01-17-2004, 12:33 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-17-2004, 12:35 AM by rhytha.)
I went there for business, to tie up with a scuplture to export icons with a online shop i was setting up, but as usual it did'nt materialse after certain level as most of my "super-dupper" business idea's and was a flop <!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:lol:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='laugh.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
India will shape world culture, says Indologist
By Our Staff Reporter
COIMBATORE, JAN. 19. India will be the greatest contributor to the
universal world culture that is likely to develop in the years to
come, the Indologist Koenraad Elst, said here today.
Delivering a special lecture on `India's image in the West' at the
Avinashilingam University, Dr. Elst said, "In future, we are going
to have one universal civilisation in which the most valuable
elements of every culture will have a place. Most of these will be
traceable to India."
Many of the worthwhile elements that the Indian civilisation had
produced over long periods of time would be useful for everyone in
the world.
Some of these universal precepts such as vegetarianism and yoga were
now being practised abroad even by people who had never visited
India.
"At present, the rest of the world is standing in awe of India as a
land of brains and intellect, most conspicuously in computer
science. India is also taking off economically, with many industries
that were destroyed or moved to Britain during British rule, coming
back to the country," he said, and added that this was the result of
the inborn talent and working capacity of Indians.
Dr. Elst said that in the past, India had been identified with
poverty and misery.
People in the developed countries lived under the impression that
these undesirable conditions could be removed only by combating
negative and inhuman practices.
Despite the developmental efforts after Independence, India
continued to be considered a land of "injustice, untouchability and
idolatory" with Indians themselves contributing much to create a
negative image of their own country.
In the 1960s, India gained reputation as the "land of
enlightenment", with accent on yoga and spirituality.
"People from popular culture in the West, such as film stars and
singers, came to India to sit at the feet of gurus and learn
transcendental meditation, Dr. Elst said.
With the resurgence of nationalism in India, there were attempts to
rewrite history recorded under the British rule. However, the
tendency to claim that India was the "origin for everything", was
a "form of greed".
These views had been picked up and highlighted by those who wanted
to project a negative impression of India to the rest of the world.
The Chancellor of Avinashilingam University, K. Kulandaivel, who
presided, observed that Western historians had not brought out the
greatness of India.
There had been "distortions and misinterpretations" that had been
brought to light through current research, he added.
http://sulekha.com/hopper.asp?pg=4&SortBy=1
http://www.deccan.com/headlines/lead4.shtml
Moscow to get massive temple
Moscow, Jan. 23: Ignoring opposition from some Christian quarters and ultra-nationalist lawmakers, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has cleared the construction of a Hindu temple and Vedic centre here by the local followers of Lord Krishna.
He has allotted a 1.05 hectare plot of land on the prestigious Leningrad Prospekt to the Moscow chapter of International Society of Krishna Consciousness.
The Sentinel
12th january 2004
Guawahati-Aassam
City set for treat on Vivekanandaâs visit
By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 11: A group of young film-makers, social activists and
noted intellectuals have made a documentary film on the historic visit
of Swami Vivekananda to Assam in 1901. The film will include footages
of locations at Dhubri, Guwahati and Shillong, where he had stayed, as
well as interviews of descendants of those few people with whom
Vivekananda was in close contact during his visit.
The 25-minute English language film, titled A Look Back in Wonder,
has been directed by Dilip Gosai, produced by the Sanskriti Vikas
Sanchar Kendra (SVSK) and presented by the Vivekananda Kendra,
Guwahati. It will be screened on the occasion of World Youth Day on
January 12 by the Kendra.
In 1901, Swami Vivekananda, at 38 years already Indiaâs leading
socio-spiritual reformer and the countryâs best-known cultural
ambassador abroad, reached Dhubri by steamer from Dhaka, accompanied
by his mother and disciples. After staying at the steamer ghat there,
the group proceeded up-river to Guwahati.
"He stayed at the Kamakhya temple for three days and prayed there.
The group stayed at the house of Sivakanta and Lakshmikanta Panda, two
priests at the temple," revealed Dilip Gosai, talking to The Sentinel.
The film contains a talk with Niranjan Panda, a descendent of the
hosts, as well as scenic shots of the ghat and the river at Dhubri. A
500 year-old Gurudwara and a 19th century Brahmo Samaj temple near the
ghat were also filmed.
"At Guwahati, Swamiji addressed four meetings including one at
Sonaram High School and another at the then newly-established Cotton
College," revealed Dr Dipankar Banerjee of the Department of History,
Gauhati University, who did extensive research on the visit, for the
documentary.
The great spiritual leader was much impressed by what he saw of
Assam. "Assam is the most beautiful place in India, next only to
Kashmir," he wrote in a letter dated July 5, 1901, to Mary, one of his
disciples.
Vivekananda then made an arduous journey over difficult hilly terrain
to Shillong, the then capital of Assam. The journey then used to take
three days by horse-drawn cart, according to Dr Banerjee.
"He stayed there for two weeks, and during this period came in touch
with Sir Henry Cotton, Chief Commissioner of Assam," Gosai added.
