India's Revolutionary Icons who followed the paths of The Buddha

India's Revolutionary Icons who followed the paths of  The Buddha
It all began with Buddha... and these are some of the great Torch Bearer's of Buddha's Dhamma.... This Blog is a Scholarly Blog created to provide insights into the life, services and Social contributions of some of the Greatest of Indian Scholars, Humanitarians, Saints and social activists about whom the vested interests and Rotten Indian media do not write. Nor there is a State or center policies to restore and protect the stunning stories of these great men and woman...let me walk you through the greatness..!!

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Father of Nation of India Dr.Bheemarao Ambedkar

The first Law Minister of India and the Father of Indian Constitution Bheemrao Ramji Ambedkar (Dr.B.R.Ambedkar)spoke, wrote and demonstrated quite extensively and comprehensively than any other known living or dead humans of India as to how treacherous, dangerous this so called Indian hindu society and it's deadly cultures that spread discrimination and bigotry between each of thousands of heterogeneous groups. To find a way to bring them all these "heterogeneous mess of India", and to put them in single order to lead a happy, free and prosperous life, to make them behave like humans and to treat fellow humans DrAmbedkar crafted this finest of the fine Constitution that even Americans refer to it when they are in crisis. Ofcourse, Dr.Ambedkar was an American Scholar and Columbia Doctorate, he did learn lots about humanity and freedom while he was in America, but he also studied American Constitution, so a well learned scholar and genius DrAmbedkar fathered the Indian constitution in real sense, he is the Father of Modern India, while SakyaMuni Buddha was the Father of ancient and all time Father of India. Here is the dedication to the Father of India: http://fatherofnationi.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

No Academic Dignity or Scholarly approach to Education in India: Brahminism & Casteism is destroying the future of India?

Educational Instituitions in India is filled with unexplainable level of discrimination, bias, favoritism, goondaism and utter non-sense of hindu people. There is no place of sc/st's, because they are the object of the highest discrimination ever on this planet!?.

These innocent Sc/St's are perpetrated in every single aspects of their life in India by the casteistic people, no matter whether it is a Brahmin or a ignorant backward/most backward sect , they are all slaves of Brahmins even in this modern era that means they all practice discrimination period.

This is mainly because of the believes they were taught in the past several centuries, mostly Mythical and lunatic believes of hinduism. While the caste discrimination in other walsk of life is rampant in India, the

academic discriminations are much more prevalent and dangerouly practiced by brahmins and other Indians without a shame. Sujch caste perpetration is much more common and in full swing in AIIMS, JNU, IISc, IITs, IIMs and almost all the educational/higher educational instituitions.

Here is a petition and the background history of discrimination of Sc/St
in instituitions:

SIGN THE PETITION: Academia in India is an Institution of Brahminism & Terrorism, so much Academic Atrocity in India go off the Hook??
Sign the Petition ......

SC/ST students at AIIMS face discrimination'

AgenciesPosted online: Sunday, May 06, 2007 at 1353 hours ISTNew Delhi, May 6: SC/ST students at AIIMS face discrimination at all levels right from consultation with teachers, during examinations and even in hostels, a committee probing discrimination at the institute said slamming authorities for not recognising the gravity of the social divide.

“..and now disclosure of discrimination by IIT in Chennai…”

DALITS NOT WELCOME IN IIT MADRAS http://www.tehelka.com/story_main31.asp?filename=Ne160607Dalits_not.asp
There are only a handful of Dalit students and faculty members at the elite institute, but they face widespread discrimination and harassment
PC Vinoj Kumar Chennai

All the noise against extending reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in centrally-funded institutions might be a little irrelevant given that an institute like IIT Madras has parted with only a fraction of the 22.5 percent quota for students belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs).
According to information provided by the institute’s deputy registrar, Dr K. Panchalan, in September 2005, Dalits accounted for only 11.9 percent of the number of students. They were even fewer in the higher courses — 2.3 percent in ms (Research) and 5.8 percent in Ph.D. Out of a total of 4,687 students, Dalits made up only 559.

*Brahminical forces are once again at their oppressive best in AIIMS. Constitutional violation, caste discrimination and atrocities on Dalits and other backward section are rampant in AIIMS. Kindly have a look at the number of jobs given to the SC/ST/OBCs at AIIMS, the premier medical institute of this country .
*Senior Resident Doctors*

  • AIIMS: Teaching Discrimination
  • Chances are if you are a Schedule Caste/Tribe student studying or practicing in India’s premier medical institute, AIIMS in New Delhi, none of your fellow student or doctor will work with you and you will have to live in a ghetto, you will not be able to play a certain sport and each and every day, you will be reminded again and again that you belongs to an inferior class in the society.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Bauddhacharya S. Sajivan Nath: Scholarly Activist in the Path laid by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

