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Let noble thoughts come to us from every side - Rigv Veda, 1-89-i
Buddhism
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
Life | Literature | Culture
The whole world is but one family
May 2011 | Vol 8 No.11| Issn 1449 - 3551
2011
Peace Proposal
Toward a World of Dignity for all: The Triumph of the Creative Life
Our contemporary society is becoming increasingly fragmented as traditional family and community bonds break down. This is closely linked to a failure of communication, a breakdown of language as words become devalued and degraded. Few have analyzed the vulnerability of language to abuse as incisively as the French philosopher Henri Bergson, who, guided by the axiom primum vivere (first, live!), warned consistently of Western philosophys tendency to view everything through the lens of abstracted language and logic. Bergsons optimism can supply a catalyzing vision of a hopeful future, helping redirect the course, of modern civilization. This is the aim shared by all those who uphold the ideals of humanism. The essence of the Buddhist humanism practiced by the members of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) lies in the insistence that human beings strive to exercise their spiritual capacities to the limit, coupled with an unshakable belief in their ability to do this. It is on the basis of this faith in the unlimited creative capacities of human beings that we must address the concrete issues that face our world today. In this, it is vital to ensure that our responses are not overshadowed by the clash of national interests, and the United Nations must play a pivotal role in ensuring this. To this end, the UN needs to strengthen and solidify its collaborative endeavors with civil society, and in particular with nongovernmental organizations. Where there is an absence of international political leadership, civil society can step in to fill the gap, providing the energy and vision needed to move the world in a new and better direction. A World Free of Nuclear Weapons Together, the people of the world should undertake three challenges toward the creation of a world free of nuclear weapons: We should establish the structures through which states possessing nuclear weapons can advance disarmament toward the goal of complete elimination; we should establish the means to prevent all development or modernization of nuclear weapons; and we should establish a Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC) comprehensively prohibiting them. We need a fundamental revision of the framework for nuclear disarmament, such that the goal of multilateral negotiations is not confined to arms control but aims toward a clear vision of nuclear weapons abolition. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for the regular convening of a UN Security Council Summit on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. These summits should not be limited to the members of the Security Council: participation should also be opened to states that have chosen to relinquish their nuclear weapons or programs, as well as specialists in the field and NGO representatives. This process should aim toward holding the 2015 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review
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Conference in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Bringing together national leaders as well as representatives of global civil society, this would be a nuclear abolition summit which could mark the effective end of the nuclear era. Regarding the prohibition and prevention of nuclear weapons development, the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is key. Non-nuclear-weapon states and civil society organizations should work together to encourage those countries that have yet to do so to ratify this treaty. In addition, there could be interlocking agreements on bi- or multi-lateral levels by which groups of states, such as Egypt, Israel and Iran, would mutually commit to ratify the treaty. A similar arrangement based on the Six-Party Talks could be used to move toward the denuclearization of Northeast Asia. Finally, we must build on recent developments to promote a Nuclear Weapons Convention that will outlaw nuclear weapons. We stand at a watershed moment: we have before us the potential to bring the era of nuclear weapons to an end through a treaty that comprehensively bans them. We must not allow this historic opportunity to pass. The crucial thing is to arouse the awareness that, as a matter of human conscience, we can never permit the people of any country to fall victim to nuclear weapons. We must each make a personal decision and determination to build a new world free of nuclear weapons. The accumulated weight of such choices made by individual citizens can be the basis for a Nuclear Weapons Convention. Such a convention could then represent a qualitative transformation from traditional international lawnegotiated solely among governmentsto a form of law that derives its ultimate authority from the expressed will of the worlds peoples. A Culture of Human Rights The term a culture of human rights was popularized in part through the UN Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004), and it refers to an ethos that encourages people to take the initiative to respect and protect the full spectrum of human rights and the dignity of life. This UN framework was realized largely through the work of NGOs. At its foundation lies the awareness that, alongside legal guarantees of human rights and remedies in the event they are violated it is necessary to foster a culture that prevents violations from occurring in the first place. It is not because they have been codified into law that human rights have value. The spiritual wellspring that supports the law is found in the struggle to gain and realize our rights, the succession of courageous individuals who take up the challenge of extending and expanding them.
Drafting work continues on a UN declaration on human rights education and training. In order to gain the support of as many states as possible in the UN General Assembly, and to ensure that the declaration is implemented worldwide, the consistent backing of civil society is indispensable. To this end, the development of collaborative relations between the UN and civil society would be assisted by the formation of an international coalition of NGOs for human rights education, and by the creation of a standing specialized UN agency to promote human rights education. There is also a need to focus on the role of youth in human rights education. The importance of youth in challenging seemingly intractable social realities and creating a new era cannot be overstated. One possibility would be to explore youth initiatives for human rights education on a regional basis, including opportunities for direct exchange. Such exchanges can promote the spirit of recognizing human commonalities and respecting diversity as a source of creativity and vitality. Finally, dialogue among different faiths can greatly promote the construction of a culture of human rights. It is through real-life daily struggles and challenges that a genuine sensitivity to human rights is inculcated. The foundation for this must be the workings of conscience, a determination to behave at all times and in all situations in a manner that one can proudly affirm. And it is the original mission of religion to encourage the growth and development of such an ethos. It is only when the norms of human rights are elevated to a personal vow that they become a source of inexhaustible energy for social transformation. The worlds religions should conduct dialogue toward the shared goal of constructing a culture of human rights and strive together to foster in people the capacity to take the lead in this endeavor. When each of us makes our irreplaceable contribution and we develop multiple overlapping networks of solidarity, we can construct a new era founded on respect for the inherent value and dignity of life. Each of the worlds seemingly ordinary individuals can be a protagonist in the creation of this new era. Members of the SGI are determined to continue working in solidarity and partnership with those who share our aspirations toward this goal of a new global society of peace and coexistence. Daisaku Ikeda, President, Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Source: Synopsis, 2011 Peace Proposal, Soka Gakkai International (SGI)
May 2011 | Bhavan Australia | 3
For this Month

Philosophy of Lord Gautama Buddha Buddha literally meaning the Awakened One, had ascended through various stages of meditative awareness, he had seen all of his past lives, and he had seen directly into reality, into the nature of existence and the causes of suffering and rebirth. His main concern was to eliminate suffering, to find a cure for the pain of human existence. The foundation pillars of the philosophy and preaching of Lord Buddha (Buddhism) were: Dukkha (suffering): The Existence of Impermanence Nothing lasts forever. When you understand this it makes it easier to not be so attached to what youre experiencing. Nothing bad lasts forever and nothing good lasts forever. Samudaya: The Arising of Suffering because of Craving Craving sensory stimulation, craving existence, and craving non-existence give rise to the continuity of being and with it its attendant suffering. Dont get sad or frustrated if you dont get it. Nirodha: The Cessation of Suffering Suffering is caused by endlessly wanting what you cant have. End eternal suffering by ending the craving that leads to the continuation of suffering. Magga: The Way out of suffering So how do we end eternal craving? If we can control our body and mind in a way that we help others instead of doing them harm, and generating wisdom in our own mind, we can end our suffering and problems. King Ashoka Teachings of Buddha flourished during the reign of King Ashoka who became the great patron of Buddhism. He sent missionaries out to Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. The King established a reign of virtue. The Edicts of King Asoka inscribed on rocks and pillars, proclaim Asokas reforms and policies and promulgate his advice to his subjects. The present rendering of these edicts, based on earlier translations, offers insights into Ashokas attempt to establish an empire on the foundation of righteousness, a reign which makes the moral and spiritual welfare of his subjects its primary concern. The relics of Buddhist saints came to be worshipped, images of Buddha were made objects of popular veneration, monasteries were opened to temporary residents and students who were taught secular subjects, and, in general, Buddhism got transformed from an exotic cult to a religion of the many. Buddhist ideologies so developed at that time of King Ashoka are still relevant today and needed in present times. Buddhism: Need of the hour Today Buddhism is relevant today because of its ageless message and relevance. Lord Budhas message of peace, and of love and happiness to all living beings was preached at a period when continents were divided by barriersphysical and geographical, linguistic and racial. Geographical isolation, slow and limited communication restricted the areas. As such,
superstition was rife and knowledge was not shared. In such a situation, the unknown therefore surpassed the known. Technically and scientifically, the presently developed areas of the modem world were not developed or even under-developed. Therefore, the people living in those extensive continents had no opportunity to hear, know, and to understand even the essentials of the message of the Buddha. But in todays era of global world if each of us make our irreplaceable contribution and develop multiple overlapping networks of solidarity, we can construct a new era founded on respect for the inherent value and dignity of life. Gandhi and Buddha MAHATMA Gandhi considered religion, spirituality, morality, and ethics, in fact, all activities of life, whether personal or public, to be integrated into the search for self-realization. He said in the introduction to his Autobiography; What I want to achieve... what I have been striving and pining to achieve for 30 yearsis self-realization, to see God face to face, to attain Moksha. In this search, he felt instinctively inspired by the life and teaching of Lord Buddha. He did not see Buddhism as a new religion but, historically, as the most daring effort made to reform and revitalize the sanatan Hindu tradition of India. He saw it as the most revolutionary attempt to propagate the doctrine of ahimsa, or nonviolence, in its widest sense. His concept of Truth as God and ahimsa as a sense of identification with all creation, attained through self-purification, was in line with the teaching of Lord Buddha. He wrote at the end of his Autobiography; ... a perfect vision of Truth can only follow a complete realization of ahimsa... identification with everything that lives is impossible without selfpurification... God can never be realized by one who is not pure of heart. The first two religious books that Gandhi studied during his student days in London (18881891) were Sir Edwin Arnolds English translation of the Bhagavad Gita - The Song Celestial (1885) - and The Light of Asia (1879) which depicted the life and philosophy of Gautama Buddha. He writes in his Autobiography; I read it [The Light of Asia] with even greater interest than I did the Bhagavad Gita. Once I had begun it, I could not leave off... My young mind tried to unify the teaching of the Gita, The Light of Asia, and the Sermon on the Mount. That renunciation was the highest form of religion appealed to me greatly. Much later in India, while denying that his philosophy was an indifferent mixture of Tolstoy and Buddha, he had written in 1925 that he owed much to Tolstoy and Buddha but he fancied that his philosophy represented the true meaning of the teaching of the Gita, and further that the source of his inspiration was of no consequence as long as he stood for unadulterated truth.
Gambhir Watts, Chairman Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia
Contents
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52
92
Sanya Declaration ...................................................... 52 World Red Cross Day ................................................ 69 Veer Sarvarkar ........................................................... 70 International Labor Day ............................................ 74 Hindu Rituals and Routines (Part 2)........................ 76 Galapagos Exhibition Priscila................................... 88 Nepal ........................................................................... 92 Artistic Impressions .................................................. 93 Untold Stories of King Bhoja .................................... 86
Rabindranath Tagore ................................................. 8 Lumbini Birthplace of the Buddha .......................... 17 Festivals of the Month ............................................... 18 Excellence Is A Process, Not An Accident .............. 24 Dangers of Smoking - No Tobacco Day ................... 30 Social Health - Our Resoponsibility ......................... 33 Indias Nuclear Conundrum...................................... 40 Intercultural Communication ................................... 42 Yoga for Children ....................................................... 46
BoARD oF DIReCToRS oF BHARATIyA VIDyA BHAVAN AuSTRALIA

office Bearers: Chairman President Executive Secretary and Director General Gambhir Watts Surendralal Mehta Homi Navroji Dastur
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The views of contributors to Bhavan Australia are not necessarily the views of Bhavan Australia or the Editor. Bhavan Australia reserves the right to edit any contributed articles and letters submitted for publication. Copyright: all advertisements and original editorial material appearing remain the property of Bhavan Australia and may not be reproduced except with the written consent of the owner of the copyright. Bhavan Australia: - ISSN 1449 3551
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To Succeed
Set a course and Stay with it
Why do majority of people resign themselves to an existence of mediocrity? That is because we refrain from making the most of our decisions consciously. In so doing we pay a very high price. In general, we tend to jump into the river of life without even deciding where we want to end up. We are soon caught up in the current: current events, current fears, and current challenges. When we come to a fork in the river of life, we do not consciously decide where we want to go, or which the right direction for us is. We merely go along with the flow. We become part of the mass of people who are directed by the environment instead of by their own values. As a result we feel disoriented. We remain in this unconscious state until one day the sound of raging waters awaken us and we discover we are on the brink of a steep water fall. At this point of time we look desperately for some measure that could save us from going down with the turbulent waters but it is far too late. Sometimes it is an emotional fall. Sometimes it is a physical fall. Sometimes it is a financial fall. Likewise, whatever hazards that we currently face in our lives could have been averted by some circumspect and timely decisions while we were still a long way from the water fall. We do not realise that our brains evolve an internal system for making decisions. This system works like an invisible force, subconsciously directing all our thoughts, actions and feelings, every moment of our lives. This system is also influenced by sources as diverse as genealogy, peers, teachers, mass media and the ethnic culture at large. We become conditioned by this exposure. It is this conditioning that is responsible for determining and prompting us to formulate a road map or willfully suspend a decision. However, we can override this system by making conscious decisions at any moment in our lives. We do not have to allow the ingrained programming of our past to control our present and future. The first thing that we have to do is to overcome our fears of making the wrong decisions. There is no doubt that each one of us will make wrong decisions at some point of our life. What we need to do is to be flexible, look at the consequences, learn from them and use those lessons to make better decisions in the future. Success truly is the result of good judgment. Good judgment is the result of experience and experience is more often than not the result of bad judgment. When we are flowing down the river of life we are almost certainly going to hit a few jutting rocks. It is being realistic. The key is that when one does hit a rock, instead of blaming oneself for being a failure, we should remember that there are no failures in life. There are only results. If we do not get the result we want, we should learn from this experience so that we have recourse to a dossier guiding us to make better decisions in the future. We should realise that success or failures are not flitting experiences. It is all the small decisions along the way that cumulatively cause people to fail. Conversely, success is also the result of making small decisions, committing to hold ourselves to a higher standard, resolving to contribute, pledging to stoke our minds rather than allowing the environment to control us, these small decisions create the life experience we call success. No matter how far down in the dumps we might be now, we must have absolute faith in God. Gods delays are not Gods denials. Have long-term goals and persist. Lifes ups and downs can be compared to changing seasons. No season lasts forever because all of life is a cycle of planting, reaping, resting and rejuvenation. Winter is not infinite. Even if we are having challenges today, we can never give up on the coming of spring! Surendralal G Mehta President, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore was an icon of Indian culture. He was a poet, philosopher, musician, writer, and educationist. Rabindranath Tagore became the first Asian to become Nobel laureate when he won Nobel Prize for his collection of poems, Gitanjali, in 1913. He was popularly called as Gurudev and his songs were popularly known as Rabindrasangeet. Two songs from his Rabindrasangit canon are now the national anthems of India and Bangladesh: the Jana Gana Mana and the Amar Shonar Bangla. early Life Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7, 1861 in a wealthy Brahmin family in Calcutta. He was the ninth son of Debendranath and Sarada Devi. His grandfather Dwarkanath Tagore was a rich landlord and social reformer. Rabindra Nath Tagore had his initial education in Oriental Seminary School. But he did not like the conventional education and started studying at home under several teachers. After undergoing his upanayan (coming-of-age) rite at the age of eleven, Tagore and his father left Calcutta in 1873 to tour India for several months, visiting his fathers Santiniketan estate and Amritsar before reaching the Himalayan hill station of Dalhousie. There, Tagore read biographies, studied history, astronomy, modern science, and Sanskrit, and examined the classical poetry of Kalidasa. The Multifaceted Personality In 1874, Tagores poem Abhilaash (Desire) was published anonymously in a magazine called Tattobodhini. Tagores mother Sarada Devi expired in 1875. Rabindranaths first book of poems, Kabi Kahini (tale of a poet) was published in 1878. In the same year Tagore sailed to England with his elder brother Satyandranath to study law but he returned to India in 1880 and started his career as poet and writer. In 1883, Rabindranath Tagore married Mrinalini Devi Raichaudhuri, with whom he had two sons and three daughters. In 1884, Tagore wrote a collection of poems Kori-o-Kamal (Sharp and Flats). He also wrote dramas, Raja-o-Rani (King and Queen) and Visarjan (Sacrifice). In 1890, Rabindranath Tagore moved to Shilaidaha (now in Bangladesh) to look after the family estate. Between 1893 and 1900 Tagore wrote seven volumes of poetry, which included Sonar Tari (The Golden Boat) and Khanika.
Two songs from his Rabindrasangit canon are now the national anthems of India and Bangladesh...
As a writer, Tagore primarily worked in Bengali, but after his success with Gitanjali, he translated many of his other works into English. He wrote over one thousand poems; eight volumes of short stories; almost two dozen plays and play-lets; eight novels; and many books and essays on philosophy, religion, education and social topics. Aside from words and drama, his other great love was music, Bengali style. He composed more than two thousand songs, both the music and lyrics. In 1901, Rabindranath Tagore became the editor of the magazine Bangadarshan. He established Bolpur Bramhacharyaashram at Shantiniketan, a school based on the pattern of old Indian Ashrama.
In 1902, his wife Mrinalini died. Tagore composed Smaran (In Memoriam), a collection of poems, dedicated to his wife. The Inspiring Man Tagores multi-cultural educational efforts were an inspiration to many, including his friend, Count Hermann Keyserling of Estonia. Count Keyserling founded his own school in 1920 patterned upon Tagores school, and the ancient universities which existed in Northern India under Buddhist rule over 2,000 years ago under the name School of Wisdom. Rabindranath Tagore led the opening program of the School of Wisdom in 1920, and participated in several of its programs thereafter. Bengal Partition In 1905, Lord Curzon decided to divide Bengal into two parts. Rabindranath Tagore strongly protested against this decision. Tagore wrote a number of national songs and attended protest meetings. He introduced the Rakhibandhan ceremony, symbolizing the underlying unity of undivided Bengal. Gitanjali In 1909, Rabindranath Tagore started writing Gitanjali. In 1912, Tagore went to Europe for the second time. On the journey to London he translated some of his poems/songs from Gitanjali to English. He met William Rothenstein, a noted British painter, in London. Rothenstien was impressed by the poems, made copies and gave to Yeats and other English poets. Yeats was enthralled. He later wrote the introduction to Gitanjali when it was published in September 1912 in a limited edition by the India Society in London. Rabindranath Tagore was awarded Nobel Prize
for Literature in 1913 for Gitanjali. In 1915 he was knighted by the British King George V. Jallianwala Bagh In 1919, following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Tagore renounced his knighthood. He was a supporter of Gandhiji but he stayed out of politics. He was opposed to nationalism and militarism as a matter of principle, and instead promoted spiritual values and the creation of a new world culture founded in multi-culturalism, diversity and tolerance. Viswabharati university 1n 1921, Rabindranath Tagore established Viswabharati University. He gave all his money from Nobel Prize and royalty money from his books to this University. Tagore was not only a creative genius, he was quite knowledgeable of Western culture, especially Western poetry and science too. Tagore had a good grasp of modern, post-Newtonian Physics, and was well able to hold his own in a debate with Einstein in 1930 on the newly emerging principles of quantum mechanics and chaos. His meetings and tape recorded conversations with his contemporaries such as Albert Einstein and H.G. Wells, epitomize his brilliance. Final Days In 1940 Oxford University arranged a special ceremony in Santiniketan and awarded Rabindranath Tagore with Doctorate of Literature. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore passed away on August 7, 1941 in his ancestral home in Calcutta. Source: www.iloveindia.com, www.schoolofwisdom.com
Rabindranath Tagores
Geetanjali
old and New Thou hast made me known to friends whom I knew not. Thou hast given me seats in homes not my own. Thou hast brought the distant near and made a brother of the stranger. I am uneasy at heart when I have to leave my accustomed shelter; I forget that there abides the old in the new, and that there also thou abidest. Through birth and death, in this world or in others, wherever thou leadest me it is thou, the same, the one companion of my endless life who ever linkest my heart with bonds of joy to the unfamiliar. When one knows thee, then alien there is none, then no door is shut. Oh, grant me my prayer that I may never lose the bliss of the touch of the one in the play of many. She She who ever had remained in the depth of my being, in the twilight of gleams and of glimpses; she who never opened her veils in the morning light, will be my last gift to thee, my God, folded in my final song. Words have wooed yet failed to win her; persuasion has stretched to her its eager arms in vain. I have roamed from country to country keeping her in the core of my heart, and around her have risen and fallen the growth and decay of my life. Over my thoughts and actions, my slumbers and dreams, she reigned yet dwelled alone and apart. Many a man knocked at my door and asked for her and turned away in despair. There was none in the world who ever saw her face to face, and she remained in her loneliness waiting for thy recognition. Stream of Life The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers. It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth and of death, in ebb and in flow. I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life. And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.
The Dalai Lama

India has always been a source of inspiration for me.
When I was young, I thought of India as the holy land where the Buddha had lived and taught, the location of great monasteries and universities such as Nalanda that welcomed students from far and wide and which through such educational activities had a profound influence on the development of Tibet. I knew too that many great thinkers and teachers had contributed to the culture of India down the centuries. As a Tibetan I feel honoured to be an heir to these traditions, indeed, as I travel around the world, I feel I am simply a messenger for such ideas as Ahimsa or Non Violence which have their roots in ancient Indian philosophy. Therefore, I am encouraged to see that the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan continues to thrive in its various activities, seeking to preserve and promote Indias spiritual, ethical, social and educational heritage. Religious harmony is still very much alive in India and I feel it is important that the rest of the world take note and learn from that. This is something that the Bhavan makes a special effort to foster with its emphasis on Sarva Dharma Sambhav, equal respect for all religions, and which I too wholeheartedly support.
UN-backed Project to conserve Buddhas Birthplace in Nepal Launched

An international team of archaeologists has begun a three-year survey, coordinated by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), of the archaeological ruins of Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal. Lumbini is a world-renowned Buddhist pilgrimage destination and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. The project, funded by the Japanese Government and coordinated by the UNESCO office in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, aims to identify the presence, or absence, of archaeological deposits, invisible below the surface, so that appropriate placing of pilgrim facilities can be made without damaging valuable archaeological resources. UNESCO welcomes the implementation of this innovative and interdisciplinary project which mobilises national and international experts towards the strengthening and conservation of the World Heritage Property of Lumbini for the benefit of humanity, said Axel Plathe, Head of UNESCOs Kathmandu Office. The team of archaeologists, including experts from Nepals Department of Archaeology and the Lumbini Development Trust, is directed by Robin Coningham, UNESCO Archaeological Expert and Professor of Archaeology, University of Durham. This project offers a unique opportunity to investigate some of the earliest developmental phases of one of the worlds great religious traditions, and will introduce new scientific evidence into the debate surrounding the date of the Buddhas birth, said Mr. Coningham. Siddhartha Gautama, who later became Buddha, was born in 623 BC in the famous gardens of Lumbini. The Indian emperor Ashoka, a pilgrim to the site, erected a commemorative pillar there. The threeyear initiative is part of a larger project entitled Strengthening the Conservation and Management of Lumbini, the Birthplace of Lord Buddha, launched last year to address a number of issues and challenges facing the World Heritage site, including the deteriorating condition of the Marker Stone and the Ashokan pillar, as well as inadequately mapped associated archaeological remains both within the site and in the adjacent areas. Source: www.un.org
The Goal and Method of Realisation Swami Vivekananda

The greatest misfortune to befall the world would be if all mankind were to recognise and accept but one religion, one universal form of worship, one standard of morality. This would be the death-blow to all religious and spiritual progress. Instead of trying to hasten this disastrous event by inducing persons, through good or evil methods, to conform to our own highest ideal of truth, we ought rather to endeavour to remove all obstacles which prevent men from developing in accordance with their own highest ideals, and thus make their attempt vain to establish one, universal religion. The ultimate goal of all mankind, the aim and end of all religions, is but onere-union with God, or, what amounts to the same, with the divinity which is every mans true nature. But while the aim is one, the method of attaining may vary with the different temperaments of men. Both the goal and the methods employed for reaching it are called Yoga, a word derived from the same Sanskrit root as the English yoke, meaning to join, to join us to our reality, God. There are various such Yogas, or methods of unionbut the chief ones areKarma-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Raja-Yoga, and Jnana-Yoga. Every man must develop according to his own nature. As every science has its methods, so has every religion. The methods of attaining the end of religion are called Yoga by us, and the different forms of Yoga that we teach, are adapted to the different natures and temperaments of men. We classify them in the following way, under four heads: 1 Karma-YogaThe manner in which a man realises his own divinity through works and duty. 2 Bhakti-YogaThe realisation of the divinity through devotion to, and love of, a Personal God. 3 Raja-YogaThe realisation of the divinity through the control of mind. 4 Jnana-YogaThe realisation of a mans own divinity through knowledge. These are all different roads leading to the same centreGod. Indeed, the varieties of religious belief are an advantage, since all faiths are good, so far as they encourage man to lead a religious life. The more sects there are, the more opportunities there are for making successful appeals to the divine instinct in all men. Speaking of the world-wide unity, before the Oak Beach Christian Unity, Swami Vivekananda said: All religions are, at the bottom, alike. This is so, although the Christian Church, like the Pharisee in the parable, thanks God that it alone is right and thinks that all other religions are wrong and in need of Christian light. Christianity must become tolerant before the world will be willing to unite with the Christian Church in a common charity. God has not left Himself without a witness in any heart, and men, especially men who follow Jesus Christ, should be willing to admit this. In fact, Jesus Christ was willing to admit every good man to the family of God. It is not the man who believes a certain something, but the man who does the will of the Father in heaven, who is right. On this basisbeing right and doing rightthe whole world can unite. Swami Vivekananda Source: Swami Vivekanandas Works, p. 219220
Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha was a spiritual teacher in the ancient Indian subcontinent and the historical founder of Buddhism. He is universally recognised by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddha of our age. The time of his birth and death are unclear, but most modern scholars have him living between approximately 563 BCE and 483 BCE. By tradition, he was born with the name Siddhartha Gautama and, after a quest for the truth behind life and death, underwent a transformative spiritual change that led him to claim the name of Buddha. He is also commonly known as Sakyamuni (sage of the Sakya clan) and as the Tathagata (thus-come-one). Gautama is the key figure in Buddhism, and accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules were summarized after his death and memorized by the sangha. Passed down by oral tradition, the Tripitaka, the collection of discourses attributed to Gautama, was committed to writing about 400 years later. The Historical Siddhartha The other major challenge to orthodox Vedism was founded by the son of a chief of a region called the Shakyas. This region lay among the foothills of the Himalayas in the farthest northern regions of the plains of India in Nepal. This founder, Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, has many legends and stories that have accreted around his life. He was the chiefs son of a tribal group, the Shakyas, so he was born a Kshatriya around 566 BC. At the age of twenty-nine, he left his family in order to lead an ascetic life. A few years later he reappears with a number of followers; he and his followers devote their lives to The Middle Way, a lifestyle that is midway between a completely ascetic lifestyle and one that is world-devoted. At some point he gained enlightenment and began to preach this new philosophy in the region of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. His teaching lasted for several decades and he perished at a very old age, somewhere in his eighties. Following his death, only a small group of followers continued in his footsteps. Calling themselves bhikkus, or disciples, they wandered the countryside in yellow robes (in order to indicate their bhakti, or devotion to the master). For almost two hundred years, these followers of Buddha were a small, relatively inconsequential group among an infinite variety of Hindu sects. But when the great Mauryan emperor, Asoka, converted to Buddhism in the third century BC, the young, inconsequential religion spread like wildfire throughout India and beyond. Significantly, the religion was carried across the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka. The Buddhists of Sri Lanka maintained the original form of Siddharthas teachings, or at least, they maintained a form that was most similar to the original. While in the rest of India, and later the world, Buddhism fragmented into a million sects,
the original form, called Theravada Buddhism, held its ground in Sri Lanka. Life and Philosophy When Siddhartha Gautama was born, a seer predicted that he would either become a great king or he would save humanity. Fearing that his son would not follow in his footsteps, his father raised Siddhartha in a wealthy and pleasure-filled palace in order to shield his son from any experience of human misery or suffering. This, however, was futile and when Siddhartha saw four sights: a sick man, a poor man, a beggar, and a corpse, he was filled with infinite sorrow for the suffering that humanity has to undergo. After seeing these four things, Siddhartha then dedicated himself to finding a way to end human suffering. He abandoned his former way of life, including his wife and family, and dedicated himself to a life of extreme asceticism. So harsh was this way of life that he grew very thin. In this state of wretched concentration, in heroic but futile selfdenial, he overheard a teacher speaking of music. If the strings on the instrument are set too tight, then the instrument will not play harmoniously. If the strings are set too loose, the instrument will not produce music. Only the middle way, not too tight and not too loose, will produce harmonious music. This chance conversation changed his life overnight. The goal was not to live a completely worldly life, nor was it to live a life in complete denial of the physical body, but to live in a Middle Way. The way out of suffering was through concentration, and since the mind was connected to the body, denying the body would hamper concentration, just as overindulgence would distract one from concentration. With this insight, Siddhartha began a intense yogic meditation beneath a pipal tree in Benares. At the end in a single night, Siddhartha came to understand all his previous lives and the entirety of the cycle of birth and rebirth, or samsara, and most importantly, figured out how to end the cycle of infinite sorrow. At this point, Siddhartha became the Buddha, or Awakened One. Instead, however, of passing out of this cycle himself, he returned to the world of humanity in order to teach his new insights and help free humanity of their suffering. His first teaching took place at the Deer Park in Benares. It was there that he expounded his Four Noble Truths, which are the foundation of all Buddhist belief: 1. All human life is suffering (dhukka). 2. All suffering is caused by human desire, particularly the desire that impermanent things be permanent. 3. Human suffering can be ended by ending human desire. 4. Desire can be ended by following the Eightfold Noble Path: right understanding, right thought,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. These Noble Truths make up and derive from a single fundamental Truth (in Sanskrit, Dharma, and in Pali, Dhamma). The Buddhist Dharma is based on the idea that everything in the universe is causally linked. All things are composite things, that is, they are composed of several elements. Because all things are composite, they are all transitory, for the elements come together and then fall apart. It is this transience that causes human beings to sorrow and to suffer. We live in a body, which is a composite thing, but that body decays, sickens, and eventually dies, though we wish it to do otherwise. Since everything is transient, that means that there can be no eternal soul either in the self or in the universe. This, then, is the eternal truth of the world: everything is transitory, sorrowful, and soullessthe three-fold character of the world.
Siddhartha began a intense yogic meditation beneath a pipal tree in Benares.

