03-22-2006, 06:55 AM
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Hindutva
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03-23-2006, 01:28 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Search for Hindu Agenda </b>--By Subramanian SwamyÂ
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 26, 2006 Search for Hindu Agenda By Subramanian Swamy A virile Hindu Agenda must have two components: [1] What Hindus should believe in and do, to qualify to be a good Hindu; [2] What Hindus, being the overwhelming majority of the nation's population, should be obliged to do for the religious minorities and what Hindus have a right to expect from them in the national interest. At present, most Hindus think that if they go to temples, sing bhajans, and participate in festivals, they become good Hindus. While that is necessary, it is, however, not sufficient in the present historical context to be a good Hindu. At present, <b>Hinduism is under siege from foreign religious forces and is suffering from apathy of Hindus at home.</b> Moreover, just because Hindu religion says 'Sarva Dharma Samabhaav', we as Hindus cannot treat all religions as equal and let preachers and missionaries of other religions do what they like in the country. In fact all religions are not equal. Till 1000 years ago the Hindu religion was the most humane religion, with practical prescriptions on how to lead a peaceful life, stress free and regarded other religions as alternative, even if more obscure, paths to God. It had a magnificent record of human rights in receiving from abroad those persecuted in their own countries and giving them full freedom to practice their religious beliefs here. No other religion has had such a track record of practising 'Vasudeva Kutumbakkam'. Hence, Hinduism can not be equated to other religions. Of course, due to subsequent degeneration and treacherous foreign invasions, the Hindu religion developed certain retrograde practices, most pernicious being linking the caste of a person to his birth antecedents. Nowhere in our holy scriptures is this linkage mentioned. In Uttara Gita, Krishna Bhagwan specifically states that caste has no connection with birth but to gunas [attributes]. The idea of varna vyavastha was not a hegemonist order but for decentralising the sources of power in a society. These sources were identified as knowledge, the state, commerce, and land. Whoever made a life using any one of these sources of power then acquired that caste, viz., designated as Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Shudra respectively. To ensure that there is no concentration of power, nobody could have more than one caste. If a person committed any heinous crime, then that person was ostracised. That person's children were not automatically ostracised if they were not in the same mould. For example, Valmiki was born to an ostracised parent, but Goddess Saraswati herself taught him mantras and gave him vidya. He then became a rishi and wrote the Ramayana. Veda Vyasa was similiarly born to a shudra fisherwoman. But as a rishi he wrote the Mahabharata. Same is true of our greatest poet Kalidasa born to a vanavasi, but circumstances enabled him to be accepted as a scholar. Vishwamitra was born in a Kshatriya family and became the rishi of rishis. On the other hand, Ravana was recognised as a scholarly Brahmin having done tapasya in Kailash and received boons directly from Lord Shiva. But he lost it all due to his torment of an innocent lady, Sita. In the great debate between two rishis, Bhrigu and Bhardwaja, this conception of castes as having nothing to do with birth was made amply clear. But the British imperialists and later their Oxbridge educated Indian stooge historiansâ mostly professors in JNU in Delhiâtwisted all this and linked it to the completely bogus Aryan-Dravidian race divide concoction to generate caste hatred, and subsequently to Marxist class struggle to please their new bosses, the KGB. Hence, Hindu religion is not equal to other religions but in fact better structured for pursuit of happiness through devotion. Because of it's commonwealth character of having no one God but manifested in many, not one Mecca or Church but temples galore, nor just one book of scripture but a feast of rich religious texts, Hinduism is the most democratic and tolerant religion. It is distinguished from other religions in that it charts a way of discipline for everyone, virtuous or past sinner, to have God's darshan in this life. In Islam and In Uttara Gita, Krishna Bhagwan specifically states that caste has no connection with birth but to gunas [attributes]. The idea of varna vyavastha was not a hegemonist order but for decentralising the sources of power in a society. Christianity, one can meet God only after death. I am writing all this to say that when we say "Garv se bolo ham Hindu Hain" it is not because we are proud to be born Hindu but because Hinduism is the world's most well structured and practical theology, besides being the oldest and continuing religion. Those who want to know how practical it is, need only to read Chapter 12 of the Bhagavat Gita for a synopsis on how to be near and dear to God for anyone, high or low. Hence Hindus must believe that while we respect all other religions as equally capable of leading to God, even if not as sensibly, nevertheless it is the duty of a Hindu to propagate Hinduism, defend it collectively, and organise for it. Because of Hinduism's contemporary relevance, we should see that Hindus remain not less than 85 percent of the population. Hindu religion is not safe if it is in a minority as the experience in Kashmir, Bangladesh and Pakistan has proved to us. Hence, we should stoutly oppose religious conversion of Hindus to other faiths. Such conversions are bound to be on inducements or by a confidence trick of the missionary. <b>We should, therefore, not be spectators as we were when the Kanchi Mutt Shankaracharya was dragged as a common criminal to prison on a cooked up case or the Pakistani-Bangladeshi conspiracy to damage temples and kill innocent people in Varanasi. </b>Since the Indian Airlines plane hijack to Kandhahar in December 1999, the terrorists have become more audacious as we have tried to quietly suffer their atrocities or capitulated to their demands. Now to be a good Hindu one should stand up and say "Thus far, but no more !" Those who lack the spine or the stomach to say so, should be asked to get out of the way. We need today a virat Hindu samaj, and not a collection of selfish bhajan mandalis claiming to be Hindus petitioning God to give them some goodies. One Hindu lion is better than ten thousand Hindu goats. Either Hindus must learn to hunt when attacked, or be hunted and consumed. So, what should a good Hindu believe in ? <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>In my view such a Hindu should hold that: [1] India is an ancient land of the Hindus with the longest unbroken civilisation; Every Hindu must, therefore, debunk and reject the Aryan-Dravidian race migration theory; [2] A Hindu should retaliate in hot pursuit of aggressors when his religious symbols and his country are attacked, and a good Hindu would prefer to lose everything than submit to tyranny or blackmail, or be afraid of risking nuclear war when the nation's integrity is at stake; [3] A Hindu must repudiate the birth-based concept of caste system and seek Hindu consolidation by recognising no other social categorisation except by educational attainment; [4] A Hindu must strive to communicate with other Hindus in Hindi with a Sanskrit vocabulary, and keep Sanskritising Hindi till it becomes Sanskrit; [5] A Hindu will resolutely oppose collective or group conversion of Hindus to other religious faiths by demanding a comprehensive legislation to ban such conversions, while the same time being ever ready to welcome back to the Hindu fold any Muslim or Christian by conversion without allowing the caste factor to be an obstacle in their assimilation. </span> Such a good Hindu has an obligation to defend religious minorities but only if the obligation bilateral. When the Kanchi Mutt Shankaracharyas were arrested on a false case, not one Christian or Muslim organisation condemned it even though the Supreme Court described the foisted cases as "without prima facie merit". Why do Christian and Muslim feel this disconnect with the travails of the Hindu community? This disconnect has enraged the Hindus who feel that secularism is a one-way traffic of Hindu largesse to minorities, with no reverse obligations. This needs to be corrected by creating an environment in the country in which Hindus and other minorities feel that they are joint legatees of the Hindu civilisation. This can be achieved if Muslims and Christians accept that their ancestors are Hindus and cherish this legacy. If they do, and I believe the silent majority amongst them do, then India will become a family of Hindus and those whose ancestors are Hindus. India can then justifiably be called Hindustan. In such a Hindustan, there will be no majority and minority but only rich and poor, privileged and deprived, and educated and illiterate. Difference in religion need not mean a difference in culture. That is the Hindustani mindset, a sixth requirement of a good Hindu. Thus, a Hindu agenda aims at building a national outlook in which Hindus and minorities accept that they are from a common lineage and equal partners, and thus have a equal responsibility to fight and sacrifice for the Hindu heritage. All six items of the Agenda would then apply not only Hindus but on the minorities as well. http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.p...pid=123&page=14 <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
