Book Review: Books on Hinduism

Hinduism, doctrine and way of life: Hinduism is considered more of a way of life than a religion. In this book, the Gandhian and freedom fighter C. Rajgopalachari explains the basic concepts and philosophies associated with Hinduism, diverse that they are. It is rather a thin book of 101 pages, and a wonderful read.

The Puranas are ancient texts telling great morals and teachings in the format of stories. Each story has a moral and some great wisdom to impart to the readers. This book of about 130 pages is Hindi translation of some stories from the Puranas, and are written in very simple language.

Banshi ki Dhun (sound of a flute) is part of the 7-volume series, written by great Gujarati/Hindi writer and thinker Dr. K.M. Munshi. This one tells the story from the time of birth of Krishna to the Kansa-vadh. This book is written in such a wonderful touching language that the reader is taken through many cycles of emotions all through the epic story from Krishna’s time… This is categorized as fiction as such, but written after studying many ancient texts.

Our Culture By C Rajagopalachari; Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan: It’s a very interesting book on an equally interesting and puzzling topic of ‘Our Culture’. C. Rajgopalachari is one of the enlightened Indians who has presented ancient Indian/Hindu wisdom in the simplest yet very scientific language for the future generations to come.

Woman Attacks Policeman with a Brick. He Retaliates

"Policeman attacks woman with a brick" - news headlines were everywhere. It was certainly a provocative news. Of course men and women can legally attack policemen with bricks (it happens during every ‘protest’ be it in Jammu by anti-Indians or on Agra Highway by farmers), and it will never be “news”. But if a policeman attacked a person with a brick, it should be a big news. Just like a man biting a dog is news while dog biting man is ‘un-news’.

So where did this event happen? Delhi. The same Delhi which elected an ‘Anarchist party’ to power with a ‘mad majority’! So there must be more to the news; there must be some ‘drama’; I thought. From farmer hanging himself while CM and his troupe recited poems; to an Officer being sacked for chewing ‘evil’ pan-masala – Delhi has ‘gone nuts’ literally. So I decided to read the whole news; instead of scanning headlines, which everyone including news ‘traders’ take for granted these days. The event happened like this:

A woman was riding her scooty (female of scooter; i.e. weaker and leaner than ‘male’ scooters) with “three” of her kids. These are perhaps days of “have scooter, will ride” even if total 4 human beings cramped over one; after all who cares about legal limits? And obviously only mother’s life was precious (we just celebrated mother’s day) and hence only she was wearing a helmet. She also did not have original driving license with her but only a zerox copy which one can buy from any shop. Then she jumped a Red signal; she said it was because she was getting late with her kids. Very well justified! A traffic policeman stops her and she refuses to stop (she was getting late you know) and hence he hits at the front of her scooter to stop her. The woman gets down and says, “You hit my scooter, I will hit yours”; picks up a brick and hits the policeman’s Bajaj CT-100 motorcycle. Wow! After this bravado no one should doubt if women are empowered in this country. Perhaps if all women were as brave as her, the crime capital of India would earn a better name. So is this all? “A woman hits a traffic policeman’s bike for daring to stop her while she was trying to escape after jumping a red light”? Next, the policeman loses temper, after all there were other people watching him being humiliated in this manner, and crime is stopped by “fear” not by merely writing laws on paper. He loses his temper, picks up a brick piece too and hits the woman who by then had turned back. She must have played ‘Pitto” a lot in her childhood.

What both these ‘brick warriors’ did not notice was that a curious onlooker (i.e. spy) was recoding their quarrel in his cellphone camera. He must have run away after the quarrel got over, perhaps fearing a combined attack from both sides, most probably with ‘bricks’. But he did his damage by loading the video on the internet and hence all media houses got their free content to do ‘time pass’ on screen.

The woman alleges that the policeman also asked for Rs 200 as fine for traffic violation; but when she demanded a receipt, he said in that case she will have to pay more. This is a pretty common scene all over the world, and we all know that no one hits a policeman with a brick merely for asking a fine, whether with receipt or without receipt. If she did attack the policeman’s bike, it was because she lost her temper. But the fact that she lost her temper “first” and threw a brick “first” should be totally ignored – after all news has to be sensational enough and we don’t want to miss sensationalism by going into facts of the case.

