Saturday, September 30, 2017

Five temples in India where Ravana is worshipped

Five temples in India where Ravana is worshipped

Millions of Indians mark the festival of Dusshera festival as the symbol of victory of good over evil and celebrate by burning the ‘demon king’ Ravana’s effigy. Dusshera is regarded as the day when Lord Ram defeated Ravana and rescued his abducted wife, Sita.
Apart from Ravana, the gigantic effigies of his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnath are also burnt.
However some people in some parts of the country will instead be thronging to temples dedicated to the king in order to pay their tributes. These worshipers believe Ravana to be a learned scholar and a devotee of Shiva.
Ravana is also worshipped in parts of countries like Sri Lanka and Bali (Indonesia).
Here are five temples dedicated to Ravana where his worshipers gather to worship him:

1: Ravana Mandir, Bisrakh, (Greater Noida, UP)

Bisrakh is believed to be the birthplace of Ravana and a temple is dedicated to the Lankan King there. This temple is one of the most well known and most famous Ravana temples in India.
Ravana is worshipped as God in this region and Dusshera is not celebrated here by burning Ravana effigies. There are many havans held during Navratri to pay respects and homage to Ravana.
The temple contains a 42 feet Shiva Linga and a 5.5 feet statue of Ravana.

2: Dashanan Temple, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) 

The 125-year-old Dashanan Mandir in Shivala area of Kanpur was reportedly constructed in 1890 and  temple opens its door for devotees annually only on Dussehra.
On the occasion of Dussehra, the idol of ‘Dashanan’ (Ravana – or the one with ten heads) is decorated following ‘aarti’ by the devotees.
Ravana is worshipped as a God in the temple and not like a demon that he is believed to be.

3: Kakinada Ravana temple, Andhra Pradesh

The Ravana temple in Kakinada region of Andhra Pradesh is built on a site believed to have been chosen by Ravana himself.
The sight has a gigantic Shivling mural, evidence of Ravana’s admiration for Lord Shiva.
The magnificent and beautiful Kakinada temple is the only place in Andhra Pradesh where Ravana is worshipped.

4: Ravangram Ravana Temple, Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh)


Vidisha is one of the most famous Ravana temples. There is even a village in Vidisha named Ravangram after king Ravana!
Vidisha has a number of Ravana worshipers who visit the temple to worship him. The temple has a 10-foot-long statue of the Lankan King.
Recently, Ravana worshiping has taken grand shape during Dussehra.

5: Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh)

Another of Ravana’s temples in Madhya Pradesh, this temple is said to be important as Ravana and Mandodari are said to have wedded here.
The temple is an elaborate structure. Along with Ravana, there are also other female deities who are present inside the temple and are worshipped.
Texts in the script from Harappan civilisation are found next to the deities, indicating that the temple is extremely old.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

About Mata Vaishno Devi Ji

About Mata Vaishno Devi Ji

As per the legend, during the period when the Goddess was busy in annihiliting the Asuras, Her three main manifestations viz. Mata Maha Kali, Mata Maha Lakshmi and Mata Maha Saraswati got together one day and pooled their collective Tejas or spiritual strength. A stunningly bright light emanated from the place where the Tejas of the three manifestations coalesced and a beautiful young girl emerged out of this Tejas. The young girl asked them, "Why have I been created?'' The Devis explained to her that they had created her so that she would live on earth and spend her time in upholding righteousness.

The Devis added, "Now, go and take birth in the house of Ratankar and his wife who reside in the southern part of India, and who are great devotees of ours. Live on earth. Uphold righteousness and evolve yourself spiritually so that you reach higher levels of consciousness. Once you have attained the appropriate level of consciousness you will merge into Vishnu and become one with him.'' So saying they blessed the girl. Sometimes later a very beautiful girl child was born to Ratankar and his wife. The couple named the child Vaishnavi. The girl right from her childhood displayed a hunger for knowledge which was like a vortex and which no amount of teaching and learning could sufficiently satiate. Subsequently, Vaishnavi started looking into her inner self for knowledge, and soon learned the art of meditation and realized that meditation and penance only could bring her close to her greater objective. Vaishnavi thus relinquished all household comforts and went deep into the forest for Tapasaya (meditation). Meanwhile, Lord Rama, during his fourteen years of exile happened to visit Vaishnavi who recognized him immediately as no ordinary being but the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and immediately asked him to merge her into himself so that she could become one with the supreme creator.

However Lord Rama, knowing that it was not the appropriate time, dissuaded her by saying that he would visit her again after the end of his exile, and at that time if she succeeded in recognizing him, he would fulfill her wish. True to his words, Rama visited her again after being victorious in the battle, but this time he did so in the disguise of an old man. Unfortunately, Vaishnavi was unable to recognize him this time and was distraught. Upon this, Lord Rama consoled her that the appropriate time for her being one with the creator had not come, and that time would come eventually in 'Kaliyug' when He (Rama) would be in his incarnation of 'Kalki'. Rama also directed her to meditate, and set up an Ashram at the base of Trikuta hills, to elevate her level of spirituality so as to bless mankind and rid the poor and destitute of their sufferings.Only then would 'Vishnu' merge her into himself. Vaishnavi, immediately set off for the northern part and after immense hardships, reached the foot of the Trikuta Hills. After reaching there she set up her ashram there and began to meditate.

As predicted by Lord Rama, her glory spread far and wide, and people began to flock to her Ashram to seek her blessings. As the time passed, Mahayogi Guru Gorakshnath ( who made lord Rama free from the sin of brahma-hatya which he acquired by killing Ravana) came to make words of lord Rama true for vaishnavi. Meanwhile a staunch devotee of Vaishnavi Mata, Sridhar organised a Bhandara (Community meal) in which the whole village and MahaYogi Guru Goraksh Nath ji along with all his followers including Bhairavnath were invited. Mahayogi Guru Gorakshnath accepted Shridhar's invitation, which surprised bhairavnath. Bhairavnath decided to find out the secret of the bhandara, as he knew no worldy man can feed Mahayogi Guru Gorakshnath and his followers including him. Bhairavnath also wanted to know why his master Mahayogi Guru Gorakshnath accepted the invitation. So, Bhairavnath decided to find out all this on his own. BhairavNath on locating the ashram started observing Vaishnavi secretly, and realised that though a 'Sadhvi' she always carried bow and arrows with her, and was always surrounded by langoors (apes) and a ferocious looking lion. Bhairon Nath was enamored by Vaishnavi's extraordinary beauty, and losing all good sense he began to pester Vaishnavi to marry him. Mahayogi Guru Gorakshnath went to bhandara with his 300 disciples including Bhairavnath. During the course of Bhandara BhairavNath attempted to grab Vaishnavi but she tried her best to daunt him. On failing to do so, Vaishnavi decided to flee away into the mountains to continue her Tapasaya undisturbed. Bhairon Nath however chased her to her destination.r best to daunt him. On failing to do so, Vaishnavi decided to flee away into the mountains to continue her Tapasaya undisturbed. Bhairon Nath however chased her to her destination.

The goddess after halting at (present day) Banganga, Charan Paduka, and Adhkwari, finally reached the holy cave Shrine. When Bhairon Nath continued to follow her despite the goddess trying to avoid a confrontation, the goddess was compelled to kill him. Bhairon Nath met his ultimate fate when the goddess, just outside the mouth of the cave, beheaded him. The severed head of Bhairon fell with a force at a distant hilltop. Bhairon Nath upon death realised the futility of his mission and prayed to the deity to forgive him. The almighty Mata ( Mother Goddess) had mercy on Bhairon and gave him a boon that every devotee of the goddess would have to have the Darshans of Bhairon after having the Darshans of the Goddess and only then would the yatra of a devotee be complete. Meanwhile, Vaishnavi decided to shed off her human form and assuming the face of a rock she immersed her self into meditation forever. Thus Vaishnavi, in the form of a five and a half feet tall rock with three heads or the Pindies on the top is the ultimate destination of a devotee. These Pindies constitute the Sanctum Sanctorum of the holy cave known as the shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji, which is revered by one and all.

The Story of Pandit Sridhar

Amongst the many legends associated with the Shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, is that of Lord Rama's encounter with Vaishnavi during the period of his exile when he (Lord Rama) directed the Goddess towards the holy cave situated in Trikoot Parbat. There are other legends too, like that of the Pandavas, who are said to have visited the holy abode and are also believed to have built a temple here. Prahalad, the legendary son of the atheist king Hirankashayap, is also believed to have undertaken a pilgrimage to the holy shrine. However, the most popular and well known legend is that of Sridhar Brahmin who used to live in village Hansali situated at the foot of Trikoot Parbat, adjacent to modern day Katra Town.

