ओ3म्
कहते हैं मन के हारे हार है, मन के जीते जीत। इस संघर्षमय जीवन में यदि हम अपनी परिस्थितियों से हार मान लेते हैं तो जीवन में कभी भी सफल नहीं हो सकते है। हमारा जीवन एक कुरुक्षेत्र ही है। यहां अनेक विचारों में, परिस्थितियों में और व्यक्तियों में संघर्ष सा ठना रहता है ऐसे में यदि हम श्री कृष्ण द्वारा अर्जुन को दिये गये ज्ञान के प्रकाश में अपना मार्ग खोजते हैं तो बड़ी आसानी से मार्ग दिखने लगता है। आप कहेंगे यह क्या तुलना हुई।
वास्तव में कुरुक्षेत्र के मैदान में दोनों सेनाओं के मध्य खड़े अर्जुन ने जब दोनों ओर अपने ही संबंधियों को देखा, शत्रु पक्ष में पितामह और गुरु द्रोण को देखा तो वह भी तनाव में आ गया। उसका गला सूखने लगा, शरीर कांपने लगा और अर्जुन गाण्डीव छोड़ कर रथ में बैठ गया।
कठिन परिस्थितियां देख कर हम भी ऐसे ही तनाव में आ जाते हैं और हम कभी-कभी ग़लत निर्णय ले लेते हैं, जैसे अर्जुन ने कहा, मैं युद्ध करना नहीं चाहता, राज्य सुख भी नहीं चाहता। अपने ही संबंधियों को मारकर राज्य करने से अच्छा है कि मैं संन्यास ले लूं ।
अर्जुन निराशा में, उत्तेजना में और विशेष रूप से मोह में पड़ कर ऐसा कह रहा था। अर्जुन को समस्या का समाधान नहीं मिल रहा था। श्री कृष्ण ने पहले श्रोता बन कर उसकी समस्या को सुना, समझा और फिर शंकाओं को दूर करते हुए उसका समाधान प्रस्तुत किया।
अर्जुन की पहली समस्या थी कि वह अपने गुरुजनो परिजनों को मारना नहीं चाहता था। श्री कष्ण ने कहा देखो न तुम मारने वाले हो न ये मर रहे हैं। तुम्हें समझना चाहिये कि युद्ध में केवल शरीर का नाश होता है, जिसने जन्म लिया है ।इसे तुम ना भी मारो तो भी यह कुछ समय बाद नष्ट हो जायेगा। आत्मा न जन्म लेता है, न मरता है, यह तुम्हें समझ लेना चाहिये। उन्होंने कहा -
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्,
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूय:
अजो नित्य: शाश्वतो Sयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ।।
अर्थात् न आत्मा मरता है न जन्म लेता है, न यह कि अब मर कर फिर कभी यह नहीं रहेगा। यह आत्मा तो नित्य है, और बहुत प्राचीन है। आदि अंत रहित है और शरीर के मर जाने पर भी यह नहीं मरता है। लेकिन अगर अभी तुम युद्ध से विमुख हुए तो सब तुम्हें कायर समझेंगे, कहेंगे कि अर्जुन के पास सात अक्षोंहिणी सेना थी और कौरवों के पास ग्यारह अक्षोंहिणी सेना थी अर्जुन कौरवो की शक्ति देख कर भयभीत हो गया। इसके अतिरिक्त तुम बुराई को बढ़ाने वाले समझे जाओगे। अपने राजा के कर्तव्य से भी विमुख हो जाओगे। इस समय बुराई को नष्ट करना ही तुम्हारा कर्तव्य है, तुम्हारा धर्म है। युद्ध में हार गये, मारे गये तो स्वर्ग मिलेगा और जीत गए, तो पृथ्वी पर राज करोगे। अत: पूर्ण निश्चय के साथ युद्ध करो।
हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं, जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम्।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृत निश्चय:।।
आज भी हम यही बात देखते हैं कि किसी भी काम को करने के लिये पूर्ण विश्वास की आवश्यकता है। पूरे निश्चय से जी जान लगा कर जो काम हम करते हैं तो विकट परिस्थितियों में भी सफलता मिलती है। जैसे कारगिल युद्ध में हमारे वीर सैनिकों को सफलता मिली थी। आधे अधूरे मन से काम करने पर सफलता भी अधूरी ही मिलती है ।
इसके साथ ही श्री कृष्ण अर्जुन को सुख-दुख, लाभ-हानि, जय-पराजय आदि की विषम परिस्थितियों में भी निर्विकार रहने की सलाह देते हैं। दुख में निराश न हो, सुख में बहुत अधिक खुश हो कर बार-बार सुख की ही कामना न करो।
दुखेष्वनुद्विग्नमना सुखेषु विगतस्पृह:
वीतरागभयक्रोध: स्थितधी: मुनिरुच्यते।।
अर्थात दुख में बहुत दुखी न रहो, सुख में अधिक सुख की इच्छा मत करो। डर और क्रोध पर नियंत्रण रखो। यही अच्छी बुद्धि वाले व्यक्ति की पहचान है। ऐसे ही लोग मुनि कहलाते हैं।
इस प्रकार श्री कृष्ण अर्जुन की अनेक शंकाओ का समाधान कर के उन्हे मनोभावों पर नियंत्रण रखने का परामर्श देते रहते थे। इससे अर्जुन का आत्मविश्वास बढ़ता था। आज भी हमारे जीवन में यह सभी बातें उतनी ही महत्वपूर्ण हैं। हमें जीवन में संतुलन बनाए रखना बहुत ज़रूरी है। खाने-पीने, सोने-जागने में, काम करने में सब जगह संतुलन की आवश्यकता है। अधिक काम कर के हम मानसिक तनाव का शिकार बन जाते हैं, अधिक खाने पीने से, मोटापे का शिकार बन जाते हैं। काम को टालने से हम आलसी बन जाते हैं। और सफलता हमसे दूर होने लगती है। ऐसी स्थिति जीवन में नहीं आनी चाहिए। श्री कृष्ण नें अर्जुन को समझाया था –
युक्ताहारविहारस्य, युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु।
युक्तस्वपनावबोधस्य, योगो भवति दु:खहा।।
हम संतुलित व्यवहार करें। श्री कृष्ण कहतें हैं, संतुलित आहार हो, संतुलित घूमना फिरना हो, काम करने में भी हम संतुलन बनाएं रखें, सोनें-जागनें में भी संतुलन हो, तो हमारे दुख अवश्य दूर हो जाएंगे और हमें हमारे प्रयत्नों में सफलता मिलेगी।
जैसे हम देखते हैं कि भूख लगी हो या अधिक खाना खा लिया हो तो दोनो ही परिस्थितियों में काम ठीक नही होता। परीक्षा के दिनों में बहुत देर तक जागें तो दिन में नींद आने लगती है। दफ्तर में काम अधिक हो तो घर में भी थकान रहती है, क्रोध आता है। इसलिए जीवन में हर तरफ संतुलन बनाए रखने की आवश्यकता है। संतुलन ही सफलता की पहली सीढ़ी है।
इस प्रकार मनोवैज्ञानिक रूप से अर्जुन को सलाह देते हुए श्री कृष्ण उनका मार्गदर्शन करते थे। यही उनकी सफलता का आधार था।
By सुधा सावंत
Monday, August 22, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
BANISH CORRUPTION TO IMBIBE DHARMA
If you come across a cobra and a corrupt politician, kill the corrupt man first and cobra next. Never mind if the cobra bites you in the meantime because it is less poisonous than the corrupt politician. The corrupt politicians have been biting Bharat for the last 64 years without a break and the poison that permeated in the nation's body has caused perpetual retardation. The national progress is at a standstill and the neighbouring nations have been moving forward at a steady pace. It is unfortunate but disgraceful. The responsibility for this lack of progress lies at the door of leaders of the Congress party because they have been ruling the country for more than forty years out of sixty four years that India has been independent.
I AM ANNA
Now in 2011 comes a man from a village in Maharashtra who awakens the nation and says that it is our Dharma to eradicate corruption. He has attracted the attention of not only Indians but also foreigners. No wonder a group of American tourists visited the Ramlila Maidan, waved the Indian national flag and expressed solidarity with the Anna movement for cleansing politics of corruption and promoting democracy. Tens of thousands of Indian men, women, children, artisans, farmers and students of all age groups have joined Anna Hazare to cleanse the Indian society of corruption. It is a powerful movement that is absolutely apolitical. The movement has support of people of all walks of life who are votaries of all major and minor faiths of the world and they are all non-violent; absolutely peaceful.
