WHO IS CONTENDED WITH WHATEVER IS GOT UNSOUGHT,
FREE FROM ANTITHETIC INFLUENCE AND ENVY,
BALANCED IN SUCCESS AND FAILURE, EVEN THOUGH
PERFORMING ACTION, IS NOT BOUND BY HIS ACTIONS.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Pak terrorism
1. PAK PRESIDENT ZARDARI ADMITS TERRORISM NURTURED BY GOVT: In an astonishingly candid admission - a first by any Pakistani head of state - president Asif Ali Zardari has admitted militants and terrorists were wilfully created by past Pakistani governments and nurtured as a policy to achieve tactical objectives.
``Militants and extremists emerged on the national scene and challenged the state not because the civil bureaucracy was weakened and demoralized but because they were deliberately created and nurtured as a policy to achieve short-term tactical objectives. Let's be truthful and make a candid admission of the reality,'' he said at a gathering of civil servants in Islamabad on July
Bharat has long charged Pakistan with sponsoring terrorism in Kashmir by providing arms, ammunition and training to the militants who have been engaged in a war of secession. Zardari's admission is bound to create a major flutter in Islamabad, particularly within the Army, which has historically been the author of Pakistan 's Bharat policy.
``Militants and extremists emerged on the national scene and challenged the state not because the civil bureaucracy was weakened and demoralized but because they were deliberately created and nurtured as a policy to achieve short-term tactical objectives. Let's be truthful and make a candid admission of the reality,'' he said at a gathering of civil servants in Islamabad on July
Bharat has long charged Pakistan with sponsoring terrorism in Kashmir by providing arms, ammunition and training to the militants who have been engaged in a war of secession. Zardari's admission is bound to create a major flutter in Islamabad, particularly within the Army, which has historically been the author of Pakistan 's Bharat policy.
treat VIPs differently
These words like VIP and VVIP are created by colonial system of slave minds.The idea is to show elite class, power and control over others.Whereas the politicians or babus all derive power from people of the State.The power that is given temporariliy to them in good faith for executing projects of public benefits.To this extent President,PM and all others are public servants.But in countries like India they want to remain outside the purview of everything including judicial scrutiny.Why?Take example of Airlines security. Any airline handles thousands of such so calles VIPs from hundreds of countries .Why should the officials bother to keep lists and bother about who is what.The person is simply a passenger and must undergo same checks as any other passenger.What is degrading about it? Why some people want relaxation in that? Excepting for current head of states of countries like President and PM no one should be allowed to crib about security measures and personal checking.We should come to end of colonial thinking and era now.In India even after 62 years politcians keep perpetuating VIP VVIP system and so are the judges and senior fucntionaries of government.I could nto understand why any judge should be addressed honourable? Is not a hionest rickshaw puller earning his living honourable? These words have roots in slavery and colonial era.Red lights have same function.I dont agree with the noise created by press and media now and then against security check conducted on one or other polticians or ex politician.All people are equal and must be treated equally.No one is superior to other oerson.This is what bible says and geeta says and quran says.The heavy securities provided to Tom and Harry polticians of all colours should be either withdrawn or reduced drasticlally.Why people should pay cost of their security while they indulge in divisive and anti people activities and wordy tirades.Are we protecting them to create dissatisfaction in society?See the people like Mayawati,Mulayam,Jag mohan and so on and on moving in circles of heavily armed black cats showing their power and intimidating common people.It makes them arrogant and unfair in public dealing.Just withdraw their security.They are welcome to quit politics if they feel unsafe.Indians cant afford 25% of police force to work for the handful of guys who I feel are mainly responsible for misery of people and unstability in country.No relaxation should be given to any person excepting head of states of countries for airplane security and no security should be provided to every Tom and Harry.The existing security should be reduced to 10% of police force urgently and offcials diverted to anti-terrorists and law order squads in country.The manner in which babudom and polticians are enjoying perks and huge expenditures going up to 15 % of Indian GDP is shameful state of affairs.They are main cause for poverty in India and unstability.WE should work for a standardised budget to run government.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Good Quote
ONE HAVING ABANDONED ATTACHMENT TO
ACTIONS AND THEIR FRUIT, EVER CONTENT,
WITHOUT ANY KIND OF DEPENDENCE, DOES
NOTHING, THOUGH FULLY ENGAGED IN ACTION.