“Policeman attacked woman while her children watched” was also a very popular news headline. So did not the policeman also have kids who would have watched the quarrel on TV? And what kind of example did the ‘good’ woman made for her own kids when she jumped red lights and hit a policeman’s bike with a brick? In fact this ‘brick game’ was her own design – if she had not picked up a brick piece, the policeman won’t have bothered to get down from his bike to pick up a brick piece too. Let us blame Newton for teaching us about reactions to actions.

To me, the woman appears to be just a female version of a biker (in Delhi of course) who beat a 42 year old Delhi Transport Corp Driver to death when his bus accidently touched his bike. Interestingly that biker was instigated by his mother. If this scooty woman was so violent to hit a policeman’s bike with brick while her kids watched her, she could have aimed for his head if she were a Delhi male like the ‘driver-slayer’.

In my opinion, this was a case of “road rage” where the woman was also responsible for what happened, along with the policeman.

After this incident and media rage, the traffic policeman Satish Chandra has been dismissed from service and a case has been registered against him. He was also arrested. As a grey-haired middle aged man, most probably he has kids at home and a family to support. I think the Delhi Police has acted harsh on him by arresting and dismissing him from his job as an “image makeover” and “PR” tactics. At first there should have been some investigation – what was the need of dismissal as well as an immediate arrest when the woman did not have any further threats from the policeman and clearly she had violated multiple traffic rules and had started the scuffle too!

In the age of media-trials, former head constable Satish Chandra is one more victim of quick urban mob justice. We sit over computers and TV screens, read and watch selective aspects of news and make up our quick opinion which we share with great enthusiasm. And hence Satish Chandras of this world and their families have to suffer while the Delhi woman and her likes not only get scot-free after violating rules but also gain sympathies and fame.

- Rahul

PS: Views expressed are personal. 

#History: The Third Battle of Panipat in 1761

I was reading about the Third Battle of Panipat which was fought between India's Maratha empire Vs Afghanistan's Ahmad Shah Abdali's alliance with Rohilla Afghans and Nawab of Awadh in 1761.

The original reason behind the battle was Ahmad Shah Abdali (Durrani)'s invasions in Punjab region. At that time Marathas ruled over most of India and under leadership of Sadashivrao Bhau they had just finished their victory over Nizam of Hyderabad. Abdali had been invading India; and Marathas thought to end the matter forever. In 1758, the Marathas had occupied Lahore and evicted Timur, the son of Abdali and hence Abdali also sought revenge. Also, Shah Waliullah, an Islamic scholar of Delhi invited Abdali and asked all Muslim forces to unite to destroy dominance of Maratha's Hindu empire. Since Abdali was promised a grand alliance, he raised an army from Afghan tribes and started for Delhi.

Marathas had started their travel from Maharashtra in March 1760 and reached Delhi on 1 August 1760, taking the city on the same day. They had bigger army than their opponents. But Abdali+ forces cut Marathas supply lines and Marathas were surrounded from all sides without food and supplies reaching them. In the end when soldiers started to die with starvation, they declared attack on the opponents. Even with initial military successes, as the war continued for some time, Maratha soldiers started falling with exhaustion.

Marathas were led by Sadashivrao Bhau, nephew of Peshwa Baji Rao I, as commander-in-chief, who died fighting till last breath. At death, he was only 31 years old. Vishwasrao, the eldest son of the Nanasaheb Peshwa was heir to the title of Peshwa and also participated in the war. During the war unfortunately a stray cannon shell hit him in the head and hence he died. He is said to be extremely handsome and at the time of sacrifice he was only 19 years old! When Bhau saw Vishwasrao gone, he got down from the elephant and started fighting on a horse with a great force; but the Afghans started shouting that Bhau had fallen, and when Maratha soldiers saw the elephant with missing Bhau on its top, they panicked. After the battle both their bodies were recovered and cremated according to Hindu rituals.

