09-05-2004, 10:32 PM
x-posting for culture ppl.
Any comments ?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/artic...835681.cms
Forget Rakhi, you are in army now
RAHUL SINGH
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 02, 2004 12:57:43 AM ]
CHANDIGARH: Respected as rakshaks of the entire country, many of them did
not sport a rakhi on Raksha Bandhan, fearing it would damage the secular
fabric of the Indian Army.
In the wake of instructions issued by the Army early this year regarding the
need to maintain a strict dress code and a secular image, it was assumed
that the colourful threads of rakhi did not go well with the olive green of
the military uniform.
An Army major did not wear his rakhi till the time he changed into his
civvies. "I didnt want to take a chance. The directive issued by the army
headquarters instructs us not to sport sacred threads," he said.
Reaffirming its secular credentials, the army had earlier ordered its
personnel not to |sport religious symbols such as bracelets, birthstone
rings, vermilion streaks or sacred threads. Caution was the watchword among
soldiers, though one can hardly insert a particular religious ideology into
the system by tying a rakhi around the wrist. But the code of discipline is
the cornerstone of army tradition that has to be defended anyhow, some might
argue.
A colonel said while there were no specific instructions to avoid the
festival, he felt it was expected of army personnel to be of strong secular
convictions.
"In any case, saluting your superiors with a rakhi tied on your wrist is a
bit awkward," he said.
At some units, the choice of wearing a rakhi was left to the troops.
However, it was verified during the morning muster on Tuesday that the
rakhis were gone.
Western Command hospital commandant Maj Gen S K Kaul told The Times of India
that the staff had been instructed not to wear rakhis after the festival was
over.
A few Army officers wore rakhis "because theirs werent gaudy, but plain
looking threads that kept up the spirit of the festival without defying the
code."
A captain said he put on his rakhi in the morning to mark the festival but
removed it before leaving for office.
David > Hey..how about starting a thread on Yoga and Ayurveda?? <!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Which Yoga man , Christu Yoga ? <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Any comments ?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/artic...835681.cms
Forget Rakhi, you are in army now
RAHUL SINGH
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 02, 2004 12:57:43 AM ]
CHANDIGARH: Respected as rakshaks of the entire country, many of them did
not sport a rakhi on Raksha Bandhan, fearing it would damage the secular
fabric of the Indian Army.
In the wake of instructions issued by the Army early this year regarding the
need to maintain a strict dress code and a secular image, it was assumed
that the colourful threads of rakhi did not go well with the olive green of
the military uniform.
An Army major did not wear his rakhi till the time he changed into his
civvies. "I didnt want to take a chance. The directive issued by the army
headquarters instructs us not to sport sacred threads," he said.
Reaffirming its secular credentials, the army had earlier ordered its
personnel not to |sport religious symbols such as bracelets, birthstone
rings, vermilion streaks or sacred threads. Caution was the watchword among
soldiers, though one can hardly insert a particular religious ideology into
the system by tying a rakhi around the wrist. But the code of discipline is
the cornerstone of army tradition that has to be defended anyhow, some might
argue.
A colonel said while there were no specific instructions to avoid the
festival, he felt it was expected of army personnel to be of strong secular
convictions.
"In any case, saluting your superiors with a rakhi tied on your wrist is a
bit awkward," he said.
At some units, the choice of wearing a rakhi was left to the troops.
However, it was verified during the morning muster on Tuesday that the
rakhis were gone.
Western Command hospital commandant Maj Gen S K Kaul told The Times of India
that the staff had been instructed not to wear rakhis after the festival was
over.
A few Army officers wore rakhis "because theirs werent gaudy, but plain
looking threads that kept up the spirit of the festival without defying the
code."
A captain said he put on his rakhi in the morning to mark the festival but
removed it before leaving for office.
David > Hey..how about starting a thread on Yoga and Ayurveda?? <!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> Which Yoga man , Christu Yoga ? <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->