05-11-2006, 02:07 AM
Today's Hindustan Times article by a Bangalore based Muslim:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1694160,0093.htm RSS, a beacon of humanity <i><b>Shaik Mahaboob</b></i> <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->In a pluralistic society like India with various religious, cultural and ethnic groups inhabiting the country from time immemorial, the RSS stands for unity and integrity of India. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak is a social organisation which is engaged in social welfare activities, irrespective of caste, creed and culture. The landmass of Bharat when viewed from a spaceship of an aircraft represents a landmass in the shape of a mother, the female element or shakti that permeates the entire world. Without shakti or the female element, there is no life on earth. The RSS represents Mother India, Bharat. The sprit and ethos pervades the entire world. In this regard the RSS which is looked down as communal force is the misconception by the advisories of India. The RSS is not only a regional force but represents the entire humanity. <span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>The social welfare activities by the organisation is illustrated in one of the many examples and a case in point is Charkhi-Dadri air tragedy, where an aircraft carrying all Muslim passengers perished in the said disaster and the persons performed the obsequies of the dead were none other than the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak workers. The RSS went out and sought the maulvies and mullas and took every care to see that the dead bodies burnt beyond recognition buried as per the rituals of Islam.</span> What is interesting in this case that though there were Muslim organisation in the place of disaster at that time, it was the RSS reached the spot first and took all necessary steps to recover the bodies from the wreckage. Celebrating the human services of RSS, Al-Riyadh, an Arabic newspaper from the Riyadh, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia quoted, "Uptil now we were under the impression that RSS is a communal, anti- Muslim organisation. Now, we feel this view was totally wrong." The tragedy of Machu reservoir embankments, wherein due to the breakdown of Machu reservoir thousands of people left homeless reminds of another heart appealing case. <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Many of them were Muslims and it is pertinent to note that the calamity occurred during the month of Ramadhan fasting. The dedicated cadres of RSS took care to organise their food for Sehari and Ifthar and provided all facilities for namaz (prayer) keeping in mind the holy month of Ramadhan.</span> As stated earlier, the RSS is a cultural and social organisation that stands for high ideals laid down in the ancient text of Vedas which preaches "Sarvadharma Sambhavana", meaning equality of all religions and equal respect to all religions. The RSS is not anti-Muslim or anti-Christian or anti any religion. The RSS stands out in society to protect the dignity and decorum of every single individual in India. It stands for the Indianness of Indians teaming millions whether they are Muslims, Sikhs or Christians or any other segment of the society. What the RSS preaches is that they shall all join the mainstream of Indian society as one voice and one people representing the cultural and spiritual fabric of Bharat. In this regard RSS stands as a beacon of light for all segments of the society to protect Mother India and the values on which the edifice and the spiritual and cultural traditions of India is to be upheld at any cost. In this context the RSS calls upon all the groups irrespective of caste, creed and culture to come together and uphold the ancient traditions and cultures of India which date backs to 5,000 years ago. Just like a mother who cares for her children deeply and affectionately even though her children may misbehave or mistreat her. The RSS is an organisation which is blended with aesthetic love and affection for Bharat mata and its citizens who have been swayed by the western culture and obviously, which is against the culture and traditions of this great country. It is very pertinent to mention here that whenever there is an outburst of any communal violence or tensions in Indian society, it is squarely blamed on the RSS. The RSS is a highly disciplined force that believes in complete truth and sacrifice to protect the integrity of India. Such a disciplined force never indulges in communal violence to create chaos and confusion with an intent to disrupt the society. The integrity and transparency of the RSS is seen in its conduct in not entering the political arena. It is interested in the rapid progress and development of Indian society as a whole and in particular for the weaker sections of the society. The RSS man is a silent worker dedicated to the programme and overall development of Bharat and in this regard the RSS sevaks will leave no stone unturned till the goal is reached.                       Jai Hind! <i><b>Our surfer Shaik Mahaboob is a Bangalore-based advocate and the former State General Secretary, BJP Minority Morcha, Karnataka. He can be reached at shaik_mahaboob2003@yahoo.com.</b></i> <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
05-11-2006, 07:27 AM
Viren you forgot to put the concluding line from the article..
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Dislaimer All views and opinions presented in this article are solely those of the surfer and do not necessarily represent those of HindustanTimes.com.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> When I read the article and saw that the link was from HT I was wondering what the heck is happening with HT .. 
05-16-2006, 03:35 AM
Hinduism has hidden stability: Gurumurthy
2006-05-02 Published by newindpress.com Gathered by Internet Desk - Hindunet SHIMOGA: India will emerge as a message giver to the world, said columnist and political analyst S Gurumurthy, Chennai. He was speaking after inaugurating the one-day seminar on âHindutwa - Vishalathe, Vaignanikate, Prastutate (universal, scientific, relevance) organised at Kuvempu University level, at IMA Hall here on Monday. The programme was held to commemorate the birth centenary of Guruji. If people in the country stop pulling each other down from being established, India will turn to be a hope giver to the world, he said. Indians should know more about the methodologies mentioned in Indian context, he suggested. He regretted that people were raising their voice against methodologies due to ignorance about values. According to him, India is an antiquated nation. ââWe have society, nation, culture, religion which has antiquity. Hence, we stun the world as we are living continuously. It has inbuilt capacity, hidden stability, durability which are inaccessible in other civilisations,ââ he said. The Western intellectualism has occupied space in India. <b> The secular intellectualism in West is to oppose Church, which follows a monolithic religion with the Pope as head. But in India, religion is not organised. Yet, influenced by western intellectualism, people here are opposing Hinduism.</b> Each religion lays down rules for its followers. But, monolithic religions lay rules for other religions too. The global agenda developed by them has been creating clash at national level.He said even current western thinkers were mentioning about greatness of India in their writings. They are astonished by the way the nation stands united with such several different religions, views and thoughts. It is a country where thousands of gods exist together with harmony, he opined. RSS: It is an evolutionary process that both society and organisation should influence each other. If not, organisation will become outdated, Gurumurthy opined. Nothing comes into the world without any purpose and does not stay after the purpose is completed. RSS is an organisation with defined purpose. Guruji had tirelessly endeavored to establish RSS, an organisation working for self-improvement. His views might not be relevant to his contemporaries. He had a long term perspective. He thought more about what would happen to society after him. Many great critics, who disagreed his ideas and expressions when he was alive, called him a saint after his death. Chairman of Karnataka Anuvada Academy Dr Pradan Gurudatt, Mysore presided over the programme. Programme convener Dr D M Basavaraj, businessman D H Subbanna were present. Quoting an incident of his life, Gurumurthy said that people used to offer coconut and plantains to Ellia Kali (Goddess who is placed to protect the village) in the morning. Another sect of people in the village used to offer non-vegetarian food to her in the evening. And, she accepted both. It is the society, people and devotees who have transformed the God according to their taste, dressing style, attitude etc. <b> Quoting incidents mentioned in history book of Parsis, he said about 300 families had come to Surat and requested King to help and protect them. Agreeing to which King sanctioned all their wishes and asked them what will they pay back. To this the head of the Parsi brought a cup of milk and mixed sugar and said ââAs you can not find separate identity of sugar in the milk, we too do not have separate identity other than you.ââ From then till now they have become part of India.</b> Jews who settled in India had said that 107 out of 108 countries in the world had butchered, killed and destroyed Jews. India alone welcomed Jews into their country.
