Hindutva

Shambhu · 12-16-2008, 12:19 AM

Part 1 of 3.

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Virat Brihad Hindutva
Column and Opinions
First part of Three Part Series, By Subramanian Swamy

What does the despicable terror and mayhem in Mumbai on November 26th signify for India? Shorn of the human tragedy, wanton destruction, and obnoxious audacity of the terrorists, it signifies a challenge to the identity of India from radical Islam. Cinema actor Shahrukh Khan may wax eloquent about the "true Islam" on TV, but it is clear that he and other such Muslims have not read any authoritative translations of the Koran, Sira and Hadith which three together constitute Islam as a theology, and which is a complete menu of intolerance of peoples of other faiths derisively labeled as kafirs. Hence instead of talking about the "correct interpretation" of Islam they ought instead be urging for a new Islamic theology consistent with democratic principles.

In 2003, two years after the 9/11 murderous and perfidious Islamic assault on USA, resulting in killing of more than 3000 persons within two hours, and which was perpetrated by leveraging the democratic freedoms in USA, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in the website of its Islamic Affairs Department [www.iad.org] laid down what a "good" Muslim is expected to do. Dr. Steven Stalinsky of the Middle East Media Research Institute [MEMRI] based in WashingtonDC accessed it and published it in issue No.23, of the Institute newsletter, dated November 26[what irony!] 2003. I have to thank a NRI in US, Dr. Muthuswamy for this reference. In that site it is stated:

" The Muslims are required to raise the banner of Jihad in order to make the Word of Allah supreme in this world, to remove all forms of injustice and oppression, and to defend the Muslims. If Muslims do not take up the sword, the evil tyrants of this earth will be able to continue oppressing the weak and helpless"

Now who is more authoritative- Sharukh Khan or Saudi Arabia ?

Obviously the latter. The above quote is what in substance is being taught in every madrassa in India, and can be traced back to the sayings of Prophet Mohammed. I can quote a plethora of verses from a Saudi Arabian translated Koran[e.g., verses 8:12, 8:60, and 33:26] which verses justify brutal violence against non-believers. If I delved into Sira and Hadith for more quotes, then I could risk generating much hatred, so it will suffice to say that Islam is not only a theology, but it spans a brutal political ideology which we have to combat sooner or later in realm of ideas.

Some may quote back at me verses from Manusmriti about brutality to women and scheduled castes. But as a Hindu I have the liberty to disown these verses [since it is a Smriti] and even to seek to re-write a new smriti as many, for example, Yajnavalkya have done to date. Reform and renaissance is thus inbuilt into Hinduism. But in Islam, the word of the Prophet is final. Sharukh Khan and other gloss artists cannot disown these verses, or say that they would re-write the offensive verses of the Koran. If they do, then they would have to run for their lives as Rushdie and Taslima have had to do. Leave alone re-writing, if anyone draws a cartoon of Prophet Mohammed, there will follow world-wide violent rioting. But if Hussein draws Durga in the most pornographic posture, the Hindus will only groan but not violently rampage.

We Hindus have a long recognized tradition of being religious liberals by nature. We have already proved it enough by welcoming to our country and nurturing Parsis, Jews, Syrian Christians, and Moplah Muslim Arabs who were persecuted elsewhere, when we were 100% Hindu country.

Moreover, despite a 1000 years of most savage brutalization of Hindus by Islamic invaders and self-demeaning brain washing by the Christians, even then, Hindus as a majority have adopted secularism as a creed. We have not asked for an apology and compensation for these atrocities. But the position of Hindus in this land of Bharatmata, where Muslims and Christians locally are in majority, in pockets---such as in Kashmir and Nagaland, or in small enclaves such as town panchayats of Tamil Nadu, is terrible and despicable. Even in Kerala where Hindus are 52% of the population, they have only 25% of all the prime jobs in the state, and are silently suffering their plight at the hands of 48% who vote as a vote bank. .

The 26/11Mumbai slaughter therefore should teach us Hindus that the time has come to wake up and stand up âit is now or neverâ.

If we do not stand up now to Islamic terrorism, then India will end up like Beirut, a permanent battlefield of international terrorists, buccaneers, pirates and missionaries.

What does it mean in the 21st century for Hindus to stand up ? I mean by that a mental clarity of the Hindus to defend themselves by effective deterrent retaliation, and also an intelligent co-option of other religious groups into the Hindu cultural continuum.

Mental clarity can only come if we are clear about the identity of the nation.

What is India ?

An ancient but continuing civilization or is it a geographical entity incorporated in 1947 by the Indian Independence Act of the British Parliament ?

What then does it means to say "I am an Indian" ?

A mere passport holder of the Republic of India or a descendent of the great seers and visionaries of more than 10,000 years ?

Obviously our identity should be of a nation of an ancient and continuing Hindu civilization, legatees of great rishis and munis, and a highly sophisticated sanatana philosophy.

If Hindu culture is our defining identity then how can we co-opt non-Hindus, especially Muslims and Christians ? By persuading them by saam, dhaan, bheda and dand that they acknowledge with pride the truth that their ancestors are Hindus. If they do, it means that they accept Hindu culture and enlightened mores. That is, change of religion does not mean change of culture.Then we should treat such Muslims and Christians as part of our Brihad Hindu family.

Noted author and editor M.J. Akbar calls this identity as of "Blood Brothers". It is an undeniable fact that Muslims and Christians in India are descendents of Hindus. In a recent article in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, an analysis of genetic samples[DNA] show that Muslims in north India are overwhelmingly of the same DNA as Hindus proving that Muslims here are descendents of Hindus who had been converted to Islam, rather than repositories of foreign DNA deposited by waves of invaders.

Akbar thus asks rhetorically:
"When have the Muslims of India gone wrong ?"
and answers:

" When they have forgotten their Indian roots".

How apt !
Enlightened Muslims like Akbar therefore must rise to the occasion and challenge the reactionary religious fundamentalists. That is India is not Darul harab to be trifled with. In a conciliatory atmosphere the minorities would willingly accept this. It is also in their interest to accept this reality. Hindus must persuade by the time- honoured methods Muslims and Christians to accept this and its logical consequences.

This identity was not understood by us earlier because of the distorted outlook of Jawarharlal Nehru who occupied the Prime Minister's chair for seventeen formative years after 1947 and for narrow political ends, had fanned a separatist outlook in Muslims and Christians.

The failure to date, to resolve this Nehru-created crisis, has not only confused the majority but confounded the minorities as well in India. This confusion has deepened with winter migratory birds such as Amartya Sen descending on the campus of the India International Centre to preach inane taxonomies such as "multiple identities".

There has to be an overriding identity called national identity, and hence we should not be derailed by pedestrian concepts of multiple or sub-identities.

`````````Without a resolution of the identity crisis today, which requires an explicit clear answer to this question of who we are, the majority will never understand how to relate to the legacy of the nation and in turn to the minorities. Minorities would not understand how to adjust with the majority if this identity crisis is not resolved. In other words, the present dysfunctional perceptional mismatch in understanding who we are as a people, is behind most of the communal tension and inter-community distrust in the country.

`````In India, the majority is the conglomerate or Brihad Hindu community which represents about 81% of the total Indian population, while minorities are constituted by Muslims [13%] and Christians [3%]. Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, and some other microscopic religious groups, represent the remaining three percent. Though also considered minorities, but really are so close to the majority community in culture that they are considered as a part of Hindu society. Unlike Islam and Christianity, these minority religions were founded as dissenting theologies of Hinduism. Even Zoroaster can be traced to leader of Vahikas in Mahabharata who migrated to Persia. Kaikeyi in Ramayana was from Persia when that country was hundred percent Hindu. Thus these religions share the core concepts with Hindus such as re-incarnation, equality of all religions, and ability to meet God in this life. That they feel increasingly alienated from Hindu society nowadays is also the consequence of India's identity crisis caused by British historians and their Indian tutees in JNU.

The India of today would not have been in existence had the attempts to divide Hindus succeeded. In the 20th century, a sinister attempt to divide the Hindu community on caste basis was made in 1932 when the British imperialists offered the scheduled castes a separate electorate. But shrewdly understanding the conspiracy to divide India, Mahatma Gandhi by his fast unto death and Dr. Ambedkar by his visionary rejection of separate electorate, foiled the attempt by signing the Poona Pact.

But the possibility exists that such attempts at dividing India socially may be made again in the future, a possibility that cannot be ruled out . Indian patriots will have to watch against such attempts very carefully. Segmentation, fragmentation, and finally balkanization have been part of the historical process in many countries to destroy national identity and thereby cause the political division of the nation itself. Yugoslavia is a recent example of this, which has now been divided into four countries, largely due to Islamic separatism and Serbian over-reaction.

Virat Hindutva can be achieved in the first stage by Hindu consolidation that is achieved by Hindus holding that they are Hindus first and last, by disowning primacy to their caste and regional loyalties. This would require a renaissance in thinking and outlook, that can be fostered only by patient advocacy and intellectual ferment. ((Good...Forming political parties is the goal of many young Hindu commentators on blogs. I think forming informal groups to disseminate information, defuse denigrating myths that have been built up about Hindus/Dharma is far, far more important. Many people believe that the web is peripheral. I, on the other hand, cannot think of anything that even comes close to the web in importance. The effect of the work of important Nationalist and Hindu fora trickles down into the general junta discourse very rapidly. And now some TV channels have started to sort themselves out too. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/b_cowboy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='b_cowboy.gif' /> ))

For this we need a new History text, and a proper understanding of the distinction between the four varnas [not birth based but by codes of behavior for devolution of power in society] and jati [which is birth based and mostly for marriages]. Just as Valmiki and Vyasa are regarded as Maharshis despite being of different jati from Parasuram, hence Dr. Ambedkar should be called a Maharishi for his sheer depth of knowledge of Indian history. That he had become bitter because of Nehru systematically sidelining him is no reason not to do so.

India thus needs a Hindu renaissance today that incorporates modern principles, e.g., of the irrelevance of birth antecedents, fostering gender equality, ensuring equality before law, and accountability for all. It is also essential to integrate the entire Indian society on those principles, irrespective of religion. Uniform civil code for example, is something that the vast majority of Muslim women want, but because this demand has been usurped by those who deny the equality of nationality to the Muslims, hence comes the resistance to a eminently reasonable value. The Muslims think that this is the first step in several to subjugate them or wipe out their identity. But Muslims have quietly accepted Uniform Criminal Code [the IPC] despite that it contradicts the Sharia.

In other words, Hindutva has two components---one that Hindus can accept [such as caste abolition, eradication of dowry etc.] without any other religion's interests to consider. The other is the embracing by minorities of the core secular Indian values which have Hindu roots. This would require, particularly Muslims and Christians, to acknowledge that their ancestry is Hindu, and thus own the entire Hindu past as their own legacy, and to thus tailor their outlook on that basis. This would integrate Indian society and make the concept of an inclusive [Brihad] Hindutva and rooted in India's continuing civilization.

Thus, if India has to decide to have or not have good relations with Israel, Pakistan, Iran or US, it cannot be on the basis how it will impact on India's Muslims and Christians, but on what India's national interests require. If India has to dispatch troops to Afghanistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka or Nepal to combat terrorism, that policy too has to be decided on what is good for India, and not what any religious or linguistic group identifies as it's interest.

Thus such an Hindutva is positive in outlook, while raw Hindu xenophobia is negative and based on Hindu hegemony which will frighten all. Such an Hindutva will resolve our current energy-sapping identity crisis, which otherwise will completely emasculate India in the long run. The choice for the patriotic Indian is thus clear: We need a clear and positive view of our national identity based on our Hindu past and a Hindu renaissance to unite the Hindus with constructive mind-set as well as persuade the minorities to be co-opted culturally with Hindu society.

Once being Indian means virat brihad Hindutva, we can tackle terrorism by an effective strategy of defence. What are the components of that strategy is the subject matter of my next column here.
http://www.sanghparivar.org/virat-brihad-hindutva

Shambhu · 12-24-2008, 09:17 AM

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Bodhi · (This post was last modified: 12-24-2008, 05:53 PM by Bodhi.)

QUOTE(Shambhu @ Dec 16 2008, 12:19 AM)hence Dr. Ambedkar should be called a Maharishi for his sheer depth of knowledge of Indian history.
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Appealing to Mayawati?

Dr. Swamy is a scholar, just as much Dr. Ambedkar was a historian!

On Dr. Ambedkar, it is apt to quote Dr. Elst:

QUOTEMrs. Savita Ambedkar ... keeping with the theories of her late husband, a non-Nehruvian but equally anti-Hindu thinker.Â Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar's historical writings on Hinduism, Buddhism and the caste system are so full of mistranslations, misinterpretations, and emotional distortions, that it really makes one feel sorry for him, even if it does not mar his memory as the chief framer of India's Constitution.