Another important aspect of Vivekanandaâs visit was the deep
impression he cast on his hosts, including Henry Cotton.
The film, besides containing footage of the places and institutions
during that historical visit, also have scenic shots of the area
around the Brahmaputra.
Prof. Dilip Kumar Barua, former Dean of Cotton College, has provided
the narration to the documentary, while the camera-work has been
executed by Jayesh Das, who has also written the script.
The screening of the documentary is a part of a slew of programmes
scheduled for World Youth Day on January 12, including a speech by Dr
Khound, who was a member of the team led by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam,
which had conducted the nuclear tests in Pokhran in 1998
VKIC Guwahati
VKIC@p...
Bond, Demi Moore for Kumbh
http://www.deccan.com/headlines/lead4.shtml
Hardwar, Jan. 25: Hollywood superstars Pierce Brosnan and Demi Moore will arrive in Rishikesh on April 14 to take a holy dip in the river Ganga for the Kumbh. April 13, 14 and 19 are the most auspicious days for the holy dip. They will then proceed to Ujjain, which is one of the four centres of the mela. Even though the visit is being kept under wraps, sources revealed the two stars will put up either at Dayanand Ashram or Paramat Niketan in Rishikesh.
The Simhastha Kumbh Mela will take place at Ujjain after a gap of 12 years. The entire period, spanning from April 5 to May 5, is considered auspicious with five main bathing dates. Kumbh has always been a favourite with Hollywood stars. Madonna, Sharon Stone and Richard Gere have earlier visited the Mela.
Meanwhile, Hardwar is currently hosting the Ardh Kumbh Mela and the first auspicious date for a holy dip is January 26.
Leaving nothing to chance, the district administration is geared up for the rush. Several development works, amounting to Rs 135 crores, have already been undertaken.
'India will be a superpower in 20 years'
MUMBAI: When Jeffrey Armstrong predicted over 20 years ago that Silicon Valley would be overrun by Indian innovators and engineers, no one believed him. Today, his prophecy has come true manifold.
âI based my forecast on the fact that Indians have a very strong Sanskrit background,ââ he says. Sanskrit being the perfect language for computer programming, I was confident even then that Indians would outshine others in computer innovations.ââ
His next prediction is equally interesting: India will become a superpower in another 20 years, even earlier if Indians propagate their culture and legacy effectively in the West.
The motivational speaker, who left his corporate job seven years ago to foster the spread of Hindu and Vedic culture in the West, looks like a typical American till he opens his mouth.
The barrage of Sanskrit shlokas, names of ancient rishis and quotes from Indian philosophers that emerges thereafter, however, could give any desi a complex.
Lauding Indian contributions to the world of science and the arts, the incorrigible Indophile rues the fact that Indians abroad are not networked.
âItâs also unfortunate that there is no systematic plan to reach out to the millions of non-Indian people in the West who love, respect and follow Indian traditions like yoga and vegetarianism in their daily life,ââ he says. Currently on a tour of India , the Armstrongs are now settled in Canada .
Maintaining that India is already becoming an intellectual leader of the world, Mr Armstrong says that even ayurveda is fast picking up in the West.
âIn the US alone, over half a dozen universities have been approached to recognise ayurveda as a complimentary therapy and I am hopeful that within a couple of years, this branch of medicine will be as popular as other Indian therapies like yoga and transcendental meditation,ââ he says, adding that the National Ayurvedic Medicine Association (NAMA) has already been set up in Canada and the US to promote the cause.
To bolster his prediction about Indians becoming leaders of the world in the near future, Mr Armstrong declares that the maximum outsourcing for the West is now from India .
âIn almost every sphere of activity, Indians are the frontrunners,ââ he says. âMost of the prominent scientists, doctors, technocrats and innovators are Indians.ââ
Mr Armstrong, who worked as a sales manager with Apple Computer for six years, is married to Sandy Gramah, who shares his passion for all things Indian.
The couple, which has founded an educational institute called the Vedic Academy of Science and Arts (VASA), is now working on creating a permanent library of Hindu and Vedic culture in Vancouver .
Their clients include successful businessmen, lawyers, corporate executives and leaders of society. âBring as much knowledge from India as you can,ââ concludes Mr Armstrong. âPeople in north America are eager for it.ââ
Shir.Jeffry Armstrong was a speaker at the Indian Oceanic forum confrence i attended, his speech was very good and informative.
Graduate
--- In hindutva_women@yahoogroups.com, "sarju79" <sarju79@y...> wrote:
A Mexican Comes Home to India
By: John Campos
http://www.thevedicfoundation.org/news_and...cles/read_our_a
rticles-a_mexican_comes_home_to_india.htm
A few years ago, an Indian woman dressed in a sari approached me at a gas station and asked if I knew the directions to the local Hindu temple. The woman explained she was visiting Austin and had heard about this beautiful temple. I was able to give her directions, as I regularly attend the temple. As she walked away, she asked me from which part of India I emigrated. I told her I was not Indian, but rather of Mexican origin. She swirled around and looked at me astonishingly. "That's amazing," she said. "A Mexican Hindu! I've never heard of such a thing!" It wasn't the first time I had been mistaken for another nationality.