Shridhar was a staunch devotee of Shakti. Even though he was a very poor man, with the inspiration and assurance from Goddess Vaishanavi who appeared one day in his dream in Kanayaroop, Sridhar undertook the organizing of a grand Bhandara. An auspicious date for the Bhandhara was selected and Shridhar invited all the people living in nearby villages to the Bhandara. Thereafter, Sridhar went from door to door requesting his neighbours and acquaintances to give him raw provisions which could be cooked and served to the guests on the day of Bhandara. Though a few of them obliged but many others turned down his request. They in fact taunted him for having the audacity to hold a Bhandara without having the wherewithal for organizing. As the day of Bhandara drew nearer, Shridhar's worries about feeding the guests invited for Bhandhara also increased.

On the night preceding the day of Bhandara, Shridhar could not sleep a wink. He had spent the entire night grappling with the problem of how to feed his guests with the limited provisions and to accommodate them in the inadequate space that he had. When he was unable to come up with a satisfactory solution to his problems till morning, he resigned himself to fate and got up to face the day. He sat down for puja outside his hut. By midday, his guests started arriving. Finding him deeply involved in puja, they began to make themselves comfortable wherever they could find place. Strangely enough, a very large number of guests were able to comfortably have their space inside Sridhar's small hut and still a lot of space was unutilized. When the puja was over, Shridhar looked around and saw huge number of guests who had arrived. While he was wondering how to tell his guests that he would not be able feed them, he saw Vaishnavi coming out of his hut. With the grace of Goddess Vaishanvi, all guests were offered food of their own choice and the Bhandhara turned out to be very successful despite some problems raised by Bhairon, a disciple of Guru Gorakhnath who too was invited in the Bhandhara.

After the Bhandhara, Sridhar was curious to get to the bottom of the mystery shrouding the magical powers of Vaishanavi. He began asking young Vaishnavi for an explanation for the mysterious developments of the day. He called out to her but the Vaishanavi was not there to reply. He called out again and again but with the same result. Vaishnavi was no where to be seen. A feeling of emptiness engulfed Sridhar. Then one day, he had a dream of the same girl who told him that she was Vaishno Devi. The Goddess showed him the vision of her cave and also blessed him with the boon of four sons. Sridhar, happy once again, set out in search of the cave, and after finding it he decided to spend rest of his life in worship of the deity. Soon fame of the holy cave spread, and the devotees began to flock it to pay their homage to the mighty Goddess.

माता वैष्णो देवी की अमर कथा (Mata Vaishno Devi Hindi Story)


Mata Vaishno devi story in Hindi : वैष्णो देवी उत्तरी भारत के सबसे पूजनीय और पवित्र स्थलों में से एक है। यह मंदिर पहाड़ पर स्थित होने के कारण अपनी भव्यता व सुंदरता के कारण भी प्रसिद्ध है। वैष्णो देवी भी ऐसे ही स्थानों में एक है जिसे माता का निवास स्थान माना जाता है। मंदिर, 5,200 फीट की ऊंचाई और कटरा से लगभग 14 किलोमीटर की दूरी पर स्थित है। हर साल लाखों तीर्थ यात्री मंदिर के दर्शन करते हैं।यह भारत में तिरुमला वेंकटेश्वर मंदिर के बाद दूसरा सर्वाधिक देखा जाने वाला धार्मिक तीर्थस्थल है। वैसे तो माता वैष्णो देवी के सम्बन्ध में कई पौराणिक कथाएं प्रचलित हैं लेकिन मुख्य 2 कथाएँ अधिक प्रचलित हैं।
Mata Vaishno devi ki kahani
माता वैष्णो देवी की प्रथम कथा
मान्यतानुसार एक बार पहाड़ों वाली माता ने अपने एक परम भक्तपंडित श्रीधर की भक्ति से प्रसन्न होकर उसकी लाज बचाई और पूरे सृष्टि को अपने अस्तित्व का प्रमाण दिया। वर्तमान कटरा कस्बे से 2 कि.मी. की दूरी पर स्थित हंसाली गांव में मां वैष्णवी के परम भक्त श्रीधर रहते थे। वह नि:संतान होने से दु:खी रहते थे। एक दिन उन्होंने नवरात्रि पूजन के लिए कुँवारी कन्याओं को बुलवाया। माँ वैष्णो कन्या वेश में उन्हीं के बीच आ बैठीं। पूजन के बाद सभी कन्याएं तो चली गई पर माँ वैष्णो देवी वहीं रहीं और श्रीधर से बोलीं- ‘सबको अपने घर भंडारे का निमंत्रण दे आओ।’ श्रीधर ने उस दिव्य कन्या की बात मान ली और आस – पास के गाँवों में भंडारे का संदेश पहुँचा दिया। वहाँ से लौटकर आते समय गुरु गोरखनाथ व उनके शिष्य बाबा भैरवनाथ जी के साथ उनके दूसरे शिष्यों को भी भोजन का निमंत्रण दिया। भोजन का निमंत्रण पाकर सभी गांववासी अचंभित थे कि वह कौन सी कन्या है जो इतने सारे लोगों को भोजन करवाना चाहती है? इसके बाद श्रीधर के घर में अनेक गांववासी आकर भोजन के लिए एकत्रित हुए। तब कन्या रुपी माँ वैष्णो देवी ने एक विचित्र पात्र से सभी को भोजन परोसना शुरू किया।
भोजन परोसते हुए जब वह कन्या भैरवनाथ के पास गई। तब उसने कहा कि मैं तो खीर – पूड़ी की जगह मांस भक्षण और मदिरापान करुंगा। तब कन्या रुपी माँ ने उसे समझाया कि यह ब्राह्मण के यहां का भोजन है, इसमें मांसाहार नहीं किया जाता। किंतु भैरवनाथ ने जान – बुझकर अपनी बात पर अड़ा रहा। जब भैरवनाथ ने उस कन्या को पकडऩा चाहा, तब माँ ने उसके कपट को जान लिया। माँ ने वायु रूप में बदलकरत्रिकूट पर्वत की ओर उड़ चली। भैरवनाथ भी उनके पीछे गया। माना जाता है कि माँ की रक्षा के लिए पवनपुत्र हनुमान भी थे। मान्यता के अनुसार उस वक़्त भी हनुमानजी माता की रक्षा के लिए उनके साथ ही थे। हनुमानजी को प्यास लगने पर माता ने उनके आग्रह पर धनुष से पहाड़ पर बाण चलाकर एक जलधारा निकाला और उस जल में अपने केश धोए। आज यह पवित्र जलधारा बाणगंगा के नाम से जानी जाती है, जिसके पवित्र जल का पान करने या इससे स्नान करने से श्रद्धालुओं की सारी थकावट और तकलीफें दूर हो जाती हैं।
इस दौरान माता ने एक गुफा में प्रवेश कर नौ माह तक तपस्या की। भैरवनाथ भी उनके पीछे वहां तक आ गया। तब एक साधु ने भैरवनाथ से कहा कि तू जिसे एक कन्या समझ रहा है, वह आदिशक्ति जगदम्बा है। इसलिए उस महाशक्ति का पीछा छोड़ दे। भैरवनाथ साधु की बात नहीं मानी। तब माता गुफा की दूसरी ओर से मार्ग बनाकर बाहर निकल गईं। यह गुफा आज भी अर्धकुमारी या आदिकुमारी या गर्भजून के नाम से प्रसिद्ध है। अर्धक्वाँरी के पहले माता की चरण पादुका भी है। यह वह स्थान है, जहाँ माता ने भागते – भागते मुड़कर भैरवनाथ को देखा था। गुफा से बाहर निकल कर कन्या ने देवी का रूप धारण किया। माता ने भैरवनाथ को चेताया और वापस जाने को कहा। फिर भी वह नहीं माना। माता गुफा के भीतर चली गई। तब माता की रक्षा के लिए हनुमानजी ने गुफा के बाहर भैरव से युद्ध किया।
भैरव ने फिर भी हार नहीं मानी जब वीर हनुमान निढाल होने लगे, तब माता वैष्णवी ने महाकाली का रूप लेकर भैरवनाथ का संहार कर दिया। भैरवनाथ का सिर कटकर भवन से 8 किमी दूर त्रिकूट पर्वत की भैरव घाटी में गिरा। उस स्थान को भैरोनाथ के मंदिर के नाम से जाना जाता है। जिस स्थान पर माँ वैष्णो देवी ने हठी भैरवनाथ का वध किया, वह स्थान पवित्र गुफा’ अथवा ‘भवन के नाम से प्रसिद्ध है। इसी स्थान पर माँ काली (दाएँ), माँ सरस्वती (मध्य) और माँ लक्ष्मी (बाएँ) पिंडी के रूप में गुफा में विराजित हैं। इन तीनों के सम्मिलत रूप को ही माँ वैष्णो देवी का रूप कहा जाता है। इन तीन भव्य पिण्डियों के साथ कुछ श्रद्धालु भक्तों एव जम्मू कश्मीर के भूतपूर्व नरेशों द्वारा स्थापित मूर्तियाँ एवं यन्त्र इत्यादी है। कहा जाता है कि अपने वध के बाद भैरवनाथ को अपनी भूल का पश्चाताप हुआ और उसने माँ से क्षमादान की भीख माँगी।
माता वैष्णो देवी जानती थीं कि उन पर हमला करने के पीछे भैरव की प्रमुख मंशा मोक्ष प्राप्त करने की थी, उन्होंने न केवल भैरव को पुनर्जन्म के चक्र से मुक्ति प्रदान की, बल्कि उसे वरदान देते हुए कहा कि मेरे दर्शन तब तक पूरे नहीं माने जाएँगे, जब तक कोई भक्त मेरे बाद तुम्हारे दर्शन नहीं करेगा। उसी मान्यता के अनुसार आज भी भक्त माता वैष्णो देवी के दर्शन करने के बाद 8 किलोमीटर की खड़ी चढ़ाई चढ़कर भैरवनाथ के दर्शन करने को जाते हैं। इस बीच वैष्णो देवी ने तीन पिंड (सिर) सहित एक चट्टान का आकार ग्रहण किया और सदा के लिए ध्यानमग्न हो गईं। इस बीच पंडित श्रीधर अधीर हो गए। वे त्रिकुटा पर्वत की ओर उसी रास्ते आगे बढ़े, जो उन्होंने सपने में देखा था, अंततः वे गुफ़ा के द्वार पर पहुंचे, उन्होंने कई विधियों से ‘पिंडों’ की पूजा को अपनी दिनचर्या बना ली, देवी उनकी पूजा से प्रसन्न हुईं, वे उनके सामने प्रकट हुईं और उन्हें आशीर्वाद दिया। तब से, श्रीधर और उनके वंशज देवी मां वैष्णो देवी की पूजा करते आ रहे हैं।
Mata Vaishno devi story & history in Hindi
माता वैष्णो देवी की अन्य कथा
हिन्दू पौराणिक मान्यताओं में जगत में धर्म की हानि होने और अधर्म की शक्तियों के बढऩे पर आदिशक्ति के सत, रज और तम तीन रूप महासरस्वती, महालक्ष्मी और महादुर्गा ने अपनी सामूहिक बल से धर्म की रक्षा के लिए एक कन्या प्रकट की। यह कन्या त्रेतायुग में भारत के दक्षिणी समुद्री तट रामेश्वर में पण्डित रत्नाकर की पुत्री के रूप में अवतरित हुई। कई सालों से संतानहीन रत्नाकर ने बच्ची को त्रिकुता नाम दिया, परन्तु भगवान विष्णु के अंश रूप में प्रकट होने के कारण वैष्णवी नाम से विख्यात हुई। लगभग 9 वर्ष की होने पर उस कन्या को जब यह मालूम हुआ है भगवान विष्णु ने भी इस भू-लोक में भगवान श्रीराम के रूप में अवतार लिया है। तब वह भगवान श्रीराम को पति मानकर उनको पाने के लिए कठोर तप करने लगी।
जब श्रीराम सीता हरण के बाद सीता की खोज करते हुए रामेश्वर पहुंचे। तब समुद्र तट पर ध्यानमग्र कन्या को देखा। उस कन्या ने भगवान श्रीराम से उसे पत्नी के रूप में स्वीकार करने को कहा। भगवान श्रीराम ने उस कन्या से कहा कि उन्होंने इस जन्म में सीता से विवाह कर एक पत्नीव्रत का प्रण लिया है। किंतुकलियुग में मैं कल्कि अवतार लूंगा और तुम्हें अपनी पत्नी रूप में स्वीकार करुंगा। उस समय तक तुम हिमालय स्थित त्रिकूट पर्वत की श्रेणी में जाकर तप करो और भक्तों के कष्ट और दु:खों का नाश कर जगत कल्याण करती रहो। जब श्री राम ने रावण के विरुद्ध विजय प्राप्त किया तब मां ने नवरात्रमनाने का निर्णय लिया। इसलिए उक्त संदर्भ में लोग, नवरात्र के 9 दिनों की अवधि में रामायण का पाठ करते हैं। श्री राम ने वचन दिया था कि समस्त संसार द्वारा मां वैष्णो देवी की स्तुति गाई जाएगी, त्रिकुटा, वैष्णो देवी के रूप में प्रसिद्ध होंगी और सदा के लिए अमर हो जाएंगी।