ACTIONS AND THEIR FRUIT, EVER CONTENT,
WITHOUT ANY KIND OF DEPENDENCE, DOES
NOTHING, THOUGH FULLY ENGAGED IN ACTION.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
HINDU IDENTITY FORMATION
HINDU IDENTITY FORMATION
Hinduism is unique. And Hindus have distinctive cultural roots, identity, belief system and values. A component of Hindu identity includes a sense of personal continuity and uniqueness from other people. To be successful, we need to carve out a potential identity based on our sacred Dharma. Hindus acquire a social identity based on their membership in various groups-familial, linguistic, regional, ethnic, and occupational and others. These identities, in addition to satisfying the need for affiliation help Hindus define themselves in the eyes of both others and themselves.
According to our Purusharathas, identity formation from birth through adulthood is very important for a successful living. A variety of changes that affect one’s work, status, or interpersonal relationships can bring a crisis that forces one to redefine oneself in terms of values, priorities, and chosen activities or lifestyle. In general, Hindus face predictable or unpredictable crisis in this country that can challenge their conception of themselves and result either in personal growth or stagnation.
We have seen Hindus in America identifying themselves as Tamils, Telugus, Nair, Ezhavas, and Guajarati, Marathas, Punjabis and Brahmins. Why can’t they identify themselves as Hindus? Compared to other ethnic immigrant groups, Hindus have significant history, culture and sacred tradition. Hindu culture and identity are interrelated. People who identify themselves as Hindus can negotiate life passages in this increasingly individualistic, complex and chaotic world.
Hindu identity is the subjective state of perceiving oneself as a Hindu and as relating to being Hindu. Hindu identity, by this definition does not depend on whether or not a person is regarded as a Hindu by others, or by an external set of religious, legal or sociological norms. Accordingly Hindu identity can be cultural in nature. Hindu identity can involve ties to the Hindu community. Hindu identity may be religious, secular and people who are atheists can have Hindu identity.
For countless American Hindus, Hindu identity is shaped by linguistic, and caste model as well as living as a minority group struggling to protect its heritage against assimilation. To preserve, practice and protect our sacred, eternal Hindu Dharma, we need to continue our Hindu identity. To establish Hindu identity, we need to practice our Hindu rituals and Samskaras. Yet the reality for many today is that they do not practice our rituals or insist on practicing our rituals with our children.
Economically and socially successful Hindus are part of this pluralistic society in which the primary factor determining religious identity is individual choice. We need a new, more helpful descriptive model that recognizes the vital role that personal decision play in Hindu-American identity construction.
First, Hindu identity is made up of choices. We pick, consciously, or otherwise, from a set of identity menu that offer us options for behaviors that we understand as Hindu because we see them as Hindu things to do or as done in Hindu way. At the cutting edge of cultural change, the menu expands increasingly listing behaviors that belonging to others. Increasingly, Hindus are selecting non-Hindu menu such as birth day party at a hotel, eating non-vegetarian food at the birth day party, burning candles instead of traditional lamp etc.
Second, identifying ourselves as Hindu does not necessarily say anything about how we express that identity. From a purely descriptive standpoint, it is essentially a choice of self-identifying that makes as Hindu, even when it is not clear how that identity expressed or conveyed.
Third, Hindu identity has become increasingly fluid. It is linked to personal choice. Life cycle changes, professional affiliation, caste identity and linguistic affiliation also affect our Hindu identity formation.
Fourth, most contemporary American Hindus are suspicious of our traditional experts and rarely consult Swanijis or pundits in choosing how to be a Hind. Many resist any pressure to affiliate with Hindu organizations or institutions. If and when few chose to affiliate, it generally is not because they feel duty bound but because doing so meets their needs.
Hindu identity implies on the one hand alignment, a shared belonging with members of other Hindus. Alignment may be based on a perception of similarity or a feeling of interdependence. Confusion often exists how the Hindu group should be defined and what their relation is to other Hindus whom they see as dissimilar from themselves in so many respects. At present, Hindus from different states of India, Hindus from the Caribbean, Hindus from Fiji, and Hindus from Pakistan seldom associate even though there is a common thread. A feeling of interdependence shall be invoked to have a common Hindu identity among all Hindus. The feeling of interdependence, of a common fate, represents the widest minimal basis, the common denominator of Hindu identity.
Hindus need to enhance Hindu identity, given the realities of today. Anyone who identifies as Hindu today only needs to go back three or four generation to find Hindu culture and traditions. There is an unbroken chain of Hindu living that goes back more than five thousand years. Hindus who are trapped in Islamic countries have lost to the Hindu community. Hindus without Hindu community and Hindu culture cannot last more than a couple of generations. Unless Hindu Diaspora returns to living Hindu way, the children of unobservant Hindus will get lost.
