India Martial art - Kalaripayattu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B09zqMiA4k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Mp3pDcgR8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60sz0S5dKlQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRTYgJ6I6zM

Just amazing .. check how this martial arts is linked to Marma medicine system,
Bhartanatyam, Vedic mantras, and strict secrecy of knowledge and rule based living.

--

Admins are free to move this to an existing thread.. sorry if I created an unwanted thread.

PS:

Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=His-mbxMpXM


Discovery channel 1: Kalaripayattu / Kalari
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy9ih-g0aTE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIR138ceCck


Silambam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYSAt1lbL4E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em0ueWiaFus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cHCxNdLtbs

About 18 years later, Bhagalpur riots: 14 convicted
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->A <b>Bhagalpur court on Monday convicted 14 people</b> in the Bhagalpur communal riots of 1989 in which 116 people belonging to the minority community were killed.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Once one great sant had explained that Dharma is like a vast tree, different sampradayas are like its branches, and Adhyatma is its root.

Different Acharyas that take birth from time to time are like the fruits that the tree bears when the right season comes.

Depending upon which direction a branch faces - it takes a different shape, and develops in a different size. But the essence of the tree - the seeds - remain the same and are contained inside the fruits - the Acharyas.

So, as long as we see the tree is flowering and bearing fruits, we can be assured that the tree is healthy and potent.

This thread is to collect sayings, anecdotes, life and deeds of all the great Acharyas of all the various sampradayas of all the hues and shades of Sanatan Dharma.

=============

Sant Tulsidas ji was very poor, almost a beggar, of which he has described at many places in his writings. But he had become famous, and some of Akbar's Navaratnas were his followers and friends.

As was the tradition, kings used to appoint state poets. Someone, on behalf of Akbar sent for him the invitation to join as the state's protected poet.

He laughed and declined saying:

ham chaakar raghuveer ke, paTo likho darbaar,
ab tulsi kaa hoinge, nara ke mansabdaar!
tulsi apne rama ko, reejh bhajau ke kheejh,
ulto soodho oogi hai, khet pare ko beej!
bane, so raghuvar so bane, kai bigarai bharpoor,
tulsi bane jo aur so, ta banibe me dhoor!
chaatak suta-hi sikhaavahi, aan dharma jina lehu,
mere kula kee bani hai, swati boond so nehu!

(we are servant of raghuveer, with an agreement in that darbaar
now, what will Tulsi join, as a mansabdaar of a man?
Tulsi is now praying, only to his Rama, either with pleasure or in disappointment,
knowing that, good or bad, either ways, the harvest will now grow, seeds have been sown.
if something has to become, it will be a making of raghuveer, if not, then all will be lost,
but if Tulsi has to become 'something' through somebody else, he sends dust to such becoming.
Chaatak-bird teaches its offsprings, "dont ever accept other dharma,
such is the tradition of my family, our love is only with the drops of swaati nakshatra, none else.")

Link to older thread

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/...f_contents.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Table of
Contents
Dedication--Samarpanam 
vIntroduction--Bhumika 
ix
No.   CHAPTER  Page In Printed Volume
  
1   Personal Encounters with Hinduism  1
2   Religious Loyalty and Commitment  103
3   Gurudeva Speaks on Entering Hinduism  113
4   Gurudeva Speaks on Ethical Conversion  131
5  
Does Hinduism Accept Newcomers?

149
6   Beliefs of All the World's Religions  169
7   Six Steps of Conversion  257
 
    Real-Life Severance Letters and
    Other Personal Documents

267
8   Choosing a Hindu Name  281 

    Sanskrit Birthstar Syllables
    A Collection of Hindu Names
291
297
9   Embracing Hindu Culture  337
10   Nine Questions About Hinduism  351
  Conclusion--Nirvahanam  369
  Glossary--Shabda Kosha 
373
  Supplementary Studies 
  Colophon--Antyavachanam 
435
  About the Author 
  An Invitation to Monastic Life 
  Reviews and Comments
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Second Edition, First Printing, 3,000 copies
Copyright 2000 by Himalayan Academy
Family_thru_door_gry

How to Become a (Better) Hindu, A Guide for Seekers and Born Hindus is published by Himalayan Academy. First published as Saivite Names in 1989. All rights are reserved. This book may be used to share the Hindu Dharma with others on the spiritual path, but reproduced only with the publisher's prior written consent. Designed, typeset, edited and ported to the Web by the sannyasin swamis of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order, 107 Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii, 96746-9304, USA.