Like Jainism, Buddhism concerns the problem of the eternal birth and rebirth of the human soul. Unlike Jainism, Buddhism in its original form does not pose some transcendent alternative as a goal. In fact, Buddhism in its original form held that the soul actually died when the body died. How, then, could a soul pass from body to body? What passed from body to body was a chain of causes set in motion by each soul; the Buddhist philosopher Nagsena said it was like a flame passing from candle to candle. The individual, in snuffing out the self, brings those chains of causes to an end. A large part of the program prescribed by Buddha involved selflessness in the world. Buddhism represents one of the most humane and advanced moral systems in the ancient world. The first steps on the road to Nirvana were to focus ones actions on doing good to others. In this way one could lose the illusion that one is a unique self. The Buddhist scriptures disapprove of violence, meat-eating, animal sacrifice, and war. Buddha enjoined on his followers four moral imperatives: friendliness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, the Four Cardinal Virtues. This is the philosophy that Buddha left the world. Gautama Buddha in Hinduism The Buddha in Hinduism is viewed as an Avatar of Vishnu. In the Puranic text Bhagavata Purana,
he is the twenty-fourth of twenty-five avatars, prefiguring a forthcoming final incarnation. A number of Hindu traditions portray Buddha as the most recent (ninth) of ten principal avatars, known as the Da avatara (Ten Incarnations of God). The s Buddhist Dasharatha Jataka (Jataka Atthakatha 461) represents Rama as a previous incarnation of the Buddha as a Bodhisattva and supreme Dharma King of great wisdom. In the Dasavatara stotra section of his Gita Govinda, the Vaishnava poet Jayadeva Goswami (13th C AD) includes the Buddha amongst the ten principal avatars of Vishnu and writes a prayer regarding him as follows: O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Buddha! All glories to You! O Buddha of compassionate heart, you decry the slaughtering of poor animals performed according to the rules of Vedic sacrifice. This viewpoint of the Buddha as the avatar who primarily promoted non-violence (Ahimsa) remains a popular belief amongst a number of modern Vaishnava organisations. Modern proponents of Hinduism, such as Radhakrishnan and Vivekananda, consider the Buddha as a teacher of the same universal truth that underlies all religions of the world.
A Vaishnava sect of Maharashtra, Varkari worship Lord Vithoba. Though Vithoba is mostly considered as form of little Krishna, there is deep belief since many centuries that Vithoba is form of Buddha. Many saint poets of Maharashtra Eknath, Namdev, Tukaram have explicitly mentioned him as Buddha. Hinduism and Hindu Scriptures A number of revolutionary figures in modern Hinduism, including Mahatma Gandhi, have been inspired by the life and teachings of the Buddha and many of his attempted reforms. Some of them refer to other persons, and some occurrences of buddha simply mean a person possessing buddhi. Most of them refer to the founder of Buddhism. They portray him with two roles: preaching false views in order to delude demons or others, and criticizing animal sacrifice as prescribed in the Vedas. Buddha is mentioned in the Puranas like, Harivamsha, Vishnu Purana, Bhagavata Purana, Garuda Purana, Agni Puran, Narada Purana, Linga Purana, Padma Purana etc. Another important scripture that mentions him as an Avatar is Rishi Parasharas Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra. He is often described as a yogi or yogacarya, and as a sannyasi. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org Richard Hooker Source: www.unitedearth.com.au, www.wsu.edu
Lumbini
Birth Place of the Buddha
Lumbini is the place where the Buddha, known as the Tathagata (One who has found the Truth) was born. It is the place which should be visited and seen by a person of devotion and which should cause awareness and apprehension of the nature of impermanence. The birthplace of the Gautama Buddha, Lumbini, is the Mecca of every Buddhist, being one of the four holy places of Buddhism. It is said in the Parinibbana Sutta that Buddha himself identified four places of future pilgrimage: the sites of his birth, enlightenment, first discourse, and death. All of these events happened outside in nature under trees. While there is not any particular significance in this, other than it perhaps explains why Buddhists have always respected the environment and natural law. Lumbini is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas in modern Nepal. In the Buddhas time, Lumbini was a beautiful garden full of green and shady Sal trees (Shorea). The garden and its tranquil environs were owned by both the Shakyas and Kolias clans. King Suddhodana, father of Gautama Buddha was of the Shakya dynasty belonging to the Kshatriya or the warrior caste. Maya Devi, his mother, gave birth to the child on her way to her parents home in Devadaha while taking rest in Lumbini under a sal tree in the month of May in the year 642 BC. The beauty of Lumbini is described in Pali and Sanskrit literature. Maya Devi was spellbound to see the natural grandeur of Lumbini. While she was standing, she felt labor pains and catching hold of a drooping branch of a Sal tree, the baby, the future Buddha, was born. In 249 BC, when Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini it was a flourishing village. Ashoka constructed four stupas and a stone pillar with a figure of a horse on top. The stone pillar bears an inscription which, in English translation, runs as follows: King Piyadasi (Ashoka), beloved of devas, in the 20 year of the coronation, himself made a royal visit, Buddha Sakyamuni having been born here, a stone railing was built and a stone pillar erected to the Bhagavan having been born here, Lumbini village was taxed reduced and entitled to the eight part (only). Maya Devi Temple Lumbini remained neglected for centuries. In 1895, Feuhrer, a famous German archaeologist, discovered the great pillar while wandering about the foothills of the Churia range. Further exploration and excavation of the surrounding area revealed the existence of a brick temple and a sandstone sculpture within the temple itself which depicts the scenes of the Buddhas birth. It is pointed out by scholars that the temple of Maya Devi was constructed over the foundations of more than one earlier temple or stupa, and that this temple was probably built on an Ashokan stupa itself. On the south of the Maya Devi temple there is the famous sacred bathing pool known as Puskarni. It is believed that Maya Devi took a bath in this pool before the delivery. By the side of the Ashoka pillar there is a river which flows southeast and is locally called the Ol river. In 1996, an archaeological dig unearthed a flawless stone placed there by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC to mark the precise location of the Buddhas birth more than 2,600 years ago. Recently, several beautiful shrines have been built by devotees from Buddhist countries. A visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, is not only for spiritual enlightenment but also for solace and satisfaction that one gets in such a calm and peaceful place. Source: www.buddhanet.net
Festivals of the Month
Akshaya Tritiya/Parshuram Jayanti Akshaya Tritiya, is traditionally the birthday of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The day on which Moon, Sun and Jupiter unitedly come under Mrigshira Nakshatra is called Akshay Tritiya. Akshay Tritiya, the holy day when many perform puja to start a business. According to the Hindu customs, many choose to perform the pujas for Business, bathe in holy rivers, make a charity, offer barley in a sacred fire, and worship Lord Ganesha and Devi Lakshmi on the holy day of Akshay Tritiya. It is considered a good time to invest in gold and diamonds. It is believed that whatever is bought on this day, will remain forever. Akshaya Tritiya/Parshuram Jayanti 2011 falls on 6th May. Lord Parshuram Parshuram the sixth incarnation of Vishnu is the epitome of valour and devotion towards parents. Once his father, Jamadagni got angry with his wife Renuka and ordered Parshuram to murder her. Parshuram obeyed him and killed his mother. Contented with his act Jamadagni asked his son to ask for anything whatever he wanted. Parshuram asked to bring back his mother to life.
It was Parshurams cleverness that brought back his mother to life again. In this way Parshuram proved his devotion to his father and mother. Jamadagni and their Kama Dhenu cow were killed by a Kshatriya King, Kartavirya Sahashrarjun. Parshuram vowed to kill all the Khatriyas on this earth and made it free from the autocracy of the Kshatriyas. All the Kshatriyas fled away due to the terror of him and no one remained to protect this earth. So Kashyap Muni ordered Parshuram to leave this world. Parshuram went to mountain Mahendra and began living there. Significance Akshaya Tritiya is the perfect day to make new beginnings so that they produce imperishable results, to practise the art of giving to ensure infinite returns, and to maximize the divine blessings in your life by performing only auspicious actions. The ancient seers reveal that prayers on this day will pave a road for riches both materially and spiritually. When you are lighter in the inner, the outer universe responds with abundance and happiness.
Celebrations Fast is kept on this day to be blessed with son and is also called Parshu Rama Dwadashi. According to Varah Puran by keeping a fast on this day the devotee enjoys his stay in Brahmlok and will be reborn to become a great King. Akshaya Tritiya is another name for the birthday of Lord Parasuram. There is a strong belief the merits gained by good acts on this day is permanent. It is believed that Akshaya Tritiya marks the beginning of the Treta Yug. Hindus hold major part of population in India. With the revitalization of Hinduism after the medieval period, the birth day of Parshuram regained its importance. Fasting, procession and satsang are organised in most of the towns of Northern India. Surdas Jayanti Surdas Jayanti commemorates the birthday of Saint Surdas who is believed to be blind. Surdas is one of the people who had great influence on the cultural heritage of India. He was a poet, a saint and a musician and played all the parts with the same finesse. Since there are no authentic records on the life of Surdas, his biography comes up as a combination of facts and fiction. There is a little disagreement regarding the exact birth date of Surdas, some scholars believe it to be 1478 AD, while others believe it to be 1479 AD. Same is the case of the year of his death, it is either considered to be 1581 AD or 1584 AD. In 2011, the date of Surdas Jayanti is May 8. It is said that he lived in Braj, near Mathura. Surdas was born blind and because of this, he was neglected by his family. As a result, he left his home at tender age of six. In the eighteenth year of his life, Surdas went to Gau Ghat, a sacred bathing spot on the embankments of Yamuna River. It was here that he came across Shri Vallabharacharya, the great saint-savant. Vallabharacharya advised Surdas to sing Bhagvat Lila, the Creative Play of the Lord and introduced him to the secrets of contemplative devotion. From this time onwards, Surdas never looked back on the path of spirituality. Surdas spent the last years of his life in Braj, the place of his birth. The work of Surdas mainly consists of the three compilations. Sur-Saravali, based on the festival of Holi, originally consisted of hundred verses. In this poem, he tried to create a theory of Genesis, with Lord Krishna as the Creator. Sahitya-Lahiri is mainly associated with Bhakti (devotion) towards the Supreme Lord. SurSagar is considered to be the magnum opus of Surdas. The poem has been woven around the life of Lord Krishna. It originally contained 100,000 poems or songs, out of which only 8000 have survived the travails of time. The Bhakti movement that was widely prevalent in India at the time of
Lord Parashuram
Surdas
Surdas deeply affected him. He propagated the Shuddhadvaita school of Vaishnavism. It makes use of the spiritual metaphor of the Radha-Krishna Lila, derived from earlier saints. Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya was a great teacher and master of the divine Vedas. He is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva, who appeared on the planet to spread the message of the Vedas and to instill harmony among mankind. According to scholars and pundits, Shankaracharya was born in 788 CE, in the Hindu month of Vaishaka Shuklapaksha Panchami in the city of Kaladi, Kerala. Adi Sankaracharya Jayanti is celebrated every year to obtain the blessings of Sri Shankaracharya. His works are read with great devotion and special Pooja is offered to Adi
Shankaracharya. Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti 2011 falls on 8th May. Adi Shankaracharya Adi Shankaracharya was born in a Brahmin family. God had gifted Sri Shankara with divine qualities. After his fathers death, Adi Shankaracharya kept himself aloof from the worldly things and adopted Sanyasa to become the follower of Govinda Bhagavadpada Acharya. He learned ancient Vedas, Purans and scriptures to quench his thirst of spiritual knowledge. To heal the bifurcation between the followers of Sanatana Dharma, Sri Shankaracharya held discussions with Vedic scholars and gurus all through India. The philosophy of Sri Shankaracharya became known as the Advaita school of thought. He explained the teachings of the Advaita School to all and wrote explanation of Hindu scripture. Sri Shankara also founded the Jagadguru Mathas. Shankaracharaya was known as Adi Shankaracharya because he was responsible to spread the Brahma Sutras all over the world. Adi Shankara also founded the Dashanami monastic order and the Shanmata tradition of worship. He wrote explanations on Brahma Sutra, Principal Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. Sri Shankaracharya attained Mukti at the age of 32. Celebrations Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti is also referred as Philosophers Day. On this day several seminars are conducted on the life and teachings of Adi Shankaracharya. The followers chant Adi
Shankaracharya Stotras and meditate on the great works of Shankaracharya. The discourses are held on the realizations on the principles of Advaita Vedanta. Narsingh Chaturdashi Narsingh Chaturdashi or Narshimha Chaturdashi is mainly observed to celebrate victory of good over evil. It is believed that on this very great day, Lord Narasimha appear for rescue of Dharma and Bhakti personified in Prahlada Maharaja. In 2011, Narsingh Chaturdashi falls on 16th May. Lord Narshimha Lord Narshimha is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu as described in ancient religious text. Lord Narshimha is also considered one of Hinduisms most popular deities. He is often visualized as half-man/half-lion, having a human-like torso and lower body, with a lion-like face and claws. He is popularly known as Great Protector who specifically defends his devotees in times of need. Celebrations The day is celebrated with fasting and worshiping the Lord with the Abhisheka and Archana at dusk. Rituals are followed by Sankeertana and Hari Naam Parayana. Tadavas, a village in Jaipur district which is popular for Narshimha Mandir observe special celebrations on the day of Narsingh Chaturdashi. Narsingh Leela is organised in this village annually in the month of Vaishakha on Narsingh Chaturdashi. Thousands of people gather from nearby villages to enjoy Narsingh Leela. Narsingh Avtar and Varah Avtar are main attractions of the
Adi Shankaracharya
Lord Narshimha
Leela. Special food preparations for this day are Panaka (Cool sweet drink made out of sugar Tulsi leaves, Mint and Khas), wet Mooong and Chana along with seasonal fruits are specialty of the day. These are offered as Prasad and then distributed among devotees. Buddha Poornima On Buddha Poornima, the full moon night in Vaisakha, Lord Buddha was born. Buddha Jayanti celebrates Gautam Buddhas life. Pilgrims from all over the world come to Bodh Gaya in India to participate in the Buddha Poornima celebrations that highlight prayer meets, sermons and religious discourses, recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation, processions and worship of the statue of Buddha. Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, Japan and quite a number of western Buddhists participate in Vaisakha Purnima Day religious activities in a festive mood. Sarnath the capital of Buddhism too celebrates Vaisakha Purnima day in a grand way. Buddha Purnima 2011 Falls on 17th May.
Lord Buddha One of the greatest spiritual teachers of mankind which Bharat (India) has produced is Buddha. Buddhas message has travelled far and wide and captured the hearts and minds of billions of people outside India also. Siddhartha, the only son of Shuddhodana, the King of Kapilavastu situated at the foot of Himalayas, was prophesied by the royal astrologer to become either a famous emperor or a world-renowned ascetic. The father took extraordinary precautions to avoid every situation which would provoke such thoughts in his sons mind. Siddhartha grew of age without ever knowing what misery or sorrow was. One day the prince desired to see the city. The King ordered that the city should be all gay and grand, so that everywhere his son would meet with only pleasing sights. However, an old and crippled man by the roadside happened to catch Siddharthas eye. It was a sight never witnessed before by the prince: a sunken face, a toothless mouth, all the limbs emaciated, the whole body bent and walking with extreme difficulty. The innocent prince asked who that creature was. Chenna, the charioteer, replied that he was a human being who had become old. To further enquiries of Siddhartha, Chenna informed that the old man was of fine shape in his young age and that every human being
had to become like him after the youthful days are past. The perturbed prince returned to the palace, deeply engrossed in anxious thoughts. King Shuddhodana, in order to cheer up his spirits, again ordered for his sons procession in the capital, but on subsequent rounds, Siddhartha came across a sick man and a corpse being carried to the funeral ground. Chenna explained that human beings were prone to illness and that death inevitably awaited man at the end. As luck would have it, on his final round, Siddhartha saw a person, his face beaming with job and tranquillity, and heard from Chenna that he was an ascetic who had triumphed over the worldly temptations, fears and sorrows and attained the highest bliss of life. And that clinched the thoughts of the young prince. He was then barely twenty-nine. In that full bloom of youth, in the midnight of a full-moon day, he bade good-bye to his parents, his wife Yashodhara and little child Rahul and all the royal pleasures and luxuries, and departed to the forest to seek for himself answers for the riddles of human misery. For seven long years, Siddhartha roamed in the jungles, underwent severe austerities and finally, on the Vaishakha Poornima Day, the supreme light of Realization dawned on him. He thereafter became Buddha, the Enlightened One. When he was an itinerant monk, he was called Gautama and now he became popular as Gautama Buddha. Buddha passed into eternity after completing his Sahasra Chandra Darshana i.e., 1000 full moon days
(80th year) on the full moon day of Vaishaakha the day of his birth as also of his Enlightenment. And to this day, Buddha lives on as a beacon-light to billions the world over, who yearn for the peace and well-being of all living creation. Celebrations The great Buddhist festival Vaisakha, an occasion for rejoicing doesnt encourage hectic gaiety. The happiness that the Buddhists feel when they are celebrating it is a tranquil, peaceful joy. The festival has its gay side as well. In most of the Buddhist countries the villages, roads, streets, temples and houses are brightly illuminated with colour Lanterns, electric lights and colourful decorations. In the morning, special dance troupes from these countries perform invocatory dance programme welcoming Bhagawan. Bhagawan is generally greeted with the famous Buddhist prayer: Bhuddham Sharanam Gachchami (I take refuge in Buddha). The programme features speeches by Buddhist devotees and dignitaries and a variety of other presentations depicting the rich cultural traditions of those lands. Narad Jayanti Some Puranas suggests that Sage Narad appeared from the forehead of Lord Brahma whereas some like Vishnu Purana advocated he is the son of Sage Kashyapa. Narad Rishi is one of the Prajapatis and also among the seven honourable Rishis.
Gautam Buddha
Narada Muni
Narad Jayanti is observed as the birth anniversary of Devrishi Narad. It is said that he used to continuously travel all through the world singing and communicating information. Rig Veda has some hymns accredited to Narada Muni. Naradji is imagined as a Sanyasi with a Veena in hand who often creates trouble with a positive intention or for the betterment of the universe. In 2011, Narad Jayanti falls on May 18. Celebrations Narad Jayanti is commemorated on the day after full moon day in Vaishakh month. Sage Narad is a precursor of modern day journalist and mass communicator. So the day is also called Patrakar Diwas and is celebrated in this form across the country. He is believed to be the inventor of Veena. He has been held the chief of the Gandharvas who were the divine musicians. Intellectual meetings, seminars and prayers are held on the occasion in North India. The day appeals the journalists to follow his ideals, broaden their approach to people of the society and aim towards public welfare. Celebrations The appearance of Surdas is celebrated in great pomp in Braj and Vrindavan. The songs composed by Surdas are sung. Seminars are conducted and discourses are given on the life and preachings of Saint Surdas. Bhajan Mandali with mainly blind artistes stage Bhakthi Gyan Sudha, which fill the air with reverberating devotional ecstasy.
Lag Bomer Jewish people observe Lag BOmer, also known as Lag BaOmer, on the 18th day of the month of Iyar in the Jewish calendar. The name of this observance means refers to the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer. Lag BOmer 2011 falls on May 22. Celebrations Jewish communities celebrate Lag BOmer by having bonfires for family and friends. Some Jewish people choose to get married on this day. This is because mourning practices that occur during the Omer period are lifted on this date. Some Jewish boys may not have their hair cut until they are three years old, when they begin to learn the Torah. Many wait until Lag BOmer to have the ceremony, known as Upsherin, for this occasion. Some children play with bows, which represent rainbows. Parveen Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Source: www.festivalsofindia.in, http://festivals.tajonline.com, http://festivals.indobase.com, www.srisathyasai.org.in, www.timeanddate.com, www.jattitude.net, http://in.ygoy.com, www.akshaya-tritiya.com, www.religiousportal.com
Excellence is a Process, Not an Accident

Being unique will require excellence; let us understand what excellence is in more detail. Excellence is a self-imposed, self-directed, lifelong process. Excellence is not by accident. It is a process, where an individual, organisation or nation, continuously strives to better oneself. The performance standards are set by themselves, they work on their dreams with focus and are prepared to take calculated risks and do not get deterred by failures as they move towards their dreams. Then they step up their dreams as they tend to reach the original targets. They strive to work to their potential. In the process, they increase their performance, thereby multiplying further their potential and this is an unending life cycle phenomenon. They are not in competition with anyone else, but themselves. That is the culture of excellence. Students ought to think and think well. They should do no wrong.... Students should do everything to build-up a new state of India which would be everybodys pride. These actions of the champion of non-violence at the time of independence made me feel proud by being led an inspirational leader. While in the company of many young, inspired students of IIT Madras, I would like to give my perspective on the topic Evolution of a Unique YOU. In this context, I will talk to you about four important aspects in life with my experiencesAim in life, Acquiring Knowledge, Working Hard towards your dream even in times of difficulty and then finally, how to manage failures and success in life. Behind every successful venture and every inspiring career, you will find an unflinching aim which often is set early in life. Having an aim in life gives purpose to every action and orientation to every result. Let me give you my story which led to my aim in life which happened almost seven decades ago. When I think of aim in life, I am reminded of Sivasubramaniam Iyer who taught me when I was studying in fifth class at the age of ten. He was a great teacher in our school. All of us loved to attend his class and hear him. One day he was teaching about the bird flight. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard, depicting the wings, tail and the body structure with the head. He explained how the birds create the lift and fly. He also explained to us how they change direction while flying. Nearly for twenty-five minutes, he gave the lecture with various information such as lift, drag, how the birds fly in a formation of 10, 20 or 30. At the end of the class, he wanted to know whether we understood how the birds flew, I said I did not understand. When I said this, the teacher asked the other students whether they understood or not. Many students said that they also did not understand.
Our response did not upset him, since he was a committed teacher. Our teacher said that he would take all of us to the seashore. That evening the whole class was at the seashore of Rameswaram. We enjoyed the roaring sea waves knocking at the sandy hills. Birds were flying with sweet chirping voices. He showed the sea-birds in formations of 10 to 20 numbers. We saw the marvellous formations of birds with a purpose and we were all amazed. He showed us the birds and asked us to see how the birds looked like, when they flew. We saw the wings flapping. He asked us to look at the tail portion with the combination of flapping wings and twisting tail. We noticed closely and found that the birds in that condition flew in the direction they desired. Then he asked us a question, where the engine was and how it was powered. Bird is powered by its own life and the motivation of what it wants. All these aspects were explained to us within fifteen minutes. We all understood the whole bird dynamics from this practical example. Our teacher was a great teacher; he could give us a theoretical lesson coupled with a live practical example available in nature. This was real teaching. For me, it was not merely an understanding of how a bird flies. The birds flight entered into me and created a special feeling. From that evening, I thought that my future study has to be with reference to flight and flight systems. I am saying this because
my teachers teaching and the event that I witnessed decided my future career. Then one evening after the classes, I asked, Sir, please tell me, how to progress further in learning all about flight. He patiently explained to me that I should complete the eighth class, and then go to high school, and then I should go to the engineering college. That may lead to education on the flight. If I complete all my education with excellence, I might do something connected with flight sciences. This advice and the bird flying exercise given by my teacher, really gave me a goal and a mission for my life. When I went to college, I took Physics. When I went to engineering in Madras Institute of Technology, I took Aeronautical Engineering. Thus my life was transformed as a rocket engineer, aerospace engineer and technologist. That one incident of my teacher teaching the lesson, showing the visual live example proved to be a turning point in my life which eventually shaped my profession and flying. Before you enter into your professional life, it is important to forge your unique aim in life which will steer your efforts towards a well defined goal for the rest of your life. It will always remind you of your goals and give your strength in life. Acquire Knowledge Having an aim in life is incomplete until you are able to acquire the right knowledge needed to accomplish
that aim. It is a great privilege that you are all part of an institution which is known for the knowledge and enlightenment it provides. It is now your duty to make the best use of the resources, people and networks to acquire the optimal knowledge needed to propel you towards your goal. Knowledge will give you greatness, and will help accomplish difficult missions in life. Let me now share my experience about acquiring knowledge. I took permission from my Director, Dr. Mediratta and went to Prof. Satish Dhawan who was in a small room in the Indian Institute of Science with lot of books in the background and a blackboard on the wall. Prof. Satish Dhawan asked me what the problem was that I would like to discuss?
This process continued for the next six weeks. I got the capability for designing the contra-rotating propeller. Prof. Dhawan told me that I was ready for developing the contra-rotating propeller for a given hovercraft configuration. That was the time I realised that Prof. Satish Dhawan was not only a teacher, but also a fantastic development engineer of aeronautical systems. Later, during the critical phases of testing, Professor Dhawan was with me to find solutions to the problems. That was a great day for me when I saw the contra-rotating propeller designed by my team performing to the missions requirement in the hovercraft. However, at that time, I did not realise that Prof. Satish Dhawan would become Chairman, ISRO and that I would get the opportunity to work with him as a Project Director in the development of Satellite Launch Vehicle SLV-3 for injecting the Rohini Satellite into the orbit. Nature has its own way to link the students dream and the real life later. This was the first design in my career, which gave me the confidence to deal with many complex aerospace systems in future. The hovercraft could fly just above the ground level, carrying two passengers. I was the first pilot for this hovercraft and I could control and manoeuvre the vehicle in any direction. I learnt that in a project, problems always crop up; we should not allow them to be our masters but we should defeat the problems. Then successes will sparkle. Work Hard: Learning Integrated System Design In order to achieve great aims one needs to work relentlessly towards the goal. Constant effort with proper knowledge can help overcome difficulties and scale steep heights. I now discuss my experience of hard-work which brought a great learning to me. While I was studying aeronautical engineering in MIT, Chennai (1954-57), during the third year of my course, I was assigned a project to design a low-level attack aircraft together with six other colleagues. I was given the responsibility of system design and system integration by integrating the team members. Also, I was responsible for aerodynamic and structural design of the project. My design teacher Prof. Srinivasan, the then Director of MIT, was our guide. He reviewed the project and declared my work to be gloomy and disappointing. He didnt lend an ear to my difficulties in bringing together data base from multiple designers. I asked for a months time to complete the task, since I had to get the inputs from five of my colleagues without which I cannot complete the system design. Prof. Srinivasan told me Look, young man, today is Friday afternoon. I give you three days time. If by Monday morning I dont get the configuration design, your scholarship will be stopped. I had a jolt of my life, as scholarship was my lifeline, without which I couldnt continue my studies. There was no other way out but to finish the task. My team felt the need for working together round the clock.
The message is that the young in the organisation, whatever is their specialisation, be trained to systems approach and projects, which will prepare them for new products, innovation and undertaking higher organisational responsibilities.
I explained the problem to Prof. Dhawan about my project work. He told me that it was really a challenging task and he would teach me the design if I attended his classes in the Indian Institute of Science between 2.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. on all Saturdays for the next six weeks. He was a visionary teacher. He prepared the schedule for the entire course and wrote it on the black board. He also gave me the reference material and books I should read before I started attending the course. I considered this as a great opportunity and started meeting him regularly. Before commencing each class, he would ask critical questions and assess my understanding of the subject. That was for the first time that I realised how a good teacher prepares himself for teaching with meticulous planning and prepares the student for acquisition of knowledge.
We didnt sleep that night, working on the drawing board, skipping our dinner. On Sunday morning, I was near completion, when I felt someones presence in my laboratory. It was Prof. Srinivasan studying my progress. After looking at my work, he patted and hugged me affectionately. He had words of appreciation: I knew I was putting you under stress and asking you to meet a difficult deadline. You have done a great job in system design. Through this review mechanism, Prof. Srinivasan really injected the necessity of understanding the value of time by each team member and brought out the best from the system design team. I realised that if something is at stake, the human minds get ignited and the working capacity gets enhanced many fold. Thats what exactly happened. This is one of the techniques of building talent. The message is that the young in the organisation, whatever is their specialisation, be trained to systems approach and projects, which will prepare them for new products, innovation and undertaking higher organisational responsibilities. It is important to work hard towards your chosen pathsuccess is more a function of effort than anything else. Managing Failure When you set upon difficult missions it will bring difficult challenges which may sometimes produce temporary setbacks. The test of a human being is in accepting the failure and keep trying until he or she succeeds. Managing failures is a quality which is the essence of leadership. When I think of Prof. Satish Dhawan, many incidents come to my mind. I would like to share with you again, one important incident, which is a valuable lesson to the younger generation. Some of you know about the first experimental launch of SLV3, for which I was Project Director. On August 10, 1979, the vehicle took-off beautifully at T-0 and the first stage gave predicted performance. The second stage was initiated, but within a few seconds, we witnessed the vehicle in a tumbling motion and we lost the flight to the Bay of Bengal. It was 8 a.m. The whole team in spite of all day and night hard-work and sweat for several days, were busy in collecting the data and trying to establish the reason for the flight failure. I was called by Prof. Satish Dhawan to attend a press conference. Before the press conference, Prof. Satish Dhawan told me that he was going to handle the situation and should be present with many of the senior scientists and technologists. The press conference room was full with media. There was gloom, many questions were posed, some very powerful, thoughtful and also criticisms. Prof. Satish Dhawan, announced Friends, today we had the experimental launch of SLV3 to put ROHINI satellite in the orbit. It was a partial success. It is our first mission of proving multiple technologies in a
launch vehicle. We have proved many technologies in this launch but still we have to prove some more. We have tumbled, but not fallen flat. Above all I realise my team members have to be given all the technological support for the next mission to succeed.
Having an aim in life is incomplete until you are able to acquire the right knowledge needed to accomplish that aim.
Subsequently, a failure analysis board established the cause and we proceeded with the preparation for the second launch. The second mission of SLV-3 took place on July 18, 1980. It was 6.30 in the morning. The whole nations attention was towards the SHAR launch complex, now named after Prof. Satish Dhawan as a great tribute to him. The mission teams were busy during the countdown and carefully watching the flight sequence. At T-0 the vehicle took off and we witnessed a text book trajectory. After nearly 600 seconds of the flight I realised every stage has given the required velocity including the 4th stage. I made an announcement, Mission Director calling all stations. The SLV-3 has given the required velocity and right altitude to put Rohini satellite in the orbit. Our down range stations and global stations, will get the orbit of the satellite within an hour. There was a thunderous applause from all the stations and visitors gallery. The most important thing happened then. Prof. Satish Dhawan asked me to handle the press conference with our team members. There are two messages I would like to convey here. First is about the resilience and courage to resurge after a setup. And the second is about the role of a leader in managing failure. The leader should give the credit of the success to the team members. When failure comes the leaders should absorb the failures and protect the team members. I could not get this beautiful, technological education of failure management in any of the text books written by any of the institutes. The Joy of Giving Let me now give you two memorable events from my professional work in missile technology; which gave me bliss. Greening the Missile Range: In May 1989, the missile range at Chandipur in the Eastern coast of India was very busy. The countdown for launch of AGNI-I, the long range Indian missile, was going on for 24 hours
counting. We had a number of technical problems and geo-political pressures leading to anxiety for the scientific community and the political circles. On the day of launch, all the top guns had landed at Chandipur, apart from my technical team. While the countdown was progressing for the next morning launch, the Defence Minister KC Pant, Dr. Arunachalam, SA to RM and myself were walking on the beautiful sea-shore near the missile range. It was a full moon night. Our anxieties for the launch at Chandipur turned into positive thinking. Honble Defence Minister was discussing beyond AGNI-I launch. Suddenly, while we were walking, the Defence Minister turned to me and asked, Kalam, tomorrow I am sure, the missile launch will be successful, what would you like to have from me? I was puzzled. Spontaneously; I blurted, Sir, can you sanction for this Chandipur missile range planting and growing of 100,000 trees? There was a pin drop silence. Honble Minster said, what a beautiful request. I will sanction as many trees as you want.
Joy of Removing the Pain The next important event I would like to share with you is about the installment of FRO (Floor Reaction Orthosis) caliber to a polio affected child. During my visit to one of the hospitals in Hyderabad, I found many children struggling to walk with an artificial limb weighing over 4 kgs. At the request of Prof. Prasad of NIMS, Head of orthopedic department at that time, I asked my AGNI missile friends why we cannot use the composite material used for AGNI heat shield for fabricating FROs for polio affected patients. They immediately said it is possible. We worked on this project for some time and came up with a FRO for the child weighing around 400 gms in place of 4 kg. Exactly, l/10th of the weight which the child was carrying. The doctors helped us to fit the new light weight FRO on the child and the child started walking and running around. Her parents were also present. Tears rolled down on all of them through the joy of seeing their daughter running with light caliber. With the light weight device provided by the hospital, she could run, ride a bicycle and do all sorts of things which she had been denied for a long time. The removal of the pain and the freedom attained by the child gave me a state of bliss which I never experienced during any other achievement in my life. What you will be remembered for? Friends, history echoes to us, that those who have courage to imagine the impossible are the few unique personalities who broke all human limitations of thought and action. In every field of human efforts, whether science, technology, medicine, arts, sports, industry or even in developmental politics, the names of the people who imagined the impossible, are engraved timelessly in our human history. By breaking the limits of their imagination, they have transformed the world. I started todays lecture with the thought of UNIQUE you. What will drive towards your own unique YOU? It is a mantra. What will I be remembered for? I would like to ask you, what would you like to be remembered for? You have to evolve yourself and shape your life. You should write it on a page. That page may be a very important page in the book of human history. And you will be remembered for creating that one page in the history of the nation. (Courtesy: Kerala Calling) A.P.J. Abdul Kalaam excerpts of the speech delivered by A.P.J. Abdul Kalaam, former President of India at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Source: Bhavans Journal April 15, 2011
I learnt that in a project, problems always crop up; we should not allow them to be our masters but we should defeat the problems. Then successes will sparkle.
Today, the Chandipur range looks beautiful with full of trees and it has attracted lovely birds in five years time. With the money what was given for the tree planting, we also created an artificial lake, using the ground and rain water. Today this artificial lake has become a place of attraction, since birds from many parts of the world come here during the winter season. I always cherish this incident of planting 100,000 trees and creation of artificial lake which I consider as one of the most beautiful events in my life. Of course, subsequently AGNI-I launch gave birth to an Island missile range with full of trees and turtles in the background. In the Island, apart from having large number of plants and trees, we can see large number of turtles laying eggs in the isolated area. With the protected environment in our Island ranges, it is a great sight to see the turtles coming out of the egg and the turtle offsprings reaching the sea.
Asoka Pillars
Asokas pillars are a series of pillars that are spread all over the northern part of the Indian sub continent. These pillars were set up during the time Emperor Ashoka reigned in India. Out of all the pillars, the most famous is the Ashokan pillar located at Sarnath. Most of King Asokas pillars have inscriptions of Ashokas Dhamma/ philosophies. Sarnath Pillar Ashoka, who reigned in the northern part of India during the 3rd century BCE built the Sarnath pillar to commemorate the site of the first preaching of Lord Buddha. It is said to be place where Buddha taught Dharma to five monks. The pillar at Sarnath has an edict inscribed on it that reveals information about Ashokas stand against divisions of any sort in the society. When translated, it says No one shall cause division in the order of monks. The pillar at Sarnath is made of sandstone and is maintained in proper shape even today. The Pillar The imposing appearance of the pillar has at the base, an inverted lotus flower which forms a platform for the pillar. At the top of the pillar are four lions sitting back to back facing the four prime directions. Other illustrations on the pillar include the Dharma Chakra (Wheel) with 24 spokes which can be seen on the Indian national flag as well. All illustrations have their own meaning and significance. There are four animals illustrated on the pillar. They stand for the following: The illustration of an Elephant signifies Lord Buddhas conception. When Buddha was conceived, his mother dreamt that a white elephant had entered the womb. A Bull illustrated on the pillar signifies the zodiac sign of Taurus as it is said that Buddha was born during the month of April-May and also attained enlightenment during this time. The Bull also stands as a symbol of Lord Shiva. The Horse stands for the horse named Kanthaka that Buddha rode when he departed from his palace to practice asceticism and attain enlightenment. The Lion that is illustrated signifies the attainment of enlightenment. National emblem of India The Sarnath Lion Capital is a fairly ubiquitous sculpture because of its adaptation as the national emblem of India. It has also been monikered as the
Lion Capital of Ashoka. The Lion Capital originally crowned the Ashoka pillar at Sarnath. The National Emblem of India is an adapted version of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath. The Government of India adopted the Emblem on January 26, 1950. The original Ashoka Lion Capital comprises four lions, standing back to back. Source: www.iloveindia.com, www.thecolorsofindia.com
QUIT SMOKING, BE HEALTHY World No Tobacco Day, May 31st World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31st. The member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) created World No Tobacco Day in 1987. It draws global attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to its negative health effects. The day aims to reduce the 5.4 million yearly deaths from tobacco-related health problems from 1988. WHO has presented World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) awards to organizations or individuals who have made exceptional contributions in reducing tobacco consumption. Cigarette Smoking Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the vapours either tasted or inhaled. Smoking is the most common method of consuming tobacco, and tobacco is the most common substance smoked. Pathophysiological effects of Smoking While smoking, harmful substances quickly and effectively deliver into the bloodstream by absorption through the alveoli in the lungs. Some amount of the active substances will be lost in the process of combustion and Pyrolysis. The inhaled substances trigger chemical reactions in nerve endings. The cholinergic receptors are often triggered by the naturally occurring neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine and Nicotine have chemical similarities; these nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are located in the central nervous system and at the nerve-muscle junction of skeletal muscles; whose activity increases heart rate, alertness, and faster reaction times. Nicotine acetylcholine stimulation is not directly addictive. Dopamine is released in the process and this release of dopamine, which is associated with pleasure, is reinforcing and may also increase working memory. There is also a formation of acetaldehyde in tobacco smoke. This seems to play an important role in nicotine addiction; probably by facilitating a dopamine release in the nucleus acumens as a response to nicotine stimuli. Dangerous effect of Tobacco The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco caused 5.4 million deaths in 2004 and 100 million deaths over the course of 20th century. Similarly, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes tobacco use as the single most important preventable risk to human health in developed countries
Dangers of Smoking
and an important cause of premature death worldwide. Smoke contains several carcinogenic pyrolytic products that bind to DNA and cause many genetic mutations. Use of tobacco is a significant factor in miscarriages among pregnant smokers, and also causes premature births, low birth weight and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Chemical Contents of Cigarette Smoke Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 different chemicals. At least 50 are known carcinogens (cause cancer in humans) and many are poisonous. Poly nuclear aromatic hydro carbons: causing genetic mutation. Acrolein: causing mutation in genetic copying process. Lead 210, Polonium-210: There are radioactive carcinogens. Benzene (petrol additive): It is a known carcinogen and is associated with leukaemia. Formaldehyde (embalming fluid): Known to cause cancer, respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal problems. Ammonia (toilet cleaner): Used as a dry cleaning fluid. Acetone (nail polish remover): Fragrant volatile liquid ketone used as a solvent. Tar: Particulate matter drawn into lungs when you inhale on a lighted cigarette. Once inhaled, smoke condenses and about 70 percent of the tar in the smoke is deposited in the smokers lungs. Nicotine (insecticide/addictive drug): One of the most addictive substances known to man, a powerful and fast-acting medical and nonmedical poison. This is the chemical which causes addiction. Nicotine inhibits apoptosis, therefore accelerating existing cancers. Carbon Monoxide (CO): An odourless, tasteless and main poisonous gas in cigarette smoke. TSNAs: Tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs) are known to be some of the most potent carcinogens present in smokeless tobacco, snuff and tobacco smoke. Benzene: Benzene can be found in pesticides and gasoline. It is present in high levels in cigarette smoke and accounts for almost half of all human exposure to this hazardous chemical. Pesticides: Pesticides are used on our lawns and gardens, which is being inhaled into our lungs through cigarette smoke.
Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is a chemical used to preserve dead bodies, and is responsible for irritation of the nose, throat and eyes of smokers. effects of Smoking on Body Hair: Smoking may cause slow down hair growth, thinning and greying of hair. Brain: Smoking affects the brain which is highly dangerous in later life. Blockage of the carotid artery may cut off the blood supply to the brain cells, which can lead to a stroke. Eyes: Smoking affects eyes including common macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts. The worst smoking effect on eyes can be permanent blindness. Nose: Smoking affects your nose and sense of smell may completely disappear. Teeth and Gums: Smoking may cause staining of teeth and gum bleeding. Loose teeth, gum disease and gingivitis are direct results of smoking. Mouth and Throat: All cancers associated with the larynx, oral cavity and oesophagus are fatal smoking effects. The less dangerous smoking effects include a reduced sense of taste, sore throat and bad breath. Hands: Poor blood circulation which leads to cold fingers, tar stained fingers, peripheral vascular disease and gangrene. Lungs and Respiratory System: Lung cancer, cold and flu, pneumonia, asthma, cough, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis and emphysema are all harmful smoking effects. These problems can seriously affect your health in later life. Heart: An increased heart rate and a sharp rise in blood pressure are two immediate effects of smoking. Long term smoking effects include an increase in the blood cholesterol and fibrinogen levels and increase the chances of Heart attack, Coronary heart disease, Aneurysm, Peripheral vascular disease, Strokes etc. Digestive System: Smoking affects the bodys digestive system and causes heartburn, peptic ulcers, Crohns disease, gallstones and stomach cancer. Skin: Wrinkles, premature ageing and scarring are just a few smoking effects which show up on your skin. Legs and Feet: Burgers disease, leg pain and gangrene are painful side effects of smoking.
Major Diseases caused by Smoking Cancer 90% of lung cancer cases happen due to smoking. Smoking may also lead to cancer of mouth, throat, bladder, pancreas, kidneys, oesophagus and cervix. Cardiovascular Diseases Nicotine present in tobacco increases the cholesterol levels in the blood. Cholesterol and other fats get deposited in the arteries, which causes hardening of arteries. These arteries become narrow, rigid or blocked. Due to atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries), blood clots are formed, which increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Common cardiovascular diseases found in smokers are coronary thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis, coronary heart diseases, blockage in the legs (peripheral vascular disease) and cerebro vascular diseases such as stroke. Quit Smoking Within 20 minutes of smoking the last cigarette, the body begins a series of changes that continues for years and lifelong. 20 Minutes Blood pressure drops to normal. Pulse rate drops to normal. Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal. 8 Hours Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal. Oxygen level in blood increases to normal. 24 Hours Chance of heart attack decreases. 48 Hours Nerve endings start re-growing. Ability to smell and taste is enhanced. 2 Weeks to 3 Months Circulation improves. Walking becomes easier.
Lung function increases upto 30 percent. 1 to 9 Months Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease. Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection. Bodys overall energy increases. 1 Year Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half to that of a smoker. 5 Years Lung cancer death rate for average smoker decreases by almost half. Stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker, 5-15 years after quitting. Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and oesophagus is half that of a smoker. 10 Years Lung cancer death rates are reduced double the time. Precancerous cells are replaced. Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases. 15 Years Risk of coronary heart disease is almost that of a non smoker. Smoking is one of the health injuring habits. Naturopathy is a system of health promotion, disease prevention and disability limitation, it always advises to quit smoking. System of Naturopathy provides variety of nature cure treatment for de addiction aspect. If we want to live in a healthy nation, everyone must follow natural and healthy living habits and completely avoid the smoking habits. Dr. C. Karthic Raja, Lecturer Department of Hydro Therapy & Modern Diagnosis, Shree Ramakrishna Medical College of Naturopathy & yogic Sciences, Tamilnadu, India Source: Nisargopachar Varta, National Institute of Naturopathy, Vol. 3, Issue 4, April 2011
Social Health - Our Responsibility