AHIMSA or absence of violent means to achieve the end, is the basic Mantra of this mass movement of Anna Hazare. All peaceful protesters are are wearing Gandhi caps or carrying a sash across shoulders that has words written on it "I am ANNA HAZARE". Every individual protestor calls himself Anna Hazare. It is a unique feature of this peaceful protest. The whole world recognises the Rights of free thought and expression. Suppressing this freedom of Expression would amount to violation of Human Rights. The Government of India does not want to be accused of this violation a second time. The whole free world took the Indian law enforcing agencies and their political masters to task for beating with long batons women and children attending Yoga camp of Swami RamdevJi, the Yoga Guru.
Anna Hazare is a different man and a stable personality who has experience of leading many peaceful Satyagrah in his home state, Maharashtra. It is surprising that a school dropout who became a soldier driver of army trucks is today the uncrowned king of this large scale peaceful protest movement to wipe out corruption and bring black money that belonged to India back to India. Indeed no one can find fault with the noble mission of Anna Hazare.
It is his innocent and child-like smile that draws strangers close to him. He smiles even in adverse circumstances. He smiles when he fasts. He smiles when the jail authorities denied him water for a bath since he stayed on in the administrative building of the jail even after his official release. Anna Hazare does not raise the pitch of his voice even when the group discussion degenerates into a slanging match. Anna Hazare is as cool as a cucumber, calm as the sea-surface in non-tsunami nights and focussed as a camera lens. He knows what to do, when to do and how to do. Indeed the secret of his success in all his projects lies in his planning, preparation and execution from A to Z. Further, Anna chooses his colleagues well and never lets a selfish person take undue advantage of his nearness to Anna Hazare.
NEVER SAY DIE
Anna may fail but he never falters. He has his eyes focussed on the goal and does not deviate. Worldly temptations are meaningless to a man who has acquired no family, no wife, no children, no property. He is a SANYASI. In the Hindu Varnashram system, an individual takes Sanyas and renounces the mundane world. A Sanyasi does not live with his erstwhile family but in an Ashram or a hermitage. He treats the whole world as his own family as per the Vedic mandate VASUDHAIV KUTUMBKAM.
It is hoped that there will be no confrontation between Anna Hazare and the government of India. That means use of force by the govt and anti-publicity for Bharat in the entire world. Now the world media is taking interest in the Anna generated People’s Movement for having a LOKPAL who would oversee the official work of all govt departments, all govt servants, even the highest of the high and thus leave no room for corruption. Since the govt is also committed to the establishment of the institution of a strong Lokpal, there is a meeting point for the two sides and this scope for dialogue should be made use of.
When corruption is got rid of, the people of Bharat will heave a sigh of relief. The demon of corruption and thereby generation of black money and consequent of stashing ill gotten wealth in foreign banks made our motherland poorest of the poor. Dharma,that is the Manu Smriti guide on living a life of Righteousness was abandoned. Now with the elimination of the demon of corruption, the common man will improve his standard of living. His lifestyle will be in conformity with the norms laid down by the greatest lawgiver, Manu Maharaj. If and when Dharma holds sway, the social order moves on smoothly and Happiness prevails.
CORRUPTION IS BANISHED AND DHARMA IS IMBIBED BY THE SOCIETY FOR THE GOOD OF ONE AND ALL.
By Chitranjan Sawant
I AM ANNA
Now in 2011 comes a man from a village in Maharashtra who awakens the nation and says that it is our Dharma to eradicate corruption. He has attracted the attention of not only Indians but also foreigners. No wonder a group of American tourists visited the Ramlila Maidan, waved the Indian national flag and expressed solidarity with the Anna movement for cleansing politics of corruption and promoting democracy. Tens of thousands of Indian men, women, children, artisans, farmers and students of all age groups have joined Anna Hazare to cleanse the Indian society of corruption. It is a powerful movement that is absolutely apolitical. The movement has support of people of all walks of life who are votaries of all major and minor faiths of the world and they are all non-violent; absolutely peaceful.
AHIMSA or absence of violent means to achieve the end, is the basic Mantra of this mass movement of Anna Hazare. All peaceful protesters are are wearing Gandhi caps or carrying a sash across shoulders that has words written on it "I am ANNA HAZARE". Every individual protestor calls himself Anna Hazare. It is a unique feature of this peaceful protest. The whole world recognises the Rights of free thought and expression. Suppressing this freedom of Expression would amount to violation of Human Rights. The Government of India does not want to be accused of this violation a second time. The whole free world took the Indian law enforcing agencies and their political masters to task for beating with long batons women and children attending Yoga camp of Swami RamdevJi, the Yoga Guru.
Anna Hazare is a different man and a stable personality who has experience of leading many peaceful Satyagrah in his home state, Maharashtra. It is surprising that a school dropout who became a soldier driver of army trucks is today the uncrowned king of this large scale peaceful protest movement to wipe out corruption and bring black money that belonged to India back to India. Indeed no one can find fault with the noble mission of Anna Hazare.
It is his innocent and child-like smile that draws strangers close to him. He smiles even in adverse circumstances. He smiles when he fasts. He smiles when the jail authorities denied him water for a bath since he stayed on in the administrative building of the jail even after his official release. Anna Hazare does not raise the pitch of his voice even when the group discussion degenerates into a slanging match. Anna Hazare is as cool as a cucumber, calm as the sea-surface in non-tsunami nights and focussed as a camera lens. He knows what to do, when to do and how to do. Indeed the secret of his success in all his projects lies in his planning, preparation and execution from A to Z. Further, Anna chooses his colleagues well and never lets a selfish person take undue advantage of his nearness to Anna Hazare.
NEVER SAY DIE
Anna may fail but he never falters. He has his eyes focussed on the goal and does not deviate. Worldly temptations are meaningless to a man who has acquired no family, no wife, no children, no property. He is a SANYASI. In the Hindu Varnashram system, an individual takes Sanyas and renounces the mundane world. A Sanyasi does not live with his erstwhile family but in an Ashram or a hermitage. He treats the whole world as his own family as per the Vedic mandate VASUDHAIV KUTUMBKAM.
It is hoped that there will be no confrontation between Anna Hazare and the government of India. That means use of force by the govt and anti-publicity for Bharat in the entire world. Now the world media is taking interest in the Anna generated People’s Movement for having a LOKPAL who would oversee the official work of all govt departments, all govt servants, even the highest of the high and thus leave no room for corruption. Since the govt is also committed to the establishment of the institution of a strong Lokpal, there is a meeting point for the two sides and this scope for dialogue should be made use of.
When corruption is got rid of, the people of Bharat will heave a sigh of relief. The demon of corruption and thereby generation of black money and consequent of stashing ill gotten wealth in foreign banks made our motherland poorest of the poor. Dharma,that is the Manu Smriti guide on living a life of Righteousness was abandoned. Now with the elimination of the demon of corruption, the common man will improve his standard of living. His lifestyle will be in conformity with the norms laid down by the greatest lawgiver, Manu Maharaj. If and when Dharma holds sway, the social order moves on smoothly and Happiness prevails.
CORRUPTION IS BANISHED AND DHARMA IS IMBIBED BY THE SOCIETY FOR THE GOOD OF ONE AND ALL.
By Chitranjan Sawant
Saturday, August 13, 2011
VOICE OF PEOPLE IS VOICE OF GOD
India is economically poor but spiritually rich. India lives in two extreme situations. Some live in palatial houses and some find it difficult to have a thatched roof overhead. Some are clad in Savoy Row suits but most have half a piece of loin cloth to cover the private parts and save the other half for a later day. Nevertheless, the People of India have one aim: DHARMA TO BE FOLLOWED AND PRACTISED. Dharma is much more than Religion. Dharma is not rituals. Dharma is what you do the whole day, nay, the whole life is assessed at the end of the present life. The next life, that is life beyond Death depends on your KARMA - action and inaction. Thus, by and large, most Indians are conscious of the Dharma for guidance.