Here is a story of suffering of a man in the hands of casteistic Brahmins and other Indians, who came up in life against all truamatic experiences of caste violence and atrocity. His abilities to shattered the casteistist by following Dr.Ambedkar's work and teachings brought out lots of talents and services out of Mr.Bauddhacharya S.Sajivan Nath.
From his website:
Bauddhacharya S. Sajivan Nath
Bauddhacharya S. Sajivan Nath was born on November 19, 1941 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. His father served the British Army as a fourth-class employee. He graduated from the University of Allahabad, Allahabad. He was fortunate not only in obtaining college level education but also gaining sufficient exposure in the area of sports, especially football. His penchant for playing football enabled him to represent his team at school, college, district and state levels. Thus, the British rule provided him with the required impetus, necessary for boosting his overall personality.
After completing his studies, he got a job as a storekeeper in the Military Engineering Services in Allahabad. During his service, he underwent ruthless caste-based discriminations. Every moment he was made to realize that he was a Dalit and was treated as an outcaste. For instance, whenever he or the other people of his community went to market to buy anything, the upper caste baniya or the shopkeeper either threw things at them or wrapped the articles in some old newspaper before handing over to them in order to avoid physical touch. Humiliated, the people of his community paid money by placing it on some shelf or plank, from where the baniya picked it up. In his office, he often entered into heated argument or debate with the upper caste co-workers regarding the ascribed lifestyle and status of Dalits in the Indian society. Exclusivity, so obvious and so sacrosanct in the eyes of the upper castes, was tormenting to him. He came to think, “If humiliation be the governing principle in an organization, then why serve it; why not to protest against it”?
Humiliation to him could be minimized, if not overcome, by abandoning the job. “But what about the others in the society who are living perpetually under this horrendous neglect and insult”? These thoughts tormented Bauddhacharya for many months, culminating in his resignation from the job.
It was his first major protest against a society that reduces man to the level of slavery. It was a step which few of his status could have dared to take. The traumatic effects of such experiences and others pushed him to take up the cause of Dalits and their sufferings. He wanted emancipation of Dalits from the hegemony of Brahmanism. He knew that it was a Herculean task, but then acquiescence would lead to moral inertia.
A missionary zeal enthused him to draw the attention of the society to the ill treatment meted out to the downtrodden and to express their urge for uplift and empowerment. During this period, he undertook an intensive study of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s autobiography and works. While reading, about the silent suffering, torture, and discrimination, he was emotionally absorbed and burst out in tears. He vowed to use his learning for the liberation of Dalit communities. He initially began writing for ‘Allahabad Kesari’. However, he failed to get the expected response from the readers. With his limited resources but indefatigable courage, he set-up a publication unit ‘Milan Prakashan’, in 1969 at Allahabad.
Since then, he has been in publishing a fortnightly newspaper ‘Dalit Kesari’, which has come to be recognized as the most widely read all over India.Being an ardent follower of Ambedkar, he extensively popularized his ideals for the Dalit awakening. He presents Ambedkar as a role model for the Dalit masses. He expresses their protests, yearnings and dreams through his poems, songs and essays. He portrays the atrocities that Dalits undergo in their day-to-day life, attacking vehemently Brahman vayavastha (Brahman system) for imposition of thevarna system at the cost of shraman tradition. 

According to him, the latter system accords equal value to all who put in labour (i.e. lower castes) and consume with ethical dignity as opposed to those who are parasitic on the fruits of the labour of others (upper castes). Last 36 years have witnessed his assiduous attempt to undertake various kinds of writings which include articles, poems, and small booklets like ‘Bhangi Ki Jivan Gatha’; ‘Bodhisatva-Babasaheb Ambedkar; ‘Manavta Ki Azadi Ka Mahaparva: Ambedkar Jayanti’; Mahaparva: Ambedkar Jayanti; Nagvanshi Hela Ki Khani Hela Ki Jabani; 1875 Ki Kranti Ka Janak- Nagvanshi Bhangi Matadeen Hela’.
His advancing age has failed to reduce his dedication to the world of writing and social activism. Some of his booklets are under publication and there are many themes which he thinks of explore in his writings. The Ambedkar in him has not made him overlook the social critique of Brahmanism by such non-Dalit scholars as Rahul Sankrityayan. He has been honoured by various academic institutions, notably like, Bhartiya Boddhaya Mahasabha, Allahabad; Mrigdawan Mahavihaar, Sarnath (Varanasi); Maharastra Dalit Sahitya Academy; Bhartiya Dalit Sahitya Academy, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh Dalit Sahitya Academy.
His writings continue to ignite the consciousness of Dalits to assert for their identity and dignity. The printing press established by him has effectively served the purpose for which it was bought. This is a great solace to a man dedicated to the cause of Dalits.

Small booklets leaving big imprint on Dalit psycheNachiketa Narayan in Allahabad December 18, 2005 22:44 IST
While the emergence of backward classes as a social and political force has been made possible by the efforts of their leaders, credit also goes to the Dalit literature to complement the efforts by infusing a sense of dignity in these sections, says a study.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Great King Ravana- and Scholarly Buddhist approach of his Kingdom?