Unless the individuals are physically, mentally, emotionally and intellectually healthy, we shall not be able to expect perfect social health. Social health is the pillar of culture of a society that upholds the nation at its optimum prosperity. India is viewed at, to take up the lead position of entire world in next few decades owing to its rich culture and resources. Responsibility of an Indian is therefore much higher in protecting the health of its people at all levels. What are the threats that we face in preserving individuals health? Illiteracy, misuse of science and technology, poor resource distribution structure, poor willfulness of the individuals and policy makers, poor performance of the policy implementing officers and on top of all, corruption. Illiteracy leads to ignorance whereas misuse of science and technology largely misguides the society towards the path of ill health, which is the greatest curse of modern world. In the name of advancement, we break all the limits of personal and social health. Science is greatly misused causing depletion of personal health, whereas technology is largely misused leading to deterioration of social health. Positive physical, mental, intellectual and emotional health maintenance of the individual is least cared and by misuse of science everything is turning negative. The lifestyle diseases of today are the result of this. The rules regarding healthy food, healthy eating habits, healthy drinking, rational use of elements of nature like earth, water, air and sunlight, all are left unused and modern nutrition theory, calorie theory and social status symbols are given undue importance leading to total disruption of individual health. Contribution of the roads of corruption give way to a forcible, negative health culture through industrial products and their influence through advertisements. Artificial food products, including iodised salt, the white revolution, green revolution, broiler revolution and finally the B.T. revolution refers to the lack of willful planning. Mahatma Gandhis sustainable growth plan is thrown to dogs. Life is so simple. The food needs to include some leafy vegetables, fruits, sprouts, dry fruits, nuts, rice and roti, whereas it is filled up with ice creams and chocolates with dry fruits and nuts, pastries, bottled drinks, preserved, tinned, refined and double refined, coloured, flavoured and fast food leading to hospitals and eventually to faster death. Total damage of immune system and loss of vitality leading to most serious infections like HIV and epidemics on one side and on the other, most dreadful diseases like cancer are the results. The result of misguiding the simple life to complicated complexities. Yoga is the best path to total health and personality which is properly cared world over, except India. Recently with the growth of tourism, some stimulus is working on Indians. The practice and cult of Yoga, if properly understood and implemented, most of the individual as well as social problems can be set right. Exercise, rest and relaxation are essential to maintain good physical, mental and emotional health. Making use of the elements of Nature like Earth, water, air and sunlight can help us a lot to prevent and cure our diseases, as well as, preserve and promote health. Naturopathy with yoga assures the above four which is so simple, inexpensive and effective. Diseases of any nature are attended by Naturopathy and we find reversion in most cases. If we are ready to adopt the simple life, the sustainable growth policy of Father of Nation, individual, as well as, social health will be taken care of. Dr. Babu Joseph, Chief editor, Nisargopachar Varta Source: Nisargopachar Varta, Vol. 3 Issue 4 April 2011
Buddhism and Communication
Buddhism is perhaps unique in the central role it accords human-to-human communication. The sutras, which record the teachings of Shakyamuni, are almost all in the form of questions and answers, the living dialogue through which the man who became known as the Buddha sought to bring hope, comfort and a renewed will to live to the people he encountered. Because he interacted with people from throughout the Indian society of his time, he responded to the full spectrum of human sufferings, anxieties and questions: What does it mean to live? To die? Why are we here in this life? How can we make our time here meaningful and joyous? The fact that his teachings were memorized, recited and later recorded is testament to the deep empathetic connection he formed with those with whom he interacted, and the transformative impact he had on their lives. Likewise, when Nichiren, the 13th-century founder of the Buddhism practiced by SGI members, writes, The voice does the Buddhas work, he is referring to our ability, through words and language, to touch and awaken the deepest potential for good in other people. His teachings come to us in the form of treatisesmany of them written as dialogues that capture the back and forth of debate, doubt and understandingas well as numerous letters of encouragement and guidance written to his followers. Like Shakyamuni, Nichiren confronted the full range of experience, and his responses, while undergirded by his unshakable confidence in the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, are anything but dogmatic. In a letter to a mother who has just lost her son, for example, Nichiren simply expresses
astonishment at her ability to endure, while also sharing his own shock and grief at this loss. Within the Soka Gakkai, dialogueinteraction with othershas been the basis of the organization since its inception. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (18711944), first president, founded the Soka Gakkais grassroots movement for peace on the basis of the small-group discussion meeting. In the face of increasing hostility from the militarist-dominated power structures of 1930s Japan, Makiguchi was tireless in his efforts to speak to individuals and promote discussion. He sometimes travelled to remote corners of Japan to meet and discuss his ideas with just one person. Similarly, second president Josei Toda (1900-58), had an uncanny ability to take complex Buddhist concepts and make these accessible to ordinary people enmeshed in the realities of everyday life. He compared the process of human interaction and communication, including the inevitable frictions, to the way in which the rough and dirty skins of Japanese mountain potatoes are naturally peeled away when the potatoes are placed in water together and rolled against each other. A Common Humanity As heir to this legacy, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda has carried out a wide-ranging program of dialogues, meeting with thousands of leading figures from all different walks of life, religious, intellectual, cultural and political backgrounds. These efforts have been based on faith in the shared bedrock of humanity. When asked, for
example, why he was travelling to the Soviet Union in the early 1970sa time of heightened Cold War tensionshe responded simply: because there are people there. In the Soviet Union, as in China and the United States, he met with political leaders including Aleksei Kosygin, Zhou Enlai and Henry Kissinger, but he did so in a private capacity, as a fellow human being. Together with members of the SGI, he has used dialogue to draw on peoples energy and creativity, to forge an effective grassroots movement for peace. As Ikeda wrote in 2009, Our efforts are based on the belief that it is dialogue, first and foremost, that opens one heart to another. However slow this process may appear, we are convinced that it is the certain path to world peace.
and deepening understanding. The dialogues of Socrates as recorded by his disciple Plato are for Ikeda an enduring source of inspiration, a model of rigorous examination of ideas and their underlying assumptions, a path for exorcising intellectual or spiritual laziness. He has also cited the transformative effects of dialogue highlighted by the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber (1878-1965), who, in his book I and Thou, described the risks and possibilities that open up to us when we fully acknowledge the existence of others: I require a You to become; becoming I, I say You. All actual life is encounter. Buber described such genuine encounters as taking place on the narrow ridge of earnestness and honesty. Ikeda recently engaged in a dialogue with Elise Boulding (1920-2010), the Quaker sociologist and professor of peace studies. When asked about how to rid the world of violence and terrorism, she said that ultimately it comes down to Listening and bringing people together in dialogue and getting to know what kind of world they live in. Through dialogue, or communicative action, we are able to build peace. Such dialogues are often difficult to begin and even harder to sustain. It takes time to establish trust, a rapport, points of mutual agreement, with some or a few others, and it is even more difficult to continue to open up new common ground with them. But it is by commitment to dialogue on all levels that we can begin to build a new civilization. Openhearted communication and dialogue stand in direct opposition to violence and warfare, as well as the impulse to silence others through intimidation or threat. Resort to violence is, in the end, born from the frustration at our own inability to convince others of the importance and validity of our concerns, needs and aspirations. Communication, woven of words and silence, attentiveness to what is said and left unsaid, is an act of courageous creation. It is the broad and certain path to a better world. Source: Sokka Gakkai International Quarterly (SGI), April 2011
Genuine dialogue requires deep mutual respect that does not fear difference but seeks to clarify it and helps participants find common ground at a deeper level.
Genuine dialogue requires deep mutual respect that does not fear difference but seeks to clarify it and helps participants find common ground at a new and deeper level. Plain-spoken words that issue from a true concern for the happiness of another can open new avenues of understanding. To quote Ikeda again: Dialogue starts from the courageous willingness to know and be known by others. It is the painstaking and persistent effort to remove all obstacles that obscure our common humanity. Or, in the words of the German philosopher and educator Otto F. Bollnow (1903-91): Truth born from dialogue is not a cruel, frightening, forceful truth, but is a truth which gives comfort and supports life. As Ikeda says, through dialogue, we can arrive at a deeper mutual understanding: Dialogue starts by clearly recognizing the positions and interests of the respective parties and then clearly identifying the obstacles to progress, patiently working to remove and resolve each of these. Ikeda frequently cites the examples and words of the religious thinkers and philosophers who, through history, have placed an emphasis on dialogue as a means of awakening self-awareness
AWAKENING INDIA
Alliances of the Air

New Delhi: Indias recent decision not to purchase American warplanes for its $10 billion-plus fighter aircraft programthe largest single military tender in the countrys historyhas stirred debate in defense circles worldwide. Indias defense ministry deemed the two American contenders, Boeings F/A-18 Superhornet and Lockheeds F-16 Superviper, not to fulfill the requirements that it sought in a medium-size multi-role combat aircraft. With the Russian MiG-30 and the Swedish Gripen also eliminated, two European planes, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the French Rafale, are the only aircraft still in contention for an expected order of 126 planes. India had never previously purchased an American fighter plane, and the United States hoped that India would cement the emerging bilateral strategic partnership with a hefty cheque. Indeed, US officials, including President Barack Obama, had lobbied for the deal, which would have pumped money and jobs into the ailing American economy. The deeply disappointed US ambassador to India, Tim Roemer, promptly announced his resignation. But, in a typical comment, Indian-American strategist Ashley Tellis observed trenchantly that India had chosen to invest in a plane, not a relationship. The notion that a major arms purchase should be based on broader strategic considerations the importance of the US in Indias emerging Weltpolitikrather than on the merits of the aircraft itself, strikes Indian officials as unfair. Some deny that the decision reflects any political bias on the part of Indias taciturn, left-leaning defense minister, A.K. Antony. The choice, they aver, is a purely professional one, made by the Indian Air Force, and only ratified by the ministry. The two European fighters are generally seen as aerodynamically superior, having outperformed both US-made aircraft in tests under the adverse climatic conditions in which they might have to be used, particularly in the high altitudes and low temperatures of northern Kashmir. Experts suggest that the American planes are technologically ten years behind the European ones, and it doesnt help that Pakistan, Indias likely adversary if the aircraft were ever pressed into combat, has long been a regular US client for warplanes. Moreover, Indian decision-makers could not help but be aware that the US has not, over the years, proved to be a reliable supplier of military hardware to India or other countries. It has frequently cut off, contracted supplies, imposed sanctions on friends and foes alike (including India), and reneged on delivering military goods and spare parts, in addition to being notoriously unwilling to transfer its best military technologies. The current Indian fleet of mainly Russian and French planes has suffered from no such problems, and the existing ground-support and maintenance infrastructure would have needed major changes to handle US aircraft. (It is likely that the eventual winner of the bid will be required to enter into a joint-production arrangement with India, which US companies would not have done.) As if all this were not enough to decide against America, the clincher might well have been the Indian governments desire to avoid any further procurement controversy at a time when allegations of corruption beset it from all sides. A decision made on technical grounds, many felt, would be easier to defend than one based on political considerations.
Against this are the unambiguous advantages of pleasing a major new ally and developing a pattern of bilateral military cooperation in supply, training, and operations that has yet to evolve. At a time when US nuclear-reactor purchasesmade possible by the historic deal negotiated by the Bush administrationhave been held up by US insistence on exemptions from supplier liability in the event of an accident, some regard Indias spurning of US aircraft as a gratuitous rejection of an opportunity to demonstrate that friendship with India helps America, too. Is India being its old prickly non-aligned self again? Is appeasement of Indias notoriously anti-American politicians more important to a beleaguered Indian government than winning over the US? Will Indias traditional obsession with preserving its strategic autonomy always limit its usefulness as a partner to the US? Such questions are unfair. Surely, India-US relations transcend any single arms purchase. Why should the financial value of one deal be the barometer of a strategic partnership? It is simply narrow-minded to reduce US foreign policy towards India to the bottom lines of American defense salesmen. Nor is there any military estrangement between the two countries. Even if this deal didnt work out for the US, it remains a leading arms supplier to India, having won bids to provide ships, reconnaissance aircraft, and advanced transport planes. The Indian army, navy, and air force still conduct more exercises with US defense forces than with those of any other power. And the strategic relationship is not one-way. The US, too, has a strong interest in Indian strategic
autonomy, which would be buttressed by a wider range of external partnerships, including with the European states that will benefit from the aircraft tender. Though India is rightly allergic to being seen as a US-supported counterweight to a rising China, in practice it is avidly courted by Southeast Asian countries anxious to balance the Chinese, a development that suits American interests. Obamas visit to India last November reinforced a perception that the two countries share an increasingly convergent worldview, common democratic values, and thriving trade. None of this will cease to be relevant if India buys a European fighter plane. In fact, the potential for Indian-US collaboration in a variety of military and non-military areas could be enhanced by this decision. Turning the US down this time actually frees Indias hands to pursue other aspects of the partnership, immune from the charge that it is too responsive to American pressures. India has not foreclosed its options; it has enlarged them. Shashi Tharoor, a former Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and UN Under-Secretary General, is a member of Indias Parliament and the Author of several books, including, most recently, Nehru: the Invention of India in German). Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2010, www.project-syndicate.org
Sadhu Learns Musical Instrument from Muslim Guru

Ahmedabad: It is not often that you see a Swaminarayan sadhu, draped in saffron, visit a home in Juhapura, Gujarats largest Muslim ghetto. Equally uncommon is to see a Muslim, his head covered with a skullcap, sitting in a Swaminarayan temple. But then music can bring down the tallest of barriers. For the past four years, Narayan Charandas, 30, a sadhu of the Swaminarayan Chharodi sect, has been learning the sarangi from Ashraf Khan, one of the last exponents of this difficult instrument in Ahmedabad. It is routine for Khan, a teacher with Kadamb school of music and dance, to go to the gurukul, sit in the temple and supervise Narayan Swamis riyaz. The expression on peoples faces would often change when I would tell them I was learning sarangi from a Muslim guru, says the sadhu, who is also studying for a degree in Vedanta. But the heads of my sectShastri Madhavpriyadas and Purani Balkrishnadas encouraged my aptitude for music. The initial suggestion was to pick up the violin. When I met guruji, however, he said that as a sadhu I was used to a difficult life, Sarangi was the way to go. It was a natural fit. There are only five people playing the sarangi in Ahmedabad today, three of whom belong to the Khan family. This includes Khans 80-year-old father and his son. I have many Hindu students but Narayan Swami is my first sadhu student and that too for the sarangi, Khan says. Just the groundwork takes five years on this instrument. Playing soothing music takes another 10. This is not an instrument you can learn instantly to impress the judges of a television talent show. The main strings of a sarangi are made from goat intestine, but that does not bother Narayan Swami. If I object, I would not be able to play the table or dholak, both of which use animal skin. But I do wash my hands before performing puja. Now, after watching the two play music, the other children of the gurukul want to become Khans students. He is more than ready to oblige. Prashant Dayal, Times News Network, The Times of India, May 15, 2011
Akaal Moorat
His Form (Existence) Transcends Time
He is beyond time, therefore without death or change. There are some who believe that God created the world and then perished. Philosophically, too, one may argue that if God created the world from Himself, then He must have changed or perished to become the world, just as a seed perishes to become a tree, or as milk, disappears to form curds. By addressing the Truth as Akaal Moorat Guru Nanakji is pointing out that God has not become the Creation, but is merely appearing as the Creationjust as a rope in the twilight appears to be a snake. Thus this universe is not real, it is superimposed on the Reality. It is like a dream, and nothing in the dream can harm the waker. time seems to pass quickly. When you are sad or bored and your mind is agitated, time seems to slow down. In sleep, when the mind has enfolded itself, there is no concept of time. Therefore are you not aware of time when you are awake, as well as of its absence when you are asleep? You who are the witness or the seer of time are beyond time. The Self, the Aatmaa, I of the nature of consciousness which is aware of the mind and of time, is unconditioned by time and therefore imperishable. I, the Aatmaa, can never die. What perishes is the ever-changing body, not I. Shri Krishna in the Geeta says that this Aatmaa cannot be destroyed by any weapon or by any of the forces of nature. Wind cannot dry it nor water wet it nor fire burn it. The Self is ever-indestructible and eternal. He who knows this Aatmaa becomes fearless and without hatred. Shri Guru Arjan Dev was thrown alive into a cauldron of burning oil, Shri Guru Teg Bahadur-ji tortured and beheaded. Did They even for a moment have any fear or hatred? No, because the Lord of the universe who is the Indweller, the Self, who is Akaal Moorat, is also Ajuni. Swami Swaroopananda Source: Meditations on The One Indivisible Truth, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, p. 39-41
Aatmaa cannot be destroyed by any weapon or by any of the forces of nature.