I'm often asked whether I was born in India. The question amuses
me, because I could respond both "Yes" and "No." But such an answer would
confuse people, as well as require a lengthy explanation from me, so I usually respond "No," I was not physically born an Indian. My ancestors were from Mexico, but they left their country for the United States. At times, though, I want to provide a different response. Undoubtedly, I was spiritually born an Indian when I adopted the Hindu faith several years ago. This requires an explanation that entails a journey -- a spiritual one that I'll share.
Many non-Indians have recognized the spiritual wealth of Hinduism and have liberally taken from its treasures: its teachings of bhakti meditation to a personal form of God; its Sanskrit scriptures and verses; its instruction on the philosophy of living are but a few of its priceless spiritual jewels. But what is a troubling and growing phenomenon, however, is that it seems that Indians who are Hindus by birth do not value the immense wealth of their birthright. And in the process, I believe they are becoming spiritually bankrupt.
Many years ago, a co-worker of mine -- an Indian Hindu -- and I were discussing religion. He confided to me that he did not regularly attend any type of religious services and did not really know much about Hinduism. He admitted that he did not even follow some of its basic principles: he was non-vegetarian and had grown accustomed to drinking and smoking. Because of his non-interest in his birth religion, he was not making any effort to instruct his children about it and had resigned to let them choose their own faith and religion. He added that many Indians such as himself had come to view their local temple as a place to socialize and network, rather than a place to practice their beliefs in good faith. He noted that I probably knew more about Hinduism than he did, and it was surprising to him that someone without this birthright would value it enough to adopt it.
My co-worker's story is not a unique one. Many Indians who immigrate to the United States have many things in common. They're educated, they're ambitious, and they're lured by the promise of material success. But along the way to material achievement, it appears to me that many forget their birthright to the great spiritual ancestry that is Hinduism. Unfortunately for many Hindus, forgetting their spiritual ancestry for the sake of material gain brings to mind a Spanish dicho
(saying): "Quien mucho abarca poco aprieta" (Whoever grasps much can hold on to little). Indeed, for the sake of enormous material acquisition, it is nearly impossible to hold on to that which is paramount for a soul's contentment: God's love.
When I'm asked why a non-Indian such as myself would choose Hinduism, my answer is founded on the practical experience of spiritual happiness. I found that the wisdom contained in the Hindu scriptures was a deep well from which I could replenish my spiritual needs. The discovery was so profound to me, because in searching for personal meaning in my life, I found great solace in Hinduism's lucid philosophy and teachings of love to a personal form of God, Radha-Krishn.
My previous religious studies in years past were fruitless in that they had not inspired spiritual desire in me. And my reading of western philosophers' writings impressed me as being dry, intellectual speculations. In contrast, the deep love and devotion to God that manifests in the lives of the great Saints of the Hindu tradition appeals to me. Their promise that through loving devotion â bhakti â one can merge, know, and see God in divine personal form encourages me to have faith in this universal and great religion. By one's sincere effort and God's grace,
God's love would fructify in the heart. It did not matter what my race, gender, or belief was. This is the central teaching of Hinduism.
A few years ago, I had the good fortune to visit India. Shortly after arriving at the airport, one of the baggage handlers noticed that my luggage tags were from America. He pointed to my tags and asked if I had just come from there. I said that I had. As he loaded my luggage onto a taxi, he asked me if the journey was tiring. I acknowledged that it was. "But," he added, "that doesn't matter â at least you're home now." He was right, and I couldn't help but smile. A Mexican had come home to India.
© 2004 The Vedic Foundation
This article may be reprinted with permission in writing from The Vedic Foundation.
http://www.thevedicfoundation.org
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?
fodname=20040128&fname=aditi&sid=1
OUTLOOK INDIA, JANUARY 28, 2004
The Hyphenated Hindus
In a world where being Hindu is seen as antithetical to being
enlightened, progressive, and modern; where being Hindu is equated
with Hindutva, it is not easy addressing the Hindu-American
identity.
My Webpage
<b>Hinduism expert to give talk at Stanford</b>
An expert on Hinduism and mythology who co-wrote a <b>new translation of the Kama Sutra </b> <!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> will present a lecture and discussion this month at Stanford University.
Wendy Doniger, University of Chicago professor of the history of religions, will discuss ``Self-Imitation in Ancient India, Shakespeare and Hollywood'' in a lecture Feb. 23 and a lecture-discussion Feb. 24. The first will begin at 7 p.m. in Room 190 of the Law School, 559 Nathan Abbott Way. The second will be at 4 p.m. in the Stanford Humanities Center, which is sponsoring the events.
Doniger's courses in Hinduism cover a broad spectrum that, in addition to mythology, considers literature, law, gender and ecology. In their new translation of the Kama Sutra, she and Sudhir Kakar, India's leading psychoanalyst of sex, declare the original English translation, of 1883 by Sir Richard Francis Burton, to be inaccurate in that it downplayed a woman's sexual satisfaction and freedom.
