chemistry may have turned him into a celebrity in Bharat, but Venkatraman Ramakrishnan remains interested only in pure science rather than the sub-atomic particles of skittish fame in the 21st century. The microbiologist, who loves Carnatic music, insists young people must be entranced by science for the sake of science, rather than the febrile glitter of the Nobel Prize. Born in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, Ramakrishnan's parents were scientists. In a January 2010 lecture at the Indian Institute of Science, he revealed that he had tried – and failed - to enter the Indian Institute of Technology and the Christian Medical College, Vellore. In Chennai to attend last week's Indian Science Congress, the scientist from Cambridge University in the UK told Pushpa Narayan that science does not need the celebrity factor to shine. Excerpts: You've been sounding exasperated about the reception you got at the Indian Science Congress . Why? During my lecture at the Indian Science Congress , I spoke about several things. I did not see any of those comments reported in the media. Instead, what was reported was what I told students after the session. Students wanted to take pictures with me and get autographs. I told them I was not a film star. Being attracted to a scientist is the wrong way to be attracted to science . Almost all papers published it. My lecture was ignored. But you knew that Bharatiyas would continue to regard you as a celebrity. Why then did you agree to attend this event? I love Bharat. Media and mobbing can't stop me from coming here. But if this bothers me, I would ensure I keep my visits secret. The last time I came to the Indian Institute of Science, no one knew about it. It was a scientific meeting. There were no formalities. The director introduced me for just two minutes, and I went on to deliver my lecture. I think this is the best way to hold scientific sessions. No glitter, no glamour. You have been getting this attention ever since you were awarded the Nobel. Only a very few people attended your lectures (in Bharat) before then. Do you think Bharatiyas appreciate science for what it is? Or are they shallow in believing that a western prize makes someone, somehow better? Bharatiya scientists have known me for many years now. They have always respected me. I have been speaking about my work on ribosomes (for which he won the Nobel) since early 2000. I have been a foreign member of the Indian National Science Congress since 2008. But for others who never knew me, I am suddenly a celebrity after the Nobel. What I am trying to explain is that there was a good chance I would not have got the Nobel. There are many scientists doing great work. Not all of them win the Nobel. I have to say, I was fabulously lucky to be where I am today. It's a mistake to judge science by Nobel prizes. Students should take up science for the love of the subject. Is it not an irony that you, a graduate student of physics who switched to postgraduate biology, won the Nobel for chemistry? No. If you look at the list of Nobel laureates in chemistry, you will see that many are graduates in physics. Science has no watertight compartments. In fact, I can't claim to be an expert microbiologist. . You have said that science should not recognize and does not have national borders. Are you an idealist? Are you a dreamer a la John Lennon whose famous anthem for peace talked about a world without borders? Yes. I am a dreamer. I guess you have to be one to be a scientist. What do you think are the prospects for science and scientists like you in Bharat? Do you think scientists can flourish in a Bharatiya environment ? Could you? Would you? Science in Bharat is now in a transition stage. Earlier, scientists had to wait for a long time to be funded for research. Now, funding for science has improved a lot in Bharat. There are now many excellent labs in my field in various parts of Bharat. Today, there are many institutions of excellence, such as the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune. They look very promising. But it will take at least a decade for them to succeed in their endeavours.

BRAHMA VISHNU IN GRAND CANYON

The western edge of the United States is a 2,000 miles long mountainous desert. In this, there is a mighty Colorado river which has cut a fantastic rock valley 356 miles long, about 10 miles wide and over one mile deep. It is not the deepest canyon in the world (Kali Gandaki Gorge in Nepal is far deeper), nor the widest (Capertee Valley in Australia is about 0.6 mi/1 km wider and longer than Grand Canyon); however, the Grand Canyon is known for its visually overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape. Geologically it is significant because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are beautifully preserved and exposed in the walls of the canyon. These rock layers record much of the early geologic history of the North American continent. The bottom of the rocks is estimated to be 1,500 million years old. The bottom is named Vishnu basement. The other layers are Brahma layer, the next is Rama Layer, then Vishnu Layer, and then Shiva Layer. There are lots of mountain tops which have been named by American & International Geologists as follows as per the official guide of the Grand Canyon National Park: 1.Hindu Ampitheatre 2.Shiva temple 7570 ft 3.Brahma temple 8511ft 4.Krishna Shrine 6615ft5.Vishnu temple 7829ft 6.Rama Shrine 6611 ft 7.Buddha temple7204 ft 8.Jupiter temple 7081ft 9.Venus temple 6257ft
It seems that there was enough evidence of Hindu Culture present and visible & available to the explorers of Grand Canyon that they named some of the important features of the area as per Hindu Gods. The various mounts are visible by naked eyes on the hills, and are displayed in models in the show cases in the visitor rooms. American Indians (they are not called Red Indians) have been living in and around Grand Canyon since 12,000 years. At the showcase at Yavapi exhibition room, a dried root of a Acacia tree is kept for display which was found in the valley. We have Acacia Arabica – the babool tree which gives gum and is used in Ayurvedic medicine. There are Gwar Patha plants (Aloe vera), there are Nag Phani with red flowers—similar to the plants growing on village field boundaries in Bharat. There is also mention of basil (Tulsi) in today’s use. There are few American Indian villages (called Reservations) near the top of canyon. There are village craft shops making excellent gold, silver jewellery, carpets, shoes and other handicrafts. The American Indians are fair, tall, well built and handsome. They still get medical treatment from their "Medicine Man". We have seen three CD's. In one of them some American Indian children were shown playing. A twelve year old girl was wearing a colorful Gujarati type lehnga. This visit has confirmed that Hindu worship and Hindu Gods have lived in Grand Canyon since ages. About forty lakh tourists visit Grand Canyon every year. There are a number of hotels at the site.