In the same way, God, the Reality, can never perish or die. Besides, He is the Creator of time, and since He was there before time, He is beyond time. He, the Lord who is Consciousness, is Trikaala Darshi, He is the Seer of Time. He is aware of time, so He cannot be in time. In other words, He is not conditioned by time. Just as we said earlier, one who is watching the cars pass by is not inside any of the cars. Since the Lord is beyond time, and therefore beyond death, He is totally fearless and therefore all-powerful. Also, He has no enmity with anyone. He is all-compassionate. Indeed, one who surrenders to such a Lord in devotion has no reason to fear anything. Time is a concept of the mind. When you are happy and enjoying yourself, when your mind is at peace,
to be continued
THE NEW POWER GAME
Indias Nuclear
New Delhi: Japans nuclear disaster has fueled fear and uncertainty among all of the worlds producers of nuclear power. For India, an energy-starved country, much is at stake. That fear factor has two main causes. Although nuclear power ranks as a clean source of energy, it is accompanied by the terrible shadow of nuclear war, which emerged from Japans last reckoning with nuclear catastrophe, 65 years ago at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and which lends it an automatic association with mass destruction and
Conundrum
death. Moreover, the secrecy that attends all things nuclear has left people not knowing enough to feel confident. The fear inspired by the Fukushima Daiichi disaster will be reflected in soaring costs for nuclear power worldwide, largely owing to demands for improved safety and the need to pay more to insure the potential risks. Indeed, nuclear plants are prone to a form of panic transference. Should a reactor of one design go wrong, all reactors of that type will be shut down instantly around the world. Indias dilemma is this: it has 20 nuclear plants in operation, with an additional 23 on order. With the country desperately short of power, and requiring energy to grow, concerned citizens are asking if nuclear is still the answer for India. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has cautiously announced that a special safety review of all plants will be undertaken. Not enough, say roughly 50 eminent Indians, who at the end of March demanded a radical review of the countrys entire nuclear-power policy for appropriateness, safety, costs, and public acceptance. The group also called for an independent, transparent safety audit of all nuclear facilities, to be undertaken with the involvement of civil-society organizations and experts outside the Department of Atomic Energy. Until then, there should be a moratorium on allnuclear activity and revocation of recent clearances. This is as explicit as opposition can get. How have other countries reacted? France, which is around 80% dependent on nuclear energy, and is a big exporter of nuclear-plant technology, initially avoided most of the global anti-nuclear concerns. But now it, too, is promising to draw the necessary lessons from the Japanese experience and upgrade its safety procedures, including a reassessment of the potential effects of natural disasters on nuclearplant operations, conceding that the occurrence of more than one natural disaster simultaneously had not been considered previously. China, which has 77 nuclear reactors at various stages of construction, planning, and discussion, has said that it will review its program. Though Russia has formally announced that it will go ahead with its program, former President Mikhail Gorbachevon whose watch the Chernobyl meltdown occurred 25 years agois not so sanguine. While the US is the principal exporter of reactors, it currently has just two under construction on its own territory. Denmark, Greece, Ireland, and Portugal are strongly anti-nuclear, and Switzerland has stopped all nuclear-power projects. All of this will lead to cost evaluation and escalation. According to a study conducted by the former Indian government minister Arun Shourie, the price of uranium could rise to $140 per pound, close to its record high.
A change of much greater consequence concerns the price of reactors. Pre-Fukushima, a report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), The Future of Nuclear Power, 2003, as well as a study by researchers at the University of Chicago, established that nuclear energy was 50-100% more expensive than energy from coal or gas. The report of the Working Group on Power of the Planning Commission of India puts the cost of energy from the countrys coal-based plants at about one-third lower than nuclear power, with gas 50% cheaper. Energy security and public safety should be of equal importance in determining future policy on nuclear power. Indeed, experts like C.M.A. Nayar have said that the Fukushima accident could have happened even if there was no tsunami. Nayar suggests that it has long been known that the reactors design contained basic flaws, though only the Japanese authorities can verify this. So, what is to be done? Clean energy at a time of global warming is obviously necessary. But so is the safety and security of humans, animals, and plants. India has set itself on a path of virtually doubling its nuclear-power output. This is deeply troubling, for Indias supply of nuclear fuel, technology, and reactors is almost entirely dependent on imports from manufacturers who refuse liability for any malfunction. There is, of course, no single correct response that would simultaneously and uniformly deal with resource scarcity, fossil-fuel depletion, climate change, and the risks of nuclear power. A choice will ultimately need to be made about how to meet Indias energy demands. At a minimum, a thorough reexamination and full public debate must precede the construction of any new nuclear plant. But the current emphasis on nuclear power must be objectively reassessed, and dependence on it thereafter reduced. With nuclear safety suddenly becoming a global imperative, the costs are simply too high to do otherwise. Jaswant Singh, a former Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, and Defense Minister of India, is a member of the opposition in Indias Parliament. He is the Author of Jinnah: India Partition Independence. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2010, www.project-syndicate.org
Intercultural Communication: Challenges and Pitfalls

This article is based on two books, What Words Do Not Say and Responsibility and Cultures of the World, the result of intensive intercultural dialogue about the question of to what extent key notions, when translated into various languages, still convey the same meaning. This initiative was inspired by the concern that cultural interpretations of commonly used concepts are steeped in ways of thinking which cannot be taken for granted outside the boundaries of the cultural context concerned and thus create implicit misunderstandings that are mostly ignored. Communication between people from different cultural backgrounds is known to be full of pitfalls; it is a challenge to understand these. For instance: while the British colonizers, having conquered New Zealand, said the land is ours, indigenous Maori kept saying the land is us. In other words, Western people see the land as something they can own, an object to be explored, conquered and exploited. The Maori, on the contrary, see the human species as one element of a larger whole, which consists of all that lives, the woven universe. They identify themselves with the land as a gift from Mother Earth passed down by ancestors to hold and take care of for future generations. Translating the Western concept of ownership creates misunderstandings, for it relates to individual rights, while in the indigenous view ownership relates to the community and each members responsibility to the group as well as to nature. This is one of a myriad of examples of what words do not say: the cultural connotations and underpinnings of words, which are self-evident to those who belong to a given culture but not to others. Each word, beyond its translatable meaning, is generated by a vision of the human being, of society, of the visible and invisible world. However, it also happens that the words do resonate in other languages, but that the functioning of the concept differs in different cultural contexts. A case in point is the topical use of the notion of responsibility. Why Responsibility? Humankind is confronted with new challenges in the fields of technology, economy and social relations worldwide, causing equally unprecedented crises. These pose new ethical questions and choices to be made between values. The globalization process causes everincreasing interdependence internationally. This is making the exercise of responsibility more complex and less easy to control. Politicians fail to come to grips with the idea of co-responsibility at the international level; as a consequence, many responsibilities are left unspecified and are therefore not allocated. Responsibility: Whats in the Word? The relational dimension of responsibility is universal. Although there are hardly any symmetrical equivalents to be found in the languages of the world for the English word responsibility, the idea of responsibility in the sense of taking care of what is valued in a broader environment resonates everywhere. The European word, which is derived from the Latin, respondere, shows the inherent relational nature of the notion of being responsive to others. The words used in other languages usually spring from different linguistic roots, but all refer to a relational ethics. For instance, the Hebrew word ahra contains the
word other (aher) and the word brother (ah). In Hindi, uttardaitva means the response that is due to others, implying a charge. Makarand Paranjape writes, For most Indians, to be responsible simply means to do ones Dharma, that is, ones obligations toward oneself, ones family, friends, profession, the state, ancestors, other forms of life, the gods. Responsibility is also seen everywhere in the world as a charge, a burden, that must be assumed in order to create the conditions for living together as a group of human beings. For instance the Lingala word for responsibility, mokumba, is a synonym for weight and pregnancy. Assuming Responsibilities While rights are claimed, responsibilities are assumed. But not for the same reasons everywhere, nor for the same things. The distinction between duty and responsibility is less marked in nonWestern cultural contexts. In the latter, duty is perceived as a constraint defined and imposed by others, while responsibility is related to a personal commitment out of free will. The idea that one may assume a responsibility by ones own choice entails that one can also be held to account for the consequences of ones acts.
also be seen in peoples refusal to voluntarily sign a contract, a charter. Giving assistance to people trapped in a blazing building does not come from a feeling of moral compulsion but rather as a public demonstration of ones goodness. For indigenous peoples in India, the Philippines and other places, the vision of the individual as an integral part of the cosmic whole means there is not much question of being responsible out of free choice. One thinks rather in terms of shared identity: the self is the other. Sylvia Guerroro writes, In the Philippines pakikipagkapwa is viewed as the overarching primary value. At the root of the concept of kapwa is the unified single identity of the self, an identity shared with other human beings and even with non-human forms of life. Thus in these contexts, the idea of responsibility would be expressed by terms like taking care or being a guardian. Ways in Which Responsibilities Are Exercised Accounting for the exercise of responsibilities seems to be more pronounced in the full European meaning of the word responsibility (originating in Roman law) than in resonating words in nonWestern languages. The different cultural views of why and how to assume responsibilitiesfor whom and for what; whether and to whom to account for the consequences of ones actsare often underestimated if not altogether ignored in the global discourse. There is a growing consciousness that responsibility is a key notion to face the crises of today. Intercultural dialogue is indispensable for at least two reasons: avoiding intercultural misunderstanding and enriching the meaning of words. These two processes start with listening and observing, immersion in the world of sounds and signs and gestures, with searching for the common and the different, learning before judging, and finding out whats in a word. For words tell different stories to different people. Edith Sizoo, born in the Netherlands in 1939, holds a masters degree from the Free University of Amsterdam. She is a multilingual sociolinguist and international coordinator of the International Charter of Human Responsibilities initiative. She has coordinated several intercultural research projects and edited several books. Source: Sokka Gakkai International Quarterly (SGI), April 2011, Picture credit: [Getty Images], Michael S. Yamashita/CORBIS
Each word, beyond its translatable meaning, is generated by a vision of the human being, of society, of the visible and invisible world.
In the African context, this distinction is usually less clear-cut. It is not so much a matter of a human choice; rather, it is the social order of things that is, the social, divine or cosmic order in which everyone must play her or his role and assume the tasks or duties that go with them. Even the ancestors are responsible for the protection of the living members of their extended family. In the Chinese context, on the contrary, the individual prefers to shy away from personal responsibility unless that would imply losing face. Yu Shuo writes, The concept of responsibility (ze ren) reflects the typically paradoxical nature of Chinese thought. It refers partly to those who wield authority, who are automatically deemed responsible, whereas for other human beings, their only duty is to obey their superior. The refusal to assume individual responsibility can
Captions from left: HRH King Juan Carlos of Spain (left) shares a traditional Maori greeting of a hongi with Maori elder Gerrard Albert during a visit to New Zealand in 2009, Eighty-two-yearold He Zouyi of China, who coproduced a NaxiEnglish Dictionary with explorer Joseph Rock, translates Naxi pictographs
IN SEARCH OF DYNAMISM
The Blackboard Monopolists

Chicago: US President Barack Obama, like many Western leaders nowadays, made improving education one of his main promises to voters during his election campaign. But other domestic issueshealth-care reform, budget battles, and high unemploymenthave understandably loomed larger. And the United States is not alone: education reform is being held up in the United Kingdom and continental Europe as well. Improving education remains one of the clearest ways that governments can make a lasting positive economic impact. A well-functioning education system is the most effective way to help equip people with the knowledge and skills they need to boost incomes and compete in a globalized economy. The key to such a system is embracing the role that competition can play in delivering better education to students. That means, of course, considering the role of teacher unions as wellan issue that elicits very different reactions from the left and the right. On the left, many worry that President Obama, UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, and other leaders are already focusing too much on increasing accountability: they view any reforms that treat teachers as part of the problem with suspicion. On the right, it often seems the opposite: any policysuch as vouchersmust be good if teachers oppose it. Common ground can be hard to find in such debates if both sides disagree fiercely over basic principles. But competition is one principle that ought to command broad political support, because of the benefits that it tends to deliver for ordinary people. Many on the left nowadays seem especially confused about the advantages of competition, and many progressives approach to education is an excellent example of this. In the United States, for example, the left today looks back fondly on Franklin Roosevelts New Dealand the big government that it ushered in during the Great Depression and beyond. But the left should also heed events earlier in the twentieth century, during the Progressive Era, when trust busting was all the rage. One reason big business was considered a threat at that time was its monopoly power over assets that were crucial to many ordinary Americans. Farmers did not want to pay steep rates to transport their crops to market, and resented the railroads market power. Likewise, workers wanted employers to compete for their services by offering higher wages and better conditions. They fought back against large business combines that threatened to monopolize access to physical capital: the plants, machines, and equipment that workers needed to be more productive. Politics mattered as much as policy: when their pricing leverage was combined with political clout, the power of big business seemed even more threatening. The fear that big businesses were harming the general welfare by stifling competitionand were politically powerful enough to entrench their monopoly powerallowed reformists from the left and right to find some common ground. Modern progressives, surveying the economic and political landscape of the past few years, see the potential for another assault on big business, marrying populist outrage with the political muscle of the organized left, such as labor unions. But, while their antipathy to big business appears to honor their intellectual roots, progressives have lost the plot when it comes to competition.
Unlike a century ago, when access to physical capital was the most obvious way to boost a workers productivity and income, ordinary workers most important asset nowadays is education. Yet, instead of urging schools and teachers to compete with each other on behalf of students (tomorrows workers), many insist on defending teachers monopoly over access to educationthat is, access to investments in income-boosting human capital. Just as with the early industrialists, moreover, teacher unions in many countries have enough political clout to resist reforms that erode their monopoly power.
More competition, however, clearly seems to be part of the way forward. By accepting this, progressives could forge a consensus with centrists and help to deliver better results for a core constituency: ordinary workers. It is time for them to recognize that a powerful monopoly holding those workers back is the one they have been mistakenly fighting to defend. Raghuram Rajan and Brian Barry Raghuram Rajan, a former Chief Economist of the IMF, is Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago and the Author of Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy. Brian Barry is Professor of Economics and Executive Director of the Initiative on Global Markets at the University of Chicagos Booth School of Business. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2011, www.project-syndicate.org
Politics mattered as much as policy

Some unions are coming to understand the need for change, or at least concession. In Illinois, the teacher unions recently backed a bill that included rules making it harder to strike and easier to get rid of underperforming teachers. But the Chicago Teachers Union subsequently withdrew its support. Of course, merely loosening unions grip on policy, and finding ways for teachers and schools to compete over who can provide the best education, will not deliver the knowledge and skills that modern workers need. Reformers will also need to keep experimenting to find the right way to measure standardsto make sure that teachers are competing on the correct dimensionsand to provide the many other kinds of organizational innovations and support that schools, teachers, and students need.
Brian Barry
Raghuram R
ajan
EFFECT OF YOGA ON MENTAL HEALTH IN CHILDREN
Yoga for Children

There is an increasing interest in the use of yoga to calm the mind, and increase overall health and wellbeing [1]. Mental health in children has many dimensions such as having healthy interactions with peers and teachers, and being able to show appropriate emotional responses while exerting control if necessary. Children can have mental, emotional and behavioral problems which are real, painful and costly [2]. Mental health disorders in children are caused by biological factors, the environment, or a combination of the two. Biological factors may include genetics, chemical imbalances in the body, and trauma. Environmental factors such as exposure to violence or abuse, acute or chronic stress, and conditions which increase feelings of insecurity in a child (e.g., loss of a parent) can contribute to mental disorders. Of course it does not follow those children who have had such experiences would develop mental disorders or that all children who have developed mental disorders have had disturbing experiences. Yoga is an ancient Indian way of life which includes the practice of certain postures (asanas), regulated breathing (pranayamas), and meditation [3]. Yoga practice was shown to be beneficial for the physical and mental health of children. Given the fact that the brain is most susceptible to both external and internal influences early in life, especially during the brain growth spurt period (from the last 3 months before birth till the first 2 years of life), it is desirable to begin yoga practice as early as possible. However it is essential to mention here that there have been no studies which have shown that beginning to practice yoga early is really beneficial for children, though anecdotal reports from parents/caretakers and teachers, suggest that children who learn yoga early on are physically healthier and mentally better adjusted. Some yoga enthusiasts have passively placed the limbs of infants in yoga postures, taking care to be gentle and not to use force. They observed (but there is no published report) that children attained certain milestones (e.g., standing, crawling, walking, and even talking) sooner than those who were not given the yoga postures passively. In the absence of a systematic study this remains an interesting but unproven report. Published research has shown that children as young as seven years of age can improve in attention, concentration and co-ordination after learning yoga. One of the precautions suggested, again based on unpublished observations is that pre-pubertal children should not be asked to practice inverted yoga postures as this is considered likely to result in precocious puberty. Also, those yoga breathing practices (pranayamas), which involve practicing physiological locks (bandhas) of the internal cavities (e.g., intrathoracic cavity), are also not advised to be practiced in children. The benefits of yoga practice in children are evident from a study with a quasi-experimental design, in which thirty-one children (with ages between seven and twelve years) practiced yoga for seven weeks and the effects on their physical health were assessed [4]. Each sixty minute yoga session included ten minutes of warm up and breathing exercises, forty minutes of yoga postures, and ten minutes of cool down exercises. There were significant improvements in their flexibility, muscle strength and cardiopulmonary fitness. Since physical fitness and mental wellbeing are closely related, these results suggest that these children may have also had mental health benefits though the study was not intended to examine
them. This study included both breathing exercises and physical postures. This is indeed considered the best approach. According to descriptions of the functioning of the body according to ancient yoga texts there are five levels of existence (The Taittreya Upanishad). These are (i) physical, (ii) a level of subtle energy (prana or chi), (iii) the instinctual mental level, (iv) the intellectual mental level, and (v) the fifth and ideal level, a state of optimal homeostasis and balance (Telles, 2010). Ideally a yoga practice session should include physical postures (asanas), breathing techniques (certain kriyas and pranayama practices), meditation, as well as knowledge of the philosophy of yoga. In children also, the ideal program should include all these practices. Yoga practice has been shown to improve several aspects of mental health in normal children. Before discussing the use of yoga in the management of mental health disorders, the benefits of practicing yoga in promoting positive mental health will be discussed. In an early study school children aged between nine and thirteen years, performed better on a hand steadiness test, suggestive of better attention and concentration, after yoga [5]. There were two groups of forty-five children each who were assessed using a standard test for static motor performance using a steadiness tester, at the beginning and end of a ten-day period during which one group practiced yoga while the other group continued with their regular routine. The yoga group showed a significant reduction in errors compared to the control group. In a separate study on one hundred and thirtyfive school children with ages between nine and
thirteen years, those who practiced yoga for ten days showed a significant improvement in spatial memory [6]. Spatial memory is principally a function of the right cerebral hemisphere and hence the results suggest that yoga practice facilitates right hemispheric functioning. This was considered especially important as the educational system nowadays places a disproportionate emphasis on left brain skills such as logic and analysis, required to study science and mathematics. A separate study further examined the degree to which yoga practice could influence performance in a spatial memory task when compared to time spent on
Yoga practice has been shown to improve several aspects of mental health in normal children.
fine arts, which are considered right hemispheric functions [7]. There were two groups of children with ages between eleven and sixteen years, with thirty children in each group. One group attended a yoga camp, the other a fine arts camp which included drama, painting and pottery. There was also a no-intervention control group. All three groups were assessed at the beginning and end of a ten day period, during which one group practiced yoga, while another group had fine arts activities. The yoga showed a significant increase in spatial memory scores. Memory is not the only mental faculty which improved with
An hour of relaxation therapy was found beneficial in forty hospitalized children and adolescents [11]. Of course, while relaxation is an inherent part of yoga, yoga includes other components as well and hence is not the same as relaxation therapy. A randomized trial of yoga for adolescents aged between eleven and eighteen years with irritable bowel syndrome showed that yoga is effective in reducing anxiety as well [12]. The yoga intervention consisted of a one hour instructional session, demonstration and practice. This was followed by four weeks of daily practice at home guided by video. Those adolescents who were assigned to the yoga group reported lower levels of functional disability due to irritable bowel syndrome, as well as lower anxiety and less use of emotion-focused avoidance, which is an unhealthy coping strategy. These results suggest that yoga practice can increase the likelihood of positive behavior patterns and reduce negative behaviors. These findings were further substantiated by a study conducted on fourth and fifth grade inner-city students in Bronx, New York [13]. There were thirty-nine children who practiced yoga and thirtytwo who did not. Both groups were assessed at the beginning and end of a twelve-week period. Both yoga and non-yoga groups had similar preintervention levels of emotional wellbeing. After twelve weeks of yoga, children in the yoga group had better post-intervention negative behaviors scores in response to stress. The results suggested a role for yoga as a preventive intervention as well as a means to improve childrens perceived wellbeing. When discussing stress coping strategies, it is essential that children develop positive and healthy coping strategies, rather than unhealthy strategies. Healthy strategies include communication with friends, relatives, teachers, or counselors, as well as deriving strength from philosophical and spiritual beliefs. Unhealthy strategies could include substance abuse, use of alcohol, sniffing volatile substances, and in younger children, eating disorders. When exposed to stress, children may over eat or eat less than usual. Nowadays this situation has been further worsened as children are over aware of their body image, and how they appear to their peers. This is probably related to the fact that a poor body image is associated with low self-esteem and children who are over weight are more often bullied and left out of group activities. In connection with this yoga has been useful in helping youth at risk for developing type 2 diabetes to lose weight [14]. A twelve week prospective Ashtanga yoga program had twenty participants. Fourteen of them, aged eight to fifteen years completed the program. The average weight loss in twelve weeks was two kilograms. Four out of five children who had low self-esteem to begin with improved, while two had decreased self-esteem.
yoga practice, in children. Strategic planning based on a Tower of London task, improved in ten girls with ages between ten and thirteen years after yoga, compared to an equal number of girls who had a physical training program [8]. The Tower of London task assesses the ability to plan by evaluating the number of moves required to complete a designated task. The yoga group showed a significant reduction in planning and execution time, as well as in the number of moves. More recently a high frequency yoga breathing, where the breath rate ranged between 1.0 and 2.0 Hz, called kapalabhati was shown to improve the ability to perform a cancellation task, which requires both focused and selective attention [9]. These examples show that yoga practice can promote certain higher mental functions in children with normal health. It was also seen that girls in a community home, who were under legal custody as they had no responsible guardian to care for them benefited by yoga practice [10]. Among these girls, a group who practiced yoga for six months had better visual perception (based on the critical flicker frequency test and a geometric optical illusion test) and better motor dexterity, than a group who were given physical training for the same period. Apart from the examples mentioned above, yoga practice has also been shown to help children with diagnosed mental health problems. This includes anxiety, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and post-traumatic-stress disorder, in children exposed to extreme violence or natural calamities. Childhood anxiety manifests in various ways, such as separation anxiety, phobias, somatic manifestations, which include undesirable habits and tics, nightmares, and in some cases extreme physical discomfort (as in panic disorder).
Another twelve-week program was evaluated in a separate study [15]. This program was called Be a Fit Kid and included running, yoga, jumping and strength exercises. There was also a nutrition component, which focused on a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, unsaturated fats and whole grains, and was low in saturated fat and sugar. Following the twelve-week intervention significant improvements were observed in body composition, fitness, nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, and in those who participated seventy-five percent of the time there were significant reductions in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Hence inclusion of yoga in a fitness program was helpful in improving the physical fitness of children. The psychological impact of yoga practice was shown in another study which examined the possibility of reducing body dissatisfaction in fifth grade girls [16]. There were seventy-five yoga group participants and sixty-nine in a control group. The yoga sessions consisted of interactive discourses, yoga practice and relaxation. There was a significant decrease in body dissatisfaction and bulimia following yoga as well as an increase on the social scale of a multidimensional self concept scale. Hence yoga practice appears to be useful in the management of eating disorders bringing about both physical and mental benefits. Another disorder which has shown improvement with yoga practice is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders that develop in children. It is a disabling condition if untreated, as children with ADHD have impaired functioning in multiple settings including their home, school and in their relationship with peers. Symptoms of ADHD include impulsiveness, hyperactivity and inattention. If ADHD is suspected, the diagnosis should be made by a professional with training in ADHD, which could include child psychiatrists, psychologists, developmental and behavioral pediatricians, behavioral neurologists and clinical social workers. The medical treatment for ADHD is now considered best supplemented with behavior therapy. Yoga may be considered a form of therapy intended to modify behavior. Boys diagnosed with ADHD by specialist pediatricians who were stabilized on medication were the participants in one trial of yoga for ADHD. The boys were randomly assigned to two groups, a yoga group (n = 11) or a control group (n = 8). Assessments included the Conners Parent and Teacher Rating Scales, the Test of Variables of Attention, and an actigraph which could detect and quantify movement. The result showed some benefits with yoga practice but could not be considered conclusive. The yoga group (but not the control group) showed significant improvement in five subscales of the Conners Rating Scales, these were oppositional, and the global index for emotional
lability, the global index total, global index restless/ impulsive and the ADHD index. However significant improvements were also found for the control group, but not the yoga group on three subscales, which were: hyperactivity, anxious/shy and social problems. The improvements seen in the yoga group were increased in those who engaged in more home practice. Another study also investigated the usefulness of yoga for children with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD [17]. There were nineteen children with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. The nineteen children were randomized as two groups, a yoga group and a group given conventional motor training. The yoga group performed better than the control group in an attention task and in ratings of ADHD symptoms. While ADHD is a diagnosed condition which requires treatment, many children nowadays are more active than would be expected. This has a number of repercussions, such as the inability to be attentive and perform well in school, apparent misbehavior, and in some children, sleep disorders, including restlessness. While polysomnograph recordings on adult experienced meditators have shown an increase in slow wave sleep, with fewer arousals and overall lower sympathetic tone, compared to those who did not meditate [18,19], there have been no studies so far on the effect of yoga on children. However, it is reasonable to speculate that yoga practice may have similar effects on the sleep structure in children, which
would have an impact on their functioning during the day. The last mental health disorder mentioned in this article, which has been managed by yoga, is post- traumatic-stress disorder. Children may be exposed to different types of traumatic events and violence. While natural disorders such as floods or hurricanes have less chances of being personalized, direct confrontation with an assailant or being a victim of sexual abuse or torture is obviously more personalized and hence more traumatic. One hundred and thirty-six high school students in Kosovo were given a six week intervention for post-traumatic-stress disorder in post-war Kosovo [20]. The six-week program included meditation, biofeedback, drawings, autogenic training, guided imagery, genograms, movements and breathing techniques. Three separate programs were held approximately two months apart. Post-traumatic-stress scores significantly decreased after participation in the programs. The scores remained low in the two groups that took part in the follow-up study when compared to pre-test measures. This is an example of post-traumatic-stress disorder following exposure to violence. In a separate study, spiritual hypnosis assisted therapy, which could be consisted as allied to yoga therapy was evaluated after the terrorist attack in Bali, in 2002 [21]. There were two hundred and twenty-six children between the ages of six and twelve years among whom fifty-three percent were females. All of them had experienced the terrorist bomb blasts in Bali in
2002 and were subsequently diagnosed with PTSD. Forty-eight of them received spiritual hypnosis assisted therapy, while one hundred and seventyeight did not. Spiritual hypnosis assisted therapy produced a 77.1 percent improvement at a two year follow-up compared to 24 percent in the control group. These studies suggest that yoga and allied interventions are useful in the management of post-traumatic-stress disorder in children. In summary the present article shows that yoga improves physical and mental wellbeing in children. Specific faculties improve, such as spatial memory in a delayed recall task, performance in a strategic planning task and in a task for selective and sustained attention. There was also better performance in tasks for perception and motor skills. Yoga also has beneficial effects in the management of anxiety, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and post-traumatic-stress disorder. Some of these studies were reasonably well designed, though further research is required to understand the mechanisms underlying the benefits seen with yoga practice. Other studies can be considered exploratory, and form the basis for future more rigorous studies. There are several challenges in researching the effects of yoga in children. Some of the difficulties are related to carrying out assessments in children. Many studies use the easiest to measure objective tests (a standard example is the EUROFIT battery of tests). However many aspects of cognitive and emotional functioning require the use of complex psychological questionnaires. Depending on their age and comprehension, children may find it difficult to respond accurately to the questions asked. Other children may be hesitant to give responses which they would feel could possibly influence the way they are judged by their peers and teachers. Apart from methodological issues related to assessing the childrens response to yoga, there are certain issues related to teaching yoga to children. There are three main differences between yoga and physical activity. One of them is the fact that yoga practice is characterized by directing the attention to all sensations arising in the body and maintaining awareness without being distracted. This is often practically difficult. Practically, children are often asked to sit still for brief periods to begin with and be aware of some sensation in their body which is easy to perceive, such as the movements associated with respiration. This also becomes a part of the training in learning to observe brief periods of silence. The second difference is asking the children to remember to co-ordinate the phases of respiration with different body movements. For example they are asked to breathe in as they bend
backwards and exhale with forward bending. These instructions about accompanying specific movements with phases of respiration are the second distinguishing feature between yoga and physical activity. The third distinguishing feature between yoga and physical exercise is that during the practice of yoga the instructor continually reminds the children to relax. This also is often challenging as children would presser to be actively engaged in physical activity. Nonetheless training in relaxation is both important and feasible to do with children. While teaching yoga to children, poses a set of challenges, there are different difficulties associated with carrying out research on the effects of yoga in children. One of the difficulties is making the test interesting for the child so that the child would feel like performing the test. In many cases long or involved questionnaires cause a child to be disinterested and careless in responding. The other difficulty is ensuring that the child understands what is required to be done or what exactly a question means, and the kind of response expected. Given this situation in which the results may be modified by the fact that children may either not understand or not perform the tests with complete interest and understanding would be particularly relevant for younger children. Apart from this when attempting to understand the effects of yoga practice it is interesting to understand how the practices impact the behavior of children, particularly their interaction with their peers and teachers at school, and their siblings at parents at home. Questionnaires may often give misleading results. In these cases observing the actual behavior of the children in a school setting using a structured observational method may be far more useful than attempting to answer these questionnaires through questionnaires even if they are proven to be reliable and valid for children of a particular age group. Hence a combination of research methods would to be the best way to understand the impact of yoga on the physical, mental, emotional, and social health and behavior of children. Note: References can be provided on request. The author gratefully acknowledges the help of Mr. Abhishek Bhardwaj and Ms. Arti Yadav in compiling the manuscript.
Dr. Shirley Telles, MBBS, MPhil, PhD is the worlds most prominent Yoga researcher. She has published 108 articles in international journals. She also has written 4 books and 15 chapters in books. Shirley is a highly sought after speaker at national and international conferences. She is a reviewer for 16 international and 4 Indian national journals. Shirley is the Director of Research at Patanjali Yogpeeth, Hardwar, India, and Head, Indian Council of Medical Research Center for Advanced Research in Yoga and Neurophysiology at Bangalore, a federal research centre of excellence. She has a PhD in Neurophysiology and a medical degree and has been the recipient of many awards, including from the John Templeton Foundation USA, for an essay on Neurophysiology of Mental Emancipation and a Fulbright Fellowship to study Functional magnetic resonance imaging in meditators at the Dept. of Radiology, University of Florida.
Sanya Declaration
(BRICS Leaders Meeting, Sanya, Hainan, China, April 2011)
1. We, the Heads of State and Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, met in Sanya, Hainan, China for the BRICS Leaders Meeting on 14 April 2011. 2. The Heads of State and Government of Brazil, Russia, India and China welcome South Africa joining the BRICS and look forward to strengthening dialogue and cooperation with South Africa within the forum. 3. It is the overarching objective and strong shared desire for peace, security, development and cooperation that brought together BRICS countries with a total population of nearly 3 billion from different continents. BRICS aims at contributing significantly to the development of humanity and establishing a more equitable and fair world. 4. The 21st century should be marked by peace, harmony, cooperation and scientific development. Under the theme Broad Vision, Shared Prosperity, we conducted candid and indepth discussions and reached broad consensus on strengthening BRICS cooperation as well as on promoting coordination on international and regional issues of common interest. 5. We affirm that the BRICS and other emerging countries have played an important role in contributing to world peace, security and stability, boosting global economic growth, enhancing multilateralism and promoting greater democracy in international relations. 6. In the economic, financial and development fields, BRICS serves as a major platform for dialogue and cooperation. We are determined to continue strengthening the BRICS partnership for common development and advance BRICS cooperation in a gradual and pragmatic manner, reflecting the principles of openness, solidarity and mutual assistance. We reiterate that such cooperation is inclusive and non-confrontational. We are open to increasing engagement and cooperation with non-BRICS countries, in particular
emerging and developing countries, and relevant international and regional organizations. 7. We share the view that the world is undergoing far-reaching, complex and profound changes, marked by the strengthening of multipolarity, economic globalization and increasing interdependence. While facing the evolving global environment and a multitude of global threats and challenges, the international community should join hands to strengthen cooperation for common development. Based on universally recognized norms of international law and in a spirit of mutual respect and collective decision making, global economic governance should be strengthened, democracy in international relations should be promoted, and the voice of emerging and developing countries in international affairs should be enhanced. 8. We express our strong commitment to multilateral diplomacy with the United Nations playing the central role in dealing with global challenges and threats. In this respect, we reaffirm the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more effective, efficient and representative, so that it can deal with todays global challenges more successfully. China and Russia reiterate the importance they attach to the status of India, Brazil and South Africa in international affairs, and understand and support their aspiration to play a greater role in the UN. 9. We underscore that the concurrent presence of all five BRICS countries in the Security Council during the year of 2011 is a valuable opportunity to work closely together on issues of peace and security, to strengthen multilateral approaches and to facilitate future coordination on issues under UN Security Council consideration. We are deeply concerned with the turbulence in the Middle East, the North African and West African regions and sincerely wish that the countries affected achieve peace, stability, prosperity and progress and enjoy their due standing and dignity in the world according to legitimate aspirations of their peoples. We share the principle that the use of force should
be avoided. We maintain that the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of each nation should be respected. 10. We wish to continue our cooperation in the UN Security Council on Libya. We are of the view that all the parties should resolve their differences through peaceful means and dialogue in which the UN and regional organizations should as appropriate play their role. We also express support for the African Union High-Level Panel Initiative on Libya. 11. We reiterate our strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stress that there can be no justification, whatsoever, for any acts of terrorism. We believe that the United Nations has a central role in coordinating the international action against terrorism within the framework of the UN Charter and in accordance with principles and norms of the international law. In this context, we urge early conclusion of negotiations in the UN General Assembly of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and its adoption by all Member States. We are determined to strengthen our cooperation in countering this global threat. We express our commitment to cooperate for strengthening international information security. We will pay special attention to combat cybercrime. 12. We note that the world economy is gradually recovering from the financial crisis, but still faces uncertainties. Major economies should continue to enhance coordination of macro-economic policies and work together to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth. 13. We are committed to assure that the BRICS countries will continue to enjoy strong and sustained economic growth supported by our increased cooperation in economic, finance and trade matters, which will contribute to the longterm steady, sound and balanced growth of the world economy. 14. We support the Group of Twenty (G20) in playing a bigger role in global economic governance as the premier forum for international economic cooperation. We expect new positive outcomes in the fields of economy, finance, trade and development from the G20 Cannes Summit in 2011. We support the ongoing efforts of G20 members to stabilize international financial markets, achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth and support the growth and development of the global economy. Russia offers to host the G20 Summit in 2013. Brazil, India, China and South Africa welcome and appreciate Russias offer. 15. We call for a quick achievement of the targets for the reform of the International Monetary Fund agreed to at previous G20 Summits and reiterate that the governing structure of the international financial institutions should reflect the changes
in the world economy, increasing the voice and representation of emerging economies and developing countries. 16. Recognizing that the international financial crisis has exposed the inadequacies and deficiencies of the existing international monetary and financial system, we support the reform and improvement of the international monetary system, with a broad-based international reserve currency system providing stability and certainty. We welcome the current discussion about the role of the SDR in the existing international monetary system including the composition of SDRs basket of currencies. We call for more attention to the risks of massive cross-border capital flows now faced by the emerging economies. We call for further international financial regulatory oversight and reform, strengthening policy coordination and financial regulation and supervision cooperation, and promoting the sound development of global financial markets and banking systems.
We express our strong commitment to multilateral diplomacy