A family of unobservant Hindu will lose one or the other-either Hinduness, or the unobservance. We cannot have both. The importance of Hindu continuity is no secret, it’s obvious. Living-breathing Hindutva produces living-breathing Hindus. It is time for Hindus to do for our children what our grandparents did for us. We need to be a living example of what it means to live a vibrant Hindu life. It is time for Hindus to get self-organized on a larger scale with unity of purpose and strength. The current world scene requires Hindus to be assertive and proclaim as proud Hindus. Once Hindus are united, the cultural strength will emerge as a strong force in world affairs.
Hinduism is unique. And Hindus have distinctive cultural roots, identity, belief system and values. A component of Hindu identity includes a sense of personal continuity and uniqueness from other people. To be successful, we need to carve out a potential identity based on our sacred Dharma. Hindus acquire a social identity based on their membership in various groups-familial, linguistic, regional, ethnic, and occupational and others. These identities, in addition to satisfying the need for affiliation help Hindus define themselves in the eyes of both others and themselves.
According to our Purusharathas, identity formation from birth through adulthood is very important for a successful living. A variety of changes that affect one’s work, status, or interpersonal relationships can bring a crisis that forces one to redefine oneself in terms of values, priorities, and chosen activities or lifestyle. In general, Hindus face predictable or unpredictable crisis in this country that can challenge their conception of themselves and result either in personal growth or stagnation.
We have seen Hindus in America identifying themselves as Tamils, Telugus, Nair, Ezhavas, and Guajarati, Marathas, Punjabis and Brahmins. Why can’t they identify themselves as Hindus? Compared to other ethnic immigrant groups, Hindus have significant history, culture and sacred tradition. Hindu culture and identity are interrelated. People who identify themselves as Hindus can negotiate life passages in this increasingly individualistic, complex and chaotic world.
Hindu identity is the subjective state of perceiving oneself as a Hindu and as relating to being Hindu. Hindu identity, by this definition does not depend on whether or not a person is regarded as a Hindu by others, or by an external set of religious, legal or sociological norms. Accordingly Hindu identity can be cultural in nature. Hindu identity can involve ties to the Hindu community. Hindu identity may be religious, secular and people who are atheists can have Hindu identity.
For countless American Hindus, Hindu identity is shaped by linguistic, and caste model as well as living as a minority group struggling to protect its heritage against assimilation. To preserve, practice and protect our sacred, eternal Hindu Dharma, we need to continue our Hindu identity. To establish Hindu identity, we need to practice our Hindu rituals and Samskaras. Yet the reality for many today is that they do not practice our rituals or insist on practicing our rituals with our children.
Economically and socially successful Hindus are part of this pluralistic society in which the primary factor determining religious identity is individual choice. We need a new, more helpful descriptive model that recognizes the vital role that personal decision play in Hindu-American identity construction.
First, Hindu identity is made up of choices. We pick, consciously, or otherwise, from a set of identity menu that offer us options for behaviors that we understand as Hindu because we see them as Hindu things to do or as done in Hindu way. At the cutting edge of cultural change, the menu expands increasingly listing behaviors that belonging to others. Increasingly, Hindus are selecting non-Hindu menu such as birth day party at a hotel, eating non-vegetarian food at the birth day party, burning candles instead of traditional lamp etc.
Second, identifying ourselves as Hindu does not necessarily say anything about how we express that identity. From a purely descriptive standpoint, it is essentially a choice of self-identifying that makes as Hindu, even when it is not clear how that identity expressed or conveyed.
Third, Hindu identity has become increasingly fluid. It is linked to personal choice. Life cycle changes, professional affiliation, caste identity and linguistic affiliation also affect our Hindu identity formation.
Fourth, most contemporary American Hindus are suspicious of our traditional experts and rarely consult Swanijis or pundits in choosing how to be a Hind. Many resist any pressure to affiliate with Hindu organizations or institutions. If and when few chose to affiliate, it generally is not because they feel duty bound but because doing so meets their needs.