Dr. Ambedkar's merits lie elsewhere, and his theory of a millennia-long Buddhist- Brahmin struggle as the chief determinant of India's socio-political life in pre-Muslim times would have been mercifully forgotten, if there had not been on the one hand casteist politicians who elevate to the rank of dogma every word Ambedkar has written, and on the other hand the Nehruvian historians who have an interest in spreading the same version of history.

http://voiceofdharma.org/books/ayodhya/ch8.htm

Capt M Kumar · 12-28-2008, 08:23 PM

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--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /> Religious dyarchy threatens Hindu polity
Sandhya Jain
27 Dec 2008
The Pioneer yesterday carried a photograph of Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu being solemnly blessed in a Hyderabad church by Archbishop M. Joji. The natal families of the TDP boss and his wife, daughter of late Chief Minister and TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao, have hitherto had an unbroken Hindu lineage. Hence Dr. Naiduâs sudden decision to invoke the blessings of the Archbishop on Christmas Day arouses deep misgivings.

To begin with, it is a new perversion in Indian politics. Far from being an expression of respect for all religions, it makes a mockery of faith for a man or woman professing (and practicing) one faith from birth, to suddenly start joining in the religious traditions of another. This is particularly so when adherence to this ânewâ cult involves rejecting all other traditions and forms of worship.

Hitherto, Hindus have greeted other communities on their respective festivals, sharing âsevaiyanâ on Id with Muslim friends and respecting spaces like dargahs and pirs. Hindus have not felt called upon to observe the Bakr Id (nor were they expected to); nor it is possible for them to undertake Hajj. At Iftaar parties which are becoming a political tradition, non-Muslims do not join the communal prayers (at least so far!) Similarly, Hindus with Christian friends shared Easter and Christmas parties, and these exchanges did not cross boundaries to involve participation in the religious rites of another tradition.

Hence Dr. Naiduâs decision to seek and be photographed receiving the Archbishopâs blessings in church on Christmas day is a sharp departure from the practice of sending greetings to Christian brothers and sisters. It is disturbing because it brings an already heavily political Christian clergy directly into Andhra politics; it also apparently confirms persistent rumours of the secret conversion of close members of his family some years ago. If such conversions are true, they should be made public forthwith, and the reasons for keeping them secret revealed.

Worse, this opens the door for the further influx of Western-Christian funds into the state, with grim consequences for the Hindu community. Already, among all Indian regional Diasporas in America, the Andhra diaspora is the most active in trying to entrench foreign citizens as legitimate stakeholders in India â in the best interests of America, of course. This new-rich class is arrogant and cocksure, and I personally have no doubt that these attitudes are behind the otherwise inexplicable murders of bright Andhra students in the United States.

Simultaneously in Chennai, AIADMK general secretary Ms. Jayalalithaa also celebrated Christmas at her Poes Garden residence. It was no ordinary cake-and-tea-and-mistletoe party for Christian friends and party workers â they should anyway have been at home or with their community.

No, Ms. Jayalalithaa organised a proper Christian service, with Rev Raja Prabhakaran leading the prayer, followed by Churchill Joseph reciting from the Holy Bible. Then the choir troupe Christ of Every Soul sang special Christmas songs, and in the end, Bishop Samuel Sudhakar drew the curtains [http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennaich...tynews.asp]

Why would a Hindu lady organise a Christian service at her home, and why would Christian priests agree to leave their own church and conduct a service at the residence of a non-believer? The question deserves an answer, especially as whispers have not yet died down about the complicity of certain nations and faith communities (with the complicity of the native Mir Jaffarâs and Benedict Arnoldâs) in the tragedy that struck the Kanchi Matham in November 2004.

It is truly shocking that even the colossal tsunami that followed this heartrending depravity has not brought moderation to the ladyâs antics. Perhaps she is too deeply compromised to withdraw from paths laid out for her to walk â out of the gates of Dharma and into the deep. The Mahabharata is full of stories of rulers who brought about the ruination of their peopleâ¦

Foreign funds are now a real threat to the sovereignty and integrity of India. In Tamil Nadu, four NGOs ranked among the top 25 recipients of foreign funds in 2006-07, and foreign funding of NGOs itself rose a colossal 56%. This is deeply unsettling and calls for a complete political scrutiny of the organisations towards which the funds are diverted; the districts in which they operate; and the connection (if any) between the presence of foreign-funded NGOs and rise in conversions or Naxal activities.

Tamil Nadu alone received Rs. 2244.25 crore, making it the highest recipient state (nearly 20% of the all-India receipts) in 2006-2007. According to the recent report of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, World Vision, India (an evangelical body that was involved in the recent unrest in Orissa) got Rs. 256.06 crore; the Board for Integrated Rural Development, Tiruvannamalai received Rs. 106.99 crore; the Society for Rural Education and Development, Arakkonam Rs. 106.92 crore and Om Sakthi Narayani Siddar Peedam Charitable Trust which administers the Golden Temple at Sripuram, Vellore, Rs 59.7 crore
[http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/ski...0270935484]

The Vellore Golden Temple, with its sudden wealth and suddenly-arrived Swami, caused considerable misgivings in traditional Tamil society. Apart from the fact that the temple violates the Agamas in its obscene display of wealth, there has to be a larger, and political, purpose to directing such huge wealth from abroad towards a temple in Tamil Nadu.

Amidst whispers that LTTE cadres abroad were parking their wealth in India in this safe and open manner, came the astonishing revelation that on 16 April 2008, Mrs. Priyanka Vadra, daughter of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, used the temple for an illicit meeting with Nalini Sriharan, one of those convicted of the assassination!

Priyanka confirmed the meeting after it was leaked by Naliniâs lawyers with a view to bring it on record, but jail authorities were at a loss to explain the illegal departure of Nalini from jail, without the knowledge of the court. As the DMK regime was complicit in arranging this highly irregular meeting, it simply covered up the matter.

Religious dyarchy â the overt practice of two faiths with the intent to undermine one â is the new and ugly mask of Indian secularism. Its purpose is to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India. Can India wake up to the challenge before it is too late?

Shambhu · 01-02-2009, 01:04 AM

Mother-hater Hindus should repent and , return to Vedic Dharma.
01/01/2009 09:02:13 Krishnadaya

Hare Krishna ! Dear all ,

I wonder why the Mother-hater Hindus are blaming Muslims and Christians for their self-destruction !. BhArat is the divine land-form of *BhArati* ( Goddess Sarasvati) . Being the abode of the Vedas , the hallmark of BhArat is it's unique Vedic-dharma. Every Hindu born in divine BhArat is supposed to understand the Vedic injunctions and live accordingly . Only then , he becomes the son of Bharat-Mata . No "MLECHA" ( Beefeaters like Muslims and Christians)can harm him.

So called "INDIANS" are betrayers of BhArat Mata

Unfortunately , the Nehru led atheistic Hindus back-stabbed BhArat-Mata . They first christened Her to "India" ( none knows it's meaning) . They are ashamed of Her true name BhArat andHer roots (the Vedas) ! They facilitated Cow-slaughter industry and Beef export . They themselves are addicted to beef . No wonder , no woman is safe in such beef eater's homes ! .

Therefore, what is the difference between these beef eating Mother-hater Hindus and Muslims/Christians ? . They are one and the same . For sure , BharAt Mata got fed-up and cursed these back-stabbers long back . Due to this loss of divine grace , so called "Indians" have become easy victims of hostile "Mlechas" . It is a pity that even the innocent are sharing the corporate *Prarabda-karma* ( karmic-effects) .

Divine Vedic Tradition of BhArat

The Brahmin value system is found in the writings of one of the historians of Alexander. He mentions that when Alexander wanted to meet some of the Brahmins, they refused to meet him on the ground that all that he, Alexander, could give was gold or death . And they neither loved gold nor feared death.

Where are such honest Brahmins now ? . According to the Vedic scriptures , a Brahmin should learn Vedas , teach them, and live a simple and pious life accordingly . He should perform vedic rituals . He is entitled to accept *Guru-dakshina* for own survival while concentrating fully on his *swa-dharma* of vedic functions . But, he should not exploit the faith of devotees for non-vedic purposes such as accumulating wealth and attaining power for enjoying worldly pleasures.

Foreigners like Islamic tyrants and British succeeded to loot BhArat's wealth only because of atheistic Hindus . For mere peanuts, these Sinners joined hands with the Mlecha-tyrants . Still , the Muslim/Christian invaders could not destroy Hinduism due to BhArat Mata's divine intervention . Majority of Her children were still loyal to Her , by adhering to Vedic Dharma .

When the British was in India , they tried their level best to convert Hindus into Christians . Some of the corrupted Brahmins also helped them in this . Although , they achieved success to a certain extent , divine intervention time and again saved Hindusim . The following are couple of such incidents in my area :

1. The Bhagavaty-Deity at ChengannurTemple

The Deity of Chegannur Temple is very unique . Just like ordinary woman , this Bhagavaty-Deity too has menstruation not every month , but a few times a year . Her cloth showing blood stains is available for Darshan . A ritualistic festival namely * Thripputharattu * used to be celebrated in this connection . The Deity is kept in an isolated room without any pujas during Her periods and then taken out for a religious bath and subsequent rituals . When the Christian-fanatic British Colonel Monroe was controlling Kerala , he ridiculed and stopped the grant for "Thripputharattu" . Subsequently , his wife and daughters started having vaginal bleeding which could not be stopped by the best of treatments . Palace Astrologers advised him that , this is due to the curse of Bhagavaty and if he doesn't do atonement , his wife and daughters will die. The frightened Monroe sought the pardon of DEVI and submitted at Her feet a golden sword as atonement . Also , he arranged the immediate *Thripputharattu* . Soon after this , the ailments of his wife and daughters disappeared . A grateful Monroe donated a huge amount to the Chengannur temple . (The interest of this amount is still being used to conduct the *Thripputharattu*festival) . After this incident , Colonel Monroe stopped all his conversion activities and became an ardent follower of Hindu-dharma .

2. The Furious Bhadra-kali Devi of ThazhoorTemple .

This is an incident narrated to me by my mother . She hails from Pathanamthitta district , Kerala . There is a Bhadra-kali temple called "Thazhoor" at this place . The river "Achankovilar" flows along the east boarder of the temple , takes a curve and then runs along the southern boarder . Most of the time, there is only waste high water in this river .

About (3) KM away from this place is a major Christian pilgrimage centre called "Chandanappalli" . There is a huge church complex here accomodating the tomb of a great Christian-saint who came to this place and converted the locals to Christianity . This infuriated Bhadra-kali and She killed him . After this, no Christian was allowed to stay overnight in the earmarked area around the Temple . If any one overstayed by mistake , he would see horrible dreams , thrown out of bed , etc . ( My grandfather's tenant tailor experienced this once) . The Christians never dared to come and stay in that area.

When my mother was studying in her high school , a Christian Head Master named Thomas joined there . He was a fanatic . He took it as a personal challenge to disprove the legendary power of *Thazhoor Devi* . He bought the house on the northern border of that temple and started staying there with his family . Nothing unpleasant happened to them . Thomas was highly boastful of this and even dared to initiate conversion activities .

On a Sunday , Thomas , wife , daughters and grandchildren were rowing a country boat in front of Thazhoor temple . They were singing Christian devotional songs and making fun of Devi . Suddenly , the boat over turned . Although , there was only waste high water, all of them drowned under the boat on the spot .

Later , their relatives tried to sell that house but couldn't . When they checked with a vedic astrologer, he revealed Devi's curse . Still that house remains there in totally disintegrated condition . Whenever, we go to the temple , my mother shows it to us .

There are many other incidents like the above which are known to me . In fact , it was this type of divine intervention of BhArat Mata that prevented the destruction of Vedic religion .

How Hindus lost their Faith

Our wise forefathers lived strictly according to the systematic and orderly Sanatana Dharma . They remained outside the zone of influence of the British or the previous Muslim rulers. But , the modern "Indians" mentally converted themselves into Islam and Christianity .

The first step towards betterment is to find out what are our short comings :

Atheistic Brahmin leaders like Nehru desecrated Hinduism . They ridiculed the traditional Vedic-teaching and rituals as superstition. And replaced it with anti-Vedic British curriculum . It was just like selling away your Cow to buy a Dog . This enabled "Mlechas" to destroy Vedic-culture the life-air of BhArat Mata . She was converted to a westernized "India" contradicting Gandhiji's dream nation *Rama-rajyam* . Shree Rama relinquished His dearest virtuous wife Sita-devi to uphold *Raja-dharma* . Whereas, the "rationalist" Indian-icon compromised his nation's security to save his immoral relationship with a British Administrator's wife ! .