17. Excessive volatility in commodity prices, particularly those for food and energy, poses new risks for the ongoing recovery of the world economy. We support the international community in strengthening cooperation to ensure stability and strong development of physical market by reducing distortion and further regulate financial market. The international community should work together to increase production capacity, strengthen producer-consumer dialogue to balance supply and demand, and increase support to the developing countries in terms of funding and technologies. The regulation of the derivatives market for commodities should be accordingly strengthened to prevent activities capable of destabilizing markets. We also should address the problem of shortage of reliable and timely information on demand and supply at international, regional and national levels. The BRICS will carry out closer cooperation on food security. 18. We support the development and use of renewable energy resources. We recognize the important role of renewable energy as a means to address climate change. We are convinced of the importance of cooperation and information exchange in the field of development of renewable energy resources. 19. Nuclear energy will continue to be an important element in future energy mix of BRICS countries. International cooperation in the development of
BRICS Leaders Meeting April 2011
safe nuclear energy for peaceful purposes should proceed under conditions of strict observance of relevant safety standards and requirements concerning design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants. 20. Accelerating sustainable growth of developing countries is one of the major challenges for the world. We believe that growth and development are central to addressing poverty and to achieving the MDG goals. Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger is a moral, social, political and economic imperative of humankind and one of the greatest global challenges facing the world today, particularly in Least Developed Countries in Africa and elsewhere. 21. We call on the international community to actively implement the outcome document adopted by the High-level Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals held in September 2010 and achieve the objectives of the MDGs by 2015 as scheduled. 22. Climate change is one of the global threats challenging the livelihood of communities and countries. China, Brazil, Russia and India appreciate and support South Africas hosting of UNFCCC COP17/CMP7. We support the Cancun Agreements and are ready to make concerted efforts with the rest of the international community to bring a successful conclusion to the negotiations at the Durban Conference applying the mandate of the Bali Roadmap and in line with the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities. We commit ourselves to work towards a comprehensive, balanced and binding outcome to strengthen the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. The BRICS will intensify cooperation on the Durban conference. We will enhance our practical cooperation in adapting our economy and society to climate change. 23. Sustainable development, as illustrated by the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and multilateral environmental treaties, should be an important vehicle to advance economic growth. China, Russia, India and South Africa appreciate Brazil as the host of the 2012
UN Conference on Sustainable Development and look forward to working with Brazil to reach new political commitment and achieve positive and practical results in areas of economic growth, social development and environmental protection under the framework of sustainable development. Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa appreciate and support Indias hosting of the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Brazil, China and South Africa also appreciate and support the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to be held in October 2012. 24. We underscore our firm commitment to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the fields of social protection, decent work, gender equality, youth, and public health, including the fight against HIV /AIDS. 25. We support infrastructure development in Africa and its industrialization within framework of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD). 26. We have agreed to continue further expanding and deepening economic, trade and investment cooperation among our countries. We encourage all countries to refrain from resorting to protectionist measures. We welcome the outcomes of the meeting of BRICS Trade Ministers held in Sanya on 13 April 2011. Brazil, China, India and South Africa remain committed and call upon other members to support a strong, open, rule-based multilateral trading system embodied in the World Trade Organization and a successful, comprehensive and balanced conclusion of the Doha Development Round, built on the progress already made and consistent with its development mandate. Brazil, India, China and South Africa extend full support to an early accession of Russia to the World Trade Organization. 27. We reviewed the progress of the BRICS cooperation in various fields and share the view that such cooperation has been enriching and mutually beneficial and that there is a great scope for closer cooperation among the BRICS. We are focused on the consolidation of BRICS cooperation and the further development of its own agenda. We are determined to translate our political vision into concrete actions and endorse the attached Action Plan, which will serve as the foundation for future cooperation. We will review the implementation of the Action Plan during our next Leaders Meeting. 28. We intend to explore cooperation in the sphere of science, technology and innovation, including the peaceful use of space. We congratulate the Russian people and government upon the 50th anniversary of the flight of Yury Gagarin into the space, which ushered in a new era in development of science and technology.
29. We express our confidence in the success of the 2011 Universiade in Shenzhen, the 2013 Universiade in Kazan, the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympics Games in Sochi, the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the 2016 Olympic and Paralympics Games in Rio de Janeiro and the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia. 30. We extend our deepest condolences to the people of Japan with the great loss of life following the disasters that struck the country. We will continue our practical support to Japan in overcoming consequences of these catastrophes. 31. The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa extend our warm appreciation to China for hosting the BRICS Leaders Meeting and the Hainan Provincial Government and Sanya Municipal Government and their people for their support to the Meeting. 32. Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa thank India for hosting the BRICS Leaders Meeting in 2012 and offer their full support. Action Plan We formulated the Action Plan, laying the foundation for the BRICS cooperation, with the purpose to strengthen BRICS cooperation and benefit our peoples. I. Enhance Existing Cooperation Programs Hold the third Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues in the latter half of 2011 in China. Hold the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs during the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Hold sherpas/sous-sherpas meeting in due time. Representatives to international organizations based in New York and Geneva meet periodically in an informal manner. Ministers of Finance and Governors of Central Banks meet under the G20 framework and during the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Hold the Meeting of Agriculture Expert Working Group and the second Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture in 2011 in China, and cooperate in issues including establishment of BRICS System of Agricultural Information and holding a seminar on food security. Hold the Meeting of the heads of the National Statistical Institutions in September 2011 in China. Hold the second BRICS International Competition Conference in September 2011 in China, and
explore the possibility of signing an Agreement on Cooperation between Antimonopoly Agencies. Continue to hold the BRICS Think-tank Symposiums, and consider establishing a network of research centers of all BRICS countries. Hold another Business Forum prior to the next BRICS Leaders Meeting. Strengthen financial cooperation among the BRICS Development Banks. Implement the Protocol of Intent among the BRIC Countries of Supreme Courts. Release the Joint Statistical Publication by BRICS Countries. Continue to hold the Meeting of Cooperatives. II. New Areas of Cooperation Host the first BRICS Friendship Cities and Local Governments Cooperation Forum in 2011 in China. Host the Meeting of Ministers of Health in 2011 in China. Engage in joint research on economic and trade issues. Update, as appropriate, the Bibliography on the BRICS countries. III. New Proposals to Explore Cooperate in the cultural field according to the agreement of the BRICS leaders. Encourage cooperation in sports. Explore the feasibility to cooperate in the field of green economy. Hold a meeting of Senior Officials for discussing ways of promoting scientific, technological and innovation cooperation in BRICS format including by establishment a working group on cooperation in pharmaceutical industry. Establish, at UNESCO, a BRICS-UNESCO Group, aiming at developing common strategies within the mandate of the Organization. Source: High Commission of India www.hcindia-au.org
Mothers Day
The earliest tributes to mothers date back to the annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to Rhea, the mother of many deities, and to the offerings ancient Romans made to their Great Mother of Gods, Cybele. Christians celebrated this festival on the fourth Sunday in Lent in honour of Mary, mother of Christ. In England this holiday was expanded to include all mothers and was called Mothering Sunday. It is annually observed on the second Sunday of May. Mothers Day 2011 falls on Sunday, May 8. The celebration of the festival as it is seen today is a recent phenomenon and not even a hundred years old. Thanks to the hard work of the pioneering women of their times, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis that the day came into existence. Today the festival of Mothers Day is celebrated across the globe and millions of people take the day as an opportunity to honour their mothers, thank them for their efforts in giving them life, raising them and being their constant support and well wisher. Mothering Sunday The more recent history of Mothers Day dates back to 1600s in England. Here a Mothering Sunday was celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter) to honour mothers. After a prayer service in church to honour Virgin Mary, children brought gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers. On the occasion, servants, apprentices and other employees staying away from their homes were encouraged by their employers to visit their mothers and honour them. Traditionally children brought with them gifts and a special fruit cake or fruit-filled pastry called a simnel. Yugoslavs and people in other nations have observed similar days. Custom of celebrating Mothering Sunday died out almost completely by the 19th century. However, the day came to be celebrated again after World War II, when American servicemen brought the custom and commercial enterprises used it as an occasion for sales. Julia Ward Howe The idea of official celebration of Mothers Day was first suggested by Julia Ward Howe in 1872 in US. An activist, writer and poet Julia shot to fame with her famous Civil War song, Battle Hymn of the Republic. Julia Ward Howe suggested that Mothers Day should be dedicated to peace. She wrote a passionate appeal to women and urged them to rise against war in her famous Mothers Day Proclamation, written in Boston in 1870. Julia tirelessly championed the cause of official celebration of Mothers Day and declaration of official holiday on the day. Her idea spread but was later replaced by the Mothers Day holiday now celebrated in May. Anna Jarvis Anna Jarvis is recognised as the Founder of Mothers Day. Though Anna Jarvis never married and never had kids, she is also known as the Mother of Mothers Day, an apt title for the lady who worked hard to bestow honour on all mothers. Anna Jarvis got the inspiration of celebrating Mothers Day from her own mother Mrs Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis in her childhood. An activist and social worker, Mrs Jarvis used to express her desire that someday someone must honour all mothers, living and dead, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them. A loving daughter, Anna never forgot her mothers word and when her mother died in 1905, she resolved to fulfil her mothers desire of having a Mothers Day. Growing negligent attitude of adult Americans towards their mothers and a desire to honour her mothers soared her ambitions. Anna sent Carnations in the Church service to honour her mother. Carnations were her mothers favourite flowers and Anna felt that they symbolised a mothers pure love. Later Anna along with her supporters wrote letters to people in positions of power lobbying for the official declaration of Mothers Day holiday. The hard work paid off. By 1911, Mothers Day was celebrated in almost every state in the Union and on May 8, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mothers Day. Celebrations Today Mothers Day is celebrated in several countries including US, UK, India, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Japan and Belgium. People take the day as an opportunity to pay tribute to their mothers and thank them for all their love and support. There
is also a tradition of gifting flowers, cards and others gift to mothers on the Mothers Day. In many countries special prayer services are held in Churches in honour of mothers. But the most common method of celebrating Mothers Day is to treat mothers with breakfast in bed. Children allow their mothers to sleep till late in the morning while they along with their father juggle in the kitchen to prepare her favourite breakfast. Most often a Mothers Day card and a bunch of bouquet accompany the meticulously laid breakfast. Many children prepare a card themselves a day before Mothers Day. Some also make handmade gifts to show their respect and affection for their mother. Grown up children prefer to buy gifts from the stores ranging from clothes, accessories to jewellery. Since Mothers Day is observed as a holiday in lot of countries many like to take the opportunity to go out for family picnics and have fun. In several schools, celebrations of Mothers Day are organised wherein children present skits, songs and plays to honour mothers.
Anna Jarvis got the inspiration of celebrating Mothers Day from her own mother...
Many people appreciate their mothers or mother figures, which include stepmothers, relatives, guardians (eg. foster mothers), and close family friends. Some organizations have Mothers Day patrons who work together with the media and general community to raise awareness on Mothers Day events that aim to raise funds for charitable or non-profit causes. Source: http://mothers-day.123holiday.net, www.timeanddate.com, www.mothersdaycelebration.com
Kautilyas Arthashastra:
Kautilyas Arthashastra is an important source of knowledge on polity, economy and administration. However, this important document had been forgotten for centuries. Thanks to Syamasastri, who first interpreted Kautilyas economic and political thoughts in a book published in English in 1909, we had insights into the writings of that brilliant mind. Since then, a large number of scholars and ideologists from the East and the West studied the book and found that it was a fascinating source on the ancient Indian political system, economic activity and administration, both public and private. The authenticity of Kautilyas period, the role he played as Prime Minister to put an end to the evil regime of the Nandas and create a new rule under Chandragupta Maurya, has been confirmed by scholars the world over. Kautilyas Arthashastra is basically a book on governance. Political administration and economic administration for good governance are its important aspects. However, the book includes a large number of subjects related to social, political and economic aspects of life. It is an interdisciplinary work running over several chapters, comprising 6000 Sanskrit verses. The Arthashastra is more a practical guide meant for Kings than a theoretical composition. The Arthashastra is a tome on how the King should rule and what aims he should strive for. Kautilya knew the drawbacks of an evil ruler. He knew that even the strong republics that existed in India and later succumbed easily to Persian and Greek invasions, fell primarily because of maladministration. He realised the need for creating a strong and centralised monarchy benevolent to the people. He could visualise the realisation of a strong normal rule in place of an evil one. He succeeded in creating an ideal state ruled by an ideal King, Chandragupta Maurya. He administered the Kingdom as Prime Minister and then wrote the Arthashastra as a guideline for the benefit of the King. The relevance of Kautilyas Arthashastra to present day India and, indeed, the whole world need not be doubted. The work is relevant in many ways. For example, governance in general and good
Conceptualising Good Governance

governance in particular are the most relevant aspects. Those on an endless search for good governance can expect a treasure trove in the Arthashastra. A number of modern thinkers, from Hobbes to Rawls, including Gandhi and Marx believed that human beings conceded coercive power to the state only in the hope of realising good governance. Kautilyas treatise on the art of government and administration, the duties of Kings, ministers, officials and art of diplomacy is a guideline on good governance. The King is expected to behave in a righteous manner. In the happiness of his subjects lies his happiness, in their welfare, his welfare. Whatever pleases him personally he shall not consider as good but whatever makes his subjects happy he shall consider good. Elsewhere Kautilya maintains, the King should look to the bodily comforts of his servants by providing such emoluments as can infuse in them the spirit of enthusiasm to work. He should not violate the course of righteousness and wealth. Thus, he shall not only maintain his servants, but also increase their subsistence and wages in consideration of their learning and work. For Kautilya, artha (wealth) followed dharma (righteousness). Artha has a wider connotation than mere wealth; the material well-being of a person being only a part of it. Good governance in Kautilyas mind was aimed at the welfare of the people. The principles of good governance in Kautilyas Arthashastra are welldrawn out. The King has no individuality. His duties merged into his personality. He himself was one of the organs of the state, albeit the most important organ. In Arthashastra, polity and society are merged and both are restrained. In good governance, the objectives of the state are to be fulfilled and realised. This is possible through a properly organised and guided administration. This principle is relevant even today. A government is good, if it is administered well. Kautilya suggests that good governance should avoid extreme
If rulers are responsive, responsible, accountable, removable, recallable, there will be stability, if not, there would be instability.
decisions and extreme actions. Soft actions (sama, dana) and harsh actions (danda) should be taken accordingly. In what seems to be a very modern tone of voice, Kautilya opines, Sovereignty is practicable only with the cooperation of others and all administrative measures are to be taken after proper deliberations. The King and ministers were supposed to observe strict discipline. Kautilya recommended a strict code of conduct for himself and for his administrators. This code of conduct is useful and applicable to modern executives. Even 2400 years ago, Kautilya emphasised capping at a quarter of the revenue the salaries of the King and his officials. For good governance all administrators, including the King, were considered servants of the people. They were paid for the service rendered and not for their ownership of anything. Compare this to the expenses on the salary of government employees today, which constitutes over 50% of the revenue. In some states even 80% of the revenue is spent on salaries, wages and pensions. It was the duty of the King to maintain law and order in society and to ensure protection of life, liberty, and property. Dereliction of duty in this respect had to be compensated from the Kings property. In modern times, the problem of law and order has become very difficult. Protection of individual liberties does not seem to be always possible. And never, ever, would it be paid for by the personal property of the leader. A good deal of public money is spent on maintaining law and order. No progress and development is possible without law and order administration. Ministers and secretaries are directly responsible for administration. They must be selected with great care. Their abilities must be tested before their selection. They should be tested according to the jobs they will be assigned. Their abilities and sincerities should be tested from time to time. All these measures are relevant to the civil servants in present administration. Kautilya also deals with the problem of corruption, in fact he points out about 40 ways by which government funds can be embezzled. However, Kautilya has a very realistic perception about dealing with this malaise. He feels that it is difficult to discover the honesty, or otherwise, of an officer. According to Kautilya, for good governance preventive and punitive measures to punish corrupt civil servants must be adopted. Good governance and stability go hand in hand. If rulers are responsive, responsible, accountable, removable, recallable, there will be stability, if not, there would be instability. This is very essential in the present democratic set up. As in Kautilyas monarchical set up, similar qualities are required in our rulers and administrators. The Arthashastra equates political governance with economic governance. The end is economic governance while political governance is the means. But as economic objectives are not realised in the absence of political ones, then political governance becomes an end and economic governance the means. The end justifies the means, this is supposed to be the basis of Kautilyan and Machiavellian philosophy. Political power and material wealth according to Kautilya are the means and ends of governance. And good governance political or economicdepends upon justifying the ends and means as the socio, economic and political conditions. Good governance is fundamental to the Kautilyan idea of administration. Judging by the countless governance scandals that are uncovered nearly every day in India, a reading of Arthashastra, and imbibing its principles, ought to be the topmost priority for our leaders, both political and corporate. Source: Kautilyas Arthashastra, The Way of Financial Management and Economic Governance, p. 31-36, Ch 3, Priyadarshni Academy and JAICO Publishing House, Mumbai, India
(To be continued)
Amar Das
Guru Amar Das was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on 26 March 1552 at the age of 73 following in the footsteps of Sri Guru Angad Dev Sahibji, who died on 29 March 1552 aged 48. He was a very religious Vaishanavite Hindu who spent most of his life performing all of the ritual pilgrimages and fasts of a devout Hindu. He often went to Haridwar and Jwalamukhi on pilgrimages and strictly observed all religious rites and ceremonies. His brother Manak Chand lived nearby his house, Manak Chands wife Bibi Amro use to sing Guru Nanaks hymns. Bhai Amar Das must have heard her singing many times before. It was not until his old age that Amar Das met Guru Angad and converted to the path of Sikhism. He established new centres for conveying to the people the message of Guru Nanak. Early Life Guru Amar Das was born on April 5, 1479 at Basarka village in Amritsar district. He was the eldest son of his parents, Bhai Tej Bhan and Mata Lakhmi. At the age of 24, he was married to Mansa Devi who gave birth to two sons, Mohan and Mohri, and two daughters, Bibi Dani and Bibi Bhani. Datu Guru Amar Das served his master Guru Angad for 12 years. Guru Angads sons were upset because they claimed that after their father, they were the legitimate heirs to Guruship. Guru Angads son Datu proclaimed himself as Guru in Khadur; but the Sikhs did not accept him as such. Datu proceeded to Goindwal where the Guru was stationing. Guru Amar Das was sitting on his religious throne and was delivering instructions to the congregation. Datu came along with a large number of his companions and kicked the Guru, who fell down the platform. Datu took possession of the platform and proclaimed himself as the Guru. Guru Amar Das got up and said in extreme humility, Sir, pardon me, my hard bones might have hurt your tender feet. After this the Guru left Goindwal and went to his village Basarka. He confined himself in a house outside the town without letting anybody know about his whereabouts. The Sikhs were very much distressed at losing their Guru. They searched all over but could not find him anywhere. Under the leadership of Bhai Buddha, they prayed and then let Gurus mare loose and anxiously followed it for a short distance. The mare made her way to the Gurus house in Basarka, and stood before his door. It was written on the door, Whoever openeth this door is no Sikh of mine, nor I am his Guru. They did not open the door, but made an opening in the wall and made supplication before the Guru. The Guru could not disregard the love and devotion of his Sikhs and returned to Goindwal. The Gurus return was celebrated with illuminations, rejoicing and feasting. Guru ka Langar Guru ka Langar started by Guru Nanak and developed by Guru Angad, was further strengthened by Guru Amar Das. It was the injunction of Guru Amar Das that none would have his audience unless he had first eaten from the Langar. The Guru intended to remove the caste restrictions and prejudices of untouchability. It was, therefore, declared unequivocally that all persons of all castes, high or low, rich or poor, Brahmans or Sudras, Hindus or Muslims, must sit in the same line and eat the same food from Gurus kitchen. In this way people were lifted above the hypocrisy of caste system and were able to look at one another as brothers and equals. Emperor Akbar Akbar, the Emperor of India, on his way to Lahore, paid a visit to the Guru at Goindwal. He was
Guru
informed that he could not see the Guru until he had dined with others from the Gurus kitchen. Akbar partook of the food in the Langar, the more he had it, the more he relished it. After that the Emperor had an interview with the Master. It is said that the Guru rose to receive the Emperor in his arms, but Akbar spontaneously bowed to touch the feet of the Master. The monarch felt a thrill of joy and peace by the holy touch. Having seen the large number of people fed from the Gurus kitchen, Akbar requested the Guru to accept his services and his offerings. But the Guru replied, I have obtained lands and rent-free tenures from my Creator. Whatever comes daily is spent daily, and for the morrow my trust is in God. Akbar then replied, I see you desire nothing. From thy treasury and thy kitchen countless people receive bounties, and I also entertain similar wishes, I will grant these 84 villages to thy daughter, Bibi Bhani. This was the estate where Guru Ram Das built the city of Ramdaspur which is now called Amritsar. Abolition of Sati The status of women in Hindu society at that time was very low. When the husband died, the wife either voluntarily burnt herself on the pyre of her husband or was thrown into the fire without her consent. The woman who did perform this act was called Sati (truthful). Guru Amar Das carried out a vigorous campaign against the practice of Sati. He gave special attention to the improvement of the status of women and thus prohibited this practice. The Guru lifted the status of women as equal to men. He prohibited the practice of Sati and preached in favour of widow marriage. Manji Guru Amar Das appointed women to conduct Sikh missionary and parish work. Districts under the
charge of men were known as Manjian. Those in the charge of women were known as Pirhian, on which they sat to minister to the disciples. Their selection for this important task indicated the faith of the Guru in the capacity of women for organisational work. The Gurus following increased considerably. Steps were taken to organize the scattered congregation into a unified whole which was called Manji system. His whole spiritual domain took the shape of 22 Manjis (dioceses). It was so named because the in charge of a Manji sat on a cot (called Manji in Punjabi) to deliver the message of the Guru. The in charge of each and every Manji was a devoted Sikh who was blessed by the Guru before he was appointed to that position. His function was to preach the mission of the Guru, to keep the Sangat (congregation) in touch with the Guru and he was also responsible for the offerings of the Sikhs which they made in token of their reverence to the Guru. The SuccessorGuru Ram Das Guru Amar Das chose his son-in-law, Jethaji as his successor as he found him in every way right heir to the Guruship. He asked Bhai Ballu to bring coconut and five paise. He asked Jethaji to bathe and clothe in new raiment. Then the Guru descended from his throne and made Jethaji seat on it and called him Guru Ram Das. Bhai Buddha, according to the custom, attached the tilak of Sovereignty to Guru Ram Dass forehead. Among great rejoicing, all Sikhs made offerings according to their means and saluted Guru Ram Das on his appointment. The Departure Guru Amar Das proclaimed, Gods summons hath come. Let there be no mourning when I have gone, sing Gods praises, read Gods Word (Gurbani), hear Gods Word and obey Gods Will. Guru Amardas Sahib did not consider anyone of his sons fit for Guruship and chose instead his son-in law (Guru) Ramdas Sahib to succeed him. Certainly it was practically a right step not as emotional, because Bibi Bhaniji and Guru Ramdas Sahib had true sprit of service and their keen understanding of the Sikh principles deserved this. This practice shows that Guruship could be transferred to any body fit for the Sikh cause and not to the particular person who belonged to the same family or of other. Guru Amardas Sahib at the ripe age of 95 passed away for heaven on September 1, 1574 at Goindwal Sahib near District Amritsar, after giving responsibility of Guruship to the Fourth Nanak, Guru Ramdas Sahib. Source: www.allaboutsikhs.com, www.gurusfeet. com, www.sikh.com.au, www.sikh-history.com
Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was one of the pioneers of the Indian Independence Movement. Gokhale was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. He was one of the most learned men in the country, a leader of social and political reformists and one of the earliest and founding leaders of the Indian Independence Movement. Being one of the first generations of Indians to receive college education, Gokhale was respected widely in the Indian intellectual community. Early Life Born in Kothluk, a village in Maharashtra, on May 9, 1866, Gopal Krishna Gokhale was raised in the home of his maternal grandfather. This village was not too far from Tamhanmala, the native town of his father, Krishna Rao, a farmer by occupation who was forced to work as a clerk due to the poor soil of the region. His mother, Valubai, also known as Satyabhama, was a simple woman who instilled in her children the values of religion, devotion to ones family, and caring for ones fellow man. Education Supported by his elder brother and sister-in-law, Gokhale managed an education at Rajaram High School in Kothapur. Due to his respect for his brother and recognition of the compassion with which he was treated, Gokhale learned the value of self-sacrifice to avoid asking for more material support. At times he went without meals and studied by the light of street lamps to save as much money as possible. A hardworking student, he moved on to college and graduated from Elphinstone College, Bombay in 1884 at the age of 18, earning a scholarship of Rs 20 per month in his final year. The education influenced Gokhales life in many ways. Primarily, his understanding of the English language allowed him to express himself without hesitation and with utmost clarity. Also, his appreciation and knowledge of history instilled in him a respect for liberty, democracy, and the parliamentary system. The Teacher After graduation, he moved on to teaching, and took a position as an Assistant Master in the New English School in Pune. Among many achievements which testify to his talent and passion for teaching, perhaps the greatest of them all was a compilation, a book of Arithmetic in collaboration with a colleague, N.J. Bapat, which became a widely used and widely translated textbook across the country. Gokhale moved on to become a founding member of Fergusson College in Pune in 1885 with colleagues in the highly honoured Deccan Education Society. He pledged twenty years of his life to this college, as a teacher and board member. So apt was he at teaching subjects of any variety, that he was known as the Professor to Order. Public Life The year 1886 saw the entry of Gopal Krishna Gokhale into public life. At only 20 years of age, he delivered a public address concerning India under the British Rule and was applauded for his expression and command of the English language. Gokhale soon moved on to managing public affairs. While contributing articles to the English weekly Mahratta, he was seduced by the idea of using education as a means to awaken patriotism among the people of India. Just as this idea was enveloping Gokhale was promoted to Secretary of the Deccan Education Society. Once in the limelight, there was no looking back. After being given charge of the Bombay Provincial Conference in 1893, he was elected to the Senate of the Bombay University. In time, Gokhale came to devote all his spare time to the causes of the common man: famine, plague relief measures, local self-government, land reform, and communal harmony. As a member of the Pune Municipality, twice elected its President, Gokhale continued to strive to solve the problems of the poor, and those who came to him with grievances concerning water supply, drainage, etc. They were quite pleased with the practical manner in which he dealt with the problem. Gokhale also published a daily newspaper entitled Jnanaprakash, which allowed him to voice his reformist views on politics and society. The Man for People In 1905, he founded the Servants of India Society, which trained people to be selfless workers so they could work for the common good of the people.
So strong was the desire to make a difference, that these kindred spirits vowed a simple life of dedication to these causes. Among the many things the organization did, there were the commendable services of helping victims of floods and famines, and taking the time to educate women in society, so that they too may have a voice. Many people influenced Gokhale and gave him the strength and discipline to bring his ideas to the realm of reality, but none more than Mahadev Govind Ranade, to whom he was apprenticed in 1887. Ranade trained him for 15 years in all spheres of public life, and taught him sincerity, devotion to public service, and tolerance. These qualities, which Ranade helped instill in Gokhale, are those qualities which helped make Gokhale the man he is known today.
Gokhale came to devote all his spare time to the causes of the common man: famine, plague relief measures, land reform, and communal harmony.
Swaraj Gokhale visited England and voiced his concerns relating to the unfair treatment of the Indian people by the British Government. In one span of 49 days, he spoke in front of 47 different audiences, captivating every one of them. Before long, he was touted as the most effective pleader for Indias cause. While Gokhale pleaded for gradual reforms to ultimately attain Swaraj, or self-government, in India, some of his contemporaries, comprising a radical element, wished to use force as a means of persuasion. Gokhale maintained his
moderate political views and worked out some reforms for the betterment of India. He was instrumental in the formation of the Minto-Morley Reforms of 1909, which eventually became law. Unfortunately, the Reforms Act became law in 1909 and it was disappointing to see that the people were not given a proper democratic system despite Gokhales efforts. The communal harmony he had longed for was shattered when he realized that the Muslim community was steadfast in considering itself as a separate unit. On the bright side, however, Gokhales efforts were clearly not in vain. Indians now had access to seats of the highest authority within the Government, and their voices were more audible in matters of public interest. Final Days The years of hard work and devotion of Gopal Krishna Gokhale did much for the country of India, but sadly also took their toll on the health of this great leader. Excessive exertion and the resulting exhaustion only aggravated his diabetes and cardiac asthma. The end came peacefully on February 19, 1915. Pointing his finger toward heaven and then folding his hands respectfully, Gopal Krishna Gokhale made his final statement to an audience, a fond farewell. Source: www. iloveindia.com, www.culturalindia.net
British Babu with A Hindu Heart

When India was ruled by the British, there were a few British administrators of outstanding capacity and merit who endeared themselves to the local people with their dedication and devotion to duty. They are remembered and revered even today. Of the several administrators of the colonial era in Tamil Nadu, Sir Thomas Munro stands out for his deep love of the land and the people so much that he is remembered as a Scot with a Hindu Heart. Tamil Nadu people conversant with the history of Madras during the later part of the 18th century and early 19th century, remember him with nostalgic memory whenever they see the statue of Sir Thomas Munro opposite the Gymkhana Club on the Mount Road, Chennai. That is the reason why this statue of a Britisher has remained untouched even several years after Independence. Munro was born in Scotland in 1761. He studied at the University of Glasgow and came to Madras (Chennai) in 1789, having secured an Infantry Cadreship. He was to see action in the war against Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan which ended in 1792, with the latter having to cede some districts of South India to the Britishers. Lord Cornwallis, the then Governor-General, gave the responsibility of administering the new territory of Baramahal (the present day Salem and its environs) to Thomas Munro with the task of assessing and collecting revenue of the area. Having surveyed the territory completely, Munro saw that the Kings share of the revenue was too highan assessment that shocked his British masters. But Munro would not change his conviction just to please his masters. He demanded and convinced the Government about the necessity of reducing the taxes, arguing that what was lost by reduction could be made more than good by better collection methods and opening more open account books which would reduce corruption. With the introduction of the new system, Munro became totally endeared to the local people and earned their gratitude. He became so popular and his eminence rose to such an extent that some parents even named their new born babies as Munrolappa. Munro served this area for seven years. He was then shifted to Northern Circars ceded by the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1801. In Hyderabad the land revenue was collected by a Zamindar who was fleecing farmers by collecting excessive taxes and remitting them to the Government, after retaining his charges. No such middleman existed in Baramahal. When the then Governor General Lord Cornwallis decided that the Zamindari System (Permanent Settlement) that was being followed in Bengal ought to be replicated all over India, Munro was the first to oppose it. He argued that such a practice was never prevalent in the South and the new system would create a new class of Zamindars to the detriment of land owners. He argued in favour of direct contact between the cultivator and the Government without a middleman. When the Government was studying the relative merits of the two methods of collection, Munro was in England on a holiday. There he impressed on the authorities and convinced them about the rationale in his method. The Government gave approval to Munros method and he returned to Madras victorious in his mission. In 1814, Munro was made the Head of a Commission, charged with reforming the judicial system of District Administration. Munro laid the foundation of District Administration in Madras which has survived even today. Munros method became an absolute success and in course of time it was extended all over the South. In the 1820s Munro became the Governor of Madras Presidency. He heard about the glory and fame of the temple of Sri Venkateshwara at Tirupati, and instituted the offering of Pongal to the deity each day in a vessel known as the Munro Gangalam. He organised the revenue from a village in Chittor District for the continuance of this offering. The Temple authorities have ensured that the tradition is still maintained. Munro soon became a subject of local ballads and songs. It is learnt that the great music composer Ghanam Krishna Iyer even composed a song which had the refrain Munro Sahib. Sir Thomas Munro was once entrusted with the job of bringing the land on which the famous Sri Raghavendra Swami Temple at Mantralayam is situated under the control and jurisdiction of the East India Company as per the Permanent Settlement Act. The natives and devotees vehemently opposed the move as they thought it would be a religious sacrilege for a foreign government to encroach upon the sacred premises of the Math. They approached Munro with their grievance. Munro decided to visit Mantralayam himself personally and check about the veracity of the sacredness and the religious sanctity of the Math.
It is said that when he reached the place, he took off his shoes and was about to enter the Math premises, Sri Raghavendra Swami himself appeared to him in a vision and both became involved in a conversation. However, no one could see or hear what transpired between them. However, this fact was made known only after the return of Munro. A subsequent issue of the Madras Government Gazette, however, bears testimony to this meeting. Soon after this occurrence Munro was promoted to the Governor of Madras Presidency in which capacity he got cancelled the earlier decision of the British Government to annex Mantralayam. He even reverentially accepted the Mantrakshata (consecrated colored rice) sent as prasadam to him by the Temple. As to the commonly felt perception of the British Government then that Indians in administration were corrupt, Munro had this to say, It is absurd to suppose that they are so corrupt as to be altogether unfit to take charge and discharge the duties of administration. If they were so, there would be no remedy for this evil. Their place can never be supplied by a handful of foreigners imperfectly acquainted with their customs and language. And finally, he felt that the British rule in India could only be temporary and he even chartered an exit map for the British Government to quit India. Munro died in India of cholera in 1827 while touring the Northern Districts. Years later, speaking about Sir Thomas Munro, veteran statesman and administrator Rajaji observed: Whenever any civil servant came to me for blessings or whenever I spoke to them in their training schools, I advised them to read all about Sir Thomas Munro, who was the Ideal Administrator. B.M.N. Murthy Source: Bhavans Journal March 31, 2011
Gandhi and Relevance of
His Ideas in the New World

