LET CONGRESS EXPLAIN 1984
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
By A. Surya Prakash
Editorial
The Pioneer
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Congress is unhappy that Amitabh Bachchan was invited to the
inauguration of the second carriageway of the Bandra-Worli sea link.
It is also troubled by the invitation extended to Amitabh Bachchan by
the organisers of the All-India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan. Then comes
the story of Abhishek Bachchan being given similar treatment in
Delhi. Just before the start of a programme to mark Earth Day, his
posters were removed and an audio-visual featuring him was taken off
the programme.
The Congress is miffed that Amitabh Bachchan is the brand ambassador
of Gujarat Tourism. It believes that being the brand ambassador of
Gujarat Tourism is equivalent to being the ambassador of Gujarat's
Chief Minister Narendra Modi because it is still in the 'Indira is
India and India is Indira' mode. It is unable to distinguish a State
from an individual. That is why a spokesperson of the party threw a
challenge at the film star the other day and said, "If he is a
sensitive man, if he is a right-thinking man, he must come out and
condemn the Modi Government for the post-Godhra riots."
This constitutes a selective application of constitutional
principles. The Congress's shameful role in the pogrom against the
Sikhs in 1984 is still fresh in our memory. The Ranganath Mishra
Commission said that 3,874 people were killed in the violence, of
which 2,307 were from Delhi. Plus, 131 gurdwaras were destroyed or
damaged in Delhi alone. It further stressed, "In these mobs were
people with sympathy for the Congress (I) and associated with the
party's activities."
Gen AS Vaidya, the Chief of Army Staff at that time, told the
commission that though 6,000 troops were available in the capital,
the Army was not immediately called in. The Nanavati Commission of
Inquiry said, "Local Congress (I) leaders and workers had either
incited or helped the mobs attacking the Sikhs." It said, "They (the
mobs) were assured that they would not be harmed."
Rajiv Gandhi presided over the Government that remained a mute
spectator as citizens belonging to a tiny religious minority were
slaughtered. Despite desperate calls for deployment of the Army, the
Government took its time in doing so, thus allowing the mobs to loot
and kill at will. After it was all over, Rajiv Gandhi justified the
pogrom and incriminated himself by declaring at a public meeting in
Delhi that "when a big tree falls, even the earth trembles".
Going by the Congress spokesperson's self-righteous indignation
before television cameras while talking about Amitabh Bachchan, one
presumes that he is a citizen who is committed to core constitutional
values, democracy and the rule of law. If that be so, we need to put
this question to him: If you are a sensitive man, if you are a right-
thinking man, you must come out and condemn the Rajiv Gandhi
Government for the pogrom against the Sikhs in 1984.
Amitabh Bachchan is an eminent citizen and a global icon who commands
the respect of millions of people around the world. Every Indian who
has followed his life and career from the heady days of Sholay to the
days of deep distress brought about by financial and health problems,
can only marvel at his inner strength and resilience. He carries
himself with such dignity and poise that he is undoubtedly one of the
ratnas of Bharat who has been chiselled into a good human being by
his life and professional experiences. That is why a lot of his time
and effort is devoted to national causes. It is foolhardy to trifle
with such an eminent citizen that millions of fellow citizens look up
to.
As regards the post-Godhra riots, it is true that Muslims were
targeted by mobs in Gujarat and Mr Narendra Modi, as Chief Minister,
must take responsibility for the brutal violence that was unleashed
against a religious minority. By the same token, Mr Modi must also
take responsibility for failing to prevent the barbaric killings of
60 Hindu kar sevaks by a Muslim mob at Godhra, which triggered the
anti-Muslim riots. This brings us to the next poser for the Congress
spokesman: "If you are a sensitive man, if you are a right-thinking
man, you must come out and condemn the Modi Government for its
failure to protect kar sevaks who were burnt alive in the train in
Godhra." The point is that selective application of secular and
constitutional principles will not do. Selective memory will not do
either.
The event that triggered the Congress's tirade tells us a lot more
about this party. India's engineers have built a superb sea bridge
connecting Worli and Bandra in Mumbai. This bridge ought to have been
named after an eminent engineer or technocrat. Just as every
prominent road, bridge and location in the country is named after
Rajiv Gandhi (Connaught Circus is Rajiv Chowk, the clover-leaf
flyover near AIIMS in Delhi is Rajiv Setu and a key intersection on
NH 8 is also called Rajiv Chowk), even this engineering marvel in
Mumbai was named after him. But, Amitabh Bachchan, one of India's
most distinguished citizens, should not even be present at a ceremony
to mark the opening of the second carriageway of the sea bridge!
One of the standard mantras of the UPA since it assumed office in
2004 has been 'inclusiveness'. But, as this incident shows, it does
not include those who disagree with the Nehru-Gandhis.
'Inclusiveness' obviously means inclusion of sycophants, blind
followers and sympathisers of the Congress. Since the party gets
around 28 per cent of the national vote, it can be safely presumed
that when the Congress runs the Union Government, 72 per cent of the
citizens (including Amitabh Bachchan) stand excluded.
In his blog, Amitabh Bachchan has wondered whether he was
hallucinating or "if there was a pattern to all this". Yes, citizen
Bachchan, there is a pattern. This is Congress haughtiness on display
and we have seen this before, especially during the mid-1970s.
Members of the Congress obviously view India as some kind of a jagir
of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. The sooner we disabuse their minds of
this, the better it is for our democracy and our constitutional well-
being. This is a worthy cause. Since we have no doubt that you are "a
sensitive man" and "a right-thinking man", we expect you to take the
lead and launch this public-service campaign to build a truly
democratic and 'inclusive' India.
More at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
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Since newsgroup posts are being removed
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navanavonmilita
> by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
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Monkey is Your Uncle: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.china/browse_thread/thread/dce0d4821fe42501/44ec2d6fa29b35eb?lnk=raot
Fossil Skeletons May Be Human Ancestor
LiveScience.com
Handout photo shows a cranium forming part of the holotype skeleton of
Australopithecus sediba from the Malapa site in South Africa Reuters –
Handout photo released April 8, 2010 shows a cranium forming part of
the holotype skeleton of Australopithecus …
* Dinosaurs and Fossils Slideshow:Dinosaurs and Fossils
Charles Q. Choi
LiveScience Contributor
LiveScience.com charles Q. Choi
livescience Contributor
livescience.com – Thu Apr 8, 10:10 am ET
A newfound ancient relative of humanity discovered in a cave in Africa
is a strong candidate for the immediate ancestor to the human lineage,
an international team of scientists said today.
The remarkably well-preserved skeletons - a juvenile male and an adult
female that lived nearly 2 million years ago - were found near the
surface in the remains of a deeply eroded limestone cave system.
Scientists don't know how they died, but it's possible they fell into
the cave.
The hominids had longer arms than we do, and smaller brains. But their
faces were human-like, and scientists say the discovery represents an
important look into our pre-human past. Researchers stopped short of
calling the new species, dubbed Australopithecus sediba, a missing
link.
http://www.livescience.com/culture/091030-origins-top10-special.html
Click image to see more fossil photos
AP
Australopithecus means 'southern ape.' Sediba means "natural spring,
fountain or wellspring in Sotho, one of the 11 official languages of
South Africa," said researcher Lee Berger, a paleoanthropologist at
the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. This was "deemed an
appropriate name for a species that might be the point from which the
genus Homo arises," Berger said.
Rich fossil site
The partial skeletons were found near Johannesburg at a site called
Malapa, which means "homestead" in Sotho, in an area named the Cradle
of Humankind.
http://www.livescience.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?s=history&c=news&l=on&pic=hominid-skull-100408-02.jpg&cap=The+cranium+of+the+newly+identified+species%2C+Australopithecus+sediba%2C+was+found+at+the+Malapa+site%2C+South+Africa.+Credit%3A+Photo+by+Brett+Eloff+courtesy+of+Lee+Berger+and+the+University+of+the+Witwatersrand.&title=
"This is one of the richest fossil sites in Africa," said researcher
Daniel Farber, an earth scientist at the University of California at
Santa Cruz. Nearly a third of the entire evidence for human origins in
Africa come from just a few sites in this region.
The sex of the fossils was determined from the shape of the jaws and
hips, while analysis of the teeth suggest the young male was about 12
years old and the adult female in her late 20s or early 30s. Since
these specimens apparently died at or about the same time as each
other - anytime from hours to weeks apart - the researchers suggest
they would almost certainly have known each other in life and may very
well have been related.
Both stood upright a little more than 4 feet high (1.2 meters). "The
female probably weighed about 33 kilograms (72 lbs.) and the child
about 27 kilograms (59 lbs.) at the time of his death," Berger noted.
The male was "right on the cusp of adulthood."
In many ways, the skeleton appears to be a mishmash of features, with
some resembling members of the human family tree and others more like
those of earlier ape-like hominids. (A hominid includes humans,
chimpanzees, gorillas and their extinct ancestors, while hominins
include those species after the human lineage split from that of
chimpanzees.)
For instance, "the brain size of the juvenile was between 420 and 450
cubic centimeters, which is small when compared to the human brain of
about 1,200 to 1,600 cubic centimeters," Berger said. "It would look
almost like a pinhead."
http://www.livescience.com/history/091113-origins-evolving.html
Still, "the shape of the brain seems to be more advanced than that of
australopithecines," Berger noted. Indeed, a number of skull features,
such as certain wide, broad lines in the bone, "are ones you tend to
attribute to early members of genus Homo," Berger told LiveScience -
that is to say, our lineage.
Human-like faces
A number of facial and dental features resemble those of early human
species, such as small teeth and a projecting nose. At the same time,
"it had very long forearms - in fact, as long as an orangutans,"
Berger said, similar to other members of the genus Australopithecus.
Its fingers were curved, ideal for climbing trees, yet relatively
short, like in humans.
http://www.livescience.com/history/091026-top10-origins-mysteries.html
Its legs were relatively long and the ankles seem to be intermediate
between modern humans and earlier hominids. Critically, its pelvis and
hip were more advanced than other australopithecines, approaching the
hip structure of the extinct human species Homo erectus.
http://www.livescience.com/culture/091030-origins-top10-special.html
This indicates that A. sediba was able to walk upright in a striding
manner.
Despite the differences in sex, the male and female skeletons
physically resembled each other, something they seem to have had in
common with the human family tree but not with more distant relatives,
such as chimpanzees. This could mean that A. sediba leaned toward
social behavior "where you don't necessarily have a dominant alpha
male and you are lowering violence between males who are probably
working more cooperatively in a group," Berger suggested.
Time machine
A combination of dating techniques determined the rocks encasing the
fossils are 1.95 million to 1.78 million years old.
"This fits in a critical moment in time," Berger explained. The human
lineage is thought to have originated between 1.8 million to 2 million
years ago, but the hominid fossils unearthed so far from that period
have proven remarkably poor, giving scientists a great deal of room
for speculation as to how our family tree evolved.
http://www.livescience.com/history/091026-top10-origins-mysteries.html
Due to A. sediba's age and physical traits, the researchers believe it
is a convincing candidate for the immediate ancestor to the genus
Homo. Based on its physique, they suggest its appearance signified the
dawn of more energy-efficient forms of walking and running.
Many scientists believe the human genus Homo evolved from
Australopithecus a little more than 2 million years ago, but that
possibility has been widely debated, with other experts proposing an
evolution from the genus Kenyanthropus. This new species might help
clear up that controversy.
"These fossils give us an extraordinarily detailed look into a new
chapter of human evolution, and provide a window into a critical
period when hominids made the committed change from dependency on life
in the trees to life on the ground," Berger said. "Australopithecus
sediba appears to present a mosaic of features demonstrating an animal
comfortable in both worlds."
http://www.livescience.com/history/091102-human-origins-start.html
Not a missing link
Based on its age and overall details of its body, researchers
suggested A. sediba descended from Australopithecus africanus, which
lived between 2 million and 3 million years ago and seemed to have
eaten mostly soft foods like fleshy fruits, young leaves and perhaps
some meat. This new species appears more similar to humans than do
Australopithecus afarensis, most famed for Lucy, or Australopithecus
garhi, which was discovered in 1996.
http://www.livescience.com/history/070717_lucy_link.html
"We are perhaps at the beginning of a more coherent view of the
diversity of the earliest South African hominids," said
paleoanthropologist Ian Tattersall at the American Museum of Natural
History in New York, who did not take part in this research. These
specimens provide "a better position to perceive the larger
evolutionary patterns among hominids in a critical part of the
timeframe."
As intriguing as the new fossil is, "it's not everything the rumor
mill said it was going to be," said paleoanthropologist John Hawks at
the University of Wisconsin at Madison. "It's not a missing link."
http://www.livescience.com/health/top10_missinglinks.html
One of the biggest mysteries in human evolution is when the human
genus Homo arose.
"What sets us apart most from the australopithecines is the size of
our brain," Hawks said. With this new fossil, "while it has a somewhat
Homo-like face, it doesn't have a Homo-like brain - it's smaller than
the average for the earlier [Australopithecus] africanus."
"Maybe these findings suggest we look to South Africa for a possible
origin for Homo, but there's not a smoking gun here," Hawks added.
Intriguing fossils have also emerged in East Africa, and even Asia,
and much remains unknown when it comes to Central Africa and West
Africa. All these clues raise the question of which species were our
ancestors and which just evolved similar traits in a parallel manner.
"We just need to find more skulls," he noted.
Regardless of whether they are a side-branch removed from humanity or
whether they are our ancestors, these new hominids are "a time
machine," Berger said, a window into the evolutionary pressures and
processes during that crucial period when the human lineage arose.
Setting the scene
The sedimentary and geological setting the skeletons were found in
suggests the two hominids died about the same time, shortly before a
mud flow carried them to where they were buried.
"We think the environment [Australopithecus] sediba lived in was, in
many ways, similar to the environment today," said researcher Paul
Dirks, a geologist at James Cook University in Australia. "For
example, one with predominantly grassy plains, transected by more
vegetated, wooded valleys. However, the rivers flowed in different
directions and the landscape was not static, but changed all the
time."
The hominids were found along with at least 25 other species of
animals, including saber-tooth cats, hyenas, a wild dog, a wildcat, a
horse, a species of antelope known as a kudu, and smaller animals such
as mice and rabbits. The fact that the hominid fossils were intact and
well-preserved suggests they were trapped in the cave beyond the reach
of scavengers that could have scattered their skeletons.
All these fossils were preserved in a hard, concrete-like substance
known as calcified clastic sediment that formed at the bottom of what
appears to be a shallow underground lake or pool.
"We believe the cave originally was deep and only accessible through
vertical entranceways, which made it hard for animals to escape once
they became trapped," Farber said.
Cause of death?
The cave would have likely once been some 100 to 150 feet deep (30 to
45 meters). "We are looking at very eroded and denuded portions of
this cave system, where nature has exposed what had once been the deep
reaches," Farber said.
The cave might have acted as a death trap for animals seeking water.
"We would speculate that perhaps at the time of their death, the area
in which [Australopithecus] sediba lived experienced a severe
drought," Dirks said. "Animals may have smelled the water, ventured in
too deep, fallen down hidden shafts in the pitch dark, or got lost and
died."
Although researchers can only speculate on how these hominids died,
Farber speculated that they probably fell into the cave. "Even now,
there are places where you can fall into unexpected cracks in this
landscape," he said.
A deeper understanding of the environment these hominids lived in
could yield critical insights into their evolution. For instance, was
there anything about their surroundings that might have driven them to
stand upright?
"Those were the original questions that we will continue to look at as
part of the broader study," Farber said. The scientists will detail
their findings in the April 9 issue of the journal Science.
A child's discovery
The scientists began the research that uncovered A. sediba in March of
2008, when Berger and Dirks started mapping the roughly 130 caves and
20 fossil sites identified in the region over the past several
decades. By July that year, the 3-D capabilities of Google Earth then
allowed Berger to identify nearly 500 new caves from satellite images,
which further research discovered included more than 25 fossil sites
previously unknown to science.
"It is a powerful, powerful tool for science," Berger said of Google
Earth. "I happen to know paleontologists around Africa who are using
that tool to hunt for fossils."
In late July 2008, using Google Earth, Berger noted a series of caves
running along a fault that pointed to a blank area in the region, an
area that appeared to have clusters of trees that typically marked
cave deposits. On August 1 that year, when Dirks was dropped off with
his dog Tau to map the caves, he almost immediately discovered a rich
new fossil site.
http://www.livescience.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?s=history&c=news&l=on&pic=hominid-cave-100408-02.jpg&cap=A+view+of+the+uitkomst+cave%2C+a+well-known+archaeological+site+close+to+the+sediba+site.+It%0D+illustrates+the+broken%2C+diverse+nature+of+the+landscape.+Credit%3A+Paul+Dirks&title=
Two weeks after that, Berger explored this fossil site with his nine-
year-old son Matthew and his postdoctoral student Job Kibii.
"Matthew ran off the site, about 15 meters (50 feet) off-site, and
within about a minute-and-a-half, he said, 'Dad, I found a fossil,"
Berger said. "I thought it would be an antelope fossil, because that's
usually all we find, but as I walked toward him, I found he found a
hominid clavicle (collarbone) sticking out of the rock." That bone was
the first remains found of A. sediba - the collarbone of the juvenile.
Fossil preparators have worked arduously over the last two years to
extract the rest of the bones from the rock. In celebration of this
find, the children of South Africa have been invited to a competition
to decide what the name for the juvenile skeleton will be.
The future of the past
In the meantime, the researchers said there are at least two other
skeletons emerging from the site. He also refused to confirm or deny
whether they might have found any tools these hominids might have left
behind.
"The presence of tools is something that would have enormous
ramifications, obviously," Berger said. "We're treading carefully in
that area."
The skulls from the fossils they have retrieved so far are well-
preserved enough to reconstruct their faces, Berger noted.
"Sometime in the future, we will look into the face of sediba," he
said.
The researchers might even be able to retrieve DNA or proteins from
the site.
"We are seeing some organics preserved in various parts of the
assemblage," Berger noted.