PHILOSOPHY IN ACTION
The philosophy of life that has been summarised in the lines above guide the day to day life of an average Hindu. It is his belief that this philosophy of life emanates from the most ancient scriptures in the library of MAN and known as VEDAS are not only sacrosanct but also are to be taken as, what the Christians call- the Gospel Truth. That explains why poor people may forego meals but would resist the temptation to Steal.
How does one explain hundreds of cases of crime that are detected by the Police and criminals put in jail after a legal trial? Well, they are the people who have no faith in Dharma or the path of Righteousness. Those law breakers, big and small, are the ones encouraging Corruption, indulging in corruption and looting the government treasury where poor man's money is kept.
There is an unholy nexus between the politician, the police, the bureaucracy and criminals of the underworld to be united together to swindle the public money. Since that money born of corrupt practices cannot be deposited in the Indian banks, the economic criminals, including government ministers and heads of political parties deposit them in Swiss banks and elsewhere. No questions are asked there and they aid corruption to flourish.
ANNA HAZARE MOVEMENT
THE SEPTUAGENARIAN DIMINUTIVE MAN CLAD IN HOME SPUN CLOTH CALLED kHADI HAS PUT HIS LIFE AT STAKE TO CLEANSE THE INDIAN SOCIETY OF CORRUPTION. He was a non-commissioned officer in the Indian Army driving heavy vehicles across the country. He earned his bread honestly and on retirement gave his entire savings in charity to build wells, Dharamshalas or free rest houses for pilgrims and motivated his village people not to grease the palm of govt officials for doing the work of common peasants. He enlarged the scope and encompassed the state of Maharashtra. With People's support he succeeded in uprooting many ministers of the state and having the corrupt governments fall. The success never went into his head. He continued living in a small room in a free public rest house that he had built for peasant travellers.
Anna Hazare came to cleanse New Delhi and is at it now. The entire population of India is fed up of the corrupt practices of govt ministers, bureaucrats, police officials and the rest of the govt paraphernalia due to their making money under the table. If you ask for an honest minister in the government of India, you will draw a blank. These corrupt people stash the ill gotten wealth in foreign banks which are tax havens. Anna Hazare has taken a vow to cleanse the society of the aforesaid corrupt elements and thus make the society corruption-free.
The ultimate beneficiary of a corruption-free society will be the common man.
MODUS OPERANDI
The Anna Hazare Team comprises Arvind Kejariwal, Kiran Bedi and a host of volunteers who support the movement and move with the crusader bag and baggage from place to place. All volunteers spend their own money and time. They do not expect anything in return. This phenomenon is not only surprising but amazing to the corrupt people and they do not believe their eyes when they see the selfless workers. The dishonest govt officials go on an overdrive to defame the Anna Hazare Team and leak out all sorts of uncomplimentary stories and anecdote to defame them. However, the canards fall flat because the mischief mongers cannot face the Anna Team that has the Truth as its support.
Right now the ministers of govt of India are advocating that a Lokpal may oversee investigation of corruption cases but the said Lokpal, as per the govt draft, will have no teeth to implement his own decisions. On the other hand, the draft Lokpal bill submitted by Team Anna has provision for a powerful Lokpal who can arrest criminals, prosecute politicians including ministers and carry the case to the hilt. Team Anna wants to include the Prime Minister, members of parliament, judiciary and so on within the purview and jurisdiction of all kinds of the Lokpal. Thus the new Lokpal will have sufficient tooth to bark and bite and thus root out corruption of allsorts from Bharat.
It is such a wonderful idea; where is the hitch? Well, those who have been corrupt all along in service may find it difficult to forsake that style of life. Hence under the leadership of corrupt ministers, the bureaucrats, police and politicians have united to raise technical objections in the proposals of the representatives of the civil society as the Anna Team is referred to. It is an old game of bureaucracy to ask a number of questions, both relevant and irrelevant, keep the case file pending and gain time hoping that people’s enthusiasm will wane and the mass movement may peter out. That indeed will open the door to corrupt practices wide open for accommodating one and all. The swelling numbers of criminals and law breakers will be awful and thus the corrupt officials and ministers may succeed in intimidating the honest citizens.
The Team Anna is of the opinion that the intentions of the govt of India in getting a bill passed to promote a powerful Lokpal are doubtful. The corrupt ministers and bureaucrats wish to create an institution of a weak Lokpal who would just be a paper tiger without any teeth.
LAST DITCH BATTLE
The ministers of govt of India are adamant in not conceding any point to Team Anna. The Team Anna is determined to deliver the goods for the good of common man. If nothing comes out of this agitation where the masses have given full support to the Team Anna, they would lose faith in protests, agitations and challenging the evil sections of the society.
There is so much bloodshed and corruption in the society not because the Evil is stronger than the Good but because the good people suffer in silence and do not raise their voice in protest. The Good must challenge the Evil and eventually defeat it. The battles in the Ramayan between Ram and Ravan give us that eternal message. The Mahabharat was a major war fought for eighteen days and the entire country was at the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The message of both the Ramayan and theMahabharat is loud and clear. The forces of Good people in the society must challenge the Evil forces and defeat them decisively so that they are silenced for good.
Anna Hazare has made his intention clear. 16th August 2011 onwards he would go on fast unto death to let the government of India see reason. The aim is to have an act of Parliament for establishing the institution of an effective Lokpal who would help eradicate corruption and rein in the corrupt elements in future too. The end result will be COMMON GOOD OF THE COMMON MAN.
BY Chitranjan Sawant
PHILOSOPHY IN ACTION
The philosophy of life that has been summarised in the lines above guide the day to day life of an average Hindu. It is his belief that this philosophy of life emanates from the most ancient scriptures in the library of MAN and known as VEDAS are not only sacrosanct but also are to be taken as, what the Christians call- the Gospel Truth. That explains why poor people may forego meals but would resist the temptation to Steal.
How does one explain hundreds of cases of crime that are detected by the Police and criminals put in jail after a legal trial? Well, they are the people who have no faith in Dharma or the path of Righteousness. Those law breakers, big and small, are the ones encouraging Corruption, indulging in corruption and looting the government treasury where poor man's money is kept.
There is an unholy nexus between the politician, the police, the bureaucracy and criminals of the underworld to be united together to swindle the public money. Since that money born of corrupt practices cannot be deposited in the Indian banks, the economic criminals, including government ministers and heads of political parties deposit them in Swiss banks and elsewhere. No questions are asked there and they aid corruption to flourish.
ANNA HAZARE MOVEMENT
THE SEPTUAGENARIAN DIMINUTIVE MAN CLAD IN HOME SPUN CLOTH CALLED kHADI HAS PUT HIS LIFE AT STAKE TO CLEANSE THE INDIAN SOCIETY OF CORRUPTION. He was a non-commissioned officer in the Indian Army driving heavy vehicles across the country. He earned his bread honestly and on retirement gave his entire savings in charity to build wells, Dharamshalas or free rest houses for pilgrims and motivated his village people not to grease the palm of govt officials for doing the work of common peasants. He enlarged the scope and encompassed the state of Maharashtra. With People's support he succeeded in uprooting many ministers of the state and having the corrupt governments fall. The success never went into his head. He continued living in a small room in a free public rest house that he had built for peasant travellers.
Anna Hazare came to cleanse New Delhi and is at it now. The entire population of India is fed up of the corrupt practices of govt ministers, bureaucrats, police officials and the rest of the govt paraphernalia due to their making money under the table. If you ask for an honest minister in the government of India, you will draw a blank. These corrupt people stash the ill gotten wealth in foreign banks which are tax havens. Anna Hazare has taken a vow to cleanse the society of the aforesaid corrupt elements and thus make the society corruption-free.
The ultimate beneficiary of a corruption-free society will be the common man.
MODUS OPERANDI
The Anna Hazare Team comprises Arvind Kejariwal, Kiran Bedi and a host of volunteers who support the movement and move with the crusader bag and baggage from place to place. All volunteers spend their own money and time. They do not expect anything in return. This phenomenon is not only surprising but amazing to the corrupt people and they do not believe their eyes when they see the selfless workers. The dishonest govt officials go on an overdrive to defame the Anna Hazare Team and leak out all sorts of uncomplimentary stories and anecdote to defame them. However, the canards fall flat because the mischief mongers cannot face the Anna Team that has the Truth as its support.