Grand Canyon was explored in September 1540 by a small group of Spanish soldiers Pablo de Melgrossa, Juan Galeras, and a third soldier along with Hopi guides under Captain Garcia Lopez de Cardenas. In 1869, Major John Wesley Powell led the first expedition down the Grand Canyon. He set out to explore the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Gathering nine men, four boats and food for 10 months, he set out from Green River, Wyoming on May 24. Passing through dangerous rapids, the group passed down the Green River to its confluence with the Colorado River, near present-day Moab, Utah and completed the journey with many hardships through the Grand Canyon on August 13, 1869. Grand Canyon Railway was introduced in 1901. President Roosevelt declared it a national monument in 1908. It became a national park in 1919. The place is well-connected by beautiful well surfaced, well marked roads to Arizona and California with hotels at small wayside habitations. One must spend at least two or three days to see everything, that too in summer. – Om Mathur(83), Architect and Cityplanner, presently on visit to his son in Sunnyvale, California.

This issue of SAMVAD exclusively contains the deliberations in 5th Vishwa Sangh Shibir held in Pune. We regret the delay in publishing this issue after the shibir concluded on Jan 3rd 2011.

VISHWA SANGHA SHIBIR–2010
December 29, 2010 – January 3, 2011

THE FIFTH VISHWA SANGHA SHIBIR was held in the precincts of Rani Laxmibai Girls Sainik School, Pirangut, 25 kilometres from Pune from 29th December 2010 to 3rd January 2011.
Total Participants : 517 Countries : 35
Purush : 330 Bhagini 152 Bal 35
More than one third of the participants were visiting Bharat for the first time. 87 years old Jagadish Chandra Shastri ‘Sharada’, one of the two pioneer swayamsevaks who started sangha shakha on the deck of SS Amara in August 1946 en-route Mombasa from Mumbai, was the centre of attraction throughout the Shibir.
For shakha, male swayamsevaks were divided in 16 ganas according to their age. Shareerik and games were the main constituents of Shakha. Sevikas concentrated on yogic practices an impressive show of which was put up by them on 2nd January in the Samarop karyakram. Children’s varga was held separately.
INAUGURATION: Inauguration of the shibir at 6.00 pm on 29th December was preceded by an impressive Shobha Yatra comprising male and female bands of dhol, tasa, nagara, ghanta, manjira etc.; girls on the horse-back; traditional dances; children representing gods and goddesses; colourful bullock carts; swayamsevaks in bhagwa turbans and sevikas in their colourful attire. Shibir was inaugurated with Vedpath by Madhav Kelkar and others and Shivasamkalp recital by Kshama Khare and her companions. Badrinath Murthy, President, Vishwa Adhyayan Kendra introduced various karyakartas of the shibir. In his inaugural address PP Narayankaka Dhekane Maharaj, the revered Yogi from Nasik, emphasized that Hindu religion is the highest religion which will carry the whole world to the goal of Vishwa Shanti and to fulfill that goal Hindus will encompass the whole world and that Praana Shakti is the common platform on which we can bring all the countries. Vishwa Sangh Souvenir; Secrets of RSS, Saga of Hindu Migration, Parmanand Madhavam books; and the calendar of Rashtra Sevika Samiti were released during the inaugural ceremony. RSS Sarkaryavah Ma Suresh alias Bhayyaji Joshi said that first Sangha shakha outside Bharat started on the deck of the ship SS Amara in August 1946 and a little later in Nairobi, Kenya in 1947. Wherever Hindus have gone they have stuck to their religion making the world a family, have maintained their traditions and the method of worship, and have contributed to the progress of the country of their residence.