* Top 10 Mysteries of the First Humans
http://www.livescience.com/history/091026-top10-origins-mysteries.html
* Humans Still Evolving as Our Brains Shrink
http://www.livescience.com/history/091113-origins-evolving.html
* Top 10 Things That Make Humans Special
http://www.livescience.com/culture/091030-origins-top10-special.html
* Original Story: Fossil Skeletons May Be Human Ancestor
http://www.livescience.com/history/new-hominid-human-ancestor-100408.html
LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations made in
science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often pop
up around scientific discoveries and deliver short, provocative
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Related Searches:
* australopithecus garhi http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=australopithecus+garhi
* australopithecus africanus http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=australopithecus+africanus
* australopithecus afarensis http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=australopithecus+afarensis
* cradle of humankind http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=cradle+of+humankind
* google earth http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=google+earth
2,035 Comments
Show:
Lee J
575 users liked this comment
933 users disliked this comment
Lee J 21 hours ago
IMPOSSIBLE!!!! Earth is only 6,000 years old. Satan put
those bones there to confuse us or God did to test us. I can't
remember which one is right.
Well now that being said we can move on to more comments
about this story.
Replies (181)
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Infidel
692 users liked this comment
809 users disliked this comment
Infidel 21 hours ago
A nine-year old CHILD found the first of these important
fossils! Fantastic! At least he won't grow up to be deluded by the
bible-believers "young earth" myth. Too bad so many American children
are brainwashed with bible-thumping nonsense, and that with
conservative control over science textbooks, many more WILL be.
Replies (117)
*
Bullwinkle
176 users liked this comment
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Bullwinkle 21 hours ago
Maybe they fell from the moon.
Replies (15)
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Tony
83 users liked this comment
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Tony 21 hours ago Report Abuse
oh the brain was smaller then the average brain of the ape a
million years before it how does where's the logic lol
Replies (14)
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Christian
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57 users disliked this comment
Christian 19 hours ago Report Abuse
wow very interesting
Replies (3)
*
Daniela
311 users liked this comment
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Daniela 19 hours ago Report Abuse
wow are you serious it could be and ancestor for an ape not
humans!
Replies (17)
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Jerk
481 users liked this comment
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Jerk 19 hours ago Report Abuse
So if we evolved from apes, why are there still apes?
There's also multiple species of fish... am I supposed to believe
there was 1 original fish and all the others evolved?
Replies (98)
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John
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John 19 hours ago Report Abuse
Interesting, but I don't buy it. In every species, when one
species evolves into another species, the previous one disappears. So,
if we evolved from monkeys and apes, why are there still monkeys and
apes? It takes more faith to believe in evolution than it does to
believe in creation.
Replies (88)
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Steve
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Steve 19 hours ago Report Abuse
That's Great....
Replies (7)
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Edward
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Edward 19 hours ago
It is interesting how the evolutionist continue to insist
man evolved from apes and the earth is billions years old. There are
still no intermediate transitional forms. There is natural selection
and adaptation but no macroevolution. Dogs still beget dogs and cats
still beget cats even though there are different varieties within the
kind.
These scientist have rejected the truth about the Creator
and have chosen to believe in fary tales for grown ups. The key to
true scientific understanding is believe in a recent creation and a
global cataclysmic flood in the days of Noah which would explain most
of the fossil record.
These evolutionist just can't exept the idea that they will
have to answer to the Creator one day for their sin. Jesus himself
attested to the historical accuracy of the Genesis record. I would
rather believe God's Son than athiests with an agenda.
Replies (48)
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Priscilla
5 users liked this
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Priscilla 19 hours ago Report Abuse
damn dats crazy!!! team kaname!!
Comment hidden due to low rating. Show Comment
Replies (2)
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Himitsu
106 users liked this comment
34 users disliked this comment
Himitsu 19 hours ago
cool cool cool! I love when they find new stuff! I'm
excited. Kinda makes me want to be an archeologist...
Replies (2)
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Daniel
3 users liked this commentThumbs UpThumbs Down44 users disliked
this comment
Daniel 19 hours ago
Ho Hum
Comment hidden due to low rating. Show Comment
Reply
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High
53 users liked this comment
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High 19 hours ago
Peole read your bible !!!
It say that earth had man and likeman !!!
Eva think bones are from like-man !!!
Replies (12)
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sam
108 users liked this comment
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sam 19 hours ago
lets continue with the discovery of who we are. that is
amazing that we are able to, soon, prove who we are. i hope that child
understands the discovery they made. hopefully we can soon let our
children THINK for themselves an not be forced to belive in a figment
of a 2000 year old mans imagination. why would we want our future in
the hands of people who belive in a tribal view of creation, when
evolution has proved it self true.why should our leaders be people who
wont belive in the realitys of the facts. lets hope that we find the
rest of our past an can soon see the true evolution of man.
Replies (12)
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wrxacd
98 users liked this comment
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wrxacd 19 hours ago
I just want to make people, who don't already know, aware.
The dates they come up with are not accurate the dating techniques
used to come up with these numbers are VERY inaccurate beyond a few
thousand years. So how can they know it was "2 million years" ago? And
what really bugs me about these articles is how the author tries to
present all the information as "fact" when it is based on theory. The
old saying "Don't believe everything you see on TV" would apply
nowadays. DON"T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ ON THE INTERNET.
Replies (8)
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..::Beautiful::..
139 users liked this comment
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..::Beautiful::.. 19 hours ago Report Abuse
FInally! Actual PROOF is coming out. What kind of "proofs"
does the theory of God have?
Replies (47)
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Joey
118 users liked this comment
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Joey 19 hours ago
HAHAHAHAHAHA there is so little evidence for evolution every
new find lends us some supposed new clue. These losers just dont want
to admit there is a God. This is honestly to funny.
Replies (11)
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Eric
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Eric 19 hours ago
In about a year, a very small article will appear(not on the
front page of Yahoo), stating that this hominid is not an ancestor of
us. Happens every time. And there are some of us who believe that the
universe is about 15 billion years old, and the earth is about 4
billion years old...Old Earth Creationists. Not to mention there are
Thiestic Evolutionists. So don't let that stop you from loving and
serving Jesus.
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AustinR
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AustinR 19 hours ago
Small brain and in Africa. Really, do I need to go there?
Replies (7)
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JeremyJ
88 users liked this comment
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JeremyJ 19 hours ago
I agree completely, If we all evolved from apes, why are
there still apes? Same applies to fish, etc... People who believe in
evolution are looking for a way to fill the gap that not believing in
God creates in their lives.
Replies (6)
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Rev Mike
47 users liked this comment
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Rev Mike 19 hours ago
Of course there is only one type of human left! We ate all
the others! LOL Hope they find more and I hope we get to read about
it!!
Replies (1)
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ONE TIME
47 users liked this comment
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ONE TIME 19 hours ago
First, we find something and title it "May be a human
ancestor." Step two, say that it is and get it published in a school
text book. Step 3, after some 25 years we learn that it wasn't what we
thought it was and keep publishing that textbook as if it is true. ...
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jake
93 users liked this comment
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jake 19 hours ago
Wow, people still believe in evolution? Religion has more
facts this this crap.
Replies (13)
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Charles Webb
87 users liked this comment
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Charles Webb 19 hours ago
Ancestors? Really!!? Its an Ape or monkey Specie that`s it.
We were created. We didnt evolve. Scientists will be looking for the
missing link for eternity,because it doesnt exist.
Replies (4)
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Shay
86 users liked this comment
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Shay 19 hours ago
How do you know its that old? The answer is you don't. It is
wrong to say something is that old when you have no idea. And as for
this "missing link" you will never find it. God created the world. Its
as simple as that. We did not evolve from a monkey.
Replies (7)
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Shaun S
49 users liked this comment
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Shaun S 19 hours ago
HAHAHA!!! Stupid atheists... the earth is only 10,000 years
old. There is no "human ancestor", we are now as we have always been!
Replies (8)
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Mat
56 users liked this comment
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Mat 19 hours ago
This is not the forum for a religious debate; feel free to
blog or chat elsewhere if you have theological issues on this.
It really is amazing that a child made such a find; or is
it? Children do tend to dig, quite a bit. The surprising part may be
that the child notified the correct people without continuing to dig
and causing serious damage to the discovery.
Replies (5)
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Mark
74 users liked this comment
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Mark 19 hours ago
when one species evolves into a new species it does not
automatically mean the elimination fo the old species.....I don't mind
a person choosing the bible over science but I find it troubling how
many anti-evolutionists clearly don't understand the theory in the
slightest
Replies (7)
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Stephen K
7 users liked this comment
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Stephen K 19 hours ago
HAHAHA.... @ Lee
Surely you don't believe that nonsense, right? lol
#
Lee J
4 users liked this comment
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Lee J 19 hours ago
Tig....Tig........Tig Chill out.......Don't you know sarcasm when
you read it?
Replies (1)
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steph8208
17 users liked this comment
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steph8208 19 hours ago
Dont Buy into it folks! Either is A.) a species that has went
extinct B) deformed animal we already have as a species or C) a
"deformed" human. This is hilarious!
Replies (3)
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Ruth
45 users liked this comment
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Ruth 19 hours ago
Ya'll are a mess.. Its just a species in the monkey family..
Humans did not evolve from apes.. smh
Replies (4)
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Michael
50 users liked this comment
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Michael 19 hours ago
The earth is only 6000 years old. About 4500 years ago there was a
catastrophic global flood, which changed things quite a bit. However,
there are no "human ancestors". Humans, and all animals originated at
the same time........the sixth day.
Replies (10)
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__A_YAHOO_USER__
60 users liked this comment
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__A_YAHOO_USER__ 19 hours ago
how would it take more faith to believe in evolution that is
backed by tangable facts, than it would to believe in creation that is
backed only by man written books, stories, and flintstones cartoons?
Replies (7)
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Paul
54 users liked this comment
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Paul 19 hours ago
God has complete control over everything including time, you
should read "The Science of God: The Convergence of Scientific and
Biblical Wisdom," Gerald L. Schroeder, I'm frankly tired of atheistic
comments against Christians, our founding fathers were Christian and
the reason this country is going down is because of people like you
that have no concept of sin. So instead of attacking me back, go read
something Mr. and Mrs. scientist.
Replies (6)
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Justin
73 users liked this comment
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Justin 19 hours ago
I swear to god (haha a pun), you religious people are all idiots
in denial. The Earth is certainly more than a measly 10,000 years old.
Heck that was the last ice age! Life began on this planet 4 BILLION
years ago. Finally more proof of evolution. Science. Facts. Take that
in your little "belief system". We have facts, you have random ideas.
Replies (13)
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dennis
49 users liked this comment
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dennis 19 hours ago
Here is a thought... Jesus Christ died for ALL OF US, AND ALL OF
OUR SINS, this skeleton may be an extinct species but NOT a human
ancestor. I firmly believe in the Bible, that being said, we
Christians NEED TO LOVE THOSE WHO DON'T BELIEVE; NOT ATTACK THEM!
Evolution is WRONG, ---IF WE ARE DESCENDANTS OF APES THEN SCIENCE
WOULD BE ABLE TO MIX HUMAN EGGS WITH PRIMATE SPERM OR VICE VERSA
PRODUCING OFFSPRING. THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DO SUCH A THING.----
Horses and donkeys produce (sterile) mules.... therefore (IF)
evolution was right and it is NOT, but if it was then there should be
an offspring which would be produced via the same technique... We are
to tell the world about Jesus, not attack the Lost or belittle them.
you will win the lost with love not hate or anger.
Replies (4)
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Christian
53 users liked this comment
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Christian 19 hours ago
I find it funny how these sort of articles always result in
religious lashing out.
Replies (3)
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Chris
36 users liked this comment
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Chris 19 hours ago
It is a FACT that Darwin himself changed and believed in Creation
not Evolution before he died!
Replies (12)
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KB
3 users liked this comment
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KB 19 hours ago Report Abuse
Poor stupid Lee J. Severe head injury... or just born
retarded?? Geez...
Comment hidden due to low rating. Show Comment
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Marko
31 users liked this comment
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Marko 19 hours ago
I'm sure it was the first Democrats. You can tell by the
small brain.
Replies (5)
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Tom
13 users liked this comment
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Tom 19 hours ago
Wow, Cool, another shape of a human skull...you know we all
are so much the same now. Have a little faith you amiba's Genesis
explains it all, Faith baby Faith!
Replies (2)
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John
17 users liked this comment
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John 19 hours ago
God made these creatures and they must be however remotely
related to our first parents. We will not gain more understanding
beyond the literal details of the Genesis creation accounts by hurling
insults at each other.
Reply
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Gray
65 users liked this comment
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Gray 19 hours ago
These religious people are really starting to piss me off.
Religion is fine and all I don't care if you are. Quit trying to
sholve it down peoples throats. It makes you looks ignorant.
Replies (7)
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JimmyJam
84 users liked this comment
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JimmyJam 19 hours ago
Judging by some of these comments, it's obvious that the
human brain is shrinking once again.
Replies (4)
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Loratta
26 users liked this comment
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Loratta 19 hours ago
i think this is an extrodinary find maybe one day with
discoverys like this we can put the debate of whether we discended
from apes or created by god can be put to rest
Replies (4)
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Michael
15 users liked this comment
53 users disliked this comment
Michael 19 hours ago
The earth is only 6000 years old. About 4500 years ago there
was a catastrophic global flood, which changed things quite a bit.
However, there are no "human ancestors". Humans, and all animals
originated at the same time........the sixth day.
Replies (3)
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NathanA
34 users liked this comment
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NathanA 19 hours ago
One can be a believer and believe in evolution as well. The
concepts are not mutually exclusive.
Replies (3)
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Gonzo
4 users liked this comment
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Gonzo 19 hours ago
if this is all so then what explains ghost and spirits....
life is so crasy confuseing
Replies (1)
You get the picture...
Dr Jai Maharaj is a sad Monkey: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian/browse_thread/thread/778f6f077f33363b/bf1af43c5f2c24fa?lnk=raot&pli=1
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian/msg/d407520db5c5719f
...and I am Sid Harth
SuryaArya
navanavonmilita
> http://www.angelfire.com/oh/Monkeys2/images/NGMonkey.jpg
Not Required Indian, NRI: Sid Harth
Romani people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Romani. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani
Romani people
Rromane dźene
Romani flag proposed by the 1971 World Romani Congress
(left to right):
Grigoraş Dinicu, Drafi Deutscher, Charles Chaplin, Isabel Pantoja,
Ricardo Quaresma, Ceija Stojka, Džej Ramadanovski, Irini Merkouri
Total population
Up to 5 million in the world[1]
or
6-11 million in the world[2]
See Romani people by country for the entire list of countries and
other estimations.
The following list uses official data, the unofficial estmation might
differ substantially.
Regions with significant populations
Spain 650,000
(1.62%) [3]
Romania 535,140
(2.46%) [4]
Turkey 500,000
(0.72%) [5]
France 500,000
(0.79%) [6]
Bulgaria 370,908
(4.67%) [7]
Hungary 205,720
(2.02%) [8]
Greece 200,000
(1.82%) [9]
Russia 182,766
(0.13%) [10]
Italy 130,000
(0.22%) [11]
Serbia 108,193
(1.44%) [12]
Slovakia 89,920
(1.71%) [13]
Germany 70,000
(0.09%) [14]
R. Macedonia 53,879
(2.85%) [15]
Languages
Romani, languages of native region
Religion
Christianity
(Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism),
Islam,
Shaktism[16]
Related ethnic groups
Dom people, Lom people, other Indo-Aryans
The Romani (also Romany, Romanies, Romanis, Roma or Roms; exonym:
Gypsies; Romani: Romane or Rromane, depending on the dialect) are an
ethnic group living mostly in Europe, who trace their origins to
medieval India.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_kingdoms_of_India
The Romani are widely dispersed with their largest concentrated
populations in Europe, especially the Roma of Central and Eastern
Europe and Anatolia, followed by the Iberian Kale in Southwestern
Europe and Southern France, with more recent diaspora populations in
the Americas and, to a lesser extent, in other parts of the world.
Their Romani language is divided into several dialects, which add up
to an estimated number of speakers larger than two million.[17] The
total number of Romani people is at least twice as large (several
times as large according to high estimates), and many Romani are
native speakers of the language current in their country of residence,
or of mixed languages combining the two.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_language
Terminology
Main article: Names of the Romani people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_Romani_people
Distribution of the Romanies in Europe based on self-designation.Rom,
Romani
Romani usage
In the Romani language, rom is a masculine noun, meaning "man,
husband", with the plural roma. Romani is the feminine adjective,
while romano is the masculine adjective. Some Romanies use Rom / Roma
as an ethnic name, while others (such as the Sinti, or the Romanichal)
do not use this term as a self-ascription for the entire ethnic group.
[18]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinti
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanichal
Sometimes, rom and romani are spelled with a double r, i.e., rrom and
rromani. In this case rr is used to represent the phoneme /ʀ/ (also
written as ř and rh), which in some Romani dialects has remained
different from the one written with a single r. The rr spelling is
common particularly in Romania, in order to distinguish from the
endonym for Romanians (sg. român, pl. români).[19]
English usage
In the English language (according to OED), Rom is a noun (with the
plural Roma or Roms) and an adjective, while Romani (Romany) is also a
noun (with the plural Romanies or Romanis) and an adjective. Both Rom
and Romani have been in use in English since the 19th century as an
alternative for Gypsy. Romani was initially spelled Rommany, then
Romany, while today the Romani spelling is the most popular spelling.
Occasionally, the double r spelling (e.g., Rroma, Rromani) mentioned
above is also encountered in English texts.
Although Roma is used as a designation for the branch of the Romani
people with historic concentrations in Eastern Europe and the Balkans,
it is increasingly encountered during recent decades[20][21] as a
generic term for the Romani people as a whole.[22]
Because all Romanies use the word Romani as an adjective, the term
began to be used as a noun for the entire ethnic group.[23]
Today, the term Romani is used by most organizations—including the
United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the US Library of Congress.