An interesting side of the war was the manner in which alliances were made or not made.

Marathas tried to take Nawab of Awadh as ally, since Marathas had protected the Nawab many times in the past. But Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah of Awadh ultimately chose to join the Afghans as their Muslim army was being called "Army of Islam". Rohillas were of course Afghans by race and hence joined Abdali. Abdali had come to India at invitation of Shah Waliullah of Delhi who had called for all Muslims support for him.

Rajputs did not join Marathas because they were angry at them for taxing them heavily and interfering in internal matters. Raja Suraj Mal, the Jat ruler of Bharatpur joined Maratha forces but left midway due to conflicts in opinions. Sikhs also did not support the Marathas because of their own regional aspirations. To some extent Marathas were over-confident; but there were reasons for that since their army was many times more than Afghans. But they depended on others for their food and supplies and this is where not having alliances hurt. It is interesting that Sikhs did not support Maratha forces against Abdali, when Abdali had made his forces attack the Golden Temple in the past. I think Sikhs and others, even if not supporting Maratha forces should have at least helped them with food and supplies. But there were reports that Marathas had decided to punish them after defeating the Afghans and hence they did not share mutual trust.

What happened to those who did not support Marathas during third battle of Panipat?

Sikhs: After winning the battle of Panipat against Marathas, Abdali turned to Sikhs again and resorted to a big holocaust where thousands of Sikhs were killed within 2 days (February 5 & 6, 1762). Abdali sacked Golden Temple, filled the sacred pond with slaughtered cows and soil. Sikhs had to rebuild and clean the water tank. Abdali was furious with Sikhs because whenever he invaded India and returned to Afghanistan, Sikhs attacked their caravan and looted money and freed prisoners. Sikh forces had also attacked and looted Abdali's forces when they were returning to Afghanistan after winning against Marathas!

Jat Raja Suraj Mal: He initially gained for not joining Marathas - as he gained immense power in the North after Abdali returned to Afghanistan. However he soon found himself amidst several conflicts and he himself was killed in battle against Najib-ud-Daula just in 1763.

Shuja-ud-Daulah, Nawab of Awadh: Later on he regretted joining Abdali as his Shia forces got into clashes with the orthodox Sunni Afghans. He is said to have sent secret letters to Peshwa repenting. His forces had played crucial role in cutting off Marathas' supply lines even when in the past Marathas had helped save his father from his Afghan enemies. He died in 1775.

Rohilla Afghans: After the war they gained many regions. But after death of Najib Khan in 1770, the Rohillas were defeated by the British.

Shah Waliullah, Islamic scholar of Delhi: He died in 1762; ironically only a year after the famous battle he called for.

It is said that if the Marathas did not lose this battle, the British won't have gained power in India so soon.

After losing the battle, Marathas witnessed a resurrection which is called 'Maratha Resurrection'. Within 10 years’ time, the Marathas returned to Delhi under leadership of Peshwa Madhavrao I in 1771 and restored their power in North India. This revenge was the ultimate climax in the events related to the third battle of Panipat.

- Rahul

Return Strong and Honest from Jail, Dear Salman!

Despite being a Salman Khan fan, I am happy that he would get punishment for his crime. So that his sins won't haunt him till his next births. I am also disappointed because I expected him to speak the truth in the court of law. But he tried to save himself, even throwing his driver to the gallows - which was like attempting another murder in full consciousness - when he knew that his driver Ashok Singh did not do the crime. Salman proved himself as just another rich celebrity trying to manipulate the system for personal gains.

This case has once again proved how corrupt and dishonest the members of the film industry are (a generalization). In fact this realization has been dawning upon me for some time and I don't feel proud anymore in promoting and being a proud fan of any actor (over reaction). It seems easy money, power and fame can make any good man into evil (philosophizing).

With Salman Khan going to jail, I also wonder how bad-days would come for so many models and pretty faces whom he regularly tries to rehabilitate into the film industry (sarcasm). When actresses do MBAs from good universities but then settle down to doing item-songs in Bollywood, it does not look right (selective higher-standards).