This blogger pays tribute the greatest Asian king and Sri Lankan King Ravana, it is fascinating to note that Ravana was considered to be the greatest physician even in the days were no formal science or medicine existed?.
He is said to be one of the greatest physicians who ever existed, and even authored the book Arka Prakashaya.
The Bisajjya Grantha and Nadi Shasthra mentions that King Ravana and his grandfather Pulasthi Muni had graced the world-famous medical conferences held in those ancient days in Janasthan Pura near Pakistan. In Sri Lankan folk tales, it is said that king Ravana treated both Rama and Lakshmana with his own hand when they were badly injured on the battlefield.
  • http://chathuranga.blogspot.com/2008/05/maha-ravana.html

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Ravana- A University of California (UCLA) Scholarly Article on This Greatest Personality of the World

Ravana

Ravana appears in the Ramayana as the demon-king of Lanka and the principal antagonist of Rama. In all versions of the Ramayana, he is vanquished and killed by Rama in a ferocious battle where both are compelled to call upon all the resources at their command, including the most awesome weapons.
Thus is Sita, who had been abducted by Ravana, restored to her husband. If Rama stands forth as a shining example of the virtuous ruler, Ravana is, in the common imagination, the very sign of evil. In Hindi, for instance, a man who behaves wickedly is described as behaving like Ravana, and the effigies of Ravana that are burnt at Dusshera mark the triumph of good over evil.

There are Indian traditions, however, where Ravana is not only vindicated as a figure of immense moral and physical strength, but where he appears as the chief protagonist of the Ramayana. His immense penance, learning, and devotion to Brahma earned him the latter’s gratitude.
Brahma conferred on Ravana the boon of near invulnerability, making him immune from destruction by gods or (other) demons; he also acquired the capacity to change his form, and in the Ramayana he is described as having ten heads and twenty arms. He was endowed with the strength of moving the seas and splitting the tops of mountains. Ravana’s body bore all the marks of one who had fought the devas: the thunderbolt of Indra, the tusks of Indra’s elephant Airavata, and the discus of Vishnu had all scarred him.

If Ravana had a fatal flaw, it was doubtless his hubris. When Brahma conferred on him a boon, and Ravana asked that the devas should be unable to inflict harm on him, he did not think it worthwhile to ask for protection from men or animals. Consequently, Vishnu had to incarnate himself as a human being, Rama, and it is an army of monkeys, led by Hanuman, which assists Rama in liberating Sita from Ravana’s clutches and vanquishing him. Ravana’s hubris extends so far that at first he refuses to take Rama seriously, since he thinks that the idea that any human being could pose a threat to him is utterly contemptible.
When Rama and Ravana meet in battle, it is characteristic of Ravana that he flaunts his prowess, and speaks arrogantly of crushing Rama to bits; Rama, meanwhile, simply goes about his task. When Rama sends his final weapon, the "Brahmasthra", hurtling towards Ravana, he aims it at his heart. Though Ravana had sought invincibility, and could replace his head or arms with another set, he had not thought of safeguarding his heart. Perhaps in recognition of the fact that he had nearly met his match, or that Ravana was a Brahmin by birth, well-versed in the Vedas and prolific in his knowledge of Sanskrit, Rama ordered that the funeral arrangements for Ravana be those befitting his grandeur.

No one who has read the Ramayana can have failed to wonder why Ravana, who lusted after Sita and kept her in captivity for years, did not violat her. He repeatedly urged her to become his wife, and on more than one occasion threatened to put an end to her life; but she was just as persisting in refusing his advances. Devout readers are prone to the interpretation that Sita’s purity made her inviolable. Yet Ravana had the advantage of strength, and she was his captive. The Ramayana itself suggests a number of other readings. It is said that one of Ravana’s wives dissuaded him from violating Sita.
Ravana is himself said to have been incapacitated by a curse to the effect that if he made any attempt to molest her, he would be reduced to ashes. And it is even possible to argue that, having kidnapped her, Ravana wished to have Sita for himself only if she gave her consent; to do otherwise was to abandon the badge of honor that he, the mightiest of the asuras or demons, carried. What is remarkable is his extraordinary discipline and tapasya: right beside him, subject to his overwhelming power, was a woman for whom he had a burning desire, and yet he restrained himself. Would being burnt to ashes have been so high a price to pay for so unimaginable a good?

Certainly some interpreters, such as the nineteenth-century Bengali writer, Michael Madhusudan Dutt (1824-1873), have been inclined to the view that Ravana displayed the qualities of masculinity, honor, consistency, reliability, and justice to a greater extent than did Rama.
How could Rama, a hero of an earlier, pastoral, village republic commend himself to the attention of moderns, and what was so particularly noble about a hero who, having allowed himself to be exiled, showed himself incapable of protecting his own wife? If the welfare of the nation had been entrusted in the past to inept and feminine leaders like Rama, and these supposed heroes were still held up for emulation, was it any surprise that
India had come under British rule? Though the character of Ravana may seem like a closed book, there is sufficient plurality in Indian traditions that even Ravana is capable of some recuperation.