In the whole world India is a country of its own kind. It is the only nation, which for centuries has been the centre of great attraction for people of every part of the globe. On the basis of its knowledge and spiritualism, India has drawn the attention of the world. Its cultural values have left their deep impression on the whole world. Indias prosperity and the way of life of its people have attracted many to it. Since ancient times, India has been the centre of a rich and developed civilization. Many of its centres of education and learning have been universally renowned in their respective eras. Centuries before Christ, India developed high human values, and on the basis of them it kept its flag flying high. This country has, from time-to-time, given the world mentors, who reached the highest stage of human status, became philosopher guides for the entire world. Their ideas and adaptable practices, after passing of hundreds of years, are still ideal teachers for allin general and in particular. Their work is capable of guiding the world even in the current scenario of the world if they are applied according to the demand of time and space. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, gave a new dimension to Ahimsa (non-violence)an eternal, natural and the highest human value, in theory and practice. As the best and true representative of Indian Culture in his own time, Gandhi was a peacemakers mentor. Like other mentors of the world who were born from time-to-time on the Indian soil, Gandhis ideas and practices became equally adaptable in his own time for millions of his own countrymen on the one hand, and on the other they proved to be the guiding force for people of many countries of the world. In particular, they have provided guidance to those working for freedom and justice. Moreover, they are fully capable of guiding the people today if they are applied accordingly and will continue to do so in the future. How? Before knowing and understanding this, we need to consider some fundamental points, and in this chain the first one is: What are the ideas of the Mahatma? Or, in other words: What is the philosophy of Gandhi? In brief, we can well understand the ideas or philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi in his firm belief in mutual-dependence of mans activities on one other and unity of human-life, which is an indivisible whole. In his own words: The whole gamut of mans activitiesconstitutes an indivisible whole. You cannot divide life, social, economic, political and purely religious, into separate watertight compartments. Mahatma Gandhi believed that all human activities, essentially influencing each other, build ways for a life. In this regard, many philosophies also confirm the belief of the Mahatma. Intellectuals are well aware of interdependent development. This makes life more meaningful and effective; and helps in achieving goals such as Truth. Gandhi called upon people to come forward in such a manner. He also emphasized upon adoption of Ahimsa [non-violence], which is the eternal, natural and supreme human value. For Gandhi, non-violence is an active, pure and all-timely value. It is the best means to reach the Truth. In other words, only through Ahimsa can life be made meaningful. Gandhi had the firm opinion that except non-violence, there is no other means to reach a goal. Without Ahimsa, one cannot know the absolute Truth. In this regard Gandhi wrote the following in Young India:
Means are after all everything. As the means so the end. There is no wall of separation between the means and the end. Non-violence is the nucleus in Gandhis ideas. In other words, his views revolved around Ahimsa. And as mentioned, it is the only means to achieve Truth, and to achieve Truth is the goal of ones life, or to get completeness of life. In this chain, the second point relates to Gandhis actions. The actions he undertook on the basis of non-violence consistently gave new dimensions to his views; they made them firm and mature. Therefore, it is necessary to know the intentions at the root of his actions. Some people believed that most of the actions [if not all], taken by Gandhi were dedicated to the welfare of Indians. Indians were the centre of his actions in South Africa and India. To ascertain freedom of India and to accord justice to Indians was the prime objective of his non-violent actions. But this opinion is not true. The welfare of all human beings was at the root of his actions. This reality can be understood well through the actions undertaken by the worlds other mentors, including Gautama Buddha who launched their actions from their own respective countries, but the spirit in the root of those actions remained the welfare of entire human world. If it was not so, the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi would not have been within the scope of philosophies like mutual-dependence of mans activities on one other or unity of human-life. In this chain the third point relates to the refining of Gandhis ideas according to the demand of time and circumstances. And, this can be perceived well through the series of events pertaining to
three mass actionsthe Non-Cooperation [1920], the Civil Disobedience [1930] and the Quit India [1942]launched to make India free from the British Empire. In this regard Mahatma Gandhi himself has written in one of the issues of Harijan: I am not at all concerned with appearing to be consistent. In my search after Truth I have discarded many ideas and learnt many new things. Old as I am in age, I have no feeling that I have ceased to grow inwardly or that my growth will stop at the dissolution of the flesh. It is clear that Gandhis ideas, in spite of staying within the domain of non-violence, and even while adhering in search of Truth, are dynamic. They can be refined to suit the present circumstances.
For Gandhi, non-violence is an active, pure and ll-timely value.

Two thousand five hundred years ago, Gautama Buddha had said that every creation, every object/ thingmovable or immovablewas subject to constant change. Besides Gautama Buddha other great men too ratified this reality, directly or indirectly. But, it was only Mahatma Gandhi, who, after Gautama Buddha, proved this reality directly on the strength of his actions, and, thus, made his ideas relevant during his own life time, and left the legacy of them as a guiding force for generations to come. This is the main reason that even after sixty years of his passing away when the world has
changed in different ways, all spheres of human life have turned over, and due to unprecedented development a new world has emerged, Mahatma Gandhis ideas are relevant; they call upon the world to resolve newly created complicated problems in a peaceful manner. How? This question emerges in our minds. We are well acquainted of the reality of those inevitable struggles and problems, which constantly emerge in all walks of life and at different levels. Without becoming indifferent to these struggles and problems we also need to accept the reality of their resolution by ourselves. By doing so in the twenty-first century if we are honestly ready to sacrifice, as sacrifice is a must in the Gandhian way, without a doubt we would come upon wonderful results. For sacrifice firm determination is essential. In it a strong will is necessary. Chivalry is needed for it. This is the call of the Mahatma and it is also the essence of his philosophy in the centre of which is non-violenceAhimsa. of its development? In such a situation if a country exploits the people of another country or snatches its freedom, or oppresses it, then bearing the wide interest of the people in mind and with care, if other countries of the world take the way of noncooperation with that country, it is not possible for it to endure such an action. Non-cooperation was one of Gandhis methods. It was an important part of Indias struggle for freedom. But it needs extra care during its application in the international sphere. Moreover, it demands all sincerity. Therefore, if under the leadership and guidance of the United Nations, a symbol of the Indian concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam at the international level is taken, it will definitely prove to be effective. Gandhi laid emphasis on non-violence, therefore, in all situations non-violence must be used. But when all such means fail, for protection of freedom and justice, if least possible violent means are applied in the larger public interest, it is not a disregard to the Gandhian approach. Freedom and justice were supreme for Mahatma Gandhi. Therefore, he always advised to protect them if possible by nonviolent means and if not by Ahimsa then by violent means. But such violence must be momentary and there should not be any ill will towards the rival. Gandhis brief statement, intent behind the act should remain the focus during the course of indulging in momentary violence. Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian-born worlds mentor. Great Indian values, particularly the supreme value of Ahimsa, were the basis of his ideas. Practically, he desired solutions for all problems through the means of non-violence. His ideas based on non-violence are entirely important in the new world. They are completely relevant today and will remain so in future as well. Dr Ravindra Kumar, a renowned Indologist is former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Meerut, India. Source: www.mkgandhisarvodaya.org
Intellectuals are well aware of interdependent development. This makes life more meaningful and effective...
There is a need to adopt Gandhis ideas in daily practices in our ever changing, fast moving world. And while doing so, there is a need to introspect that without firm determination, strong will and chivalry, no concrete result will be possible. Only by doing so, the significance and importance of Gandhis ideas can be perceived. Ahimsa is the nucleus in Gandhis ideas. Therefore, adoption of non-violent means is compulsory in Gandhism. Gandhism calls one to Truth; it appeals to accept the real state of affairs, and without relinquishing self-respect, it urges readiness to compromise. There is no room for destruction of evil-doers. It expects end of evil not of the evil doer. It promotes a win-win situation for all the parities concerned, and not only for one party in dispute. It incorporates high morality in it and talks of good, healthy and welfaristic human behaviours. Let us analyze the situation of the new world! These are the days of globalization. Today, not a single country of the world, does not matter how mighty or rich it is, can think of its existence in a state of isolation. When it cannot think of existence in a state of isolation, how it can think
World Red Cross Day

Each year, on 8 May, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement marks World Red Cross Red Crescent Day by highlighting the role of its staff and volunteers in saving lives and assisting vulnerable communities around the world. The day is extremely significant for Red Cross, as it is the birthday of founder Henri Dunant. America celebrates World Red Cross Day to emphasize the hard work that all National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies dedicate worldwide for the relief of human distress and misery occurring due to disease, famine, disaster or war. World Red Cross Society Today Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have the worlds largest humanitarian network to provide relief. It is carrying out its activities and is present in more than 170 countries. So it is the worlds largest force of unpaid assistants helping some 233 million recipients every year. The total no. of members of National Societies of the Red Cross and Red Crescent comprises approximately 97 million members and volunteers. The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement was originated as a result of aspiration to provide the first aid as wells as all the possible assistance to the victim on the battlefield thus alleviating the human suffering We can help in averting the deadly and painful diseases like measles etc by vaccinating children during such crises. Nevertheless the eradication of the diseases should be the primary objective to save children from sufferings. The American Red Cross and its partners are accomplishing this mission in many regions of the world. The Africa Womens Initiative (AWI) is another collaboration of the American Red Cross and African Red Cross societies to prevent and lessen the high rate of maternal and child mortality in Africa. The Africa Womens Initiative (AWI) has also contributed as a five-year, integrated health education and advocacy program with a gender component. The international Red Cross is an organization whose mission is to safeguard human life and health. Its aim is to prevent and lessen human suffering ensuring indiscrimination on the basis of nationality, race, class or political opinions, religious beliefs. Red colored cross on a white background was symbol originated in 1864 in Geneva Convention, must be recognized as a protection symbol in conflict. International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a private institution founded in 1863 in Geneva, Switzerland. International Committee of the Red Cross consists of 25 members and Red Cross committee authorized and empowered to protect the life and dignity of the victims of national and international war or conflicts, under international human rights law. Red Crescent Societies works in collaboration with World Red Cross today to coordinates activities within the Movement. National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies exist in almost every country of the world today. Presently, there are 186 National Societies, recognized by the ICRC. Most of these societies are using the Red Cross as their official organization emblem. Presently, the world Red Cross is working with other Red Cross societies to improve miserable conditions in developing nations. They are reconnecting families separated by emergencies. Celebrations World Red Cross Day highlights the need for stronger local and global associations in facing the growing humanitarian challenges. On World Red Cross Day the Red Cross give special focus on programs and activities to provide healthy and safe environment to the children around the world. Source: www.altiusdirectory.com
Veer Savarkar
Veer Savarkar occupies a unique place in the history of Indian freedom struggle. Veer Savarkar was also a great orator, prolific writer, historian, poet, philosopher and social worker. He was an extraordinary Hindu scholar. He coined Indian words for telephone, photography, the parliament, among others. Early Life Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was born on May 28, 1883 into a family of jagirdars (landlords) in the village of Bhagpur near Nasik. Vinayak was one of four children others being, Ganesh (Babarao), Mainabai and Narayan, born to Damodarpant Savarkar and Radhabai. Being descendents of a line of Sanskrit scholars, the Savarkars inculcated the love of learning into their children. Vinayak and Babarao were sent to the Shivaji School in Nasik. When Vinayak was nine years old, his mother died of cholera. Damodarpant himself looked after his children thereafter. He organized a gang of kids, Vanarsena when he was just eleven. Mitra Mela Vinayaks father died of plague in 1899. The burden of the family fell on Babaraos shoulders. Vinayaks patriotic spirit found an outlet through an organization called the Mitra Mela that he formed. Vinayak inducted young patriotic men like himself into the Mela. He encouraged the members of the Mela to strive for absolute political independence for India by whatever means necessary. In the event of an armed revolt the young crusaders toughened themselves through physical training. The Mitra Mela served the city of Nasik in many ways, especially during the plague when the group carried victims for cremation. In March 1901, Vinayak was married to Yamunabai, daughter of Ramchandra Triambak Chiplunkar, who agreed to help with Vinayaks university education. After his matriculation examination, Vinayak enrolled in the Fergusson College in Poona in 1902. The Revolutionary In Pune, Savarkar founded the Abhinav Bharat Society. He was also involved in the Swadeshi movement and later joined Tilaks Swaraj Party. His instigating patriotic speeches and activities incensed the British Government. As a result the British Government withdrew his BA Degree.
In June 1906, Veer Savarkar, left for London to become Barrister. However, once in London, he united and inflamed the Indian students in England against British rule in India. He founded the Free India Society. The Society celebrated important dates on the Indian calendar including festivals, freedom movement landmarks, and was dedicated to furthering discussion about Indian freedom. He believed and advocated the use of arms to free India from the British and created a network of Indians in England, equipped with weapons. In 1908, brought out an authentic informative researched work on The Great Indian Revolt, which the British termed as Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. The book was called The Indian War of Independence 1857. The British government immediately enforced a ban on the publication in both Britain and India. Later, it was published by Madame Bhikaiji Cama in Holland, and was smuggled into India to reach revolutionaries working across the country against British rule. In 1909, Madanlal Dhingra, a keen follower of Savarkar shot Sir Wyllie after a failed assassination attempt on the then Viceroy, Lord Curzon. Savarkar conspicuously did not condemn the act. When the then British Collector of Nasik, A.M.T. Jackson was shot by a youth, Veer Savarkar finally fell under the net of the British authorities. He was implicated in the murder citing his connections with India House. Savarkar was arrested in London on March 13, 1910 and sent to India. Kalapani After a formal trial, Savarkar was charged with serious offences of illegal transportation of weapons, provocative speeches and sedition and was sentenced to 50 years of jail and deported to the Kalapani (Blackwaters) at Andaman cellular jail. Savarkar arrived at the Andamans prison on July 4, 1911. Life for the prisoners was very harsh. Savarkars day began at 5 a.m. chopping trees with a heavy wooden mallet and then he would be yoked to the oil mill. If prisoners talked or broke queue at mealtime, their once a year letter writing privilege was revoked. Savarkar withdrew within himself, quietly and mechanically doing the tasks presented to him. He was successful in getting permission to start a jail library. With great effort and patience he taught the illiterate convicts to read and write. In 1920, Vithalbhai Patel demanded the release of the Savarkar brothers in the Central Legislative Assembly. Tilak and Gandhiji also appealed for Savarkars freedom. On May 2, 1921, the Savarkar brothers were brought back to India on the S.S. Maharaja. Savarkar remained imprisoned in Ratnagiri Jail and then in Yeravada Jail until January 6, 1924 when he was freed under the condition that he
would not leave Ratnagiri district and abstain from political activity for the next five years. While in Ratnagiri Jail, Savarkar wrote Hindutva which was smuggled out and published under the pen-name Maharatta. On his release, Savarkar founded the Ratnagiri Hindu Sabha on January 23, 1924 which aimed to preserve Indias ancient culture and work for social welfare. Social Service Through the Sabha, Savarkar worked hard to protect minority rights. During the celebration of Hindu festivals, Savarkar visited Muslim and Christian homes to promote goodwill. He encouraged intercaste marriage and assisted Dr. Ambedkar in the liberation of the untouchables. He appealed for a wider use of Hindi as the mother tongue and suggested reforms to the Devanagiri script to facilitate printing. While in Ratnagiri he wrote the Hindu Padpadashashi and My Transportation for Life and a collection of poems, plays and novels.
He was an extraordinary Hindu scholar. He coined Indian words for telephone, photography, the parliament, among others.
He toured the nation widely and delivered the simple message that followers of Vedism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism were all Hindus. At declaration of war by Britain on Germany and the arbitrary inclusion of India in the war, Savarkar said that Britains claim of safeguarding human freedom was simply meaningless. Final Days As Savarkar aged, he saw his grim prophecies coming true. China invaded India in 1962 and Pakistan attacked India in 1965. When the Indian Army entered Lahore, Savarkar rejoiced saying that the best way to win a war was to carry it into the enemys land. Veer Savarkar died on February 27, 1966. Source: www.iloveindia.com, www.swamisamarth.com
Pandit Motilal Nehru

Motilal Nehru, a doyen of Indian freedom struggle was the patriarch of what later became modern Indias most powerful political dynasty. He was one of the most brilliant lawyers of the preindependence India. He was elected as Congress President twice and is famous as the father of Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He was affectionately called as Pandit Motilal Nehru. Motilal Nehru was born on May 6, 1861. The Nehrus hailed from Kashmir, but had settled in Delhi since the beginning of the eighteenth century. Motilals grandfather, Lakshmi Narayan, became the first Vakil (Lawyer) of the East India Company at the Mughal Court of Delhi. Motilals father, Gangadhar, was a Police officer in Delhi in 1857, when it was engulfed by the Mutiny. When the British troops shelled their way into the town, Gangadhar fled with his wife Jeorani and four children to Agra where he died four years later. Three months after his death Jeorani gave birth to a boy who was named Motilal. Motilal spent his childhood at Khetri in Rajasthan, where his elder brother, Nandlal became Diwan. Education Meanwhile Motilal passed Matriculation examination from Kanpur and joined the Muir Central College at Allahabad. Athletic, fond of outdoor sports, specially wrestling, brimming over with an insatiable curiosity and zest for life, he soon attracted the attention of Principal Harrison and his British colleagues, in the Muir Central College, who took a strong liking to this intelligent, lively and restless Kashmiri youth. Lawyer Motilal topped the list of successful candidates in the Vakils examination in 1883 and set up as a Lawyer at Kanpur, but three years later shifted to Allahabad where his brother Nandlal had a lucrative practice at the High Court. Unfortunately, Nandlal died in April 1887 at the age of forty-two, leaving behind five sons and two daughters. Young Motilal found himself, at the age of twenty-five, as the head of a large family, its sole bread-winner. Political Life Motilals early incursions into politics were reluctant, brief and sporadic. He attended some of the subsequent sessions of the Congress. It was the tug-of-war between the Moderates and the Extremists in the aftermath of the Partition of Bengal which drew Motilal into the arena and, strangely enough, on the side of the Moderates. In 1907 he presided over a Provincial Conference of the Moderate politicians at Allahabad. In 1909 he was elected a member of the U.P. Council. He attended the Delhi Durbar in 1911 in honour of the visit of King George V and Queen Mary and became a member of the Allahabad Municipal Board and of the All India Congress Committee. He was elected President of the UP Congress. Nevertheless, it was not politics but domestic and professional preoccupations which were the dominant interest of his life during this period. But from 1912 onwards when JawaharIal returned from England, there were forces at work, both at home and in the country, which were to lead Motilal into the maelstrom of national politics. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal The emergence of Mahatma Gandhi on the Indian political stage changed the course of Indian history; it also profoundly influenced the life of Motilal Nehru and his family. The Rowlatt Bills and the publication of the Satyagraha pledge in February 1919 deeply stirred Jawaharlal; he felt an irresistible call to follow the Mahatma. Motilal was not the man to be easily swept off his feet; his legal background predisposed him against any extraconstitutional agitation. It was clear to both father and son that they were at the crossroads. Neither was prepared to give in, but at Motilals instance Gandhiji intervened and counselled young Nehru to be patient. Jallianwala Bagh Shortly afterwards events marched to a tragic climax in the Punjab; the holocaust of Jallianwala Bagh was followed by Martial Law. Motilal did what he could to bring succour and solace to that
He was one of the most brilliant lawyers of the pre-independence India.

unhappy province. He gave his time freely, at the cost of his own legal practice, to the defence of scores of helpless victims of Martial Law, who had been condemned to the gallows or sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. Elected to preside over the Amritsar Congress (December 1919), Motilal was in the centre of the gathering storm which pulled down many familiar landmarks during the following year. He was the only front rank leader to lend his support to non-cooperation at the special Congress at Calcutta in September 1920. Motilals fateful decision to cast in his lot with Gandhiji was no doubt influenced by the tragic chain of events in 1919. Khadi Immediately after the Calcutta Congress Motilal resigned from the U.P. Council, abandoned his practice at the Bar, curtailed the vast retinue of servants in Anand Bhavan, changed his style of living, consigned cartloads of foreign finery to public bonfires and put on Khadi. Simon Commission The exclusion of Indians from the Simon Commission united Indian parties in opposition to the Government. An All-Parties Conference convened by Dr Ansari, the Congress President, and a Committee, including Tej Bahadur Sapru and headed by Motital, was appointed to determine the principles of a constitution for free India. The report of the Committeethe Nehru Report as it came to be called attempted a solution of the communal problem which unfortunately failed to receive the support of a vocal section of Muslim opinion led by the Aga Khan and Jinnah. Nehru Report The Nehru Report, representing as it did the highest common denominator among a number of heterogeneous Parties was based on the assumption that the new Indian Constitution would be based on Dominion Status. This was regarded as a climb-down by a radical wing in the Congress led by Subhash Bose and Motilals own son who founded the Independence for India League. The Calcutta Congress (December 1928) over which Motilal presided was the scene of a head-on clash between those who were prepared to accept Dominion Status and those who would have nothing short of complete independence. A split was averted by a via media proposed by Gandhiji, according to which if Britain did not concede Dominion Status within a year, the Congress was to demand complete independence and to fight for it, if necessary, by launching civil disobedience. Mahatma Gandhi The way was thus opened for Gandhijis return to active politics and for the revival of Satyagraha. Motilal later got impressed by Gandhijis plans for the breach of the salt laws as the movement caught on. It found him against the advice of his doctors in the centre of the political arena. He was arrested and imprisoned; but his health gave way and he was released. But there could be no peace for him when most of his family was in gaol and the whole of India was passing through a baptism of fire. In the last week of January 1931 Gandhiji and the Congress Working Committee were released by the Government as a gesture in that chain of events which was to lead to the Gandhi-lrwin Pact. Motilal had the satisfaction of having his son and Gandhiji beside him in his last days. Final Days Motilal Nehru was arrested in 1930, in the wake of Civil Disobedience Movement. He was released in 1931, in view of his deteriorating health. Motilal Nehru passed away on February 6, 1931 in Lucknow. Motilal had a rational, robust, secular and fearless outlook on life. A brilliant Lawyer, an eloquent speaker, a great parliamentarian, and a greater organiser, Motilal was one of the most notable and attractive figures of Indian nationalism in the Gandhian era. Source: www.congresssandesh.com, www.iloveindia.com
International Labor Day

International Labor Day is a day observed all over the world on May 1 to celebrate the social and economic achievements of workers. In India and other countries like England, the day also has the significance as the spring fertility festival, so people celebrate it to honor goddess of spring. International Labor Day is celebrated with lots of joy and fervor in towns and villages. They celebrate fertility in the month of May (spring) with village fetes and community gatherings. The most significant of the traditions is the traditional dances by men and women. Towns and villages in England plan huge celebration on the day. Significance The day has a historic significance which dates back to May 1 1886. On this International Labor Day several Labor unions all over the US decided to go on strike. They demanded a workday of eight hours to be accepted as a standard all over the US. In Chicago a bomb explosion planned by revolutionists led to the deaths and injury of over 100 people. Ultimately the protests proved fruitful and effective thus standardizing eight-hour work days as the new norm in many countries across the globe. Celebrations International Labor Day is celebrated as a day for demonstrations, parades, and speeches. The International Labor Day is still often chosen as a day for protests and rallies. Sometimes there are marches for rights of thousands of workers on to the streets to mark May Day with demands for better Labor conditions. Many Labor organizations carry out processions and speeches are organized by various political parties. Now a day the celebration of this day is sometimes marked by the demand of economic and social reforms by the workers and trade unions to preserve their interests. Difference in Celebrations across the World But there is some difference in the celebration dates of the International Labor Day in different countries. The International Labor Day is also very significant in Russia and other communist countries. In Germany, International Labor Day is celebrated on May 2. In India, International Labor Day is observed as a national holiday. In Maharashtra, Labor Day is known as Maharashtra Diwas. In Poland, International Labor Day is celebrated on May 1 and termed as State Holiday. International Labor Day is observed on the first Monday of October in Australia. International Labor Day is observed on the first Monday of the month, September in Canada. The International Labor Day history in Canada can be dated back to a revolt in 1872 in Toronto. Since that day International Labor Day parades, picnics, fireworks displays, water activities, and public art events and picnics are organized by many unions in Canada. Origin of International Labor Day in New Zealand dates back to the movement that was started in Wellington colony in 1840. The demand was the eight hour working day. The International Labor Day is also known as Eight-Hour Demonstration Day in New Zealand. International Labor Day is celebrated on May 1 in China. Source: www.altiusdirectory.com
she found work and saved her money. The following year she returned to Maryland and escorted her sister and her sisters two children to freedom. She made the dangerous trip back to the South soon after to rescue her brother and two other men. On her third return, she went after her husband, only to find he had taken another wife. Undeterred, she found other slaves seeking freedom and escorted them to the North. Later in 1869, she married Nelson Davis. She never had any children. The Woman of Courage Tubman returned to the South again and again. She devised clever techniques that helped make her forays successful, including using the masters horse and buggy for the first leg of the journey; leaving on a Saturday night, since runaway notices couldnt be placed in newspapers until Monday morning; turning about and heading south if she encountered possible slave hunters; and carrying a drug to use on a baby if its crying might put the fugitives in danger. Tubman even carried a gun which she used to threaten the fugitives if they became too tired or decided to turn back, telling them, Youll be free or die. By 1856, Tubmans capture would have brought a $40,000 reward from the South. On one occasion, she overheard some men reading her wanted poster, which stated that she was illiterate. She promptly pulled out a book and feigned reading it. The ploy was enough to fool the men. Tubman had made the perilous trip to slave country 19 times by 1860, including one especially challenging journey in which she rescued her 70-year-old parents. She later came to be known as Moses. Final Days In 1911, Harriet herself was welcomed into the Home. Upon hearing of her destitute condition, many women with whom she had worked in the NACW voted to provide her a lifelong monthly pension of $25. Living past ninety, Harriet Tubman died in Auburn on March 10, 1913. She was given a full military funeral and was buried in Fort Hill Cemetery. The women of the NACW also paid the funeral costs and purchased a marble headstone. One year later, the city of Auburn commemorated her life with a memorial tablet at the front of the Cayuga County Courthouse. In 1944, Eleanor Roosevelt christened the Liberty Ship Harriet Tubman, and in 1995 the U.S. Postal Service honoured her life with a postage stamp. Source: www.pbs.org, www.lkwdpl.org
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman is perhaps the most well-known of all the Underground Railroads conductors. During a ten-year span she made 19 trips into the South and escorted over 300 slaves to freedom. In all of her journeys she never lost a single passenger. Tubman was born a slave in Marylands Dorchester County around 1820. Early Life At age five or six, she began to work as a house servant. Seven years later she was sent to work in the fields. While she was still in her early teens, she suffered an injury that would follow her for the rest of her life. Always ready to stand up for someone else, Tubman blocked a doorway to protect another field hand from an angry overseer. The overseer picked up and threw a two-pound weight at the field hand. It fell short, striking Tubman on the head. She never fully recovered from the blow, which subjected her to spells in which she would fall into a deep sleep. Marriage Around 1844 she married a free black named John Tubman as she gained permission to marry him from her owners and lived with him in his cabin, but she was required to continue working for her master. She took his last name. (She was born Araminta Ross but later changed her first name to Harriet, after her mother.) In 1849, in fear that she, along with the other slaves on the plantation, was to be sold, Tubman resolved to run away. She set out one night on foot. With some assistance from a friendly white woman, Tubman was on her way. She followed the North Star by night, making her way to Pennsylvania and soon after to Philadelphia, where
Hindu Rituals and Routines