Monday, September 25, 2017

Deendayal Upadhyaya


Deendayal Upadhyaya
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay (25 September 1916 – 11 February 1968) was an Indian politician. He was one of the most important leaders of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the present day Bharatiya Janata Party.
He was born in 1916 in the village Chandrabhan, now called Deendayal Dham, near the Farah town in Mathura District, 26 km away from Mathura. His father, Bhagwati Prasad, was a well-known astrologer and his mother Shrimati Rampyari was a religious-minded lady. Both his parents died when he was eight years old and he was brought up by his maternal uncle. He excelled academically under the guardianship of his maternal uncle and aunt. He went to high school in Pilani ,Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan where he matriculated. He stood first in the board exam, obtaining a Gold Medal from Maharaja Kalyan Singh of Sikar, along with a monthly scholarship of 10 rupees and an additional 250 rupees towards his books. He did Intermediate at the Birla College in Pilani, the predecessor of the present Birla Institute of Technology and Science. He did his B. A. at the Sanatan Dharma College, Kanpur in 1939 and graduated in the first division. He joined St. John's College, Agra to pursue a master's degree in English literature and got a gold medal. His maternal uncle persuaded him to appear for the Provincial Services Exam, where he got selected but declined to join the Services on account of his political ambitions. He obtained a B.Ed and M.Ed degrees at Prayag and entered public service.
RSS and Jana Sangh
While he was a student at Sanatan Dharma College, Kanpur in 1937, he came into contact with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) through his classmate Baluji Mahashabde. He met the founder of the RSS, K. B. Hedgewar, who engaged with him in an intellectual discussion at one of the shakhas. Sunder Singh Bhandari was also one of his classmates at Kanpur. He dedicated himself to full-time work in the RSS from 1942. He had attended the 40-day summer vacation RSS camp at Nagpur where he underwent training in Sangh Education. After completing second-year training in the RSS Education Wing, Upadhyaya became a lifelong pracharak of the RSS. He worked as the pracharak for the Lakhimpur district and, from 1955, as the joint prant pracharak (regional organiser) for Uttar Pradesh. He was regarded as an ideal swayamsevak of the RSS essentially because ‘his discourse reflected the pure thought-current of the Sangh’.
He started a monthly Rashtra Dharma from Lucknow in the 1940s. The publication was meant for spreading the ideology of Hindutva nationalism. He did not have his name printed as editor in any of the issues of this publication. Later he started a weekly Panchjanya and a daily Swadesh
In 1951, when Syama Prasad Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Deendayal was seconded to the party by the RSS, tasked with moulding it into a genuine member of the Sangh Parivar. He was appointed as General Secretary of its Uttar Pradesh branch, and later the all-India General Secretary. After Mookerjee's death in 1953, the entire burden of nurturing the orphaned organisation and building it up as a nationwide movement fell on Deendayal. For 15 years, he remained the outfit's general secretary. He also contested for Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, but failed to attract significant political traction and did not get elected.
Main article: Integral humanism (India)
Upadhyaya conceived the political philosophy Integral Humanism. The philosophy of Integral Humanism advocates the simultaneous and integrated program of the body, mind and intellect and soul of each human being. His philosophy of Integral Humanism, which is a synthesis of the material and the spiritual, the individual and the collective, bears eloquent testimony to this. He visualised for India a decentralised polity and self-reliant economy with the village as the base.
Deendayal Upadhyaya was convinced that India as an independent nation could not rely upon Western concepts like individualism, democracy, socialism, communism or capitalism and was of the view that the Indian polity after Independence has been raised upon these superficial Western foundations and not rooted in the traditions of India's ancient culture. He was of the view that the Indian intellect was getting suffocated by Western theories, which left a "roadblock" to the growth and expansion of original Bharatiya (Sanskrit: "of Bharat" [India]) thought. Upadhyay was compelled to answer what he felt was the urgent need in India for a "fresh breeze".
He welcomed modern technology but wanted it to be adapted to suit Indian requirements. He believed in Swaraj ("Self-governance"). He died under unexpected circumstances and was found dead on 11 February 1968 at Mughal Sarai railway yard. Upadhyaya edited Panchjanya (Weekly) and Swadesh (Daily) from Lucknow. In Hindi, he has written a drama Chandragupta Maurya, and later wrote a biography of Shankaracharya. He translated a Marathi biography of Hedgewar, the founder of RSS.
He won awards and scholarships from the Maharaja of Sikar and industrialist Ghanashyam Das Birla. Turning down all offers of government and private sector employment, he joined the RSS. He kept company with Nanaji Deshmukh and Sundar Singh Bhandari, RSS pracharaks who went on to play a critical role in anti-Congress politics in the 1960s and 70s. Rising rapidly through the RSS ranks, he started a series of publications including its current mouthpiece, Panchjanya, and started another when this was banned. When that too, was suppressed, he launched a third one. He served as its compositor, machine man and dispatcher and never missed an issue.
In a recent lecture, K. N. Govindacharya, who parted ways with the BJP, recalls how Upadhyaya expelled seven of the nine Jan Sangh MLAs in Rajasthan for opposing the Zamindari Abolition Act. He outlined his philosophy for governance to some 500 party workers in 1964 and presented an expanded version at its plenary session in 1965. The final version was delivered in the form of four lectures in Bombay, titled “Integral Humanism”. According to BJP veteran LK Advani, the title was chosen to contrast it with the thesis of ‘Radical Humanism’ put forward by MN Roy, the former Communist leader.
Integral Humanism was adopted by the BJS as its official doctrine and subsequently passed on to the BJP.
The Deen Dayal Research Institute deals with queries on Upadhyaya and his works.
Death
He died on 11 February 1968 at Mughalsarai in UP, while travelling in a train under mysterious circumstances.There are many conspiracy theories about Upadhyaya’s death: Balraj Madhok, another of Jan Sangh’s founding members, has said categorically on many occasions that Upadhyaya’s death was a murder, not an accident