05-16-2006, 03:40 AM
Indian elixir for the world as 'saffron evil' in India
Sunday April 16 2006 00:13 IST S Gurumurthy Does monotheism -- belief in a single, omniscient God - impede globalism? If it does what other kind of religion or God will be compatible with globalism? Here is likely an interesting debate. For over a decade the world has been debating about clashes among civilisations powered by religions. Samuel Huntington triggered this debate in the year 1993 foreseeing clashes emerging between orthodox Islam and modern West. For many in the West the Islamist attack on the World Trade Centre was validation of Huntington eight years later. The West viewed 'illiberal' Islam as incompatible with 'liberal' West. And this incompatibility was seen as the source of the emerging civilisational clashes. Since the 9/11 terror, this debate, premised on Islam as the bad boy and the West as its victim has dominated the world, particularly the West. But this debate now seems to be moving up, logically, to another level. Slowly some in the West seem to feel that the debate should not be limited to merely examining the clash between the 'liberal' West and the 'illiberal' Islam. Says Jean-Pierre Lehmann, the advisor to Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi, the previous head of the World Trade Organisation, that organised, monotheistic religions as a class - that is not just Islam but also Christianity - are incompatible with globalism. Presently Professor of International Political Economy at the International Institute of Management Development in Switzerland, Lehmann heads the Evan Group, a global think-tank composed of government, industry and opinion leaders from Asia, Europe and the US. Asserting that there is link between monotheistic religions and violence and intolerance, Lehmann points out that 'monotheistic religions have caused so much turmoil throughout history - and continue to do so even now'. He sees 'a new global ethical and spiritual model' as today's need. He sees - what will shock, even shame, the seculars here at home - India as the best candidate to supply that model to the world! In a provocative article in 'the Globalist', a daily on-line magazine, he makes some profound points on globalisation and religions. He says that both Christianity and Islam, the fountainhead of monotheism, have been hijacked by fundamentalists. He argues that for progress of human civilisation all organised religions have to be eradicated by persuasive secular humanism, but admits that people cannot live without God or religions. His suggestion is 'rather than eradicating religion per se, 'we should instead eradicate monotheistic religion in favour of polytheistic religion'. Why prefer polytheism - the worship of many Gods - over monotheism? He answers: 'If you have only one god, and you believe that god is all powerful and omniscient and you come across someone who does not agree, then you may feel it is your duty to kill him. If, on the other hand, you believe there are hundreds, indeed thousands of Gods, and that none can be totally almighty or omniscient, then you are likely to be far more tolerant'. Precisely for this, Lehmann looks to the only surviving polytheistic society in India as the hope for the world. For him India because of 'its remarkable ability to have managed multiculturalism to such a brilliant extent' is a living illustration of how globalisation can work. What has made this possible is obvious. Hindus have millions of Gods to worship. Divergent Gods are inadequate rather than wrong or objectionable. Hindu Gods are related by marriage and other relations. Such vast range of inter-related Gods to worship itself has ruled out clashes among the followers in the name of the only God without a second. Lehmann admits that 'India is not a Utopia' and has its own problems of inequality part of which, he says, is sanctioned by religion. Yet asserts that the 'global environment is desperate for ideas, philosophy and religion'. 'India is the most prolific birthplace of all three' due to 'the great synergy of democracy and diversity' and greater degree of 'self-confidence' in Indians now'. He adds 'Indians and members of the enormous Indian Diaspora are thought leaders in economics, business, philosophy, political science, religion and literature'. He asserts that 'the Indian religious and philosophical traditions can provide' the 'sense of moral order, spirituality and an ethical compass' which the world desperately needs. Recalling his conversation with an Indian religious guru Lehmann says, 'I could adhere to his religious tenets' and still 'maintain my secular convictions', which, he says, 'no imam or priest would allow'. For him Indian philosophic traditions are secularism-compatible and monotheism is not. Lehmann asserts that the planet needs an alternative geographical force to the American Christian fundamentalist thinking that drives the Bush establishment. Who could be that alternative? Europe being 'spent force' and China 'dictatorship', he rules them out as alternatives. He disqualifies the Islamic world as it is going through, putting it mildly, an 'awkward moment'. That is how he zeroes in on 'the important role India must play both because of its innate qualities and also because there no other serious contender'. He hopes that 'the 21st century better becomes the century inspired by the virtues of Indian polytheism'. Else, he warns, 'We are headed for disaster'. This is precisely what Arnold Toynbee, the famous historian, said decades back. But, ironically, as Lehmann looks to Indian polytheism to save the world, the 'seculars' here condemn it as 'saffron poison'. Thus what according to Lehmann is the elixir for the survival of the world is evil for India and the world according to our seculars! How positive he is and how perverse they are. Comment: gurumurthy@epmltd.com
05-17-2006, 09:22 PM
<!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo--> Vedic Foundation Summer Internship 2006
The Vedic Foundation is committed to spearheading a sustained campaign to establish accurate and respectful teachings of Hinduism and Indian history in U.S. classrooms, to reclaim the authentic history of India, to empower Hindus with the knowledge of their spiritual and cultural legacy and to highlight Indias contributions to the world. The foundation is seeking Hindu students who are: * highly motivated * creative thinkers * research oriented * proficient on internet Qualified applicants will be age 16 or older and take part in an 8 week internship. Interns will work from home and must have computer and internet access. Austin based interns are invited to work at the Vedic Foundation office. Mentors will guide the interns work throughout the internship. Interns will spend 20 hours per week for 8 weeks on their project assignments. Projects include research on diverse topics related to Hindu dharm, development of Power Point presentations, production of educational materials and participation in a media study. This internship will offer students an exciting opportunity to take an active role in creating a positive image of Hinduism in the U.S. and correcting misconceptions about Hinduism in the educational system. Please open the link to print the application form. <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=plzqpvbab.0.qztqpvbab.rwyyz8n6.4856&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thevedicfoundation.org%2Fupload1%2Fvf.intern.application.pdf>http://www.thevedicfoundation .org/upload1/vf.intern.application.pdf For further information contact: Shekhar Sinha, Intern Coordinator shekhar@thevedicfoundation.org (405) 826-8475
05-18-2006, 12:00 AM
Untouchability not Hinduism - âAshok Singhal