It is our fault that, we the products of anti-vedic British education are adhering to it's "Mlecha" way of life for selfish gains . Whereas, Hindu dharma stipulates selfless *Sva-Dharma* .

If we read * Purushasuklta * ( which is part of Rig Veda ) critically, certain things are very clear :

1. Mankind did not evolve from one-man-and one-woman ( Adam and Eve as the Westerners would tell us) but of 4 separate origin. ( Looking at monkeys I wonder, a monkey is a monkey by whatever name but a Gibbon is different from a Chimp which again is different from an Orangutan and all the three different from a Gorilla. Did all of them come from a single money or did they have origin of their own).
2. There was not one but two BIG BANGS that created existence
3. "Gods" did not exist before creation (It goes without saying that He neither created EdenGarden nor was Eve created out of the 4th rib of Adam).

The sorry fact is the White-man did not ask us to misinterpret * Purushasukta * . It is selfish Hindu-born administrators like Nehru who rubbished Hindu-dharma and glorified western philosophies , solely for petty personal and materialistic gains.

Vedic Dharma is the only means for Hindus , to attain BhArat Mata's grace .

Hindus should stop imitating Christians/Muslims , regret for their sins and return to the Vedic way of life .

If a Hindu rejects Srimad Bhagavad Gita to imitate Muslims/Christians , he is a "Mlecha" . The Gita-followers are protected by Bhagavan Krishna Himself whereas the "Mlechas" are deluded towards sufferings by material lust .

Gita prohibits a faithful Hindu , from arguing or fighting with Christians or Muslims .

`Sanatana Dharma'(Righteousness for ever `of' that which has no beginning or end) is relevant for all ages because it is God-made and not man-made. It is a dynamic religion. Whenever it's existence is threatened, then some event takes place or some person comes who revives the Vedic faith . Some such examples are : Adi Shankracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhavacharya, Chaitainya Maha Prabhu, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda. These Rishis , propagated Vedic faith and made `Sanatana Dharma' more vibrant and dynamic.

In Christian religion no other Christ would come, in Islam no other prophet would come, in Buddhism no other Gautam Budha would come to renew his religion. Such religions have spread due to assistance from the Governments in power , whereas Sanatana Dharma survived the test of time due to `Divine intervention' . Otherwise, it would have disappeared long back .

Vedic religion basically started with *Sruti that which is heard (from Bhagavan) *. Rishis heard eternal truths in their hearts and they taught chosen disciples orally, by transfer of thoughts which were later compiled as Scriptures . Saint Chadrasekhara Saraswati (former Sankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt) had cured the chronic ailment of a rich devotee, just by making him distribute free of cost several copies of scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatam and Srimad Ramayanam to poor devotees.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavatam (11.18.30) " A devotee should never become Atheistic, acting or speaking in opposition to Vedic injunctions. Similarly, he should never speak like a mere logician or skeptic or take any side whatsoever in useless arguments."

Om Namo Narayanaya !
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HkPage.aspx...EID=7925&SKIN=B

Shambhu · 01-06-2009, 04:15 AM

What Can One Hindu Do?
03/01/2009 16:17:56

By Dr. Babu Suseelan

What can one Hindu do? Individuals who are concerned about the state of Hindus around the world and want to correct it frequently ask this question. More often than that, it is asked in a form that indicates the cause of their helplessness: "What can one Hindu do?" "How can an individual propagate the ideals of Hinduism on a scale large enough to effect the immense changes which must be made in every walk of life in order to create the kind of ideal society? Some ask the right questions, some feel that some wider scale of action is required. Many others ask the question, but do nothing. Some expect to perform instantaneous miracles; some however paralyze themselves by projecting an impossible goal. Some want to overhaul Hindu society overnight, and they tend to regard knowledge of Hinduism as irrelevant.

CHANGING MINDSETS

If you are a Hindu and are concerned with the present state of affairs, begin by identifying the nature of the problem. The battle is primarily intellectual, political, social and religious. Politics is the practical implementation of the ideas that dominate our culture. One cannot fight or change the consequences without fighting and changing the cause, nor can one attempt any practical implementation without knowing what one want to implement.

In an intellectual battle, one need not convince every one. History is made of minorities, or more precisely, intellectual movements which are created by minorities. They make history. Intellectuals with foresight and commitment can develop abstract and functional strategies to change the society. An intellectual battle is a battle for man's mind, not an attempt to enlist blind followers. Only people who understand them can propagate ideas. An organized movement has to be preceded by an educational campaign, which require active and willing participants. Such trained persons are the necessary precondition of any attempt to change the Hindu society.

The immense changes, which must be made in every walk of life, cannot be made singly, piecemeal or retail. But the factor that underlies and determines every aspect of Hindu life is Hindu ideals. Teach every man the right Hindu ideals and his own mind will do the rest. The starting paoint is the family. Teach your children Panchatantra, Ramayana, Bhagavat Gita, Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, Chanakya Sutra, Vedas, Upanishads and Darsanas. These books contain everything you need to know about moral life, healthy living and spiritual directions. Practice our rituals, protect it and promote it without reservations. Make temple visit a daily routine. Partcipate in temple festivals and pilgrimage.

Hindus cannot exist without practicing and protecting Hinduism. Every Hindu is not intellectual innovators, but they are receptive to the ideas, when and if it is offered. There are also great numbers of Hindus who are indifferent. Such Hindus accept subconsciously dualistic and divisive ideas of other religions and thoughts without critical evaluation. They also accept whatever is offered by the distorted secular culture, and swing blindly with any transient ideas. They are merely oscillators-be they politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, or educators-and by their own choice, irrelevant to the fate of the world.

Today, most Hindus are acutely aware of cultural pollution, coercive religious conversion, Jihadi terrorism, ideological confusion, distorted secularism, and political turmoil created by the pseudo secularists and alienated intellectuals. But they are anxious, confused and groping for answers. Are we able to enlighten them? Can we answer their questions? Can we offer them a consistent ideology? Do we know how to convince them? Are we immune from the fallout of the constant barrage aimed at the destruction of our Hindu culture? To provide them with clear, consistent, and correct concepts, we need an intellectual, social and political struggle.

If we want to influence a country's intellectual trend, the first step is to bring order to our own ideas and integrate them into a consistent case, to the best of our knowledge and ability. Knowledge necessarily includes the ability to apply abstract principles of Hinduism to concrete problems, to recognize the principles to specific issues, to demonstrate them, and to advocate a consistent course of action. Our Rishis and Acharayas have given us philosophical guidelines in the Vedas, Upanishads and Darshanas.Our Puranas and Ithihasas are replete with examples, illustrations and guidelines to handle any imaginable human problem.

When our convictions and commitment to Hinduism are in our conscious, orderly control, we will be able to communicate them to others. This does not mean one must make philosophical speeches on Hinduism when unnecessary and inappropriate. We need the philosophy of Hinduism to back us up and give us a consistent case when we deal with or discuss specific issues.

How can we propagate our ideals of Hinduism? Do not wait for a national audience. Speak on any scale open to you, large or small---to your friends, your associates, your professional organizations, or any legitimate public forum. You can never tell when your words will reach the right mind at the right time. You will see no immediate results---but it is of such activities that public opinion is made.

Make any issue or problem an ideological issue. An issue of Hindu ideals versus sectarian philosophy (pluralistic, all inclusive, spiritual, open, and systemic philosophy versus pseudo secular, fundamentalist, dualistic, divisive, rigid, all exclusive, mechanical models).

Do not pass up a chance to express your views on important issues affecting Hindus. Whether it is discrimination, prejudice, race relations, international affairs, religious conversion, terrorism, distorted secularism, fundamentalism, personal law, polygamy, or any social, political or religious issues. Write letters to the editors of newspapers and magazines, to TV and radio commentators and, above all, to the political leaders.

Remember, the best democracy is still no guarantee against intolerance and bigotry, and eternal vigilance is an expression that will never become obsolete. The opportunities to speak about Hindu philosophy are all around you. Hindus need to repeatedly examine incidence and issues of prejudice and false propaganda. Hindus should not keep silent when the philosophy of Hinduism and Hindu values are being questioned. Always be vigilant and recognize warning signs of intolerance and its perpetrators, and contribute to efforts to preserve religious freedom to practice and promote Hindu values.

Always explore the nexus of pseudo-secularists and deprogrammers who want to demoralize Hindus. Above all, do not join the wrong ideological groups or movements, in order to do something. By ideological (in this context), I mean group or movements proclaiming anti-Hindu values. Many anti-Hindu groups substitute anarchism for liberal democracy, pluralism for theological fundamentalism, and reason to whims and faith. To join such groups means to reverse the noble philosophy of Hindus, and to sell out pluralistic principles for the sake of some superficial and intolerant ideologies. It means that you help defeat the noble values of Hinduism and the victory of sectarian and exclusive ideas.

FORGE PARTNERSHIP

The groups one may properly join today are organized to achieve a single, specific, clearly defined goal, on which men of differing regions and backgrounds can agree. Actively participate in Sangh Pariwar organizations . These groups have no hidden agenda, selfish motives or sectarian political purpose. These organizations have a mandate, mission and desire to assist those Hindus in difficult circumstances to improve their life. It is important to establish close working relationships with such Hindu organizations to foster coordination, cooperation and coalitions addressing specific Hindu needs. All across the globe thousands of volunteers regularly give their time and talents to make a positive difference in the lives of Hindus. They are proud of their part in a great endeavor. For Hindu society to prosper and survive, we all must live up to our responsibilities as Hindus.

It is a mistake to think that the intellectual movement to propagate Hindu ideals is without difficulties. It requires a profound conviction, that ideas based on Hinduism are important to you and to your own life. If you integrate that conviction to every aspect of your life, you will find many opportunities to enlighten others.

There is no short cut to achieve our objectives. Hindu philosophy is a permanent fuel and ideological powerhouse. So propagate it with activism. If others destroy our identity, and establish a mechanical, all exclusive, narrow minded and rigid political philosophy and life style, it will be the default of those who keep silent. We are still free enough to speak, organize and act. Do we have time? No one can tell. But time is on our side-because we have an indestructible and invincible thought system-Hindu ideals.

http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HkPage.aspx...EID=7940&SKIN=B

01-06-2009, 08:02 AM

Gurus,

QUOTEIf we read * Purushasuklta * ( which is part of Rig Veda ) critically, certain things are very clear :

1. Mankind did not evolve from one-man-and one-woman ( Adam and Eve as the Westerners would tell us) but of 4 separate origin. 

Is this true? I was under the impression Brahma created Manu. Atleast thats what I remember. Can anyone please elaborate on this?

Thanks.

01-21-2009, 09:26 AM

Creation and destruction are cyclical. They are of kaarmic cycle. In destruction nothing is lost and in creation nothing is new! Everything remain either manifest or unmanifest, that is all. When it is unmanifest it is called Pralaya. When it is manifest it is called Srishti. In between it is called Sthithi.

All kaarmic beings manifest from the three gunas which in their active (or manifest) state is called Prakrthi or Vyaktham. The unmanifest is therefore Avyaktham (the invisible, unexpressed). Narayana is beyond this unmanifest (Narayana ParO(a)vyakthath).

Purushasooktham does not merely state the manifestation of the four varnas of Brahma, kshathriya, vaisya and sudhra (which happend to be the population of all the three worlds viz. the Swarga, Pithru and the Bhu, but of the entire universe.

Fifth Musing

Bodhi · (This post was last modified: 01-21-2009, 12:32 PM by Bodhi.)

Savarkar's take:

Avoid the loose and harmful misuse of the word 'Hindu'

...it necessarily follows that we should take all possible care to restrict the use of the word 'Hindu' to its defined and definite general meaning only and avoid misusing it in any sectarian sense. In common parlance even our esteemed leaders and writers who on the one hand are very particular in emphasizing that our non-Vedic religious schools are also included in the common Hindu brotherhood, commit on the other hand, the serious mistake if using such expressions as 'Hindus and Sikhs', 'Hindus and Jains' denoting thereby unconsciously that the Vaidiks or the Sanatanists only are Hindus and thus quite unawares inculcate the deadly virus of separation in the minds of the different coustituents of our religious brotherhood, defeating our own eager desire to consolidate them all into a harmonious and organic whole. Confusion in words leads to confusion in thoughts. If we take good care not to identify the term ' Hindu ' with the major Vedic section of our people alone, our non-Vedic brethren such as the Sikhs, the Jains and others will find no just reason to resent the application of the word ' Hindu ' in their case also.