How did we miss this one?
http://www.poetry.com
Love Letter to India
India, I have never even tried to write to you before.
Thirty years exactly have passed since I ran my fingers
through your hair, sweetly oiled, dreamed of your tangled history
transforming itself into one brilliant braid of diversity.
My Burmese ayah sang to me of love between
a rani and her rajah, taught me how to pull a long twist
of her ebony hair into a tight bun,
image of perfection without one single pin.
She walked out on her eleven brown-eyed children,
her scandalous husband, and me to search for some
hard pressed truth in a country that wouldn't yet
look a woman in the eye.
When I go to you now, only at night, I wander past
cow patties steaming like bowls of hot rice, past ancient
crumbling temples, rivers of people, past the Taj Mahal,
the Red Fort, the Ganges, each richly spiced in pungent fields of memory.
Your daughters disrupt the air as they pass by me in compliant rows,
dark eyes lined heavily in kohl, still climbing out of the rut
of Mohammed's conversion. I can still feel the weight of their blind
obedience, to Brahma, to Buddha, to centuries of rules.
In the cloying sweetness of gardenia's breath, of banana tree shade,
there still stands the inimitable Saturday morning bazaar.
Glimmering silk saris stacked upon tables like giant hibiscus
simmer in the heat of the stalls, unearthed jewels just dying to be bought.
Row after glittering row of glass bangles, abundant silver and gold
to adorn the body, I find the bejeweled wooden elephants
still standing silent guard over the hope for salvation,
for prosperity, and for peace.
And though I still dream of you in startling detail,
I am never closer to an understanding of you than
when I lean into the sun, eyes fixed on some distant planet
and sing my ayah's love song to myself.
Vicki F. Chavis
More Hindu than the Indian Hindus
2004-02-10 Published by Hindu Herald Gathered by Staff Reporter
BALI,FEBRUARY 10: The names on houses, the statues at traffic
junctions and even the road names strike a note of familiriaty. A
tourist also does not miss the odd flower that is prominently placed
on the dashboard of the taxi and the incense stick burning near the
steering of the taxi he is travelling in or, the temples that dot
the landscape. So, one is greeted with a huge statue of the
mythological character Ghatotkacha of Mahabharat fame as one enters
Bali from the Denpasar international airport or turns into a road
named Arjuna while visiting various districts of the island. There
might be a huge painting of Krishna advising Arjuna on his chariot
in an internet cafe. This is Bali. One of the thousand-odd islands
in the Indonesian peninsula. The island in Muslim Indonesia that has
95 per cent of its population of Hindus. We are more Hindus than the
Hindus in India, says the taxi driver who proudly proclaims that he
is a Hindu pointing towards the offering placed on the dashboard.
The Indonesian Government protects our religion assiduously. Most
schools have a Hindu religion teacher who, besides parents and
priests, is the Balinese equivalent of a guru, he says. Agrees Alit
Wiratmaja, a senior executive working in Bali. Art and culture are
strongly bonded to Bali's unique form of Hinduism called Hindu
Darma. Classical dance dramas for example, are based on the old
Hindu epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabarata, but contain an
element of local folklore, perculiar to the island, he says.
Although the Balinese are more exposed to global tourists and
generally speak more English than people in other parts of the
Indonesia they have managed to preserve their culture despite
overwhelming foreign influences brought to the region by tourists.
The Balinese believe Hinduism was brought into Indonesia by Indian
traders about 2000 year ago. Around 400 AD, the Hindu Kingdoms in
Central and East Java had their great influence over Bali, but when
Islam came in, the Hindu Kingdom in Java became less and less
powerful, at that time a large number of priests, noblemen, artists
and their followers escaped to Bali. They blended their belief and
traditions with those of the local people which is inherited by the
present Balinese people. Bali has nearly 20,000 public temples, and
most homes have a family temple. Each celebrates its dedication
anniversary, which is frequent, because the Balinese lunar year
lasts just 210 days. It's hard to miss a temple festival, because
one occurs some where every day. It is this unique culture and deep
faith in religion that helped the Balenese overcome the trauma
caused by the October 2002 explosions in a crowded night club in the
island, say those associated with the tourism industry. As a Hindu
community, the Balinese believe in Karmaphala, the religious law
that any deed will bring automatic results to the doer. The Bali
people organised prayer after prayer not only among the Hindus but
also involving non-Hindus and other ethnic groups. So, the tiny
island was back in business, attracting tourists from world over
again, says Dr.I.G.Pitana, Director of Bali Tourism authority.
Inspite of being predominently Hindu, Bali, however, has not found
favour with Indian tourists, says Dr. Pitana adding that may be it
was failure on part of the tourism industry not to have wooed the
Indian tourists. The Hindu Dharma, the religious belief system of
Bali, governs all activities of the daily life of the Balinese,
working, sleeping, eating, praying, dancing, and all other
activities are part of and governed by the Dharma, says a priest at
a temple. The Balinese thus regularly perform yajnas and religious
ceremonies like Saraswati Puja. There are temples of Brahma, Visnhu
and Shiva. A gigantic statue of Garud Vishnu is currently being
built in Bali. (The Indonesian airline, incidently, is known as
Garuda Airways) One of the temple is of Jagadnatha. Festivals are
held regularly in the islands towns and villages. The Government has
taken all steps to protect the sentiments of the Hindu community.