2006-05-17 Published by Hindunet Gathered by Internet Desk - Hindunet The Manu Smriti or the Yagyavalkya Smriti has no connection with Adi Manu or the Sage Yagyavalkya. The Smritis were written during the reign of Pushyamitra about 2200 years ago. There is no reference of such Smritis in the Mahabharata also,â said Shri Ashok Singhal, VHP president in a statement issued in New Delhi recently. He said, âThere are two portions in the SmritisâYama and Niyama. Yama consists of eternal values while the Niyamas were the periodic governing laws or codes of conduct meant for running the affairs of the state of the then kings. There are more than 300 Smritis. They have little to do with the eternal values of dharma. These have been responsible for gross discrimination that is alien to our concept of ekaatmataa (integralism) that is expounded in our ancient scripturesâthe Shrutis (the four Vedasâthe eternal revealed scriptures) and the Upanishads.â Shri Singhal said that the caste untouchability never existed in Hindu society. âIt is the creation of the Muslim rule. Because those who fought and refused to embarace Islam were punished for their commitment to their indigenous ethos and thrown out of the society as untouchables. These heroic people are enlisted as Scheduled Castes. We must differentiate between the Scheduled Castes and the shudras. Shudras were held with respect before the advent of the Smritis and the Scheduled Castes are of recent origin created during the Muslim rule,â he added. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad totally rejects the Manu Smriti as it has no place in a civilised society. The Dharma Sansad and the Margadarshak Mandal of VHP have totally rejected the caste untouchability. They have decided to give Mantra Deeksha without any discrimination. He said in the Vedas, there is no discrimination amongst the four Varnas. All are considered genius and masterminds in their own fields and all looked upon one another with respect. Recitation of the Vedic mantras in daily life was practiced by the entire society irrespective of Varnas.
05-22-2006, 05:37 AM
Going to be merged with existing Hindutva thread. Please continue in that thread.
05-22-2006, 06:05 AM
<P>Op-ed pieces on three different topics got Offstumped thinking resulting in what Offstumped calls âFlat World Hindutvaâ.</P>
<P>First a quick run-down on what got Offstumped thinking along these lines.</P> <P>1. The Pope Issue</P> Quote:<P>To begin with you had this issue with the Pope and anti-conversion and swathe of news articles where along predictable lines the BJP condemns it, the secularists keep silent, the Government toes a diplomatic path and the Left of Center media as usual comes up with please all editorials that slams the right, cautions the Pope and pretty much advocates status quo. The renewed focus on India from Vatican and Christian evnagelicals is easy to explain. The crisis of faith in the Western world with the sex abuse scandals, same sex marriages and general apathy towards religion is turning the focus on to Latin America, Asia and Africa. The 2 billion chinese religious market is not exactly open to the organized church as can be seen with the jockeying between Vatican and Beijing on appointment of Bishops. So that leaves the 1 billion Indian Market which allows open access iwith 100% foreign investment guaranteed within a secular regulatory environment for the Church to actively market its product to. So what should be the response of the Right to this market invasion ?</P><P>2. The Heir apparent</P> Quote:<P>Then came further evidence of the concerted media campaign to get on the âSuck up to Rahulâ bandwagon with this rather mediocre op-ed piece from Minhaz Merchant in the DNA http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsI...9&catid=19 who seems to be in hurry to not just talk about if and when Rahul Gandhi will lead the Congress, but to start opining on what kind of a Prime Minister he will make. So once again clearly the left of center media caught in a dog eat dog game of competition is going all out to fuel the personality cult to its own advantage. This was clearly in evidence through out the recent election news analysis on the 24x7 news channels with their cliched cricketing analogies and outdoing each other on who was the Man of the Match. Then comes the silly Opinion Poll by NDTV where they talked to 4000 people across 15 states and concluded that a majority of Indians want Rahul in the Cabinet. As absurd as that sounds you have this opinion poll covered by the print media in the monday editions. So now we have the media already setting up a telegenic Rahul with also have beens in the BJP. So what should be the response of the Right to this crowning of the heir apparent ?</P><P dir=ltr>3. Party of Differences</P> Quote:<P dir=ltr>Then comes almost as if Sonia's spin meisters are working in concert, this op-ed piece in the Hindustan Times by Pankaj Vora playing up on the confusion within the BJP, the Marandi episode, the parting of ways with Uma Bharathi, the so-called ineffectiveness of Rajnath Singh, the alleged differences with the RSS and the general state of incoherence. </P><P dir=ltr>So what hope does the Right of Center Political Agenda have, what big ideas or vision can inspire the Right of Center Movement.</P> <P dir=ltr>Offstumped's answer to this what Offstumped calls - Flat World Hindutva.</P> <P dir=ltr>So what is Flat World Hindutva ?</P> <P dir=ltr>To understand Flat World Hindutva let us examine the success of Infosys. </P> <UL dir=ltr> [*] Infosys interestingly enough was formed around the same time as the BJP was formed, celebrating silver jubilees a year apart. <LI> Infosys was not born out of any business house or traditional business family <LI> Not losing faith or hope Infosys persevered through the 80s like the BJP <LI> Infosys' meteoric rise to the forefront on the global landscape parallels the rise of the BJP on the political front <LI> As we enter the new millennium a new global reality confronts Infosys <LI> A Globalized World, open markets and competitition from global majors <LI> So what was Infosys response to the challenges thrown by the new millennium <LI> Infosys did not hanker down with calls for protectionist laws to prevent global majors from competing with it from India <LI> Infosys did not sell-out and merge itself with a bigger player wary of competing with the big boys <LI> Nor did Infosys put all its faith in its mascot Mr. Murthy to take it through this challenging phase <LI> In fact Infosys actually demonstrated its confidence that there is no dearth of talent amongst its ranks and put in place a leadership system where the young are groomed to succeed as the elders move on. <LI> Today Infosys is the leader in showing the world how to compete and win in a Flat World.</UL> <P>So what lessons can the Right of Center Movement draw from the Infosys experience whose success almost parallels its up until recently </P> <P>What should Flat World Hindutva come to mean ?</P> <P>Flat World Hindutva </P>
<P>Flat World Hindutva will not fear dynastic politics but will offer a much more vibrant and diverse alternative with a Million Choices all rising from the grassroots.</P> <P>Offstumped Bottomline: The mainstream media is missing the big picture as it goes overboard in predicting the doom of the BJP and the crowning of the heir apparent. Political India is no longer the homogenous entity it was. The biggest misread of the 2004 General Elections was the BJP's assumption that a national theme and projection of a personality would win it the election. The UPA and its minions in the left of center media with their silly opinion polls are making the same mistake. We no longer have a National Election on National Issues. We have 545 mini-elections the sum total of which is what will determine who wins in 2009. So success of the UPA or failure of the BJP will not depend on whether Rahul Gandhi is projected or if Arun Jaitley is pitted against him, but it will depend on what Raman Singh does in Chattisgarh, what KCR does in Telangana or Arjun Munda in Jharkhand. This is the political reality of India. </P> <P>So all is not lost for the Right as the Media would have us believe. </P> <P>But the Right must re-invent itself with new ideas and new vision for an emerging Flat World, Infosys style.</P>
05-22-2006, 07:27 AM
In a social context, globalized implies, delinking (human) identity & national identity; also implies nation-state paradigm being broken; hence anyone with global ambitions use "globalized" word in social context.