Those who hold to the opinion that Sikhis, Jainism and such other religion that go to form our Hindu brotherhood are neither the branches of nor originated from the Vedas but are independent religions by themselves need not cherish any fear or suspicion of losing their independence as a religious school by being called Hindus if that application is rightly used only to denote all those who won India, this Bharatbhoomi, as their Holyland and fatherland. Whenever we want to discriminate the constituents of Hindudom as a whole we should designate them as 'Vaidiks and Sikhs', 'Vaidiks and Jains' etc. But to say 'Hindus and Sikhs', 'Hindus and Jains' is as self-contradictory and misleading as to say 'Hindus and Brahmins' or 'Jains and Digambers' or 'Sikhs and Akalees.'

Such a harmful misuse of the word Hindu should be carefully avoided especially in the speeches, resolutions and records of our Hindu Mahasabha.

Hindu Rashtra Darshan by V D Savarkar (pdf)

Husky · (This post was last modified: 02-26-2009, 06:03 PM by Husky.)

See the original for Sandhya's own emphasis.

http://vijayvaani.com/FrmPublicDisplayAr...spx?id=410
QUOTERemembering Veer Savarkar (28 May 1883 â 26 February 1966)
Sandhya Jain
26 Feb 2009

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, or Veer Savarkar as he was popularly designated, is a son of modern India who was denied recognition for his puissant nationalism, vibrant intellect, and personal valour, due to the pusillanimity of the powers that be in independent India. What distinguishes Savarkar from a legion of dedicated freedom fighters is his articulation of a philosophy of Hindu Rashtra; indeed, he was the first major thinker to do so since Samarth Ramdas inspired Chhatrapati Shivaji to create a Hindu padpadshahi amidst an archipelago of Muslim kingdoms in an age when Aurangzeb Alamgir was a much-dreaded monarch.

Revolutionaries and non-revolutionaries 

It is generally ignored that the British Raj was equally alien, hostile and vicious to genuine Hindu nationalists â those who could not be purchased, accommodated (sic) or broken. When the true history of India is finally written by mature historians, the disparity between the luxurious jails afforded to M.K. Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and the dehumanizing incarcerations faced by men like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and the Savarkar brothers will be exposed to public scrutiny.

Savarkar believed in complete political independence, not home rule or dominion status, and his reward was two terms of life imprisonment, totalling 50 years, in the black waters of the Andamans, that too at the tender age of 27 years.

Vinayak Savarkar, born in Nasik, Maharashtra, the second of three sons, was an avid nationalist from an early age, having imbibed the nationalist spirit from the writings of Lokmanya Tilak in âKesari.â The plague of 1895 affected him deeply - the brutality of British officers and soldiers charged with containing the epidemic provoked the murder of a special officer named Rand and Lt. Ayerst. The Chapekar brothers and their associate Ranade were hanged for these deaths; their sacrifice shook the adolescent Savarkar, who vowed: âI shall wage an armed struggle for the freedom of my country, and shall either perish like Chapekar or like Shivaji become victorious and celebrate my countryâs freedom.â

On moving to Nasik, Vinayak Savarkar attracted a group of young boys and set up a secret society called Abhinav Bharat, besides a front organization called Mitramela for public activities. In 1902, he went to Poona to study at Fergusson College. Poona was then the heart of Indian politics because Tilak resided there. At this time Savarkar also came under the influence of S.M. Paranjpe, who published a revolutionary journal, Kal.

Savarkar was catapulted to the limelight at a meeting to protest the partition of Bengal. He publicly proposed the burning of foreign goods, an idea which won Tilakâs approval and resulted in the public bonfire of foreign clothes in Poona. In 1906, on a scholarship facilitated by Shyamji Krishnavarma (the ardent freedom fighter whose ashes were brought back to India by Shri Narendra Modi in August 2003), Savarkar went to study in London.

Savarkar won fame with his book, âThe War of Independence of 1857,â scrupulously researched in the India Office library, where he was ultimately denied admission because Scotland Yard learnt of his studies. (The âfreeâ societies of the West are pretty much the same even today; unrelenting monitoring of the activity of atomised individuals gives society a quietist demeanour, making rule by the State or Corporate Leviathan easy). Savarkar got around this problem with help from V.V.S. Aiyer. The final manuscript, in Marathi, was dispatched to India for publication, which proved difficult as police sought to confiscate it, so it was returned, translated into English and printed in Holland.

Madan Lal Dhingra

While abroad, Savarkar tried to acquire knowledge of bomb-making, so as to take the revolutionary path to freedom. His close associates, Bapat, Hemchandra Das and Mirza Abbas procured a bomb manual from Paris; it was translated from Russian and copies sent to India via Hemachandra Das and Hotilal Varma, who gave a copy to Lokmanya Tilak. He also reached out to Irish, Egyptian, Turkish and Chinese revolutionaries.

In India, the British harshly crushed even the hint of sedition, and many journalists were arrested for supporting the bomb incident at Muzaffarpur; Tilak was tried and transported for six years, an event that inspired Madan Lal Dhingra, an Indian student in London, to learn shooting and prepare for martyrdom. On 1 July 1909, he assassinated Sir William Hutt Curzon Wyllie at the annual function of the National Indian Association, to avenge the sentence of life imprisonment to Savarkarâs elder brother, Ganesh Damodar Savarkar (Babarao). This sensational murder of an invader on his own home turf was hailed as a revolutionary step in the freedom movement.

Raj loyalists led by the Aga Khan immediately called a meeting in Caxton Hall to condemn the killing. Vinayak Savarkar went along with Gyanchand Varma and V.V.S.Aiyar. A resolution of sympathy for the family was read, Dhingra criticized, and his younger brother brought to the stage to distance the family from the murder. Aga Khan read a resolution condemning Dhingra, put it to vote and hastily declared it as passed unanimously.

This prompted Savarkar to stand up and say, âNo, Not at all.â The meeting dissolved in chaos; one Barrister Palmer hit Savarkar in one eye, which began to bleed; Savarkar continued to protest and the person seated behind him hit Palmer on the head with a stick. Surendranath Banerjee left in protest against the attack on Savarkar; the police cleared the hall.

During his trial, Dhingra claimed the police had confiscated his defence statement. The judge permitted him to speak freely in court, but Dhingra was upset that his prepared statement would not reach the public. Savarkar sent an associate to Paris and got the statement â captioned âChallengeâ â printed and distributed in many countries: ââ¦I believe that a nation held in bondage with the help of foreign bayonets is in a perpetual state of war. Since open battle is rendered impossible to a disarmed race, I attacked by surprise. Since guns were denied to me, I drew forth my pistol and fired.â

Savarkarâs reward for his exertions was an inquiry at Girayâs Inn, which led to the decision not be call him to the Bar immediately. He went to Paris to inspire the Indian community there, but on learning of police atrocities against his friends and younger brother in Nasik, decided to return to England, notwithstanding the warnings of Madam Cama, Shyamji Krishnavarma and others.

Marseilles: freedom aborted

He was promptly arrested at Victoria Station and after three attempts to free him failed, deported to India for trial, via the âS.S. Morea.â It was reported that the ship would not touch Marseilles, so that Indian revolutionaries did not attempt to free him at the French port. But mechanical problems forced a stop at Marseilles, and Savarkar decided to jump ship â he squeezed himself through a port-hole and dived for freedom.

Reaching French soil, he requested a French policeman to take him to a magistrate. But the pursuing British and Indian policemen caught up with him, bribed the policeman and took him into custody again. Madam Cama, Aiyer and others reached too late, but raised a hue and cry in Paris; the steamer proceeded with its precious cargo to Bombay (Mumbai).

In India, the Abhinav Bharat was preparing for revolution and collecting arms, besides learning how to manufacture bombs on a large scale. This job was entrusted to Patankar, Dr. Parulkar and Bhate, who set up a small factory at Vasai. At some stage they were approached by one Karve, who had his own secret organization, for help in getting revolvers. One of these revolvers was used by a 16-year-old boy, Kanhere, to kill Nasik Collector Jackson, an extremely harsh official, who was responsible for Babarao Savarkarâs trial. Subsequent police investigations revealed that Vinayak Savarkar was the source of the revolversâ¦

Ultimately, three men were hanged for Jacksonâs murder; Savarkar received two sentences of life imprisonment and transportation for life. He said: âI am prepared to face ungrudgingly the extreme penalty of your laws in the belief that it is through suffering and sacrifice alone that our believed motherland can march to an assured, if not a speedy, triumph.â He was taken to the infamous Cellular Jail, and put into solitary confinement.

Cellular Jail

The dehumanizing conditions of Cellular Jail are known to all sensitive Indians, and many freedom fighters committed suicide in despair. Savarkar struggled heroically to sustain prisoner morale, and his efforts even resulted in an amnesty for many. So charismatic was his leadership, that when Tilak died he organised a one-day fast in the entire colony to mourn his passing away!

In September 2004, UPA Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, a brash Sonia Gandhi loyalist, ordered the removal of the commemorative plaque honouring Savarkar from the Cellular Jail. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh mumbled some inanity, and the Italian-born Roman Catholic kept mum, as is her wont in every crisis that hurts the Hindu people. 

Another great triumph of Savarkar was to protest the conversion of Hindu convicts to Islam, force the authorities to step in and put an end to it (YES, it DOES require State Power), and begin the return movement. Savarkar also ardently promoted Hindi and started a library in prison.

In 1921, the Savarkar brothers were shifted to Ratnagiri jail and subjected to gruelling punishment, which tempted Vinayak to contemplate suicide. To overcome depression he began mentally writing the story of his life since his first arrest (published 1926 as âMy Transportation for Lifeâ). In Ratnagiri he also wrote his famous thesis on âHindutvaâ and ran a re-conversion movement in jail.

He was shifted to Yeravada jail, where the Governor met him to discuss conditions for his release. He was freed in January 1924 on condition that he reside in Ratnagiri district and refrain from politics for five years. Savarkar remained in Ratnagiri for 13 years (as government extended his tenure there), till June 1937. He was permitted to leave the district twice, once on account of an epidemic soon after his arrival, when he went to Nasik.

Fight against untouchability

Throwing himself into social work here, Savarkar addressed many meetings, the first of which was in the untouchable B----i colony. His leadership inspired the people, and for the first time at the annual Ganpati festival, the murti of the Mahar community (to which Bhimrao Ambedkar belonged) was given pride of place at the head of the procession.

Even on his return to Ratnagiri, Savarkar devoted himself to re-conversion and the removal of untouchability. In 1925, one Mahadev Laxman Gurav asked Savarkar to preside over the installation of a murti in the Hanuman temple. Savarkar ensured that the palanquin was jointly carried by Mahars, Mangs, Chambhars, Brahmins, and Marathas.

The same year he brought back one Jadhav, who had become a Christian, to the Hindu fold. The next year, a Brahmin family which had converted to Christianity, was brought back. He scuttled attempts to debar untouchables from Hindu temples, and set up the Patitpavan Mandir for all Hindus.

Rebuffing Congress

Savarkar was finally released on 10 May 1937. He refused the invitation of S.M. Joshi and Achyutrao Patwardhan to join the socialist wing of the Congress, as the party had abandoned its pure form of Indian nationalism and was indulging in pseudo-nationalism, according to which there could be no Swaraj without Hindu-Muslim unity.

In the princely state of Kolhapur, Savarkar averred that the princely states were monuments to the former Maratha Hindu Empire, and that a number of social reforms had taken place in these states. He prophesied in 1938: âWhen Hindustan is free and comes to her own, the States too will and must join hands with us all to remove any artificial barriers that stand on her way of unityâ¦â

Warning that a minority had already demarcated a portion of the country where it was in majority and named it âPakistan,â he asked how Hindus could remain indifferent when other communities became so politically conscious.
(Same thing going on now. Hindus: no plan except to be blown with the wind and swept by the tide. Christoislamicommunists: long-term, definite goals of utopian-mughalistan-for-chwist.)

In December 1937, Savarkar was elected president of the annual session of the Hindu Mahasabha, in Ahmedabad. He strongly contested Gandhiâs assertion that there would be no Swarajya without Hindu-Muslim unity, pointing out that this had made the Muslims obdurate. His own attitude to freedom and Hindu-Muslim unity was: âif you come, with you; if you donât, without you; and if you oppose, in spite of you the Hindus will continue to fight for their national freedom.â

Sindhu River

Savarkarâs ashes were never immersed as per Hindu custom, on account of his last testament that they were to be immersed only in the river Sindhu in a time when India was re-united.

Savarkarâs allegiance to the Sindhu derived from a holy mantra which invokes the divine waters and is recited when bathing: âGange cha Yamune chaiva, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmade, Sindhu, Kaveri, Jalesmin Sannidhim Kuru (Oh, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari and Saraswati! Oh, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri, come and mingle with this water with which I bathe).