[19]
The standard assumption is that the demonyms of the Romani people, Lom
and Dom share the same origin.[24][25]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lom_people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_people
Gypsy
Further information: Gypsy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy
The English term Gypsy (or Gipsy) originates from the Greek word
Αιγύπτοι (Aigyptoi, whence modern Greek γύφτοι gifti), in the
erroneous belief that the Romanies originated in Egypt, and were
exiled as punishment for allegedly harboring the infant Jesus.[26]
This exonym is sometimes written with capital letter, to show that it
designates an ethnic group.[27]
As described in Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the
medieval French referred to the Romanies as egyptiens. The term has
come to bear pejorative connotations. The word "Gypsy" in English has
become so pervasive that many Romani organizations use it in their own
organizational names.
In North America, the word "Gypsy" is commonly used as a reference to
lifestyle[citation needed] or fashion, and not to the Romani
ethnicity. The Spanish term gitano and the French term gitan may have
the same origin[clarification needed].[28]
Population and subgroups
Main article: Romani populations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_populations
Distribution of the Romani people in Europe (2007 Council of Europe
"average estimates", totalling 9.8 million)[29]
* The size of the wheel symbols reflects absolute population size
* The gradient reflects the percent in the country's population:
0% 10%.Many Romanies for a variety of
reasons choose not to register their ethnic identity in official
censuses. There are an estimated four million Romani people in Europe
and Asia Minor (as of 2002),[30] although some high estimates by
Romani organizations give numbers as high as 14 million.[31]
Significant Romani populations are found in the Balkan peninsula, in
some Central European states, in Spain, France, Russia, and Ukraine.
Several more million Romanies may live out of Europe, in particular in
the Middle East and in the Americas.
The Romani people recognize divisions among themselves based in part
on territorial, cultural and dialectal differences and self-
designation. The main branches are:[32][33][34][35]
Roma, crystallized in Eastern Europe and Central Italy, emigrated also
(mostly from the 19th century onwards), in the rest of Europe, but
also on the other continents;
Iberian Kale, mostly in Spain (see Romani people in Spain), but also
in Portugal, Southern France and Latin America;
Finnish Kale, in Finland, emigrated also in Sweden;
Welsh Kale, in Wales;
Romanichal, in the United Kingdom, emigrated also to the United States
and Australia;
Sinti, in German-speaking areas of Central Europe and some neighboring
countries;
Manush, in French-speaking areas of Central Europe;
Romanisæl, in Sweden and Norway.
Among Romanies there are further internal differentiations, like
Bashaldé; Churari; Luri; Ungaritza; Lovari (Lovara) from Hungary;
Machvaya (Machavaya, Machwaya, or Macwaia) from Serbia; Romungro
(Modyar or Modgar) from Hungary and neighbouring carpathian countries;
Erlides (also Yerlii or Arli); Xoraxai (Horahane) from Greece/Turkey;
Boyash (Lingurari, Ludar, Ludari, Rudari, or Zlătari) from Romanian
words for various crafts: (Lingurari - spoon makers, Rudari - wood
crafters; Zlătari - goldsmiths); Ursari from Romanian/Moldovan bear-
trainers; Argintari from silversmiths; Aurari from goldsmiths; Florari
from florists; and Lăutari from musicians.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luri
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovari_(Roma)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlax_Romani
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machvaya
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romungro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xoraxai
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyash
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursari
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silversmith
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldsmith
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C4%83utari
History
Main article: History of the Romani people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Romani_people
This section requires expansion.
Origins
Main article: Origin of the Romani people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_the_Romani_people#Origin
Linguistic and genetic evidence indicates the Romanies originated from
the Indian subcontinent, emigrating from India towards the northwest
no earlier than the 11th century. The Romani are generally believed to
have originated in central India, possibly in the modern Indian state
of Rajasthan, migrating to northwest India (the Punjab region) around
250 B.C. In the centuries spent here, there may have been close
interaction with such established groups as the Rajputs and the Jats.
Their subsequent westward migration, possibly in waves, is believed to
have occurred between 500 A.D. and 1000 A.D. Contemporary populations
sometimes suggested as sharing a close relationship to the Romani are
the Dom people of Central Asia and the Banjara of India.[36]
The emigration from India likely took place in the context of the
raids by Mahmud of Ghazni[37] As these soldiers were defeated, they
were moved west with their families into the Byzantine Empire. The
11th century terminus post quem is due to the Romani language showing
unambiguous features of the Modern Indo-Aryan languages,[38]
precluding an emigration during the Middle Indic period.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajasthan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjab_region
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajputs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jats
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Asia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banjara
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmud_of_Ghazni
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Indo-Aryan#Modern_dialect_continuum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Indic
Genetic evidence supports the medieval migration from India. The
Romanies have been described as "a conglomerate of genetically
isolated founder populations",[39] while a number of common Mendelian
disorders among Romanies from all over Europe indicates "a common
origin and founder effect".[39][40] A study from 2001 by Gresham et
al. suggests "a limited number of related founders, compatible with a
small group of migrants splitting from a distinct caste or tribal
group".[41] The same study found that "a single lineage ... found
across Romani populations, accounts for almost one-third of Romani
males."[41] A 2004 study by Morar et al. concluded that the Romani
population "was founded approximately 32–40 generations ago, with
secondary and tertiary founder events occurring approximately 16–25
generations ago".[42]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mendelian_traits_in_humans
Possible connection with the Jat people
While the South Asian origin of the Romani people has been long
considered a certitude, the exact South Asian group from whom the
Romanies have descended has been a matter of debate. The recent
discovery of the "Jat mutation" that causes a type of glaucoma in
Romani populations suggests that the Romani people are the descendants
of the Jat people found in Northern India and Pakistan.[43]
This contradicted an earlier study that compared the most common
haplotypes found in Romani groups with those found in Jatt Sikhs and
Jats from Haryana and found no matches.[44] The haplogroup H, which is
the most common haplogroup in Romanis is far more prevalent in central
India and south India than it is in northern India, where haplogroup
R1a lineages makes up at least half of male ancestries, and haplogroup
H is rare.
Appearance in Europe
The migration of the Romanies through the Middle East and Northern
Africa to Europe
First arrival of the Romanies outside Berne in the 15th century,
described by the chronicler as getoufte heiden ("baptized heathens")
and drawn with dark skin and wearing Saracen-style clothing and
weapons (Spiezer Schilling, p. 749).
An 1852 Wallachian poster advertising an auction of Romani slaves in
Bucharest.In 1322 CE a Franciscan monk named Symon Semeonis described
people resembling these "atsinganoi" living in Crete and in 1350 CE
Ludolphus of Sudheim mentioned a similar people with a unique language
whom he called Mandapolos, a word which some theorize was possibly
derived from the Greek word mantes (meaning prophet or fortune teller).
[45]
Around 1360, an independent Romani fiefdom (called the Feudum
Acinganorum) was established in Corfu and became "a settled community
and an important and established part of the economy."[46]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symon_Semeonis
By the 14th century, the Romanies had reached the Balkans; by 1424 CE,
Germany; and by the 16th century, Scotland and Sweden. Some Romanies
migrated from Persia through North Africa, reaching the Iberian
Peninsula in the 15th century. The two currents met in France.
Romanies began immigrating to the United States in colonial times,
with small groups in Virginia and French Louisiana. Larger-scale
immigration began in the 1860s, with groups of Romnaichal from
Britain. The largest number immigrated in the early 1900s, mainly from
the Vlax group of Kalderash. Many Romanies also settled in South
America.
When the Romani people arrived in Europe, curiosity was soon followed
by hostility and xenophobia. Romanies were enslaved for five centuries
in Wallachia and Moldavia until abolition in 1856.[47] Elsewhere in
Europe, they were subject to ethnic cleansing, abduction of their
children, and forced labor. In England, there were hangings and
expulsions of the Romani; in France, branding and the shaving of
heads; in Moravia and Bohemia severing of ears of women. As a result,
large groups of the Romani travelled back East, towards Poland, which
was more tolerant, and Russia, where the Romani were also treated less
heavy-handedly, as long as they paid the annual taxes.[48]
Sinti and Roma about to be deported in Germany, May 22, 1940World War
II
Main article: Porajmos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porajmos
During World War II, the Nazis embarked on systematic attempt at
genocide of the Romanies, known as the Porajmos.[49] They were marked
for extermination and sentenced to forced labor and imprisonment in
concentration camps. They were often killed on sight, especially by
the Einsatzgruppen (essentially mobile killing units) on the Eastern
Front. The total number of victims has been variously estimated at
between 220,000 to 1,500,000; even the lowest number would count as
one of the largest mass murders in history.
Post-1945
In Communist Eastern Europe, Romanies experienced assimilation schemes
and restrictions of cultural freedom.[citation needed] The Romani
language and Romani music were banned from public performance in
Bulgaria.[dubious – discuss] In Czechoslovakia, they were labeled a
"socially degraded stratum,"[citation needed] and Romani women were
sterilized as part of a state policy to reduce their population. This
policy was implemented with large financial incentives, threats of
denying future welfare payments, with misinformation, or after
administering drugs (Silverman 1995; Helsinki Watch 1991). An official
inquiry from the Czech Republic, resulting in a report (December
2005), concluded that the Communist authorities had practiced an
assimilation policy towards Romanies, which "included efforts by
social services to control the birth rate in the Romani community" and
that "the problem of sexual sterilization carried out in the Czech
Republic, either with improper motivation or illegally, exists"[50]
with new revealed cases up until 2004, in both the Czech Republic and
Slovakia.[51]
Society and culture
Main article: Romani society and culture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_society_and_culture
A Gipsy Family - Facsimile of a woodcut in the "Cosmographie
Universelle" of Munster: in folio, Basle, 1552.The traditional
Romanies place a high value on the extended family. Virginity is
essential in unmarried women. Both men and women often marry young;
there has been controversy in several countries over the Romani
practice of child marriage. Romani law establishes that the man's
family must pay a bride price to the bride's parents, but only
traditional families still follow this rule.
Once married, the woman joins the husband's family, where her main job
is to tend to her husband's and her children's needs, as well as to
take care of her in-laws. The power structure in the traditional
Romani household has at its top the oldest man or grandfather, and men
in general have more authority than women. Women gain respect and
authority as they get older. Young wives begin gaining authority once
they have children.
Romani social behavior is strictly regulated by Hindu purity laws
("marime" or "marhime"), still respected by most Roma (and by most
older generations of Sinti). This regulation affects many aspects of
life, and is applied to actions, people and things: parts of the human
body are considered impure: the genital organs (because they produce
emissions), as well as the rest of the lower body. Fingernails and
toenails must be filed with an emery board, as cutting them with a
clipper is a taboo. Clothes for the lower body, as well as the clothes
of menstruating women, are washed separately. Items used for eating
are also washed in a different place. Childbirth is considered impure,
and must occur outside the dwelling place. The mother is considered
impure for forty days after giving birth. Death is considered impure,
and affects the whole family of the dead, who remain impure for a
period of time. In contrast to the practice of cremating the dead,
Romani dead must be buried.[52] Cremation and burial are both known
from the time of the Rigveda, and both are widely practiced in
Hinduism today (although the tendency for higher caste groups is to
burn, while lower caste groups in South India tend to bury their dead).
[53] Some animals are also considered impure, for instance cats
because they lick themselves.[54]
Religion
Muslim Romanies in Bosnia and Herzegovina (around 1900)Migrant Romani
populations have adopted the dominant religion of their country of
residence, while often preserving aspects of older belief systems and
forms of worship. Most Eastern European Romanies are Roman Catholic or
Orthodox Christian or Muslim. Those in western Europe and the United
States are mostly Roman Catholic or Protestant. In Turkey, Egypt, and
the Balkans, the Romanies are split into Christian and Muslim
populations.
Music
Main article: Romani music
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_music
Young Hungarian Romani performing a traditional danceRomani music
plays an important role in Eastern European countries such as Croatia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, the Republic of
Macedonia, Albania, Hungary, and Romania, and the style and
performance practices of Romani musicians have influenced European
classical composers such as Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms. The
lăutari who perform at traditional Romanian weddings are virtually all
Romani. Probably the most internationally prominent contemporary
performers in the lăutari tradition are Taraful Haiducilor. Bulgaria's
popular "wedding music", too, is almost exclusively performed by
Romani musicians such as Ivo Papasov, a virtuoso clarinetist closely
associated with this genre and Bulgarian pop-folk singer Azis. Many
famous classical musicians, such as the Hungarian pianist Georges
Cziffra, are Romani, as are many prominent performers of manele. Zdob
şi Zdub, one of the most prominent rock bands in Moldova, although not
Romanies themselves, draw heavily on Romani music, as do Spitalul de
Urgenţă in Romania, Goran Bregović in Serbia, Darko Rundek in Croatia,
Beirut and Gogol Bordello in the United States.
Another tradition of Romani music is the genre of the Romani brass
band, with such notable practitioners as Boban Marković of Serbia, and
the brass lăutari groups Fanfare Ciocărlia and Fanfare din Cozmesti of
Romania.
The distinctive sound of Romani music has also strongly influenced
bolero, jazz, and flamenco (especially cante jondo) in Europe.
European-style Gypsy jazz ("jazz Manouche" or "Sinti jazz") is still
widely practiced among the original creators (the Romanie People); one
who acknowledged this artistic debt was guitarist Django Reinhardt.
Contemporary artists in this tradition known internationally include
Stochelo Rosenberg, Biréli Lagrène, Jimmy Rosenberg, and Tchavolo
Schmitt.
The Romanies of Turkey have achieved musical acclaim from national and
local audiences. Local performers usually perform for special
holidays. Their music is usually performed on instruments such as the
darbuka and gırnata. A number of nationwide best seller performers are
said to be of Romani origin.[citation needed]
Language
Main article: Romani language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_language
Most Romanies speak one of several dialects of Romani,[55][not in
citation given] an Indo-Aryan language. They also will often speak the
languages of the countries they live in. Typically, they also
incorporate loanwords and calques into Romani from the languages of
those countries, especially words for terms that the Romani language
does not have. Most of the Ciganos of Portugal, the Gitanos of Spain,
the Romanichal of the UK, and Scandinavian Travellers have lost their
knowledge of pure Romani, and respectively speak the mixed languages
Caló,[56] Angloromany, and Scandoromani.
There are independent groups currently working toward standardizing
the language, including groups in Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, the
USA, and Sweden. Romani is not currently spoken in India.[citation
needed]
Persecutions
Main article: Antiziganism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiziganism
Historical persecution
The first and one of the most enduring persecutions against the Romani
people was the enslaving of the Romanies who arrived on the territory
of the historical Romanian states of Wallachia and Moldavia, which
lasted from the 14th century until the second half of the 19th
century. Legislation decreed that all the Romanies living in these
states, as well as any others who would immigrate there, were slaves.
[57]
The arrival of some branches of the Romani people in Western Europe in
the 15th century was precipitated by the Ottoman conquest of the
Balkans. Although the Romanies themselves were refugees from the
conflicts in southeastern Europe, they were mistaken by the local
population in the West, because of their foreign appearance, as part
of the Ottoman invasion (the German Reichstags at Landau and Freiburg
in 1496-1498 declared the Romanies as spies of the Turks). In Western
Europe, this resulted in a violent history of persecution and attempts
of ethnic cleansing until the modern era. As time passed, other
accusations were added against local Romanies (accusations specific to
this area, against non-assimilated minorities), like that of bringing
the plague, usually sharing their burden together with the local Jews.
[58]
One example of official persecution of the Romani is exemplified by
the The Great Roundup of Spanish Romanies (Gitanos) in 1749. The
Spanish monarchy ordered a nationwide raid that led to separation of
families and placement of all able-bodied men into forced labor camps.
Later in the 19th century, Romani immigration was forbidden on a
racial basis in areas outside Europe, mostly in the English speaking
world (in 1885 the United States outlawed the entry of the Roma) and
also in some South American countries (in 1880 Argentina adopted a
similar policy).[58]
Holocaust
Main article: Porajmos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porajmos
Romani arrivals at the Belzec death camp await instructions.The
persecution of the Romanies reached a peak during World War II in the
Porajmos, the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
In 1935, the Nuremberg laws stripped the Romani people living in Nazi
Germany of their citizenship, after which they were subjected to
violence, imprisonment in concentration camps and later genocide in
extermination camps. The policy was extended in areas occupied by the
Nazis during the war, and it was also applied by their allies, notably
the Independent State of Croatia, Romania and Hungary.
Because no accurate pre-war census figures exist for the Romanis, it
is impossible to accurately assess the actual number of victims. Ian
Hancock, director of the Program of Romani Studies at The University
of Texas at Austin, proposes a figure of up to a million and a half,
while an estimate of between 220,000 and 500,000 was made by Sybil
Milton, formerly senior historian of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Museum.[59] In Central Europe, the extermination in the Protectorate
of Bohemia and Moravia was so thorough that the Bohemian Romani
language became extinct.[citation needed]
Forced assimilation
In the Habsburg Monarchy under Maria Theresia (1740–1780), a series of
decrees tried to force the Romanies to sedentarize, removed rights to
horse and wagon ownership (1754), renamed them as "New Citizens" and
forced Romani boys into military service if they had no trade (1761),
forced them to register with the local authorities (1767), and
prohibited marriage between Romanies (1773). Her successor Josef II
prohibited the wearing of traditional Romani clothing and the use of
the Romani language, punishable by flogging.[60]
In Spain, attempts to assimilate the Gitanos were under way as early
as 1619, when Gitanos were forcibly sedentarized, the use of the
Romani language was prohibited, Gitano men and women were sent to
separate workhouses and their children sent to orphanages. Similar
prohibitions took place in 1783 under King Charles III, who prohibited
the nomadic lifestyle, the use of the Calo language, Romani clothing,
their trade in horses and other itinerant trades. The use of the word
gitano was also forbidden to further assimilation. Ultimately these
measures failed, as the rest of the population rejected the
integration of the Gitanos.[60][61]
Other examples of forced assimilation include Norway, where a law was
passed in 1896 permitting the state to remove children from their
parents and place them in state institutions.[62] This resulted in
some 1,500 Romani children being taken from their parents in the 20th
century.[63]
Contemporary issues
Main article: Modern Antiziganism
Amnesty International reports continued instances of Antizigan
discrimination during the 2000s, particularly in Bulgaria, Romania,
Slovakia,[64] Hungary,[65] Slovenia,[66] and Kosovo.[67]
Czechoslovakia carried out a policy of sterilization of Romani women,
starting in 1973.[68] The dissidents of the Charter 77 denounced it in
1977-78 as a "genocide", but the practice continued through the Velvet
Revolution of 1989.[69] A 2005 report by the Czech government's
independent ombudsman, Otakar Motejl, identified dozens of cases of
coercive sterilization between 1979 and 2001, and called for criminal
investigations and possible prosecution against several health care
workers and administrators.[70]
In 2008, the Italian government declared that Italy's Romani
population represented a national security risk and that swift action
was required to address the emergenza nomadi (gypsy emergency)[71]
Specifically officials in the Italian government accused the Romanies
of being responsible for rising crime rates in urban areas. Mario
Marazziti, spokesperson of the Community of Sant'Egidio human rights
organization said "There is no national emergency ... What is an
emergency is that in the 21st century the life expectancy of a gypsy
living in Italy is under 60 years of age."[72]
Fictional representations
Main article: Fictional representations of Romani people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictional_representations_of_Romani_people
Vincent van Gogh: The Caravans - Gypsy Camp near Arles (1888, Oil on
canvas)Many fictional depictions of the Romani in literature and art
present Romanticized narratives of their supposed mystical powers of
fortune telling, and their supposed irascible or passionate temper
paired with an indomitable love of freedom and a habit of criminality.