Right now the ministers of govt of India are advocating that a Lokpal may oversee investigation of corruption cases but the said Lokpal, as per the govt draft, will have no teeth to implement his own decisions. On the other hand, the draft Lokpal bill submitted by Team Anna has provision for a powerful Lokpal who can arrest criminals, prosecute politicians including ministers and carry the case to the hilt. Team Anna wants to include the Prime Minister, members of parliament, judiciary and so on within the purview and jurisdiction of all kinds of the Lokpal. Thus the new Lokpal will have sufficient tooth to bark and bite and thus root out corruption of allsorts from Bharat.
It is such a wonderful idea; where is the hitch? Well, those who have been corrupt all along in service may find it difficult to forsake that style of life. Hence under the leadership of corrupt ministers, the bureaucrats, police and politicians have united to raise technical objections in the proposals of the representatives of the civil society as the Anna Team is referred to. It is an old game of bureaucracy to ask a number of questions, both relevant and irrelevant, keep the case file pending and gain time hoping that people’s enthusiasm will wane and the mass movement may peter out. That indeed will open the door to corrupt practices wide open for accommodating one and all. The swelling numbers of criminals and law breakers will be awful and thus the corrupt officials and ministers may succeed in intimidating the honest citizens.
The Team Anna is of the opinion that the intentions of the govt of India in getting a bill passed to promote a powerful Lokpal are doubtful. The corrupt ministers and bureaucrats wish to create an institution of a weak Lokpal who would just be a paper tiger without any teeth.
LAST DITCH BATTLE
The ministers of govt of India are adamant in not conceding any point to Team Anna. The Team Anna is determined to deliver the goods for the good of common man. If nothing comes out of this agitation where the masses have given full support to the Team Anna, they would lose faith in protests, agitations and challenging the evil sections of the society.
There is so much bloodshed and corruption in the society not because the Evil is stronger than the Good but because the good people suffer in silence and do not raise their voice in protest. The Good must challenge the Evil and eventually defeat it. The battles in the Ramayan between Ram and Ravan give us that eternal message. The Mahabharat was a major war fought for eighteen days and the entire country was at the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The message of both the Ramayan and theMahabharat is loud and clear. The forces of Good people in the society must challenge the Evil forces and defeat them decisively so that they are silenced for good.
Anna Hazare has made his intention clear. 16th August 2011 onwards he would go on fast unto death to let the government of India see reason. The aim is to have an act of Parliament for establishing the institution of an effective Lokpal who would help eradicate corruption and rein in the corrupt elements in future too. The end result will be COMMON GOOD OF THE COMMON MAN.
BY Chitranjan Sawant
Friday, August 12, 2011
INDIAN MASSES ADVANCED: BRITISH EMPIRE RETREATED
It was just another day when I left bed. The future had something in store for the student community. The senior students had been briefed but we juniors were on the periphery, as ignorant as ever. It was the ninth day of August in the year nineteen forty two, 0r 9.8. 42. A momentous day indeed. The history of the Indian freedom movement recorded it as the day when the Indian National Congress gave a clarion call, QUIT INDIA. The Indian people rose as One Man under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and asked the British rulers to go home lock stock and barrel. The British Empirewas too powerful to listen to a call given by the “half naked faqir” as Sir Winston Churchill, the war time British Prime Minister used to address Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was a Mahatma or a great soul to millions of Indians. The Empire did not budge an inch to accommodate its subjects in India. It issued orders to put down the political upheaval with a heavy hand.
LEADERS LOCKED UP
All leaders of the Congress party were put behind bars in high security prisons, forts and garrison towns. Gandhi Ji and his spouse, Kasturba were the only exception. They were incarcerated in the Agha Khan palace in Poona, now Pune. Since leaders were away from the masses, the people went berserk in many places like Ballia in the United Provinces, Bengal’s interior areas and so on. There was complete chaos and the British government in India was at its wits énd. Many innocent lives of commoners were lost in police firing on peaceful processions and the military too was called out to control the situation. The might of the British Empire was insufficient to control the surge of the people. Moreover, the Second World War was in full fury and the Germans and Japanese were breathing down the neck of the allied forces.
Just about every Indian, man or woman, who had anything to do with the Indian freedom movement, even if remotely, was arrested and put in one jail or the other. Their homes and hearth, their property, both moveable and immoveable, was seized by the district administration and auctioned at the lowest possible price. Since there were no bidders in many cases, low paid governments were gifted all that could not be auctioned. The British officers were more cruel than the Iranian invader, Nadir Shah of the middle ages. One pays a price when fighting for a good cause.
The student community too played a role. We just came out of our classes shouting slogans “Quit India”and in Hindi said “Angrezon, Bharat Chhodo”. Outside our college we formed a procession under the leadership of big boys and held the Tricolour flags in as many hands as possible. The patriotic slogans were never ending and these were punctuated with VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM. It was indeed electrifying. The patriotic fervour had manifested itself in slogan shouting and before long it reached a crescendo. What was music to the Indian ears was certainly jarring to the British ears. The law enforcing agencies, mostly Indians but officered by the British, were around but did not intervene at this stage. The orders had come from the highest of the high to avoid bloodshed and not fire on the student processions as far as possible. The police permitted us to move forward. We were cautioned not to use insulting language against the British rulers, especially the royal family. In return we were permitted to cry our throats hoarse with the Quit India and similar slogans. It was a pleasant surprise to hear both the Hindus and Muslims say in unison VANDE MATARAM.
The concept of Pakistan, backed by the British Empire, was gaining ground. So some diehard pro-Pakistan students had abstained from participating in the procession and shout Quit India lest the English rulers were annoyed. However, the nationalist minded Muslims of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai type did join their Hindu brethren. Their numbers were so low that they could be counted on finger tips.
The students’ procession moved forward towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office located in Kutcherry. As we neared the destination we were stopped from moving forward. The mounted police blocked our way and the armed police cocked their rifles just to scare us. We were made of sterner stuff. The patriotic slogans rent the air with greater fervour and the British sergeants, now present at the scene, were seen using cotton ear plugs lest the ear drums were damaged.
THE SHOW DOWN
The senior students were determined not to turn back as ordered by the police. The British Deputy Commissioner was too busy with the war effort and had no intention of meeting a students’ delegation. Legally speaking, entertaining a freedom fighters delegation would be negating the British policy of not supporting any idea that would detract from the war effort. The students had been permitted to move that far in a procession just to let them express pent up anger and anti-British emotions but that was it. Thus far but no further, the police announced in Hindi. They warned the senior students of consequences if they pressed on and shouted anti-British slogans. The feeble warning did not deter even small boys, what to say of veterans. More slogans, tougher language and a stance of face-off was in the offing. The writing was on the wall.
VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM – THE BLOOD RACED THROUGH OUR VEINS. We, big and small boys alike said that we would sacrifice our lives at the altar of freedom but not retrace our steps. On a pre-determined signal the police swung into action. They used canes, lathis, batons, butts of rifles to break our procession. The brute force was enough to break bodies but not morale. The students sat down wherever they were. The jibes at the Indians in the service of the British Empire infuriated them more. Their brutality reached its peak. The lathi blows were back breaking, head injuries showed bleeding and there was blood all over the road. The police snatched the tricolour flags. So, senior students passed the flags on to the junior students who held them tightly and bore the brunt. VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM – every student gave the full throated cry and even the attacking police, officers and men, British and Indian were amazed at the tenacity, determination and devotion to the patriotic cause exhibited by the student community.
The senior students were arrested, put in police vans and driven to the district jail. The injured were taken to hospital and junior boys were told to go home as their parents were concerned about their well being.
I must mention that the student community was in the forefront of freedom struggle all over the country. The international powers did take this fact into account when they pressured the White Hall in London to grant independence to India.
Independence came to us, to our country just five years, five months and a few hours after the success of Quit India movement in which the young generation had played a significant role. 15th August 1947 was and is our Independence Day. Long Live Independent India.
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
LEADERS LOCKED UP
All leaders of the Congress party were put behind bars in high security prisons, forts and garrison towns. Gandhi Ji and his spouse, Kasturba were the only exception. They were incarcerated in the Agha Khan palace in Poona, now Pune. Since leaders were away from the masses, the people went berserk in many places like Ballia in the United Provinces, Bengal’s interior areas and so on. There was complete chaos and the British government in India was at its wits énd. Many innocent lives of commoners were lost in police firing on peaceful processions and the military too was called out to control the situation. The might of the British Empire was insufficient to control the surge of the people. Moreover, the Second World War was in full fury and the Germans and Japanese were breathing down the neck of the allied forces.
