Tirade against Tyrants

One week has gone by(I started writing this on Saturday) since the Ravanlila happened at the Ramlila Grounds on 4^th June,2011.  By the way, is it a coincidence that the date on which the Congress government unleashed barbaric force on it’s own harmless people , is the same date China did the infamous Tianmen(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989). So we have 2 features common to China now. One of course is our ever-increasing population. And second, and more prominent

the penchant of the current government to curb any voice of dissent with utmost brutality.

Congrats Govt, at least on some parameters we are up there with China.

It has been a week full of drama, emotions and hectic political parleys in India

But for crores of commoners of  India like me , it has been something else too.

Bashing politicians has always been the favorite past time of us Indians and I believe

we are not totally wrong in doing so. But whenever a political discourse happens between

any of us and we start pointing fingers towards politicians for all ills , I am sure this question has been propped up “ Why don’t you join politics to clean it up?”  Yes this is what the recent civil movements , waged by Swami Ramdev and Anna Hazare too , aim at. But the question should never come up now. The brute force which has curbed the entirely peaceful movement by Baba should warn each of us Indians who has at any point of his life thought of doing something in politics. When someone from outside politics and having as incredible reputation as of Baba and Anna thought of doing so, they have been so badly roughed up by Government that no man in his right senses would dare now. Baba who incarnates an old tradition of spirituality in India, of all these gurus who throughout the ages have come to teach and preserve this ancient knowledge which takes the form of hatha-yoga, pranayama, meditation or Ayurveda, has been so disdainfully treated by Government, it so appears that there is a message that Government wants to convey through this act.

 

I think enough has been written about to Anna in last 3 months and all work done by Baba has been ignored by media in what looks a quite planned move initiated by Madam Sonia and her crony Congress govt. So I as a token of my respect for  what Baba has been doing for this forsaken land , thought of writing this piece. As I have mentioned before too in my previous posts please excuse me for being so unimaginative
so as to always put my analysis in points as below :

1. Difference between Baba and Anna’s movements: For all those who keep their eyes open and have observed both the movements, the difference is quite stark. Obviously what junta comes to know is what we read/ watch on TV, Internet, print. While Anna got so many eye balls for his fast against corruption,  Baba whose campaign was far bigger than Anna’s got such a negative attention from whole media that if not for staunch faith in Baba’s mission, Baba would have turned into a traitor rather a thug.

There is a sharp class divide between the 'civil society' movements launched by Anna Hazare and Ramdev. The old Gandhian and his core support team are quite well known public faces some of them activists who in past have spoken on modern idiom of development and politics, a language the mainstream media finds comprehensible, comforting and respectable. Hence the acceptability to Anna’s movement. There were film stars, who attract the most eye balls in India when Anna was fasting. The Anna movement was a made-in-media campaign. The crowds that flocked to his rally in Delhi's Jantar Mantar two months ago did so without any incentive and organisation. However, its spontaneity was also governed by a spectacular degree of TV hype that unnerved the government and forced it into setting up a joint committee to draft a new Lokpal Bill. No doubt the process was helped by the endearing personality of Anna—a man who exudes both simplicity and sincerity. And then there was this section of  Internet junta ,a

section of idealistic but impressionable youth who believes social media networking is a force for the good.

Compared to the 5,000 or so people who thronged Jantar Mantar at the peak of Anna's fast, Ramdev began his show with a dedicated audience of something around 50,000 people. While most of Anna's supporters were from the National Capital Region—plus shows of solidarity in the state capitals—the yoga guru mobilised people from all over the country. Ramdev's support base was drawn from primarily from B, C and D category towns and lacked either clout or glamour. The English-language media was openly contemptuous of his mission, portraying it as a variant of another Saffron rant . There was not a single Bollywood star to keep company of the relatively unknown religious figures that graced Ramdev's dais. Hence Baba’s movement was too devoid of any gleen to cover it and give importance.