Particularly notable are classics like Carmen by Prosper Mérimée and
adapted by Georges Bizet, Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame
and Miguel de Cervantes' La Gitanilla. The Romani were also heavily
romanticized in the Soviet Union, a classic example being the 1975
Tabor ukhodit v Nebo. A more realistic depiction of contemporary
Romani in the Balkans, featuring Romani lay actors speaking in their
native dialects, although still playing with established clichés of a
Romani penchant for both magic and crime, was presented by Emir
Kusturica in his Time of the Gypsies (1988) and Black Cat, White Cat
(1998).
In contemporary literature
The Romani ethnicity is often used for characters in contemporary
fantasy literature. In such literature, the Romani are often portrayed
as possessing archaic occult knowledge passed down through the ages.
This frequent use of the ethnicity has given rise to Gypsy archetypes
in popular contemporary literature. One example of such a use is the
character Jilly Coppercorn in the seminal urban fantasy novel Dreams
Under Foot by Charles de Lint.
See also
Antiziganism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiziganism
Cem Romengo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cem_Romengo#Iulian_R.C4.83dulescu
Decade of Roma Inclusion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decade_of_Roma_Inclusion
European Roma Rights Centre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Roma_Rights_Centre
Gypsy Lore Society http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_Lore_Society
International Romani Union http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Romani_Union
King of the Gypsies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_the_Gypsies
List of Romani groups http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Romani_groups
List of Romani people http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Romani_people
List of Romani settlements http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Romani_settlements
Nomadic peoples of Europe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomadic_peoples_of_Europe
R. v. Krymowski http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._v._Krymowski
Timeline of Romani history http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Romani_history
References
Notes
^ According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, estimates of the total world
Romani population range from two million to five million.[1]
^ Ian Hancock's 1987 estimate for "all Gypsies in the world" was 6 to
11 million [2].
^ [3] The Spanish government estimates the number of Gitanos at a
maximum of 650,000
^ [4] Census 2001 in Romania: 535,140 Roma
^ [5] There are officially about 500,000 Roma in Turkey.
^ [6] The Romani population in France is officially estimated at
around 500,000
^ [7] Census 2001 in Bulgaria: 370,908 Roma
^ [8] Census 2001 in Hungary: 205,720 Roma/Bea
^ [9] The Romani population in Greece is officially estimated at
200,000
^ [10] Census 2002 in Russia: 182,766 Roma
^ Demographics_of_Italy#Languages Estimated by Ministero degli Interni
del Governo Italiano.
^ [11] Census 2002 in Serbia: 108,193 Romanies
^ [12] Census 2001 in Slovakia: 89,920 Roma
^ [13] 70,000 Roma/Sinti estimated by the German Ministry of Internal
Affairs
^ [14] The 2002-census reported 53,879 Roma and 3,843 "Egyptians"
^ Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily
Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications
Development (1998); pg. 316, 318 : "Religion: An underlay of Hinduism
with an overlay of either Christianity or Islam (host country
religion) "; "Roma religious beliefs are rooted in Hinduism. Roma
believe in a universal balance, called kuntari... Despite a 1,000-year
separation from India, Roma still practice shaktism, the worship of a
god through his female consort... ""
^ Matras, Yaron (2002). Romani: a linguistic introduction. Cambridge
University Press. pp. 239. ISBN 9780521631655.
http://books.google.com/books?id=D4IIi0Ha3V4C&pg=PA238&dq=number+speakers+of+Romani.
Retrieved 2009-07-16.
^ We Are the Romani People, Pg XIX,
http://books.google.ro/books?id=MG0ahVw-kdwC&pg=PP1&ots=PiPKTLplWa&sig=Ly3TAfbjs6FqhS7h0e1Yz44qaIk&hl=ro&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPR19,M1,
retrieved 2008-07-31
^ a b We Are the Romani People, Pg XXI,
http://books.google.ro/books?id=MG0ahVw-kdwC&pg=PP1&ots=PiPKTLplWa&sig=Ly3TAfbjs6FqhS7h0e1Yz44qaIk&hl=ro&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPR21,M1,
retrieved 2008-07-31
^ p. 52 in Elena Marushiakova and Vesselin Popov's "Historical and
ethnographic background; Gypsies, Roma, Sinti" in Will Guy [ed.]
Between Past and Future: The Roma of Central and Eastern Europe [with
a Foreword by Dr. Ian Hancock], 2001, UK: University of Hertfordshire
Press
^ p. 13 in Illona Klimova-Alexander's The Romani Voice in World
Politics: The United Nations and Non-State Actors (2005, Burlington,
VT.: Ashgate
^ Rothéa, Xavier. "Les Roms, une nation sans territoire?" (in
French).
http://www.theyliewedie.org/ressources/biblio/fr/Rothea_Xavier_-_Les_roms.html.
Retrieved 2008-07-31.
^ We Are the Romani People, Pg XX,
http://books.google.ro/books?id=MG0ahVw-kdwC&pg=PP1&ots=PiPKTLplWa&sig=Ly3TAfbjs6FqhS7h0e1Yz44qaIk&hl=ro&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPR20,M1,
retrieved 2008-07-31
^ The Institute for Middle East Understanding
^ Online Etymology Dictionary - Douglas Harper
^ Fraser 1992.
^ Hancock, Ian (1995). A Handbook of Vlax Romani. Slavica Publishers.
p. 17.
^ "gitan" (in French). Dictionnaire de l'Académie française.
http://www.academie-francaise.fr/dictionnaire/. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
"Nom donné aux bohémiens d'Espagne ; par ext., synonyme de Bohémien,
Tzigane. Adjt. Une robe gitane."
^ Council of Europe website, European Roma and Travellers Forum
(ERTF)
^ 3.8 million according to Pan and Pfeil, National Minotiries in
Europe (2004), ISBN 978-3700314431, p. 27f.
^ Council of Europe compilation of population estimates
^ Hancock, Ian, 2001, Ame sam e rromane džene / We are the Romani
People, The Open Society Institute, New York, page 2
^ Matras, Yaron, Romani: A linguistic introduction, Cambridge
University Press, 2002, page 5
^ "Names of the Romani People",
http://desicritics.org/2007/12/24/012125.php, retrieved 2009-01-30
^ N.Bessonov, N.Demeter "Ethnic groups of Gypsies"
^ Hancock, Ian. Ame Sam e Rromane Džene/We are the Romani people. p.
13. ISBN 1902806190.
^ Hancock, Ian F.; Dowd, Siobhan; Djurić, Rajko (2004). The roads of
the Roma: a PEN anthology of gypsy writers.. Hatfield, United Kingdom:
University of Hertforshire Press. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0900458909.
^ ""Romani"". Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Oxford:
Elsevier.
http://romani.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/downloads/2/Matras_Rmni_ELL.pdf.
Retrieved 30 August 2009.
^ a b Kalaydjieva, Luba (2001). "Genetic studies of the Roma
(Gypsies): A review". BMC Medical Genetics 2: 5. doi:
10.1186/1471-2350-2-5. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2350/2/5.
Retrieved 2008-06-16.
^ "Figure 4". Biomedcentral.com. doi:10.1186/1471-2350-2-5.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2350/2/5/figure/F4. Retrieved
2009-05-06.
^ a b Origins and Divergence of the Roma (Gypsies), PMID 11704928,
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1235543,
retrieved 2008-06-16
^ Mutation history of the Roma-Gypsies, http://lib.bioinfo.pl/pmid:15322984,
retrieved 2008-06-16
^ Jatt mutation found in Romani populations
^ Searching for the origin of Romanies http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18768723
^ Linda Anfuso (1994-02-24). "[at tinhat.stonemarche.org gypsies]".
rec.org.sca. (Web link). Retrieved on 2007-08-26.
^ "A Chronology of significant dates in Romani history". Archived from
the original on 2004-12-04.
http://web.archive.org/web/20041204203106/radoc.net/chronology.html.
^ Hancock, Ian, 2001, Ame sam e rromane džene / We are the Romani
People, The Open Society Institute, New York, page 25
^ On the road: Centuries of Roma history, Delia Radu, BBC World
Service, 8 July 2009
^ ROMANIES AND THE HOLOCAUST: A REEVALUATION AND AN OVERVIEW
^ Denysenko, Marina (2007-03-12). "Sterilised Roma accuse Czechs". BBC
News.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6409699.stm.
^ Thomas, Jeffrey (2006-08-16). "Coercive Sterilization of Romani
Women Examined at Hearing: New report focuses on Czech Republic and
Slovakia". Washington File. Bureau of International Information
Programs, U.S. Department of State.
http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=August&x=200608171045451CJsamohT0.678158.
^ "Romani Customs and Traditions: Death Rituals and Customs". Patrin
Web Journal.
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/death.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
[dead link]
^ David M. Knipe. "The Journey of a Lifebody".
http://www.hindugateway.com/library/rituals/. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
^ Hancock, Ian, 2001, Ame sam e rromane džene / We are the Romani
People, The Open Society Institute, New York, page 81
^ Dieter W. Halwachs. "Speakers and Numbers (distribution of Romani-
speaking Romani population by country)" (PDF). Rombase.
http://romani.uni-graz.at/rombase/cd/data/lang/gen/data/numbers.en.pdf.
^ Raymond G. Gordon Jr., ed (2005). "Caló: A language of Spain".
Ethnologue: Languages of the World (15th ed.). Dallas, Texas: SIL
International. ISBN 9781556711596.
http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=rmr.
^ Delia Grigore, Petre Petcuţ and Mariana Sandu (2005) (in Romanian).
Istoria şi tradiţiile minorităţii rromani. Bucharest: Sigma. p. 36.
^ a b "Timeline of Romani History". Patrin Web Journal.
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/timeline.htm. Retrieved
2007-08-26. [dead link]
^ Most estimates for numbers of Romani victims of the Holocaust fall
between 200,000 and 500,000, although figures ranging between 90,000
and 4 million have been proposed. Lower estimates do not include those
killed in all Axis-controlled countries. A detailed study by Sybil
Milton, formerly senior historian at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum
gave a figure of at least a minimum of 220,000, probably higher,
possibly closer to 500,000 (cited in Re. Holocaust Victim Assets
Litigation (Swiss Banks) Special Master's Proposals, September 11,
2000). Ian Hancock, Director of the Program of Romani Studies and the
Romani Archives and Documentation Center at the University of Texas at
Austin, argues in favour of a higher figure of between 500,000 and
1,500,000 in his 2004 article, Romanies and the Holocaust: A
Reevaluation and an Overview as published in Stone, D. (ed.) (2004)
The Historiography of the Holocaust. Palgrave, Basingstoke and New
York.
^ a b Samer, Helmut (December 2001). "Maria Theresia and Joseph II:
Policies of Assimilation in the Age of Enlightened Absolutism.".
Rombase. Karl-Franzens-Universitaet Graz.
http://romani.uni-graz.at/rombase/cgi-bin/art.cgi?src=data/hist/modern/maria.en.xml.
^ "Gitanos. History and Cultural Relations.". World Culture
Encyclopedia.
http://www.everyculture.com/Europe/Gitanos-History-and-Cultural-Relations.html.
Retrieved 2007-08-26.
^ "Roma (Gypsies) in Norway".
http://www.geocities.com/~Patrin/norway.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
[dead link]
^ "The Church of Norway and the Roma of Norway". World Council of
Churches. 2002-09-03.
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/ccdocuments.nsf/index/plen-4.4-en.html.
^ "Amnesty International". Web.amnesty.org. 2009-04-20.
http://web.amnesty.org/wire/February2002/Europe_Roma. Retrieved
2009-05-06.
^ Woodard, Colin (2008-02-13). "Hungary's anti-Roma militia grows |
csmonitor.com". csmonitor.com<!.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0213/p07s02-woeu.html. Retrieved
2009-05-06.
^ "roma | Human Rights Press Point". Humanrightspoint.si.
http://www.humanrightspoint.si/node/12. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
^ Gesellschaft fuer bedrohte Voelker - Society for Threatened Peoples.
"Roma and Ashkali in Kosovo: Persecuted, driven out, poisoned".
Gfbv.de.
http://www.gfbv.de/inhaltsDok.php?id=612. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
^ Sterilised Roma accuse Czechs, BBC, 12 March 2007 (English)
^ For Gypsies, Eugenics is a Modern Problem - Czech Practice Dates to
Soviet Era, Newsdesk, June 12, 2006 (English)
^ http://www.ochrance.cz/en/dokumenty/dokument.php?doc=400
^ "Italy's new ghetto?". The Guardian. March 30, 2009.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/30/roma-italy.
^ Italy assailed over plan to fingerprint Gypsies | International
Herald Tribune
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External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Roma people
European Parliament resolution on the situation of the Roma in the
European Union - April 28, 2005
Final report on the human rights situation of the Roma, Sinti and
travellers in Europe by the European Commissioner for Human Rights
(Council of Europe) - February 15, 2006
Non-governmental organisations
European Roma Rights Centre - European Romani NGO
Roma Rights Network - Romani INGO
Museums and libraries
Museum of Romani Culture in Brno, Czech Republic (in Czech)[17]
Specialized Library with Archive "Studii Romani" in Sofia, Bulgaria
(Bulgarian, English)
Documentation and Cultural Centre of German Sinti and Roma in
Heidelberg, Germany (German, English)
Ethnographic Museum in Tarnów, Poland. Click "ROMA (CYGANIE)" on the
menu at left. (Polish, English, Romani)
Who we Were, Who we Are: Kosovo Roma Oral History Collection. The most
comprehensive collection of information on Kosovo's Roma in existence.
(English)
v • d • eRomani people around the world
Cultural groups
Roma (Boyash • Kalderash • Lovari • Machvaya • Ruska Roma • Servitko
Roma • Ursari • Muslim Roma) • Ashkali • Cascarots • Erromintxela •
Gitanos • Finnish Kale • Welsh Kale • Romanichal • Sinti • Manouche •
Scandinavian Travellers (Tavinger, Romanisæl) • Kawliya
(sometimes considered Romani: Dom • Lom • Lyuli • Bosha • Garachi)
By location:
Central and Eastern Europe: Croatia • Bosnia and Herzegovina •
Bulgaria • Greece • Cyprus • Hungary • Kosovo • Macedonia • Romania •
Russia • Serbia • Slovakia • Spain • Ukraine
Western and Northern Europe: Finland • France • Spain
Near East: Armenia • Syria • Turkey
Americas: Black Dutch
Settlements and communities
Sulukule • Agia Varvara • Mitrovica refugee camps • Stolipinovo •
Rudolice nad Bílinou • Šuto Orizari Municipality • Bangladeš • Budeşti
• Jatagan Mala • Zanea
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_people"
Categories: Roma | Indo-Aryan peoples | Eurasian nomads | Ethnic
groups in Brazil | Ethnic groups in the Czech Republic | Ethnic groups
in Europe | Ethnic groups in Greece | Ethnic groups in India | Ethnic
groups in Hungary | Ethnic groups in Kosovo | Ethnic groups in
Macedonia | Ethnic groups in Montenegro | Ethnic groups in Pakistan |
Ethnic groups in Romania | Ethnic groups in Russia | Ethnic groups in
Serbia | Ethnic groups in Slovakia | Ethnic groups in Spain | Ethnic
groups in the United Kingdom | Ethnic groups in Vojvodina | Ethnic
groups in Balkans | Europe
Pages in category "Roma"
The following 39 pages are in this category, out of 39 total. This
list may not reflect recent changes (learn more).
Romani people
A
Antiziganism
C
Central Council of German Sinti and Roma
Roma (Romani subgroup)
D
Romani dance
Didem (Belly Dancer)
F
Fictional representations of Romani people
Flag of the Romani people
G
Gypsy
Gypsy Scourge
K
Ketani Association
L
Lavengro
List of Romani settlements
M
M50 Roma Emcampment Ireland
Kurt May
N
Ranjit Naik
Names of the Romani people
O
Opera Nomadi
R
Rayito
Relations between ethnic Czechs and Roma
Rokker Radio
Roma Special School
Roma in United Nations refugee camps, Kosovska Mitrovica
Romani people of Vojvodina
Romani studies
Romany crucifixion legend
R cont.
Romska Inteligencia za Spolunazivanie
Rudolice nad Bílinou
S
Sapera
The Scholar Gipsy
Selamsız
Sinti
Stolipinovo
Sulukule
U
United Roma Party of Kosovo
Ústí nad Labem
Y
Yeniche language
Z
Zargari people
Zoli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_people
The Lost Tribes of India
By Jeetan Sareen
Aug 29, 2005
The history of the ethnic group, known collectively as the "Gypsies,"
is a long and muddled one. For a long time, no one knew their origins.