Agewise Breakup Professional Breakup
Below 14: 35 Medical : 11
14-25 : 54 Academics : 26
26-45 : 157 Businesses : 61
46-65 : 155 Professionals : 82
Above 65 : 117
The day in the shibir started with Ish Chintan and progressed with morning and evening shakhas, vishesh shaareerik, interactive discussions and charchas on overall status of Sangh activities in different countries, and Bauddhik sessions of 75 minutes each in the evening. Samanantar( Parallel ) sessions were held on 30th December and 1st January. Some of the subjects and speakers of these samanantar sessions were: Pariwar Prabodhan by Krishnappaji, ICCS by Dr Yashwantrao Pathak, Shiksha Bachao Andolan by Atul Kothari, A New Approach to Ayurved by Dr Gyaneshwar, Awareness of Sanskrit in the World by Vasuraj, Hindupedia by Krishnaji Maheshwari, Veda and Vedanta in Today’s World by Dr N S Rajaram, e-shakha initiative by Heramb Kularni, A Peep in the Past through Archeology by Sharadrao Hebalkar, International Centre for Cultural Studies by Dr Radhey Shiam Dwivedi, Youth Activism in Present Context by Sunilji Ambekar, Concept of Pancha Koshiya ‘Personality Development’ by Laxminarayan ji Bhala, Rangoli Workshop by Madhuri Tai Apale, Tamil interaction by Raviji Iyer, Online Social Networks and Their Impact by Hetal Rach, Need for Cultural Tourism to Bali by Rajeshji Mudholkar and Dupalaji, and Go Raksha Andolan by Dr Ajitji Rawal.
SHAKHA VRUTTA: There are 75 shakhas in UK. Sangha Sandesh monthly is internally circulated in UK. Hindu Sevika Samiti has 27 shakhas with an average attendance of 400. 5,000 participated in the Hindu Experience held in summer. 5,000 in 90 odd groups participated in the National Seva Day organized by Seva International. Seva Day is also celebrated in collaboration with Jewish community.
Finland runs an e-shakha of the international level. Netherlands has had its shakha in 1988, the first shakha in Europe after England. It has 11 shakhas now while Norway and Denmark have one each.
About 60 shakhas are running in Trinidad and Tobago, Surinam and Guyana. There are mostly young workers. Vargas are being held there for the last 10 years. The problem there is that the swayamsevaks move out quite frequently. 137 weekly shakhas with an average attendance of 300 per week are held in US. More than 25 of these are the family shakhas. Hindu Yuva Shakhas are being held in 22 universities. Praudha shakhas are being held at 2 places. There are 5 pracharaks in US and 2 in the Caribbean countries. 10 shakhas are running in Canada. Sangha Shiksha Varg is being held there for the last 3 years. There is good contribution of youth there.
Dr. Shankarrao Tattwavadi, Sanyojak, Vishwa Vibhag gave an overall view of Sangh work in different parts of the world. Sangh work is going on in 5 continents. SAARC countries have shakhas with 150 daily shakhas in Nepal. HSS has presence in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji islands. 80 shakhas are running in war-torn Srilanka. Sanatan Dharma Swayamsevak Sangh is functioning in Myanmar since 1950. 2 shakhas are also running in South Korea. Seva work is going on among college students and the potential therein has been tremendous. 2 shakhas are running in Auckland and Hamilton in New Zealand. There are 15 shakhas are running in Malaysia. 582 sammilans have been there. Bali has 3 shakhas, out of which 1 runs in Jog Jakarta. No shakha in Sweden but Germany has one shakha in Hamburg. Kenya has 12 Sangha shakhas and 3 Samiti shakhas. Uganda has 5 while South Africa has 10 sangha and 1 Samiti shakha. Mauritius has 5 + 2 (Samiti) shakhas while Tanzania and Botswana have 1 each. Srilanka has 61 + 40 shakhas while Nepal has 145 shakhas. Singapore and Hong Kong have 2 each. Bal Gokulam. Indonesia and New Zealand have 3 each while Phiji and Korea have 2 each. Thailand, Japan and China have 1 shakha each.
BAUDDHIK PROGRAMS: There were 3 different shrenis ( groups ) namely Karyakarta, Swakeeya and Yuwa for bauddhik programs. 170 delegates enrolled in the karyakarta gat.shibir. There was a discussion on the problems faced in making the karyakartas and in retaining them on 31st December 2010 in the morning. Amita from UK said that language is a barrier. Sports competitions, Sangh internship, National Seva Day and University Seva Projects are running.
Digant Das from US said that family shakha concept gave way to Balgokulam and then to karyakarta. Varga, Sakhi Sammelan, Surya Namaskar Yajna, Hindu Sangathan utsav, Ganesh Puja etc. are giving it further impetus.