And lastly, and to me the most important reason for Baba’s movement being neglected by media was because it had a color with it, Saffron that is. Though Baba never emphasised on this being a Hindu movement with religious leaders of all kinds sharing the dais, media along with the ruling govt attack dogs kept on ranting this being a movement controlled by RSS, BJP and blah blah. And once you associate saffron in India to any thing, you become untouchable. And that can happen only in our country.

2. Has Media completely sold its soul ? : Yes it has. Here was a crusade against the most corrupt government independent India has seen. And the crusader is one who is being questioned. Infact the whole episode is a creation of media. Instead of focussing on misdeeds of government and highlighting the efforts of a Yogi , there were questions on Baba, his intentions, his financial clout. These questions so very diluted the agenda that at times it appeared that there is a movement against Baba by govt instead of vice versa.  Baba’s 1100 crore against 400 lakh crores. Is there a comparison in these figures? No,any one will  reply. But the puppet Media thought otherwise. Even after declaring the source of funds, media kept pessurising Baba.

"Ramdev hasn't given his accounts openly, so how can he ask politicians to come  clean?": First thing first, If Ramdev's accounts are not upto the mark, it won't make much of a difference to you or me. But if Rs 400 lakh crores (USD 9.09 Trillion) don't come back and many more are stashed out that will make a HUGE difference to the country's economic future! Just as a reference, United States' total debt is Rs 650 lakh crores!

Second, Ramdev's trust is a Private Trust and not a Public Limited Company. So, he does give out the accounts but not in public - but to the tax authorities. That is the law. There is no reason why he should do otherwise. Instead of making up stories based on an action in line with the legal practice, it may be more worthwhile to actually go to the tax authorities and ask for the accounts via an RTI (RIght to Information) plea.

Third, with the kind of passion with which the Government and the adminstration is targeting Ramdev, can any intelligent person believe that if his accounts weren't up to the mark, he would have survived? Is it even reasonable or logical?

If the Media had its heart at the right place, the questions should have posed to Govt instead? Has anyone yet asked the shrewd lawyer in Mr Sibbal that where is the ordinance on the basis of which he got signature from Acharya Balkrishna? Such a shame that Media is completely turning blind eye to all misdeeds of Govt.

3. Is Baba the Leader India is looking for? : Personally I don’t think so. To Baba’s credit he has brought an awakening for Yoga amongst the masses, most of which was illiterate and rural, in itself is a humungous task. He has helped masses cure themselves with virtue of ancient Yoga practices and Ayurveda. He has a very huge following and that is pan India.

But Baba’s first foray into real politics shows that he is yet to learn the tricks of the trade. He has been deceived and probably used to fuse to counter the Anna wave which swept the Urban middle class a couple of months ago. Baba’s intentions are noble but am not sure he is the right guy to lead this movement against Corruption and misgovernance. Some of his ideas are outrageous but some of them are pretty in genuine too. He appears a clean man though Govt and media have tried its best to malign him. Am sure he could have led a pretty fruitful and easy life had he not ventured into this slugfest by virtue of Yoga and Ayurveda. His followers are in crores already and hence it wouldn’t have been a tough task for him to just teach yoga and keep his image intact. He plunged into this with a mission and that should be respected. Baba will have to learn to be more vigil and careful with his words and actions now as the Govt and media will do a scrutiny for each of his actions and words. I just wish Baba comes out victorious in this battle.

4.  Can Govt stoop any further? : In all this brouhaha , if it was a ideal playing field Govt should have taken the beating. They did tried their best to curb the     movement. Airport diplomacy, Hotel diplomacy, Letter Diplomacy and what not.

They had another trick for each previously failed one. And when nothing worked then came the brute and shameless force on innocent people who are tired with this tyrant government. They have an attack dog in guise of Digvijay Singh who on any day can win the award for most indecent politician. They have a shrewd lawyer in Kapil Sibbal to make all calculation in gambit of law. They have a puppet PM in Manmohan Singh to turn a blind eye to anything wrong and then they have Yuvraj and Sonia Madam to signal them green for any shameless trick.

God help this country.