Dr.Ambedkar & RSS: Yet Another Scholarly Article by Dr.Ram Puniyani

Ambedkar and RSS

Ram Puniyani

When RSS Sarsanghchalak said that Ambedkar supported RSS ideology (16th Oct. 2005), it was not for the first time that a political movement was trying to fabricate lies to co-opt a major thinker and political leader of totally opposite views, for its’ selfish interests.
Mr. Sudarshan was trying to buttress the RSS ideology of opposition to reservations by saying that Ambedkar did not support reservations as they are for political purposes. One recalls that reservations were part of the protective affirmative clauses for the weaker sections. The only point was that as per his scheme of things reservations will be for ten years by which time the social disabilities would be overcome and reservations will not be needed.

Who could have foreseen that the machinery already in place for implementation of the government policies would partly sabotage the implementation of reservation policy in such a way so that the desired goals would not be achieved?
No society can be democratic and strive to go in egalitarian direction unless the victims of centuries old discrimination are given special protection and nobody conceptualized it better than Dr. Ambedkar.

Sudarshan’s assertion that Ambedkar drafted a Western constitution under the pressure of Congress, insults Dr. Ambedkar in a deeper way. He was not the one to buckle under pressure. He had the values and ideas of his own, and the example of this was when he resigned from the Cabinet because Hindu Code Bill drafted by him did not pass through and also because he was side tracked in other matters of policy and planning. It’s a comment which is derogatory to the thinker and leader who did all possible to ensure that he stands for his values and ideas rather than compromises for the sake of power and pelf.

At the same time Sudarshan seems to be promoting his own postulate that Indian constitution, is based on Western values and should be replaced by the one based on Hindu holy books. It is in that direction that BJP led NDA coalition appointed the constitution review committee, which of course was a dismal failure, thanks to the opposition of RSS formulation by most of the people of this country. Ambedkar did not buckle under any body’s pressure while drafting the constitution as he was committed to the democratic values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity (community), the one’s which have been enshrined in this book.
Also it was the constituent assembly, a reasonably accurate representative body of Indian people, which guided the constitution and not the Western influence. One can go on to say that the constitution itself was one of the major contributions of Babasaheb.

Sudarshan also asserts that Dr. Ambedkar stuck to Hindu culture while embracing Buddhism. Nothing could be farther from truth. By no stretch of imagination one can call all the tendencies prevailing in India as Hindu. The dominant tradition, which passes off as Hinduism is Brahmanism. Dr. Ambedkar called Hinduism as Brahminic theology and went on to say that he was born a Hindu that was not in his hands, but surely he will not die a Hindu. Buddhism is not a part of Hindu culture. The central part of dominant Hinduism is caste system, while Buddhism stands for social equality.

As per Ambedkar the clash between Braminic Hinduism and Buddhism is the major part of Indian history. In his understanding of Indian History he divides it into three parts. Part one Revolution, i.e. coming in of Buddhism to oppose Brahmanic caste and gender hierarchy. This is followed by counterrevolution, during which the Brahmanism attacks Buddhism at ideological level through Shankaracharya and at the social and political level by the onslaughts of kings like Pushmitra Shunga and Shashak. It is due to this that Buddhism, became extinct from India till Dr. Ambedkar brought it back.

  • He chose this religion, while rejecting Hinduism, mainly because its values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity (Community). To present him as supporter of RSS and RSS ideology is a clever deceit, a political move, to win over sections of Dalits to RSS-Hindutva politics.


Ram Puniyani is a Professor at IIT Mumbai and is associated with EKTA, Committee for Communal Amity, Mumbai .

Ram Puniyani's Scholarly Article: More Than 300 Versions of the Story of Rama?, what kind of a God or a Lord is Rama??

BJP, RSS, VHP and ABVP: Put together, these hindu fundamentalist organizations without any doubts is the grand scale MAD house of this modern world, there is no such a madhouse of fundamentalists in this entire globe like the hindus.

  • Look at the entire nation of India, the amount of lawlessness and violence and ask the basic question of what is happening to India. 

  • Where is this all terrible events and tragedies come from, the straight forward answer is in the open space, most of the violence in India stems from the fundamentalists either muslim or hindus, but the hindus in the name of owning the nation in the name of hindusim is causing much more damages in the recent years than the wars of ancient times.
    These organizations attack churches, christians, muslims, Buddhists and create a chaos among dalits and they attack sikhs or whoever is raising voice against their ill conceived and pathological varna ideology, the next thing is to attack.
    These RSS people create chaos in the name of hindusism, constantly they create and maintain certain amount of barbarism in India, but yet, the Indian government cannot ban these and terroristic organizations.
The current ruling government is a weak, mean and useless government's of all in the history of India.
The congress cannot even understand the rampant lawlessness and fundamentalists attacks on the very freedom of India.
As long as these terrorist organizations are allowed to continue in India, chaos will multiply and one day this beautiful nation will be destroyed by these fundamentalists of hindu organizations!.

Here is a very authentic, informative and nice article about the Riddles of hindu's beliefs and how many Rama's are there in in the mythology, go read it, it is written by Ram Puniyani, a scholarly approach can be sensed while reading this article. Thanks to Ram Puniyani like genuine Indians who wants to tell this world about the truths of real India and about the hindu mafia of RSS and BJP.