(Part 2 of 3) Why do we follow them?
Why do we apply the holy ash? The ash of any burnt object is not regarded as holy ash. Bhasma (the holy ash) is the ash from the homa (sacrificial fire) where special wood along with ghee and other herbs is offered as worship of the Lord. Or the deity is worshipped by pouring ash as abhisheka and is then distributed as bhasma. Bhasma is generally applied on the forehead. Some apply it on certain parts of the body like the upper arms, chest etc. Some ascetics rub it all over the body. Many consume a pinch of it each time they receive it. The word bhasma means, that by which our sins are destroyed and the Lord is remembered. Bha implied bhartsanam (to destroy) and sma implies smaranam (to remember). The application of bhasma therefore signifies destruction of the evil and remembrance of the divine. Bhasma is called vibhuti (which means glory) as it gives glory to one who applies it and raksha (which means a source of protection) as it protects the wearer from ill health and evil, by purifying him or her. Homa (offering of oblations into the fire with sacred chants) signifies the offering or surrender of the ego and egocentric desires into the flame of knowledge or a noble and selfless cause. The consequent ash signifies the purity of the mind, which results from such actions. Also the fire of knowledge burns the oblation and wood signifying ignorance and inertia respectively. The ash we apply indicates that we should burn false identification with the body and become free of the limitations of birth and death. This is not to be misconstrued as a morose reminder of death but as a powerful pointer towards the fact that time and tide wait for none. Bhasma is specially associated with Lord Shiva who applies it all over His body. Shiva devotes apply bhasma as a tripundra. When applied with a red spot at the center, the mark symbolizes ShivaShakti (the unity of energy and matter that creates the entire seen and unseen universe). Tryambakam yajaamahe Sugandhim pushtivardhanam Urvaa rukamiva bhandhanaan Mrytyor muksheeyamaa amrutaat We worship the three-eyed Lord Shiva who nourishes and spread fragrance in our lives. May He free us from the shackles of sorrow, change and deatheffortlessly, like the fall of a ripe brinjal from its stem. Why do offer food to the Lord before eating it? Indians make an offering of food to the Lord and later partake of it as prasaadaa holy gift from the Lord. In our daily ritualistic worship (pooja) too we offer naivedyam (food) to the Lord.
The Lord is omnipotent and omniscient. Man is a part, while the Lord is the totality. All that we do is by His strength and knowledge alone. Hence what we receive in life as a result of our actions is really His alone. We acknowledge this through the act of offering food to Him. This is exemplified by the Hindi words tera tujko arpan I offer what is Yours to You. Thereafter it is akin to His gift to us, graced by His divine touch. Knowing this, our entire attitude to food and the act of eating changes. The food offered will naturally be pure and the best. We share what we get with others before consuming it. We do not demand, complain or criticise the quality of the food we get. We eat it with cheerful acceptance (prasaada buddhi). Before we partake of our daily meals we first sprinkle water around the plate as an act of purification. Five morsels of food are placed on the side of the plate acknowledging the debt owed by us to the Divine forces (devta runa) for their benign grace and protection, our ancestors (pitru runa) for giving us their lineage and a family culture, the sages (rishi runa) as our religion and culture have been realised, aintained and handed down to us by them, our fellow beings (manushya runa) who constitute society without the support of which we could not live as we do and other living beings (bhuta runa) for serving us selflessly. Thereafter the Lord, the life force, who is also within us as the five life-giving physiological functions, is offered the food. This is done with the chant: praanaaya swaahaa, apaanaaya swaahaa, vyaanaaya swaahaa, udaanaaya swaahaa, samaanaaya swaahaa, brahmane swaahaa After offering the food thus, it is eaten as prasaadablessed food. Why do we fast? Most devout Indians fast regularly or on special occasions like festivals. On such days they do not eat at all, eat once or make do with fruits or a special diet of simple food. Fasting in Sanskrit is called upavaasa. Upia means near + vaasa means to stay. Upavaasa therefore means staying near (the Lord), meaning the attainment of close mental proximity with the Lord. Then what has upavaasa to do with food? A lot of our time and energy is spent in procuring food items, preparing, cooking, eating and digesting food. Certain food types make our minds dull and agitated. Hence on certain days man decides to save time and conserve his energy by eating either simple, light food or totally abstaining from eating so that his mind becomes alert and pure. The mind,
otherwise pre-occupied by the thought of food, now entertains noble thoughts and stays with the Lord. Since it is a self-imposed form of discipline it is usually adhered to with joy Also every system needs a break and an overhaul to work at its best. Rest and a change of diet during fasting is very good for the digestive system and the entire body. The more you indulge the senses, the more they make their demands. Fasting helps us to cultivate control over our senses, sublimate our desires and guide our minds to be poised and at peace. Fasting should not make us weak, irritable or create an urge to indulge later. This happens when there is no noble goal behind fasting. The Bhagavad-Gita urges us to eat appropriately neither too less nor too muchyukta-aahaara and to eat simple, pure and healthy food (a saatvik diet) even when not fasting. Why do we do pradakshina (circumambulate)? We cannot draw a circle without a center point. The Lord is the center, source and essence of our lives. Recognizing Him as the focal point in our lives, we go about doing our daily chores. This is the significance of pradakshina. Also every point on the circumference of a circle is equidistant from the center. This means that wherever or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the Lord. His grace flows towards us without partiality. Why is pradakshina done only in a clockwise manner? The reason is not, as a person said, to avoid a traffic jam! As we do pradakshina, the Lord is always on our right. In India the right side symbolizes auspiciousness. So as we circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum we remind ourselves to lead an auspicious life of righteousness, with the Lord who is the indispensable source of help and strength, as our guidethe right hand. Indian scriptures enjoinmatrudevo bhava, pitrudevo bhava, acharyadevo bhava. May you consider your parents and teachers as you would the Lord. With this in mind we also do pradakshina around our parents and divine personages. After the completion of traditional worship (pooja), we customarily do pradakshina around ourselves. In this way we recognize and remember the supreme divinity within us, which alone is idolized in the form of the Lord that we worship outside.
Why do we regard trees and plants as sacred? The Lord, the life in us, pervades all living beings, be they plants or animals. Hence, they are all regarded as sacred. Human life on earth depends on plants and trees. They give us the vital factors that make life possible on earth: food, oxygen, clothing, shelter, medicines etc. Hence, in India, we are taught to regard trees and plants as sacred. Indians scriptures tell us to plant ten trees if, for any reason, we have to cut one. We are advised to use parts of trees and plants only as much as is needed for food, fuel, shelter etc. we are also urged to apologies to a plant or tree before cutting it to avoid incurring a specific sin named soona. Certain trees and plants like tulasi, peepal etc., which have tremendous beneficial qualities, are worshipped till today. It is believed that divine beings manifest as trees and plants, and many people worship them to fulfill their desires or to please the Lord. Why do we ring the bell in a temple? Is it to wake up the Lord? But the Lord never sleeps. Is it to let the Lord know we have come? He does not need to be told, as He is all knowing. Is it a form of seeking permission to enter His precinct? It is a homecoming and therefore entry needs no permission. The Lord welcomes us at all times. Then why do we ring the bell? The ringing of the bell produces what is regarded as an auspicious sound. It produces the sound Om, the universal name of the Lord. There should be auspiciousness within and without, to gain the vision of the Lord who is all-auspiciousness. Even while doing the ritualistic aarati, we ring the bell. It is sometimes accompanied by the auspicious sounds of the conch and other musical instruments. An added significance of ringing the bell, conch and other instruments is that they help drowned any inauspicious or irrelevant noises and comments that might disturb or distract the worshippers in their devotional ardour, concentration and inner peace. As we start the daily ritualistic worship (pooja) we ring the bell, chanting: Aagamaarthamtu devaanaam gamanaarthamtu rakshasaam Kurve ghantaaravam tatra devataahvaahna lakshanam I ring this bell indicating the invocation of divinity, So that virtuous and noble forces enter (my home and heart); and the demonic and evil forces from within and without, depart.
Why do we worship the kalasha? First of all what is a kalasha? A brass, mud or copper pot is filled with water. Mango leaves are placed in the mouth of the pot and a coconut is placed over it. A red or white thread is tied around its neck or sometimes all around it in an intricate diamondshaped pattern. The pot may be decorated with designs. Such a pot is known as a kalasha. When the pot is filled with water or rice, it is known as purnakumbha representing the inert body which when filled with the divine life force gains the power to do all the wonderful things that makes life what it is. A kalasha is placed with due rituals on allimportant occasions like the traditional house warming (grihapravesa), wedding, daily worship etc. It is placed near the entrance as a sign of welcome. It is also used in a traditional manner while receiving holy personages. Why do we worship the kalasha? Before the creation came into being, Lord Vishnu was reclining on His snake-bed in the milky ocean. From His navel emerged a lotus from which appeared Lord Brahma, the creator, who thereafter created this world. The water in the kalasha symbolizes the primordial water from which the entire creation emerged. It is the giver of life to all and has the potential of creating innumerable names and forms, the inert objects and the sentient beings and all that is auspicious in the world from the energy behind the universe. The leaves and coconut represent creation. The thread represents the love that binds all in creation. The kalasha is therefore considered auspicious and worshipped. The waters from all the holy rivers, the knowledge of all the Vedas and the blessings of all the deities are invoked in the kalasha and its water is thereafter used for all the rituals, including the abhisheka. The consecration (kumbhaabhisheka) of a temple is done in a grand manner with elaborate rituals including the pouring of one or more kalashas of holy water on the top of the temple. When the asuras and devas churned the milky ocean, the Lord appeared bearing the pot of nectar, which blessed one with everlasting life. Thus the kalasha also symbolizes immortality. Men of wisdom are full and complete as they identify with the infinite Truth (poornatvam). They brim with joy and love and respect all that is auspicious. We greet them with a purnakumbha (full pot) acknowledging their greatness and as a sign of respectful and reverential welcome, with a full heart. Why do we consider the lotus as special? The lotus is the symbol of truth, auspiciousness and beauty (satyam, shivam, sundaram). The Lord
Kalasha worship
Pipal Prayer
is also that nature and therefore, His various aspects are compared to a lotus (i.e. lotus-eyes, lotus feet, lotus hands, the lotus of the heart etc). The lotus blooms with the rising sun and close at night. Similarly, our minds open up and expand with the light of knowledge. The lotus grows even in slushy areas. It remains beautiful and untainted despite its surroundings, reminding us that we too can and should strive to remain pure and beautiful within, under all circumstances. The lotus leaf never gets wet even though it is always in water. It symbolizes the man of wisdom (gyaani) who remains ever joyous, unaffected by the world of sorrow and change. This is revealed in a shloka from the Bhagwad-Geeta: Brahmanyaadhaaya karmaani Sangam tyaktvaa karoti yaha Lipyate na sa paapena Padma patram ivaambhasaa He who does actions, offering them to Brahman (the Supreme), abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf remains unaffected by the water on it. From this, we learn that what is natural to the man of wisdom becomes a discipline to be practiced by all saadhakas or spiritual seekers and devotees. Our bodies have certain energy centers described in the Yoga Shaastras as chakras. Each one is associated with lotus that has a certain number of petals. For example, a lotus with a thousand petals represents the Sahasra chakra at the top of the head, which opens when the yogi attains Godhood or Realisation. Also, the lotus posture (padmaasana) is recommended when one sits for meditation. A lotus emerged from the navel of Lord Vishnu. Lord Brahma originated from it to Lotus flower
create the world. Hence, the lotus symbolizes the link between the creator and the supreme Cause. It also symbolizes Brahmaloka, the abode of Lord Brahma. The auspicious sign of the swastika is said to have evolved from the lotus.
(To be continued)
Source: www.keralaclick.com
Treatment Return to Nature: A study in China showed that men who lead a western lifestyle in terms of sedentary work, erratic food habits, improper rest and physical inactivity, have a much higher incidence of symptomatic BPH than men who lead a traditional or rural lifestyle. In other term men in rural areas have very low rates of clinical BPH than men living in cities adopting western lifestyle. Though the condition would have resulted because of a faulty lifestyle, it would be better to inculcate the change in terms of natural food habits, regular & moderate exercise and adequate rest in the lifestyle to improve the quality of life further. Diet Remedy: Constipation is an adding factor in aggravating the urinary problems. A diet rich in fibre, for a clean colon will contribute enormously to the prostate. Foods rich in zinc are found to be beneficial in reducing the prostrate hyperplasia. Thus including beans, chickpeas, soy beans, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and cruciferous vegetables viz, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels, sprouts and other leafy vegetables will promote the recuperation. Drinking a glass of pomegranate juice everyday and having papaya, watermelon, raisins often will also help to stop the progression of the condition. Hydrotherapy: A warm hip bath or sitz bath for 15 to 20 minutes can be used to relieve the congestion around the prostate. This can be taken every day until all symptoms are relieved. A cold abdomen pack or mud pack to the abdomen will also be beneficial. Yoga: The poses that are most beneficial for BPH are the pavanmuktasana, Yoga mudra, janusirshasana and the paschimotanasana. These poses should be repeated 2 to 3 times each day, 3 times a session.These poses can increase blood flow to the groin area, and can relieve the symptoms of BPH. Uddiyan bandha and moolbandha are the other yogic workouts for BPH where in the anus is contracted upwards and umbilicus is pulled inwards with holding of breath for a short period. It should be done at least 10 times at one stretch after having training with an expert yoga teacher. One sitting is enough for a day. In case of high blood pressure, hiatus hernia, ulcers or heart disease, these practices should be avoided. Dr. D. Sathyanath, Nature Cure Physician, National Institute of Naturopathy, Pune, India Source: Nisargopachar Varta, National Institute of Naturopathy, Vol. 3, Issue 4, April 2011
Naturopaths Advice
Question & Answer Q. I am 70 years old man weighing 38 kg. I have a urinary problem, i.e. I need to pass urine at a gap of 1 to 11/2 hours. I am not diabetic and all my blood parameters are normal. What Naturopathic remedies can be beneficial for this problem? M.K. Nayyar A. The commonest problem around your age having frequent urination is a sign is Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH), i.e. increase in size of the prostate or thickening of the prostate gland. As you had mentioned that you are not diabetic and all your blood parameters are normal, I doubt that you may have BPH. You can confirm the diagnosis if you have signs mentioned below. Prolonged emptying of the bladder, Abdominal strain, Hesitancy, Irregular need to urinate, Lower abdominal pain, Painful urination, Irritation during urination, Post-urination dribble, Incomplete bladder emptying, Frequent urination both in day and night, Weak urinary stream, Urgency, Involuntary leakage of urine, Difficulty in starting urination, especially on a delayed-attempt. As the signs mentioned, are the same for prostate cancer and inflammation; both should be ruled out with the diagnostic process beforehand. BPH can be a progressive disease. Urinary retention is a form of progression which is characterized by inability to void the urine completely, as a continuum the residual urinary volume gradually increases and the bladder distends. This may eventually progress up to renal failure. Another important consequence of retention is the formation of urinary bladder stones from the crystallization of salts in the residual urine.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Raja Ram Mohan Roy is considered as the pioneer of modern Indian Renaissance for the remarkable reforms he brought in the 18th century India. Among his efforts, the abolition of the Sati Prathaa practice in which the widow was compelled to sacrifice herself on the funeral pyre of her husbandwas the prominent. His efforts were also instrumental in eradicating the Purdah system and child marriage. In 1828, Ram Mohan Roy formed the Brahmo Samaj, a group of people, who had no faith in idol-worship and were against the caste restrictions. The title Raja was awarded to him by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1831 when Roy visited England as an Ambassador of the King to ensure that Benticks regulation of banning the practice of Sati was not overturned. Ram Mohan was a man of capacious powers of mind, broad religious sympathies, and a very powerful though genial personality. His range of interests was as wide as the sphere of his activities. He never destroyed for the sheer fiendish delight of destroying. He pulled down, so that he might raise a new building, on the ruins of the old, after clearing away the debris. Early Life Raja Ram Mohan Roy was born on 14 August, 1774 to Ramakanta Roy and Tarini Devi in Murshidabad district, West Bengal. His father was a wealthy Brahmin and strictly performed the duties set by the religion. Ram Mohan himself was also devoted to Lord Vishnu and in his 14th year, he wanted to become a monk but his mother, Tarini Devi objected to his desire. Though his father Ramakanta was very orthodox but he wanted his son to have higher education and after the basic formal education in Sanskrit and Bengali in the village school, Ram Mohan was sent to Patna to study Persian and Arabic in a Madrasa. After that he went to Benares (Kashi) for learning the intricacies of Sanskrit and Hindu scripture, including the Vedas and Upanishads. He learnt English language at the age of 22 years. By the age of 15, Raja Rammohun Roy had learnt Bangla, Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit. Father of Renaissance Ram Mohan viewed education as a medium to implement the social reforms. So, in 1815, Ram Mohan came to Calcutta and the very next year, started an English College by putting his own savings. He was well aware that students should learn English language and scientific subjects and thats why he criticized the Governments policy of opening only Sanskrit schools. According to him, Indians would lag behind if they do not get to study modern subjects like Mathematics, Geography and Latin. Government accepted this idea of Ram Mohan and also implemented it but not before his death. Ram Mohan was also the first to give importance to the development of the mother tongue. His Gaudiya Byakaran in Bengali is the best of his prose works. Rabindranath Tagore and Bankimchandra also followed the footsteps of Ram Mohan Roy.
...a practice in which the widow was compelled to sacrifice herself on the funeral pyre of her husband...
Press Freedom Ram Mohan Roy was a staunch supporter of free speech and expression and fought for the rights of press. He also brought out a newspaper in Persian called Miratul-Akhbar (the Mirror of News) and a Bengali weekly called Sambad Kaumudi (the Moon of Intelligence). In those days, items of news and articles had to be approved by the Government before being published. Ram Mohan protested against this control by arguing that newspapers should be free and that the truth should not be suppressed simply because the Government did not like it. Final Days Raja Ram Mohan Roy, during his visit to United Kingdom as an Ambassador of Akbar, died of meningitis at Stapleton in Bristol on 27 September, 1833. He had gone there to request the British Government to increase the royalty, received by the Mughal Emperor and to ensure that Lord Benticks regulation of banning the practice of Sati was not overturned. The British Government has named a street as Raja Ram Mohan Way in the memory of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Source: www.culturalindia.net, www.iloveindia.com, www.cultureincontext.org
LIVING IN HARMONY FESTIVAL - CROSS CULTURAL TOURS
The Rocks Walking Tour

Living in Harmony Festival 2011 offers many activities to discover Sydneys rich cultural diversity. To increase our knowledge of Sydneys rich history, we joined one of these events, The Rocks Walking Tour. It is the perfect way to explore Sydneys historic heart. See the haunts of Soldiers, sailors, convicts and merchants and explore the backstreets which tell the stories of Sydneys first settlers. The Rocks is a uniquely historical Australian quarter, one where you can explore Cadmans Cottage, eat in restaurants located in some of the oldest surviving buildings in Sydney, or browse boutique shops and galleries in the place where Australias European settlement began. Its a village which echoes a long and colourful past and can be enjoyed by everyone in an equally colourful present. With contagious enthusiasm, our guide talked about many aspects of The Rocks and Australians history. She went all the way back to the original inhabitants of Sydneys Harbour, the Aboriginals. The Rocks is part of the country of the traditional owners, the Cadigal, who in turn are part of the Darug Nation or language group. Our guide talked about the first encounter between the new white people and the aboriginals in 1788. She mentioned the goal of the British to establish friendly relations with them, to learn their culture and to teach them ours. Although several good friendships occurred between both groups, the Aboriginals preferred to preserve their own lifestyle and staid in the bushland. Life for the first settlers was not easy. The British captains and sailors experienced this new place as doomed, since one of the first nights after arrival, lightening stroke a tree, which fell on their huddle
of sheep. Many sheep were killed; which was a disaster for them to survive. The convicts on the other hand were delighted to finally be able to get off the ship and to enjoy their freedom again. The killed sheep they saw as a welcome gift, it meant plenty of food for everyone! So they partied for days, to celebrate their new home. Although after these first days of joy and happiness, the new inhabitants realized the difficulties and obstacles they needed to overcome to survive. Convicts were not put in gaols but could walk around as free people. People started building huts and storages for the goods. But due to lack of skills of the convicts and lack of decent material available, quality of building was so poor that many collapsed after a while and people inside got killed. Many people died of starvation, sickness or accidents and all the inhabitants were dependent on the boats coming from England on regular intervals, with food and materials to build. Despite these hard living conditions, the town grew slowly. A first wind mill was built, although it took them 8 years to do so! Because of the very poor quality, the wind mill was deteriorated within 10 years and could no longer be used. Houses and warehouses were constructed. The original buildings were all made out of local sandstone, from which the area derives its name. The oldest building in The Rocks, The Cadmans Cottage, dates from this time and was built in 1816. It is one of only a handful of Sydney buildings that remain from the first 30 years of the colony. The cottage is named after John Cadman, a convict later employed by the Government as a Coxswain that lived there for 19 years. It has been a government water transport headquarters, a sailors home and a water police station. And it has moved, it used to be beside the water, but since the construction of Circular Quay, the harbour has been 100 metres away. The Cadman Cottage now operates as a museum and home of the Sydney Harbour National Park Information Centre.
The city expanded, more and more convicts and other British inhabitants arrived in Sydney Harbour. In the early 1800s, also ships from Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa called in to Sydney to exchange a variety of goods for colonial exports in wool, whale oil and seal skins. By the 1840s, exports from New South Wales exceeded its imports, and buildings from this period show the towns transformation. In 1842, the City of Sydney was proclaimed and its first municipal council was formed. But life around the harbour stayed dangerous. In the early 40s, economic depression increased poverty and criminality. The area became more and more a slum, often frequented by visiting sailors and prostitutes. Wealthier residents were moving out of the area to more comfortable places away from the harbour. When in 1900 the plague broke out, government decided to demolish many dilapidated houses and slums. The construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the 1920s led to a final changing face of The Rocks and required the demolition of hundreds more building. Further construction developments, such as the Cahill Expressway in the 1950s, caused more alteration to character and landscape of The Rocks. In 1970, the Government turned The Rocks over to the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority. The Authority planned to demolish and redevelop The Rocks. Local residents formed The Rocks Residents Group in opposition, putting forth a plan to preserve and rebuild the historic Rocks. The Rocks Residents Group ultimately won in the endinstead of redeveloping The Rocks and losing countless historic sites, The Rocks has been renovated and preserved as a premier historical area. Nowadays, there are more than 100 heritage sites and buildings in The Rocks. The Dawes Point Battery is the oldest remaining European structure, built in 1791, and three remaining walls of Fort Phillip, still standing on Observatory Hill, were built in 1804. During The Rocks Walking Tour in accordance of Harmony Festival, we could visit and admire several of these sites. Every tourist can not miss the chance to know about the history of the city since its birth at The Rocks. For Karen Brabant (Belgium) and Priscila Molina (Ecuador), two interns of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia, the rock tour was a delightful and fascinating experience. The stories, buildings, architecture made them go back to the beginning and imagine how life was for the first residents. It allowed them to learn interesting details and stories of the city which are not easily found in tourist brochures, books or internet. In addition, it encouraged them to appreciate more Australia. If you havent been in and learnt about The Rocks it means you havent visited completely Sydney. Karen Brabant, Organizational Psychologist and member of AIESEC Belgium.
a village which echoes a long and colourful past

The following story is related to this Cadmans Cottage. A one eye sailor lived in this house. He was a single man and occupied by the important surveillance of the many loaded ships entering the harbour. A beautiful convict woman with two children was penalized by doing transport labour for over 10 years. One day, she noticed this beautiful cottage and fell in love with the one eye sailor. They got married and automatically she was set free from her punishment.
THE ARTS & CULTURE
A City in Season
Every winter, for two-three weeks music and dance engulf Chennai
seeks to perform here. Whatever their background or training or whatever the reputation they have acquired elsewhere, it is only a season performance that distinguishes the best amongst them. A casual look at the concert books of the 1960s will reveal that in the space of ten days, without moving very far from his home, and for a very modest price, a rasika, a person with some knowledge of Carnatic music, could have heard Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and G.N. Balasubramaniam, each accompanied by maestros such as Palghat Mani Iyer on the mridangam and Lalgudi Jayaraman or T.N. Krishnan on the violin. The same rasika without moving from his shabby but comfortable seat in the front rows would have also seen stalwarts like Kamala dance and Yamini Krishnamurti, and if luck was in, possibly even Balasaraswati. A short trip to the canteen, that indispensable temporary restaurant, and he could sit back and listen to Vasanthakumari and Pattammal and the matchless M.S. Subbulakshmi. Todays performers boast of prodigious talent and creative energies, and if we have lost the magic of the golden age there is still a great variety to be sampled. The origins of the Madras, now Chennai, season are relatively recent. With the growth of the city as a centre of education and commerce and migration from all parts of the erstwhile Presidency, the city was uniquely poised to become a great cultural capital. The migrants from the hinterland brought with them their love of the classical tradition and from the 1920s onwards, Madras became dotted with Sabhas, secular public platforms for performance, providing an alternative to the temples and salons of Madurai, Tanjore, Mysore and elsewhere. Sabha performances were also ticketed which meant that access to performances was no longer limited to rich patrons and their friends. The Music Academy, Madras, set up in 1927, was not the first of such Sabhas but certainly the most significant, with its annual award of the title of Sangitha Kalanidhi being among the most coveted. The Academy is, quite simply, the first among equals. C. Saroja and C. Lalitha, popularly known as the Bombay Sisters, grace the title of Sangitha Kalanidhi this year. Other Sabhas are not to be left behind, either in influence and patronage, or in the splendour of the titles awarded. The Tamil Isai Sangam awards the Isai Perarignar; the Sri Krishna Gana Sabha awards the Nritya Chudamani; and yet others award the Sangeetha Kalasarathy, the Sangita Kala Nipuna and the Nadabrahmam. The list is endless. It is not all music. Dance recitals are very much part of the season. Kalakshetra continues with
An imagined conversation between a Chennai-vasi and an Out-of-Towner could quite conceivably go like this. CV: So when are you next in Chennai? OoT: I am thinking of coming in December. CV: (with a knowing look) Oh, ho, season-ukku varel-aa (coming for the season)? OoT: (with a satisfied smile) Aama (Yes)! All great cities have their distinguishing features, something special which makes it a city like none other. In Chennai, a city where ancient tradition merges effortlessly into cyber technology, it is the December Festival of music and dance, or quite simply the season. The numbers are staggering. Over a period of two or three weeks, possibly a thousand artistes, musicians, dancers, percussionists, instrumentalists gather to perform in one of the hundred or so locations across the city. The atmosphere is festive, the crowds exuberant, the performances resplendent. Every aspiring Carnatic musician
its stately tradition of presenting episodes from the Ramayana, as choreographed and first presented by Rukmini Devi Arundale. This year the presentation is Choodamani Pradanam, (Hanuman greeting Sita in the forest with Ramas ring) and Maha Pattabhishekham, (The Grand Coronation). The Music Academy moved the dance recitals to an entirely new slot this January where Indias greatest dancers were presentedMalavika Sarukkai, Alarmel Valli, Mallika Sarabhai and several others, including the senior artist/film star Vyjayanthimala, who still electrifies audiences with her art. There are also alternative dance events, a fusion of traditional and modern dance forms. At several Sabhas books, CDs and DVDs are available, and it would not be at all unusual to find a young American, perhaps of south Indian origin, buying up the shop. This same person has possibly
spent hours learning music on Skype from a teacher in Chennai. Many young foreigners are also performing, in the slots meant for junior artistes. The morning sessions, lec-dems, discourses, niche events, are meant for the more informed where in one session you could listen to a disputation on the structure of a raga, and in another the compositions of a lesser known composer, or a demonstration by a senior vidvan. There is, quite simply, something for everyone, seasoned rasika or novice listener, for a Chennai-vasi or an Out-ofTowner. Chennai in December is an experience like none other. Keshav Desiraju is a Delhi-based bureaucrat and a devotee of Carnatic music Source: India Perspectives Vol 25, No.1, March 11
The Opening of New Ryde Library

If you believe libraries are quite and calm, the opening of the Ryde Library would change your mind. It showed how people can have fun in a library with dances, music, food and entertaining activities. It opened the doors to its new home in Top Ryde City. The library is located in a vibrant shopping centre among retail stores, restaurants, cafes, and a piazza. The opening celebration was held on Saturday 30 April and Sunday 1 May with a lot of activities. The library welcomed children and families to visit the new venue and know all its services. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia participated on this significant event providing Bhangra, Punjabi Folk dance, as part of the cultural performance program. The Bhangra dance delighted all the public with its colourful costume, cheerful music and enthusiastic dance. India was presented through its music and dance amusing everybody specially kids. People could enjoy cultural performances, live music, kid craft activities, face painting, balloon twisting, food and much more. In this way, the Ryde library depicted how enjoyable could be to visit the library and encourage people to love it. With this opening it is sure the library gained a special place in the community. Priscila Molina, associated to Bhavan Australia through an international cultural exchange program.
The Hon Dr Craig Emerson MP Australian Minister for Trade
Australia-India Joint Ministerial Commission 13th Session Joint Statement

The 13th session of the Australia-India Joint Ministerial Commission convened in Canberra on 12 May 2011. The Commission was co-chaired by The Hon. Dr Craig Emerson, Australian Minister for Trade and Shri Anand Sharma, Commerce and Industry Minister (CIM) of India. Minister Emerson and CIM noted the current dynamism and diversity in the Australia-India relationship, reflecting each Governments commitment to forming a Strategic Partnership, as agreed by Prime Ministers in November 2009. Ministers welcomed the steady stream of highlevel bilateral visits in both directions since the last Joint Ministerial Commission. They noted the significant business relationships being built across the broad spectrum of economic activity. Ministers also commended the substantial role played by the rich people-to-people links between Australia and India. Ministers acknowledged the rapid growth in twoway trade, driven by the strong complementarities between our economies. India was now Australias third largest merchandise export market, and Australia was Indias eighth largest trading partner. In 2009-10, two way trade between Australia and India was in the order of $20 billion. Ministers agreed to double this figure to $40 billion over a period of four years. Recent growth in investment between Australia and India, particularly in the Australian resources and energy sector, is also helping to bring our economies closer together. At the same time, Ministers noted that trade and investment between Australia and India was yet to reach its full potential. They underlined the critical importance of building pathways towards closer economic integration, to enable trade and investment to flourish. One such pathway is a high-quality, trulyliberalising Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between Australia and India. A truly liberalising CECA would assist in broadening the base of merchandise trade, removing non-tariff barriers that impede trade in services, facilitating and encouraging investment, and addressing behind-the-border restrictions to trade. Ministers noted that India had now completed all of its internal clearance processes. Accordingly, they agreed to commence CECA negotiations between Australia and India. It was agreed that the first meeting for this purpose would be scheduled by June/July 2011.
Anand Sharma and Craig Emerson Ministers also drew attention to the work being done across the breadth of our economic and cultural engagement, including in the negotiation (or updating) of double taxation, social security and film co-production agreements. Befitting a modern, dynamic and expanding relationship, these negotiations ensure the institutional architecture underpinning the strategic partnership remains responsive to the needs of business and the broader community. Ministers also highlighted the critical role of the private sector in providing a parallel pathway to closer economic integration. Business delegates from both countries met at the Joint Business Council (11 May), and delivered a report to Ministers on their discussions. Ministers welcomed progress made in both countries towards establishment of a CEO Forum. Ministers announced the formal launching of the CEO Forum with Mr Naveen Jindal as co-chair on the Indian side and Mr Lindsay Fox as co-chair on the Australian side. They looked forward to the first meeting of the Forum later in 2011. Ministers emphasised the value of the Forum as a means to integrate business perspectives and insights into the development of the bilateral economic relationship. Initiatives that build critical people-to-people links can also enhance understanding of the business culture in our two countries. In the field of science and technology, Ministers commended the work being conducted under the auspices of the $130 million Australia-India Strategic Research Fund to address grand challenges such as food and water security, health, energy and the environment. Turning to specific drivers of the trade and economic relationship, Ministers discussed the ways in which Australian resources and energy exports to India serve as a crucial motor of Indian economic growth. Continued engagement and consultation will be critical, and Ministers looked
forward to next weeks Joint Working Group on Energy and Minerals in Sydney. They encouraged business to look beyond the tangible trade in coal, gold and copper, and consider how mining services, expertise and technology sharing could increase productivity on both sides, particularly in the areas of mineral exploration, extraction and beneficiation and the development of technologies for natural gas. They also welcomed the continuing co-operation between Australia and India in relation to low emission and renewable energy climate change and sustainable development. Closer bilateral cooperation in these areas would also unleash greater business opportunities on both sides for green technologies. Both Ministers specifically affirmed that there were benefits from greater co-operation on clean and renewable energy technologies. Ministers acknowledged the importance of education links between Australia and India. They agreed that sustainable growth in student mobility is in the interests of both countries. Ministers noted the regulatory and legislative changes made to Australias overseas students program, and the current review of the student visa program. CIM was briefed on the considerable efforts made by Australia to enhance the welfare of Indian students in Australia such as the International Students Strategy for Australia and Victorias International Student Care Service, and CIM acknowledged those efforts. Both Ministers recognised opportunities to broaden and deepen the education relationship, including in the delivery of education and training by Australian institutions in India. Ministers acknowledged the importance of ongoing engagement in the education sector, including the Joint Working Group on Education and the Australia-India Education Council and in particular the institutional collaborations in skills development and harmonisation of qualifications frameworks of educational institutes on both sides. It was noted in particular that a skills development programme is being developed, including in the identified priority sectors of mining, construction, hospitality and retail. Ministers exhorted both sides to rapidly upgrade and develop skills in these sectors, with a focus on emerging skills needs of the employers and industry. Ministers also noted the cooperation between Australia and India in the agricultural sector, including agreement to establish a Joint Working Group on Agricultural Cooperation. They welcomed ongoing market access discussions and progress made in the case of mangoes, table grapes, macadamia nuts and pulses. Ministers welcomed the release of revised conditions facilitating the importation of fresh mangoes from India and eucalyptus logs from Australia.
CIM noted that India has a focused objective in the agriculture sector to modernise further its post harvest technologies and welcomes 100 percent foreign investment in the agriculture and food processing sector. He called for closer bilateral cooperation in technology transfers in this critical sector of food security and welcomed greater Australian investment for the agriculture sector, including for cold chains and storage and logistics management of agriculture and horticultural produce. Ministers also urged early conclusion of a bilateral MOU on cooperation in wool production and quality improvement. Given the significant role that services play in both economies, Ministers noted the scope to expand trade in services between Australia and India. In addition to education, hospitality, health, IT-enabled services and tourism, there was considerable potential in financial and legal services. Dr Emerson underlined the willingness of Australian financial institutions to participate in banking, insurance, asset management and infrastructure financing in India. Both Ministers welcomed the proposed visit to India by the Australian Attorney-General. Dr Emerson also highlighted the keen interest of a wide range of Australian business in the further development and diversification of the retail sector in India. It was also noted that collaborative efforts in service industries such as architectural services, E-learning, film making (including animation movies) and computer-aided designing, would result in substantive benefits to both sides.
...recognised opportunities to broaden and deepen the education relationship...