In the jail, Salman would meet the bad characters he sometimes played in his movies, and then he would see the true and complete meaning of "being human". Repent, dear Salman, repent; be good, remain strong and add more to your life apart from playing puppets on the screen for money.

I wish Salman Khan good health and calm during his upcoming stay in the jail. May you come back soon to tell us some good stories. May you live an honest life, happily ever after.

- Rahul

New Short Stories Collection: Mutthi Bhar Akshar

Happy to share with you that my short-stories are included in just published book 'मुट्ठी भर अक्षर'. 'Mutthi Bhar Akshar' is a Hindi Short-Stories collection of 30 writers. This is the first time my prose or stories are published. (Before this my Hindi poems were published in two books). Thanks to the publishers and editors for the opportunity. I am sure all writers combine to make this book a great read.

It is available at Infibeam.com: 

http://www.infibeam.com/Books/mutthi-bhar-akshar-hindi-vivek-kumar/9789384419141.html

Also at Flipkart: http://www.flipkart.com/item/9789384419141

  

​(Among pics on the back cover; I am in third row from top; third from left)

Book Launch coverage in media:

http://www.punjabnewsexpress.com/news/39821-book-of-short-stories-released-rekha-mohan-among-contributors.aspx

Also: http://epaper.punjabijagran.com/489204/Patiala/undefined#page/14/2

You can order the book here: (Only Rs 84 + shipping with discounts http://www.infibeam.com/offers/) 

http://www.infibeam.com/Books/mutthi-bhar-akshar-hindi-vivek-kumar/9789384419141.html

Or at Flipkart:

http://www.flipkart.com/item/9789384419141

- Rahul

History: About Armenian Genocide

Do you know about Armenian Genocide? It happened in present day Turkey. Ottoman Empire, whose official religion was Islam, systematically massacred Armenians in their homeland for years. Armenians were by and large Christians of different sects. How many were killed? 15 Lakh people! First able bodied males were killed and then old people, women and children were asked to march into the desert – so as to die and disappear. Mass killings started in 1915 and by 1923 virtually the entire Armenian population of Anatolian Turkey had disappeared!

You can read more about it on its Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Genocide. I present here only one portion of the brilliant compilation:

Describing Armenian Genocide, Rouben Paul Adalian writes the following in his comprehensive summary of the events at the website: http://www.armenian-genocide.org/genocide.html

“In April 1915 the Ottoman government embarked upon the systematic decimation of its civilian Armenian population. The persecutions continued with varying intensity until 1923 when the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist and was replaced by the Republic of Turkey. The Armenian population of the Ottoman state was reported at about two million in 1915. An estimated one million had perished by 1918, while hundreds of thousands had become homeless and stateless refugees. By 1923 virtually the entire Armenian population of Anatolian Turkey had disappeared.

The Ottoman Empire was ruled by the Turks who had conquered lands extending across West Asia, North Africa and Southeast Europe. The Ottoman government was centered in Istanbul (Constantinople) and was headed by a sultan who was vested with absolute power. The Turks practiced Islam and were a martial people. The Armenians, a Christian minority, lived as second class citizens subject to legal restrictions which denied them normal safeguards. Neither their lives nor their properties were guaranteed security. As non-Muslims they were also obligated to pay discriminatory taxes and denied participation in government. Scattered across the empire, the status of the Armenians was further complicated by the fact that the territory of historic Armenia was divided between the Ottomans and the Russians.

In all, it is estimated that up to a million and a half Armenians perished at the hands of Ottoman and Turkish military and paramilitary forces and through atrocities intentionally inflicted to eliminate the Armenian demographic presence in Turkey. In the process, the population of historic Armenia at the eastern extremity of Anatolia was wiped off the map. With their disappearance, an ancient people which had inhabited the Armenian highlands for three thousand years lost its historic homeland and was forced into exile and a new diaspora. The surviving refugees spread around the world and eventually settled in some two dozen countries on all continents of the globe. Triumphant in its total annihilation of the Armenians and relieved of any obligations to the victims and survivors, the Turkish Republic adopted a policy of dismissing the charge of genocide and denying that the deportations and atrocities had constituted part of a deliberate plan to exterminate the Armenians. When the Red Army sovietized what remained of Russian Armenia in 1920, the Armenians had been compressed into an area amounting to no more than ten percent of the territories of their historic homeland. Armenians annually commemorate the Genocide on April 24 at the site of memorials raised by the survivors in all their communities around the world.”