Many Ramas: Many Ramayanas
There are more than 300 versions of the story of Lord Rama

The recent (Feb. 2008) rampage by ABVP activists in Delhi University protesting against the introduction of Ramanujan’s essay “Three Hundred Ramayanas”, as the reading text, was not the first such act of political vandalism around Lord Rama’s story. This essay by the much acclaimed scholar, A.K. Ramanujan is part of his “The Collected Essays of A.K.Ramanujan (Oxford1999).
Earlier in the aftermath of Babri demolition a Sahmat exhibition on different versions of Ramayana was attacked by RSS combine’s goons
. This was done on the pretext that one of the panels based on Jataka (Buddhist version) showed Ram and Sita as brother and sister, and it is an insult to their faith. Ramanujan’s essay also talks of different versions and presents five of them as an example.


Photo: Rama and Lakshmana attended by Hanuman in the forest, detail of relief inspired by the Ramayana, from Nacna Kuthara, Madhya Pradesh, 5th century CE.

It is known that there are hundreds of versions of Ramayana, Buddhist, Jain, Valmiki etc. Paula Richman in her book Many Ramayana’s (Oxford) describes several of these. And again there are different interpretations of the prevalent Valmiki Ramayana, many of which are not to the liking of those who are indulging in this hooliganism in the name of their faith. It is another matter that this intolerant attitude and aggression is done in the name of Hinduism, while asserting that Hinduism is tolerant and other religions are intolerant.


It is a fascinating exercise to go through various tellings and interpretations of Ramayana’s. The RSS combine harps on the telling of Ramayana by Valmiki alone and that too its particular interpretation. Even the other renderings acceptable to this intolerant but currently dominant political force are not uniform. Valmiki, Tulsidas and later the one adopted by Rmanand Sagar for his serial Ramayana have their own subtle nuances, which are very different from each other.

Ramayana has been rendered in many languages of Asia in particular. Ramanujan points out that the tellings of Ram story has been part of Balinese, Bengali, Kashmiri, Thai, Sinhala, Santhali Tamil, Tibetan and Pali amongst others. There are innumerable versions in Western languages also. The narrative in these is not matching. RSS combine takes Valmiki as the standard and others as diversions which are not acceptable to it for political reasons. The version of Ramayana it wants to impose has the caste and gender equations of pre-modern times so it is hung up upon only that version as the only one acceptable to it.


Interestingly one can see the correlation between the class-caste aspirations of the narration-interpretation. In Buddhist Dasharath Jataka, Sita is projected both as sister and wife of Ram. As per this version Dashrath is King not of Ayodhya but of Varanasi. The marriage of sister and brother is part of the tradition of glorious Kshtriya clans who wanted to maintain their caste and clan purity. This Jataka tale shows Ram to be the follower of Buddha. Similarly Jain versions of Ramayana project Ram as the propagator of Jain values, especially as a follower of non-violence. What do both Buddhist and Jain versions have in common is that in these Ravan is not shown as a villain but a great spiritual soul dedicated to quest of knowledge, endowed with majestic commands over passions, a sage and a responsible ruler. Popular and prevalent “Women’s Ramayana Songs” of Telugu Brahmin Women, put together by Rangnayakamma, keep the women’s concern as the central theme. These songs present Sita as finally victorious over Ram and in these, Surpanakha succeeds in taking revenge over Ram.

In Thai Ramkirti, or Ramkin (Ram’s story), there is a twist in the tale and Shurpanakh’s daughter decides to take revenge attributing her mothers mutilation primarily because of Sita. More interestingly here the focus is on Hanuman, who in this telling is neither devout nor celibate but quite a ladies man, looking into the bedrooms of Lanka. In Valmiki, Kampan and Tamil tellings Hanuman regards seeing another mans sleeping wife as a sin, but not in this Thai version. Incidentally he is a very popular Thai hero even today.

Also like Jain Ramayana this Thai telling focuses on genealogy and adventures of Ravana and not of Ram. In recent times Jotiba Phule who stood more with the interests of Dalits and women, was amongst the first to interpret this mythological tale from the perspective of those subjugated by caste-varna-gender hierarchy.

Phule points out that upper castes were descendents of conquering Indo-Europeans who overturned the original egalitarian society and forbade the conquered from studying texts. His mythology is woven around King Bali, who could invoke the image of peasant community. Needless to say his murder by Lord Ram from behind is condemned and is seen as an act of subjugation of lower castes by the upper castes. And Ram is seen as an avatar of Vishnu out to conquer India from the Rakshasas (those protecting their crops) for establishing the hegemony of upper caste values of caste and gender hierarchy.


Dr. Ambedkar and Periyar’s commentaries are more an alternative reading of the Valmiki’s text rather then a separate version. There is a good deal of overlap in the interpretation of both. Dr. Ambedkar focuses his attention on the issues pertaining to Ram’s killing of Shambuk for violating the prevalent norm where a low caste has no right to do penance, tapasya. Like Phule he also castigates Lord Ram for murdering the popular folk king Bali. He questions Ram’s act of taking Sita’s agnipariksha, trial by fire, and his patriarchal attitude towards her. After defeating Ravan he tells Sita that he had done all this battle not to get her released for her own sake but to restore his honor, and his banishing her in response to the rumors about her chastity when she was pregnant comes for severest criticism from Ambedkar.