By the time I am finished with this piece Baba’s fast has finished and the whole media is hell bent on turning this into a mockery. A frail, tired man in Baba must be wondering why he did all this. It all looks a very thankless job. But I just wish the common man’s trust in him keeps him going. Because in people like Baba rests the hopes of a nation which is getting tired of being duped and cheated but also a nation which is looking for a Hero ,a Leader to take the battle to it’s logical end. An agent of change is needed and in given circumstances looks we will need some more Babas.

       

     Please feel free to comment on the above if you feel doing so.

       Love,

       Saket

      

    

Happy Makar Sankranti

Happy Makar Sankaranti. I would like to put something new on my blog in a new year (English or Modern Calendar) by writing about probably the first major festival which comes in new year. I have just collated information from various sources including mails which I get from the HR in my organization. The idea is just to put forward the significance of this lovely festival. I am sorry for writing this a day late but the idea stuck to me only when I saw the festivities around.

People Taking a dip on the holy day in Ganga at Gangasagar.

Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious day for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of the country in myriad cultural forms, with great devotion, fervor & gaiety. Lakhs of people take a dip in places like Ganga Sagar & Prayag and pray to Lord Sun.

It is celebrated with pomp in southern parts of the country as Pongal, and in Punjab is celebrated as Lohri & Maghi. Gujarati’s not only look reverentially up to the sun, but also offer thousands of their colorful oblations in the form of beautiful kites all over the skyline…It is a day for which Bhishma Pitamah kept waiting to leave his mortal coil.

Makar Sankranti is the day when the glorious Sun-God of Hindus begins its ascendancy and entry into the Northern Hemisphere. Sun for the Hindus stands for Pratyaksha-Brahman – the manifest God, who symbolizes, the one, non-dual, self-effulgent, glorious divinity blessing one & all tirelessly.

Sun is the one who transcends time and also the one who rotates the proverbial Wheel of Time. The famous Gayatri Mantra, which is chanted everyday by every faithful Hindu, is directed to Sun God to bless them with intelligence & wisdom. Sun not only represents God but also stands for an embodiment of knowledge & wisdom. …

Of all the cosmic bodies Sun is the most glorious & important, thus every sun-centric cosmic event became very important spiritual, religious & cultural events. On Makar Sankranti day the Sun begins its ascendancy and journey into the Northern Hemisphere…

For the religious and astrological significance of “Makar Sankranti”, read on:

Astrological Significance:

Makar means Capricorn and Sankranti is transition. There is a sankranti every month when the sun passes from one sign of the zodiac to the next. There are twelve signs of the zodiac, and thus there are twelve sankranti’s as well. Each of these sankranti’s has its own relative importance but two of these are more important – the Mesh (Aries) Sankranti and the most important, the Makar (Capricorn) Sankranti.

Transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn, during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere is known as Makar Sankranti. From this day begins the six-month long Uttarayana, considered very auspicious for attaining higher worlds hereafter.

While the traditional Indian Calendar is basically based on lunar positions, but sankranti is a solar event, so while dates of all festivals keep changing, the english calendar date of Makar Sankranti is always same, 14th January. Makar Sankranti is celebrated in the Hindu Calendar month of Magha. There is another significance of this day, after this day the days start becoming longer & warmer, and thus the chill of winter in on decline.

Religious Significance:

1. The Puranas say that on this day Sun visits the house of his son Shani, who is the swami of Makar Rashi. These father & son do not ordinarily get along nicely, but inspite of any difference between each other Lord Sun makes it a point to meet each other on this day. Father in fact himself comes to his son’s house, for a month. This day symbolized the importance of special relationship of father & son. It is the son who has the responsibility to carry forward his fathers dream and the continuity of the family.

2. From Uttarayana starts the “day” of Devatas, while dakshinayana is said to be the “night” of devatas, so most of the auspicious things are done during this time. Uttarayana is also called as Devayana, and the next half is called Pitrayana.

3.It was on this day when Lord Vishnu ended the ever increasing terrorism of the Asuras by finishing them off and burying their heads under the Mandar Parvat. So this occasion also represents the end of negativities and beginning of an era of righteous living.