Logo_HA_3p_3_shades Published by Himalayan Academy
USA * India PRINTED IN USA
Library of Congress Control Number: 00-132420
ISBN 0-945497-82-2

Cover art: Chennai artist S. Rajam depicts some of the typical steps a soul takes in adopting Hinduism (clockwise from upper left): confronting previous religious leaders to inform them of this change; Lord Siva looks on; young aspirant studies the scriptures and philosophy of Sanatana Dharma; Western convert learns to wrap a sari as part of her cultural immersion; Chinese seeker worships Lord Ganesha; priests conduct the traditional homa rites for the final ceremony, the name-giving sacrament, namakarana samskara:

Hi, the "early medieval" period of our history i.e. age of the mighty Hindu kingdoms just before the onset of Turco-Afghan invasions is the apogee, the highest point in the development of our culture. It would be great to know the details of life of people during this period. Going in depth into every aspect say the politics, the economy, the religious aspects, social interactions, entertainment etc and even military affairs. which would help us understand this period. Too many times we foist our own modern day outlook in thinking of history of earlier periods. Lets put ourselves into their shoes for a change and think in their own way about their times. How would they view politicians of thier times, how were the politicians of those times. How difficult or easy was the life of an "aam aadmi" on the street.

Just to start off, want to talk of merchant guilds in south India. An excerpt

"The organisation of corporate enterprises became common in the 11th century.[43] Almost all arts and crafts were organised into guilds and work was done on a corporate basis; records do not mention individual artists, sculptors and craftsman. Only in the regions ruled by the Hoysala did individual sculptors etched their names below their creations.[44] Merchants organised themselves into powerful guilds that transcended political divisions, allowing their operations to be largely unaffected by wars and revolutions. Their only threat was the possibility of theft from brigands when their ships and caravans traveled to distant lands. Powerful South Indian merchant guilds included the Manigramam, the Nagarattar and the Anjuvannam. Local guilds were called nagaram, while the Nanadesis were traders from neighbouring kingdoms who perhaps mixed business with pleasure. The wealthiest and most influential and celebrated of all South Indian merchant guilds was the self styled Ainnurruvar, also known as the 500 Svamis of Ayyavolepura (Brahmins and Mahajanas of present day Aihole),[45][46] who conducted extensive land and sea trade and thereby contrbuted significantly to the total foreign trade of the empire. It fiercely protected its trade obligations (Vira Bananjudharma or law of the noble merchants) and its members often recorded their achievements in inscriptions called Prasasti. Five hundred such excavated Prasasti inscriptions, with their own flag and the bull as their emblem, record their pride in their business.