I think you mean to say Transnational Indians or Hindus; then again, how many of transnational hindus are in India and are in this model you are proposing?
05-22-2006, 07:41 AM
Ram - Let me explain, this is neither about delinking invidual and national identity nor is it about Transnational Indians. This is about being competitive and winning in the 21st century at the individual, the national level and at the philosophical level. It is about what Governance Model and Socio-Religious Philosophy will ensure this for Indians in General from a Governance standpoint and Hindus and Hinduism from a Philopsophy and Way of Life Standpoint. You are right in saying Globalization tends to break down the Nation State which is precisely why you need to reinvent yourself to be competitive and to ultimately win both at home and across the world.
05-24-2006, 06:31 AM
Yossarin, I don't quite follow your train of thought. Since you started with Business model & Globalization framework, I will post my understanding of the same and perhaps we can discuss how Flat world Hindutva jibes with it.
To start off, there is no doubt that all the elements you mention have to be addressed for what they are, and not for how we wish them to be. There is a need for such multidisciplinary analysis & approach to the problems, the result of such synthesis ought to produce a conducive environment for all the things you are proposing. Globalization used to be study of socio-economic consequences of increasing population, decreasing natural resources, rapid technological advances etc. Then the agitation due to the monetary and trade policies' consequences due to the globalization. Setting aside the popular notion of globalization, for the sake of discussion, let's say it is made of two parts - first is globalization which is the natural consequence of global development, and the second as globalism - the attempt to gloabalize with ideological, cultural, religious, socio-economic systems, by attaching it to, or associating with, the demance and consequences of the former (globalization). To understand the globalism one must seriously unlearn and relearn impact of imperialism, capitalism, socialism etc etc. Anyway, when the gloablism spreads, each party, wedges itself into another layer (in between), let's call it an interpretive layer - This is where all the professional academics, internationalists, social activists, Church members, Ummah wallahs, NGOs, etc currently reside - sadly. It is also this layer that most of the Indians and Hindus derive their current knowledge from. Now, if you agree that this is how things are, could you re-explain your work? or refine the above model and I will update my framework to follow what you are proposing. For example: <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->why you need to reinvent yourself to be competitive and to ultimately win both at home and across the world. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> It is just a statement, but it is not helping me, how to reinvent myself in the state we find ourselves in, per the above simplfied model. I hope you can appreciate my troule in translating statements into clear course of action. I am dense, what can I say <!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> Thanks! <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->
05-25-2006, 06:59 AM
Let me try <!--emo&
 --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> Let me first begin by explaining what we mean by Flat World Forces or Forces of Globalization as they relate to the concept of a Flat World. These are forces which have rendered Geography and Distance as irrelevant and have enabled Access to Markets, Information and Resources anywhere in the world possible. The effect of this twin combination is that a no-name company called Infosys based in India is able to compete and win against an established incumbent in the USA. Now the same forces operate in the reverse direction to the aid of a Multi-National or a Missionary in India competing against native businesses or native religions and win because they have better access to Markets, resources and information. In a world which is going to be increasingly influenced by these forces one must adapt to leverage these forces to one's advantage and to not be rendered irrelevant by these changes. Now Infosys which was benefiting from the effect of flat-world forces in acquiring competitive advantage from its foreign competitors could have lobbied with the Indian Government for Protectionist Laws that prevent its foreign competitors from setting up shop in India and thus eliminating the home ground advantage it had. But Infosys did not, it instead to take the challenge in stride and decided to focus on how to continously innovate and re-invent itself to further take advantage of the flat-world forces in order to continue to win against foreign competitors in the USA while not being unduly worried about their setting up base in India. So there is a lesson here to be borrowed by the Indian Right. That lesson is that Politcal, Socio-Cultural Philosophy of the Indian Right will be challenged by these very same forces in multiple ways bringing into question the relevance of this philosophy as it manifests in Public Policy/Governance and Socio-Cultural Movements/Institutions. So the question is Hindutva in its current form that Philosophy that can manifest itself in the most relevant manner - in Public Policy/Governance so that its adherents are equipped with right economic and security environment so that they can effectively live, compete and win in the face of Flat World Forces. - in Socio-Cultural situations so that its adherents continue to draw inspiration, direction and their moral compass of right and wrong to thrive and prosper in a world dominated by flat world forces and dont lose faith in it and abandon it in favor of other socio-cultures ways of life or theologies which have been more effective in leveraging the flat world forces to their advantage Hence the need for a critical look and re-invention of the underlying philosophy and how it manifests itself in Public Policy and Governance as well as in Socio-Cutural issues. HINDUTVA IN PUBLIC POLICY AND GOVERNANCE To date the manifestation of Hindutva in the sphere of Public Policy and Governance has been primarily to right the wrongs of the past century and to the extent it has been a philosophy that emerged from a position of weakness, seeking a position of strength. That perhaps was essential in the context of the Political Environment of the last century. This century is different. The mood