Marghashirsha Shukla 9 Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124 : 1 December, 2022:SM 4017 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS: BHAGWAN
DATTATREYA JAYANTI: Bhagwan Dattatreya Jayanti is a festival commemorating
the birth day of the Bhagwan Dattatreya (Datta), a combined form of the divine
trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It is celebrated throughout the country on
the full moon day of Margashirsha ( December 7 this year). 
2. ALL PEOPLE OF BHARAT ARE HINDUS : MOHAN BHAGWAT: On
November 15, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat
said that all people of Bharat who consider Bharat as his motherland is a Hindu
irrespective of any religion.
3. BREAKING FOUR ECOSYSTEMS KEY TO BHARAT’S RISE: ARUN
KUMAR: On November 17, RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Arun Kumar expressed concern over
the way anti-Bharat forces have been working against the interest of the
nation. He said that while the ideas of the Sangh are accepted and adopted by
the people, Maoists, cultural Marxists, Islamists and global capitalists have
set up an ecosystem against Hindutva and Bharat to impose their views on the
mainstream. He was addressing the inaugural session of a three day conference on
‘Education System in India’ organised by Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas (SSUN).
Atul Kothari, National secretary of SSUN explained the idea behind the third
edition of Gyanotsav, focusing on implementation of NEP-2022. Speaking at the
event, Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar underlined the
importance of education in the country’s development.
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4. PM MODI INAUGURATED 'KASHI TAMIL SANGAMAM': On
November 19, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi inaugurated a month long 'Kashi Tamil
Sangamam' in Varanasi to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the age-old links
between Tamil Nadu and Kashi. More than 2500 delegates from Tamil Nadu will
visit Kashi over a one month period. While inaugurating the Sangamam PM said
that Kashi and Tamil Nadu were two cultures closely associated with Lord Shiva
and the confluence of the two places was as sacred as the Sangam of Ganga and
Yamuna. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel,
Union ministers Dr L Murugan, Dharmendra Pradhan, MP Ilaiyaraaja were also
present on the occasion during which Ilaiyaraaja enthralled the audience through
his recitals. -GoTop
5. SANGH SHIKSHA VARG TRITIYA VARSH COMMENCED IN NAGPUR
SANGH SHIKSHA VARG: Tritiya Varsh Sangh Shiksha Varg of the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh commenced at the Maharshi Vyas Sabhagriha, Dr. Hedgewar Smriti
Bhavan premises in Reshimbagh, Nagpur from November 14.
6. 400TH JANMAJAYANTI OF LACHIT BORPHUKAN CELEBERATED:
On November 25, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi addressed the closing ceremony of
the year-long celebrations of 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan.
During the event in New Delhi, PM Modi also released the book - 'Lachit
Borphukan - Assam's Hero who Halted the Mughals'.
Lachit Borphukan was the General of the Royal Army of the Ahom Kingdom of Assam
who defeated the Mughals and successfully halted the ever-expanding ambitions of
the Mughals under Aurangzeb. 
He was speaking at a plenary session of the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit
Barphukan. Shah said that the 400th year of Lachit Borphukan’s Jayanti has
unveiled the stories of all the valorous heroes of Assam before the students of
history to research and explore. These heroes includes Maharaj Prithu of Assam
who defeated Bakhtiar Khilji in 1206 to Lachit Barphukan who defeated Mughals in
1671. -GoTop
7. SC: FORCED CONVERSION TO IMPERIL NATIONAL SECURITY:
The Supreme Court on November 14 said that forced religious conversion may pose
a danger to national security and impinge on the religious freedom of citizens.
The apex court warned a “very difficult situation” will emerge if
proselytisation through deception, allurement and intimidation is not stopped
and asked the Centre to step in and make sincere efforts to tackle the “very
serious” issue.
The apex court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay
seeking direction to the Centre and States to take stringent steps to control
fraudulent religious conversion by “intimidation, threatening, deceivingly
luring through gifts and monetary benefits”.
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8. MAURITIUS SANGH SHIKSHA VARG: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh
HSS Mauritius successfully conducted 7 days Sangh Shiksha Varga (SSV) from
November 20 - 26 at DAV college in Morcellement Saint Andre village. 62
Swayamsevaks and 14 Sevikas from 14 places participated in this first post
pandemic SSV. Bauddhik sessions were conducted on the vision and mission of HSS
and essence of Prarthana.