Periyar is basically taking the same line but in his interpretation the North Indian upper caste onslaught-South Indian resistance becomes the central theme. Periyar the initiator of Self Respect Movement was the pioneer of caste and gender equality in Tamilnadu. In one of the movements, which is very less known, on the lines of Dr. Ambedkar burning Manusmriti, he planned to burn the photo of Ram, as for him Ram symbolized the imposition of upper caste norms in South India.
This was a part of his campaign against caste Hinduism. Periyar also upheld Tamil identity. According to him the Ramayana story was a thinly disguised historical account of how caste ridden, Sanskritic, Upper caste North Indians led by Ram subjugated South Indians. He identifies Ravana as the monarch of ancient Dravidians, who abducted Sita, primarily to take revenge against the mutilation and insult of his sister Surpanakha. In his interpretation Ravana is practitioner of Bhakti, and is a virtuous man.


The rampage by RSS combines’ ABVP can be understood also in the light of current cultural manipulation and cooption of Adivasis by Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, another RSS progeny. This organization is at the core of anti-Christian attacks in the remote areas. In most of these Hanuman, as the loyal devotee of the Lord, is being projected as the idol of Adivaisis. This is done through distribution of Hanuman lockets etc. The symbolism of upper caste with Rama, and Adiviasis with Hanuman gives a political message given by RSS combine of the relationship of upper castes with Adivais.
Similarly in these areas Shabri another destitute woman is being projected as the role model for Adiviasis. One shold also note that the telling of Ramayana in the Adivasi areas of Dangs, Gujarat, where Shabri Kumbh was held, is very different from the one prevalent in other parts of the country.


The version of Ramayana to be upheld and projected by RSS combine is that of ‘Maharshi’ Ramanand Sagar’s tele-serial Ramayana, which went many steps further than some of the earlier one’s in glorifying norms of caste and gender hierarchy. As an example here Sita herself is keen to be banished to jungle by her ‘Lord and master’ to ensure that people don’t talk ill of Him. And currently this is the bottom line, and any deviation from such blind obeisance comes for severe reprimand from the RSS family. This selection of Ram and this version of Ramayana have more to do with political agenda than faith per se. And so this politics being doe in the name of tolerant Hinduism, can not tolerate the Many Rams: Many Ramayanas prevalent World over!

© 2007 mynews.in
>>Other articles by Ram Puniyani

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Love in the time of patriotism

Does it mean anything at all to the half of Indians who struggle for the next meal and for those oppressed citizens of India, what is Republic or Independence day mean?, what is it?.
Read this following point of View, worthy of your few minutes.
Point of View
Love in the time of patriotism Saturday
January 26 2008 18:36 IST T J S George
It's long since occasions like Republic Day and Independence Day lost their original meaning as annual reminders of our proud nationhood. Today they remind us more of our vulnerability and the threats we face from within as well as from outside.

On the eve of an Independence Day not long ago, an article appeared in the friendly columns of The Guardian about India "where a baby is born every two seconds".
Along with a photograph of "a homeless crowd on a Delhi pavement waiting for food handouts", the article said: "For India the one-billion population mark is a reminder of other painful statistics; 390 million people - more than the entire population when India became independent - are too poor to summon the cash for basic foods, some 465 million cannot read, the largest population of illiterates in the world, and a disproportionate number of these are women__" Since then other statistics have come up, about the number of billionaires going up, the sensex crashing all barriers, businessmen spending 111 million dollars (yes, dollars) to "own" one cricket team in one city.
In the dazzle and razzmatazz of such glittering figures, who will notice the rising numbers of female foeticide, abuse of women in public places, a caste war breaking out near Thanjavur (not Bihar) when a Dalit's bullock won the Pongal cattle race?
On Republic Day we should not spoil the mood by referring to such things. We should only think of patriotism - which fortunately this year included the French President's love life.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Rethinking Religion in India, a platform for exchange of knowledge

GSS& H said:
Note: The following article discuss about a recent conference held in Delhi (India) on religion, caste system and Aryan invasion aspects. The details of the conference is not clear though various topic has been discussed. Are they coming out with a constructive critism or trying to sabotage the truths about the atrocious nature of hindu religion is not clear, couple authors argue that aryan theory is not true, well, as long as hindus and Indians do not agree on the true events of our past (history) and as long as they deny the caste system and it's ramifications on our society, no progress will be made in India that reaches one and all...Denial of the true Indian is a huge set back to the progress and future of good India?.