Vikas from Guyana said that concept of shakha there is as in Bharat. Shrikant Bhave from New Zealand said that in weekly parivar shakhas it is becoming difficult to retain those karyakartas who have been trained in Bharat. Communication between youth and old karyakarta, Ganesh Puja, Father-son, informal get together are proving beneficial to shakha work.
Dharmendra Dholakia from Canada said that the shakhas are family shakhas. Guruvandana and food drives are also held. Weather is the biggest challenge. Shakhas are 6 months outdoor and six months indoor. Distances, parents’ reluctance in running Balgokulam. Hindus move after 10-20 years. It is difficult to attract Tamils and Gujaratis.
Samir Kshirsagar said in Suriname there are no major challenges. In Trinidad swayamsevaks and sevikas come to the shakha together. How to make shakha understandable to parents is a chanllenge.
Raghu from Malaysia informed that annual camp-2010 was attended by 48 families. Bhajan, prarthana, story competition etc. were held in the camp. Karyakarta training centres will be conducted every month. Samskar kendras are also running.
Shri Kant Modi from Wisconsin, US said that they started Yog shakha in the Gurudwara which was welcomed by Sikhs and they requested to hold it daily there.
SHIVIR IN THE MAKING: Preparations for VSS 2010 started almost 2 years before with finalizing the venue i.e. Maharashtra Education Society’s ( MES ) ‘Rani Lakshmibai Mulinchi Sainiki Shala’ ( Girl’s Military Highschool ) on the outskirts of Pune. Situated on a hill, the picturesque landscape of the school was ideal for holding a residential shibir of 500 delegates. It already had a residential provision for 400 girls with a dining hall, well equipped auditorium and other amenities. The school authorities left no stone unturned for holding this shibir by augmenting the facilities with a new residential block, leveling a rocky terrain into a playground for Sanghsthan besides refurbishing the whole campus.
Paschim Maharashtra province of RSS and especially Pune city took up the responcibility of arrangements. Various departments were formed like accommodation, food, transport, fundraising and over 100 volunteers worked for 6 months planning and executing various tasks in this endeavour. Heading the team was a core group of members consisting of Sh. Badrinath Murthy, Chemical Engineer and Consultant alongwith Sh. Kailas Sontakke, Architect and Secetary Pune RSS, Sh.Atul Nagras – IT entrepreneur and secretary VAK, Dr.Pravin Dabadghav – medical professional and others. MES chairmen Ravindra Wanjarwadkar and school manager Sanjay Walimbe provided all support.
A team of about 200 volunteers from Pune and other parts was working 24x7 and ensured that the delegates did not face slightest of inconvenience. These volunteers comprising of youth, professionals and IT workers were happy to interact with fellow Hindu brethren from various countries.
Balu Shastri from US said that they are increasing sevika participation. They may not do pravas but at local level, they can do well. UK mothers’ toddler group can be tried in US also. We should get some memoirs published.
Ma Madandas ji addressed the group at the end. He said that there is no limit for experimentation. There should be selfless social welfare.
Challenges are there. The level of common man has to be raised but it has to be raised by common man only.
On 31st December, 2010 Ma Madan Dasji Devi took an interactive session on ‘Challenges faced in Karyakata Nirman.
Madan Das ji deliberated, how to bring a karyakarta into contact how to deploy him according to his ability and capacity, to introduce shakha to the generation born there and then to make them karyakarta, are all very important. We should have personal relationship with the karyakarta. Man changes with affection. Doctor Hedgewar was nothing but intimacy. Karyakarta is not made by artificiality, but he is made by heart to heart feeling.
In some other sessions Dr. Ram Vaidya coordinated a charcha on ‘Present Status of Sangh and Vividh Kshetra in Vishwa Vibhag.
Saumitra Gokhale co-ordinated two sessions viz.
‘Icebreaker Games’ and ‘Need of the Hour: Global Hindu Voice’. There was a bauddhik by Ma Dattaji Hosbale on ‘Present World Scenario and Role of Hindu Youth’.
On 2nd January, after Ish Chintan and shakha, there were three simultaneous sessions on Socio Political Scenario of the World and Our Work, Relevance of Ramayan and Mahabharat in Modern Life and Programs for Youth to Promote Hindu Thought. These were followed by the speakers Dr. Ved Prakash Nanda and Dr. Bal Krishna Naik on ‘Understand the Present World: Geo Politics and Dharma’; Interactive Geet Session and Bauddhik by Dr Manmohan Vaidya on ‘One Life One Mission’.
REPORTING SESSION : Swami Vijnanand informed about the activities of Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is functioning in US for the last 29 years. Monthly Satsang are held there. One group is functioning in Canada. Twelve chapters and 3 temples are there in UK. One chapter is functional in Norway since 1987 and ISKCON has many activities there. In Germany, there is some activity in Frankfurt.