9. HINDU CIVILIZATION EXHIBITION, DARSHANA, CONTINUES TO BE
WELL RECEIVED AT STATE CAPITOLS: The Hindu Community of Illinois held an
exhibition, "Darshana – A Glimpse into Hindu Civilization," at the Illinois
State Capitol Building in Springfield, Illinois, on November 15.
10. RAMAYANA VAIBHAVAM CONTEST CONDUCTED: On October 1,
South West Vibhag of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA organised 16 different
contests for baal and shishus based on 16 Kalyana Gunas of Shri Rama with the
aim to learn and imbibe the qualities of Shri Rama. 110 children participated in
these contests and six new families were introduced to HSS.
11. HSS DALLAS-FORTWORTH: SEWA DIWALI: On November 12,
Plano Police Department helped the Sewa Diwali Dallas team with a mega food
drop-off at the North Texas Food Bank. More than forty communities in over
sixty vehicles donated around 27892 pounds of food. HSS-SEWA volunteers of
Dallas-Fortwoth worked together with multiple communities and Hindu American
organizations to bring food to those in need. Plano Police Department thanked
HSS and Sewa International for coordinating and bringing all the communities and
organizations together for this drive.
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12. OVER 40 MISSIONS HEADS VISITED CELLULAR JAIL: On
November 25, more than 40 mission heads and international organisations visited
Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the G20 curtain raiser. The delegates took a
tour of the Cellular Jail where author and ideologue Veer Savarkar was lodged by
the British. G20’s Bharat coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla and G-20 Sherpa
Amitabh Kant accompanied the delegates during the tour. 
13. AYURVEDA DAY CELEBRATED IN BALI: In October,
International Ayurveda Day with the theme of ‘Every Day, Everywhere Ayurveda’
was organised in Bali by International Centre for Cultural Studies in
association with Universitas Hindu Indonesia, Fakultas Kesehatan Ayurweda UNHI
and other organizations.
14. MAURITIUSIAN PRESIDENT, WIFE PAY OBEISANCE AT RAM LAL
VIRAJMAN AT AYODHYA: On November 21, a seven member delegation from
Mauritius led by President Prithvirajsing Roopun and his wife Sanyukta Roopun
paid obeisance at Ram Lala Virajman and offered prayers at Ayodhya.
15. BHARATIYA CANADIAN APPOINTED VICE CHANCELLOR OF MCGILL
UNIVERSITY: Bharatiya-origin academic H. Deep Saini has been appointed as
Montreal-based McGill University’s 18th Principal and Vice-Chancellor, and will
begin his five-year, renewable term from April next year. Saini, who grew up in
Punjab, is currently President and Vice-Chancellor of Dalhousie University in
Nova Scotia.
16. BHARATIYAS STUDENTS INCREASED IN USA AND UK: The
number of Bharatiya students in the United States increased by 19 per cent over
last year to two lakh, according to an annual Open Doors report released by the
Institution of International Education on November 14. The report, sponsored by
the US Department of State, reveals the trend of international student exchange
for the academic year 2021-22.
Surpassing Chinese nationals, Bharatiya students have now become the largest
group of foreign students in the UK, according to the recently released latest
Immigration Statistics Report. The data shows that there has been a 77 per cent
increase since 2019 in study visas of Bharatiya students. The UK Home Office
data collated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that Bharatiya
continue to be the top nationality granted visas in the skilled worker category,
with 56,042 granted work visas in the past year. At 36 per cent of the total,
they also represented the highest number of visas under the tailored Skilled
Worker Health and Care visa. -GoTop
17. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:
D. N. Pathak - Tanzania, Abhinav Sharma - UK
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: We want that education by which character is formed,
strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can
stand on one’s own feet. - Swami Vivekananda
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JAI SHRI RAM
SANATANA DHARMA IN THE 21ST
CENTURY
Ravi K umar Iyyer
Environmentalists and economists, physicists and
philosophers, linguists and storytellers, astrologers and astronomers, musicians
to mathematicians, all have benefitted from Hinduism.