दीनदयाल उपाध्याय

दीनदयाल उपाध्याय
पण्डित दीनदयाल उपाध्याय ( जन्म: २५ सितम्बर १९१६–११ फ़रवरी १९६८) महान चिन्तक और संगठनकर्ता थे। वे भारतीय जनसंघ के अध्यक्ष भी रहे। उन्होंने भारत की सनातन विचारधारा को युगानुकूल रूप में प्रस्तुत करते हुए देश को एकात्म मानववाद जैसी प्रगतिशील विचारधारा दी।
उपाध्यायजी नितान्त सरल और सौम्य स्वभाव के व्यक्ति थे। राजनीति के अतिरिक्त साहित्य में भी उनकी गहरी अभिरुचि थी। उनके हिंदी और अंग्रेजी के लेख विभिन्न पत्र-पत्रिकाओं में प्रकाशित होते रहते थे। केवल एक बैठक में ही उन्होंने चन्द्रगुप्त नाटक लिख डाला था।
संक्षिप्त जीवनी
दीनदयाल उपाध्याय का जन्म २५ सितम्बर १९१६ को मथुरा जिले में हुआ था। इनके पिता का नाम भगवती प्रसाद उपाध्याय था। माता रामप्यारी धार्मिक वृत्ति की थीं।
रेल की नौकरी होने के कारण उनके पिता का अधिक समय बाहर ही बीतता था। कभी-कभी छुट्टी मिलने पर ही घर आते थे। थोड़े समय बाद ही दीनदयाल के भाई ने जन्म लिया जिसका नाम शिवदयाल रखा गया। पिता भगवती प्रसाद ने बच्चों को ननिहाल भेज दिया। उस समय उनके नाना चुन्नीलाल शुक्ल धनकिया में स्टेशन मास्टर थे। मामा का परिवार बहुत बड़ा था। दीनदयाल अपने ममेरे भाइयों के साथ खाते खेलते बड़े हुए।
३ वर्ष की मासूम उम्र में दीनदयाल पिता के प्यार से वंचित हो गये। पति की मृत्यु से माँ रामप्यारी को अपना जीवन अंधकारमय लगने लगा। वे अत्यधिक बीमार रहने लगीं। उन्हें क्षय रोग लग गया। ८ अगस्त १९२४ को रामप्यारी बच्चों को अकेला छोड़ ईश्वर को प्यारी हो गयीं। ७ वर्ष की कोमल अवस्था में दीनदयाल माता-पिता के प्यार से वंचित हो गये।
उपाध्याय जी ने पिलानी, आगरा तथा प्रयाग में शिक्षा प्राप्त की। बी०.एससी० बी०टी० करने के बाद भी उन्होंने नौकरी नहीं की। छात्र जीवन से ही वे राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ के सक्रिय कार्यकर्ता हो गये थे। अत: कालेज छोड़ने के तुरन्त बाद वे उक्त संस्था के प्रचारक बन गये और एकनिष्ठ भाव से संघ का संगठन कार्य करने लगे। उपाध्यायजी नितान्त सरल और सौम्य स्वभाव के व्यक्ति थे।
सन १९५१ ई० में अखिल भारतीय जनसंघ का निर्माण होने पर वे उसके संगठन मन्त्री बनाये गये। दो वर्ष बाद सन् १९५३ ई० में उपाध्यायजी अखिल भारतीय जनसंघ के महामन्त्री निर्वाचित हुए और लगभग१५ वर्ष तक इस पद पर रहकर उन्होंने अपने दल की अमूल्य सेवा की। कालीकट अधिवेशन (दिसम्बर १९६७) में वे अखिल भारतीय जनसंघ के अध्यक्ष निर्वाचित हुए। ११ फरवरी१९६८ की रात में रेलयात्रा के दौरान मुगलसराय के आसपास उनकी हत्या कर दी गयी।[1]
विलक्षण बुद्धि, सरल व्यक्तित्व एवं नेतृत्व के अनगिनत गुणों के स्वामी भारतीय राजनीतिक क्षितिज के इस प्रकाशमान सूर्य ने भारतवर्ष में समतामूलक राजनीतिक विचारधारा का प्रचार एवं प्रोत्साहन करते हुए सिर्फ ५२ साल क उम्र में अपने प्राण राष्ट्र को समर्पित कर दिए। अनाकर्षक व्यक्तित्व के स्वामी दीनदयालजी उच्च-कोटि के दार्शनिक थे किसी प्रकार का भौतिक माया-मोह उन्हें छू तक नहीं सका।
जनसंघ के राष्ट्रजीवन दर्शन के निर्माता दीनदयालजी का उद्देश्य स्वतंत्रता की पुर्नरचना के प्रयासों के लिए विशुद्ध भारतीय तत्व-दृष्टी प्रदान करना था . उन्होंने भारत की सनातन विचारधारा को युगानुकूल रूप में प्रस्तुत करते हुए देश को एकात्म मानववाद जैसी प्रगतिशील विचारधारा दी। दीनदयालजी को जनसंघ के आर्थिक नीति के रचनाकार बताया जाता है। आर्थिक विकास का मुख्य उद्देश्य समान्य मानव का सुख है या उनका विचार था। विचार–स्वातंत्रय के इस युग में मानव कल्याण के लिए अनेक विचारधारा को पनपने का अवसर मिला है। इसमें साम्यवाद, पूंजीवाद , अन्त्योदय, सर्वोदय आदि मुख्य हैं। किन्तु चराचर जगत को सन्तुलित , स्वस्थ व सुंदर बनाकर मनुष्य मात्र पूर्णता की ओर ले जा सकने वाला एकमात्र प्रक्रम सनातन धर्म द्वारा प्रतिपादित जीवन – विज्ञान, जीवन –कला व जीवन–दर्शन है।
संस्कृतिनिष्ठा दीनदयाल जी के द्वारा निर्मित राजनैतिक जीवनदर्शन का पहला सुत्र है उनके शब्दों में- “ भारत में रहनेवाला और इसके प्रति ममत्व की भावना रखने वाला मानव समूह एक जन हैं . उनकी जीवन प्रणाली ,कला , साहित्य , दर्शन सब भारतीय संस्कृति है . इसलिए भारतीय राष्ट्रवाद का आधार यह संस्कृति है . इस संस्कृतिमें निष्ठा रहे तभी भारत एकात्म रहेगा .”
“वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम” हमारी सभ्यता से प्रचलित है। इसी के अनुसार भारत में सभी धर्मो को समान अधिकार प्राप्त हैं। संस्कृति से किसी व्यक्ति ,वर्ग , राष्ट्र आदि की वे बातें जो उनके मन,रुचि, आचार, विचार, कला-कौशल और सभ्यता का सूचक होता है पर विचार होता है। दो शब्दों में कहें तो यह जीवन जीने की शैली है। भारतीय सरकारी राज्य पत्र (गज़ट) इतिहास व संस्कृति संस्करण में यह स्पष्ट वर्णन है कि हिन्दुत्व और हिंदूइज़्म एक ही शब्द हैं तथा यह भारत के संस्कृति और सभ्यता का सूचक है।
उपाध्यायजी पत्रकार तो थे ही चिन्तक और लेखक भी थे। उनकी असामयिक मृत्यु से एक बात तो स्पष्ट हो जाती है कि जिस धारा में वह भारतीय राजनीति को ले जाना चाहते थे वह धारा हिन्दुत्व की थी जिसका संकेत उन्होंने अपनी कुछ कृतियों में ही दे दिया था। तभी तो कालीकट अधिवेशन के बाद विश्व भर के मीडिया का ध्यान उनकी ओर गया। उनकी कुछ प्रमुख पुस्तकों के नाम[2] नीचे दिये गये हैं-
दो योजनाएँ ,
राजनीतिक डायरी,
भारतीय अर्थनीति का अवमूल्यन ,
सम्राट चन्द्रगुप्त ,
जगद्गुरु शंकराचार्य, और
एकात्म मानववाद (अंग्रेजी: Integral Humanism)
राष्ट्र जीवन की दिशा
एक प्रेम कथा