Learning about such events makes us interested in history. Why care about history, in particular about such disturbing parts? I think it is because if we don’t understand history, we risk the same getting repeated in the future…

Society: Origin of some Kashmiri Pandit Surnames

Do you know about the origin of Kashmiri Pandit Surname “Kaul” or “Koul”? It comes from one of Lord Shiva’s names – Mahakaal or Mahakoul. Kaul/Koul signifies – followers of Mahakaal/Mahakoul.

Author Saligram Bhatt writes in his book ‘Kashmiri Scholars Contribution to Knowledge and World Peace’:

Similarly the origin of Dhar surname is explained in the same book as below:

While searching for these surnames on the internet, I came across this wonderful blog of Ashok Koul where he explains origins behind so many Kashmiri Pandit surnames:

http://ashokkoul.blogspot.in/2011/11/history-of-differnt-castes-of-kashmiri.html

What we would notice is that often multiple explanations are provided; mostly because all such explanations are results of research based on historical and empirical evidences and sometimes multiple facts come close to the explanation. So many times there is no finally concluding answers but often the available answers appear convincing enough.

Great Empires of India

It is often said that the British united India and shaped it into a country. But when we look at many of the great empires of India across history, we realize that India had been in integrated form for a long duration of time. Of course there have been smaller kingdoms and many kings controlling smaller states but it was just a matter of time before those were integrated into the form of a great empire; which often consisted of regions like Afghanistan too!

Maurya Empire

Look at the below map. This was the size of Maurya Empire around 250 years Before Christ! 

The Capital of Maurya Empire was Pataliputra i.e. modern Patna in Bihar. The Maurya Empire was one of the largest empires of the world in its time.

Gupta Empire

Below is the map of Gupta Empire (गुप्त साम्राज्य); the period during which is called Golden Age in Indian History. It existed from 320 to 550 AD. 

The Capital of Gupta Empire was Pataliputra i.e. modern Patna in Bihar. Samudragupta is called "Napoleon of India" for his great conquests. He conquered what is now Kashmir and Afghanistan. He was a devout Hindu and worshiped Lord Vishnu. 

Btw, the Gupt Kings were not Kshatriyas by birth but were Vaishya/Bania - the same Gupta Surname which many of our friends have.

Maratha Empire

Below is the map of the Great Maratha Empire, around 1758; in orange shade. It ruled over most of Indian subcontinent in 18th and early 19th century before the British East India Company took over. 

Marathas even defeated Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Peshwa Madhavrao-I defeated Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan's father, twice in 1764 and 1767. In 1767 Peshwa Madhavrao defeated both Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan and entered Srirangapatna, the capital of Mysore. Hyder Ali accepted the authority of Madhavrao who gave him the title of Nawab of Mysore. Tipu Sultan used to pay Rupees 1.2 million every year to Marathas who in return recognized the rule of Tipu in Mysore region. 

After Marathas defeated Nizam of Hyderabad, the Nizam stopped being a force in North Indian politics and got confined to Hyderabad. Even Mughals used to pay tax to Marathas. 

Marathas controlled present day Pakistan, Bangladesh as well as bordering Nepal and Afghanistan.

*** 

These were some of the great empires of India. In terms of their sheer size, these have been mammoth, often one of the biggest at their time in this world. And then there have been so many other great kingdoms, which even though smaller in size, are still remembered and venerated for many good reasons. 

India has been a land of great people and great kings. A lot of people remember India only because of the spiritual light it provided to the world; and the religious tolerance Hindus practiced which was worth emulating all across the warring world. But even in terms of military might, India has not been without excellence. After all, it was India from which even the 'great' Alexander returned disappointed and empty handed! 