4. The great savior of his ancestors, Maharaj Bhagirath, did great Tapasya to bring Gangaji down on the earth for the redemption of 60,000 sons of Maharaj Sagar, who were burnt to ashes at the Kapil Muni Ashram, near the present day Ganga Sagar. It was on this day that Bhagirath finally did tarpan with the Ganges water for his unfortunate ancestors and thereby liberated them from the curse. After visiting the Patala for the redemption of the curse of Bhagirath’s ancestors Gangaji finally merged in the Sagar. Even today a very big Ganga Sagar Mela is organized every year on this day at the confluence of River Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. Lakhs take dip in the water and do tarpan for their ancestors.

We salute such a great devotee & benefactor of his ancestors. One who can express such gratitude to his ancestors, work with tireless resolve to redeem the pride, pledges & resolves of his forefathers, alone possess a personality, which the history reveals to be a true benefactor of the world too. A person who has severed his own roots gets soon rooted out in the flow of time. Moral of the story is to see to it that the roots of the tree of “our” life are not only intact but nourished well, thereafter alone the tree blooms & flourishes.

There is another spiritually symbolic aspect of this story. The 60,000 cursed son of Maharaj Sagar represent our thoughts, who become dull & dead-like because of uncultured & blind ambition. Redemption of such people is only by the waters of Gangaji, brought down “to” & later “from” the Himalayas with great tapasya. This represents dedicated hard work to get the redeeming Brahma-Vidya, which alone enlightens, enthuses & enlivens the life of anyone.

5. Another well-known reference of this day came when the great grandsire of Mahabharata fame, Bhishma, declared his intent to leave his mortal coil on this day. He had the boon of Ichha-Mrityu from his father, so he kept lying on the bed of arrows till this day and then left his mortal coil on Makar Sankranti day. It is believed that the person, who dies during the period of Uttarayana, becomes free from transmigration. So this day was seen as a sure-shot Good Luck day to start your journey or endeavors to the higher realms beyond.

Culture & Festivities:

This festival is celebrated differently in different parts of the country.

Uttar Pradesh:

In Uttar Pradesh, Sankrant is called “Khichiri”. Taking a dip in the holy rivers on this day is regarded as most auspicious. A big one-month long “Magha-Mela” fair begins at Prayag (Allahabad) on this occasion. Apart from Triveni, ritual bathing also takes place at many places like Haridvar and Garh Mukteshwar in Uttar Pradesh, and Patna in Bihar.





Colourful kites being sold in a Shop iColourful kites being sold in a Shop in [Lucknow]


Bengal:

In Bengal every year a very big Mela is held at Ganga Sagar where the river Ganga is believed to have dived into the nether region and vivified the ashes of the sixty thousand ancestors of King Bhagirath. This mela is attended by a large number of pilgrims from all over the country.

Tamil Nadu:

In Tamil Nadu Sankrant is known by the name of “Pongal”, which takes its name from the surging of rice boiled in a pot of milk, and this festival has more significance than even Diwali. It is very popular particularly amongst farmers. Rice and pulses cooked together in ghee and milk is offered to the family deity after the ritual worship. In essence in the South this Sankrant is a “Puja” (worship) for the Sun God.

Andhra Pradesh:

In Andhra Pradesh, it is celebrated as a three-day harvest festival Pongal. It is a big event for the people of Andhra Pradesh. The Telugus like to call it ‘Pedda Panduga’ meaning big festival. The whole event lasts for four days, the first day Bhogi, the second day Sankranti, the third day Kanuma and the fourth day, Mukkanuma.

Karnataka:

In Karnataka, the festival is marked by visiting one’s friends and relatives to exchange greetings, and by the preparation of a dish called Ellu (made with sesame seeds, coconuts, sugar blocks, etc). A common custom found across Karnataka is the exchange of sugarcane pieces and Ellu with one’s neighbors, friends and relatives. In Karnataka, Pongal is known as ‘Sankranti’, and cows and bullocks are gaily decorated and fed ‘Pongal’- a sweet preparation of rice. Special prayers are offered. In the evening, the cattle are led out in procession to the beat of drums and music. In the night a bonfire is lit and the animals are made to jump over the fire.