Partitioned India has been deprived of the Sindhu, which for Savarkar was the holiest of these holy rivers because it was on the banks of this river that the ancient Vedic Rishis sang the first stanzas of the Sama Veda.

Moreover, Maharashtra has a special love for the Sindhu. Chhatrapati Shivaji had conquered much of the south, but the conquest of north India was that fulfilled by Bajirao who crossed the Narmada and rode up to Delhi. The victorious army drank the waters of the Yamuna and the Ganga, the Satluj and the Jhelum, and reached the banks of the Sindhu and hoisted the Bhagva flag over Attock.

The waters of the Sindhu, therefore, have a special place in Maharashtrian hearts.

Akhand Bharat

The Akhand Bharat to which Savarkar and many uncompromising nationalists dedicated and sacrificed their lives includes a quest for the return of Indiaâs pristine boundaries sundered at Partition. More than a desire for the reunion of lost territory (62 districts), it is a craving for the restoration of a lost civilisational harmony whose cultural-religious symbols survive in the form of 218 tirthas now in Islamic custody in Pakistan and Bangladesh respectively. Some of the more exalted sites include:-

West Punjab (present-day Pakistan):-

# The banks of the Saraswati river, where the Saraswat Brahmins enunciated the Vedas.

# Birthplace of famous Sanskrit grammarian, Rishi Panini.

# Takshashila (Taxila), the university of Acharya Chanakya.

# Katasraj, of the Mahabharata yuga, where Yaksha discoursed with Dharamaraja Yudhisthira.

# Shalivahana Kot (Sialkot), birthplace of purna bhakta and hutatma, Dharamvir Bal Hakikat Rai.

# Jhelum, where Raja Puru (Porus) defeated the world conqueror, Alexander.
( <!--emo& Smile

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /> She's a rare beauty, that Sandhya. I love how she just says it. Now why can't I do that. Then again, saying something like this would take an act of brains.)

# Luvpur (Lahore), Kushpur (Kusur), cities established by Maryada Purushottama Ramaâs sons, Luv and Kush.

# Moolistan (Multan), where Bhakta Prahlad was born and at whose anguished call, the Lord Narasingha burst forth.

# Nankana Sahib, birthplace of Sant Shiromani Guru Nanak Dev ji, where he is reputed to have admonished Jabir Babur regarding the true sanctity of Mecca.

# Panja Sahib, where Guru Nanak Dev ji Maharaj is reputed to have humbled Bali Kandhari.

# Gujranwalan, birthplace of Hari Singh Nalwa, the reputed general who inflicted a humiliating defeat upon the Pathans of Afghanistan.

# Murariwala, in Gujranwalan, birthplace of Swami Rama Tirtha.

# Lahore, Samadhi of Dharam Raja Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

# Vir Shiromani Singhâs son, Bappa Raval, took revenge for the infamy wrought upon mothers and sisters auctioned for 2 dinars in Afghanistan, and established Rawalpindi; also famous for the Chavani of Lord Shankarâs Ganas.

# Shri Anandapur, origin of the Sri Paramhans Advaita Matham, Kasba Tehri, District Kohat.Â

# Seat of Guru Baba Pir Rattan Nath ji Maharaj, at Purushapura (Peshawar), who spiritual seat is now established at Jhandewalan, New Delhi.

# Tomani Sahib (Baddo-ki-Gosainyan), in Gujranwalan.

Sindh (present-day Pakistan):-

# Where King Dahir sacrificed his life while fighting the Muslim invaders, and whose Queen, Rani Ladi Rani, similarly sacrificed her life on the battlefield. Their two daughters, Suryamal and Parimal, went all the way to Baghdad to meet Mohammad bin Qasim and avenge the deaths and defeat of their parents in 712 AD.

# Mahatma Jhule Lal tapasya sthal; birthplace of Deval Rishi, inspirer of the Shuddhi andolan; Shakti Peeth of Higlaj Devi; and the city of the great civilisation of our ancestors, Mohenjo-daro.

East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh):-

# Dhakeswari Devi temple in Dhaka.

# Birthplace of revolutionaries Surya Sen (Master da), Puliyan Das, Binay, Badal, and Dinesh, Hemchandra Ghosh, who were inspired by Swami Vivekananda.

Occupied Kashmir (by Pakistan):-

# Sharadapeeth, established by Adi Shankaracharya.
(IIRC, Swami Amritananda - the one now being christoinquisitioned by the ruling christoterrorism.)

The author is Editor, www.vijayvaani.comAm I noticing something? Is Sandhya planning the retaking of all of Akhanda Bharatam? Go hero. Yes, we need the objective. We need it to take permanent root in our consciousness.

~~Pandyan~~ · 02-26-2009, 11:32 PM

<img src='http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3312160740_ec8d11a0c2_o.png' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

QUOTEThe Atmarpan Divas of Veer Savarkar falls on 26 February. Savarkar voluntarily embraced death by prayopaveshan (giving up of food and water) in keeping with the highest tradition of Yoga. The day was Phalgun shuddha shashthi, Shalivahan Shaka 1888 or 26 February 1966. Two days earlier, he had a premonition of his end. He greeted his personal secretary Balarao Savarkar with folded hands and said, "Aamhi jaato aamuchya gaavaa? Amuchaa ramram ghyaavaa" ( We are departing for our abode, Accept our greetings).

In his youth, Savarkar had defied death on a number of occasions. On 08 July 1910, Savarkar squeezed himself naked through the port-hole of S.S. Morea when it was docked in Marseilles and fled along the quay. His British guards gave Savarkar the chase but Savarkar out-distanced them and reached the French shore. Savarkar could have easily lost his life. When Savarkar was handed two sentences of Transportation for Life to be carried out consecutively, few would have given a chance to come out alive. In 1919, Savarkar composed the poem âMarnonmukh shayyevarâ (On the death-bed) in the hell-hole of the Andamans. He wrote:
"Maranaachi ves jayaamaaji ughadate
Tyaa adrishta nagaraatil ati suramya te
Raakhuni theviyale asati bangale
Aadhichyaa aamhaastav bharuniyaa amhi
Karmaachyaa dharmaachyaa niyat visaaraa"

(Where the borders of death open
In that unseen township, the most beautiful
Mansions hath been reserved
For us; for we have
Paid the advance through our actions and dharma)

And further:

"Ye mryutyo, ye tu ye, yaavayaaprati
Nighaalaach asashil jari, ye tari sukhe"

(Come O death! Come, you come; to come
If you have left, come by all means!)

But death itself did not dare to approach Savarkar. Savarkar conquered death itself and became Mryutunjay.

In the evening of his life, with the full satisfaction of having done his duty towards his country and people, Savarkar decided to give up his mortal coil. In December 1964, his article âAtmarpanâ appeared in the Marathi monthly Sahyadri. Therein, Savarkar had cited examples of men like Kumaril Bhat, Adi Sankaracharya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Dnyaneshwar, Ramdas, Eknath and Tukaram who embraced death voluntarily after completing their earthly mission. Savarkar concluded the article with the following stanza from the Avdhoot Upanishad:

"Dhanyo S ham ? Dhanyo S ham kartavyam me na vidyate kinchit ?
Dhanyo S ham ? Dhanyo S ham praaptavyam sarvamadya sampannam ??"

Savarkar started his prayopaveshan on 01 February, at first giving up solid food and subsequently water as well. The end came at around 11 am on 26 February. Though Savarkar is not present physically with us, he continues to live in the hearts and minds of millions of people. For, it was Savarkar who said,

"Anaadi mee, anant mee, avadhya mee bhalaa
Maaril ripu jagati asaa kavan janmalaa"

(Without beginning nor end I am , inviolable I am
Who can destroy me in this Universe, such a foe is yet to be born)

Our Salutations to the Yogi,
The Savarkar.org Team 

QUOTEIs Sandhya planning the retaking of all of Akhanda Bharatam? Go hero. Yes, we need the objective. We need it to take permanent root in our consciousness.

QUOTE(Savarkar)It is thus a hard won national victory that we mean to commemorate on the day of the birth of our Bharatiya republic. There is no cause for any sense of self-diffident frustration. Even the painful consciousness of the âPartition* which we all so deeply deplore should not be allowed to. instil a sense of defeated mentality in us. If, when all was lost, we have succeeded in liberating three fourths part of our country we can surely recover the rest if we are bent on doing so. True the Partition today is a âsettled factâ. But had not Alexander himself torn off these VERY parts from our motherland and dubbed it a settled fact? Yet History tells us how Selucus handed back to us all those parts of our natural frontiers right up to Hindu Kush and gave his daughter in marriage to Chandra Gupta to seal mutual friendship. Verily we have our own ways to resettle settled facts. Let us first consolidate what we have already got and follow courageously the policy of tit for tat to all outsiders concerned and all will go well with us.

Husky · (This post was last modified: 02-27-2009, 06:51 AM by Husky.)

I was only remarking on how Sandhya seemed to be making the case for Akhanda Bharatam again in our generation. The rest of the intelligent - well, vocal - Hindus in our day are amnesiac or indifferent about it, or too psecular 'PC' (treating christoislamania as some kind of legitimate religion, or producing asinine 'arguments' like "Even if the Goa Inquisition/NLFT/islamic sword forcibly converted their ancestors, the current ones are happy in their terrorism". What the??). In a recent decade, SitaRam Goel - who IIRC has passed away - also repeated that from Afghanistan to Bangladesh is Hindu territory. Add to that Nepal.

I don't recognise TSP/BD nor christoislamicommunism (like in Nagaland, Nepal). They are illegitimate terrorisms that have been imposed on the affected populations. Uppaganistan to Eastern Bangladesha belong to the Dharmic traditions. Its populations' Dharmic ancestors and Gods want them back, and it is the duty of all free people to help them find their way back to their ancestral tradition (Hindu, Jaina, Bauddha or Sikh). There's no two ways about it. However long it takes, this should be the goal of all Hindus: to nudge the alienated back to their ancestors and their Gods. It is the natural state of the world and the concerned individuals' own natural state.

Shambhu · 03-07-2009, 08:01 AM

This planet needs Hindu ethos

by Tarun Vijay

The only place on this planet that the Hindus can rightfully claim they belong to is Hindustan or India. And the only people on this earth who feel hesitant to speak for their dharma or the basic identity too are Hindus. In Indian politics, run and financed by the Hindu majority, taking up Hindu issues means an extra effort to stand and face the charges too acidic. It pays to be a non-Hindu in a Hindu majority Hindustan, frankly.

Hence it's time when the followers of the legacy that began with Dr. Hedgewar founding the nationalist school of thought known as the RSS must assert and justify their birth, first in the form of Jana Sangh and later re-incarnated as the Bharatiya Janata Party. I was there when the first-ever convention of the newly-formed BJP took place in Mumbai, in 1980, christened as Samata Nagar. And the star attraction in that meeting was none else other than Mohammad Karim Chagla, the octogenarian scholar and statesman. The BJP could have adopted a pure saffron flag as its new motif, like the old Jana Sangh, but it chose the green and saffron. Jana Sangh too, in early fifties could have been a Hindu Sangh, but the stalwarts in those times chose a name that would represent all --any one who is an Indian, no matter what his faith is, without compromising on the basic characteristics of the nation i.e. Hindu.

A nation is defined not by the forex reserves or the military prowess but by the contours of her civilisational traditions and the collective struggles and sufferings. We are, unquestioningly and unapologetically Hindu in our national colours as much as the USA is Latin Christian and the UK works for all communities still adhering as a state to the spiritual umbrella of the Church of England. An Obama taking oath of the presidential office on the Bible doesn't become a communally hateful ruler for the other faiths. So is with us. A Hindu-majority India remains the only guarantee of a pluralistic and democratic nation. The moment we accept the de-Hinduisation process of the nation as a sign of secularism and an acceptable factor in polity, we are not only doomed as an Indian nation but also invite Talibanisation of the society.

And then, who says to be a Hindu means looking backward or approving obscurantism? The only people on earth who virtually worship Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and have prosperity as an inseparable part of their life-cycle are Hindus. In fact to be Hindu means to be rich, brilliant and happy. The most important factors, however, as was explained by Prof. Rajendra Singh, the third RSS Chief, (who was Head and Reader, Dept. of Physics, University of Allahabady) remain wisdom and character. We forget that exactly for her power, happiness and wealth, Hindu India was the eye sore of the barbarians when they assaulted us calling this land as 'Sone ki Chidiya - the Golden Bird'. We have shown the world the best of Hindu architecture in our thousand-year-old temples in Ellora, Ajanta to Ang kor Wat, the Vedic poetry, the invention of numerals and zero, life sciences and geometry to trigonometry and the deep knowledge of cosmos and the most scientific grammar and script and language. We are those Hindu people who gave the world the concept of 'world is one family' (vasudhaiva kutumbakam) when the semitic races were launching Crusades and Jihads. And an inborn attitude to respect the different viewpoint so much so that an atheist Rishi, scholar monk, Charvak was given an honoured place in the highest exalted order of six philosophers. To be a Hindu means saying no to Gulags and accepting a Galileo with appreciation. Even today the best of the economic developmental models in the states are indisputably seen in states where BJP is ruling. Still seculars deny that showing a pathological hatred for the Hindu word and world view.