Sanctum sanctorums of temples are out of bounds for tourists and all
the festivals are held in full participation of the government
machinery
Here is some Self-Dabba <!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was talking at the a local university about 2 weeks ago on Hinduism.. Today, the lady called me up and said that there is an article published on the talk. My name had been mis-spelt <!--emo& --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> but overall, would you say he did not deviate much from what I spoke of <!--emo& --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
The article: http://www.thelasource.com/happy.html
The paper : http://www.thelasource.com/page.html
A Forum on Faith
Scott Neufeld
The course catalogue for SFU's Philosophers' Café program boasts "comfortable surroundings for vibrant street level discussions on burning issues of the day." With such an eye-catching opening line, my interest was more than piqued when I headed down to SFU's Harbour Centre to sit in on the Café's latest lecture series, presented in partnership with the Pacific Interfaith Citizenship Association of BC.
The burning issue of this lecture series - which will smoulder for nine Wednesdays from January 21st to March 17th - is religion. Each night features a different world religion including: Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Native Spirituality and Unitarianism, presented by a community leader of that respective faith. But students are not merely forced to sit and take notes. They are encouraged to interact with the presenters asking questions and discussing points of contention to gain a deeper understanding of the faith being presented.
A class on world religions has never been more timely. The past few years have seen rising insecurity and global unrest as violence flares in different parts of the globe. Increasingly, religions are pitted against one another as radical followers of all creeds seek to spread their marginal views. Misconceptions about other religions then arise, and suspicion and mistrust is the result. The importance of these lectures on religion is that, by getting a better understanding of religions other than our own, we will gain a greater respect and understanding for the people that hold those beliefs. Only through open dialogue between different faiths can we ever hope to achieve peace and justice.
The topic of the lecture this day was Hinduism. Knowing little of Hinduism beyond what I had learned on the Simpsons, I was interested to learn the theory behind well-known Hindu practices such as yoga and meditation as well as their view on other faiths. The lecture was given by Sundur Rajan, a software engineer with a magnetic speaking presence. People had a good laugh when Mr. Rajan admitted that "I have not been angry since 1986."
But once the laughter had ceased, Mr. Rajan explained that, through meditation, he began to understand that attachment to the outside world can lead to pleasure and pain. Rather than control his thoughts he sought to let his mind roam freely in order to achieve peace. Yoga and meditation were the rituals by which he brought himself to higher spiritual experiences, leading to a greater sense of peace. The withering away of attachment in the attainment of peace leads Hindus to a belief that knowledge is eternal, and that truth always exists and is never changing no matter what we believe.
This means that, in Hindu eyes, all religions are equal. This last point may be somewhat difficult to take for some religious people. Religious tolerance is something that we pride ourselves on; however, tolerance is not enough if we want to truly practice interfaith dialogue. It implies that you are allowing something that you do not necessarily approve of. We must show the same respect to people of other religions as we would wish to be shown.
The Hindu concept of religious equality is certainly something that we should strive for. Peace, both within and without, is a goal that is universal to mankind. Certainly all people, whether religious or non-religious, are seeking an end to world conflict.
Forums such as the Philosophers' Café allow us to discuss our religious differences and our commonalities. In order to truly be in peace with one another, we must explore these similarities and differences in an open, non-threatening environment. When people can speak in such an open environment, dynamic discussions ensue on the burning issue of religion and common understandings are reached. Oh, and of course, the chairs are quite comfortable, too.
For more information on this lecture series, please go to:
http://www.sfu.ca/philosopherscafe/courses.pdf
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UN boost for ancient Indian chants
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The vast body of Sanskrit poetry, philosophy and rituals which make up the Vedas is seen by India's religious majority as the ultimate source of knowledge.
Now the United Nations cultural organisation, Unesco, has formally recognised it as part of the world's heritage of oral history.
It says Vedic chanting is an intangible heritage of humanity.
Recognition by Unesco is expected to give a boost to the dwindling number of Vedic centres around India.
Scholars say the Vedic tradition dates back to almost 10,000 years BC, but most historians say 4,000 BC is more realistic.
The Unesco grant is a big boost for this ancient tradition, and it is hoped that more people will now be able to take it up.
It's hoped that more young people can learn about the Vedic tradition
Sudha Gopalakrishnan, from the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, wrote the proposal for Unesco.
"With the help of this recognition people will be more encouraged to take up this profession," she says.
"The proposal consists of a two-year action plan - schools will be opened throughout the country which will concentrate on Vedic chanting and the students will be encouraged to take it up."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-Mudy+Feb 10 2004, 02:13 AM-->QUOTE(Mudy @ Feb 10 2004, 02:13 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--> My Webpage
<b>Hinduism expert to give talk at Stanford</b>
An expert on Hinduism and mythology who co-wrote a <b>new translation of the Kama Sutra </b> <!--emo& --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> will present a lecture and discussion this month at Stanford University.