Rich traders contributed significantly to the king's treasury through paying import and export taxes. The edicts of the Aihole Svamis mention trade ties with foreign kingdoms such as Chera, Pandya, Maleya (Malayasia), Magadh, Kaushal, Saurashtra, Kurumba, Kambhoja (Cambodia), Lata (Gujarat), Parasa (Persia) and Nepal. Travelling both land and sea routes, these merchants traded mostly in precious stones, spices and perfumes, and other specialty items such as camphor. Business flourished in precious stones such as diamonds, lapis lazuli, onyx, topaz, carbuncles and emeralds. Commonly traded spices were cardamom, saffron, and cloves, while perfumes included the by-products of sandalwood, bdellium, musk, civet and rose. These items were sold either in bulk or hawked on streets by local merchants in towns.[47] The Western Chalukyas controlled most of South India's west coast and by the 10th century they had established extensive trade ties with the Tang Empire of China, the empires of Southeast Asia and the Abbasid Caliphate in Bhagdad, and by the 12th century Chinese fleets were frequenting Indian ports. Exports to China included textiles, spices, medicinal plants, jewels, ivory, rhino horn, ebony and camphor. The same products also reached ports in the west such as Dhofar and Aden. The final destinations for those trading with the west were Persia, Arabia and Egypt.[48] The thriving trade center of Siraf, a port on the eastern coast of the Persian Gulf, served an international clientele of merchants including those from the Chalukya empire who were feasted by wealthy local merchants during business visits. An indicator of the Indian merchants' importance in Siraf comes from records describing dining plates reserved for them.[49] In addition to this, Siraf received aloe wood, perfumes, sandalwood and condiments. The most expensive import to South India were Arabian horse shipments, this trade being monopolised by Arabs and local Brahmin merchants. Thirteenth century traveler Marco Polo recorded that the breeding of horses never succeeded in India due to differing climatic, soil and grassland conditions.[48]"

Its interesting that even in todays times we see organised retail and departmental stores first emerging and more prevalent in the south Indian metros and key towns. Even daily vegetables and fruits are bought in big stores called "Pazhamudhir Cholai" and like. In Tamil Nadu you find merchant and industry associations quite strong and who collaborate to achieve common ends.

Also it would be interesting to know how much political influence these guilds had and to what extent they controlled the political landscape of the south. Feel free to discuss on this or any other aspect of the life during these times.

India takes back Kargil

Bharat Ratna may not be too far, as MF Hussain is all set to receive another award - Raja Ravi Verma Award - of all!

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Internationally acclaimed artist M F Hussain has been selected for Kerala government's prestigious Raja Ravi Varma Award for his outstanding contributions in the field of art.

Announcing this year's award, education and culture minister M A Baby said the award comprising Rs.1.25 lakh in cash prize, a citiation and a plaque would be presented to Hussain on his birthday on September 17.

Baby informed Hussain over telephone about Kerala government's award from the venue of the press conference. Hussain expressed happiness over getting the award instituted in the name of the great artist Raja Ravi Varma, Baby told reporters.

The jury was chaired by well-known artist Vivan Sundram. The other members were Ajayakumar, C N Karunakaran and Razia Soni. http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.as...31&sid=REG
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

And why not! Both legendary Raja Ravi Verma, and MF Hussain share their passion of making the Hindu figures the subject of their canvas!

"Saraswati" by Ravi Verma:
<img src='http://www.hindujagruti.org/activities/campaigns/national/mfhussain-campaign/ravivarma/saraswati.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />


"Saraswati" by MF Hussain:
<img src='http://www.hindujagruti.org/activities/campaigns/national/mfhussain-campaign/paintings/saraswati.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Hindu Jagruthi campaign against the move: http://www.hindujagruti.org/activities/cam...campaign/#award

<b>Gorakhpur market rocked by serial blasts, at least 6 injured </b>

Gorakhpur, May 22: Three blasts rocked Gorakhpur around 7 pm on Tuesday. The first blast took place near Baldev Plaza, the second near Golghar crossing and the third occurred in Jalkal Building. The bombs, apparently crude in nature, were kept in tiffin boxes which were planted in a scooter and a bicycle. At least six people were reportedly injured in the blasts as preliminary reports came in. The injured were carried to the hospitals by the local people.

The blasts took place in a crowded area one after another within an interval 10 minutes. People were seen running for cover when the blasts took place.

District Administration and senior police officials reached the spot to take stock of the situation. A red alert has been sounded in the districts of Lucknow and Varanasi.

The ADM City, P K Agarwal denied any serious injuries and said that the injured have been admitted to the nearby City Hospital. He said the bombs were kept in a polythene bag which were planted on a scooter and cycle.

Meanwhile, bomb defusing squads have been despatched along with a police investigative team to the different blast sites from Lucknow.

<img src='http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/out/images/1179379617_tiwari_peace_250.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
link