Money, riches, industrialisation, military arrogance couldn't save the mighty Soviet empire. You need a little more to live as humans, which the Communists refused to accept. The IT power and the strength of brilliance coupled with loyalty to the adopted land (we do not bomb the land we adopt- a trait Hindus are known and respected for the world over) is making them use force to reckon with- as Thomas Freidman too discussed in his celebrated book The World is Flat. But that alone won't suffice to define the nation that has been known since millenniums world over as the land of the Hindus.

It's the so-called secular flabbiness of the neo-rich and subjugated colonised English-speaking elite that has taken up the place left vacant by British sergeants and colonial masters. Hate Hindu- is their new professional slogan. Anything Hindu is despicable and arrogantly dismissible. Destroy Ram Sethu, arrest Kanchi Shankaracharya on Diwali night, ignore the brutal killing of an 80-year-old monk on Krishna Janmashtami night in Kandhamal, simply delete the memory of Godhra and never answer why 59 men, women and little kids were burnt to death in a steel compartment, on February 27 seven years ago, never ever mention the 290 Hindus murdered during what is known as Gujarat riots, never discuss the forced exodus of five lakh Kashmiri Hindus after their women were raped and children killed by 'brave' Nizam-e-Mustafa' Ghazis.

That's the new order, which has to be exposed and dismantled if India has to survive.

They insult and demand the abolition of a language without which their birth can't be celebrated, marriage can't be solemnised and even in death, the same language is used. That's Sanskrit. Like they can denounce their motherland's fragrance, they also humiliate the language of their birth and death. That's their morality and honesty.

Last week Al-Jazeera, a channel more known for putting on air Osama and Al Jawahiri statements took my interview, 'to present the true colours of Indian culture' as its Canadian correspondent requested. When the show was aired, it showed Hindu right activists as simple monsters and barbarians and dishonestly juxtaposed their prejudices to 'justify' their pre-decided views. That's what this small minority of money wielding de-culturised slave class of the dollar world does anywhere it gets a little dominance -a Gulag at every desk.

Against such elements of hate, the Saffron is fighting a democratic battle through a new generation of IT-savvy saffronite youths. In the blog world, Facebook, internet battles, the Saffron is reigning high and the way we get their responses from California to Bangalore and Kolkata to Chennai via Santa Fe, it's simply bewildering and a great morale booster.

There are hundreds of them. Mostly post-graduates, engineers, MBAs, fresh IITians and doctors of philosophy, who have left the lure of the lucre and chose to work in the remote regions of the Andamans, Changlang, Diphu, Aizawl and the Nilgiri hills. From Wynad to Wakho and Leh to Lalganj, there is not a single block or tehsil or district where various workers and organisations inspired by the RSS are not active. For the first time in the history of this nation, a non-monastic order of the socially dedicated young men and women has taken roots which puts the nation before everything else, work like a sanyaasi without an ochre robe. They run village development projects, water harvesting and production of bio-foods and hospitals and schools and slum-area service projects. One such organisation, Vidya Bharati, has become the largest academic institution without government help having more than one lakh teachers and twenty-four lakh students in literally every nook and corner of the nation. B.M.S has claimed a membership of 84 lakhs, to be the biggest labour organisation of the land. Amongst students, teachers, politicians, religious clergy, doctors, and even visually-challenged people, RSS-inspired organizations are active and moving fast to get the top slot.

There is hardly a stream in the national life which is not touched and influenced by the ideology espoused by this Saffron movement which began just a year before almost the year Communist movement took shape in India. Though the Communist movement remained confined to a few corners and split in more than 24 various splinter groups, Sangh-inspired organisations are setting the agenda in their respective fields and one of their Swayam Sewak unfurled the Tricolor at the Red Fort six times in continuation. Can any hateful, divisive organisation get this kind of response from the people year after year? How can ill-feelings towards another community inspire young professionals continuously for the last eight decades to devote their life and forget the attractions of a glamorous career just for the cause of rebuilding the nation? Can any other organisation, specially the secular and the Left variety, show its positive and harmonious contribution for the development of the society in comparison to the RSS work?

Against all odds, to oppose political families turning India into their personal fiefdom, to stop India becoming a dharamshala for foreign infiltrators and putting an end to the endless pusillanimity against Jihadi terrorism, a party has to come to power that has the guts to call a spade a spade and strengthen the sinews to provide security and ensure prosperity. Enough is enough.

http://pseudosecularism.blogspot.com/

Bodhi · 04-02-2009, 01:34 PM

In first speech as RSS chief, Bhagwat says their Hindutva idea emancipatory

Express news service

Apr 01, 2009

New Delhi : At his first public appearance after taking over as the new RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday invoked the names of former president A P J Abdul Kalam and the father of White Revolution, Dr Varghese Kurien, in his forceful articulation of Hindutva which, he said, was coterminous with âVasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the philosophy of the world being a family)â or âBharatiyataâ.

âAll the inhabitants of Hindusthan are Hindus by virtue of their culture and way of life,â the RSS Sarsanghchalak said, adding that the Sanghâs description of âHindusthanâ was not limited to âthe geographical entity called Indiaâ.

âIt is variously described as being a Bharatiya, an Arya or a Hindu. But this idea is emancipatory â this talks about the welfare of all. Ingrained in our philosophy, this is also known as Hindutva,â said Bhagwat.

The 40-minute speech, as per the Sangh tradition, steered clear of politics. However, Bhagwat sought change: âIn the last 60 years of our Independence, many of our problems have not been addressed. We have changed rulers, we have changed governments, but true change can be brought by peopleâs aspirations... when they aspire to be world leaders.â

Recalling that Kalam had unveiled an encyclopedia on Hinduism recently, he said that every pronouncement of the former president had three essential ingredients â the need to respect Indiaâs might (âShakti ki aradhnaâ); ancient culture; and the belief that Hinduism was an amalgam of every other religion. Bhagwat also referred to Kurienâs book I too had a dream.

The Ram Lila Maidan â where the rally-cum-shakha was held â resounded with slogans. One of the banners on the dais read: âArunodaya ho chuka hai veer ab, karma kshetra mein jut jaayein (the sun has risen, itâs time all of us got to work)â. Another banner, singing paeans to youth power, said: âNav chaitanya hilorein leta, jag uthi hai tarunai (youth power has awakened).â Bhagwat, 59, incidentally, is the one of the youngest RSS chiefs in the organisationâs history.

He also touched upon some of the RSSâs favourite themes â that the âworld is not a marketâ and that the Indians, with examples of strong institutions of family, had an example for the rest of the world.

Bhagwatâs predecessor K S Sudarshan and new RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi too were present on the dais.

http://www.indianexpress.com/story_print...yid=441602

**acharya** · 04-06-2009, 08:06 PM

Hinduism, Hindutva and Judiciary
07/09/2005
By Ram Puniyani
Hinduism, Hindutva and Judiciary
Justice Varmaâs Judgment, Hindutva as a way of life, popularly known as Hindutva judgment, took the agenda of BJP/RSS for Hindu nation several notches up. Last month (May 2005) in yet another law suit involving Guruvayoor temple the court has given similar opinion. One recalls that way back in 1966 in a case involving Satsangis, who were asking for status of a separate religion, the court had given the similar opinion, that Hinduism is a way of life, so where is the question of Satsangis being given the status of a separate religion?

These three major decisions from court seem to have been inspired by Dr. Radhakrishanaâs formulation. Trying to follow the definition of Radhakrishanan, Justice P.B.Gajendragadkar in Satsangi case pointed out that Hinduism is difficult to define, and so âway of lifeâ seems to be closest definition one can opt for. Again following the lead from the philosopher President he sought to find a subtle indescribable unity within the divergence of Hinduism. As per him the differences amongst Hindu sects are merely on surface and Hindus were a âdistinct cultural unit, with common history, a common literature and a common civilizationâ (Quoted in TOI Ronojoy Sen, June1, 2005) On slightly parallel but distinct lines Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, in discovery of India writes âHinduism as a faith is vague, amorphous, many sided, all things to all men. It is hardly possible to define it, or indeed to say definitely whether it is a religion or not, in the usual sense of the word, in its present form, and even in the past, it embraces many beliefs and practices, from the highest to the lowest, often opposed to or contradicting each other.â

At surface these definitions seem to be describing the phenomenon in an appealing way. Defining Hinduism in such a way is far from accurate. The reason for the need to refer such matters to the courts seems to be, one, Hinduism is not a prophet based religion, it has no single founder and two, religions developing in this part of the world have been lumped together as Hinduism and three; there are so many diversities in the practices of Hinduism that all streams can not be painted with a single brush. Most of the judgements delivered by the courts are the oneâs which do not see caste as the core defining point of Hinduism. Also the attitude of judiciary has been based on common sense and the prevalent dominant discourse in the society. It is questionable if courts are theologically and sociologically equipped to define Hinduism. Surely Justice Varma while conflating Hinduism and Hindutva displays double naivety. One is at loss to understand as to how he could lump the diverse religious traditions of the country as Hinduism and see Hindutva as a synonym of Hinduism, as per him, the âterms are indicative more of a way of life of the Indian people and are not confined merely to describe persons practising the Hindu religion as a faith.â This did go against the exclusionary Savarkar/ RSS definition of Hindutva but RSS was quick enough to appropriate the same court ruling to buttress its ideology. RSS/BJP started presenting its own politics in the new words, the oneâs provided by Justice Varma. Just to recall, Justice Varmaâs judgement exonerated the BJP-Shiv Sena candidates whose elections were challenged on the ground of their using corrupt electoral practices. These candidates had used Hindutva and Hindu Rajya in their election speeches and so their elections were challenged.

BJP picked up from where RSS had shown the way and in the vision document released before the 2004 elections, it stated, âContrary to what its detractors say, and as the Supreme court itself has decreed Hindutva is not a religious or exclusivist concept. It is inclusive, integrative and abhors any kind of discrimination against any section of people of India on the basis of their faith.â

Where is the problem? Does RSS/BJP concept of Hindusim, Hindutva and so the Hindu nation correctly describe the phenomenon? Does Radhakrishnan-Nehru-the popular discourse on Hinduism/Hindutva correctly describe these terms? Something is seriously amiss in the whole gamut of expressions and definitions as put forward by the giantâs Indian politics and accepted by the judiciary. We have witnessed in practice that since the time Hindutva/Hindu rashtra came up as assertive phenomenon in the political scene during the decade of 1980s the divisiveness has gone up by leaps and bounds, the polarization of communities has gone up, and the minorities have taken a mortal fear of Hindutva and Hindu Rashtra. Their intimidation has a lot to do with the politics of RSS/BJP under the flag of Hindutva, Hindu Rashtra. While Radhakrishanan/Nehru/Judiciary have in a simple-mindedness tried to project the diversity of Hindu sects, the understanding of Savarkar/RSS/BJP is based on a particular version of Hinduism/Hindutva, is exclusionary to the core, and serves the political goals of an elite section of society.

Before we deal with the definition of Hinduism it is important to note that there are particular markers which characterise any religion. The religions are associated with particular sentiment and emotions. Holy books, communitarian functions, rituals, ethical norms and authority of clergy are the major visible symbols of a religion. We have to see whether what is called Hinduism has these traits or not. At another level, way of life is a very broad term; it encompasses not only religion but other factors related to region, language, food habits, literary and cultural aspects of life, which may not have anything to do with religion. In a way the âway of lifeâ characterization of Hinduism-Hindutva is a fatigued response because of its diversity. It is an attempt to avoid the bother to oneself of understanding the definitive religious aspect of this phenomenon, Hinduism. It tries to define the phenomenon without going into its genesis and role in society. Can a religion be called as âway of lifeâ just because it is too diverse? On the other hand their may be people with narrow and monolithic way of life and calling it as religion. The litmus test for a religion is the existence of the parameters listed above. Does Hinduism have these parameters or not? Are emotions associated with holy deities, holy books, present in Hinduism or not?

The emotive content and other factors listed above are crucial markers for a religion. In that sense right in the beginning we can say that Hinduism with its multiple streams is a religion without any doubt. Reducing all facets of life, the meaning which is communicated by the phrase âway of lifeâ, the multiple dimensions of human social life to religion is invalid in itself. Religion is not and cannot be the sole content of the phrase âway of lifeâ.