in the country is different. The mood is no longer about wrongs of the past. The mood is about the future and the boundless opportunities of the future as demonstrated by the phenomenal success of Indian Enterprise and Indian Knowledge Capital. So the political manifestation of Hindutva is out of sync with the mood of the nation. Rather than INSPIRE AND INSTILL CONFIDENCE AND FURTHER THE CAUSE OF POLICIES AND GOVERNANCE THAT EMPOWERS INDIA STRATEGICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY the focus of Political manifestations of Hindutva in its current form is limited to DEBATING ENDLESSLY OVER WHETHER OR NOT JINNAH WAS SECULAR, WHETHER OR NOT THERE SHOULD BE RESERVATIONS IN MINORITY OWNED INSITUTIONS AND WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE ANTI-CONVERSION LEGISLATIONS OR WHETHER THE UPA IS INDULGING MINORITY APPEASEMENT. HINDUTVA AS A GUIDING PHILOSOPHY DOES NOT PROVIDE A GUIDING PRINCIPLE - TO HAVE A POSITION ON RESERVATIONS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, - TO HAVE A POSITION ON FOREIGN COMPETITION - TO HAVE A POSITION ON ROLE OF GOVERNMENT - TO HAVE A POSITION ON LOCAL GOVERNANCE resulting in muddled policy prescriptions and utter confusion in the political adherents of Hindutva to the point where you hear multiple voices. The onlt issue they are united on is opposing the UPA's Minority Appeasement policies. These are the issues that will continue to matter in the future. So Hindutva in its current form needs to re-invent itself as a sound economic and strategic philosophy which will manifest itself in a political agenda that is relevant to the issues of the 21st century. HINDUTVA IN SOCIO-CULTURAL ISSUES In the socio-cultural sphere again Hindutva has been primarily focused on preservation of the past be it names of cities, be it places of worship or be it practices and tradition or on prevention of western influences or on revision of history and to the extent it has been a defensive philosophy again working to preserve, prevent or revise. That perhaps was essential in the context of the overwhelming Secular Environment in the media and the Social Institutions. As a philosophy rather than inspire change, Rather than focus on strengthening mainstream hinduism to eliminate Caste, to make traditional forms of worship more relevant and meaningful, to make traditional rituals more relevant and meaninfgul, the philosophy was limited to defense against other philosophies. Which explains the most defensive of responsives. Broad Anti-Conversion Laws. Where is the confidence in this philosophy that the Instititutions and Movements it has inspired can survive the onslaught of these western forces ? Rather than INSPIRE AND INSTILL CONFIDENCE AND FURTHER MODERNIZE ALL SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE RELIGION THAT EMPOWERS ITS ADHERENTS TO CONDUCT LIFE AND DERIVE A MORAL VALUE SYSTEM THAT IS RELEVANT TO THE PRESENT TIMES. The focus of Hindutva in its current form has been limited to DEBATING ENDLESSLY OVER WHETHER ARYANS WERE INDIGENOUS OR NOT, WHY INDIAN MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS DONT ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR HINDU HERITAGE. OR WHY VALENTINES DAY SHOULD NOT BE CELEBRATED HINDUTVA AS A GUIDING PHILOSOPHY HAS NOT HELPED BUILD INSTITUTIONS AND MOVEMENTS - WHEREIN CASTE COULD HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM MAINSTREAM HINDUSIM - WHEREIN THE KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM IN THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS COULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED BY TODAYS YOUTH TO DERIVE A MORAL COMPASS OR VALUE SYSTEM BY FRAMING THAT KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM IN TODAYS SOCIAL CONTEXT INSTEAD IT HAS INSPIRED MORAL POLICING AND HOOLIGANISM, WHILE NOT PROVIDING ANY GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR HOW SOCIO-CULTURAL VALUES DERIVED FROM HINDUTVA AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN A SOCIETY GOVERNED BY SECULAR LIBERAL PRINCIPLES CAN COEXIST IN HARMONY. Hence the need for Hindutva to re-invent itself as philosophy that can guide and inspire on 21st Century Indians on - what should be the role of Government - what kind of Public Policies should be pursued - what kind of socio-cultural institutions and value systems should be built and adopted - what kind of religious reform must take place MOST IMPORTANTLY - How will such religious and socio-cultural institutions and value systems thrive in harmony within the Secular Liberal System of Governance. - How wil such a Government and Public Policy address the Strategic and Economic Interests of India as a whole and not just Hindus. SO IN SUMMARY FLAT WORLD HINDUTVA AS A PHILOSOPHY IS MEANT TO BE THAT RE-INVENTION OF HINDUTVA WHICH WILL - BROADEN ITS FOCUS - TRANSFORM IT FROM A POSITION OF WEAKNESS TO A POSITION OF STRENGTH - TRANSFORM IT FROM A DEFENSIVE REACTION TO A PROACTIVE CHANGE AGENT - WILL BE EASILY UNDERSTOOD, COMPREHENDED, RELATED TO AND ADOPTED BY - WILL PROVIDE THE POLITICAL ADHERENTS WITH A VISION AND STRATEGY ON HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE AGAINST THE LEFT OF CENTER FORCES WHILE APPEALING TO ALL INDIANS WITH ITS STRATEGIC AND ECONOMIC VISION - WILL PROVIDE THE SOCIO-CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS WITH A PHILOSOPHY THAT WILL NOT JUST PRESERVE BUT ENSURE THE HINDU WAY OF LIFE AND HERITAGE OUTLASTS THE NEXT MILLNENNIUM
05-31-2006, 05:34 AM
Thanks Yossarin.
Will go through the list at leisure, but for now: The "positions" you refer to are objective and derived from scholarship, knowledge, IOW the interpretive layer. The movements success depends on transforming this positional objectivity to subjective choices as perceived by the masses. There is no "subjectivity" in a business model (well, not that much anyway), the only subjectivity is in the perception of the impact in the wake of business or economic policies. Now, do you see my disconnect? Rest later. Thanks again for taking charge of the thread.
05-31-2006, 08:04 AM
Will look forward to it, in the meantime brief response to your disconnect. Agreed the disconnect between the objective principles and the subjective choices will always be there with any philosophy, and this one will be no exception. Key to success lies in well meaning real world examples of how the subjective choices manifested from objective principles have made a difference and why they will continue to make a difference in the future. The only examples of Hindutva in action we see are those to do with Anti-Minorytism or Anti-Conversion.