- Rahul Tiwary

Beautiful Orchha (Madhya Pradesh)

You must have seen this ad of 'Slice' (Pepsico's mango 'drink'; contains only 13% mango pulp) on TV; and did you notice some beautiful temples and buildings in the background? 

Wondered where these buildings are located at? This is at Orchha in Madhya Pradesh. The buildings in the above picture are beautiful Chhatris on the bank of Betwa River:

Orchha has a very old Chaturbhuj Temple where main deity is Lord Vishnu. Chaturbhuj Temple (Orchha) was constructed by the Bundela Rajputs of the Kingdom of Orchha. Its construction was started by Madhukar Shah Ju Dev (1554 to 1592) and completed by his son, Vir Singh Deo in the early 17th century: 

There is also a wonderful Lakshmi Temple at Orchha: 

Palace or Raj Mahal of Orchha itself is a huge attraction:

In below picture, Palace is seen along with Chaturbhuj Temple:

Orchha also has Ram Raja Temple. This is said to be the only temple where Lord Ram is worshiped as a King and that too in a palace. A Guard of Honour and Armed salutation is provided to Lord Ram every day. King Madhukar Shah Ju Dev brought the idol from Ayodhya.

Dahi Wale Kaka

Today I learnt two sentences in Marathi from our neighborhood kid.

A hawker selling curd visits our locality every morning (yes, we are still blessed with such old world charms) attracting his customers by shouting “Dahiiii…”. As he came visiting today, the kid went to his balcony (which is below one of our window’s) and called out, “दही वाले काका - थांबा! मम्मी आली!”. Now imagine if the kid had said the same thing in English. He would say, “Wait Curd Uncle (i.e. Uncle with curd), mom is coming!” Will it carry even an iota of the little kid’s cuteness and beauty?

Btw, we have seen this kid from his younger days – when he was so small that his grandma used to fill water in a wide-mouth bucket and keep him inside it to play and take bath! Before that, grandma would do massage (tel-malish) to him and he was too little even to speak. He is learning words and sentences, and sometimes he entertains his occasionally snooping neighbors like us without knowing.

Very soon, this little Govinda will be big enough to take a break with curd during “Dahi handi” festivals…

- Rahul Tiwary

Importance of Wearing Bindi

A 'bindi' or 'bindu' means drop or globule. In Indian/Hindu culture it is supposed to be a sacred symbol of the universe, depicted as a dot or the zero. Applied between the eyebrows, it is position of the sixth chakra, a place which is also the exit point of kundalini energy. Red bindu which women wear also symbolizes fire as per tantra. 

An author writes that while Muslim women in Pak/Bangladesh also wear bindi quite often it is comparatively rare in Indian Muslim women perhaps due to its religious significance. 

From health point of view, bindi is worn between the eyebrows where the pineal gland lies which is an important nerve center and applying sandalwood or ash keeps the nerves cool and conserves energy. But it helps in this aspect only if bindi is made of natural sources and not of plastic. 

The bindi also represents the third eye (of wisdom/enlightenment). The Nasadiya Sukta of the Rig Veda mentions the word vindu/bindu.

[Source: Books and online resources; Picture © Andre Susan]

How India Got Freedom at Midnight

All of us know that India got independence at midnight of 15 August 1947; but there are more interesting aspects to it.

The British Parliament had resolved to set India free on 15 August, which was the second anniversary of Japanese surrender leading to end of WW-II. But as per Indian astrologers, 15 August 1947 was an inauspicious (ashubh) day and a nation born on that day could face breaking-up and great hurdles. Astrologers said that 14th Aug'47 was auspicious but British were adamant about 15th Aug. (also because their authority had to be in Pakistan on 14th morning). So K.M. Panikkar, a historian and astrology expert finally came up with a solution - he suggested that the Constitution Assembly should meet and start the proceedings an hour before the midnight. Pt. Nehru's talk is mentioned as 14-15 August even in speech notes.

We know that as per Hindu Calendar, a date changes with sunrise and not at midnight and hence 00:00:00 of 15 August was actually 14 August by Hindu calendar! And it worked out well - a nation which Western experts claimed won't survive, continued to remain one and prospering...

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Thoughts