Just about every Indian, man or woman, who had anything to do with the Indian freedom movement, even if remotely, was arrested and put in one jail or the other. Their homes and hearth, their property, both moveable and immoveable, was seized by the district administration and auctioned at the lowest possible price. Since there were no bidders in many cases, low paid governments were gifted all that could not be auctioned. The British officers were more cruel than the Iranian invader, Nadir Shah of the middle ages. One pays a price when fighting for a good cause.
The student community too played a role. We just came out of our classes shouting slogans “Quit India”and in Hindi said “Angrezon, Bharat Chhodo”. Outside our college we formed a procession under the leadership of big boys and held the Tricolour flags in as many hands as possible. The patriotic slogans were never ending and these were punctuated with VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM. It was indeed electrifying. The patriotic fervour had manifested itself in slogan shouting and before long it reached a crescendo. What was music to the Indian ears was certainly jarring to the British ears. The law enforcing agencies, mostly Indians but officered by the British, were around but did not intervene at this stage. The orders had come from the highest of the high to avoid bloodshed and not fire on the student processions as far as possible. The police permitted us to move forward. We were cautioned not to use insulting language against the British rulers, especially the royal family. In return we were permitted to cry our throats hoarse with the Quit India and similar slogans. It was a pleasant surprise to hear both the Hindus and Muslims say in unison VANDE MATARAM.
The concept of Pakistan, backed by the British Empire, was gaining ground. So some diehard pro-Pakistan students had abstained from participating in the procession and shout Quit India lest the English rulers were annoyed. However, the nationalist minded Muslims of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai type did join their Hindu brethren. Their numbers were so low that they could be counted on finger tips.
The students’ procession moved forward towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office located in Kutcherry. As we neared the destination we were stopped from moving forward. The mounted police blocked our way and the armed police cocked their rifles just to scare us. We were made of sterner stuff. The patriotic slogans rent the air with greater fervour and the British sergeants, now present at the scene, were seen using cotton ear plugs lest the ear drums were damaged.
THE SHOW DOWN
The senior students were determined not to turn back as ordered by the police. The British Deputy Commissioner was too busy with the war effort and had no intention of meeting a students’ delegation. Legally speaking, entertaining a freedom fighters delegation would be negating the British policy of not supporting any idea that would detract from the war effort. The students had been permitted to move that far in a procession just to let them express pent up anger and anti-British emotions but that was it. Thus far but no further, the police announced in Hindi. They warned the senior students of consequences if they pressed on and shouted anti-British slogans. The feeble warning did not deter even small boys, what to say of veterans. More slogans, tougher language and a stance of face-off was in the offing. The writing was on the wall.
VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM – THE BLOOD RACED THROUGH OUR VEINS. We, big and small boys alike said that we would sacrifice our lives at the altar of freedom but not retrace our steps. On a pre-determined signal the police swung into action. They used canes, lathis, batons, butts of rifles to break our procession. The brute force was enough to break bodies but not morale. The students sat down wherever they were. The jibes at the Indians in the service of the British Empire infuriated them more. Their brutality reached its peak. The lathi blows were back breaking, head injuries showed bleeding and there was blood all over the road. The police snatched the tricolour flags. So, senior students passed the flags on to the junior students who held them tightly and bore the brunt. VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM – every student gave the full throated cry and even the attacking police, officers and men, British and Indian were amazed at the tenacity, determination and devotion to the patriotic cause exhibited by the student community.
The senior students were arrested, put in police vans and driven to the district jail. The injured were taken to hospital and junior boys were told to go home as their parents were concerned about their well being.
I must mention that the student community was in the forefront of freedom struggle all over the country. The international powers did take this fact into account when they pressured the White Hall in London to grant independence to India.
Independence came to us, to our country just five years, five months and a few hours after the success of Quit India movement in which the young generation had played a significant role. 15th August 1947 was and is our Independence Day. Long Live Independent India.
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Indian people advanced: British Empire retreated
Indian people advanced: British Empire retreated
AUM
INDIAN MASSES ADVANCED: BRITISH EMPIRE RETREATED
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
It was just another day when I left bed. The future had something in store for the student community. The senior students had been briefed but we juniors were on the periphery, as ignorant as ever. It was the ninth day of August in the year nineteen forty two, 0r 9.8. 42. A momentous day indeed. The history of the Indian freedom movement recorded it as the day when the Indian National Congress gave a clarion call, QUIT INDIA. The Indian people rose as One Man under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and asked the British rulers to go home lock stock and barrel. The British Empirewas too powerful to listen to a call given by the “half naked faqir” as Sir Winston Churchill, the war time British Prime Minister used to address Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was a Mahatma or a great soul to millions of Indians. The Empire did not budge an inch to accommodate its subjects in India. It issued orders to put down the political upheaval with a heavy hand.
LEADERS LOCKED UP
All leaders of the Congress party were put behind bars in high security prisons, forts and garrison towns. Gandhi Ji and his spouse, Kasturba were the only exception. They were incarcerated in the Agha Khan palace in Poona, now Pune. Since leaders were away from the masses, the people went berserk in many places like Ballia in the United Provinces, Bengal’s interior areas and so on. There was complete chaos and the British government in India was at its wits énd. Many innocent lives of commoners were lost in police firing on peaceful processions and the military too was called out to control the situation. The might of the British Empire was insufficient to control the surge of the people. Moreover, the Second World War was in full fury and the Germans and Japanese were breathing down the neck of the allied forces.
Just about every Indian, man or woman, who had anything to do with the Indian freedom movement, even if remotely, was arrested and put in one jail or the other. Their homes and hearth, their property, both moveable and immoveable, was seized by the district administration and auctioned at the lowest possible price. Since there were no bidders in many cases, low paid governments were gifted all that could not be auctioned. The British officers were more cruel than the Iranian invader, Nadir Shah of the middle ages. One pays a price when fighting for a good cause.
The student community too played a role. We just came out of our classes shouting slogans “Quit India”and in Hindi said “Angrezon, Bharat Chhodo”. Outside our college we formed a procession under the leadership of big boys and held the Tricolour flags in as many hands as possible. The patriotic slogans were never ending and these were punctuated with VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM. It was indeed electrifying. The patriotic fervour had manifested itself in slogan shouting and before long it reached a crescendo. What was music to the Indian ears was certainly jarring to the British ears. The law enforcing agencies, mostly Indians but officered by the British, were around but did not intervene at this stage. The orders had come from the highest of the high to avoid bloodshed and not fire on the student processions as far as possible. The police permitted us to move forward. We were cautioned not to use insulting language against the British rulers, especially the royal family. In return we were permitted to cry our throats hoarse with the Quit India and similar slogans. It was a pleasant surprise to hear both the Hindus and Muslims say in unison VANDE MATARAM.
The concept of Pakistan, backed by the British Empire, was gaining ground. So some diehard pro-Pakistan students had abstained from participating in the procession and shout Quit India lest the English rulers were annoyed. However, the nationalist minded Muslims of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai type did join their Hindu brethren. Their numbers were so low that they could be counted on finger tips.
The students’ procession moved forward towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office located in Kutcherry. As we neared the destination we were stopped from moving forward. The mounted police blocked our way and the armed police cocked their rifles just to scare us. We were made of sterner stuff. The patriotic slogans rent the air with greater fervour and the British sergeants, now present at the scene, were seen using cotton ear plugs lest the ear drums were damaged.
THE SHOW DOWN
The senior students were determined not to turn back as ordered by the police. The British Deputy Commissioner was too busy with the war effort and had no intention of meeting a students’ delegation. Legally speaking, entertaining a freedom fighters delegation would be negating the British policy of not supporting any idea that would detract from the war effort. The students had been permitted to move that far in a procession just to let them express pent up anger and anti-British emotions but that was it. Thus far but no further, the police announced in Hindi. They warned the senior students of consequences if they pressed on and shouted anti-British slogans. The feeble warning did not deter even small boys, what to say of veterans. More slogans, tougher language and a stance of face-off was in the offing. The writing was on the wall.
VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM – THE BLOOD RACED THROUGH OUR VEINS. We, big and small boys alike said that we would sacrifice our lives at the altar of freedom but not retrace our steps. On a pre-determined signal the police swung into action. They used canes, lathis, batons, butts of rifles to break our procession. The brute force was enough to break bodies but not morale. The students sat down wherever they were. The jibes at the Indians in the service of the British Empire infuriated them more. Their brutality reached its peak. The lathi blows were back breaking, head injuries showed bleeding and there was blood all over the road. The police snatched the tricolour flags. So, senior students passed the flags on to the junior students who held them tightly and bore the brunt. VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM – every student gave the full throated cry and even the attacking police, officers and men, British and Indian were amazed at the tenacity, determination and devotion to the patriotic cause exhibited by the student community.
The senior students were arrested, put in police vans and driven to the district jail. The injured were taken to hospital and junior boys were told to go home as their parents were concerned about their well being.
I must mention that the student community was in the forefront of freedom struggle all over the country. The international powers did take this fact into account when they pressured the White Hall in London to grant independence to India.
Independence came to us, to our country just five years, five months and a few hours after the success of Quit India movement in which the young generation had played a significant role. 15th August 1947 was and is our Independence Day. Long Live Independent India.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, Noida -201303, INDIA. Mobile – 9811173590.
Email : upvanom@yahoo.com or sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
AUM
INDIAN MASSES ADVANCED: BRITISH EMPIRE RETREATED
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
It was just another day when I left bed. The future had something in store for the student community. The senior students had been briefed but we juniors were on the periphery, as ignorant as ever. It was the ninth day of August in the year nineteen forty two, 0r 9.8. 42. A momentous day indeed. The history of the Indian freedom movement recorded it as the day when the Indian National Congress gave a clarion call, QUIT INDIA. The Indian people rose as One Man under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and asked the British rulers to go home lock stock and barrel. The British Empirewas too powerful to listen to a call given by the “half naked faqir” as Sir Winston Churchill, the war time British Prime Minister used to address Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was a Mahatma or a great soul to millions of Indians. The Empire did not budge an inch to accommodate its subjects in India. It issued orders to put down the political upheaval with a heavy hand.
LEADERS LOCKED UP
All leaders of the Congress party were put behind bars in high security prisons, forts and garrison towns. Gandhi Ji and his spouse, Kasturba were the only exception. They were incarcerated in the Agha Khan palace in Poona, now Pune. Since leaders were away from the masses, the people went berserk in many places like Ballia in the United Provinces, Bengal’s interior areas and so on. There was complete chaos and the British government in India was at its wits énd. Many innocent lives of commoners were lost in police firing on peaceful processions and the military too was called out to control the situation. The might of the British Empire was insufficient to control the surge of the people. Moreover, the Second World War was in full fury and the Germans and Japanese were breathing down the neck of the allied forces.
Just about every Indian, man or woman, who had anything to do with the Indian freedom movement, even if remotely, was arrested and put in one jail or the other. Their homes and hearth, their property, both moveable and immoveable, was seized by the district administration and auctioned at the lowest possible price. Since there were no bidders in many cases, low paid governments were gifted all that could not be auctioned. The British officers were more cruel than the Iranian invader, Nadir Shah of the middle ages. One pays a price when fighting for a good cause.
The student community too played a role. We just came out of our classes shouting slogans “Quit India”and in Hindi said “Angrezon, Bharat Chhodo”. Outside our college we formed a procession under the leadership of big boys and held the Tricolour flags in as many hands as possible. The patriotic slogans were never ending and these were punctuated with VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM. It was indeed electrifying. The patriotic fervour had manifested itself in slogan shouting and before long it reached a crescendo. What was music to the Indian ears was certainly jarring to the British ears. The law enforcing agencies, mostly Indians but officered by the British, were around but did not intervene at this stage. The orders had come from the highest of the high to avoid bloodshed and not fire on the student processions as far as possible. The police permitted us to move forward. We were cautioned not to use insulting language against the British rulers, especially the royal family. In return we were permitted to cry our throats hoarse with the Quit India and similar slogans. It was a pleasant surprise to hear both the Hindus and Muslims say in unison VANDE MATARAM.
The concept of Pakistan, backed by the British Empire, was gaining ground. So some diehard pro-Pakistan students had abstained from participating in the procession and shout Quit India lest the English rulers were annoyed. However, the nationalist minded Muslims of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai type did join their Hindu brethren. Their numbers were so low that they could be counted on finger tips.
The students’ procession moved forward towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office located in Kutcherry. As we neared the destination we were stopped from moving forward. The mounted police blocked our way and the armed police cocked their rifles just to scare us. We were made of sterner stuff. The patriotic slogans rent the air with greater fervour and the British sergeants, now present at the scene, were seen using cotton ear plugs lest the ear drums were damaged.
THE SHOW DOWN
The senior students were determined not to turn back as ordered by the police. The British Deputy Commissioner was too busy with the war effort and had no intention of meeting a students’ delegation. Legally speaking, entertaining a freedom fighters delegation would be negating the British policy of not supporting any idea that would detract from the war effort. The students had been permitted to move that far in a procession just to let them express pent up anger and anti-British emotions but that was it. Thus far but no further, the police announced in Hindi. They warned the senior students of consequences if they pressed on and shouted anti-British slogans. The feeble warning did not deter even small boys, what to say of veterans. More slogans, tougher language and a stance of face-off was in the offing. The writing was on the wall.
VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM – THE BLOOD RACED THROUGH OUR VEINS. We, big and small boys alike said that we would sacrifice our lives at the altar of freedom but not retrace our steps. On a pre-determined signal the police swung into action. They used canes, lathis, batons, butts of rifles to break our procession. The brute force was enough to break bodies but not morale. The students sat down wherever they were. The jibes at the Indians in the service of the British Empire infuriated them more. Their brutality reached its peak. The lathi blows were back breaking, head injuries showed bleeding and there was blood all over the road. The police snatched the tricolour flags. So, senior students passed the flags on to the junior students who held them tightly and bore the brunt. VANDE MATARAM VANDE MATARAM – every student gave the full throated cry and even the attacking police, officers and men, British and Indian were amazed at the tenacity, determination and devotion to the patriotic cause exhibited by the student community.
The senior students were arrested, put in police vans and driven to the district jail. The injured were taken to hospital and junior boys were told to go home as their parents were concerned about their well being.
I must mention that the student community was in the forefront of freedom struggle all over the country. The international powers did take this fact into account when they pressured the White Hall in London to grant independence to India.
Independence came to us, to our country just five years, five months and a few hours after the success of Quit India movement in which the young generation had played a significant role. 15th August 1947 was and is our Independence Day. Long Live Independent India.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, Noida -201303, INDIA. Mobile – 9811173590.
Email : upvanom@yahoo.com or sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
TOP SOUTH INDIAN CHRISTIAN ACTRESS CONVERTS TO VEDIC DHARM
Arya Samaj temple, Waltax Road, Chennai is the scene of a major activity today, Sunday, 7th August 2011. The Arya Purohits in new white dhoti and yellow uttariya are briskly giving finishing touches to preparations for a major Havan and reception of eminent personalities of the Tamilnadu filmdom. The Pradhan and Mantri of the Arya Samaj look calm and collected as they take even major activities in the normal stride of life. It is neither Diwali nor Holi but the place wears a festive look alright.
HEROINE NAYANTHARA
Who doesn’t know Nayanthara. She has made a name in the South Indian cine-world and given top performance in many a movie currently running in the cinema halls in Chennai and other big and small towns.
Ramayan is the recent film that she performed in and acted as SITA under the direction of reputed director, Bapu. She played her role with emotion and lived it from A to Z. On the last day of the shoot, she lay prostrate at the feet of director Bapu and other senior members of the team. She was blessed by one and all.
Born in a Kerala Christian household, the baby girl was named Diana Mariam Kurian and was baptised as such. She grew to be a pretty woman to whom every eye turned again and again to have a relook. Her facial expressions, the face in general and doe-eyes in particular made it clear that the film world in Chennai was her destination. And she made it.