Comments

These Shivlings were found during excavation at Harwan, Kashmir.


These Shivlings were found during excavation at Harwan, Kashmir.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

The Wonder Saint of Kashmir

The Wonder Saint of Kashmir
Nand Babh the Omniscient
by Justice Janki Nath Bhat & Prithvi Nath Razdan (Mahanoori)
Edited by: Prof. Gopi Kishen Muju
Swami Nand Lal
(Nand Babh ji)
1896-1973
 

Chapter I Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
TRIBUTE


Who is there in Srinagar who has not seen at one time or the other, a quick-walking, queer-looking nimble man with a big hat on his head and a tight belt round his waist, taking long strides in quick succession along the streets of the city and elsewhere ? 
This thin tall man, with a big walking stick in one hand and a bunch of papers in another, was none other than late Swami Nand lal Ji of Nunar Village. A couple of his devout disciples who followed him often found it hard to keep pace with him. Son of Raj Guru of Maharaja Amar Singh, Shri Shanker Sahib and his wife Subadhra Ji, Swami Nand Lal Ji shifted his residence from Purshyar, Habba Kadal, Srinagar to Nunar Village, near Ganderbal enroute to Tullamulla, to live with his brother who was adopted by his maternal aunt there. He was employed in the police department and posted at Ladakh. His return from Ladakh proved to be a turning point in his life. He took to spiritualism and became a mystic saint. 
A large number of outstanding miracles are attributed to him. Some of these miracles are described in the following pages. The writer was deeply impressed by the spontaneous display of love and affection shown towards Swami Ji's mortal remains invariably by all sections of people irrespective of caste and creed, the high and the low alike while these were being carried through the city to the cremation ground at Karan Nagar, Srinagar in an elegantly decorated truck. Pedestrians, householders, shopkeepers ranking the road stood up in reverence showering flowers, small sugar balls (shirin) etc. on it in plenty as a mark of deep rooted respect for the departed soul. 
He showered his munificence on all and sundry who went to him. There were no barriers of caste, creed, colour or religious beliefs in his holy Darbar. Members of all communities flocked to him and were equally benefitted with his spiritual bliss. He saw one of his pious Muslim admirers rise to the highest office of his choice and when their time came to part with this mundane world for good, he said to him (the disciple ) " Dear one, we have to go home now ". Pointing to himself and to his devout Muslim disciple, he said to him, "Two coffins are needed, one for you and one for me" . What a prophecy. Soon the Muslim admirer died and Swami Ji flowed him due course. Reference to a coffin for Hindu looked odd at the time. But on his demise in 1973, at New Delhi, Swami Ji's mortal remains had to be embalmed and put in a coffin before being flown to Srinagar for final rites. 

Parwana (Swami ji's chits):

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Ishwarswaroop Parmaswami Nandlalji Sahib Kaul

Rare 6th century stone sculpture of Shiva found at Harwan

Rare 6th century stone sculpture of Shiva found at Harwan

Kashmir monitor
SRINAGAR: For the first time in Kashmir, a rare stone sculpture of Shiva was found on Saturday on the outskirts of Srinagar at Harwan and will be displayed at SPS Museum Lal Mandi Srinagar by Directorate of Archives and Museums.
Giving details, the SHO Harwan Police Station, Zaffar Ahmad said that the Irrigation and Flood Control has been carrying out the dredging work on the water reservoir near Harwan Garden.
“The workers informed us about the stone sculpture then we took it out from the reservoir. We cleaned it and handed over to the Archeology and Museum Department,” the SHO said.
He said that oval shaped stone sculpture is about 2 quintal with almost 2.5 feet in height. The scripture has face, nose and eyes.
Director Archaeology and Museum Department Mohammad Shafi Zahid said the sculpture discovered at Harwan has been first time found in Kashmir.
“It is one faced sculpture of Shiva of around 6th century old. One faced sculpture of Shiva has been found first time in Kashmir. We don't have one faced sculpture of Shiva at the museum,” he told The Kashmir Monitor.
He said that the one sided Shiva is with complete ornamentation. “The Harwan is known for sculpture and has archaeological importance,” he said, adding the sculpture will be placed at SPS Museum Lal Mandi Srinagar.

POSTED BY : VIPUL  KOUL

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Vijayadashami

Vijayadashami also known as Dasara, Dusshera or dussehra ( is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navratri every year. It is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October.
Vijayadasami is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. In the eastern and northeastern states of India, Vijayadashami marks the end of Durga Puja, remembering goddess Durga's victory over the buffalo demon to help restore Dharma.In the northern, southern and western states, the festival is synonymously called Dussehra (also spelled Dasara, Dashahara). In these regions, it marks the end of "Ramlila" and remembers god Rama's victory over the demon Ravana, or alternatively it marks a reverence for one of the aspects of goddess Devi such as Durga or Saraswati.
Vijayadasami celebrations include processions to a river or ocean front that carry clay statues of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, accompanied by music and chants, after which the images are immersed into the water for dissolution and a goodbye. Elsewhere, on Dasara, the towering effigies of Ravana symbolizing the evil is burnt with fireworks marking evil's destruction. The festival also starts the preparation for one of the most important and widely celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights, which is celebrated twenty days after the Vijayadashami .

Etymology and nomenclature

Vijayadashami is a composite of two words "Vijaya"(विजय) and "Dashami"(दशमी), which respectively mean "victory"  and "tenth"  connoting the festival on the tenth day celebrating the victory of good over evil. The same Hindu festival-related term, however, takes different forms in different regions of India and Nepal, as well as among Hindu minorities found elsewhere.
According to James Lochtefeld, the word Dussehra is a variant of Dashahara which a compound Sanskrit word composed of "dasham"(दशम) and "ahar" (अहर), respectively meaning "10" and "day" According to Monier Williams, Dus (दुश) meaning "bad, evil, sinful" and Hara (हर) means "removing, destroying", connoting "removing the bad, destroying the evil, sinful".

Northern India

Dasara is observed with the burning of Ravana effigies.
In most of northern and western India, Dasha-Hara (literally, "ten days") is celebrated in honour of Rama. Thousands of drama-dance-music plays based on the Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas (Ramlila) are performed at outdoor fairs across the land, in temporarily built staging grounds featuring effigies of demons Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghanada are held. The effigies are burnt on bonfires in the evening of Vijayadashami-Dussehra. While Dussehra is observed on the same day across India, the festivities leading to it varies. In many parts, the "Ram Lila", or the brief version of the story of Rama, Sita and Lakshamana is enacted over 9 days before it, but in some cities such as Varanasi, the entire story is freely acted out by performance artists before public every evening for a month.
In Jainism, Navratri marks the beginning of season of conquest and back to work days. In earlier times, due to rainy season, lots of jain use to refrain from going to pilgrimage and far off places due to excessive micro organisms born because of excessive rain. Thus, 9 days before dussera, that is Navratri, there were prayers commemorating Nav Devta or the 9 auspicious one in Jainism. This was followed by Signal to army to go for conquests. Also this can be traced to times of Rishabh Dev, whose elder son, Bharat after whose name the India was named, went to conquest the whole of India. Following this tradition, Jain still worship arms and work tools on Dussera by applying tika and tying red thread around wrist in motivation for strength if work. Also, Jain sow barley seeds and put them in ears on 10th day that is dussera, as a symbol of fertility and prosperity. It is same as Khetri sown in Navratri
The performance arts tradition during the Dussehra festival was inscribed by UNESCO as one of the "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" in 2008. The festivities, states UNESCO, include songs, narration, recital and dialogue based on the Hindu text Ramacharitmanas by Tulsidas. It is celebrated across northern India for Dussehra, but particularly in historically important Hindu cities of Ayodhya, Varanasi, Vrindavan, Almora, Satna and Madhubani – cities in Uttar Pradesh, Utarakhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. The festival and dramatic enactment of the virtues versus vices filled story is organized by communities in hundreds of small villages and towns, attracting a mix of audience from different social, gender and economic backgrounds. In many parts, the audience and villagers join in and participate spontaneously, some helping the artists, others helping with stage set up, create make-up, effigies and lights. These arts come to a close on the night of Dussehra, when the victory of Rama is celebrated by burning the effigies of evil Ravana and his colleagues.
 Kullu Dussehra is celebrated in the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh, and is regionally notable for its large fair and parade witnessed by estimated half a million people. The festival is a symbol of victory of good over evil by Raghu Nath, and is celebrated like elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent with a procession. The special feature of the Kullu Dasara procession is the arrival of floats containing deities from different parts of the nearby regions and their journey to Kullu .