The planned commencement by Air India of direct flights between Australia and India could only add momentum to these different strands of engagement. On broader regional and global trade and economic issues, Ministers reiterated their commitment to a successful conclusion of the Doha Round. They acknowledged the close co-operation between Australia and India in the G20, and committed to continue to work together in that critical forum. India and Australia also committed to work closely as Chair and Vice Chair respectively of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) from 2011-2013. Canberra, 12 May 2011 Source: High Commission of India www.hcindia-au.org
Galapagos Photographic Exhibition

A piece of South America, specifically Galapagos Islands from Ecuador can be appreciated in Sydney, through the photographic exhibition Galapagos by Fernando Espinosa Chauvin. The exhibition encompasses 37 photographs taken in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, by Fernando Espinosa Chauvin. The photographer was born in Quito and is currently living in New York since 1994. This is the first time Galapagos is shown to the public and Australia has the pleasure to appreciate Fernandos work. Galapagos Islands are located approximately 600 miles directly west of Ecuador. It consists of 19 islands. The confluence of three ocean currents, ongoing seismic and volcanic activity, and extreme isolation of the islands led to the development of unusual animal lifesuch as the land iguana, the giant tortoise, the marine iguanas, the flightless cormorant, the blue footed boobies and the many types of finch that inspired Charles Darwins theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835. These islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique living museum and showcase of evolution. They are well-known for its flora and fauna. Therefore, they were described as The Enchanted Isles by early explorers. The endemic fauna includes invertebrate, reptile and bird species. There are a few indigenous mammals. All the reptiles, except for two marine tortoises, are endemic. UNESCO recognised the islands in 1978 as a World Heritage Site and in 1985, as a biosphere reserve. Chauvin chose, decided black and white and the medium, thus the shapes and textures of the landscape could be appreciated accurately. He mentioned in my many trips to the Galapagos, I became fascinated with the landscape itself, the raw beauty and almost surreal surroundings that these animals call home The wildlife and occasional tourist find their way into my photographs because they are intrinsic to this ecosystem and become part of the surroundings and the interrelationship between the animals, humans and the physical landscape as part of the underlying theme. The Embassy of Ecuador in Australia and the Consulate General of Ecuador in Sydney have organised this event and welcome to the general public to enjoy the exhibition at the ground floor and level 2 of Customs Houses in 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay. It is held until Sunday 22 May from 08.00AM to 23.59PM Priscila Molina M, associated to Bhavan Australia through AIESEC international cultural exchange program. Source: http://whc.unesco.org, www.worldatlas.com
Gathering at Customs House
Message
Warren Buffet has come and gone and Bill Gates has come for the umpteenth time to India. Mr. Buffet deciding to invest in the Indian market and both urging Indian corporate leaders to donate for social causes is good for India. Their Americanstyle presentation for the latter objective drew criticism from Indian philanthropists and other commentators, but they have left Indian leaders some good food for thought. Indians have been philanthropists traditionally. While some have come out recently with large donations for good causes, the philanthropic thinking is yet to catch on in a big way in modern India. NGOs usually raise money for their own activities. Priyadarshni Academy has always been a giving entity in terms of student scholarships, promoting the arts and other activities among the youth, and recognizing national and global achievers. The Academy went one step further preceding the Buffet visit and donated a sizeable 25 lakhs to develop a library and a chemistry laboratory to benefit children of the 2007-established Sadhu Vaswani International School. Not only that, it will associate itself closely with the development of the library in the years to come by way of suggesting books for its collections and ideas to use the library as a multi-purpose knowledge centre. The Academy also donated for an eye camp and assured help to 30 financially needy patients to get their eyes operated to regain better sight. The Academy is proud to be able to help in so many different ways as what it has done is only an extension of what it has done through all its 27 years. The Academy had a rousing Literary Awards and Scholarships program during the quarter and also essayed into a new style of program under its dance project. It collaborated with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Australia to present a Bharata Natyam performance to an Indian-Australian audience. While doing so, it stepped out of the national integration rubric and entered into an international integration arena. While the Rain Gods intervened resulting in a cancellation of the second performance, the first went well. There will be two more similar events in Australia later in the year. Nanik Rupani Chairman, Priyadarshni Academy, Mumbai, India
Keralas Ambassador in Ranjit Singhs Court

Parameswaran Moothathu, popularly known as Pachu Moothathu is the first Historian of Modern Kerala, for he wrote the first History of Travancore in Malayalam, published in 1867, eleven years before the publication of the History of Travancore written by Dewan Peishkar Sankunny Menon (1815-1879). Menon wrote a detailed history of Travancore from the earliest times, published in 1878 by the Higginbothams, Madras just one year before his death. In the history of Modern Kerala, it was Sankunny Menon who, for the first time, referred to one Sankarnath Jyothsier. To quote him A distinguished scholar by name Sankara Jyothsier, who was one of the principal pundits of the court of His Highness Ranjit Singh, Maharaja of Lahore and who had highly distinguished himself in northern India, was entertained in the Maharajas service (Swathi Tirunal Maharaja) as the first Judge of the Appeal Court. It is reference in Sankunny Menons History of Travancore that has helped researchers to probe further about Sankarnath Jyothsier, a name unknown in Travancore annals. Sankaranaths birth is associated with a Mysorean interlude in Kerala History. Subsequent to the death of Haider Ali (1722-1782), Tipu Sultan became the ruler of Mysore. When Tipu over ran the whole of Malabar as part of his Kerala campaigns, his soldiers reached the native village of Karivellur in Taliparamba Taluk in North Malabar. For fear of religious conversion the natives migrated to Cochin and Travancore. Parents of Sankaranath, viz Parvati Pillayarthiri and Agnisarman Namboodiri had started their migration to Travancore. It was during this transit period that Sankarnath was born in 1790 in a wayside temple. Even as a young boy Sankarnath showed uncommon intelligence in Malayalam, Sanskrit, jyothisha and logic. Since he was an only son young Sankarnath was a lonely boy who moved from place to place in search of something. This brought him to Bodh Gaya and Kasi from where he collected divine theertha for his parents. During his trip, he became a disciple of a scholar named Kasi Varahacharyar from whom he learned
Dharma Sastras, Vedanta and Jyothisha. Then he moved to Coorg and Mysore and thence to Kamakshi Amman in Kanchipuram. It was after his holy darsan in these temples that he became an enlightened one. His predictions proved correct. Even kings, both Hindu and non-Hindu, invited him to their courts. This increased his earnings too. Thus he instituted a Jyothsiersathram in Manikarnika in Kasi, which is functioning even today as Joshi Ghat. In 1816 when King Shamsherchand, ruler of Kota Kangra came to Kasi, he invited Sankaranath to his court, and appointed him as the court poet, astrologer and spiritual guide. Sankarnath was only 27 years of age at the time. In 1818 Dr. Moorecraft, a British bureaucrat-cumtraveller entered Punjab where Raja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839) was the ruler. In those days Britains relations with Ranjit Singh were strained and Ranjit Singh imprisoned the English traveller, at Mandidurg. The King of Kangra, a friend of the lion of Punjab, deputed Sankarnath to negotiate with the British in consultation with Ranjit Singh. The diplomacy of the Jyothsier was enviable and Ranjit Singh agreed to release Dr. Moorecraft from jail, provided the Jyothsier stayed in with him in his court with the concurrence of the King of Kangra. Sankarnath was given two villages with income of Rs. 3600 per annum sans tax. This was given to him and his descendants for life. Such was the type of relations that Ranjit Singh maintained with Sankarnath during his nine-year stay in the Punjab as the court Astrologer. He was one of the 9 ministers, in charge of diplomatic relations besides political and foreign affairs. Whenever there was a dispute with the English or the neighbouring kingdoms the Raja deputed this court Jyothsier. Even after Raja Ranjit Singh, his successors like Kharak Singh and Sher Singh were in close, cordial relations with the court Jyothsier and spiritual guru, until the annexation of Punjab by Lord Dalhousie in March 1849. Subsequently Lord Hastings became the Governor General (1813-23). It was during this period that the strained relations between Punjab and the East India Company underwent drastic changes. Sankarnaths intervention in the Dr. Morecraft issue made the British treat Raja Ranjit Singh as a respectable princely ruler, a force to be reckoned within Indian politics. Pursuant to his policy of vernacular education, Hastings established a few schools in western India. These efforts ameliorated and pacified the policies of Ranjit Singh.
During the period, many English Residents and officials like Sir M.H. McNaughton (Secretary to the Governor General) were awe struck by the forecast made by the Jyothsier. His opinion was sought by many Indian rulers. There are documents to prove that the English military officials contacted Sarkarnath indirectly before they launched any new military march through towards enemy states. When Sankarnath warned them of dire consequences, the English commanders inevitably postponed their war efforts. It is said that the friendly guidance of Sankarnath was sought after not only by the Punjabies, but also by Europeans, in particular the English. After Hastings the next milestone in English-Sikh relations took place during the tenure of William Bentinck 1828-35. When Bentinck carried on his progressive and liberal administration, he sought the views of Sankarnath through Sir C.Warde, the Political Agent at Ludhiana. Even when the abolishing of sati was promulgated in consultation with the great socio-religious reformer and friend, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Bentinck indirectly consulted Sankarnath and sought his specific recommendations. The latter too was in favour of its abolition as it was the need of the hour. Further, by this time Sankarnath had come to Travancore as per the invitation of Swati Tirunal Maharaja. Sankarnath (1829-1846), was appointed as second Judge of the Sadar Court of Travancore, later to be made the First Judge.
All this was done with the approval of Raja Ranjit Singh. Swathi Tirunal, also wanted Sankarnath who was a scholar in Sanskrit and Malayalam to translate the Devi Bhagavatham which he had brought from Punjab. The first eight chapters had been translated into Malayalam by Jyothsier Sankarnath side by side with his official duties in the High Court of Travancore. As per the insistence of Raja Ranjit Singh, Sankarnath resigned his job in the Travancore High Court and returned to Punjab in 1835 with the green signal of Swati Tirunal, King of Travancore. Until the death of Raja Ranjit Singh on June 27, 1839, Sankarnath continued in the court of Punjab. But the continued persuasion of Raja Kharakh Singh (son of Ranjit Singh), compelled the Jyothsier to serve him too, until his death on December 5, 1840. Although he continued to serve Raja Sher Singh, the political adventures of the English and the ever-increasing political disturbances in Punjab compelled Sankarnath Jyothsier to return to Travancore in 1844. Infact, the death of Raja Ranjit Singh was a great shock to the Jyothsier. Uthram Tirunal Marthanda Varma, King of Travancore (1847-60) appointed Sankarnath as the Palace Fouzdari Commissioner. It was on the procession (Arat) day of the Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple of Thiruvananthapuram while was making preparations that Sankarnath breathed his last in 1856. His rich collection of books had been dedicated to Swathi Tirunal, available in the palace library at Thevarathu Koyil Palace, now known as Lalith Mahal and Kalaimakal Palaces inside the Thiruvananthapuram Fort. Sankarnath Jyothsier was a diplomat to the core, besides his spiritual leanings. His advices with professorial insight and prophetic farsight made him well-known all over India, particularly during the first half of the 19th century. As an ardent Hindu spiritualist Sankarnath rendered yeoman service to Indian ethos, really a true Indian who represented our values of culture. Born in Malabar, married from Thiruvananthapuram (Travancore) worked with Raja Ranjit Singh and Swathi Tirunal is no mean achievement for this erudite scholar-devotee of Malayalam. T.P. Sankaran Kutty Nair Source: Bhavans Journal February 15, 2011
Nepal
History The history of Nepal is characterized by its isolated position in the Himalayas and its two neighbors, India and China. Due to the arrival of disparate settler groups from outside through the ages, it is now a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multilingual country. Nepal may be derived from the Sanskrit nipalaya, which means at the foot of the mountains or abode at the foot. Kirant Probably Kirant ethnicity lived in Nepal more than 2,500 years ago. The Kirant are a tribe of jungle and mountain people who migrated from various parts of Central Asia, China and the Himalayas. Epic Mahabharata mentions the Kiratas among the inhabitants of Nepal. Kirati king Yalambar had the dubious honor of being slain in the battle of the Mahabharata, in which gods and mortals fought alongside each other. Legend credits him with meeting Indra, the lord of heaven, who ventured into the Valley in human guise. It is said that during the battle of Mahabharata, Yalamber went to witness the battle with a view to take the side of the losing party. Lord Krishna, knowing the intention of Yalamber and the strength and unity of the Kiratas, thought that the war would unnecessarily be prolonged if Yalamber sided with the Kauravas. Lord Krishna cut off Yalambers head. Presence of historical sites like Valmiki ashram, indicates the presence of Sanatana (ancient) Hindu culture in parts of modern Nepal at that period. The last King of the Kirat dynasty was Gasti, a weak ruler, who is said to have been overthrown by the Somavanshi ruler Nimisha. This ended the powerful Kirata dynasty that had lasted for about 1225 years. After their defeat, the Kiratas moved to the Eastern hills of Nepal. Birth of Buddha One of the early polities of South Asia was that of the Shakya clan, whose capital was Kapilvastu, Nepal. Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, (563483 BCE), who renounced his royalty to lead an ascetic life and came to be known as the Buddha (the enlightened one) was born to the Shakya king Sudhodhana. After finding enlightenment, Lord Gautama Buddha returned to his home place Kapilavastu to teach his wife Yasodhara what he had learned. Buddha and his disciple Ananda are said to have visited the Kathmandu Valley and stayed for some time in Patan. Kathmandu Valley References to Nepal in the Mahabharata epic, in Puranas and in Buddhist and Jaina scriptures establish the countrys antiquity as an independent political and territorial entity. The oldest Vamshavali or chronicle, the Gopalarajavamsavali, was copied from older manuscripts during the late 14th century. Vamshavalis mention the rule of several dynasties, the Gopalas, the Abhiras and the Kiratas. Thakuri Dynasty, Suryavansi (Solar Dynasty) Rajput Kings, Malla and later Shah Dynasty moved into the present day Nepal. After the 15th century, the Kathmandu Valley lost its central control and was ruled as three citystates: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhadgaon. Many Nepalese architectural heritages, such as temples, palaces, including many UNESCO world heritage sites, were built during the rule of the Newar Kings. These include the Kathmandu Old Palace (Kathmandu Durbar Square), Patan Palace (Patan Durbar Square), Bhaktapur Palace (Bhaktapur Durbar Square) etc. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org
Artistic Impressions
The India Art Summit saw a confluence of artists and enthusiasts The third season of the India Art Summit provided an unparalled opportunity for art aficionados, connoisseurs, curators and collectors to enjoy works of art from across the world under one roof. Even those ignorant about art were thronging the venue and spouting superlatives as they scanned the pieces on display. The three-day event was undoubtedly a huge crowd-puller. The footfall was twice the number compared to last years 40,000, said the organisers. Pragati Maidan, the venue of the carnival, bustled with 84 exhibiting galleries from twenty countries, including India, Australia, France, Germany, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UAE, UK and US. Around 500 artists jostled for space to showcase their works of art. Photographer Gauri Gills months of efforts to capture the migrants who had come from across India and their attempts to prepare the space for staging the summit paid off. Her exhibition at the summit was a big hit among the visitors. The halls history as it plays out may be seen as a microcosm of development across India, and indeed many parts of the world today. I spent time in space in an effort to view and document the throes of various transformations. Quite frequently it was empty, often it was filled with construction materials, debris and things discarded by people who lived there or passed through, says Gill. Indian art panorama was represented by almost all leading national art galleries. The focus was global with 34 leading foreign galleries like Aicon Gallery from New York, Beck and Eggling from Germany, Lisson Art Gallery and Rob Dean Gallery from London participating in the summit. Senior artist F.N. Souza was the most focussed artist at the third edition of the carnival. Gallerie 88, The Loft, Delhi Art Gallery and Dhoomimal, besides two other UK-based galleries, displayed his works. This years Sculpture Park, an extended space in the expansive outdoor area surrounding the venue, was packed with around 40 excited schoolchildren who were interning with participating galleries and media partners. The highlight of the summit was the elaborate Speakers Panel, where artist Anish Kapoor, Hans Ulrich Obrist, co-director of the Serpentine Gallery, and Homi Bhabha, director, Harvard Humanities Centre came together and discussed the perception of Indian art internationally. Anish Kapoor for the first time unveiled one of the biggest retrospectives of his art works at the National Gallery of Modern Art, outside his country of residence, Britain. The exhibition showcased some of his ground-breaking installations.
...flocked to watch the works of the emerging and established artists from across the world
Another attraction of the summit was the video lounge, which was filled with visitors who flocked to watch the works of the emerging and established artists from across the world, including India. The carnival was successful in displaying some great works of art which otherwise is rarely seen in India. It was also an excellent platform to present the best that India had to offer. Urmila Marak Source: India Perspectives Vol 25, No.1, March 11
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans Faith

Let me once more set forth the Bhayans faith for the benefit of new students and members, for it is necessary that they should understand it clearly and imbibe its spirit. The Bhavan stands for the reintegration of Indian culture. In a world falling to pieces under the impact of an amoral technological avalanche, it tries to hold fast to the fundamental values for which our culture standsRita, Satya, Yagna and Tapas: Faith in God Who forms the Cosmic Order; Truth which is accord between mind, word and deed; Dedication which offers all movements of life as an offering to God; Sublimation which purifies the body and mind and transmutes instincts, passions and emotions into things of beauty. This, regardless of forms and doctrines, is dharma, the three-fold aspects of which are Satyam, Shivam, SundaramTruth, Love and Beauty. For these values our forefathers lived and died. So did Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Dayananda, Swami Vivekananda, Gandhiji and Sri Aurobindo, among the moderns. These values are embedded in our national outlook. We command the respect of the world because of them. We can look forward to the future with confidence only because they have the vitality which gives the power to vindicate their validity even in this fear-and-avarice-ridden age of ours. We, the Bhavans family, whether it is the smaller one or the larger one, must make every effort in resorting an awareness of these values in personal and collective life. Kulapati KM Munshi Founder, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Panel Meeting on
Naturopathy Sanatorium for HIV Patients

National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN) organised a panel meeting with representatives of NGOs dealing with HIV patients, Medical experts and media representatives on 8th April 2011 at 11 am, to explain the functioning of the sanatorium and treatment protocol. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Babu Joseph, Director, NIN and moderated by Mrs. Susan Raj, Social worker, Chairperson of The Academic Advisors and IEC member of NIN. Dr. R.R. Pardeshi, Health Chief of Pune Municipal Corporation addressed the Panel Meeting and expressed hope in alternative therapies in Prevention and Promotion. Other members of the meeting were Dr. Navaneetha R.K., R.M.O. of the Sanatorium, Dr. P. Karthik Reddy, BNYS, working on Auto-immune Disorders and their cure by Naturopathy and Yoga at Hyderabad and Mrs. Ranjana Bagal, Senior Counselor at National AIDS Research Institute [NARI], Pune. A Rally was also organized in connection with the World Health Day observance with the participation of Health workers, general public, trainees and staff of NIN.
Bhavans Children
Untold Stories of King Bhoja

Maha cured of his Leprosy
Sage Dattatreya performed his evening worship at Srirangam where he stayed at night and went to Prayag for his morning ablutions. After completing them he hurried, like the mother-cow hurrying home to suckle her young one, to Hemakuta, where Maha awaited him. King Maha, on seeing the Sage return, fell at his feet whereupon Dattatreya smeared the dust of his feet all over the kings body and graciously uttered: May the disease that fouls your body completely disappear! In great excitement King Maha looked at his body which had by then become its former self, shining, like molten gold. He rubbed his eyes and examined his body all over and made sure that the disease had completely vanished. Who can describe the joy that welled up in the kings heart at that time and his gratitude to the Rishi? King Maha spontaneously fell down again at the great Sages feet which he washed with tears of gratitude. Sage Dattatreya raised the king to his feet like a child and asked: Maha, if you have anything else in your mind to ask of me, ask now! Maha replied: Great Sage! I have no further desires than this: all those who read or hear this story may be completely rid of their sins and live happily. So be it, blessed the Sage. Maha questions the Sage Satisfied that he had been able to secure a blessing for the world too, King Maha asked the Sage: Great Sage! I have one doubt to be cleared, because your actions far exceed common understanding. You were born to brahmin parents; yet, how did you accept the hospitality of the kiratas and chandalas and partake of the meat and toddy they gave you? The Bhagawan smiled and replied: Those hamlets and chandala colonies were really my ashrama.
Those who lived there were rishis. What they ate and offered therefore were really fruits and milk. I merely created the illusion of kiratas, chandalas, meat and toddy to mystify you. I was happy that you did not succumb to it but remained steady in your devotion to me. You have been blessed in consequence. You may now return to your country! King Maha again asked: Deva! As Lord of the universe, you are omnipresent; yet, why do you particularly travel to Prayag, Hemakuta and Srirangam against other places for daily worship? Sage Dattatreya replied: When Brahma was born as a child in the lotus emanating from Lord Vishnus navel, He taught him the mantra Hari Om. By means of that mantra Brahma learnt the meaning of the Vedas. Know, then, that by the devoted utterance of the mantra Hari Om one can wash off all the accumulated sins of all previous births! By constant japa of that mantra Hari Om, again, Brahma was able to create the universe and people it by animate and inanimate things and himself live in Satyaloka in eternal bliss. One day Brahma wanted to offer puja to an image of Lord Vishnu and so he repaired to the milky-ocean to perform tapas for getting the same. Pleased with him, Lord Vishnu appeared before Brahma and said: Brahma, nothing shall be impossible for you as long as you have my favour. At this Brahma submitted: Lord! I had the rare privilege of worshipping you in the form of a Swan in the first yuga; later on you took the Hayagriva (horses head on mans body) form. Later Still you took the forms of the Fish, the Tortoise, the Boar, etc. I am now bewildered. I humbly pray to you to reveal your real form so that I can Worship it with my physical hands too.
To be continued
V.A.K. Ayer Source: Untold Stories of King Bhoja, Bhavans Book University, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
From Bhavans Journal April 2, 1961 Reprinted in Bhavans Journal April 15, 2011
Nama-Sankirtan
Uttering of the Lords name without intent, as an involuntary sound, by association, in joke, or even out of derision or spite is completely destructive of sins. -Srimad Bhagavata I crave not for happiness, nor am I in need of salvation. Let there be nought but devotion at Thy feet; let my mouth recite Thy name. -Shankaradeva Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. -The Psalms O Mind! Giving up attachment to the world, adore the name of Krishna. Repeat the name of Krishna and you will discover an invaluable treasure. -Bhajan Song (Anon) How sweet the name of Jesus sounds, In a believers ear. It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds And drives away his fear. -Hymns By hearing the Name (God revealed) sorrow and sin are no more. -Guru Nanak Utter the name of Vaasudeva: all your miseries perish root and branch. -Sri Madhvacharya
Yet he pleaded for them before the Throne of God! Jesus spoke, again and again, of his Kingdom. They understood him not. His was no earthly kingdom. His Kingdom was the Kingdom of the Heart, the Kingdom of love and charity, of sympathy and forgiveness. Jesus distinguished his Kingdom from the world. Be not slaves of the world, he said. This slavery, he explained, was surrender to desires, surrender to the lower self. Be in the world, -yes; but be in it as a free man, not as a slave of appetite or passion.
A Day at Shantiniketan
-Suddhananda Bharati There as so many Bhavans in Shantiniketan Patha Bhavan which gives instruction up to the Xth class, Siksha Bhavan where students study up to the Inter-arts and sciences, Vidya Bhavan where graduates are trained, research scholars get diplomas and certificates; Sangeet Bhavan humming with music and jingling with dance; Kala Bhavan where students are trained in arts and artistic crafts. There are Hindi Bhavan and Cheena Bhavan teaching these languages. These are beautified by the murals and frescos of Nandalal and Abinindra and feel as if we are in Ajanta or Ellora. There is an Agro-economic research centre too. Art plays an important part in the life of the students who had decorated even their quarters with beautiful clay models, sculptures and paintings. The Dandi Yatra of Mahatmaji has been painted on a wall and the painter has written under it Awake, arise and stop not until you have reached the goalUttishtata, Jagrata, Prapya Varan Nibhodata...
Jesus Christ
-Sadhu T.L. Vaswani Jesus, like Krishna and Buddha who preceded him, was full of compassion and sympathy. I have compassion on the multitude, said Jesus, because they have now been with me for three days and have nothing to eat, and if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way. Wonderful was the spirit of sympathy in Jesus heart. While he was being nailed to the Cross, he prayed: Father! Forgive them, for they know not what they do! Yes; they did not know how much pain they were causing him. With every blow of the hammer struck to fix the nails on his hands and feet, they were inflicting torture on the delicate body of one of the purest among the sons of men.
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us, nona non-profit, non-religio ya Bhavan (Bhavan) is been playing a The Bharatiya Vid on (NGO). Bhavan has Government Organisati world, holding political Non ltural interactions in the in educational and cu e meeting the needs of crucial role s and at the same tim t best of Indian tradition aloft the the whole world is bu lism. Bhavans ideal is from all sides. rnity and multicultura mode come to us tto: let noble thoughts one family and its mo Australia facilitates und the world, Bhavan ans other centres aro Like Bhav true understanding of provides a forum for ultural activities and interc cultural ties among lism and foster closer ian culture, multicultura Ind tions in Australia. ents and cultural institu individuals, Governm nstitution is: er derived from its co Bhavan Australia Chart in: ucation of the public To advance the ed of the world, iritual and temporal) sp a) the cultures (both the dance, b) literature, music, c) the arts, world, d) languages of the world. e) philosophies of the ltures to the tion of a diversity of cu areness of the contribu To foster aw ciety of Australia. nt of multicultural so continuing developme istic and e of the cultural, lingu anding and acceptanc To foster underst dely diverse heritages. Australian people of wi ethnic diversity of the riodicals, books, journals and pe the edit, publish and issue To languages, to promote krit, English and other documentaries in Sans ation as authorized. r educ or to impart or furthe objects of the Bhavan areas of interest to research studies in the is foster and undertake To of any research which d publish the results Bhavan and to print an undertaken. www.bhavanaustrali a.org
ya rter of Bharatiya Vid Cha Bhavan Australia
The Test of Bhavans Right to Exist The test of Bhavans right to exist is whether those who work for it in different spheres and in different places and those who study in its many institutions can develop a sense of mission as would enable them to translate the fundamental values, even in a small measure, into their individual life. Creative vitality of a culture consists in this: whether the best among those who belong to it, however small their number, find self-fulfilment by living up to the fundamental values of our ageless culture. It must be realised that the history of the world is a story of men who had faith in themselves and in their mission. When an age does not produce men of such faith, its culture is on its way to extinction. The real strength of the Bhavan, therefore, would lie not so much in the number of its buildings or institutions it conducts, nor in the volume of its assets and budgets, nor even in its growing publication, cultural and educational activities. It would lie in the character, humility, selflessness and dedicated work of its devoted workers, honorary and stipendiary. They alone can release the regenerative influences, bringing into play the invisible pressure which alone can transform human nature.
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Bhavan Australia 8.9, March 2011, Holi Issue Appreciated your Holi Issuevery well presented. J Rao Palagummi, Trade Promotion Officer, Consulate General of India, Sydney NSW 2000 Guldasta (A Bouquet) Guldasta is a collection of Hindi and Urdu original poetry contributed by the professional and amateur poets of Indian Subcontinent heritage residing in Australia. It is a true reflection of the glorious history of the twin sisters, Hindi and Urdu. The book reflects the feeling of Australian migrantstheir childhood, memories of the country they migrated from and their life in Australia. The poets express their feeling and experiences of the Australian Life and its impact on the culture. Guldasta is published in Hindi (Devanagri Script) and Urdu (Urdu Script) incorporating original (not pre-published) poetries with transliterationsHindi poetry to Urdu Script and Urdu poetry to Devnagri Script. This unique book is published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia (Bhavan) in association with Bhavans Book University, Mumbai, India (which has to its credit over 1,900 publications). Guldasta is an Australian initiative and is available worldwide for sale as a Unique Poetry Book from Australia. Available for purchase from: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia, Suite 100 / 515 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Ph: 1300 242 826 (1300 BHAVAN). Email: info@bhavanaustralia.org Note: We invite frank opinion from our readers.
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Holy & Wise

ven without If you go to Hea qualified being naturally ot enjoy for it, you will n yourself there. rd Shaw, George Berna rman Man and Supe
All that we are is the result of wha t we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an ev il thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pu re thought, happiness follow s him, like a shadow that neve r leaves him. Gautam Buddha
Woman is the em bodiment of sacrifice and suffe ring and her advent to public life should, therefore, result in purifying it, in restraining unbrid led ambition and accumulatio n of property. Mahatma Gandh i
time sun says Look at sun! No me back or to the earth ... give relentlessly lights thank me. While it life without the whole sky, giving back! expecting anything it loses its own If the sun stops then ht, warmth and brightness. Giving lig s to its soul life brings happines APJ Abdul Kalam
Kulapativani
Self-Realisation At the root of this elaborate structure called the universe is the faith that man is not a struggling worm who lives and dies and is no more. He is a divine essence with a supra-physical destiny, which he can only realise through truth, consecration and self-discipline. When he attains self-realisation, he rises above the lures of sense-experience and his personality becomes integrated. This process implies two inter-dependent processes; by the first, the ego is surrendered and by the second, the individual self is broaderied into a universal self. This consummation is variously named selfrealisation (Sam-siddhi), emancipation (Mukti or Moksha), freedom (Nirvana), enlightenment (Jnana), bliss (Ananda), or the absolute integration of human personality (Kaivalya). The attempt to lead a life in conformity with the Cosmic Order to attain self-realisation may be termed the Highest Good. Dr K.M. Munshi Founder Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
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The whole world is but one family

May 2011 | Vol 8 No.11| Issn 1449 - 3551

2 | Bhavan Australia | May 2011

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For this Month

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Gambhir Watts, Chairman Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia

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BoARD oF DIReCToRS oF BHARATIyA VIDyA BHAVAN AuSTRALIA

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The Dalai Lama

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UN-backed Project to conserve Buddhas Birthplace in Nepal Launched

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The Goal and Method of Realisation Swami Vivekananda

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Siddhartha began a intense yogic meditation beneath a pipal tree in Benares.

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Festivals of the Month

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Excellence is a Process, Not an Accident

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Social Health - Our Responsibility

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Buddhism and Communication

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Alliances of the Air

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Sadhu Learns Musical Instrument from Muslim Guru

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His Form (Existence) Transcends Time

Aatmaa cannot be destroyed by any weapon or by any of the forces of nature.

THE NEW POWER GAME

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Intercultural Communication: Challenges and Pitfalls

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The Blackboard Monopolists

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