Now as we’re beginning to unravel their past, their future is
uncertain. But what is certain is an underlying culture that connects
Gypsies regardless of what part of the world they are settled in.
Who are you and whence do you come?
Why have you forgotten yourself? Oh, my darling!
These lice-ridden Gorgios gave you dirty and false names as Lubni and
Mugni, Xorasani and Osmani,
But you are Mother India's forgotten child Ramni, now called Romni.
In fact you are the flowing Ganges water mixed with the waters of the
river Nile, Euphrates and Danube.
- J.S. Pathania (re-translated from the Romani original)
It is well accepted now that the Gypsies probably originated from
India. There are many legends that attest to this, as well as
linguistic ties that make this conclusion all but guaranteed.
Moreover, cultural similarities have led most scholars to agree with
this theory. The Gypsies, or as they call themselves Roma, are a
curious ethnicity that "never sleep twice in the same place never
drink water twice from the same well, and never cross the same river
twice in one year." I would like to explain a very brief history of
the Gypsies, and show the underlying Indian connection to this ethnic
group. In recent years (especially since the fall of the Easter Bloc),
the Romani have attempted to connect with their Indian past, and
perhaps we should know more about these lost relatives, so we can
forge closer ties. Since most Romani live in Eastern Europe, it may
help Indians, and India solidify stronger ties with Eastern Europeans
as well. This can be a connection with large ramifications. At the
very least, we will learn more about an ethnic group that has forever
been dismissed, ridiculed and downright denigrated.
The term "Gypsies" is an historical aberration, and actually
originated in the region of Armenia. A few hundred years ago the
Gypsies had settled into this region and formed camps in and on the
outskirts of cities. One major camp was known as "Little Egypt",
because the locals believed the people were from Egypt. Thus the term
Gypsies is derived from Egyptian. However, the connection to Egypt is
all but completely non-existent.
There are many legends in Roma culture. Roma culture is filled with
exquisite stories, and is very art-oriented, something I have always
found true with our great Hindu/Indian culture. Roma culture is also
very music-oriented, and there is reason to believe that there is an
Indian connection to this. One very popular Roma myth explains how the
Romani were forced out of India:
From Konrad Bercovici, STORY OF THE GYPSIES [1]:
We were then living on the Ganges. And our chief was a powerful chief…
a man whose voice was heard over all the land and whose judgments were
final. This chief had an only son whose name was Tchen.
In the land of the Hind there ruled a powerful king whose favorite
wife had borne him an only child, a daughter, whom he named Gan. One
day a sorcerer told this king that a man was to invade the Hind, at
the head of a numerous horde and overrun the land and destroy the king
and his family, and become the master of the country. The sorcerer
also told him that this conqueror should be immune from every form of
death, but that it was written that he would perish if he should do
violence to the Gypsy.
To save his newly-born daughter, the king called our chief, Tchen's
father, whose friend he was, and it was agreed between them that the
child was to be taken secretly to the tent of the Gypsy chief and only
the chief's wife would know who the child really was. Three days later
our Barrosan announced to his people that his wife had given birth to
a girl, and that her name was Gan...and so it was that Tchen and Gan
grew up in the same tent.
When Tchen was to be wived, they asked him to choose from the girls of
his tribe, but there was no one he desired. Again and again, the most
beautiful girls danced before him, but he found none to his liking. In
the meantime, the old chief died. Tchen threatened to kill himself,
for he realized that he loved his own sister. So his mother told him
that Gan was the daughter of the king of the Hind and not his sister.
The people were torn in two; those who agreed that everything the
young chief did was right, and the other which swore not to live under
a chief who married his own sister. Tchen dared not tell the truth,
lest the invader destroy Gan.
Meanwhile one of Skender's generals came down like a cyclone upon the
land of the Hind, devastating and destroying everything. As the
sorcerer had foretold, the king of the Hind was killed with all his
wives...their bones left under a pile of stones at the ruined palace.
One of the Gypsies approached this great conqueror to ask him for a
judgment on a sister marrying a brother… but the conqueror looked at
him with scorn and hit him a fatal blow on the head. At that moment,
the great general and his horse burst and crumbled like a clay pot
tossed on a rock. The wind blew his remains into the desert.
Those who opposed Tchen pursued him and his followers to the end of
the land and beyond. Those who had remained faithful to their chief
were called "Tchen-Gans" ...meaning brothers who married their
sisters. And a great sorcerer cursed Tchen and those following him,
saying that they should forever wander over the face of the earth,
never sleep twice in the same place never drink water twice from the
same well, and never cross the same river twice in one year.
Though this particular legend suggests the Roma are from the Ganges
region of India, the veracity of such legends is tough to measure. For
centuries the origins of the Gypsies were shrouded in mystery. Here
today and gone tomorrow, these banks of dark-skinned nomads with
strange habits aroused the curiosity of sedentary populations, and
many writers constructed a variety of often far-fetched hypotheses in
an attempt to explain the enigma.
In the nineteenth century, although scientific investigation had
already provided the answer, the most fantastic myths were still being
made.
This jumble of ingenious superstitions and shaky hypotheses did not
survive serious study of the language of the Gypsies. As early as
during the Renaissance scholars had some notions of this language, but
they did not connect it to any linguistic group nor locate the area in
which it originated. At the end of the eighteenth century, however,
scholars were able to determine the origin of the Gypsies on the basis
of scientific evidence.
Since then eminent linguists have confirmed the analyses of these
early scholars. The grammar and vocabulary of the language of the
Gypsies are close to those of Sanskrit and to such living languages as
Kashmiri, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and Nepali. Modern scholars no
longer doubt that the Gypsies originated in India, but many problems
concerning ethnic group, social class, and the period of their
earliest migrations still need to be elucidated.
Linguistics is the discipline best able to locate the origin of the
Gypsies, but anthropology, medical science and ethnology also have a
contribution to make.
Documentation on the period that may be called "the prehistory of the
Gypsies" is extremely limited. The writers of ancient India were only
interested in gods and kings, and paid scant attention to the people
known as the Zott, the Jat, the Luli, the Nuri, or the Dom. [2]
Today it is known that Romani, the language of the Gypsies, is a
sister language of Sanskrit. This was first proven by a German
philologist, H.M.G. Grellman, in the late eighteenth century, who
conducted a study of Romani words (later consolidated in a fifteen
page catalogue) and compared it to Sanskrit, finding at least a third
of them to be of Hindu origin. Future comparisons yielded the
discovery that the grammatical construction and vocabulary of Romani
very closely resembles that of the language spoken by the Jats, a
nomadic tribe of northwestern India. [3]
Many now believe that the Roma were a group from NorthWest India,
mainly low-caste Sudra, who left India. Many legends suggest they were
banished. These people traveled through the Mid-East, and eventually
reached Europe. There are three main migration periods. The first is
the exodus from India. The second is the movement from the Mid-East to
Europe (mainly the Armenian "Little Egypt" Region). The third has been
post-World War II. The Roma were absolutely destroyed by the Nazi's
who killed them en masse (in fact the death penalty was less stringent
for Jews than for the Roma. If you were 1/4 Jewish, you would be
killed, but if you were 1/16th Roma, you would be put to death). This
was not new, the persecution of the Gypsies began centuries prior to
the 1940's, and was a part of the Northern Europe's cultural heritage
so to speak.
Today, the Roma are dispersed into three categories, based on
geography the Rom (European Roma), Lom (specifically the Armenians),
and Dom (in the Mid-east, specifically Iran). These terms are all
phonetically correspondent to Sanskrit's "domba", or modern Indian
terms like dom or dum.
In Sanskrit domba means “man of low caste living by singing and
music.” In modern Indian tongues the corresponding words have similar
or related meanings: in Lahnda it is “menial”; in Sindhi, “caste of
wandering musician”; in Panjabi, “strolling musician”; in West Pahari
it means “low-caste man.” There are references to the Dom as musicians
from the sixteenth century. The Dom still exist in India; they are
nomads who do a number of jobs: basket-making, smithing, metalworking,
scavenging, music-making. Not surprisingly, many people have leapt on
a Dom theory of origins for the Gypsies.
This also makes sense in a cultural sense, since the Roma have
traditionally been known for two types of work: either art/music
related, or metallurgy. [3] In fact, it is the Roma's metallurgy
ability that has led many to believe they helped educate the world
about the ancient Indian techniques.
By 400 A.D., we see the first mention of the group that would one day
be called the Gypsies. Bahram Gur, Shah of Persia, sends for 10,000
Luri (or Zotts, depending on which translation) to be brought from the
borders of India into his court. These Zotts were renowned musicians
and dancers at this time. They became favorites of the Persian court,
to the point that once the Caliphs took over, the Zotts (derivation of
Jatts perhaps) were moved to Antioch to keep them away from the courts
in case they were still sympathetic to the deposed Shah.
When they went to Antioch, they took their music, and their cattle.
They were a settled people there, until c. 820 A.D., when they were
forcibly moved from the area to Baghdad, then separated into smaller
groups so as not to cause any more trouble for the Arabs over their
cattle-grazing rights.
By 1050 A.D., the gypsies had made their way to Constantinople and the
rest of the Byzantine Empire. Emperor Monomachus asked the Adsincani
(derived from the Greek "Atsinganoi" which is the root word for
various names that the gypsies are called now, such as Tzigane,
Zincali, etc.) to rid his forests of the wild animals which were
killing off his stock in his hunting preserve. These people were well
known for their ability with animals, along with their proficiency at
metalwork and music.
As the Ottoman Empire spread, so did the gypsies. They are recorded in
Serbia in 1348, Bulgaria in 1378 and can be documented in Hungary in
1383. The Ottomans were actually the first to refer to the gypsies as
"Egyptians" in 1396 in what is now Bulgaria. These were a useful and
well-received people in the Middle East and Eastern Europe during this
time on the whole. The only place that this could not be said was true
was in Romania. In 1385 there is the first record of gypsy slaves. But
even then, they were coveted all over for their abilities in
metalwork, music and animal handling. They also became well known as
proficient mercenaries for hire, their prowess on the field legendary
in Hungary and Romania, both fighting for the Turks and against them.
In 1407, everything changed for the gypsies. Historians are divided as
to how they came up with the idea to go to Western Europe as penitent
pilgrims. To the gypsies, this "pilgrimage" is known as the Hakko
Baro, or the Great Game/Scam [4]. They appeared outside of the gates
of Hildesheim, Germany, with letters from King Sigismund, the Holy
Roman Emperor, granting them safe passage through all lands under his
domain. From there, they traveled to Italy, telling their story to the
Pope, who in turn gave them letters of safe passage and a letter
stating that all dioceses that these people come across would give
them money and food.
When they showed up with these letters outside the gates of Paris in
1427, they caused quite a commotion. An alderman wrote in his journal
of their approach to the gates, with the "barely clad women" telling
people’s fortunes, and their men dressed in scarlet, daring you to
ignore them. All in their traveling group stayed outside the gates but
for their leaders, who presented the letters to the authorities in the
city.
Once they appeared in Western Europe, opinions began to change on how
useful and alike to others the Gypsies were. In Eastern Europe and
Germany, you see legislation begin to be passed forbidding gypsies
entry into certain towns. The reasoning behind these laws was to quell
the idea that they gypsies were Turkish spies and traitors to whatever
country they were in at the time. Unfortunately, all this seemed to do
was incite more and more suspicion, which eventually made the Gypsies
second-class citizens in most Europeans eyes.
By the mid-16th century, the gypsies were not even safe in Turkish-
controlled lands. What was different here was the fact that the
settled Gypsies were the ones being persecuted here, instead of the
nomadic Gypsies. They were taxed heavily, and "persuaded" to convert
to Islam, sometimes being imprisoned and/or killed for not converting.
From this time period on, Gypsies become outcasts, with the peak of
dehumanization and torture appearing during World War II with the
Final Solution encompassing Gypsies along with Jews. Along with the
human loss from that time, we also lost many of the people who
actually may have been able to answer some of the questions that
historians still pose today as to the origins of this people. [4]
To the Roma the persecution during the 1940's is as important as it is
to the Jews. The Romani Anthem (International Roma organizations have
attempted to codify Roma culture in an attempt to unite the various
groups. The Roma now have an anthem, as well as a flag that contains a
16 spoke -as opposed to the Indian 24 spoke- Chakra) articulates the
troubled history of these people [5]:
I went, I went on long roads
I met happy Roma
O Roma where do you come from,
With tents on happy roads?
O Roma, O fellow Roma
I once had a great family,
The Black Legions* murdered them
Come with me Roma from all the world
For the Romani roads have opened
Now is the time, rise up Roma now,
We will rise high if we act
O Roma, O fellow Roma
*(the Black Legions refers to the Black uniformed SS, Gestapo as well
as the "Death's Head Battalion" concentration camp units).
Today the Roma are trying to reach out to their past, and understand
themselves better. Freedom after the fall of the Soviet Bloc has
created an impetus to learn more about themselves. Clearly this has
led them to turn their sights and hearts towards India. It is
important for us Indians, and specifically us Hindus, to reach out to
this community. They are a great example of the plight of Indians
around the world. They have endured persecution from the Arabs, the
Nazis and have been sent on Slave-ships to the Americas. They have
inhabited most of the world at some point, and have been ambassadors
of Indian culture and science. They are known for their metallurgy,
and their music, two talents India has always been known for as well.
For many Roma a new identity, which one might call “Hindupen” is
growing out of an unprecedented pride in origins. [3]
In conclusion, I would like to suggest we have an appreciation for
these people, who even today, are ridiculed and derided. The term
"Gypsy" has a bad connotation, and is of ill-repute. It is best to
know more about them, if for nothing at least to learn more about our
own ancient land, which they proudly believe to be their own as well.
References:
[1] http://www.dancers-archive.com/med-dance/legends.txt
[2] http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/homeland.htm
[3] http://pages.slc.edu/~badams/GIFandJPEG/Hindupenpage.htm
[4] http://www.florilegium.org/files/CULTURES/Gypsies-art.html
[5] http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/gelem.htm
http://www.swaveda.com/articles.php?action=show&id=31
navanavonmilita
navanavonmilita
Kunbi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Castes of India
Maratha Kunbi
Classification Hindu Kshatriya
Religions Hinduism
Language Hindi, Chhattisgarhi, Marathi, Konkani, Gujrati, South Indian
languages and dialects
Populated States Northern India, Western India, Central India, South
India
People from the Kunbi (also called Kurmi) community in India belong to
a sub-caste of the Kshatriya varna.[citation needed] The word kunabi
is a generic term equivalent to farmer in English. According to the
great Indian mythology God Rama had two sons one Luv and other Kush.
Luv's successors came to known as lavyas who settled in Kashmir and
later moved towardsTother parts of the country mentioned below .
Successors of kush came to be known as Kushwahas, who basically
setteled in northern plains of India. Ancient Kurmis (then known as
Patidars) formed governing bodies in Gujarat, Maharastra, Sindh,
Kashmir, The Eastern Afghanistan Plains, Indus River Valley, and parts
of Pakistan in pre-mughal times. They became owners of land, and
issued it for farming in pattas. Owners of pattas were called
Patildars or Patidars >> Patel & Patil. Later, they further sub-
divided into many other sub-castes.
In India, societies like Kshatriyas Maratha, Rajput, Yadav, Gujjar,
Raju, and others possess ruling powers but later due to population
expansion and other causes they also worked or lived as farmers and
formed corresponding societies.
Kshatriyas and agriculture
“ "A Kshatriya who has fallen into distress, may subsist by all these
means..." ”
— Laws of Manu, X:95 [1]
As per ancient Hindu texts, agriculture is permissible to Kshatriyas
under special circumstances [1] in the absence of opportunities in the
military and feudal apparatus of a righteous Aryan king. Indeed, the
service in the army of an unrighteous, or a 'Yavana', or a 'Maleccha',
king was the biggest imaginable anathema for a concentious and
observant vedic kshatriya in ancient India. A vedic kshatriya was not
a mercenary soldier but a defender of faith and righteous order
(dharma).
Culture
Some Hindu-Kunbis perform the Upanayana[citation needed] Samskara as
per their family traditions which is as per the original clan they
follow,though it is not a compulsion & at places not considered right
amongst themselves. In the past Kunbis have larger houses - some were
called WADA, some were GADHI (fortressed complex) and some also had
KEELLA (a fort). Most of the historical evidences are managed and
maintained by National (India) and State (Maharashtra) level
government departments, although there are many families who maintain
their own set of documents or evidences as a mark of family assets.
Large scale Kunbi farmers generally maintain large herds of dairy
cattle and a number of horses.
List of famous Maratha Saints
Saint Tukaram A 17th Century popular poet.
Siddharameshwar Maharaj A guru of Nondualism, a saint of Solapur and
guru of Nisargadatta Maharaj and Ranjith Maharaj.
Nisargadatta Maharaj One of the world famous disciples of
Siddharameshwar Maharaj and author of book I Am That.He has many
international disciples who are famous and preach in USA, Europe &
Australia. Some of his disciples are John Wheeler & Bob Adamson.
Rashtra Saint Tukdoji Maharaj A national saint, musician and social
reformer. He wrote Gramgeeta for rural development.
Maratha Kunabi Society
Kunabi Maratha is Cluster of Royal 96 clans and Peasantry Class of
Maharashtra and also Maratha Royalties Proclaimed themeselves farmer
as they were landlords.Royal 96 clans marry among only Maratha Farmers
i.e.Maratha Kunabi ,not other Kunabi's from non-maratha cast.
Kunbis, also known as Kunbi Marathas, are a Maratha sub-caste residing
primarily in provinces of India such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
Gujarat, Karnataka etc.
Betul District (Madhya Pradesh) is one of the higher kunbi population
place.
List of other Saints
Shree Saint Gulabrao Maharaj was blind from birth. He preached Vedas
to the Brahmins.
Shree Sant Gadaji Maharaj A saint, visionary leader and social
reformer in 1700. He saved his own village from the mughal occupation
and became famous for his extraordinary leadership and visionary
speeches. Nearly 20 thousand people gather on holy occasions to
remember him.