FIRST SHAKHA OUTSIDE BHARAT: I met Jagdish Chandra Shastri ‘Sharada’ on December 29 in the Vishwa Sangha Shivir. Shardaji is one of the two who started first shakha outside Bharat on the deck of SS Amara, on way to Mombasa from Mumbai in August 1946. He told me: “It was in the second or third week of August 1946. I was going to Mombasa, a port of Nairobi, from Mumbai on a teaching assignment. That day the weather was stormy and everyone on the ship was vomiting. There were three classes in the ship. In the first class there were mostly the English men. In second class there were businessmen – both English as well as Bharatiya. In third class there were only Bharatiyas. They were not provided beds and had to bring their own kambals etc. When one vomits the onlooker naturally vomits. I went on the upper deck. I was standing alone with the railing. The tendency to vomit disappeared. After few minutes, a 16-17 years old youth, Manik Lal Rugani in the Sangh nicker appeared on the deck. Bharatiyas used to come to Bharat during their holidays. This boy was going back after his holidays. We started Sangh prarthana from the next day. By the time we reached Mombasa, the number rose to 17.
First shakha in Nairobi came into being on Makar Sankranti day in 1947. By and by people began to ensemble. Hindus there began to believe if anyone can protect them, it is only the Sangh. Within one year the number of swayamsevaks rose to 100. Within ten years, swayasevaks who reached Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Uganda, Tanganyika and Zambia. Ten years later Laxman Rao Bhide came there and consolidated the work. During Laxman Rao Bhide’s tenure, Sangh shakhas started in 25 countries. Sangh’s biggest office outside Bharat is in Nairobi.
VHP is very active in Australia for the last 15 years. Its shakhas run in schools there. Bal Shakha Kendras are also running there. Yog Hindu Sanskruti Foundation and Hindu Social Service Foundations are doing commendable work there.4 chapters are functional there and Ved Pathshalas are doing yeoman’s service there.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad was registered in New Zealand in 2006. 3 national conferences have been held there. VHP has been registered in Hong Kong recently. VHP work is there in 14 countries.
There was also reporting from Seva Vibhag by All Bharat Seva Pramukh Sita Ram Kedialya ji. He said that 1,60,000 seva karyas – educational for children, social transformation and Balgokulam, the weekly gathering of children – are presently running in Bharat. More than 2,000 Balgokulam are functioning in Kerala alone. Samskar kendras are running in slums of Delhi which are visited by elite people regularly. Non-formal education is being imparted in 2-hour Ekal Vidyalayas. There are more than 5,000 Gram Arogya Rakshaks. We are also preparing Hindu missionaries and seva-vraties. Man making for seva-karyas is being carried out through Seva Sahayog and Youth for Seva.
Shri. Bal Apte, MP and Ram Lal ji said that there are presented an account of BJP.
Champat Rai ji, Associate Joint Secretary, Vishwa Hindu Parishad informed about current scenario on Ramjanmabhoomi.
E-SHAKHA: On 1st January 2011 there were seven samanantar sessions between 2-15 and 3.15 pm. In one of these sessions, a LIVE demonstration of the e-shakha, which is functioning since 17th December 2008, was given by Heramb Kulkarni of Finland. As modern life is quite hectic, distances are quite long and communication is not always instant, an actual one-hour shakha with video and audio among like-minded swayamsevaks situated at far off distances is the right answer. This e-shakha is location-independent, time-independent, there is no need of travelling, and is a family-e-shakha in which Sangh goes into the home and does not remain out of home. Presently it encompasses 5 continents, 27 countries and 52 cities in which 620 swayamsevak/sevikas in the age group 1-89 years take part. Routine agenda of the e-shakha is Dhwajarohan, Ekatmata Mantra, Parichaya, Surya Namaskar, utsavs and bauddhik varga etc.
In LIVE demonstration, everyone in the hall was requested to come closer to the laptop. Everyone stood up chanting Bharat Mata ki Jaya. There was dhwajarohan on the TV screen. Part of ekatmata mantra was recited and one Surya Namaskar was performed on the screen. (Swayamsevaks of the e-shakha perform it in their room.) Then parichaya was given by swayamsevaks participating from Finland, Malaysia, West Indies, Belgium, USA, Germany, Norway, UK, and Australia, as well as by 4 or 5 swayamsevaks from the Vishwa Sangh Shibir.