Hinduism is the third largest and the oldest surviving religion in the world
with over one billion (100 crores) people belonging to the faith. Hinduism is
not a religion but it is a unique faith. It is a way of life. The teachings of
this religion have always attracted people from all around the world as they
find in it something relevant to their lives.
Environmentalists and economists, physicists and philosophers, linguists and
storytellers, astrologers and astronomers, musicians to mathematicians, all have
benefitted from Hinduism.
Do you believe that ?” PM Modi replied,” You are talking about America, Germany,
Russia, President Trump, Mrs. Hillary, Chancellor Angela Markel, and President
Putin. You have been talking about such big people. I don’t think, you need a
lawyer like me in between all of you”. With such an unexpected and brilliant
reply, the Audience who were sitting there couldn’t control themselves to
applause.
President Putin laughingly replied “It’s very hard to deal with Hindus. You
cannot trick them because their philosophy is very old. We are very simple
people, we say what we think.
LAWMAKERS’ PRIDE IN HINDUISM : Rishi Sunak the present Prime Minister of
the United Kingdom, Smt Kamla Persad Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad in
2010, Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu ever elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives, and Alok Sharma England’s Member of Parliament in 2019 took the
oath of office on Bhagwad Gita. Chandrika Persad
Santoshi, the present President of Suriname since 2020, took his oath holding
Vedas and reciting Hindu Sanskrit shlokas and mantras. Dr. Gaurav Sharma, New
Zealand’s Member of Parliament took oath in 2020 in Sanskrit - thereby becoming
the first lawmaker in the country to do so. Basdeo Panday, the Prime Minister of
Trinidad and Tobago charmed a massive 50,000-person crowd at January’s ‘Puja
2000,’ when he burst into Hanuman Chalisa, a popular Hindu song to Lord
Hanuman.
SANATANA DHARMA ATTRACTS HOLLYWOOD: Julia Roberts, one of Hollywood’s
most successful actresses is a practicing Hindu. She said that it makes her a
more compassionate and loving person. She has named her children Ganesh, Krishna
Balram, and Mahalaxmi. Miley Cyrus, the pop singer, and actress is a Hindu
worshiper. Sometimes back, she was in the news for sharing a picture of Lakshmi
Pooja in her house. Angelina Jolie, the famous Hollywood star adopted a Buddhist
child in 2002. Since then, Jolie accepted Buddhist learning as an integral part
of her life. She has four Buddhist Sanskrit prayers of protection among her
tattoos. Russell Brand, the famous comedian, and actor, follows transcendental
meditation and actively follows Hinduism. He had a Hindu wedding with American
celebrity Katy Perry in 2010 in a traditional Hindu ceremony near the
Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan. Robert Downey Jr, the Iron-Man star
is a firm believer in the Hare Krishna ideology. Hugh Jackman the Wolverine
star, follows the Upanishads and Bhagwad Gita. He has a Sanskrit inscription
engraved wedding ring. Jackie Hung, a famous actor from Hong Kong and a martial
arts expert is also deeply influenced by the Sanatan Dharma after a visit to
Chennai. Ricky Williams,
a famous American soccer player has a deep interest in yoga, meditation, and
Hindu rituals. He has an Aum tattoo on his right hand.
SANATAN DHARMA’S SPIRITUALISM WILL SHOW THE PATH TO FUTURE BILLIONAIRES :
Hindu Sadhu Neem Karoli Baba died in 1973 but continues to enchant several
high-profile Americans including Hollywood actress Julia Roberts, Apple founder
Steve Jobs and Daniel Goleman author of the best-selling book Emotional
Intelligence. In 1974 Steve Jobs stayed in the ashram of Neem Karoli Baba.
Baba’s favorite fruit the apple became the logo of one of the world's most
renowned companies.
Influenced by Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, visited Neem
Karoli Baba's ashram. Larry Brilliant took Google's Larry Page and Jeffrey Skoll,
co-founder of eBay, on a pilgrimage to his ashram. George Harrison, who achieved
international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles was attacked in 1999.