Southern India

Mysore Dasara procession and celebrations in Karnataka are a major tourist attraction.
Vijayadasami is celebrated in a variety of ways in South India.[22][better source needed] Celebrations range from worshipping Durga, lighting up temples and major forts such as at Mysore, to displaying colorful figurines, known as a golu.
The festival played a historical role in the 14th-century Vijayanagara Empire, where it was called Mahanavami. The Italian traveller Niccolò de' Conti described the festival's intensity and importance as a grandeur religious and martial event with royal support. The event revered Durga as the warrior goddess (some texts refer to her as Chamundeshwari). The celebrations hosted athletic competitions, singing and dancing, fireworks, a pageantry military parade and charitable giving to the public.
The city of Mysore has traditionally been a major center of Dasara-Vijayadashami celebrations.
Another significant and notable tradition of several South Indian regions has been the dedication of this festival to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music and arts. She is worshipped, along with instruments of one's trade during this festival.
In Kerala,students wrap their books and leave them with goddess Saraswati along with other offerings like sugarcane,jaggery,malaru(roasted paddy) etc for two days during the period of which they refrain from reading or writing.On the day of Vijayadashami,a special pooja is conducted and the books are taken back. Pooja of instruments, tools of work, domestic animals and personal vehicles are also done on this day.This day is also considered auspicious for the children to start learning something new. 'Vidyarambham' ceremony is conducted by scholarly people in the temples.

Western India

In Maharashtra, the deities installed on the first day of Navratri are immersed in water. Observers visit each other and exchange sweets.
Colorful floor patterns to mark Vijayadashami.
The festival has been historically important in Maharashtra. Shivaji, who challenged the Mughal Empire in the 17th-century and created a Hindu kingdom is western and central India, would deploy his soldiers to assist farmers in cropping lands and adequate irrigation to guarantee food supplies. Post monsoons, on Vijayadashami, these soldiers would leave their villages and reassemble to serve in the military, re-arm and obtain their deployment orders, then proceed to the frontiers for active duty.
In Gujarat, both goddess Durga and god Rama are revered for their victory over evil. Fasting and prayers at temples are common. A regional dance called Dandia Ras, that deploys colorfully decorated sticks, and Garba that is dancing in traditional dress is a part of the festivities through the night.
In Mewar region of Rajasthan, both Durga and Rama have been celebrated on Vijayadashami, and it has been a major festival for Rajput warriors .
.
Durga image is Immersed into river on Vijayadashami in eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent.

Eastern India

Vijaya Dasami is observed after Navratri, on the tenth day, marked by a great procession where the clay statues are ceremoniously walked to a river or ocean coast for a solemn goodbye to Durga. Many mark their faces with vermilion (sindoor) or dress in something red. It is an emotional day for some devotees, and the congregation sings emotional goodbye songs. When the procession reaches the water, Durga is immersed, the clay dissolves, and she is believed to return to Mount Kailasha with Shiva and cosmos in general. People distribute sweets and gifts, visit their friends and family members. Some communities such as those near Varanasi mark the eleventh day, called ekadashi, by visiting a Durga temple.

In Nepal, Vijayadashami follows the festival of Dashain. Youngsters visit the elders in their family, distant ones come to their native homes, and students visit their school teachers. The elders and teachers welcome the youngsters, mark their foreheads with Tilak and bless them. The family reveres the Hindu goddess of wealth Lakshmi, hoping for virtuous success and prosperity in the year ahead .
 
Youngsters greet elders and seek blessings on Dashain (Dashami) among the Hindu community in Nepal and Himalayan regions.

                     CURTOSY  : GITA PRESS GORAKHPUR , VALMIKI RAMAYAN. RAMAYANA OF  NEPAL ,BARVAY RAMANYAN
POSTED BY  ;VIPUL KOUL 
EDITED BY   ;ASHOK KOUL 

 

Navratri

Navratri (Sanskrit: नवरात्रि, literally "nine nights"), also spelled Navaratri or Navarathri, is a multi-day Hindu festival celebrated in the autumn every year. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. Theoretically, there are four seasonal Navratri. However, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharad Navratri that is the most observed in the honor of the divine feminine Devi (Durga). The festival is celebrated in the bright half of the Hindu calendar month Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October.[2][3]
In the eastern and northeastern states of India, the Durga Puja is synonymous with Navratri, wherein goddess Durga battles and emerges victorious over the buffalo demon to help restore Dharma. In the northern and western states, the festival is synonymous with "Rama Lila" and Dussehra that celebrates the battle and victory of god Rama over the demon king Ravana. In southern states, the victory of different goddesses, of Rama or Saraswati is celebrated. In all cases, the common theme is the battle and victory of Good over Evil based on a regionally famous epic or legend such as the Ramayana or the Devi Mahatmya.
Celebrations include stage decorations, recital of the legend, enacting of the story, and chanting of the scriptures of Hinduism. The nine days are also a major crop season cultural event, such as competitive design and staging of pandals, a family visit to these pandals and the public celebration of classical and folk dances of Hindu culture.] On the final day, called the Vijayadashami or Dussehra, the statues are either immersed in a water body such as river and ocean, or alternatively the statue symbolizing the evil is burnt with fireworks marking evil's destruction. The festival also starts the preparation for one of the most important and widely celebrated holidays, Diwali, the festival of lights, which is celebrated twenty days after the Vijayadashami or Dussehra.

Dates and celebrations

In Northern, Central and Western states of India, the Ramlila play is enacted during Navratri by rural artists (above).
Navaratri festival is an occasion of classical and folk dance performances at Hindu temples. In picture it's Ambaji Temple of Gujarat
According to some Hindu texts such as the Shakta and Vaishnava Puranas, Navaratri theoretically falls twice or four times a year. Of these, the Sharada Navaratri near autumn equinox (September-October) is the most celebrated, and the Vasanta Navaratri near spring equinox (March-April) is next most significant to the culture of Indian subcontinent. In all cases, Navaratri falls in the bright half of the Hindu luni-solar months. The celebrations vary by region, leaving much to the creativity and preferences of the Hindu.
  1. Sharada Navaratri: the most celebrated of the four navaratris, named after sharada which means autumn. It is observed the lunar month of Ashvin (post-monsoon, September–October). In many regions the festival falls after autumn harvest, and in others during harvest.
  2. Vasanta Navaratri: the second most celebrated, named after vasanta which means spring. It is observed the lunar month of Chaitra (post-winter, March–April). In many regions the festival falls after spring harvest, and in others during harvest.
The other two navratris are minor and observed regionally or by individuals:
  1. Magha Navaratri: in Magha (January–February), winter season. The fifth day of this festival is often independently observed as Vasant Panchami or Basant Panchami, the official start of spring in the Hindu tradition wherein goddess Saraswati is revered through arts, music, writing, kite flying. In some regions, the Hindu god of love, Kama is revered.
  2. Ashada Navaratri: in Ashadha (June–July), start of the monsoon season.
The Sharada Navratri commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashvini. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during this month, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October. The exact dates of the festival are determined according to the Hindu luni-solar calendar, and sometimes the festival may be held for a day more or a day less depending on the adjustments for sun and moon movements and the leap year.
The festivities extend beyond goddess Durga and god Rama. Various other goddesses such as Saraswati and Lakshmi, gods such as Ganesha, Kartikeya, Shiva and Krishna are regionally revered. For example, a notable pan-Hindu tradition during Navratri is the adoration of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music and arts through Ayudha Puja. On this day, which typically falls on the ninth day of Navratri after the Good has won over Evil through Durga or Rama, peace and knowledge is celebrated. Warriors thank, decorate and worship their weapons, offering prayers to Saraswati. Musicians upkeep their musical instruments, play and pray to them. Farmers, carpenters, smiths, pottery makers, shopkeepers and all sorts of trades people similarly decorate and worship their equipment, machinery and tools of trade. Students visit their teachers, express respect and seek their blessings.