Wendy Doniger, University of Chicago professor of the history of religions, will discuss ``Self-Imitation in Ancient India, Shakespeare and Hollywood'' in a lecture Feb. 23 and a lecture-discussion Feb. 24. The first will begin at 7 p.m. in Room 190 of the Law School, 559 Nathan Abbott Way. The second will be at 4 p.m. in the Stanford Humanities Center, which is sponsoring the events.
Doniger's courses in Hinduism cover a broad spectrum that, in addition to mythology, considers literature, law, gender and ecology. In their new translation of the Kama Sutra, she and Sudhir Kakar, India's leading psychoanalyst of sex, declare the original English translation, of 1883 by Sir Richard Francis Burton, to be inaccurate in that it downplayed a woman's sexual satisfaction and freedom. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Mudy ,
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Wendy Doniger<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/01rajeev.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Malhotra's point was that Wendy Doniger and her brood both misrepresent Hinduism and insult it, and that they essentially indulge in intellectual terrorism. The responses were quite interesting. One Patrick Hogan (apparently a Wendy's Child) came back with the rash, superficial, patronizing and inane Ten Reasons Why Anyone Who Cares About Hinduism Should Be Grateful To Wendy Doniger. When his arguments were soundly thrashed by lay readers - indeed thoroughly and systematically demolished - Hogan refused to respond.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Folks, for a fixed price of Rs 1,116 to veda samrakshna samithi who will, under the guidance of "salakshan ghanapti K. Paduranga Charya" will recite vedas at your home (in Hyderabad for now).
If interested please contact me and I will send the details, address, phone numbers etc.
Thank you
http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.aspmain_variable=EDITS&file_name=edit3%2Etxt&counter_img=3
<b>The closure of West Bengal</b>
Balbir K Punj
Whenever any religion succeeds, it must have economic value.
Thousands of similar sects will be struggling for power, but only
those who meet the real economic problem will have it.
Swami Vivekananda (Lecture on Gita-I, San Francisco, May 26, 1900)
It took a "Hindu" Alfred Ford just one "disappointment" from West
Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya to act a Semitic. He
decided to give West Bengal with its lack lustre response a miss and
promptly decided to put his Rs 600 crore where it was received with
the enthusiasm it deserved. His Vedic planetarium proposed for West
Bengal will now come up in Orissa, bringing together the best of
both worlds.
Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharya, an uprooted Hindu from former East
Pakistan, is so apologetic of his Hindu connection in Alfred Ford's
Vedic project that he declined him an appointment. Marxists
generally keep away from a project with religious overtones unless
they are madarsas, where they could be generous to the extent of
giving Rs 120 crore in grants. Alfred Ford took it too seriously to
be pacified by a substitute meeting with State's Finance Minister
Asim Dasgupta. In the vicinity of West Bengal, he found Orissa Chief
Minister Naveen Patnaik with no such hang-ups whatsoever, evincing a
deep interest in the project.
Mr Patnaik, educated in France, speaks better French than Oriya, but
neither he nor his State are apologetic for their Hindu identity.
Ford then decided to shift his project from Mayapur to Puri. On
completion, the project would lead to enormous spin off benefits for
the local economy such as improvement in healthcare and education
facilities. The planetarium would come with five-star hotel
facilities in addition to health spa and meditation and cultural
centre. The annual earnings from the project, once functional, are
pegged at Rs 300 crore. The State Government is to get 90 per cent
of this for welfare projects. West Bengal's loss in Orissa's gain!
Alfred Ford, the great grandson of automobile legend Henry Ford, and
senior trustee of Ford Motor Company is an Iskcon-affiliate and
Vedic aficionado. Ford joined Iskcon in 1975 and travelled to India
with founder of the order, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Ford was
instrumental in the establishment of the first Hindu temple in
Hawaii. He also helped establish the Bhaktivedanta Cultural Centre,
a highly rated tourist destination in Detroit, Michigan. In 1978,
Alfred founded Ramayan Arts, Inc., an east Indian arts gallery, and
has been named one of the top collectors in America by Arts and
Antiques magazine. Ford has actively contributed to a number of
charitable enterprises both in US and India. He visits India
frequently. His wife Sharmila Ford hails from Jaipur.
He ruffled the feathers of Russian orthodox church last October by
announcing a $10 million plan to build a huge Hare Krishna temple
and vedic cultural centre in Moscow, which could accommodate up to
8,000 people at a time. It was seen as fulfiling the aspiration of
90,000 Russian Hindus.
He was in Kolkata last February in connection to his pilgrimage to
Mayapur in Nadia district. He had also been contemplating on an
exceptional project in Mayapur, which could lead to the development
of religious tourism in the region. West Bengal stood to benefit
immensely from its realisation, a la Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. His
ambitious project sought to develop Bhagirathi's transport
infrastructure to link Mayapur as the northern head with Gangasagar
in Sunderbans delta as the southern head. It would have an interface
with Sunderbans tourism project currently being developed by the
Sahara group.