Harrison was hospitalized with more than 40 stab wounds, and
part of his punctured lung was removed. He released a statement soon afterward
saying, “Adi Shankara, an Indian historical, spiritual person, once said, 'Life
is fragile like a raindrop on a lotus leaf.' And you'd better believe it." A
quotation from the Bhagavad Gita is included in his final album's liner notes:
"There never was a time when you or I did not exist. Nor will there be any
future when we shall cease to be."
Over half a million Russians and Ukrainians and thousands of Africans in Ghana
have adopted Hinduism. Jagannath Rath Yatras, vegetarian restaurants, yoga
centers, Sanskrit classes, and Bhagwad Gita study centers are a common scene in
most cities of the world. St James Internationals are running more than 40
schools across the globe, where Sanskrit, Bhagwad Gita, Vedic Chantings, and
Vedic Mathematics are compulsory.
CREMATION BECOMES POPULAR IN WESTERN NATIONS: Cremation is a Hindu method
of the final disposition of a dead body through burning. Though burial is the
norm in Christian-majority western nations more people are opting for
cremations. The cremation rate varies considerably across countries with Japan
reporting a 99% cremation rate. The cremation rate in the United Kingdom is
75.44%
in 2015 and the cremation rate in the United States in 2016 was 50.2 percent. As
of 2019, countries like Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal,
Tibet, Sri Lanka, South Korea, and Thailand have cremation rates ranging from
80% to 99%. During the corona pandemic authorities in many countries encouraged
rapid cremations. Albert Einstein, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, Sigmund Freud, Walt
Disney, and English poet PB Shelly are some of the celebrities who were
cremated. Wangari Maathai, an environment activist from Kenya and the first
African woman to receive a Nobel Peace Prize was cremated in a Hindu crematorium
amidst chantings of the Bhagwad Gita.
George Harrison, the famous guitarist of the Beatles died in 2001 in the company
of Hare Krishna devotees Shyama Sundar Das and Mukunda Goswami chanted verses
from the Bhagavad Gita. He died peacefully with Hare Krishna prayers on his
lips.
He was cremated in California. His close family scattered his ashes according to
Hindu tradition in a private ceremony in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers near
Varanasi, India. Action star Sylvester Stallone sent his family to Haridwar to
perform a shradh of his son. Church attendance has dwindled in most western
countries. Hundreds of Churches are being auctioned and purchased by BAPS,
ISKCON, India, Fiji, Sri Lankan and
Afghan Hindu organizations and converted into Hindu Mandirs. Hindu celebrations
in these temples attract Indian and western Hindu devotees in large numbers.
HINDUISM IN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES: When Ramayan and Mahabharat TV Serials
were telecast in Bharat, millions of Bangladeshi and Pakistani viewers were
glued to the TV screens. Even Kashmiri militants were in an undeclared truce
mood. Children started addressing elders such as Pitashri, Mata-Shri, and
Acharya-Shri.
NAVROZ CELEBRATED BY LAKHS OF MUSLIMS DESPITE FATWAS : Hindu kings in
1300 BCE ruled the ancient Mitanni and Hittites kingdoms in Syria, the Levant,
Anatolia, and parts of Turkey. They taught the Arabs, the use of horse chariots.
Hittites and Mitanni's worshipped Hindu Gods Mitra, Varuna, Indra, and Nasatya (Ashvins).
Jewish prophet Moses and his followers were able to escape from Egypt
only after the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II was challenged by the Hittite king.
Yazidi tribes in the Sinjar mountain regions of Iraq still practice Hindu
rituals like worship of snakes, peacocks, fire, aarti, etc. Umar Mohammed, the
uncle of Prophet Mohammed wrote a Shiv Stuti in the Arabic language.
The same is engraved in one of the pillars in the yagna mandap in Birla Mandir,
New Delhi. Navroz is the New year celebrated by lakhs of Muslims in Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Iran, and the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan and Uyghuristan (Xinjiang). Navroz is based on the Islamic calendar.
In the Islamic world, calendric calculations devised by Aryabhata formed the
basis of the Jalali calendar was introduced in 1073 CE. Fatwa after fatwas by
Islamic clerics has not deterred the masses from celebrating this pre-Islamic
Hindu festival. As one Afghan minister clarified, ‘when I say I am a Muslim, I
am 1400 years old; but when I celebrate
Navroz I become 6,000 years old.’
