Saturday, January 16, 2010

Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda's famous call for action "Awake , arise  and stop not till the goal is reached" struck a chord with some friends and therefore this blog. I am carrying a very useful link where they can learn more about him and the famous Chicago Adress at the World Parliament of Religions in 1893.
Addresses at the Parliament of Religions - By Swami Vivekananda in 1893 at Chicago.
 

                         Response to The Welcome

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world. I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks also to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true.

I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.

I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, and which is every day repeated by millions of human beings:

As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which people take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita:

Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach them; all are struggling through paths which in the end lead to Me.

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.



TO KNOW MORE GO TO THIS LINK



Thursday, January 14, 2010

The one Pilgrimage that Hindu's and Muslims jointly take- Sabarimala


Lord Ayyappa


Situated on top of the Sabari Hills in the district of Pathanmthitta in Kerala, is the temple of Sabarimala  Shashta, who is also called Lord Ayyappa.

Legend has it that he was born to Lord Vishnu( when he took the form of Mohini) and to Lord Shiva. Whatever the accuracy of this story, it helped to heal the divide between the Shaivates and Vaishnavaites, with both sects coming together to worship the son of their respective Gods.  

The healing touch of Lord Ayyappa does not stop here. He is supposed to have defeated Vavar, a Moghul warlord, when he attacked the kingdom of Pandalam, but spared his life. Vavar, who recognized the divinity in Lord Ayyappa, is believed  to have become his lifelong friend and follower, even while retaining his Islamic faith. For this reason, one finds Muslims trekking the hills of Sabari, to meet with Vavar and seek his blessings. On the way, they pay homage to his friend and chief, Lord Ayyappa too. This is one pilgrimage where Muslims and Hindus have participated together in a spirit of camaraderie and devotion. The ritual of "petta thulal" which happens at the town of Erumeli near Sabarimala where a shrine for Ayyappa and a mosque for Vavar are situated side by side, is an inspiring example of secularism and cultural confluence. Hindu pilgrims do a traditional war dance and pray at the Vavar mosque and the Ayyappa shrine at Erumeli before continuing the journey to the Sabari Hills. It is believed that this is to commemorate the killing of Mahishi the asura by Ayyappa and in reverence to the many battles that Vavar won for Ayyappa as his chieftain and follower.
Ayyappa was a bachelor and never married. For this reason, females who have attained puberty, are never allowed anywhere near the temple or the hills. It is believed that "Mallikapurathamma" who wanted to marry Lord Ayyapa, chose to stay in a nearby hillock close to him and therefore, girls who have not attained puberty, are allowed to visit her shrine.

Like most incarnations, Ayyappa slayed demons and evildoers. He was ill treated by his step mother who once sent him to get tiger's milk, claiming to need it as a medicine . Legend has it that he came back riding a tiger and embarrassed the scheming lady, who was also the Queen of Pandalam. Ayyappa gave up worldly life while young and retired to the Sabari Hills. He granted his father, the King of Pandalam, his  wish, that he would  welcome his subjects to Sabrimala once a year. So every Makara Snkranti, there is a pilgrimage to Sabarimala from the Palace of Pandalam with the Thiruvabharanam.

Social practice is that, for 40 days prior to the pilgrimage, men stay away from women, practice abstinence, eat satwic food, wear black, grow their hair  and finally leave after the 40th day, to the Sabari hills in groups. Anthropologists say that this has helped cultivation of the winter crop, since the cold weather could have kept men indoors and sexual activity could have caused detumescence, causing lack of energy for the work on hand. The pilgrimage which is arduous and by foot, through forests, builds an “espirit de corps” that is good for the community. The tiger was Lord Ayyappa’s pet and therefore wild animals are never hunted, but turned away with chants of “Swamiye Sharanamaiyyappa”. Pilgrims have spotted elephants on their way and have always turned it away with their chants and loud singing.

There are eighteen steps to climb, (pathinettam padi), once the temple is reached and once on these steps, the devotees take out coconuts filled with ghee, from the thirumudi kettu ( black cloth bag kept on the head) and smash it on the steps as an offering.

On the day of the Makar Sankranti, the belief is that a divine eagle flies over the temple and goes to the hills, where a bright glow (makara jyoti) is seen. Once this is spotted, the pilgrimage is over.

Over the years, the number of devotees have increased manifold and has brought infrastructural issues. The river Pamba where the devotees take a dip before the climb, has almost run dry and is polluted. However the sense of devotion has not been polluted and many, including the likes of Vijay Mallya, Vivek Oberoi etc are regular devotees, while the Big B is known to have made the pilgrimage when his stars were troubling him. The same goes for politicians of many hues, who sometimes land up after a few days of abstinence, since the full forty days of abstinence is not possibly within their scope of activities :).




Harivarasanam..



The songs above  were  popular Bhajans sung by Yesudas, a practicing Catholic who visits the Sabarimala shrine and prays after following the 40 day abstinence. One more example of how religion can sometimes unite rather than divide. Similar examples include, the Velankanni Matha church, where Hindu's pray and light candles, the Saibaba abode at Shirdi, the Golden Temple where Hindus too pray alngwith their Sikh brethren. The Sufi cult with its evolved beliefs has brought Hindu's closer to Islam and resulted in the Dargah at Ajmer and many others  where Hindus too  pay obeisance to the Almighty.

As Kabir says:

Jab Mein Tha Tab Hari Nahin‚ Jab Hari Hai Mein Nahin

Sab Andhiyara Mit Gaya‚ Jab Deepak Dekhya Mahin


When I was there, Hari (God) was  not, When Hari was there, I was not,

When the truth within was seen , Then the darkness was not !





Wednesday, January 13, 2010

ANTI RAGGING CAMPAIGN- JAIL GRADUATE




 Related links

ANTI-RAGGING CAMPAIGN - SOFT TARGETS

Copy and Art: Vinod Natesan


 Related link

http://mayanmuse.blogspot.com/2010/01/anti-ragging-campaign-medical-colleges.html

ANTI RAGGING CAMPAIGN- MEDICAL COLLEGES


It is the Hippocrates Oath, not the Hypocrites Oath.
click on visual to enlarge

Great Advertising for Respir Activ- Anti-Snoring Tablets.

ABSOLUT VODKA ADVERTISING

 KATE BECKINSALE FOR ABSOLUT VODKA: 2010 JANUARY

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/03/kate-beckinsale-zooey-des_n_378895.html

Sunday, January 10, 2010

The Colorful mystery of Facebook Status Updates.

 If men are wondering why women friends are indicating colors on their facebook updates, this is the reason for it. It is the color of their bra and is apparently to show solidarity to victims of breast cancer. So the males in the network, who yielded to the aping instinct and typed the color they liked, simply to be seen as trendy and hip and part of the most voluble group, well, :) you are in for a lot of attention. LOL.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/08/AR2010010803693_2.html?hpid=topnews

A critique of this trend is also attached and is worth reading:

http://macvaysia.com/2010/01/09/this-is-really-nuts/