Hindu identity implies on the one hand alignment, a shared belonging with members of other Hindus. Alignment may be based on a perception of similarity or a feeling of interdependence. Confusion often exists how the Hindu group should be defined and what their relation is to other Hindus whom they see as dissimilar from themselves in so many respects. At present, Hindus from different states of India, Hindus from the Caribbean, Hindus from Fiji, and Hindus from Pakistan seldom associate even though there is a common thread. A feeling of interdependence shall be invoked to have a common Hindu identity among all Hindus. The feeling of interdependence, of a common fate, represents the widest minimal basis, the common denominator of Hindu identity.
Hindus need to enhance Hindu identity, given the realities of today. Anyone who identifies as Hindu today only needs to go back three or four generation to find Hindu culture and traditions. There is an unbroken chain of Hindu living that goes back more than five thousand years. Hindus who are trapped in Islamic countries have lost to the Hindu community. Hindus without Hindu community and Hindu culture cannot last more than a couple of generations. Unless Hindu Diaspora returns to living Hindu way, the children of unobservant Hindus will get lost.
A family of unobservant Hindu will lose one or the other-either Hinduness, or the unobservance. We cannot have both. The importance of Hindu continuity is no secret, it’s obvious. Living-breathing Hindutva produces living-breathing Hindus. It is time for Hindus to do for our children what our grandparents did for us. We need to be a living example of what it means to live a vibrant Hindu life. It is time for Hindus to get self-organized on a larger scale with unity of purpose and strength. The current world scene requires Hindus to be assertive and proclaim as proud Hindus. Once Hindus are united, the cultural strength will emerge as a strong force in world affairs.
Hindu Identity
The Changing Context
We are living in a postindustrial world, a new society characterized by different problems and needs than those in the past. The complexity of technological advancement has the potential to increase our alienation by decreasing connectedness between people and our community. The rapid development in information technology has created a strange paradox. While pursuing a vision of progress and development in the human condition, modern technology has led to increasing dehumanization and alienation. We are faced with terrorism, crime, violence, substance addiction, alcoholism, global warming and healthcare crisis. These threatening issues have become more intractable with the Cartesian-Newtonian reductionist paradigm. Modern disciplines studying the human phenomena have tended to reduce the psyche to a complex mechanical reflexes and interacting neurological forces. As a result our ancient wisdom has been reduced into knowledge and knowledge into information and information into data. And data is used to manipulate human beings.
In this context what is the responsibility of Hindus living in the post industrial society? In this ever changing information society virtual reality has become reality, transient-throw away values has become virtues. There is no place for Dharma, spirituality and human development. Spirituality is seen as a sign of primitive superstition, intellectual and emotional immaturity.
In this context, the only way Hindus can minimize the psycho-social problems in this ever changing society is to develop a comprehensive and systemic perspective based on our Sanathan Dharma. We, Hindus are living in a society that has changed from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy. Recent success in information technology has its roots in our sacred Vedas and Sanskrit and its cultural affection towards knowledge.What is now required for Hindus is to establish a Hindu identity and realize their inherent strength and potential to grow in a knowledge economy. Hindu cultural forces have a chance to grow on their own and get organized to transform knowledge
We are living in a postindustrial world, a new society characterized by different problems and needs than those in the past. The complexity of technological advancement has the potential to increase our alienation by decreasing connectedness between people and our community. The rapid development in information technology has created a strange paradox. While pursuing a vision of progress and development in the human condition, modern technology has led to increasing dehumanization and alienation. We are faced with terrorism, crime, violence, substance addiction, alcoholism, global warming and healthcare crisis. These threatening issues have become more intractable with the Cartesian-Newtonian reductionist paradigm. Modern disciplines studying the human phenomena have tended to reduce the psyche to a complex mechanical reflexes and interacting neurological forces. As a result our ancient wisdom has been reduced into knowledge and knowledge into information and information into data. And data is used to manipulate human beings.
In this context what is the responsibility of Hindus living in the post industrial society? In this ever changing information society virtual reality has become reality, transient-throw away values has become virtues. There is no place for Dharma, spirituality and human development. Spirituality is seen as a sign of primitive superstition, intellectual and emotional immaturity.