Nayanthara is the name that she chose for herself and wished to be known as such. She made a name for herself as an actress and won the admiration of the lay man, an average cine-buff as well as film critics. Bouquets came to her from all directions and rarely did she encounter a brickbat. Nayanthara did not have to look back. Her people back home in Kerala admired her talent and were proud of her. A Malyalee girl doing excellent work on stage andscreen in Tamil cultural centre was an achievement in itself. Of course, she had the shining example of MGR or Ramachandran who too was a Malyalee but was the blue eyed actor of entire South India and became the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. He was also a mentor of Jaylalitha,a top actor of yesteryears and present chief minister of Tamilnadu.
Prabhu Deva, a brilliant director and actor of Tamil cinema is a rising star known to who is who of the Tamil world. Nayanthara met Prabhu Deva on the ascending ladder of the Tamil cinema and the two liked each other in more ways than one. However, it was a Platonic friendship because Prabhu Deva, a Hindu and married to a Muslim girl could not take a second living wife. The Hindu Law did not permit it and he did not wish to be accused of bigamy in a court of law. Nevertheless, Nayanthara kept on admiring him and getting closer and closer professionally. She almost worshipped him as a god of the tinsel world.
IT HAD TO HAPPEN
One fine morning Prabhu Deva divorced his Muslim wife. Now he was open to go through the rites of a Vedic Vivah and do Saptpadi once again. But and there was a big but. The Hindu marriage is a sacrament and not a contract like it is among the Christians and Muslims. A Vedic Vivah can be solemnised between a man and a woman who are both Hindus in the eye of law.
Motivated more by love than by the mundane marriage, Nayanthara made the decision. She was now determined to be converted to the Hindu religion. The decision was made by her entirely. Having acted as Sita in the movie Ramayan she had felt emotionally close to the tenets of the Vedic Dharm and had found inner peace that had eluded her so far. There was only one way to achieve that blessed state forever. Taking help of the Arya Samaj, Chennai to become a Hindu in the eye of law and obtain a valid certificate to that effect.
The Arya Samaj, Chennai helped Nayanthara achieve her aim of getting inner peace. A Shuddhi Karm Havan was performed in which our top notch heroine was the centre of attraction. She offered the Ahuti in the Havan Kund with great devotion and chanted the Ved mantras with religious fervour. She did not falter even once and went through the entire Shuddhi Karm without faltering or fumbling. She preferred to retain her film name Nayanthara . She signed on the register of conversion to the Vedic Dharm and received a certificate accordingly.
Among the many questions hurled at her after the Yajna, one asked her whether she would be marrying Prabhu Deva now. She kept mum.
“The decision to become a Hindu was entirely mine, she said. To cofirm her new faith, she added “ I went through the entire Shuddhi ceremony with PASSION CONVICTION AND DEDICATION.
By Brigadier(Retd) Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
HEROINE NAYANTHARA
Who doesn’t know Nayanthara. She has made a name in the South Indian cine-world and given top performance in many a movie currently running in the cinema halls in Chennai and other big and small towns.
Ramayan is the recent film that she performed in and acted as SITA under the direction of reputed director, Bapu. She played her role with emotion and lived it from A to Z. On the last day of the shoot, she lay prostrate at the feet of director Bapu and other senior members of the team. She was blessed by one and all.
Born in a Kerala Christian household, the baby girl was named Diana Mariam Kurian and was baptised as such. She grew to be a pretty woman to whom every eye turned again and again to have a relook. Her facial expressions, the face in general and doe-eyes in particular made it clear that the film world in Chennai was her destination. And she made it.
Nayanthara is the name that she chose for herself and wished to be known as such. She made a name for herself as an actress and won the admiration of the lay man, an average cine-buff as well as film critics. Bouquets came to her from all directions and rarely did she encounter a brickbat. Nayanthara did not have to look back. Her people back home in Kerala admired her talent and were proud of her. A Malyalee girl doing excellent work on stage andscreen in Tamil cultural centre was an achievement in itself. Of course, she had the shining example of MGR or Ramachandran who too was a Malyalee but was the blue eyed actor of entire South India and became the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. He was also a mentor of Jaylalitha,a top actor of yesteryears and present chief minister of Tamilnadu.
Prabhu Deva, a brilliant director and actor of Tamil cinema is a rising star known to who is who of the Tamil world. Nayanthara met Prabhu Deva on the ascending ladder of the Tamil cinema and the two liked each other in more ways than one. However, it was a Platonic friendship because Prabhu Deva, a Hindu and married to a Muslim girl could not take a second living wife. The Hindu Law did not permit it and he did not wish to be accused of bigamy in a court of law. Nevertheless, Nayanthara kept on admiring him and getting closer and closer professionally. She almost worshipped him as a god of the tinsel world.
IT HAD TO HAPPEN
One fine morning Prabhu Deva divorced his Muslim wife. Now he was open to go through the rites of a Vedic Vivah and do Saptpadi once again. But and there was a big but. The Hindu marriage is a sacrament and not a contract like it is among the Christians and Muslims. A Vedic Vivah can be solemnised between a man and a woman who are both Hindus in the eye of law.
Motivated more by love than by the mundane marriage, Nayanthara made the decision. She was now determined to be converted to the Hindu religion. The decision was made by her entirely. Having acted as Sita in the movie Ramayan she had felt emotionally close to the tenets of the Vedic Dharm and had found inner peace that had eluded her so far. There was only one way to achieve that blessed state forever. Taking help of the Arya Samaj, Chennai to become a Hindu in the eye of law and obtain a valid certificate to that effect.
The Arya Samaj, Chennai helped Nayanthara achieve her aim of getting inner peace. A Shuddhi Karm Havan was performed in which our top notch heroine was the centre of attraction. She offered the Ahuti in the Havan Kund with great devotion and chanted the Ved mantras with religious fervour. She did not falter even once and went through the entire Shuddhi Karm without faltering or fumbling. She preferred to retain her film name Nayanthara . She signed on the register of conversion to the Vedic Dharm and received a certificate accordingly.
Among the many questions hurled at her after the Yajna, one asked her whether she would be marrying Prabhu Deva now. She kept mum.
“The decision to become a Hindu was entirely mine, she said. To cofirm her new faith, she added “ I went through the entire Shuddhi ceremony with PASSION CONVICTION AND DEDICATION.
By Brigadier(Retd) Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
HEAVEN AND HELL ON EARTH
What provoked me to think and write about Heaven and Hell is the current story of an ordained priest of Christianity who was killed in an accident, pronounced dead, went to heaven and returned after 90 minutes to tell his story. He said he met his grandfather at the gate who was there along with other friends to receive the new arrival in the most cherished place. The book that the Heaven returned priest has written is a best seller in New York and the rest of America.
A PUZZLE INDEED
It is a story for a fiction. To a man or a woman who wishes to analyse the scenario on Earth and in Heaven, the narrative reads like a bed-time story to lull you to sleep with a pleasant thought. No one wishes to have nightmares and, therefore, no reading of a horror story or an account of a battle lost or a fleeting thought of Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships. Here is a story that may take the reader to Heaven in dreams and enjoy the pleasant aroma around. Of course, one may meet the dead and departed and the loved ones from the days of the mundane world. That is it. You cannot expect to see more pleasant faces or hear heavenly music in just ninety minutes.
What about the Houris and the virgins with drooping eyes who serve wines to the faithful followers of Islam who have been admitted to another type of Heaven on Cloud Seven that is different from the one narrated by the Christian priest after his short visit to Cloud Four. Indeed the concepts of Heaven differ in description given in scriptures of Christianity and Islam. What about the concept of Heaven and Hell given in the scriptures of the Hindus? We will come to their Heaven a little later.
LIFE BEYOND DEATH
From time immemorial Man has been thinking, talking and writing about life beyond death. It is a never dying question that needs an answer that should be pleasing to the thinker and to the audience to whom he would narrate. There have been a few cases of children remembering their lives in the previous birth. Their narration only confirms transmigration or reincarnation of our souls in different bodies as per the KARMA in the previous birth. Such cases of remembrance of life before death and after rebirth have been few and far between. Some stories of birth, death and rebirth are narrated by children so convincingly that they sound authentic. A cross check on ground has proved the truth of the story of reincarnation of soul. However, in this scenario there is no trip to Heaven, short or long.