Makar Sankranti is marked by men, women and children wearing colorful clothing; visiting near and dear ones; and exchanging pieces of sugarcane, a mixture of fried til, molasses, pieces of dry coconut, peanuts and fried gram. On this auspicious day, people in Karnataka distribute Yellu and bella (Sesame seeds and Jaggery) and greet with the words “Ellu bella thindu, Olle Maathu Aadu (Eat sesame seeds and speak only good). The significance of this exchange is that sweetness should prevail in all the dealings.

Maharashtra:

In Maharashtra on the Sankranti day people exchange multi-colored tilguds made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery. Til-polis are offered for lunch. While exchanging tilguls as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying: “til-gul ghya, god god bola” meaning “accept these tilguls and speak sweet words”. The under-lying thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends.

This is a special day for the women in Maharashtra when married women are invited for a get-together called �Haldi-Kumkum� and given gifts of any utensil, which the woman of the house purchases on that day.

Gujarat:

In Gujarat Sankrant is observed more or less in the same manner as in Maharashtra but with a difference that in Gujarat there is a custom of giving gifts to relatives. The elders in the family give gifts to the younger members of the family. The Gujarati Pundits on this auspicious day grant scholarships to students for higher studies in astrology and philosophy. This festival thus helps the maintenance of social relationships within the family, caste and community.

Kite flying has been associated with this festival in a big way. It has become an internationally well-known event.

Punjab:

In Punjab where December and January are the coldest months of the year, huge bonfires are lit on the eve of Sankrant and which is celebrated as “LOHARI”. Sweets, sugarcane and rice are thrown in the bonfires, around which friends and relatives gather together. The following day, which is Sankrant, is celebrated as MAGHI. The Punjabi’s dance their famous Bhangra dance till they get exhausted. Then they sit down and eat the sumptuous food that is specially prepared for the occasion.

Kerala:

The 40 days anushthana by the devotees of Ayyappa ends on this day in Sabarimala with a big festival.

Bundelkhand:

In Bundelkhand and Madhya Pradesh this festival of Sankrant is known by the name “Sakarat” and is celebrated with great pomp & merriment accompanied by lot of sweets.

Tribals of Orissa:

Many tribals in our country start their New Year from the day of Sankrant by lighting bonfires, dancing and eating their particular dishes sitting together. The Bhuya tribals of Orissa have their Maghyatra in which small home-made articles are put for sale.

Assam:

In Assam, the festival is celebrated as Bhogali Bihu.

Coastal Region:

In the coastal regions, it is a harvest festival dedicated to Indra.

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How to Celebrate:

1. Get up early in the morning, before sunrise, have bath and be ready with water & flowers for the sunrise. Worship the rising Sun, by offering water, flowers with both the hands & then pray with folded hands by chanting the Gayatri Mantra and pray for knowledge, wisdom and enlightenment to rise in the similar way to greater & greater heights. Pray for blessings to live a dynamic, inspired & righteous life.

2. Do tarpan for your ancestors. Offer water to the ancestors while praying for their blessings. Resolve to redeem the pledges & pride of your forefathers. Live life in such a way that wherever your forefathers may be their head is held high by the life & deeds of their children.

3. Have a special session of Meditation, wherein you bring about the awareness of the self-effulgent subjective divinity. Affirm the greatest importance of your spiritual goal very clearly, and pray to God to bless you with the capacity to constantly revel in your true self. May the graph of your rise like the Uttarayana Sun. May there be greater ‘Love & Light’ in your life & the world.

4. Prepare laddus or other sweets of Til & Gur and offer them to your friends & relatives. See to it that your “Well-being Prayer for all” gets manifested in action & deeds.

5. Have the lunch of Khichiri. This stands for inculcating simplicity in your life & habits.

6. Give some Daan on this day to someone who truly deserves.

7. *Visit your son at his place and give presents to the son and the daughter-in-law. If it is not possible to visit, then organize to send presents to them to express your love & affection to them. Work to properly cultivate the generation, which has to carry forward all the best you cherish & value


* I would modify this to suggest, visit your children (not only your son).


Love,

Saket.