In this context, the only way Hindus can minimize the psycho-social problems in this ever changing society is to develop a comprehensive and systemic perspective based on our Sanathan Dharma. We, Hindus are living in a society that has changed from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy. Recent success in information technology has its roots in our sacred Vedas and Sanskrit and its cultural affection towards knowledge.What is now required for Hindus is to establish a Hindu identity and realize their inherent strength and potential to grow in a knowledge economy. Hindu cultural forces have a chance to grow on their own and get organized to transform knowledge
Friday, July 3, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
During 1920’s Gandhi ji held the view “to establish Ramrajya in India, government and the state should not have any role for the welfare of people in the areas of civic and social activities. Pt. J.L.Nehru said soon afterIndependence,” My legacy to India is that hopefully 400 millions people will govern themselves”. Lokmanya Tilak said “Swaraj” is my Birth right. Based on such noble thoughts in 1950 the Indian Constitution confirmed that sovereignty resided with the people of India. ThePreamble to our constitution starts with “WE the People of India have decided to form social, democratic Republic…” It is thus apparent that the concept of “Bottom up” DEMOCRACY was predominant in the mind of framers of our Constitution and not the prevalent “Top Down” governance, which is commonly prevalent in the authoritarian states or where confused brand of socialism is followed. Plato the most renowned ancient Philosopher had already mentioned that rulers tend to become Corrupt in all those states where Local Governments do not exist or these are weak and ineffective. Our ancient Vedas categorically refer to Swaraj (Self rule) through Sabha and Vidhta. The message is very clear that for own social and civic amentias welfare we have to govern ourselves i.e. Self-governance by rural people through Panchayti Raj and urban areas through strong and effective Local governments assisted by mini Republics Residents Welfare Associations performing social, cultural and municipal functions. Today the buzzword in the world is G-2-C i.e. governance to citizens. For this perhaps we have to change our mind-set like people of Melbourne in Australia- the best livable city in the world. During the last 5 decades Melbourne population went up many fold but living conditions continued to improve due to self-governance. Today it is one of the cities akin to paradise on earth. The contrast of urban nightmare of Indian cities is apparent. With growing urbanization and increase in population our cities are getting bad to worse in regard to sanitation, transport, security and other civic amenities. A large majority of people in India have not even heard of 35 parameters required for a reasonably good livable city. If we think seriously it is perhaps the easiest job to implement the democratic concept of G-2-C. In all our cities we have got experienced bureaucrats, Generals, administrators, industrialists, scientists and others. We can govern ourselves much better than some inefficient, disinterested babus governing us by NOT following the science of good governance. What we need is time, energy and scientific outlook of the volunteer residents/elected representatives. If some of Delhi RWAs’ can run their own Community Centers, why can’t we? Lack of our participation is resulting in security problems, poor hygiene, low pressure of water, rise in environmental pollution etc. There is need to dare jointly to resolve these problems. Due to lack of our self-governance, WE the sovereign People of India living in cities are treated shabbily by peons/clerks while paying our honest amount of taxes, Govt. fees, Land Registration charges etc. We all know the bungling done by government functionaries in the issue of voters Identity Cards, deletion of urban voters names, false promises for the last a few years on the solution to various gandanalas/running streams of sewaerage etc. At present it gives the impression that our R.W.As are toothless. Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru and Gandhi ji rightly cautioned us in the past for early self governance and today we do not know how to govern ourselves for our own welfare. The result is that finding insensitive citizens in this country, elected legislators with criminal background from almost zero in 1950’s have gone up to over 700 in the state legislatures of India and Parliament. Imagine a situation when they get into majority in such law making August Assemblies.After 60 years of deep slumber and mai-baap feudal culture, it is now high time to wake up and tell the State and Central Governments to get away from civic and other social welfare activities. Our Democracy may be the largest in the world but it is certainly not the Ideal Democracy. Elections only mean it is government OF the people. Elected leaders/ministers may claim that they are doing our welfare, which only meansGovernment is for the people. But where is the Government BY THE PEOPLE in India? The third vital constituents of Democracy is lacking at least in urban areas. Self-governance of RWAs in India can only complete the missing link in our Democracy. Our buzzword should change from largest democracy to the most Ideal democracy in the world. Mahatma Gandhi said that honest disagreement is healthy sign of progress. We should synthesize all genuine divergent views of the citizens of India through their mini republics i.e. RWAs’ to create a cohesive society. RWAs are the association of residents and their various committees like Managing Committee, Cultural, Security Committees and many sub committees are only useful if they strive for achieving Model Aims and Objects. With the active participation of residents, your Managing Committees of RWAs will perform effectively. RWAs should work as social and civic welfare laboratories and quickly decide what additional municipal work they can take up. Unfortunately in Gurgaon no uniform social and civic findings have been derived from such laboratories during the last three decades. There is also an urgent need for achange of mindset from profound hierarchal society to the concept of “WE Feeling” so that we feel strongly that we are all co-workers of our own prosperity
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)