PUBLIC FUNCTION: In the evening, an impressive Samarop Karyakram (concluding ceremony) organized at Balewadi in Pune city, attended by more than fifteen thousand Puneites, exhibited sharirik, ghosh and yog skills of the swayamsevak/sevikas of Pune as well as of sevikas from all parts of the world. In his welcome address, Badri Murthy, President, Vishwa Adhyayana Kendra, mentioned that an e-shakha of the RSS exists in Finland. Dr. Shankarrao Tatwavadi, Sanyojak Vishwa Vibhag, gave an overview of the HSS work worldwide. Abhay N. Firodia, the Chairman & Managing Director, Force Motors, in his presidential address, said that the victory of Nitish and Modi in Bihar was the victory of unity and we need to establish such unity in other parts of the country too. “The present growth of our country is not because of the government but because the government relaxed its regulations. Even though growth is there, it is marred by irregularities and scams. The government has no transparency. As an industrialist, I would want more transparency.” After the solo song Hindudharmo vijayatam, Sarasanghachalak Shri Mohan Rao Bhagwat said that the victory of Hindudharma was not only the need of Bharat but of whole of the world. He said that Hindus believed in happiness of everyone. Whole of the world has become a village, we have to make it a family. Coming down heavily on the Congress-led government at the Centre, Shri Bhagwat alleged that the phrase ‘Hindu terrorism’ was coined to hide the government’s failure on many fronts. “It is an oxymoron. First, they termed it ‘Hindu terrorism’ and then they changed it to ‘saffron terrorism’. Now, they call it ‘majority terrorism’. Even Pakistan did not dare do that to us,” he added. He also said that Hindus were being targeted because those in power want to centralize it in their hands. But ultimately, it affects the nation’s reputation. He further said that Hindus bring everyone to a single platform and leave none. If Hindu is not respected in Bharat, he will be respected nowhere. Senior Sangh adhikaris Madan Das ji, former Sarasanghachalak K S Sudarshan, Suresh alias Bhayyaji Joshi, Dattatreya Hosbale, Rashtriya Sevika Samiti Pramukh Sanchalika Pramilatai Medhe, Shanta Bahen, Shibiradhikari Dr Bajranglal Gupta, Suresh Soni, Pune Sanghachalak Mohan Ghaisas, US Sanghachalak Dr Ved Nanda, UK Sanghachalak Dhiraj Bhai Shah, Navin Shah from Kenya and others were present on the occasion. Raghunath Rao Chitale, from famous Chitale Brotheres was the guest of honour. Entire program of Samarop was broadcast LIVE over the internet.
On 3rd January, during Samarop, out of the four shibirarthis who gave their impression of the shibir, two Bal shibirarthis narrated their visit to school and village. They said that they could never see a farm in their country. Dr Bajrang Lal Gupta, the Shibir Adhikari said that through this shibir he had travelled the world over without spending even a penny. He said that our work has four dimensions: vichaar, aachaar, vyavahar and upachaar. Sarasanghachalakji, in his valedictories, said that doing is important and not saying and, therefore, whatever you say translate it into action. The basis of our success is our work. Hanumanji could devastate the prowess of Ravana because he was a man of character which the later was not. In Sangh, you have to tread your path together. You have to compliment each other, without any conflict, whatsoever. What is done is acknowledged while what is said or spoken is forgotten. With our well-coordinated efforts only, we will build a Hindu strength working in different countries.
All the shibirarthies were bid adieu with a smriti-chinha.
SOME OTHER FEATURES OF VSS: An informative exhibition was on dispay in the VSS. It had pavilions on Seva, HSS around the world and Hindu achievements in 21st century. A multimedia exhibition showed various short films.
There were 35 bals ( age below 14 ) and some riveting programs including games, clay modeling, tour to a village and sinhgad fort were arranged for them.
Shibirarthis could get a glimpse of rich Maharashtrian culture and history through programs on ‘Maharashtra Folkart’ and ‘Shivrajyabhishek’. Entire audience was riveted when the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji was brought alive by the artists in all its glory and became the most memorable event of the shibir.

JAI SHREE RAM

( There were 3 common bauddhiks for all the shibirarthis. We give below excerpts from these 3 sessions. )

HINDUISM IN TODAY’s CONTEXT
Ma Ranga Hari ji

Man to man all along 5 continents there is no difference. But man is different from his neighbor, brother and others. That is his personality. From childhood upto a certain age, twins are difficult to differentiate. Then differences are visible. Sahadev is very intelligent. Nakul is extrovert. More than 200 nations have outwardly many common traits. Internally, every nation is different on the basis of secularism, geographically etc. and a particular identity it develops. Hindutva is the identity of the people while Hinduism is a collectiveness. Hinduness is different from Hinduism. Nastik has no space in Hinduness but has it in Hindutva.
Fundamentals of Hinduness: Concept of Dharma second to none. Etymologically ‘Dharma’ that holds together. There are 100s and 1000s of paths of primordial energy. But there is a relationship between them, as in gravitation. Binding force of all the creation is ‘Dharma’. ‘Dharma’ is based on eternal law, only in Hinduness and nowhere else.