 This tradition is particularly strong in South India, but is observed elsewhere too.
To some, Navratri is a cultural and social festival which marks family time, along with the celebration of various performance arts. Navratri has been called the Hindu festival of dance.

Regional practices

Navaratri is celebrated in different ways throughout India Some fast, others feast. Some revere the same Mother Goddess but different aspects of her, while others revere avatars of Vishnu, particularly of Rama. The Chaitra Navaratri culminates in Rama Navami on the ninth day, and the Sharada Navaratri culminates in Durga Puja and Dussehra.
The Rama Navami remembers the birth of Rama, preceded by nine days of Ramayana recital particularly among the Vaishnava temples. In the past, Shakta Hindus used to recite Durga's legends during the Chaitra Navaratri, but this practice around the spring equinox has been declining. For most contemporary Hindus, it is the Navaratri around the autumn equinox that is the major festival and the one observed. To Bengali Hindus and to Shakta Hindus outside of eastern and northeastern states of India, the term Navaratri implies Durga Puja in the warrior goddess aspect of Devi. In other traditions of Hinduism, the term Navaratri implies something else or the celebration of Hindu goddess but in her more peaceful forms such as Saraswati – the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music and other arts. In Nepal, Navaratri is called Dasain, and is a major annual homecoming and family event that celebrates the bonds between elders and youngsters with Tika Puja, as well as across family and community member.

Eastern India and West Bengal

Two Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata during Navratri
The Navratri is celebrated as the Durga Puja festival in West Bengal. It is the most important annual festival to Bengali Hindus, and a major social and public event in eastern and northeastern states of India, where it dominates the religious life. The occasion is celebrated with thousands[24] of temporary stages called pandals are built in community squares, roadside shrines and large Durga temples in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, eastern Nepal, Assam, Tripura and nearby regions. It is also observed by some Shakta Hindus as a private, home-based festival. Durga Puja festival marks the battle of goddess Durga with the shape-shifting, deceptive and powerful buffalo demon Mahishasura, and her emerging victorious.[27][28]
The last five days of Navratri mark the popular practices during Durga Puja. The festival begins with Mahalaya, a day where Shakta Hindus remember the loved ones who have died, as well the advent of warrior goddess Durga. The next most significant day of Durga Puja celebrations is the sixth day, called Shashthi where the local community welcome the goddess Durga Devi and festive celebrations are inaugurated. On the seventh day (Saptami), eighth (Ashtami) and ninth (Navami), Durga along with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya are revered and these days mark the main Puja (worship) with recitation of the scriptures, the legends of Durga in Devi Mahatmya and social visits by families to elaborately decorated and lighted up temples and pandals (theatre like stages).[31][32][33] After the nine nights, on the tenth day called Vijayadashami, a great procession is held where the clay statues are ceremoniously walked to a river or ocean coast for a solemn goodbye to Durga. Many mark their faces with vermilion (sindoor) or dress in something red. It is an emotional day for some devotees, and the congregation sings emotional goodbye songs.[34][35] After the procession, Hindus distribute sweets and gifts, visit their friends and family members.[36]

North India

An 1834 sketch by James Prinsep showing Ram Leela Mela during Navratri in Benares.
In North India, Navaratri is marked by the numerous Ramlila events, where episodes from the story of Rama and Ravana are enacted by teams of artists in rural and urban centers, inside temples or in temporarily constructed stages. This Hindu tradition of festive performance arts was inscribed by UNESCO as one of the "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" in 2008 The festivities, states UNESCO, include songs, narration, recital and dialogue based on the Hindu text Ramacharitmanas by Tulsidas. It is particularly notable in historically important Hindu cities of Ayodhya, Varanasi, Vrindavan, Almora, Satna and Madhubani – cities in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
The festival and dramatic enactment of the virtues versus vices filled story is organized by communities in hundreds of small villages and towns, attracting a mix of audience from different social, gender and economic backgrounds. In many parts, the audience and villagers join in and participate spontaneously, some helping the artists, others helping with stage set up, create make-up, effigies and lights.
Navaratri has historically been a prominent ritual festival for kings and military of a kingdom. At the end of the Navratri, comes Dussehra, where the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghanada are burnt to celebrate the victory of good (Rama) over evil forces on Vijayadashami.............continued 
SOURCES : MATA VESHVAV DEVE SHRINE BOARD  AND WIKIPEDIA
WRITTEN BY  : VIPUL KOUL
EDITED BY    :ASHOK KOUL 


 

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Syama Prasad Mukherjee

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (6 July 1901 – 23 June 1953) was an Indian politician, barrister and academician, who served as Minister for Industry and Supply in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet. After falling out with Nehru, Mukherjee quit the Indian National Congress and founded the right wing nationalist Bharatiya Jana Sangh (which would later evolve into BJP) in 1951.
He was also the President of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha from 1943 to 1946. Mukherjee was strongly opposed to Article 370 seeing as a threat to unity of the country and fought against it inside and outside of the parliament with one of the goals of Bharatiya Jana Sangh being abrogation of the article. He died in 1953 under mysterious circumstances.

Early life and academic career

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was born in a Bengali Kulin Brahmin family on 6 July 1901 in Calcutta (Kolkata). His father was Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, a judge of the High Court of Calcutta, Bengal, who was also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta.His mother was Lady Jogamaya Devi Mukherjee.
 He enrolled as an advocate in Calcutta High Court in 1924, the same year in which his father had died. Subsequently, he left for England in 1926 to study at Lincoln's Inn and was called to the English Bar in the same year. At the age of 33, he became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta in 1934, and held the office till 1938. It was during his term as Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University that Rabindranath Tagore delivered the University Convocation Address in Bengali for the first time in history and the Indian vernacular was introduced as a subject for the highest examination in the university.

Political career before independence

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee started his political career in 1929, when he entered the Bengal Legislative Council as an Indian National Congress (INC) candidate representing Calcutta University.[ However, he resigned the next year when the INC decided to boycott the legislature. Subsequently, he contested the election as an independent candidate and was elected in the same year. In 1937, he was elected as an independent candidate in the elections which brought the Krishak Praja Party-All India Muslim League coalition to power. He served as the Finance Minister of Bengal Province in 1941–42 under A.K. Fazlul Haq's Progressive Coalition government which was formed on 12 December 1941 after the resignations of Muslim League ministers of the government. During his tenure, his statements against the government were censored and his movements were restricted. He was also prevented from visiting the Midnapore district in 1942 when severe floods caused a heavy loss of life and property. He resigned on 20 November 1942 accusing the British government of trying to hold on to India under any cost and critisiced its repressive policies against the Quit India Movement. After resigning, he mobilised support and organised relief with the help of Mahabodhi Society, Ramakrishna Mission and Marwari Relief Society. In 1946, he was again elected as an independent candidate from the Calcutta University. He was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India in the same year...

Leader of the Hindu Mahasabha

Mukherjee joined the Hindu Mahasabha in Bengal in 1939 and became its acting president in the same year.He was appointed as the working president of the organisation in 1940. On 11 February 1941, Mukherjee told a Hindu rally that if Muslims wanted to live in Pakistan they should "pack their bag and baggage and leave India ... (to) wherever they like". He was elected as the President of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha in 1943.He remained in this position till 1946, with Laxman Bhopatkar becoming the new President in the same year.
Mukherjee demanded the partition of Bengal in 1946 to prevent the inclusion of its Hindu-majority areas in a Muslim-dominated East Pakistan A meeting held by the Mahasabha on 15 April 1947 in Tarakeswar authorised him to take steps for ensuring partition of Bengal. On 2 May 1947, he wrote a letter to Lord Mountbatten telling him that Bengal must be partitioned even if India wasn't partitioned. He also opposed a failed bid for a united but independent Bengal made in 1947 by Sarat Bose, the brother of Subhas Chandra Bose, and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, a Bengali Muslim politician.
His views were strongly affected by the Noakhali genocide in East Bengal, where mobs belonging to the Muslim League massacred Hindus in large numbers.