Despite Mr Bhattacharya's assurances to resuscitate industry in West
Bengal and running from Mumbai to Milan in hot pursuit of
investment, strikes and lock outs are a common phenomenon in the
State. A few days ago, the famed Gondalpara jute mills in
Chandernagore shut down and joined the league of other such mills
which have been closed since 1970s, in the prized Hooghly river
basin. After losing out to its smaller neighbour Orissa in the field
of software exports, the Marxist Government assigned top priority to
its information technology sector. Orissa's IT industry
paradoxically has an enormous presence of Bengali professionals
migrating out of West Bengal. At least in theory, the West Bengal
Government has kept IT industry strictly outside the periphery of
bandhs that paralyse the life and economy of Kolkata virtually every
other day.
According to a survey by Hewitt Association, the city ranks second
only to Delhi in quality of IT talent. Kolkata's IT industry stood
to vastly benefit from Ford's association. Ford is the co-founder of
RapportNET, LLC (Dearbone, Michigan), an internet-based technology
company which provides communication solutions to high net worth
families, corporate boards, and affinity groups. Though,
Ford's "spiritual Disneyland" is gone for a toss in West Bengal,
Finance Minister Ashim Dasgupta has found his association "worth IT"
in software. Ford admitted that "the government has said it would
provide me all the facilities, including land, if I wanted to set up
such a venture." He has in fact been looking for joint ventures with
several industrial houses.
Marxism, a child of 19th century Europe, has been paranoid of
religion as it represented the institutionalised force of Catholic
church in Europe. In India, on comparison, Hinduism has never been
an institutionalised religion. It has never impeded the secular
functioning of State. The functioning of State and religion have
been on two different levels. It is a pity that the Marxist
Government of West Bengal follows double standards. While it pampers
mushrooming madarsas on Indo-Bangla border, at the same time, it
finds Saraswati Vandana in cultural functions obnoxious and shoots
down Ford's plan on religious grounds. The world comes to India to
savour its spiritual heritage. Spiritual tourism, properly tapped,
can be a significant source of resources.
Could it be a mere coincidence that (West) Bengal lost its position
and prestige in proportion to the extent it negated its Hindu
identity? A resurgent Bengal commanded its paramount image in 19th
century when Gopal Krishna Gokhale observed: "What Bengal thinks
today, India thinks tomorrow!" That was the Bengal of Raja Rammohun
Roy, Bankim Chandra, Vivekananda, Surendra Nath Banerjea, Bipin
Chandra Pal and Aurobindo among others. This Bengal was the cradle
of Hindu nationalism. The rising tide of communism slowly eroded
this image since the 1930s. Marxists who feel shy of associating
with Ford did not feel shy of supporting Jinnah's "Pakistan
Resolution" or "Direct Action". It is an irony that bulk of top-
brass communists in the State are refugees fleeing (East) Pakistan
either as Hindus or communists. In any case, the Pakistani
authorities equated the two when they said that communism was
basically a Hindu movement aimed at breaking up Pakistan.
Even under long spell of Congress rule after independence, Bengal
continued to be the industrial hub of India. After the communist
took over in 1977, factories began to close one by one, education
was politicised, healthcare suffered, film industry became
emaciated, surface transport came to a ramshackle state, while only
bandhs and agitations flourished. Gujarat, in contrast, is deeply
imbued in Hindutva sentiments and a commercial powerhouse. Many
Gujarati entrepreneurs are Calcutta-based for last 100 years. And
many workers left jobless in are absorbed in Gujarat, where labour
unrest is little heard about. Arabs claim a divine relation
between "Oil and Islam". Could there be a feel good relation between
Hindutva and prosperity both at the State and national levels?
Could you kindly post the following announcement to your discussion group?
I am also enclosing it as a file attachment. Thanks.
S.N. Sridhar
Professor of Linguistics and India Studies
Chair, Department of Asian and Asian American Studies
Stony Brook University
N 507 SBS Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794-4243
Telephone: (631) 632-4041 Fax: (631) 632-4098
Email: s.sridhar@s....
Study Abroad Program in Bangalore
SUNY ANNOUNCES FIRST EVER
Study Abroad Program in Bangalore, India
May 24 ââ¬â July 2, 2004
ââ¬ÅUnbeatable opportunity to experience the best of traditional and
contemporary India under expert guidance and at a most reasonable cost
ââ¬âWilliam Arens, Dean, Office of International Programs,
Stony Brook Universityââ¬Â
HIGHLIGHTS
The Center for India Studies, in collaboration with the Office of
International Academic Programs, Stony Brook University, announces a unique
summer Study Abroad program based in Bangalore, India. Earn an entire
semesterââ¬â¢s worth of credits at a cost lower than being on campus, while
taking part in a life-changing experience. Feel the excitement of Indiaââ¬â¢s
traditional cultures at the cross-roads of globalization. Interesting
courses, outstanding faculty from Stony Brook and Bangalore Universities.