Sattvik Jnan: Oneness in dividedness. Holding it is knowledge. There are various names of God. Crores of gods in all the continents. But ultimate power one. Ekam Sad Vipraah Bahudha vadanti. Main deity is one. There are so many subsidiary gods. All gods represent one god. No difference between gods and gods. The biggest pagoda, the Golden Pagoda in Myanmar has inside Buddha but outside all Navagrahas. Absolutely no difference. Hindus have many gods but no god quarrels. Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus of Christians do not come together but in Hinduness we invite all the gods through fire in yajna. In Vedas, gods come together. Avibhaktam vibhakteshu. Difference only outwardly. Every man is different to other but I am born to this earth and this earth is my mother. Today none practices this. In the name of human rights anyone can seek asylum anywhere. But Jews ousted from their own land. In Hinduness follow any path – free, in no other country. In Pakistan, no independence. In Hinduness, presence of soul in all creatures. In other dharmas, not even in women. They say woman was born after man. When Shakuntala leaves the hermitage, even the leaves weep. She bids adieu even to the young deer. All the animals live together in Panchatantra of Vishnu Sharma. Ecobrotherliness in Hinduness and not ecofriendlyness. In Hinduness man has been given perfect freedom to think, scientific as well as spiritual. Bhagwan Buddha, Shankar and Swami Vivekanand, all of them were after the truth. Say I have found a truth. Never say I have found the truth. There are infinite ways to find the truth. Therefore, Hinduism is relevant today. Hinduism is better in child. Behavior is Hinduism. There have been seven swaras right from the time of Samveda. In 15th and 16th century octave, the eighth swara also came on violin. It is an integral part of South Indian music today. Oneness, power of accumulation, power of resilence is Hinduness.
Pursuit of Truth and its negation: Now coming down to man as a species, he has in him an uncommon faculty to think and reflect. He has been provided with intelligence and that distinguishes him from the rest of creation. Hinduness recognized this fact of nature and allowed man to have unfettered play of that singular faculty called intelligence. It agreed that each man is singularly original in his thinking and no curbs of any sort could be there upon that. Here it will do well to recall Bhisma who said to Yudhisthira ‘Dear Son, Infinite are the ways of the wise, as infinite as the trails of birds in the vast sky and tracks of fishes in the endless sea.’’ Hinduness does not put a full stop on human intelligence. It’s is a story of encouragement to all, at all times, to pursue Truth. The pursuit outwards was known as Science and the pursuit inwards as Darshan, both two faces of the same Single Truth. Here we may do well to remember poet Tagore. To explain the wholeness of the tree he said ‘the branches of a tree are its roots above the earth and the roots its branches beneath the earth.’ Similarly it can be said truth discovered outside is science, truth realized inside is spirituality. The only insistence here is ‘don’t say I have found the truth; say I have found a truth.’ It means Hinduness had the robust common sense to admit that there shall be no end to that pursuit. This gave it the natural breadth of vision and readiness to accept what is experienced by the seekers of Truth from wherever they are. That is why we find here scientists like Aryabhatta, Varahamihira and Bhaskara Acharya, despite their being against the then prevailing notion of sun’s and earth’s movements, were extolled to Rishihood. Similarly, seers like Buddha, Shankara and Vivekananda despite their open repudiation of the outgrown sterile customs and ceremonies were accepted and revered as Divinities. Learning from the history of Hinduness we can safely surmise, had Galileo, Copernicus and Bruno been born in Hindustan they too would have been honorably nominated to the Rishi Sabha! And Jesus would not have been crucified but considered as Parama Hamsa.
Persecution of man or a group is due to the total absence of this noble feeling. Bigotry and self-aggrandizement are the executors on stage here. This is what we witnessed in the case of Jews in the first century, Syrian Christians in the fourth century and Parsis in the eighth century. They were driven away from there home and country by the intolerant hordes. Here again it is the attitude of Hinduness that gave them refuge in the land of Hindus. Each group was granted unconditional freedom to safe-guard its community, customs and beliefs fastidiously. In the act of this beneficence Gujarat, Konkan and Kerala behaved in the same way. None was squeezed into nothingness as the minorities in Pakistan. – Bauddhik on December 30, 2010 at 6.30 pm.

HINDU PARIVAR IN THE PRESENT CONTEXT
Ma. Dhiraj Bhai Shah, Sanghchalak HSS UK

Family in an institution in Hindu Civilization. All our rushis talked about family. Family has become a core issue in many countries. In Japan, China and US one son/daughter and parents become a family. 14-16 years youth seldom talk to a person above 50. Young people never come in contact with an elder. There is no understanding elders and no respect for them. We, Hindus will favour more and more support to family. Media talks about partners and not husband and wife. Two gentlemen living together say we are a family. Serious thinking about family is going on presently. Annual conferences are being held on family.