An interesting point emerges from such narrations. The priest from America made it to heaven and back to Earth in ninety minutes. There are other narrations of much shorter duration where the soul was returned by Chitragupt Maharaj saying that the Yamraj had made a mistake by bringing that soul prematurely. By the way, it is a Pauranic concept that the Arya Samaj does not subscribe to. Thus in this scenario the Heaven returned soul did not have much story material to publish in a book form and make it a best seller. The gullible readers just fall for such stories of the other world. One may mark that all such stories narrate what the Heaven was like and surprisingly there is no best seller about an authentic narration of the Hell. Poor Satan and Beelzebub are left pining for company of a human soul. Indeed to make the book on a trip to the world beyond Earth figure in the list of best sellers, the creator of the episode has to keep clear of the Hellish fire and all sorts of unpleasant scenes of the nocturnal journey, if any.
LIGHT OF TRUTH
The Vedic concept of Heaven and Hell has been explained in a book, Satyarth Prakash, (Light of Truth) written by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati in the 19th century India. The Reformer Rishi has opined that both Heaven and Hell are right here on Planet Earth. When you derive Anand or live in a state of blessed joy, you are in Heaven while still living on Earth. Of course, to achieve and enjoy the celestial joy, a soul has to travel on the path of righteousness and follow the Dharma and not partake of the forbidden fruit( proverbially speaking only). On the contrary when you are in misery, abject poverty and unable to sustain your family and lead them on the path of righteousness as per the Vedic Dharma and thus live a cursed life, you are in Hell on Earth. Your actions, KARMA, decide what path you should travel on.
What is Dharma? Manu Maharaj, the great Law giver of ancient Bharat, defined Dharma thus:
“Dhritih ,Kshama, Damo ,Styem, shaucham, Indriya Nigrah;
Dhih, Vidya, Satyam, Akrodho, Dashakam Dharm Lakshanam.”
A free rendering into English will be :
The Ten Commandments of the Dharm ( not to be narrowed down to religion) are – Patience, spirit of forgiveness, sublimating sex and other thoughts on mundane living, abjuring desire to steal, striving for cleanliness of body and mind, exercising the intellect, acquiring knowledge, following the Truth and not letting Anger have the better of you.
Living a life guided by the Dharm is bound to lead a soul to Moksha or liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Thus it can be seen that the Vedic Dharm gives no credence to Heaven or Hell being places of existence away from our mother Earth. Perhaps lesser men with little knowledge of the VEDAS had put the fear of Hell into men’s minds as a place where souls with poor performance who indulged in criminal and sinful activities go to be tormented and burnt in fire of hell. Likewise the concept of Heaven emanated from denial of certain pleasures of life while living on Earth and the souls that carried out religious duties were assured of a place in Heaven. It must, however, be clarified that these concepts are mere figments of imagination. The VEDAS do not subscribe to these imaginary entities called heaven or hell away from earth.
The Vedas do not encourage feeling of fear at the mere mention of the word, Death. When a soul enters a human form in a womb and delivery takes place, it is called Birth. When a soul leaves the body and goes elsewhere, it is called Death. These are regular phenomena and there is nothing to be scared of.
The parting preaching from the Veda mantra is that we all should live life well as per the Dharm. When time comes for the soul to leave the present body for good, let it be so without any grief or sorrow. The soul and the body are parted like a ripe musk melon leaves its creeper and none grieves for none. That indeed is the Eternal Truth.
By Chitranjan Sawant
A PUZZLE INDEED
It is a story for a fiction. To a man or a woman who wishes to analyse the scenario on Earth and in Heaven, the narrative reads like a bed-time story to lull you to sleep with a pleasant thought. No one wishes to have nightmares and, therefore, no reading of a horror story or an account of a battle lost or a fleeting thought of Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships. Here is a story that may take the reader to Heaven in dreams and enjoy the pleasant aroma around. Of course, one may meet the dead and departed and the loved ones from the days of the mundane world. That is it. You cannot expect to see more pleasant faces or hear heavenly music in just ninety minutes.
What about the Houris and the virgins with drooping eyes who serve wines to the faithful followers of Islam who have been admitted to another type of Heaven on Cloud Seven that is different from the one narrated by the Christian priest after his short visit to Cloud Four. Indeed the concepts of Heaven differ in description given in scriptures of Christianity and Islam. What about the concept of Heaven and Hell given in the scriptures of the Hindus? We will come to their Heaven a little later.
LIFE BEYOND DEATH
From time immemorial Man has been thinking, talking and writing about life beyond death. It is a never dying question that needs an answer that should be pleasing to the thinker and to the audience to whom he would narrate. There have been a few cases of children remembering their lives in the previous birth. Their narration only confirms transmigration or reincarnation of our souls in different bodies as per the KARMA in the previous birth. Such cases of remembrance of life before death and after rebirth have been few and far between. Some stories of birth, death and rebirth are narrated by children so convincingly that they sound authentic. A cross check on ground has proved the truth of the story of reincarnation of soul. However, in this scenario there is no trip to Heaven, short or long.
An interesting point emerges from such narrations. The priest from America made it to heaven and back to Earth in ninety minutes. There are other narrations of much shorter duration where the soul was returned by Chitragupt Maharaj saying that the Yamraj had made a mistake by bringing that soul prematurely. By the way, it is a Pauranic concept that the Arya Samaj does not subscribe to. Thus in this scenario the Heaven returned soul did not have much story material to publish in a book form and make it a best seller. The gullible readers just fall for such stories of the other world. One may mark that all such stories narrate what the Heaven was like and surprisingly there is no best seller about an authentic narration of the Hell. Poor Satan and Beelzebub are left pining for company of a human soul. Indeed to make the book on a trip to the world beyond Earth figure in the list of best sellers, the creator of the episode has to keep clear of the Hellish fire and all sorts of unpleasant scenes of the nocturnal journey, if any.
LIGHT OF TRUTH
The Vedic concept of Heaven and Hell has been explained in a book, Satyarth Prakash, (Light of Truth) written by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati in the 19th century India. The Reformer Rishi has opined that both Heaven and Hell are right here on Planet Earth. When you derive Anand or live in a state of blessed joy, you are in Heaven while still living on Earth. Of course, to achieve and enjoy the celestial joy, a soul has to travel on the path of righteousness and follow the Dharma and not partake of the forbidden fruit( proverbially speaking only). On the contrary when you are in misery, abject poverty and unable to sustain your family and lead them on the path of righteousness as per the Vedic Dharma and thus live a cursed life, you are in Hell on Earth. Your actions, KARMA, decide what path you should travel on.
What is Dharma? Manu Maharaj, the great Law giver of ancient Bharat, defined Dharma thus:
“Dhritih ,Kshama, Damo ,Styem, shaucham, Indriya Nigrah;
Dhih, Vidya, Satyam, Akrodho, Dashakam Dharm Lakshanam.”
A free rendering into English will be :
The Ten Commandments of the Dharm ( not to be narrowed down to religion) are – Patience, spirit of forgiveness, sublimating sex and other thoughts on mundane living, abjuring desire to steal, striving for cleanliness of body and mind, exercising the intellect, acquiring knowledge, following the Truth and not letting Anger have the better of you.
Living a life guided by the Dharm is bound to lead a soul to Moksha or liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Thus it can be seen that the Vedic Dharm gives no credence to Heaven or Hell being places of existence away from our mother Earth. Perhaps lesser men with little knowledge of the VEDAS had put the fear of Hell into men’s minds as a place where souls with poor performance who indulged in criminal and sinful activities go to be tormented and burnt in fire of hell. Likewise the concept of Heaven emanated from denial of certain pleasures of life while living on Earth and the souls that carried out religious duties were assured of a place in Heaven. It must, however, be clarified that these concepts are mere figments of imagination. The VEDAS do not subscribe to these imaginary entities called heaven or hell away from earth.
The Vedas do not encourage feeling of fear at the mere mention of the word, Death. When a soul enters a human form in a womb and delivery takes place, it is called Birth. When a soul leaves the body and goes elsewhere, it is called Death. These are regular phenomena and there is nothing to be scared of.
The parting preaching from the Veda mantra is that we all should live life well as per the Dharm. When time comes for the soul to leave the present body for good, let it be so without any grief or sorrow. The soul and the body are parted like a ripe musk melon leaves its creeper and none grieves for none. That indeed is the Eternal Truth.
By Chitranjan Sawant
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