Two major points of departure for Hinduism are the absence of a founding prophet and the presence of the imprint of caste system on major aspects of Hinduism, the religious sanctity for social inequality, caste system being the soul of its scriptures and practices. The conditions under which the terms came into being also tell a lot about the real meaning of those terms. Aryans who came in a series of migrations were pastorals and were polytheists. During the early period we see the coming into being of Vedas, which give the glimpse of value system of that period and also the number of gods with diverse portfolios, the prevalence of polytheism. Laws of Manu were the guiding principles of society. This Vedic phase merged into Brahminic phase. During this phase elite of the society remained insulated from the all and sundry. At this point of time caste system provided a perfect mechanism for this insulation of elite. Buddhismâs challenge to caste system forced Brahmanism to come up with a phase which can be called Hinduism. During this the cultic practices were broadened and public ceremonies and rituals were devised to influence the broad masses to wean them away from Buddhism.

It is interesting to note that till 8th century the so called Hindu texts do not have the word Hindu itself. This word came into being with the Arabs and Middle East Muslims coming to this side. They called the people living on this side of Sindhu as Hindus. The word Hindu began as a geographical category. It was later that religions developing in this part started being called as Hindu religions. Due to caste system there was no question of proselytisation. On the contrary the victims of caste system made all the efforts to convert to other religions, Buddhism, Islam and partly Christianity and later to Sikhism.

Within Hindu religion two streams ran parallel, Brahmanism and Shramanism. Shramans defied the brahminical control and rejected caste system. While Brahminism remained dominant, other streams of Hinduism also prevailed, Tantra, Bhakti, Shaiva, Siddhanta etc. Shramans did not conform to the Vedic norms and values. Brahminism categorized religious practices by caste while Shramanism rejected caste distinctions. Brahminical Hinduism was the most dominant tendency as it was associated with rulers. Sidetracking the Hindu traditions of lower castes, Brahminism came to be recognised as Hinduism in due course of time. This phenomenon began with Magadh-Mauryan Empire after subjugating Budhhism and Jainism in particular. Later with coming of British who were trying to understand Indian society, Hindu identity, based on Brahminical norms was constructed for all non Muslims and non Christians. Vedas and other Brahminical texts were projected as the Hindu texts. Thus the diversity of Hinduism was put under the carpet and Brahminism came to be recognised as Hinduism. So Hinduism as understood as a religion is based on Brahminical rituals, texts and authority of Brahmins.

The victory of Brahminism over the shramanic traditions is visible all through as brahminism was associated with social ruling classes the Landlord-traders. This was reaffirmed in not very distant past when Dr. Bhimrao Babsaheb Ambedkar tried to get an equal place in Hindu fold. He led the agitations for public drinking water for dalits (Chavdar talab), temple entry (Kalaram Mandir) and saw both these being beaten back by the traditional Hindu society. Itsâ due to Brahminical domination of Hinduism, which made him realise that Hinduism is basically Brahminic theology, based on Manusmriti. Thatâs what led to his decision to burn Manusmriti and to decide to convert away from Hinduism.

In the political changes which occurred during the British rule, modern education and industrialisation, the landlord and priestly classes felt threatened and resorted to religion as a saviour for their declining dominance of social power. In parallel to the Muslim declining classes, who used Islam for their politics, Hindu landlords/kings resorted to the use of Hindu religion for their political goals. It is from here that the concept of Hindutva started taking shape and came to be articulated by Savarkar in his book, âHindutva or who is a Hinduâ. Since there was no uniform marker for Hindus and since politically âforeign born religionsâ, Islam and Christianity were to be opposed, a new definition of Hindu came into being which was based on exclusion, as per this definition all those who regard this land from Sindhu to seas as their holy land and father land are Hindus.

This was a strange mix of religion and politics. Like the political elaboration of Muslim League, Savarkarâs formulations were meant to oppose the values of freedom movement and that of Indian National Congrss, those of Gandhi, in particular, âMere geographical independence of the bit of earth called India should not be confused with real âswarajyaâ. To the Hindus, the independence of Hindustan could only be worth having if it ensured âtheir Hindutva-their religious, racial and cultural identityâ. Swarajya to the Hindus must mean only that âRajyaâ in which their âSwatvaâ, their Hindutva could assert itself without being overloaded by non-Hindu people, whether they be Indian territorial or extra territorialsâ¦â He summarised his Hindutva and Hindu nation in one of his presidential speeches at Hindu Mahasabha, âYes, we Hindus are a nation by ourselves, because religious, racial, cultural and historical affinities bind us intimately into a homogenous nation and added to it we are most pre eminently gifted with a territorial unity as well. Our racial being is identified with India-our beloved fatherland and our holy land above all and irrespective of it all we Hindus will to be a nation, and therefore we are a Nationâ (Hindu Rashtra Darshan, p.52)

The first confusion occurs when the term Hinduâs origin as a geographical meaning are considered. Hindus are those who live on this side of Sindhu! This is how M.M. Joshi called Muslims as Ahmadiya Hindus and Christians as Christi Hindus. Sudarshan also goes on to subscribe to this assertive trick. In this the first step everyone is Hindu because they live here, in the second step since they are Hindus they must worship Lord Ram, cow and Vedas. The second confusion is that all non Christian-non Muslims are Hindus. VHP has been opposing Jains being given minority status on the ground that Jainism is not a separate religion. Also RSS chief Sudarshanâs statement that Sikhism is a mere sect of Hinduism created huge opposition from amongst Sikhs all over. The Jains have struggled against Hindutva forces and got minority status for themselves, as an independent religion and not just a sect of Hinduism. Sudarshanâs âSikhism as sect of Hindu religionâ was thoroughly opposed. The third point pertains to Hinduism not being a religion per se. What-ever the historical origins of the word Hindu, Brahminism is Hinduism of the day. It has Brahminical rituals, holy books, holy deities (Lord Ram+ others). The Ram Temple movement was propped up by using the emotive aspect related to a religious deity. Even now the campaign for cow slaughter ban is revived when the time permits, despite the fact that many of those who are dictated to be Hindus eat beef as a part of way of life.

Then what is Hindutva, is it a synonym of Hinduism? No way. Hindutva is a synthesis of religion and politics. It is a politics opposed to the values, which came to be associated with Indiaâs freedom movement, the secular democratic principles. It is the parallel and supplement to Islamism, the politics of Muslim League. Both these are based on similar principles. Both these are subtly opposed to the transformation of social relations, both these did not participate in freedom movement and were not the subject of wrath by the British. Both these spread hatred against the people of other religions and sowed the seeds of divisiveness. Both these are exclusionary and so both these were rejected by the Indian people at the electoral level in pre-independence India time and over again. Both these are against the concept of gender and caste class equality in subtle and not so subtle form. And interestingly these formulations began with Nawabs-Rajas and were later on joined by the ideologues. While national movement had the participation of all religions, castes and both genders, these had mainly elite males of their community as the members of their politics. They both claimed to be representatives of their religious communities but were rejected thoroughly at hustings. When time permitted they did collaborate with each other in forming Governments in Sindh and Bengal and were mortally opposed to land reforms.

Hinduism as prevails today is religion in all sense of the sociological characteristics. It is dominated by Brahminism is another matter. Hindutva is the politics based on the values of Brahminism. One wonders as to why repeatedly judiciary has to fall back on âway of lifeâ formulation. One also wonders why RSS etc. are opposed to Satsangis or Jains or Sikhs to have a full status of religion? One wonders a bit more how this âway of lifeâ, which can be very libratory, can be âsuccessfullyâ used for the opposite end, as witnessed currently. Nothing can be worse than the fact that âway of lifeâ formulation has been picked up by the most orthodox elements, who dictate and assert a particular way as the way, a particular book as the book and a particular deity as the deity.
http://www.pluralindia.com/articles.php?id=86

**acharya** · 04-28-2009, 09:44 AM

TOP ARTICLE | Interpretation Of Dreams
28 Apr 2009, 0000 hrs IST, JEAN DREZE
Print Email Discuss Share Save Comment Text:
"No nation can chart out its domestic or foreign policies unless it has a clear understanding about itself, its history, its strengths and
failings." Jawaharlal Nehru could not have put it better. The author of this noble statement, however, is none other than Murli Manohar Joshi, in his preamble to the manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party, signed by him as chairman of the manifesto committee.

Ironically, this statement is at odds with the preamble itself, which peddles a series of myths (of the "India Shining" variety) about Indian history and civilisation. According to this preamble, India used to be "a land of great wealth and even greater wisdom". It was not only the most fertile land but also far ahead of other countries "in the technical and educational fields", with "a well organised health-care system" as early as 400 AD. Even "plastic surgery" has been "practised for centuries" in India according to Joshi. These achievements had their roots in the "Bharatiya or Hindu world view" of ancient sages and Vedic rishis.

Interestingly, the evidence given for these feats does not consist of Indian historical records. Instead, Joshi invokes scattered testimonies of foreign travellers, including some rather unreliable ones such as Megasthenes, whose account of India was embellished with stories of dog-headed giants and other fantastic creatures. The testimonies are highly selective, and, in some cases, grossly distorted. A few illustrations may help.

Joshi describes pre-colonial India as a "land of abundance", with an "economy as flourishing as its agriculture". Hunger and famines, in his perception, were obviously unknown in that period. But the fact is that famines have a long history in India. They are mentioned in the Jatakas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Arthashastra and Manu's Dharmashastra, among other ancient texts. As historian Romila Thapar notes: "Famine was common and is mentioned in Indian texts. We do not have to go looking for certificates of merit from foreign visitors."

In a similar vein, Joshi states that Gandhi was "absolutely right in saying that India was more illiterate in 1931 [than] in 1870". The fact, however, is that Gandhi was wrong on this. We know that from census data. Perhaps Joshi considers Gandhi as a more authoritative source than the census. But Gandhi, for all his wisdom, was not infallible, and this is not the only occasion when he was carried away. Elsewhere, he touchingly described "the Indian shepherd" as "a finely built man of Herculean constitution", at a time when the vast majority of the Indian population was wasted and stunted, with a life expectancy of less than 30 years. His hasty comment on literacy belongs to the same genre wishful thinking.

The most insidious part of the BJP manifesto's preamble is a fake quote attributed to Thomas Babington Macaulay. According to Joshi: "India's prosperity, its talents and the state of its high moral society can be best understood by what Thomas Babington Macaulay stated in his speech of February 2, 1835, in the British Parliament. 'I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief, such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such high calibre, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage..."

This "quote" (abridged here) is a wonderful prop for Joshi's arguments. But there is a catch Macaulay never said this. The quote is a well-known fabrication, which has been the subject of many comments and articles. This does not prevent it from being publicised on numerous Hindutva websites. On a dissenting note, one of these websites advises against using this quote, as it "has a bad reputation amongst scholars of Indology who generally ridicule it". Joshi is evidently not among these "scholars of Indology", despite his emphasis on the need for the nation to "understand itself". Incidentally, Macaulay was in India on February 2, 1835, making it rather unlikely that he would have addressed the British Parliament that day.

Hopefully, these examples suffice to show that the BJP manifesto's preamble is an exercise in obfuscation. As it happens, large portions of this preamble were posted the same day on Wikipedia, in the entry on "Indian culture". Perhaps a well-wisher thought that inserting this gem in Wikipedia would add credibility to Joshi's propaganda. Be that as it may, this entire portion of the "Indian culture" entry was removed from the Wikipedia website a few days later.

Behind this fairy tale are useful insights into the psychology of Hindutva leaders and the political strategy of the BJP. The dominant theme of Joshi's preamble is the hurt pride of the higher castes (or "of India" as he calls it). Humiliated by foreign dominance in so many fields today, their coping strategy is to claim that "we were actually ahead all along". Their agenda is to restore India's lost glory as they perceive it. This lost glory is nothing but the traditional, exploitative social order dominated by them. Over the centuries, this domination has been achieved partly through force, and partly through deception. The BJP manifesto's preamble continues this tradition of "deceive and rule".

The writer is with the department of economics, Allahabad University.

Now we have some liberal professors of economics teaching us that the economic prosperity of India in the past is 'fairy tales'. As per most estimates, India had 25% of world GDP just before the Europeans arrived in India. According to economic historian Angus Maddison in his book 'The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective', India had the world's largest economy from the 1st century to 11th century, with a 32.9% share of world GDP in the 1st century to 28.9% in 1000 CE. As per Jawaharlal Nehru, in his book 'Glimpses of World History', the Czar of Russia, Peter the Great wrote in his will in the 18th century, that the country that will rule India, will be the sovereign of the world (click here to read his will.). These clearly prove that the accusation of 'fairy tale' are clearly motivated, given the fact that this author is from University of Allahabad (Mr. Joshi was Professor at the same university)!

http://www.antipas.org/magazine/articles/w..._the_great.html

Bodhi · (This post was last modified: 04-28-2009, 11:47 AM by Bodhi.)