Opposition to Quit India Movement

Following the Hindu Mahasabha's official decision to boycott the Quit India movement and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's decision of non-participation in the movement, Mukherjee wrote a letter to the British Government as to how they should respond to "Quit India" movement. In this letter, dated July 26, 1942 he wrote:
"Let me now refer to the situation that may be created in the province as a result of any widespread movement launched by the Congress. Anybody, who during the war, plans to stir up mass feeling, resulting internal disturbances or insecurity, must be resisted by any Government that may function for the time being"
Mukherjee in this letter reiterated that the Fazlul Haq-led Bengal Government, along with its alliance partner Hindu Mahasabha would make every possible effort to defeat the Quit India Movement in the province of Bengal and made a concrete proposal in regard to this:
"The question is how to combat this movement (Quit India) in Bengal? The administration of the province should be carried on in such a manner that in spite of the best efforts of the Congress, this movement will fail to take root in the province. It should be possible for us, especially responsible Ministers, to be able to tell the public that the freedom for which the Congress has started the movement, already belongs to the representatives of the people. In some spheres it might be limited during the emergency. Indians have to trust the British, not for the sake for Britain, not for any advantage that the British might gain, but for the maintenance of the defense and freedom of the province itself. You, as Governor, will function as the constitutional head of the province and will be guided entirely on the advice of your Minister.
Even the Indian historian R.C. Majumdar noted this fact and states:
"Shyam Prasad ended the letter with a discussion of the mass movement organised by the Congress. He expressed the apprehension that the movement would create internal disorder and will endanger internal security during the war by exciting popular feeling and he opined that any government in power has to suppress it, but that according to him could not be done only by persecution ... In that letter he mentioned item-wise the steps to be taken for dealing with the situation ..."
During his resignation however, he did characterise the policies of the British government towards the movement as "repressive".

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inducted Mukherjee into the Interim Central Government as a Minister for Industry and Supply on 15 August 1947. Mukherjee began to have differences with Mahasabha after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, in which the organisation was blamed by Sardar Patel for creation of an atmosphere in the country that led to Gandhi's killing. Mukherjee suggested the organisation to suspend its political activities and left the organisation in December 1948 shortly after it did so. One of his reasons for leaving was also the rejection of his proposal to allow non-Hindus to become members.[27][47][48]
Mukherjee resigned along with K.C. Neogy from the Cabinet on 8 April 1950 over a disagreement about the 1950 Delhi Pact with Pakistani Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. Mukherjee was firmly against their joint pact to establish minority commissions and guarantee minority rights in both countries as he thought it left Hindus in East Bengal to the mercy of Pakistan. While addressing a rally in Calcutta on 21 May, he stated that an exchange of population and property at governmental level on regional basis between East Bengal and Indian states of Tripura, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar was the only option in the current situation.[47][49][50]
After consultation with M. S. Golwalkar of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mukherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on 21 October 1951 in Delhi and he became its first President. In the 1952 elections, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) won 3 seats in the Parliament of India including Mukherjee's own seat. He had formed the National Democratic Party within the Parliament which consisted of 32 members of the Lok Sabha and 10 members of the Rajya Sabha which, however, was not recognised by the speaker as an opposition party. The BJS was created with the objective of nation-building and "nationalising" all non-Hindus by "inculcating Bharatiya Culture" in them. The party was ideologically close to the RSS and widely considered the proponent of Hindu Nationalis.

Opinion on special status of Jammu and Kashmir

Mukherjee was strongly opposed to Article 370 seeing as a threat to unity of the country and fought against it inside and outside of the parliament with one of the goals of Bharatiya Jana Sangh being abrogation of the article. He termed the arrangements under the article as Balkanization of India and three-nation theory of Sheikh Abdullah. The state was granted its own flag along with Prime Minister whose permission was required for anyone to enter the state. In opposition to this, Mukherjee once said "Ek desh mein do Vidhan, do Pradhan aur Do Nishan nahi chalenge" (A single country can't have two constitutions, two prime ministers, and two national emblems).] Bharatiya Jana Sangh along with Hindu Mahasabha and Jammu Praja Parishad launched a massive Satyagraha to get the provisions removed.
Mukherjee went to visit Kashmir in 1953 illegally, and observed a hunger strike to protest the law that prohibited Indian citizens from settling within the state and mandating that they carry ID cards. Mukherjee wanted to go to Jammu and Kashmir but, because of the prevailing permit system, he was not given permission. He was arrested on 11 May at Lakhanpur while crossing the border into Kashmir illegally. Although the ID card rule was revoked owing to his efforts, he died as a détenu on 23 June 1953 under mysterious circumstances.
SOME POISIONOUS INJECRTION WAS GIVEN TO HIM ON THE INSTRUCTIONS BY SHEKH ABDULLAH THAN PM  OF KASHMIR BY DR.ALI JAN OF KASHMIR  ADVISED BY JAWAHAR LAL NEHRU .
 
However, before his death, he had agreed to a formulation of autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir with further autonomy for each region of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. In a letter on 17 February 1953 to Nehru in which he suggested:[60] "(1) Both parties reiterate that the unity of the State will be maintained and that the principle of autonomy will apply to the province of Jammu and also to Ladakh and Kashmir Valley. Implementation of Delhi agreement—which granted special status to the State—will be made at the next session of Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly."
According to Balraj Madhok, who later on became the President of the Jana Sangh, the party withdrew its commitment to the State autonomy and regional autonomy under the directive from the RSS headquarters in Nagpur

Death

Mukherjee was arrested on entering Kashmir on 11 May 1953.[71] He along with two of his arrested companions was earlier taken to Central Jail of Srinagar. Later they were transferred to a cottage outside the city. His condition started deteriorating and he started feeling pain in the back and high temperature on the night between 19 and 20 June. He was diagnosed with dry pleurisy from which he had also suffered in 1937 and 1944. The doctor Ali Mohammad prescribed him a streptomycin injection and powders, however he informed that his family physician had told him that streptomycin did not suit his system. The doctor however told him that new information about the drug had come to light and assured him that he would be fine. On 22 June, he felt pain in the heart region, started prespiring and started feeling like he was fainting. He was later shifted to a hospital and provisionally diagnosed with a heart attack. He died a day later under mysterious circumstances. The state government declared that he had died on 23 June at 3:40 a.m. due to a heart attack.
His death in custody raised wide suspicion across the country and demands for an independent enquiry were raised, including earnest requests from his mother, Jogamaya Devi, to Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru declared that he had inquired from a number of persons who were privy to the facts and, according to him, there was no mystery behind Mukherjee's death. Jogamaya Devi did not accept Nehru's reply and requested the setting up of an impartial enquiry. Nehru, however, ignored the letter and no enquiry commission was set up. Mukherjee's death therefore remains a matter of some controversy.
Only one nurse, Rajdulari Tiku was present by his side in the hospital. According to her, when Mukherjee started crying in agony for a doctor, she fetched Dr. Jagannath Zutshi. The doctor found him in a grave condition and called Dr. Ali. Mukherjee's condition kept deteriorating and he died at 2:25 a.m.
S.C. Das claims that Mukherjee was murdered alleging that the nurse told Mukherjee's daughter Sabita that Zutshi gave his father a poisonous powder after which he started screaming and died. Atal Bihari Vajpayee claimed in 2004 that the arrest of Mukherjee in Jammu and Kashmir was a "Nehru conspiracy

On 22 April 2010, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) newly constructed Rs. 650-crore building (the tallest building in Delhi) was named the Doctor Syama Prasad Mukherjee Civic Centre. The Civic Centre was inaugurated by Home Minister P. Chidambaram. The building, which is estimated to cater to 20,000 visitors per day, will also house different wings and offices of the MCD The MCD also built the Syama Prasad Swimming Pool Complex which hosted aquatic events during the 2010 Commonwealth Games held at New Delhi.
On 27 August 1998, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation named a bridge after Mukherjee. Delhi has a major road named after Mukherjee called Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg.[86] Kolkata too has a major road called Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road.
In 2001, the main research funding institute of the Government of India, CSIR, instituted a new fellowship named after him. On 15 January 2012, a flyover at Mathikere in Bangalore City Limits was inaugurated and named the Dr Syamaprasad Mukherjee Flyover. The International Institute of Information Technology, Naya Raipur is named after him.
In 2014, a multipurpose indoor stadium built on the Goa University campus in Goa was named after Mukherjee. In 2015, the Government of India launched Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission to drive economic, social and infrastructure development in rural areas and create 300 rurban areas to stem increasing migration to urban areas. This scheme was operationalized in February 2016.
The government of India approved the Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) with an outlay of Rs. 5142.08 crores on 16 September 2015. The Mission was launched by the Prime Minister on 21 February 2016 at Kurubhata, Murmunda Rurban Cluster, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh.

 SORCES   : WIKIPEDIA AND OTHER BOOKS
POSTED BY : VIPUL KOUL 
EDITED BY   :ASHOK KOUL