List of famous Kunbi Marathi Women
Lalita Pawar was a Bollywood actor known as the The Mother of all
mothers-in-law in films. She was born into a rich Yevle family of
Nashik and was married to Raj Prakash Gupta and lived in Pune. She
started her career in silent films in 1928 and acted in more than 500
Hindi and Marathi films.
Smita Patil was a Bollywood actor who was the first Asian cine-star to
have the unique honor of Retrospectives in Paris and La Rochelle, (at
the promptings of no less a film luminary than Director Costa Gavras),
a two-time Best Actress award winner at the National Film Festival
(Bhumika and Chakra) and a Padmashree. She was a keen photographer and
died at the age of 31.
Smt Prabha Rau is now the Governor of Himachal Pradesh and is the
former president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committie. She is a
sports person and has represented Maharashtra in the long jump, high
jump, hurdles, discus throw and running. She is also a musician, and
holds a Masters degree in Politics and Music.
Smt Kumud Pawade was a renowned Sanskrit scholar, author and a
professor. She was born in Nagpur in 1938 into a Mahar family
considered to be untouchable before the 1950s. She married Motiram
Pawade a social worker who was from a Maratha family. She was also the
president of All India Progressive Woman's Organization.
Mrs Ujjwala Raut-Sterry is India's most accomplished supermodel now
settled in the US. She has won awards in both India and
internationally for her performance as a model. Born and brought up in
Mumbai, she is married to British film producer Craig Maxwell Sterry.
She has also been on the cover of Time magazine.
'Miss India Sayali Bhagat', A famous bollywood actress is from Nasik
List of famous Kunbi Men
Yashaskara, King of KashmirDynasties of Ancient Kashmir. After the
Utpala dynasty, a Yashaskara became king. (V 469). He was a great-
grandson of a Viradeva, a Kutumbi (V 469). He was from the kutumbi
group (also known as kurmis of UP and Kunbis of Gujarat/Maharashtra)
and the son of a treasurer of Karkota Shamkaravarman.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynasties_of_Ancient_Kashmir#The_Dynasties
Shri Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil His father was a small scale farmer and
Shivajirao as a child used to sell vegetables in Mumbai. At one time
he even struggled to get daily bread. He got his first job as a peon
in Zenith Computers a software company based in Mumbai. With his
company owner's support, he started taking part time classes in
English. This company was a turning point for him and later on he
started his own company Dynalog Limited, that supplies electronics
good to Defense, Education and Industries. Shivajirao's company has
now grown into famous venture well known in India and Internationally.
Shivajirao has won numerous awards for his achievement both at state
and national level. Due to trouble faced him in getting education
during his childhood, he started a school for kids. Besides being a
Industrialist he is a Member of Parliament from Shiv Sena.
Dr Shrikant Jichkar, MP, Member of Rajya Sabha, Cabinet Minister of
Maharashtra holds 20 postgraduate degrees. He has obtained 28 Gold
Medals. Between 1972 and 1990 he wrote 42 University Examinations. He
was also IPS officer and IAS officer. At 25 years of age, he became
the Youngest MLA in India. He was also leading Indian delegations on
several forums including the UNO, UNESCO. He is founder of Kavi
Kulaguru Kalidas (India's firstSanskrit University). He is Managing
Editor of Nagpur Times and Nagpur Patrika and Founding Chairman of
National Institute of Amateur Radio. (The Guinness World Records lists
him as 'Politician with most qualifications'. He was the first Non-
Brahmin to be awarded the Dixit Title)
Sandeep Patil is a cricket player and former coach of the Kenya
Cricket Team that reached World Cup Semi-Finals in 2003. He had a
record for six fours in a cricket over.
Barrister S. K. Wankhede is a former BCCI President and State
Minister. He was married to the late Smt Kusumtai (from a Brahmin
family) who greatly contributed to his career success. Due to his
contribution to Indian cricket a stadium was named after him.
Shri Anant Geete is a Member of Parliament and former Union Minister
of Power. He is involved in power reforms that started during orthodox
BJP Led-NDA central government. He belongs to Konkan Region.
Shri Datta Meghe is Educationists, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha.
He runs several educational institutes in Mumbai and Central India.
Dr Atul Gawande is a second generation Harvard professor and doctor,
who is also a columnist in US. He was a student at Stanford and Oxford.
[1]
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/faculty/atul-gawande/
Late Dwarkanath Laxman Mhaskar known as Dadasaheb was the President of
Tillori Kunbi Maratha Samaj (Mumbai). He has worked with his father
Late Laxman Krishnaji Mhaskar in Govt central press, Mumbai when the
freedom movement started, he later gave his resignation and got
involved in to the movement. He was even attached with various school
and colleges, as donor and committee member. He was vice president of
Mumbai Sharirik Shikshan Mandal Headed by Late Appa Samant(Fanas wadi
Koliwadi). Also he had formed Maharashtara Rajya Hu-tu-tu Maha Mandal.
He has arranged many tournaments in Mumbai and Rest of the state. He
had formed Shreerang Co-operative Housing Society Limited, with help
of Late S K Wankhede,(Former State Finance Minister) and Sumati Devi
Dhanavte (M.L.A.)frm Nagpur. This was the biggest Housing Society in
India. He even participated in the separation of Mumbai region from
Sanyukta Maharashtra. He even went to jail during this movement. Govt
of Maharashtra awarded him as Justice of Peace for 35 years. He has
traveled abroad for many social seminar in many countries. He died in
May 88 in Thane. Facts by Anant Dwarkanath Mhaskar and Amar Anant
Mhaskar.
Rajnikanth (Birth Name:Shivaji Rao Gaekwad) also known as Super star
is a famous Indian film actor. He is the second highest paid actor in
Asia after Jackie Chan. He is a follower of Raghavendra Swami.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajnikanth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raghavendra_Swami
Harish Raut (1925–2002) was born in Bordi. He was one of the best
painters and his paintings appear in national galleries, government
offices, museums in India and abroad and on greeting cards. He has won
several state and national awards for his painting. His paintings
mainly focus on rural life in India. His natural skill was identified
and furthered by Government of Maharashtra.
Anil Mahajan Pandagre A Youngest person a famous Socialworkar &
Administer kunbi community webparchayika ...[2] At present he is
active kunbi,s Data collection in India.
http://www.lonarikunbi.in/
Dr. R B Thakare Former adviser to World Bank and Asian Development
Bank. He obtained his PhD from University of California, Berkly. He is
a widely recognized expert in the field of [Agriculture]. He has
number of publications in international journals and is a Board of
Member on various universities and institutes in India. At present he
is active in India solving farmers problems.
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh was a famous social reformer, educationists and
freedom fighter in Vidarbha. He was the founder of Shivaji Education
Society at Amravati and was a Union Minister of Agriculture in Pandit
Nehru's government. He completed his Ph.D at University of Cambridge.
He returned to India was involved in reforms and was also associated
with Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panjabrao_Deshmukh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cambridge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhimrao_Ambedkar
Sanjay Raut A famous Shiv Sena member and a journalist by profession.
He is the Editor of Shiv Sena daily news paper Saamna. He is also a
Member of Parliament.
Aditya Raut Youngest person in the world to swim across five
continental channels [3]
Shaheed Major Manishi Pitambare recipient of Kranti Chakra, died in
Kashmir valley while fighting with militants was from Murabad in Thane
District
[edit] Demographics
Historical social Structure in Central India
Kunbis of Maharashtra are known as Marathas as they form the farming
section of Marathas. Kunbis from Maharashtra have a 12 and 1/2 (also
known as Saade Bara) clan system. The 12 clans predominantly consist
of Indo-Aryan races and 1/2 part consists of other clans. Names of
clans are listed below [4]
Dhanoje - Located in Vidarbha region. Mainly farming. Few Dhanoje
kunbi's are very rich in Chandrapur region. Many of them have started
education institutes in vidarbha region. They are mainly into farming
and but with time youth of this caste is now well educated and settled
in other parts of country and in foreign countries. Strong presence in
the politics of Vidarbha region especially Amarawati, Chandrapur,
Yeotmal.
Tirale, most prosperous caste in number of parts of Maharashtra and
now dominant in politics in Vidarbha and Khandesh. (Tirale is the most
ancient of all the sub castes and represents the Rajputs from Therol
from Rajputana)[5][6]
Lonari (Farming,business)
Vandhekars (i.e Deshmukhs) and Jadhav (administration, business,
farming and now politically dominant)
Ahire,
Bawne:located in Bhandara and Nagpur district. Mainly farmer community
and well learned and works in govt. and private firms. Dominant as
population wise in most of the villages in Bhandara and Kuhi tahsil,
Ramtek and Umred tahsil villages.
Vanjari and Dhanoje (money lenders, business and farming)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanjari_(caste)
Lonare, Zade, Beldar, Ghatole, Killedar and Dhakane http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beldar
Mana, Kare, Karadi and Khedule and Dait
Khaire and Jungli (tribals involved in farming)
Jadhavs with surnames Sonar, sonare, khapare, dhuldhar, bhurkunde,
Tatte, Bhad, Deshmukh reside mainly in Vidharbha specially in western
regions like Amaravati.
Valte:Located in Vijapur (Duparepada)in Wada Tehsil & Thane
District...Have only one family byt now it is distributed into the 4-5
families at Duparepada,Kudus,Sarshi & supegaon...Mahesh Valte
Bhowad, sud
See also
Kunabi Sena http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunabi_Sena
Kherlanji Massacre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kherlanji_Massacre
see also kurmi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurmi
see also Kapu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapu_Caste
see also Gurjar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurjar
see also Kudumbi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudumbi
References
^ a b Laws of Manu, Chapter X, Verses 90, 95, 116
[edit] External links
Kshatriya lonari kunbi Samaj [7] http://www.lonarikunbi.in/
Patidar Samaj Online [8] http://www.patidarsamajofne.org/history.html
Marathi Leva Samaj [9] http://marathilevasamaj.org/
Global Kurmi Group [10] http://www.kurmigroup.org/
Patidar Samaj [11] http://www.patidarsamaj.org/
OBC INFORMATION by SHAILENDRA WAGADRE APAAX AT www.obcguru.com [12]
http://www.obcguru.com/
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunbi"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunbi
HOME PAGEOBC CENTRAL GOVTOBC STATE GOVTSSCHOLARSHIPS & Q/AGUESTBOOK/
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1. http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/OBC_GENERAL_PROBLEMS_AND_SOLUTION__HINDI__obcguru.pdf
http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/Creamy_layer_corrections_in_Rule_V___VI_on_ncbc_website.pdf
•2. PRINTING MISTAKE IN CREAMYLAYER CRITERIA ON WWW.NCBC.NIC.IN
•3. 27% OBC RESERVATION (ADMISSION): CENTRAL ACT-2006, 04.01.2007
http://education.nic.in/Acts/CEI-ResAdm-2006.pdf
•4. ACTUAL SIX RULES OF CREAMY LAYER (NOT INCOME ONLY){Hindi/Eng} •5.
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5.http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/
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•6. CREAMY LAYER CRITERIAs (MAPDAND) 08.09.1993 {English} NCBC
http://ncbc.nic.in/html/creamylayer.html
•7. CREAMY LAYER CRITERIAs (MAPDAND) O.M. Dt. 08.09.1993{English)
(Signed COPY RECIEVED FROM MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL GoI NEW DELHI)
http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/Central_OBC_creamy_layer_criteria_dt_08.09.1993_copy_recievrd_from_DOPT.pdf
•8. CREAMY LAYER CRITERIAs (MAPDAND) 08.09.1993 {Hindi} NCBC
http://ncbc.nic.in/hindi/creamy_layer.htm
•9. CREAMY LAYER CLARIFICATIONS 14.10.2004 {English} MOP
http://persmin.gov.in/WriteData/CircularNotification/ScanDocument/36033_5_2004_01April2005.htm
•10. CREAMY LAYER CLARIFICATIONS 14.10.2004 {English} signed copy
http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/OBC_creamy_lr_clr__English__14.10.2004.pdf
•11. CREAMY LAYER CLARIFICATIONS 14.10.2004 {Hindi} signed copy
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•12. Rs. 4.5 LAKH CREAMY LAYER CLAUSE-06 REVISION 14.10.08 {English}
•13. Rs. 4.5 LAKH CREAMY LAYER CLAUSE-06 REVISION 14.10.08 {Hindi}
http://persmin.gov.in/WriteData/CircularNotification/ScanDocument/36033_3_2004-Estt%20(Res).pdf
•14. CENTRAL LIST OF OBC CASTES, STATE-WISE {English} NCBC
http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/index.html
•15. CENTRAL LIST OF OBC CASTES, STATE-WISE {Hindi} NCBC
http://ncbc.nic.in/hindi/clobc.htm
•16. CENTRAL LIST OF OBCs {GAZETTE NOTIFICATIONS/RESOLUTIONS}
http://socialjustice.nic.in/gazenotif.php
•17. APPLICATION FORM TO GET OBC CASTE CRTIFICATE (PAGE-54/488)
http://persmin.gov.in/WriteData/CircularNotification/ScanDocument/Estt(Reservation)/Compendium.pdf
•18. OBC CASTE CRTIFICATE FORMAT CENTRAL {IIT JEE 2010}
http://www.jee.iitb.ac.in/reservation.htm
•19. OBC CASTE CRTIFICATE FORMAT CENTRAL {AIEEE 2008-09 OLD}
http://www.aieee.nic.in/ccb2009/OBC_Proforma.pdf
•20. COMPETENT OFFICERS TO ISSUE OBC CERTIFICATE 15.11.93 {P19}
http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/obc_OM_Order_s_Central_cremylayer_etc.pdf
•21. VALIDITY, OBC CASTE & CREAMY LAYER CERTIFICATE OM-25.07.2003
http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/OBC_CASTE_CREAMY_LAYER_VALIDITY_OM__CAT_DCISION__W07_.pdf
•22. OBC CERTIFICATES TO MIGRANTS FROM OTHER STATES 08.04.1994
http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/Migration_from_other_states_issue_of_central__OBC_cert._8.4.1994.pdf
•23. OBC CERTIFICATE FORMAT FOR MIGRANTS OF OTHER STATES(PAGE14)
http://cisf.nic.in/RECRUITMENT_files/NOTIFICATION%20%20for%20ctdr%20and%20ctdcpo%20ENGLISH.pdf
•24. OBC CERT. SHOULD BE IN PRESCRIBED FORMAT ONLY 02.09.09 {ENG}
http://www.persmin.nic.in/writedata/CircularNotification/ScanDocument/36011_3_2009-Estt.(Res.)1.pdf
•25. OBC CERT. SHOULD BE IN PRESCRIBED FORMAT ONLY 02.09.09 {HINDI}
http://www.persmin.nic.in/writedata/CircularNotification/ScanDocument/36011_3_2009-Estt.(Res.)1-H.pdf
•26. COMPENDIAM OF OBC CIRCULARS BY MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL PART-III
http://www.persmin.nic.in/writedata/CircularNotification/ScanDocument/indexForReservation.htm
•27. AGE RELAXATION (3 YEAR) FOR OBC IN RECRUITMENT 09.12.93 (P 20)
http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/obc_OM_Order_s_Central_cremylayer_etc.pdf
28. SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT ON OBC RESERVATION IN CENTRAL EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS ADMISSION 10.04.2008 & IT'S HIGHLIGHTS
http://obcreservation.net/ver2/
•29. HRD O.M.s AFTER COURT'S ORDER FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF OBC
RESERVATION IN CENTRAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 20.04.2008
http://education.nic.in/HigherEdu/OM_OBCreservation_CEIs.pdf
•30. SUPREME COURT 05.04.06- "OBCs SELECTED IN GENERAL SEATS SHALL NOT
BE COUNTED IN 27% QUOTA & WILL BE TREATED AS GENERAL CANDIDATE EVEN IF
THEY GET SEAT/SERVICE ALLOTMENT IN 27% QUOTA"
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•31. OBCs SELECTED IN GENERAL....(DETAIL BY "YOUTH 4 REAL EQUALITY")
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•32. VEERAPPA MOILEE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF
27% OBC RESERVATION WITH ENHANCEMENT OF 54% SEATS IN CENTRAL
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
http://oversightcommittee.gov.in/ocrep.pdf
•33. ANNUAL REPORT, NATIONAL COMM. FOR BACKWARD CLASSES 2003-04
http://www.obcguru.com/uploads/annual_report_NCBC_2003-2004.pdf
•34. ANNUAL REPORT, NATIONAL COMM. FOR BACKWARD CLASSES-2007-08
http://ncbc.nic.in/annual.pdf
•35. NACHIPPAN PARLIAMENTRY COMMITTEE REPORT ON RESERVATION
http://obcreservation.net/ver2/
•36. HOW TO GET OBC STATUS IN CENTRAL (INCLUSION IN CENTRAL LIST OF
OBCs)
http://obcreservation.net/ver2/reservation-mainmenu-9/communication-mainmenu-115/131-how-to-get-reservation-in-obc-state-list-ob-obcs-rj-included-vishnoi-on-2582009.html
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The Kunbi (alternate names of Reddi and Desai) are a prominent
community of Karnataka. They can also be found in Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Pondicherry, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa and Maharashtra.
However, traditionally the Reddy belong to the fourth of the Hindu
Varnas, Sudra. One section of the Reddy is called Kapu which means
guardian.
The majority of the Kunbi communities are non-vegetarian, and all the
communities take rice as their staple cereals. Jowar, wheat, bajra and
ragi are the other cereals for them.
The Kunbi community have social divisions such as clans, lineage,
subcastes and sects. These social divisions regulate marital
alliances. They speak the Kannada and Telugu languages.
Among the Kunbi people, cross-cousin marriages of both types are
allowed. Widow remarriage is not permitted. Being a dominant
community, the Reddy have been primarily landlords and landholders.
Social control is regulated through traditional caste and village
councils.
The traditional occupation of most of the Reddy groups is settled
cultivation, followed by animal husbandry and labour. Both men and
women smoke a homemade cheroot (chutta) which results a high incidence
of mouth and throat cancer.
They are Hindu by faith and worship many deities. Their main festivals
are Ugadi, Akshade and Dussehra. They play bhajans and kirtans.