Joshi and his protegees should be quickly given the much-needed retirement to relieve Hindus from ongoing ridicule.

04-28-2009, 02:49 PM

QUOTEIn a similar vein, Joshi states that Gandhi was "absolutely right in saying that India was more illiterate in 1931 [than] in 1870". The fact, however, is that Gandhi was wrong on this. We know that from census data. Perhaps Joshi considers Gandhi as a more authoritative source than the census. But Gandhi, for all his wisdom, was not infallible, and this is not the only occasion when he was carried away. Elsewhere, he touchingly described "the Indian shepherd" as "a finely built man of Herculean constitution", at a time when the vast majority of the Indian population was wasted and stunted, with a life expectancy of less than 30 years. His hasty comment on literacy belongs to the same genre wishful thinking.
The book 'Beautiful Tree' which did have data supporting Gandhi's assertion was discussed on this forum a while back. I think Rajesh had started a thread on it and must be still around.

Husky · (This post was last modified: 04-28-2009, 07:08 PM by Husky.)

1. QUOTE(Viren @ Apr 28 2009, 02:49 PM)<div class='quotetop'>QUOTEIn a similar vein, Joshi states that Gandhi was "absolutely right in saying that India was more illiterate in 1931 [than] in 1870". The fact, however, is that Gandhi was wrong on this. We know that from census data. Perhaps Joshi considers Gandhi as a more authoritative source than the census. But Gandhi, for all his wisdom, was not infallible, and this is not the only occasion when he was carried away. Elsewhere, he touchingly described "the Indian shepherd" as "a finely built man of Herculean constitution", at a time when the vast majority of the Indian population was wasted and stunted, with a life expectancy of less than 30 years. His hasty comment on literacy belongs to the same genre wishful thinking.
The book 'Beautiful Tree' which did have data supporting Gandhi's assertion was discussed on this forum a while back. I think Rajesh had started a thread on it and must be still around.
[right][snapback]96740[/snapback][/right]</div>I think Viren is referring to the thread on Dharampal's researched writings

And reposting from Post 39 of Leters thread
Durant confirmed Dharampal's statements, also using data:
QUOTEWill Durant, The Case for India (1930), Chapter 1:

When the British came there was, throughout India, a system of communal schools, managed by the village communities. The agents of the East India Company destroyed these village communities, and took no steps to replace the schools; even to-day, after a century of effort to restore them, they stand at only 66% of their number a hundred years ago.109

Hence the 93% illiteracy of India. In several provinces literacy was more widespread before the British took possession than it is now after a century and a half of British control;118 in several of the states ruled by native princes it is higher than in British India. "The responsibility of the British for India's illiteracy seems to be beyond question."119

The Government spends every year on education eight cents a head 113 it spends on the army eighty-three cents a head.114 In 1911 a Hindu representative, Gokhale, introduced a bill for universal compulsory primary education in India; it was defeated by the British and Government-appointed members. In 1916 Patel introduced a similar bill, which was defeated by the British and Government-appointed members; 115 the Government could not afford to give the people schools. Instead, it spent most of its eight cents for education on secondary schools and universities, where the language used was English, the history, literature, customs and morals taught were English, and young Hindus, after striving amid poverty to prepare themselves for college, found that they had merely let themselves in for a ruthless process that aimed to de-nationalize and de-Indianize them, and turn them into imitative Englishmen. The first charge on a modern state, after the maintenance of public health, is the establishment of education, universal, compulsory and free. But the total expenditure for education in India is less than one-half the educational expenditure in New York State.116 In the quarter of a century between 1882 and 1907, while public schools were growing all over the world, the appropriation for education in British India increased by $2,000,000; in the same period appropriations for the fratricide army increased by $43,000,000.117 It pays to be free.And Jabez Sunderland mentioned that the Hindu education program of universal education continued in Hindu-ruled Kingdoms, while education under christianist rule (British) was killed off (as happens to all good things whenever christianism touches anything).

QUOTE(Joshi's) hasty comment on literacy belongs to the same genre wishful thinking.The actual and only case of lying is in the christian claim that christianism had a 'literary effect' on Rome and Europe.
As seen above, Hindu Dharma most certainly DID ensure education, AND this was to almost utterly undone by the christobrits. Whereas the "Encyclopaedic Brain" (Joseph McCabe) spells out what christos did to Rome and after that to Europe when the christoplague spread:
http://freetruth.50webs.org/A2b.htm:
QUOTEThe Roman municipalities supplied free elementary instruction for the children of all workers. Anywhere you went, in a suburb of Rome or a small Italian town, you would see the teacher, in the porch of a house perhaps, teaching the children how to write on wax-faced tablets. Practically every Roman worker could read and write by the year 380 A.D., when Christianity began to have real power. By 480 nearly every school in the Empire was destroyed. By 580, and until 1780 at least, from ninety to ninety-five percent of the people of Europe were illiterate and densely ignorant. That is the undisputed historical record of Christianity as regards education.
-- The Story Of Religious Controversy, by Joseph McCabe

2. QUOTEJoshi describes pre-colonial India as a "land of abundance", with an "economy as flourishing as its agriculture". Hunger and famines, in his perception, were obviously unknown in that period. But the fact is that famines have a long history in India. They are mentioned in the Jatakas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Arthashastra and Manu's Dharmashastra, among other ancient texts. As historian Romila Thapar notes: "Famine was common and is mentioned in Indian texts. We do not have to go looking for certificates of merit from foreign visitors."Thapar a "historian"? Liars can't be historians. The parrot means Hysterian, which is the term for Titled Liars.

I'd have thought that rather than "Joshi" or whoever, people who quote Romila Thapars and other communitwits need to be retired, because:

Repeating start of post 38 in letters thread

http://india_resource.tripod.com/colonial.html "The Colonial Legacy - Myths and Popular Beliefs" states that:
QUOTEIn Late Victorian Holocausts, Mike Davis points out that here were 31(thirty one) serious famines in 120 years of British rule compared to 17(seventeen) in the 2000 years before British rule.(Note there were famines induced by the islamic rulers that terrorised the nation before christianism arrived, these probably account for a significant number of the pre-British famines.)

Francois Gautier moreover gives us the record after the christian terror rule at http://www.archaeologyonline.net/artifac...enial.html, which shows that it was indeed christianism that was squarely to blame:
QUOTESince Independence, there has been no such famines, a record of which India should be proud.

The communitwit parrot stated:
QUOTEElsewhere, he touchingly described "the Indian shepherd" as "a finely built man of Herculean constitution", at a time when the vast majority of the Indian population was wasted and stunted, with a life expectancy of less than 30 years.Yeah, we all know why the Indian working masses were starving: because of
christian-induced famines (posts 37 AND 38).
I already did the maths earlier using just the non-overlapping figures given by world historian Durant, journalist Gautier, writers Jabez T. Sunderland and Dr. Gideon Polya (inserting titles and professions, since the communitwit referred to hysterian romila in argumentum ad authority):
QUOTE(Husky @ Mar 8 2009, 02:43 PM)One wonders what happened in the years not covered by Durant: the occurrence of christian-imposed genocide through starvation and epidemics. And also in the years of continued christian British rule after his book was published in 1930 (outside the Bengal famine of 1943-1945).

Sticking to the recorded figures of famines and epidemics introduced from abroad and due to low resistance because of malnutrition:
- Great Bengal Famine of 1769-1770: 10,000,000 victims of famine
- 1800-1900: 25,000,000 to 36 million victims of famine (upper-limit derived from the higher-end estimate of an additional 11 million victims in the famines of 1875-1900 presented in Jabez T. Sunderland's The New Nationalist Movement in India)
- 1930: an estimated 8,000,000 victims of famine
- Bengal Famine 1943-1945: 4,000,000 victims of famine
- 1901: 272,000 died of plague introduced from abroad;
- 1902: 500,000 died of plague;
- 1903: 800,000
- 1904: 1,000,000
- 1918: 12,500,000
TOTAL = 62,720,000 (62.7 million) to ~73.7 million victims of christianism (British Rule) - just counting those genocided by the starvation and diseases it caused.[right][snapback]95291[/snapback][/right]People doubting my mathematical (in)abilities may want to add the numbers up for themselves.

Bodhi, it would be better if people retired in order of the amount of embarrassment they cause. Romila Thapars and their parrots ought to be the first to go. Joshi sounds over-enthusiastic, but Romila et al and their parrot(s) are lying. Such liars are like those plastic gloves that come in 10 packs: disposable but bad for the environment. And hence best not to buy them in the first place.

ADDED:
The Parrot ridiculed:
'Joshi describes pre-colonial India as a "land of abundance", with an "economy as flourishing as its agriculture".'

Well, the following is historian Will Durant in The Case For India (Ch 1) - quoting Sunderland - who sounds even more enthusiastic and less PC than Joshi:

'Those who have seen the unspeakable poverty and physiological weakness of the Hindus to-day will hardly believe that it was the wealth of eighteenth century India which attracted the commercial pirates of England and France. "This wealth," says Sunderland,
"was created by the Hindus' vast and varied industries. Nearly every kind of manufacture or product known to the civilized worldnearly every kind of creation of Man's brain and hand, existing anywhere, and prized either for its utility or beauty-had long, long been produced in India. India was a far greater industrial and manufacturing nation than any in Europe or than any other in Asia. Her textile goods-the fine products of her looms, in cotton, wool, linen and silkwere famous over the civilized world; so were her exquisite jewelry and her precious stones cut in every lovely form; so were her pottery, porcelains, ceramics of every kind, quality, color and beautiful shape; so were her fine works in metal-iron, steel, silver and gold. She had great architecture-equal in beauty to any in the world. She had great engineering business men, great bankers and financiers. Not only was she the greatest ship-building nation, but she had great commerce and trade by land and sea which extended to all known civilized countries. Such was the India which the British found when they came."7
[7. (Jabez T.) Sunderland p. 367]'

**acharya** · 04-28-2009, 06:12 PM

Jan Sangh to be revived if BJP fails to fulfil vedikeâs demands

Raviprasad Kamila

Jan Sangh loyalists have agreed to support revival plans: Rama Bhat

âMembers of RSS, vedike are unhappy with BJPâs style of functioningâ

Operation Lotus criticised

K. Rama Bhat

PUTTUR: K. Rama Bhat, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and leader of the Swabhimani Vedike, has said that the vedike leaders will revive the erstwhile Jan Sangh and later develop it into an alternative to the BJP, if the latter failed to fulfil its demands.

In an interview to The Hindu here on Friday Mr. Bhat had said that loyalists of the erstwhile Jan Sangh had extended support to the vedike for the revival of the old organisation. Once revived, it might attract workers from the BJP also, he added.

The Jan Sangh took its birth as the political wing of the Rashtraya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to express its views after the Government banned the RSS following Mahatma Gandhiâs assassination. Later, the Jan Sangh merged with the then Janata Party and its symbol froze. Subsequently, leaders who were supporting RSS ideologies came out of it, and formed the BJP. Mr. Bhat (78), said that the groundwork on reviving the Jan Sangh was under way. He was in touch with some old-time leaders at the national level in this regard, he said.
Members unhappy

Stating that he was still a member of the BJP, Mr. Bhat said that many members of the RSS and BJP were unhappy with the âstyle of functioning of the BJPâ in the State.

Asked if the Jan Sangh would, after revival, attract people from all communities, including minorities, Mr. Bhat said he was against polarisation in society. âThose who are loyal to the country are welcome to the Sangh. Any enemy to the country is my enemy,â he said.

Mr. Bhat said that the constitution of the RSS did not allow its cadre to interfere in the functioning of any political party, including the BJP. It could only play an advisery role. A majority of minorities in the country were loyal to the nation. Only a few, who had been misled by others, were indulging in anti-national activities, he said.

On the attacks on Christian prayer halls and moral policing in the district, he said: âIt is wrong to take law into oneâs handsâ. Mr. Bhat criticised the BJP for its âOperation Kamalaâ in the State. If it did not have majority, it should have occupied the Opposition benches. âEven Opposition members can serve people better than the ruling party members,â he said.

Mr. Bhat is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Dakshina Kannada as an independent candidate after the negotiations between vedike leaders and the BJP and RSS failed.

Mr. Bhat won the 1983 Assembly election from Puttur constituency on the BJP ticket.

In 1978 Assembly elections, he had won from the same constituency on the Janata Party ticket. However, Mr. Bhat lost his Lok Sabha election in the erstwhile Mangalore constituency in 1984 against B. Janardhana Poojary of the Congress.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/28/stories/...890300.htm

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