For Hindutva in a Flat World to succeed, we need to celebrate examples of - how perhaps Hindutva inspired Tribal Villages in Chattisgarh to chart a new destiny for themselves by not just rejecting Maoism but by being a responsible community in preventing the spread of Maoism rather than depend on the State to make a difference. - Or perhaps how Hindutva inspired Arjun Munda was given the prestigious 'Mother Teresa Millenium Award' as politician of the year 2006
06-20-2006, 01:35 AM
http://www.haindavakeralam.org/Default.aspx
Haindava Keralam is a global community of dedicated Hindu Keralites with a peace mission. We have come together to protect and preserve our timeless Hindu heritage and to work to retain its glory and pre-eminence in the culture and society of Kerala. Our ultimate goal in this endeavor is to enlighten the Hindus of Kerala of the virtues of good citizenship and to show how responsible exercise of oneâs fundamental rights alone can lead to effective social organization and empowerment. In keeping with the fundamental Hindu tenets of peace, truth, and non-violence, Haindava Keralam channels its resources to shield the Hindu Kerala community and their way of life from all forms of hatred, aggression, terror, and domination. We remain free of affiliation to any political, religious, or caste-based organizations . http://www.haindavakeralam.org/HKProcess.a...orumPage&FID=15 Boycott of non-Hindu businesses in Kerala HK Discussion 12/23/2005 1:40:00 AM Post Reply All major social institutions in Kerala â education, economy, government, health care, and media/entertainment - are virtually controlled by two minority cult groups (the Christians & the Muslims). Do you think it is time the Hindus in Kerala organized a mass movement calling for a boycott of non-Hindu businesses? Please present your viewsâ¦â¦â¦ Re: Boycott of non-Hindu businesses in Kerala Ajay Shish Thursday, June 08, 2006 Yeah it is well deserved by theses Christians: Kindly go through through the following to see how their filthy minds work EXTRACTED FROM SARVESAMACHAR WEBSITE Missionary Board: âWe will see the collapse of Hinduismâ Posted June 3, 2005 In a call for greater missionary funding for conversion of Hindus, the International Missionary Board (IMB), a wing of the Southern Baptist Convention, stated in a recent newsletter that Hindu worship is Satanâs stronghold and called for the elimination of the Hindu faith. The insidious statement reads as follows: âDid you know that the Sonar people of Maharashtra, India, are the primary crafters of gold and silver Hindu idols? These idols are the most powerful stronghold that Satan has upon the Hindu worshipers in India and around the world. When the Sonar people embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, the subsequent change in their livelihood could have a huge ripple effect in the world of Hinduism. As one international Christian worker said, âWhen we reach the Sonar with the gospel, we will see the collapse of Hinduism.â Pray that the gospel would flow through and permeate the Sonar culture like molten silver fills a mold.â <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> Why Hindutva? 6/11/2006 1:46:36 PM Prof. S.Siddharthan Human growth, development, safety and security are possible only when roots are deep. Just as an uprooted tree is not a tree but timber for some one else to make use of, to consume, so also is a person or a nation-a mere dead thing for the 'smarter ones' to utilize in what ever manner they wish to utilize. If the cry of Hindutva is a cry not to let oneself get uprooted from ones cultural soil, for the sake of ones own security and well being, who can find fault with that? There are people who seem to think that the dynamics of the market economy is so powerful that all the nations on the globe will be ground to yield a viscous pulp of uniform consistency. They are the so called pundits of global politics, global economics and global industry. That is to say, they are the apostles and high priests of globalization. To them all nations are mere fodder for MNCs. Who dare say they are wrong? If other nations do not make as big a noise as some of our own countrymen, there is a very good reason for that: the leaves of felled trees cannot murmur in the wind. Arnold Toynbee had made a study of 38 civilizations of the past, for the purpose of finding out why they could not hold against the ravages of time. The lands of those lost civilizations are now home to the modern states of the world. The Mayans, the Incas, the Sumerian, the Egyptian, the Chinese...you name them, name them all, but you cannot name India. Among ancient cultures, India is a wondrous redwood tree whose sap still runs as it ran several millenniums ago. So why shouldn't we be concerned about the continuity of our very own cultural identity? All proselytizing establishments have very short fuse when it comes to any thing that resists conversion. Small wonder, they do blow their fuse and go crazy. For it seems, if India submits to conversion of any sorts, the converter's very own dear self itself will get converted. Witness Buddhism. Buddhism, the first proselytizing religion in the world had to beat a rather hasty retreat from the land of its origin. The same thing has happened to Christianity, and later on to Islam. Even the current Marxist political ideology, with its all too close semblance to an established religion, thanks to its exclusivist outlook and agenda, have come to taste the same fate as its big brothers. India is too tempting to this fraternity of self styled saviors of the world, to let go. Hence they keep at it. Now the latest avatar trying its best at the game of conversion is Globalization. It seems both the protagonists and the antagonists of Hindutva scarce suspect this. Therefore, there is every chance of there taking place a real and lasting conversion after all. In the meantime we find the protagonists of Hindutva energetically working to expose the open and hidden enemies of our nation. Who can say they are wrong? Nothing can stop political gamesters from making capital out of what ever they can put their hands to. And, secularism is used as a catchword of political opportunism. After all, minority appeasement is used to make political capital of, in this land of Chanakya, where secularism is merely a word imported from the West. In the West, secularism has been a political reality that has evolved out of a long drawn out struggle between two warring factions, namely the Secularists and the Ecclesiasts. There it meant only one thing and one thing only, both in theory and in practice: religion not meddling in the affairs of the State. In India, secularism in theory means, giving equal importance to all the religions, in practice it means religious favoritism of the ruling party. It is in this context that Hindutva could easily become a catchword of national political dynamism and an integrating force for unity. But that is not the only reason for promoting Hindutva. On the contrary, the concept of Hindutva could serve as a rallying point for the Indian polity's struggle against the forces of Globalization....provided there is conceptual clarity and goal wise purity. Conceptual clarity is simply an academic matter, and can be easily attained. But goal wise purity is another matter altogether. In the absence of goal wise purity, Hindutva would be yet another one of those empty political slogan.. Hindutva, if used as a rallying point as mentioned above, would cease to be a narrow parochial concept provided it is promoted through clear, comprehensive, constructive goal directed effective strategies. Otherwise, it will begin to remain as one of the political party slogan. Political parties and secularists have already made India into divisive units with divisive policies, and anti national political agenda. India is already a virtual hell, with all that are being done in the name of secularism, minority appeasement and anti national policies. We do not have to be a party to that madness. That is what real Hindutva demands. When the whole world was in darkness, the darkness of ignorance, of the lack of awareness, this land of the Sages had been a continent of light and spirituality. Hindutva had its definite beginnings in the teachings of our sages. The strength of Hindutva comes from its spiritual tradition, and historically that tradition had a permanent formative influence on Indian civilization. For fundamentalist religions of the book, such spiritual tradition is unknown. It still remains the guiding thread through the past and the chain to which each new generation is bound to follow. The traditional spiritual thread has never lost its power over the minds of Indian citizens. Real Hindutva demands rekindling the spiritual living force that binds every Indian. There are two types of religion: the lower case and the upper case. In the lower case we have Christianity, and Islam, the religions of the book. They represent only the husk of the most priceless fruit of human genius, namely spirituality. It is this husk that these religion has promoted ignoring the core spirituality. Hinduism has preserved the priceless fruit. Had it not been for this fruit and spiritual tradition, mankind would have long reverted to barbarianism. Our indebtedness to this tradition is never ending. But that in no way means we must permit ourselves to be limited by its limitations. On the contrary, the core within the husk demands that we must preserve, and protect the spiritual fruit. That is what any germinating seed does. What is meant by the higher case religion is written with the initial letter in capital. Those would then represent not ritual and tradition but spontaneity and dynamism. As spontaneity and dynamism defies categorization. Hinduism is dynamic and unique from any other religion. Narayana Guru, the saint and savant of the cultural renaissance of the late 19th and early 20th century Kerala, was a great Sage or Maharshi in the Hindu tradition. The renaissance spear-headed by him was based on the fundamental truth about religion, that there is only one Religion. Note the fact that it is religion with a capital 'R'. But this line of thinking is one that no secular political pundit or fundamentalist preachers can ever concur with. That would amount to desiccating their very source of sustenance - cutting the very branch on which they are perched. The two-line struggle in religion happens to be between fundamentalist priests of the church/mosque/ and secular political parties on the one hand, and Sages and Rishies on the other hand. The concept of Hindutva would be nothing short of a weapon of mass awakening if promoted with our spiritual dynamism.. It could prove to be an engine of resurgence in the hands of those who are willing to stand steadfast with the all inclusive, unifying Spiritual tradition. So now the question is, which force one needs to align with, the uplifting, unifying spiritual Hindutva or the divisive secular, fundamentalist dogmas? It is obvious that the agenda of the pseudo secular political parties and the fundamentalist line would be altogether different from that of the sagely line. Some people are all too prone to jump on to a bogus secular bandwagon merely for the sake of the orchestra that is being played. Such sentimental simpletons are the gun fodder for the rogues of history to fight their battles with. So now the question is,"....to be or not to be ...." gun fodder or a real fighter? <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
06-28-2006, 05:00 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Brothers and the Demon.