Alternate names: Kapu, Akutota, Desai, Dommari, Guruda, Illela,
Kuruva, Musugu, Nadi Taram, Panta, Sajjana, Renati, etc.
GeographySubmit Update:
Country: India
Continent: Asia
Region: South Asia
Persecution Rank: 26 (Only top 50 ranked, 1 = highest persecution
ranking)
10/40 Window: Yes
Population in this Country: 15,810,000
Largest States: Maharashtra (6,871,000) Gujarat (6,811,000)
Madhya Pradesh (890,000) Andhra Pradesh (834,000)
Rajasthan (460,000) Tamil Nadu (343,000)
Goa (188,000) Orissa (179,000)
Karnataka (137,000) Daman and Diu (29,000)
Total States on file: 29
PeopleSubmit Update:
People Name in Country: Kunbi
People Name General: Kunbi
Alternate People Names: Amin Atte Kunbi
Desai Kambatti
Kamma Reddiyar Kulwadi
Kurmar Kutumbika
Manuru Nagale
Nagiga Patidar
Reddi Reddy
ROP3 Code: 112706
Joshua Project People ID: 17325
Population in this Country: 15,810,000
Population all Countries: 15,824,000
Least-Reached: Yes
Ethnicity
Affinity Bloc: South Asian Peoples
People Cluster: Gujarati
People Name General: Kunbi
Ethnic Code: CNN25r
Ethnic Relationships: Affinity Bloc -> People Cluster -> Peoples
Ethnicity Tree
LanguageSubmit Update:
Primary Language: Gujarati (6,104,000 Speakers)
Language Code (16th): guj Ethnologue Listing
Language Code (14th): GJR
Secondary Languages: Marathi (5,068,000) Hindi (936,000)
Konkani, Goan (428,000) Kachchi (258,000)
Konkani (192,000) Khandesi (166,000)
Nimadi (122,000) Oriya (116,000)
Marwari (101,000) Kannada (99,000)
Ahirani (76,000) Dhanki (39,000)
Malvi (37,000) Mewari (27,000)
Saurashtra (24,000) Dhundari (19,000)
Chhattisgarhi (8,400) Shekhawati (5,700)
Kui (5,100) Bengali (4,700)
Tamil (3,100) Sindhi (2,800)
Malayalam (2,100) Tulu (1,500)
Hadothi (900) Bagheli (600)
Telugu (300) Kuvi (200)
Kanauji (100) Bhili (100)
Pengo (30) Naga, Inpui (Unknown)
Kharia (Unknown) Naga, Mao (Unknown)
Santali (Unknown) Ho (Unknown)
Urdu (Unknown)
Total Languages Spoken: 38
Kunbi of India
* Notes:
•Significant effort is made to match photos with people groups. In
most cases the photo source has identified the people group. However,
in some instances when the exact people group is not identified Joshua
Project has made educated attempts at matching. As a result some
photos may be representative of the people cluster rather than the
specific people group. Mismatches are the fault of Joshua Project, not
the photographer. Please contact us if you believe a photo is not
matched with the correct people group.
•Percentages may be printed as '0.00%' because of space limitations,
but some are slightly greater than zero.
•The exactness of the above numbers can be misleading. Numbers can
vary by several percentage points or more.
•People group population figures are now maintained as a percentage of
the national population. Click here for details.
•Joshua Project does not have specific ministry activity data
supporting each of the "Progress Indicators."
•Discrepancies may exist between "Other Progress Indicators" because
of the varying sources of information.
•Joshua Project does not know the exact content of web audio
recordings. In general they are Bible reading and teaching.
•As on-site realities are understood, barriers of acceptance may be
found in many of the larger people groups that will require multiple
distinct church planting efforts.
•This data may contain errors and needs continual correcting and
updating. Click here to send feedback.
http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=112706&rog3=IN
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/
navanavonmilita
A Massacre Prompts New Debate Over India's War With Maoist Rebels
By Sumon K. Chakrabarti / Dantewada Sunday, Apr. 11, 2010
A paramilitary soldier injured by Maoist rebels is hoisted into an
ambulance in Jagdalpur, India.
TV9 / AP
The undulating hills and thick vegetation of Dandakaranya forest —
nearly 50,000 square kilometers of jungle straddling parts of central
Indian states of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and the southern state of
Andhra Pradesh — has for decades been a forsaken, off-the-map region
frequented only by corporate India looking to make a killing from the
iron ore reserves of the land. Indeed, for close to 10 years now, the
area has remained off limits for the Indian government and its
agencies, including the police and the military. It is one of the few
pockets of India that has not been topographically surveyed. No good
maps exist of the region. The only "government" the tribal people of
these forests are acquainted with is provided by a fearsome band of
insurgents: "Janatana Sarkar," the people's government run by the
guerrillas of the Communist Party of India-Maoists (CPI-Maoists), for
whom most of the forest is a de facto military headquarters.
(See how India is stepping up its fight against the Maoists.)
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1940559,00.html
But just weeks ago, New Delhi decided to challenge the rebels who
carry Mao Zedong's name and who are waging the bloodiest insurgency
India has ever seen. The government announced that 50,000 paramilitary
troops would be part of Operation Greenhunt, with tough-talking Home
Minister of India, Palaniappan Chidambaram, promising to "wipe off the
Maoist movement in the next two-three years." As part of this
campaign, police and para-military forces last week engaged in a four-
day "area domination" exercise near the village of Datewada in the
Dandakaranya forest. But the Maoists were not about to let this
incursion into their territory pass with impunity.
The 80 members of the government's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
were taking a break on April 6 at around 6 a.m. after traveling all
night, when they were ambushed by what some officials estimate to be
400 Maoists positioned on a neighboring hilltop. The Maoists executed
their attack with fierce precision, giving the soldiers no chance to
react. They blew up an anti-landmine vehicle and then began firing
indiscriminately. The shocked and exhausted soldiers, who had not been
able to follow standard procedures like checking the road for
landmines ahead of time, were massacred within minutes. The guerrillas
— both men and women — then took away AK-47 and Insas rifles, the
mortars, magazines of ammunition and bullet-proof jackets from their
victims. Of the 80 Indian troops on exercise, 76 were killed.
While admitting that it lost eight fighters in the three-hour long
attack, the Maoist spokesman justified the massacre in a three-page
faxed statement, saying: "The CRPF battalion deployed in [in
Chattisgarh] were killing innocent people, burning villages, raping
women and displacing... people. We also wanted to take revenge of
killing of our top leaders..."
(See how India's schools have been caught in the cross-fire in the
fight against the Maoists.)
It has been the most significant government setback in the undeclared
war between the two Indias. The Maoists thrive in the 'other' India —
the India which is impoverished, left behind as one-fifth of the
country's populace has begun to thrive, while the other 800 million
suffer with growing resentment from chronic poverty, live without
electricity, roads, hospitals, proper sanitation or clean water — the
classic breeding ground for left-wing extremist violence. As Mao
himself prescribed in 1927, "It's necessary to bring about a brief
reign of terror in every rural area... To right a wrong it is
necessary to exceed the proper limit." Naxalism, as Indian Maoism is
also called — after a village named Naxalbari at the movement's
origins — has rapidly outstripped the insurgencies in Jammu & Kashmir
and North-East India. Maoists have a presence in at least 16 of
India's 28 states, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described
Naxalism as the "biggest internal security challenge" that faces the
country.
India today is groping for answers on how to respond to the Maoist
attack. Chidambaram's strategy had appeared to be working. Many top
Maoist leaders, including Politburo members, had been arrested; the
Maoists had indeed offered to negotiate. Their chief military officer,
Kishanji — nom de guerre of Mallojula Koteswara Rao — even gave out
his cellphone number to Chidambaram to facilitate talks. "But actually
they were retreating so that they can regroup. This is how the Maoists
always operate. But still we have not learnt anything," says K. P. S.
Gill, formerly one of India's top police officers, who had advised the
Chattisgarh government in a previous anti-Maoist operation.
Privately, many senior leaders in the ruling Congress party had
complained to their party president Sonia Gandhi that Home Minister
Chidambaram had used unnecessarily provocative language when talking
about the Maoists. But Prime Minister Singh refused to accept
Chidambaram's offer to resign after the massacre. With the central
government still debating how to deal with the Maoists, there is
confusion on the ground about how to tackle the insurgency. K.P.S.
Gill says it's now time to rethink the entire strategy and criticizes
Chidambaram for giving the go ahead to a "flawed operation."
(See pictures of India's turning points.)
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1649065,00.html
Those in India who perceive Chidambaram to be a "warmonger" argue that
growing social disparities thrown up by India's economic growth have
been a major factor behind the rebels' expansion. They say the
government needs to provide a more equitable distribution of its
growing wealth. "Let's not forget the killing of more than a hundred
tribal villagers by the security forces since June 2009 ... It's time
the nation starts to work towards ceasefire and cessation of
hostilities so as to help initiate dialogue with the Maoists, and to
address the real issues affecting the people like forced corporate or
state acquisition of land, displacement, tribal rights and the lack of
governance," says Dr. Ranabir Samaddar, Director of Calcutta Research
Group.
Meanwhile, India's Armed Forces are not anxious to join the fight. The
new Indian army chief General V. K. Singh has blamed the lack of
training and tactics in jungle warfare as well as command and control
for the loss of the 76 troopers. He ruled out any role of the military
— that is, the security forces of India's federal government — in the
ongoing operation. "The Naxalite problem is a law and order problem,
which is a state subject. It stems from certain issues on the ground,
be it of governance, be it of administration, be it of socio-economic
factors. And since it is not a secessionist movement, I think our
polity is astute and wise enough to know the implications of using the
Army against their own people." The chief of the Indian Air Force, Air
Marshal P V Naik also expressed his unwillingness to use the Air Force
and its unmanned drones in ongoing anti-Maoist operations. "Unless we
are 120% sure that the Naxals are the country's enemies, it will not
be fair to use the Air Force within our borders."
The Director General of Police of Chattisgarh Vishwa Ranjan admits
that "the [paramilitary] forces need to be trained specifically for
this, which unfortunately we don't do. It's time all of us sit up and
act," he says. Still, he insists he is "prepared to take casualties."
He told TIME: "We are in a war. And no war is won without people
dying."
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1981122,00.html?xid=rss-world
India Steps Up Its Fight Against Naxalites
By Jessica Bachman / Kanker Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
Indian officers patrol a forest around their base on the edge of rebel-
controlled territory in Chhattisgarh in October 2009
Keith Bedford / The New York Times / Redux
Late-night digging along the back roads of Bastar, a dense jungle
region in India's northern state of Chhattisgarh, can only mean one
thing if there's nothing to show for it the next day: Maoist rebel
activity. So when a group of villagers in the state's Kanker district,
the gateway to Bastar, were kept awake for nights on end last month by
repeated chinking from metal striking rock on a nearby road, they knew
something was up.
They were right. The Maoists, commonly known in India as Naxalites,
had dug a tunnel five feet under the surface of a paved back road that
was used by security forces from the nearby Counter-Terrorism and
Jungle Warfare College. The insurgents' tunnel's exit points, on the
side of the road, were well concealed with alternating layers of
sandbags and dirt. But before the Naxalites got around to booby-
trapping the underground tunnel with improvised explosives cobbled
together from scavenged pieces of iron and heisted explosive materials
from state-owned mines, it had been filled in. The villagers had
tipped off commandos from the college.
Naxalite rebels, whose leaders claim to follow Maoist doctrine on
armed people's struggle, have been waging a guerilla war against the
Indian government since their first uprising in the West Bengal
village of Naxalbari in 1967. For over three decades a phlegmatic
response from central and state security organs did little to prevent
the then isolated Naxal insurgency from foraying into underdeveloped
forest and jungle regions in central and eastern India where it gained
support of impoverished tribal groups and villagers. By 2001, some
Naxalites had gained sway over 51 districts, and with the state
response mechanism to their movements still weak, that number
quadrupled in less than a decade. Naxals now operate in 223 districts,
spread out over one-third of India along a vertical belt commonly
referred to as the Red Corridor.
In the 34 regions that the government considers to be the worst
affected by Maoist activity, the rebel movement has taken on a
particularly bloody dimension, with Naxalites orchestrating police
massacres, bombings, bank and mine robberies, informant murders and
kidnappings on a routine basis. By Nov. 2, "left-wing extremism" —
Delhi's euphemism for Naxal terrorism — was responsible for 834
civilian, security-force and Naxal deaths throughout 10 states this
year, according to data collected by the South Asia Terrorism Portal.
As in previous years, Chhattisgarh took the biggest hit, sustaining
237 casualties. While last month's brazen attempt in the state to
attack India's only anti-Naxal police training camp reveals how low
the insurgents' perception is of the state's ability to fight them, it
also, says the college's director, gives the institution further
insight into how to fight this battle. "I've always told our men that
they can't win the war against the Naxals without gaining the trust of
the villagers and forest dwellers," says Brigadier Basant Ponwar, who
served in the army for 35 years as a counterinsurgency specialist
before going to Chhattisgarh in 2005 to set up the college. "Now we
see that even right in our own backyard the villagers are our eyes and
ears."
Tucked away on 300 acres of hilly jungle terrain, just north of a
notorious Naxal stronghold, the college is strategically positioned to
drill police forces in a strategy that until recently was reserved for
training select army special forces: fight a guerilla like a guerilla.
"Police are trained for carrying out normal law-and-order duties.
They're not prepared for jungle combat or jungle living, but that's
precisely what they must know to take on Naxals," explains the state's
director general of police, Vishwa Ranjan. For decades the state had
dismissed the Naxal movement's creeping ascendancy over its southern
districts and did little to buttress the strength of its security
force. This year, the state's sanctioned police force stands at
46,000, more than double the number of officers on the ground in 2005,
and all new recruits are being put through the college course in
addition to basic training.
The college has already taught 11,500 police personnel from eight
states how to raid Naxal hideouts, conduct search-and-destroy
operations at gun-manufacturing camps, clear roads of improvised
explosives using sniffer dogs, set up roadside checkpoints and set up
covert outposts in enemy territory. During the 45-day course,
commandos-in-training get up at dawn for early morning conditioning,
including three-mile runs up steep, rocky knobs plus strength
training, yoga and meditation. (Ponwar insists that all officers who
still have a paunch by the end of the course are failed.) To dispel
officers' fear of the jungle, the forces are taught how to catch (and
eat) snakes, distinguish edible plants from poisonous ones and make
camouflaged lean-tos out of sticks and leaves.
The college has been a bright spot in India's fight against the bloody
insurgency. But Ajai Sahni, the executive director of the New Delhi–
based Institute of Conflict Management, says that the high level of
corruption and inefficiency in the state security apparatus cancels
out whatever inroads the school has made. "Only a fraction of those
that go through the college's training are later used for what they
are being trained for, so the effort is often for naught," Sahni
laments, comparing the police commandos to students trained in
neurosurgery who go on to become store clerks. Only half of the
college's graduates from Chhattisgarh are deployed in areas with
substantial Maoist activity and, according to Sahni, police corruption
and grasping politicians are to blame. "It's a well-known fact that if
a police officer doesn't want to be deployed to dangerous district, he
bribes his way out," he says. "Many of the warfare college's commandos
are also scooped up by VIP ministers and politicians who want to be
surrounded by impressive security details."
Meanwhile, national efforts to bring this decades-long insurgency to a
swift end are also intensifying. India's new hard-line Home Minister,
P. Chidambaram, is not convinced that states, if left to their own
devices, will be able to reassert state authority over Naxal-dominated
territories anytime soon. That's why this month, tens of thousands of
paramilitary and border security forces were withdrawn from other
regions and deployed in rebel districts in northern and central India.
"Our newest strategy is to win complete control over small areas under
Maoist influence, hold them, and not withdraw forces until development
in the area is well under way," says director general of police Vishwa
Ranjan. "We will repeat this pattern in other areas, a few at a time,
until the enemy has nowhere to go. "
Still, considering it's taken four decades to get to this point, the
process is bound to be a gradual one. In recent years, the state's
action plan was to establish a minimum police presence in all Naxal
regions, and little attention was paid to increasing the size of the
ranks or improving the meager force's fighting abilities. But without
strength in numbers or combat skills, the police have been unable to
curb the spread of Maoist violence and defend the state's isolated
police outposts. At the Indian Economic Summit in New Delhi on Nov.
10, Chidambaram said all heavily affected states would completely
reassert control over their Naxal-dominated areas within two or three
years. Director general of police Ranjan thinks four years is a more
realistic time frame. "We're not taking any more shortcuts," Ranjan
says. "This is going to be a long, drawn-out battle."
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1940559,00.html
India's Secret War
By Simon Robinson/Southern Chhattisgarh Thursday, May. 29, 2008
ENLARGE PHOTO+
Armed and Dangerous
Maoist Naxalite rebels go through training exercises in the woods of
Chhattisgarh, a central Indian state at the heart of the insurgency
Photograph for TIME by Adam Ferguson
The news came crackling over the radio, the voice fading in and out as
the sound waves bounced through the wooded hills and valleys of
central India to the camp where the militants — and a TIME
photographer and myself — lay down to sleep. Earlier that day in May,
a raiding gang of some 300 Maoist insurgents had attacked a plant
belonging to Indian steel giant Essar, the radio news program
declared. More than 50 trucks and pieces of heavy machinery had been
destroyed. The commander of the unit in the camp that night, Deva, a
boyish-looking man of just 24 or 25 (he wasn't quite sure), allowed a
smile to spread across his face for a moment. His comrades-in-arms
against the government of India and the companies that drive its
booming economy had struck again. That, he said, should answer my
question about whether the Maoist insurgents went easy on some mining
companies in the area so as to force them to pay protection money and
bribes instead. "If the public wants to teach a lesson to Essar, then
we'll teach them a lesson," said Deva.
You've heard of rich India and poor India, a land of high-tech workers
and slum dwellers alike. This is a story about a third India that
exists at the nexus of the two, which feeds off the excesses of the
country's new wealth and preys on its most vulnerable. It is the story
of the Naxalites, a Maoist insurgency that has grown from the margins
four decades ago to become, in the words of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, "the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by
our country." It is a tale of ideology and mafia-like thuggery, a
conflict born in a vacuum of government inaction, and fueled by
official mismanagement and corruption. And it is the story of the
millions caught in between.