When you talk about Hindu family, what is it? What are the qualities of a Hindu family? Laughing, enjoying, interacting, giving respect and talking with grandeur. A bond to live together. Caring and sharing. One feels secure in a family. Progressive on respect of the elders. Each one supports each other. A person in a car is lonely. Loneliness nobody likes. Expecting by décor. A Hindu house has a distinct identity. You need to put something which reflects you. Some slogan. Some picture.
What kind of activities? Going to the temple, yoga, relax, sitting together. In UK we are trying to promote Bhojan mantra. Once in a year, keep some function, havan etc. to give identity to your children. Western concept always looks young. They always look in terms of physical aspect. Shraaddha tells your children how their forefathers came. Listening about family, they will feel proud. Upto the age of 5 give love, so that the baby gets samskar. Teach them from 5-12 when they are very, very sharp. Upbringing a child is very important for the family. Many laws intrude in the family life.
We are exposed 16-18 hours to multi-activities, outside cultural values, and modern techniques. Luxury items make people individualistic. In family everything is sharable. Rajju Bhaiyya, a former Sarasangha-chalak, said family is more important, career can be picked up later. Big storm is coming in the society in the form of lifestyle advance.
Family values are to be discussed in shakha. Be positive about it. If a family eats together, prays together, talks together, the family stays together.
Pursuit of Truth and its negation. Bauddhik on 31.12.2010

HAMARI KAARYAPADDHATI

Vandaniya Pramilatai Medhe

In the evening of 1st January 2011, there was a Bauddhik ‘Hamari Karyapaddhati’ by Ma Pramila Tai Medhe, Pramukh Sanchalika, Rashtriya Sevika Samiti. PP Sarasanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat was also present. Ma Medhe ji described the day of 1st January as Kalpataru diwas because on this day Swamy Ramakrishna Paramahamsa who had become a kalpataru for his disciples departed from this world. She said that working of Sangha is that of a family. Family type work system, no formalities. We have ourselves to decide how to behave with each other. Hindu Samskruti and Dharma are the backbone of the success of Hindu family system. Everything scientific, principles noble. Importans aspect shakhas and samitis. Man-making process in which samskars are very persistent. Happens gradually. We change others, we also change. Gunadhishthanam. Link between various organs and mission. No clash, no conflict. Work in harmony for overall development of physical shakha. Some responsibilities are given No appointment. Responsibility and commitment to thought. Personality development, essence of shakha.
One may ask what use is the playing of children. A girl got hurt in the shakha. Her family members and doctor were worried. The girl very confidently said, ‘Dust from our shakha maidan can spread no infection’. Sense of responsibility. Railway engine and carriages. There may be two engines but they go in the same direction. Couplings are our affection. If the blood circulation does not reach the last organ of our body, it becomes numb (sunna). Our karyapaddhati is lively. Locality-wise gatavyavastha for better contact. Gatanayak and gatanayika the easiest system to maintain contact.
Bauddhik, sharirik and khel – every aspect of our work is important for our development. Discipline is necessary for conducting a programme. Karyapaddhati is discipline but not rigid. Without any compromise to our principles. Sampark is most important. E-shakha. Life has become very fast. How can e-shakha be effective? Mechanical process. Mobile phones. E-mail harshest way of contact. Mobile-voice has the capacity to touch our heart. Giving a call effective mode of contact.
Very, very, very busy. Can we write letter, 1, 2, 4, 6 months later. Reply e-mail by a letter to make your contact lively. How can we maintain personal contact? That is the bane of our work. One-day individual shakha. E-mail is for exchanging our ideas.
Spirit of our organization. Ours is a team-work. Sharirik, bauddhik etc. aspects are to develop the team spirit. The work is not small or big. Let us do it with full efficiency and dedication. Daily practice is necessary for any work. Daily shakha gives us efficiency to perform difficult tasks easily.
Every work is important. There should be commitment to the cause of Hindu dharma and dignity. Spotless character, an icon. A Hindu person born in Bharat is a man of character. Every paisa should be accounted for.
Baithaks and Utsavs: In baithaks important decisions are taken for integrity development. Gurudaksina on the occasion of Gurupooja is not a donation or subscription but a voluntary contribution. Any responsibility is not dependent on how much gurudakshina you give. It cannot come under the purview of income tax. We are mad for our Bharatmata. Let us top the list of such mad persons. Dedicate ourselves fo Bharatmata. Vistaraks, pracharaks are very dedicated. Hindudharmo vijayataam. Bauddhik on Jan 1 2011.