Rethinking Religion in India, a platform for exchange of knowledge
January 24th, 2008 - 9:54 pm ICT by admin - Email This Post
New Delhi, Jan.24 (ANI): The international conference "Rethinking Religion in India" held in the capital has turned out to be a major confluence of individuals who wish to observe and understand India from Indian and non-native viewpoint.
On the final day, during Parallel Paper session III on Caste system and Indian religion, three speakers Rajaram Hegde, A.Shanmukha and Dunkin Jalki from South India presented their research papers which generated deep interest and confluence at the conference.
Scholars say that there is caste system in India, it is a part of Hinduism and is based on the Vedic texts, Brahminical priesthood and Varna system. Our field work demonstrates that no such things characterize our present society, said Rajaram Hegde, representing research work of 70 villages from 20 districts of Karnataka, on Fictitious Connections: Caste system and Hinduism.
Whatever theories we have today about practice of unctouchability do not clearunderstanding about what this practice is all about. The so far available theories do not give any solution for the practice of untouchability, said A.Shanmukha, while presenting his research paper on The Practice of Untouchability and Hinduism.
Classical theory assumes as there is religion called Hinduism which generates social system called caste system which compels the people to practice untouchability. But in the field work it was not evident that people are practicing untouchabilty by following Hindu religions, Shanmukha, added.
Dunkin Jalki presented his paper on Stereotyped stories and their Action Consequences.
On Wednesday, during a Parallel Paper session II on Caste system and Indian religion, four speakersSumio Morijiri, John Zavos, Claudia Pereria and Ullo Valkpresented their research papers before the audience.
Sumio Morijiri, a visiting Professor Department of Kannada, Mangalore University, presented paper on Rethinking Animism in India and Japan, a comparative perspective. He said: “Jaati also exists in Japan, it is what me, my father and grandfather have been doing as profession from one generation to generation.”
Ullo Valk, a professor of the Department of Estonian and Comparitive Folklore, Universtiy of Tartu (Estonia) presented his paper on Caste Division in Religious Narratives of Tamil Nadu.
Having done his research in Tamil Nadu’s Athipakkam and Kalleri Villages, with the native Dr.S.Lourdusamy as research fellow who died last month, Ullo Valk informed: “We were working on the local narratives or stories/legends that are related to local deities. We observed that the topic of caste divisions and caste identities emerged in the stories. The caste system exists in the local customs, beliefs and folklores related to the local deities.”
Claudia Pereria, Professor, Department of Anthropology, University Institute for Social Sciences, Labour Studies and Technologies (Lisbon, Portugal), presented her paper on Religion and Caste: The Christian and Hindu Gaudde of Goa.
Her paper analysed the relationship between Hindus and Christians in a village of Goa and the reciprocal social and political classifications, attempting to understand their dynamics as part of plural India under transformation. Her focus was on Gaudde, who are at the bottom of the social system and who show an interesting sociological duality.
John Zavos, a lecturer in South Asian Studies in the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures at the University of Manchaster, U.K was in the Chair.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday during a separate parallel paper session, speaker Marianne Keppens, a Doctoral Researcher at Ghent University, Belgium, presented her paper on Indians are Aryans, so what?. Rajaram Hegde was present as a respondent while Martin Farek was in the chair.
Speaking on the old debate on the Aryan invasion; whether Aryans came from outside or they always existed in India, Marianne said: “There has been a long debate questioning the theory that says Sanskrit speaking Aryan people invaded India around 1500 B.C. What if the problem with the Aryan invasion theory doesn’t lie in the geographical origin of the Indo-Aryan languages or certain aspects of Indian culture but in the absence of evidence for the existence of an Aryan people and culture?.”
Marianne questioned through her paper that what would be the implications for the understanding of Indian culture if it turns out that there has been never been an Aryan people?
In the international conference on Rethinking Religion in India (January 21-24), includes overall nine Parallel Paper sessions on the four themesEvolutionary explanations of religion, Indians are Aryans, so What?, The caste system and Indian religion, Colonialism and religion in India. (ANI)

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Changes to the Blog!!

GSS&H will make changes tofew of the columns in this blog. Hereafter, you will notice the videos and youtube videos are moved out to the following blogs. The images or videos will be moved out too to blogs for digital media either to: http://jaibhimbooks.blogspot.com/ or to: http://jaibhimmedia.blogspot.com/

Sunday, December 23, 2007

RSS The Poisness Snake??

This is a liner from the great Indian indepence leader Vallabh Bhai Patel about the dangerous activity of RSS, unbelievably RSS was worst from those days, it gets worst and worst.

here it is from a blog:http://arvindneela.blogspot.com/2007/04/blog-post_30.html

K.R.Athiyaman said...
letter of Sardar Patel's of September 11, 1948, addressed to the RSS chief Golwalkar himself: ...----Aurangzeb RoadNew DelhiDate: 11th Sept. 1948Brother Sri Golwalkar, ...You are very well aware of my views about the RSS. ... There can be no doubt that the RSS did service to the Hindu society. In the areas where there was need for help and organisation, the young men of the RSS protected women and children and strove much for their sake. No person of understanding could have a word of objection regarding that. But the objectionable part arose when they, burning with revenge, began attacking Mussalmans. Organising the Hindus and helping them is one thing but going in for revenge for its sufferings on innocent and helpless men, women and children is quite another thing. ...All their speeches were full of communal poison. It was not necessary to spread poison in order to enthus the Hindus and organise for their protection. As a final result of the poison, the country had to suffer the sacrifice of the invaluable life of Gandhiji. Even an iota of the sympathy of the Government or of the people no more remained for the RSS. In fact opposition grew. Opposition turned more severe when the RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhiji's death. Under these circumstances it becamed inevitable for the Government to take action against the RSS.Yours(Sd.) Vallabh Bhai Patel
7:22 AM, April 30, 2007