BHAGWAD GITA - LOVE AND HATE STORIES OF TWO PRIME MINISTERS OF TURKEY :
After the 1971 military crackdown on the left, the Upanishads, Gita, and
Tagore’s Geetanjali were banned in Turkey. These books had been found, along
with the writings of Karl Marx, F. Engels, and V.I. Lenin, in the custody of the
university leftist students. But the ban on Indian writings was lifted soon. The
Turks have a lot of regard for India, its leaders, civilization, culture, and
democracy, despite their support to Pakistan on Kashmir in exchange for the
latter’s support of Cyprus.
Bulent Ecevit, a Sanskrit and Bengali scholar opposed the 1971 ultimatum issued
by the military.
He translated some poems from Bhagwad Gita and Gitanjali. He served as the Prime
Minister of Turkey four times between 1974 and 2002. While one Prime Minister
banned Gita and Gitanjali in 1971, Ecevit, the other PM not only lifted the ban
but also translated portions of the two books.
Millions of Muslims in Indonesia join Hinduism:
Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population. But they also have 60 Lac
Hindus, mostly in Bali and Java. Majority of the Muslims are proud of their
Hindu ancestry. The official mascot of the 1997 Southeast Asian Games played in
Indonesia was the Ramayana epic character "Hanuman". The Ramayana, known in
Java, Indonesia as Kakawin Ramayana is an Indian epic, which spread into
Southeast Asia including the Indonesian archipelago during ancient times. It not
only exists in oral and literary works but also serves as the underlying theme
for art performances and as the inspiration for other works, such as sculptures,
paintings, and literature. Parisada Hindu Dharma, the largest Hindu organization
in Indonesia, has succeeded in reconverting millions of Muslims back to Sanatan
Dharma through a ritual called Shudhi Wadani. Ifa Sudevi is the Chief Judge of
Indonesia. She was a born Muslim. In 2002 Islamic terrorists attacked the
country with explosives. She gave the death sentence to all the terror convicts.
One of the convicts was even an Imam. After spelling out her judgment, she
studied Sanatan Dharma deeply and converted to Hinduism. Kanjen Raden Mahendrani,
the princess of Java, the capital of Indonesia, re-converted to Hinduism after
she went through a Shudhi Wadani Ritual on July 17, 2017. Sukmawati
Sukarnoputri, 69, the daughter of Sukarno, Indonesia’s founding father and the
first president also converted from Islam to Hinduism in 2021.
GROWING HINDUISM IN ARAB COUNTRIES: In October 2022, the Hindu Festival
of Lights, Diwali, was celebrated at the BAPS Hindu Mandir by over 10,000
devotees for the third consecutive year. His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak
Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Co-existence of the UAE, after lighting a
lamp, wished everyone a very happy and luminous Diwali.
Earlier Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, and International Day of Yoga were also
celebrated in the midst of thousands of devotees and Arab dignitaries. Thousands
of Arab men and women have taken a liking for Hindu Bhajans, Ramayana,
Mahabharat, Gita, yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda. During the visit to Sant
Murari Bapu, an Arab lady carried the holy book Ramayana on her head and the
Arab dignitary welcomed the audience by uttering Jai Siya Ram. If a Hindu Mandir
can come to Arabia before Ayodhya, we can expect Hindu mandirs in Mecca and
Madina before Mathura and another mandir in the Vatican before Varanasi.
WHAT WE HINDUS SHOULD DO; ¨ Hindus should prepare a dictionary showing
Sanskrit-based words in Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Russian, and other languages.
This will help the neo-Hindus to feel proud. ¨ Short plays based on the moral,
family, and eternal values of Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagwad Gita should be
uploaded in different foreign languages and in Urdu and Kashmiri languages to
foster enduring peace. ¨ Efforts should be made to start radio and TV Programs
to attract lacs of Baluchs, Sindhis, Iranis, Arabs, Chinese, Indonesians,
Marathi-speaking Jews in Israel, Russians, Lithuanians, and Spanish listeners.
https://www.newsbharati.com/Encyc/2022/11/15/Hinduism-in-21st-century.html
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SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.