In the midst of a dark forest, stood a small village, composed of a dozen or so inhabitants. Within this small community, there existed two benevolent brothers, of distinctly different dispositions, whose characters had grown strongly and sharply in the course of their childhood, until one stood out as emphatically extroverted, and the other, intensely introverted. The extroverted brother was well known across the village. He had made friends and conversed with all the others in the village. His cheerful and carefree nature made him popular - or at least well-liked. Even when he fought with man or beast, he did so with honour and goodwill; he had also rebounded vigorously from whatever defeats he had suffered in his life - thus enhancing his prestige in the village. His optimistic and open attitude to life made him an indispensable support of the community; indeed, it was difficult to imagine the village without him. The introverted brother, was also known in the village, and equally respected. He had opted for the lonely path of studies and soul-searching; his mind being heavily preoccupied by his own thoughts. He left the rest of the village alone, and as a general rule, the rest of the village left him alone. His occasional interactions with the others had been peaceful and unproblematic; occasionally he provided the village with a speech summing up his realizations and discoveries. But for the most part, the quiet man lived in his own world, and the village, in deference to his wisdom, virtue and inclinations, did not disturb him. One night, a quake shook the relatively quiet village, and out of the depths emerged a horrendous, one-armed demon, the likes of which had never been seen before. Roaring with a maniacal sound that seemed to indicate a bizarre mix of mirth and misery, the diabolical being tore into the nearby villagers, desecrating the fair hamlet with innocent blood. Awakened by the ensuing outcry, the extroverted brother soon found himself face to face with the demon in front of his own home. The villagers had seen this brother fight and defeat many others before, and had generally considered him to be one of, if not the, strongest and bravest men in the village. Thus, it was with some hope that they expected him to put paid to this malevolent intruder who had already begun to heap misery on the poor community. The extrovert's own confidence was unmatched; he had proven his might in earlier struggles with villagers and beasts like, and saw no reason why he should not overcome this insidious interloper. It was with acute horror therefore, that the villagers witnessed the demon slay the extrovert with two blows - one rending his torso, and the other separating his head from his body. What followed was even more horrendous: the savage creature turned his mouth towards the corpse of the defeated, and cannibalised the remains. Having eaten the extroverted brother's entrails, the demon then grew a second arm - thus emerging even stronger from his combat, before the terror-stricken villagers. As pandemonium rang across the village, the beast turned to the home of the other brother. Initially he found it impossible to break through the door, but once he did, he found the other brother waiting for him. An extraordinary struggle ensued - as the demon tried to destroy this brother as thoroughly as he had exterminated the other. At times, it seemed that the demon would triumph - only for the other brother to suddenly spring forth again. At length, the demon threw all his strength in one final assault at the brother - only to be sent reeling back by the introvert's response. Both combatants stared at each other in exhaustion after this prolonged struggle. Neither had defeated the other, and each had been shaken by the encounter, with the introvert bleeding, but unbowed. He was still oblivious of what had befallen his extroverted sibling; they had not communicated for some time, and so he was not entirely aware of his brother's fate. Hoping that the demon had come to his senses, and understand the futility of further fighting, the introvert stretched out his hand in friendship, and offered to pull the demon up from the bloodstained ground where he lay. The demon leapt forth and tore off the outstretched hand of the introvert with his teeth. Before the shocked brother's eyes, he consumed the limb and then grew a new arm of his own. Facing a three-armed demon, the introvert stood his ground and, recovering from his astonishment, he noticed the decapitated cadaver of his brother in a nearby field. Suddenly aware of what was at stake, he pondered his next move: should he attempt, yet again, to talk sense to the demon, even though it had shown no sign of responding positively? Or should he, with all the strength, wisdom and courage he could muster, use his remaining sword arm to sever each and every one of the demon's limbs - not resting until he had plunged his kukri into the diabolical being's heart? OK, so what has this got to do with Hindutva? Everything. The village in this story is our world - or rather, its Eastern hemisphere. The villagers are the various civilizations and cultures that have grown, organically, in it. The two brothers are the two renowned 'Aryan' civilizations - the Zoroastrian and the Hindu. The Persians were, of course, the great extroverts of ancient times, building an empire that connected India, Egypt, Scythia, Egypt, Greece and Phoenicia, and thus, being on speaking terms with virtually the entire known world. They had their setbacks, (i.e. the Macedonian invasion and Roman attacks) from which they bounced back, (under the Arsacids and Sassanids). By 500 AD, they stood as an established, indeed, central member of the known world. The introverted brother - engrossed in studies and spirituality, thoughtful and philosophical - is of course, Bharat. Indian relations with the rest of the known world were more limited, (except with China, but I've left her out of this story) but were generally friendly, (trade relations with Rome and Egypt, some intellectual and architectural intercourse with the Greeks, etc..) Thus, like the brother in this story, he is known and respected in the ancient world, but does not stand in close relation to the rest of it. The demon - as you can easily guess - is Islam. The two blows it deals to the extroverted brother are the battles of Qadissiya and Nehavend - which put an end to the Sassanid Empire, and with it, the entire Zoroastrian and Persian culture which had hitherto, been such an indispensable part of the civilized world. Islam starts with one arm - Arabia - and then through cannibalism, it grows another - Muslim Iran. Then it turns to the introverted brother - India - and fights a long, but indecisive battle with him. The final assault in which the demon throws all his strength is Aurangazeb's rule; the introvert's response that sends the demon reeling is Shivaji. By the 18th century, the demon is lying on the ground, exhausted. The outstretched arm offered by the brother is Gandhi's offer of peace and reconciliation with Islam, which of course, leads to Partition and the creation of Pakistan - the demon's third limb. The question now facing the brother, is the same one facing us. Should we attempt to appease and reason with the Muslims, as the psecs suggest? Or should we summon our remaining strength to strike and finish off Islam, both in Bharatvarsha and beyond?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
06-29-2006, 07:45 PM
dhu,
i would like to translate this story into Tamil and post it in my Blog. Can I ? (or is it a copyrighted one!!) |
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