WESTERN BUDDHISTS TO LEARN FROM AMERICAN JEWS By PPLakshmanJi

I read with great interest "A Challenge to Buddhism" by Ven.Bhikkhu Bodhi that I was fortunate to read on the internet. 
We all know and revere Bhikkhu Bodhi. His talks and writings are always inspiring and  provocative. His distress evident in the above-mentioned article will be shared by all those who read it.
Of late we have been hearing a lot about the expression  "Engaged Buddhism". I find the expression mostly among the Mahayanists rather than among the Therawadis in the Western world. Mahayanists also use the expression "Humanistic Buddhism". To everyone who is not a Buddhist, it simply means Applied Buddhism or practical Budhism.
There has been  challenges to Buddhism in all eras. To my mind, there is no greater solution, no enduring remedy to the challenges in any era than the creation of Buddha's disciples known as Arhants who would advice and give lead to people to solve their problems as and when they arise, regardless of color, race, creed or nation. Whatever the problems - social problems like injustice or natural catastrophies like earthquake or global problems like climate change 
-  the cutting edges of weapons in Buddhist armory to counter them always lay in individuals in the first instance, and subsequently in their organizations, with or without the support of governments. Therawada Buddhism which I am more familiar with has had a monastic order in place since Buddha'.s time where trained monks are turned out in large numbers, year after year, in Therawada countries -  Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia.  Many of the trained monastics become bodhisatvas (seekers of enlightenment), few if any become fully enlightened worthy ones known as arhants who are worthy to advice and lead. Finding arhants is like mining for diamonds.
Many of the social service organizations, Buddhist or other,  fail because of the absence of arhants, the fully enlightened ones, to lead them. The fully enlightened arhants emerge out of the multitudes of monks, worthy to advice and worthy to lead..  
 
There have been a plethora of institutions with long histories of social service like the CARE, the American Peace Core, Red Cross, YMCAs, and many others. Bhikkhu Bodhi has mentioned American Jewish World Service (AJWS) which is relatively a new organization like the Islamic Relief USA and others, all of which "aiming to alleviate suffering, hunger, illiteracy and disease, worldwide". On the other hand,  organizations with limited goals also take birth like the Armenian Relief Society with its limited goal of serving the humanitarian needs of the Armenian people worldwide, who still suffer from the effects of its underreported holocaust of early 20th century. I wonder what make AJWS exceptional. 

Has AJWS  tested its declared objective of social service on the soils of Israel's next door neighbors or in the  Arab sector inside Israel itself?  Some material on the internet gave me the impression that AJWS perhaps took birth out of cognitive dissonance among American Jews suffering from psychological conflicts between incompatible beliefs and attitudes.  
The highly efficient style of working of organizations like AJWS backed by media support can make favourable impression of them even if they do not have enlightened leaders and violate one or more of the five precepts that the Buddhists always practise in all their endeavours.
Social service is the objective of most organizations, but they have besides social service something which make them distinct. For instance, the U.S. after taking thousands of lives in Japan with their nuclear armory seek to create a better image of the U.S.with its Peace Core volunteers, YMCAs seek to spread Christian messages behind their altruism,  what if AJWS seeks to show Jewish presence in world service, no matter that the Jews are only 0.2 percent of a world population of 7 billion.   
 
I wish to draw the attention of my readers to an organization which I had in  mind when I wrote earlier in this piece about arhants and searching for them like mining for diamonds. 
The organization is called Fo Guang Shan (FGS), which means literally "Buddha's Light Mountain", and its organizer is Master Venerable Hsing Yun, born in mainland China in 1927. Master Venrable Hsing Yun founded FGS in 1967 in a remote quiet area in the hills of  Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan. It is a Mahayana Buddhist order promoting Humanistic Budddhism, a modern Chinese philosophy. Humanistic Buddhism aims to make Buddhism relevant in the world and in the people's lives and hearts. It is a monastic order and not a theoretical school of thought per se.
In May 1997, Hsing Yun got the gates of FGS closed to the general public in order to give a cloistered atmosphere to the temple residents.
But, following the plea of the public headed by the President of Taiwan, FGS reopened the gates in December 2000. In the last 40 years since its inception, FGS has been remarkably successful in extending its services beyond Taiwan,  setting up temples and organizations in 173 countries and encompassing more than 3,500 monastics. FGS also created an affiliate in 1992, Buddha's  Light International Association (BLIA),  
which has now over 100 chapters in the world.  The monastic order represented by Fo Guang Shan and Buddha's Light International Association has now over a milliom followers worldwide. It has been said  "In Master Venerable Hsing Yun, Buddhism has found a reformer, an innovator and an educator. Under his strong  leadership, Buddhism has extended beyond traditional temple life to integrate and further enrich the modern city dwellers."
 
 P.P.Lakshman
December 18, 2008
 
 

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Ravana & the depiction of 10 Heads? What is the Rationale?

Ravana's ten heads represent the ten crowns he wore as a result of his being the sovereign of ten countries.