Field trips to historic monuments, 1000 year-old temples, wildlife,
villages and graceful cities. Interact with Indian students, creative
artists, intellectuals, social activists, business leaders. Enjoy rich
cultural and social activities, comfortable living and learning
arrangements.
COURSES
Take 4 or 5 courses from the following list (3 credits each):
ä Popular Culture and Social Change in Modern India
ä Indian Art & Architecture
ä Democracy and Pluralism in India
ä Language and Society in Multilingual India
ä Post-colonial Indian Literature (in English & in translation)
ä Independent Study or Internship
EXCURSIONS
Weekend trips to the royal city of Mysore, Ooty (hill station),
Srirangapattana (Tippu Sultanââ¬â¢s capital), Hampi ( site of the 13th to 16th
c. Vijayanagar empire), Belur & Halebid (1000 year old temples), and others
LOCATION
Classes first week will be held at Stony Brook. Next 5 weeks, classes will
be held on the attractive, well-equipped campus of New Horizon College,
affiliated with Bangalore University. Participants will stay in NHCââ¬â¢s
modern residence halls. See for details, www.newhorizonindia.edu
ELIGIBILITY
The program is open to undergraduate students from all over the word. The
credits earned can normally be applied toward graduation. (Check with your
college office.) There is no language requirement. Graduate students and
selected high school seniors may join under a separate arrangement.
COST
The total program cost is $6,100 for New York state residents (and $9,075
for out of state students). The Tuition (up to 15 credits) is $2175 for New
York state residents and $5150 for out of state students. Program fee
(includes room, board, excursions, fees, insurance) is $2725 and round trip
airfare, based on group rate, is $1,210. Payment of the airfare is due upon
acceptance, and balance of the cost is due by April 15.
FINANCIAL AID
Four scholarships of $1,000 each have been donated by the Center for India
Studies at Stony Brook specifically for students going to India on this
program.
DUE DATE
Applications are due April 2, 2004. Early application is encouraged.
Applicants received after the due date will be considered if space is
available.
ACADEMIC DIRECTORS
The program will be directed by Professors S.N. Sridhar and Meena Sridhar
former and current Directors, respectively, of the Center for India
Studies, Stony Brook University, who will also be traveling to and teaching
courses with the students. They may be reached at (631) 632-9742 or via
e-mail at s.sridhar@s.... Details of the program may be found at
the Centerââ¬â¢s website, www.sunysb.edu/india
INFORMATION: For a colorful brochure with all the details, contact Ms.
Deborah DiFranco, Program Administrator, India Program, Center for India
Studies, Stony Brook University, East 5350, Melville Library, Stony Brook,
NY 11794-3386 ddifranco@n...
HOW TO APPLY: Contact
Ms. Lucinda Acquaye, International Academic Programs, E 5340, Melville
Library
Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3397 Tel: (631) 632-7030
E-mail: studyabroad@s...
Website: www.sunysb.edu/studyabroad
America's Not Hindu Enough
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articl...000,curpg-1.cms
INDIA, March 18, 2004: Chris Satullo, a columnist with the Philadelphia Inquirer, believes a lot of problems facing the U.S. economy will be over if Americans learn to be Hindu. And he seriously states his case in this very unusual editorial for a major US newspaper.
Satullo thinks the current crop of politicians in the United States think much like the way the Christian doctrine tries to look at the world: good/evil, white hat/black hat. So they tend to blame the current ills faced by the American economy--job losses, lack of new jobs--on free-market capitalism. which means free-market capitalism is bad, says this review of Mr Satullo's recent editorial. What the country, and its politicians, need now is more of Hindu monistic philosophy, Satullo says. His argument is that Hindu philosophy does not try to paint the world into polar opposites. Instead, it tries to look at the unity underlying those dualities. So, Satullo points to Siva being both the creator and the destroyer. "Siva embodies a central paradox of life. To create the new, you must destroy the old. To create fire, you must destroy wood. To make oil, animals must die. For the automobile to prevail, blacksmiths must suffer. For Bill Gates to rise, the typewriter repairman must fall," says Satullo. Free-market capitalism, according to Satullo, is like Siva. It creates and destroys. But it is not a zero-sum game either. As free-market
capitalism does its Tandava dance, it leaves behind more wealth and more health for more people. And also much suffering, injustice, inequality, and corruption, much strain on families and on nature. In other words, according to Satullo, free-market capitalism is Siva. It is neither all good nor all bad; it is what it is, at once creative and destructive.
So, President Bush's rigid mind thinks in black and white. "He worships capitalism, no, make that the corporate perverters of it who fund his ambitions. He has one answer to every economic situation: tax cuts. Not only isn't he much of a Hindu; he needs work on the Christian thing too," says Satullo. The Democratic challenger to Bush, John Kerry is worse. He (and other Democrats) harp on "protectionism, mindless business-bashing that ignores the value of entrepreneurship, the use of public dollars to make bad bets on losing industries," he adds. "I'm looking for a sign, for someone who knows how to dance with Siva," Satullo concludes.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/sp.../sunday_review/
8179381.htm.
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