A Turn to the Left India is no stranger to violent rebellion, as the
decades-long struggle in Kashmir attests. But the separatist conflict
there and low-level insurgencies in the country's remote northeast
grind on at the periphery, driven by groups agitating to break away.
The Maoists, like their ideological brothers in Nepal who recently
took power through elections, are different. They want to overthrow
the government in New Delhi and install a new one, and they have taken
their fight to the geographic heart of the country, to the scrubby
woodland and remote, poor villages that blanket a huge chunk of
central India. The would-be revolutionaries trace their roots back to
1967, when a group of activists split away from India's mainstream
Communist Party and initiated a peasant uprising in the West Bengal
village of Naxalbari. The Naxalite movement grew quickly and attracted
landless laborers and student intellectuals, but a government
crackdown in the 1970s broke the group into myriad feuding factions.
By the 1990s, as India began to liberalize its economy and economic
growth took off, violent revolution seemed more quaint relic than
threat.
No longer. The Naxalite resurgence began in 2004 when the two biggest
splinters of the original movement — one Marxist and one Maoist — set
aside their differences and joined to form the Communist Party of
India (Maoist). The combined force — which Indian government security
officials and independent analysts now estimate at between 10,000 and
20,000 armed fighters plus at least 50,000 active supporters — has
quickly consolidated power across great swathes of India's poorest
regions. The central government, which lists the Naxalites as a banned
terrorist group, says that 11 of India's 28 states are now affected in
one way or another by the insurgency. Nongovernment organizations put
the number of affected states even higher. The rebels tax local
villagers, extort payments from businesses, abduct and kill "class
enemies" such as government officials and police officers, and stop
aid getting through to people caught in the cross fire.
The militia's strikes have grown more daring. In March last year, some
400 Naxalites surrounded a police camp in southern Chhattisgarh, lit
the camp up using powerful lights and generators and lobbed grenades
and petrol bombs for more than three hours, killing 55 people. Last
December, in the same area, a single Maoist overpowered a jail guard
and set free 294 inmates, including 15 senior Naxalite fighters. In
February this year, more than 100 insurgents laid siege to three
police stations, a police outpost, a police training school and a
government armory in the state of Orissa, killing 13 policemen and a
bystander and hauling off hundreds of rifles, semiautomatics, light
machine guns, pistols and ammunition. Not a single Maoist was killed.
Include government security forces, civilians and the Naxalites
themselves, and the conflict killed 837 people in 2007, enough to make
it deadlier than the Kashmir conflict for the first time ever. "It's
absolutely a growing threat," says Ajai Sahni, executive director of
the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi and a keen observer
of the re-emergence of the Naxalites. "You can't escape that fact."
Ripe for Revolution A recent — and extremely rare — trip into a
Naxalite zone in the state of Chhattisgarh shows just how much control
the Maoists have in India's neglected heartland. After weeks of
negotiating, I received word from a senior commander there that cadres
from the area would escort a photographer and me into the field to
meet a rebel unit. After an early morning, two-hour motorbike ride
along dirt roads south of the town of Dantewada, across rivers where
women beat their clothes against rocks and through villages full of
thatched and terracotta-roofed huts, scrawny chickens and children
with distended bellies (a classic sign of malnutrition), we set off by
foot deep into the forested hills.
The people there don't just live on the edge of Indian society — they
live beyond it, in a void that successive governments in New Delhi
have neglected for decades. In this part of the country, far removed
from the famed call centers of modern India, there are no roads, no
power, no running water, no telephones and no officials to answer
pleas for help.
The inhabitants of these villages are known as Adivasis, or "original
dwellers." Most Indians call them tribals, a category that doesn't
even register in India's complicated caste pecking order but stands
outside it. The British colonial rulers treated Adivasis as
encroachers on the very land they had occupied for generations, a
legal absurdity that India's current government has only recently
corrected. Adivasis are entitled to reserved places in universities
and government jobs but they remain among India's poorest and most
marginalized. In village after village on our journey, the only
visible sign of a government presence was an occasional well with
metal hand pump.
Born in the hills he now fights from, Deva — he gave just one name —
is an Adavasi like most of the insurgency's foot soldiers. Naxalite
commanders have historically come from the movement's educated ranks
and often speak English. Deva speaks only Gondi, a local tongue. If he
has a second language it is the strange, religious-like discipline of
Maoism. Our conversations were punctuated with long silences as he
turned questions over in his head before answering them, often with a
slogan or a long monologue that sounded torn from the small collection
of books and newspapers that his unit read and reread and then teach
to local villagers. He began learning Maoism at eight, he said. Two of
his five siblings are also Maoist fighters. They had a good childhood,
helping their father farm rice and hunt in the forests. There was no
school in his village and so he and his siblings attended classes
given by rebel soldiers who had moved into the area. What they taught
made perfect sense to him. "For thousands of years we have been here
but we don't have rights and the government does nothing for us: no
health, no education, no services. They don't come here," Deva said.
"At the same time they don't respect us. They say they can give out
rights to this land to mining companies and they have the power to do
that. We say, No."
There's no denying the insurgency has prospered in areas of official
neglect. In a paper he presented to Parliament two years ago, Home
Minister Shivraj Patil said that "Naxalites operate in [a] vacuum
created by [an] absence of administrative and political institutions."
The Naxalites, Patil said, "take advantage of the disenchantment
prevalent among the exploited segments of the population" to "offer an
alternative system of governance which promises emancipation ...
through the barrel of a gun."
Domestic Violence That textbook description of how an insurgency works
was on show in the village we visited — a small collection of huts
Deva and his unit of 130 men and women use as an occasional base as
they constantly shift around the hills. There, as elsewhere, the
Naxalites run a parallel administration, complete with tax collectors,
a school and very basic health facilities. Late in the afternoon,
seven women militants dressed in tunics and red sashes danced and sang
for gathered villagers, preaching the benefits of Maoism, railing
against exploitative mining companies and chanting about the evils of
New Delhi. Dozens of young kids listened intently. In a mock training
drill put on for the visiting reporters, the same kids watched
uniformed insurgents practice creeping through thick jungle and assume
various attack positions. "Our prime mission is to awake the public
and then revolution will happen automatically," a squad commander
named Bhima told me.
But Maoism's methods are no gentle wake-up call. India's Naxalites
have taken to heart Mao Zedong's maxim that "the seizure of power by
armed force, the settlement of the issue by war, is the central task
and the highest form of revolution," killing and abducting enemies and
using coercion and force to win support among the very same villagers
they claim to be liberating. To protest state "exploitation," the
Maoists regularly order farmers in their regions to stop growing food
or to raise the sale prices for certain items. Farmers who defy such
bans have been summarily executed, say human-rights groups such as the
Chhattisgarh-based Forum for Fact-Finding Documentation and Advocacy.
Naxalites also regularly terrorize village folk and warn them not to
move to government-controlled areas. On our trip into the hinterland
it was impossible to ask villagers whether they were happy with the
Maoist presence or not. But a few days earlier, in a camp for people
displaced by the conflict about 20 miles away, Miriyam Joga, 41, could
barely contain his rage. A relatively successful farmer, Joga had
owned a few dozen goats and 27 oxen in the southern Chhattisgarh
village of Punpalli until a Naxalite raid three years ago. "They said
if I leave my village then they will cut me like this," he said,
tilting his head back and drawing his finger across his throat. "But I
was feeling that they might murder me anyway so I left. They took my
animals and now I have nothing."
The Battle to Fight Back To boost the numbers and quality of new
recruits and to rearm and retrain existing police officers, New Delhi
has massively increased funding over the past few years. But much of
this money — 45% last year — goes unspent and coordination between
state police and the better-equipped and better-trained paramilitary
units sent by the central government to help in the worst-hit areas is
weak. "Often, our forces are not even called out [by the state
police]," complains A. P. Maheshwari, inspector general of operations
for the Central Reserve Police Force in New Delhi. (India's Home
Minister agreed to be interviewed for this story but repeatedly
canceled appointments with TIME.)
The central government has begun training state police in jungle
warfare at a new college in Chhattisgarh. More than 6,500 police
officers have learned better shooting skills, how to move in thick
forest, how to survive on bush food and how to take on enemy fighters
in hand-to-hand combat. But the flamboyant head of the college,
Brigadier B.K. Ponwar says that no matter how much police officers
improve their skills, the key remains winning the support of the
masses. "Look at Iraq," he says. "I tell my students that their most
important objective is to win people's hearts."
That would be easier if not for the emergence in Chhattisgarh three
years ago of a civil militia known as Salwa Judum, which means either
"peace mission" or "collective hunt" depending on who's doing the
translating. The movement's backers say it developed spontaneously
when local villagers grew tired of the Naxalites' brutal mafia-like
tactics. Chhattisgarh police then appointed thousands of young men,
some of them still teenagers, as "special police officers," supplied
them with weapons and pushed them to fight the Maoists. Human-rights
groups say the special police officers use many of the same tactics as
the Naxalites, including extrajudicial killings. The Salwa Judum
movement has also forced at least 60,000 people out of their villages
(to prevent the Naxalites from recruiting them) and into temporary
camps: sad, cramped settlements that are quickly taking on the air of
permanence.
The Salwa Judum movement has worsened the situation, draining the
countryside of potential informants and convincing thousands of people
that the Indian state really is as bad as the Naxalites say it is. A
central government committee has recommended closing the camps and
disarming the special police officers, whom India's Supreme Court
recently termed illegal. Salwa Judum supporters say the criticism is
proof of how widespread sympathy for the Naxalites is. "Should we stop
fighting terrorism?" asks Chhattisgarh opposition leader Mahendra
Karma, a member of the Congress Party and a strong backer of the
militia. "Even [Mahatma] Gandhi had his dissenters, and Salwa Judum,
which is a peaceful movement, is facing attacks by those motivated by
political ideology."
Government security officials and independent observers say the
Naxalites have begun to reorganize along more formal military lines.
The rebels still use bows and arrows, knives and ancient rifles, but
have begun to stock up on machine guns, land mines and mortars, and
are building increasingly sophisticated roadside bombs. Based on
documents seized in the past year, Indian intelligence agencies
estimate that Naxalite Inc. now has an annual budget of $250 million,
much of which comes from extorting road contractors and mining
companies, and from taxing hundreds of thousands of poor villagers.
That money, analysts say, is funding the Maoists' efforts to improve
their reach into — and ability to strike — urban areas.
Class war is still an unlikely dream, however. Yes, Maoist rebels
recently won power in neighboring Nepal. But the Indian state is more
powerful and sophisticated than Nepal's defeated monarchy. (The rise
of Nepal's Maoists has actually split opinion among their Indian
brothers: some believe that the Nepalese group sold out by
participating in elections, while others argue it is a legitimate
tactical move toward revolution.) And in India's rowdy democracy, the
entire political spectrum from far right to the mainstream Communist
Party of India have called for the Maoists to be destroyed.
Until that happens, the Maoists will continue to bleed India. "We want
every person in India to have equal rights and the Maoist flag flying
in New Delhi," Deva told me in his camp, a small group of cadres
gathered around him, nodding as he spoke. How long will that take? I
asked. A few of his men giggled. "We cannot say," Deva replied. "But
in our life we will do whatever is possible." It is a sentiment that
captures both the enormity of the Maoists' aims and the huge challenge
New Delhi faces in the years ahead.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1810169,00.html
Fearing CRPF backlash, villagers abandon homes for forests
Aman Sethi
Security forces killed my brother, says villager
— Photo: Aman Sethi
GHOST VILLAGE:Mukram village in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, wears a
deserted look on Sunday. Its residents, fearing police retribution for
the massacre of 76 CRPF men by Maoists on April 6, have fled to the
forests.
Mukram: All the houses in this village in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, are
locked. Cows, chickens and the odd pig roam the empty pathways in
search of water and shade. Since the April 6 massacre of 76 CRPF
personnel by Maoists in an open field about two kilometres away, the
villagers have moved into the forests. They return only for a few
hours a day to tend to their animals and the Mahua trees.
“Everyone is terrified that the police will take revenge by attacking
the village,” said a villager who came out of the forest to check on
his house, “They have already killed one person.”
A small village of about 50 houses, Mukram is of great significance in
the context of the April 6 Maoist attack. CRPF soldiers and villagers
confirmed that the patrol party of 82 men ate dinner here on the night
of April 5, a few hours before it was attacked.
CRPF soldiers interviewed by The Hindu are convinced that the
villagers tipped the Maoists off about the location of the force. “If
they hadn't stopped at that village, this would never have happened,”
said a soldier who was part of a reinforcement party sent from
Chintalnar.
A Maoist statement soon after the attack praised Rukhmati, a Maoist
section commander from Mukram, who was killed in the attack. However,
villagers insisted they had nothing to do with Tuesday's ambush. “We
knew nothing of the attack or of Rukhmati,” said a villager.
“A large group of policemen from Chintalnar camp came to our village
the day after the incident,” said Kunjam Mangadu. “We all ran into the
forests. But when we returned, we couldn't find my elder brother,
Kunjam Suklu.”
Villagers said their search for him ended the second day with the
discovery of his corpse in a field just adjacent to the massacre spot.
They cremated his body on Saturday.
The Chhattisgarh police and CRPF denied these allegations. “No such
incident has occurred,” said a senior CRPF officer based in Bastar.
“It is possible the villagers are pointing to the body of a Maoist
killed in Tuesday's encounter.”
However, villagers said Suklu's body bore no bullet marks. Kunjam
Mangadu said his brother was beaten to death. “He had been beaten so
badly that the skin was peeling off his arms.”
“We have received no information regarding the incident,” said Amresh
Mishra, Superintendent of Police, Dantewada. “No one has approached us
with any complaints.”
According to villagers and soldiers interviewed in Mukram and
Chintalnar, adivasi villages in a 10-kilometre radius of the
Chintalnar CRPF camp too have been abandoned.
On Saturday, Chintalnar village bore a deserted look as well.
“Chintalnar has the biggest bazaar in the area,” said a resident.
“Usually thousands of adivasis from more than 10 villages come for the
bazaar. Today is market day but no adivasi has come. Not one.”
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/12/stories/2010041260870100.htm
Probe into massacre begins
RAIPUR/JAGDALPUR: A one-man commission of inquiry to probe the April 6
massacre of 76 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh by Maoists has begun its
investigation, even as a manhunt is on to nab those who planned the
ambush.
E.N. Rammohan, former BSF chief, has started collecting information
such as the command structure and hierarchy, the decision on the
operation and the quality of training given to the CRPF men. He would
also probe whether they followed the Standard Operating Procedures,
informed sources said adding the Commission would submit a report on
April 24.
The CRPF on Sunday deployed commandos of the Special Armed Force in
the Naxal-infested forests of Dantewada. — PTI
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/12/stories/2010041261090100.htm
Maoist death squads executed dozens around Lalgarh
Praveen Swami
Killing campaign focused on eliminating CPI(M) activists and other
political opponents
JHARGRAM: Little pieces of glass still lie embedded in dry earth next
to the cot where Abhijit Mahato fell.
On the morning he was executed as an enemy of the people, Mahato had
been drinking a cup of tea at the end of an eight-hour night shift
guarding trucks parked along the Kharagpur-Ranchi highway — the job
that paid for the college classes he would have made his way to an
hour later.
But then, six men arrived on motorcycles at the truck-stop, carrying
automatic rifles. They announced to bystanders that Abhijit Mahato and
his friends, Anil Mahato and Niladhar Mahato, were members of the
Communist Party of India (Marxist). The punishment for this crime, the
men announced, was death.
The June 17 murder of Abhijit Mahato and his friends didn’t make it to
the national press — or draw the attention of the growing numbers of
human rights activists, who have arrived in West Medinipur district to
investigate the ongoing confrontation between the West Bengal
government and Communist Party of India (Maoist) operatives in
Lalgarh. But the killings — and dozens like it — are key to
understanding the still-unfolding crisis.
District police records show that 111 West Medinipur residents have
been killed by Maoist death squads since 2002. Most of the killings
were concentrated in the twin blocks of Binpur and adjoining Salboni —
the heartland of the Lalgarh violence.
Seventy four of the dead were targeted because they were cadre or
supporters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Twenty-three of
the victims were police personnel; five were adivasis community
elders; one belonged to the Congress; another was a former Maoist who
had left the movement in disgust. Seventeen CPI(M) workers have been
executed by Maoists since November alone.
It is instructive to compare the murders in West Medinipur with those
in India’s most violent State — Jammu and Kashmir. In the years from
2003, Jammu and Kashmir Police records show, 71 political activists
from all political parties have been killed by jihadists. More lives
have been lost in attacks by Maoist death squads by one single party
in one single district of West Bengal.
The data also shows the contest has been uneven: not one Maoist
operative has been shot dead in West Medinipur until police moved into
Lalgarh last week, either by the state or their political opponents.
Most of those killed by the Maoist death squads come from the ranks of
the rural poor; many of them from the same adivasi communities whose
name the Maoists have invoked to legitimise terrorism in Lalgarh.
The only son of his widowed mother, and one of five children, Abhijit
Mahato was the first member of his extended family to succeed in
gaining admission to a college degree. In photographs his mother,
Savita Mahato, recently had taken at a local studio, to be shown to
the families of prospective brides, Mahato can be seen posing against
a movie set-like backdrop.
“I cannot understand”, Savita Mahato says, “what kinds of people would
kill a boy who did them not the slightest harm”.
Many others have died in similar circumstances. Karamchand Singh, a
noted chhau-dance performer, was executed in front of his primary
school students at Binpur last year. His crime was to have campaigned
for the CPI(M) despite Maoist warnings to dissociate himself from the
party. Pelaram Tudu, a locally renowned football player who supported
the CPI(M), was shot dead in another death-squad attack. So, too, was
Kartik Hansda, a folk artist.
Honiran Murmu, a doctor working in the Laboni area, was killed along
with staff nurse Bharati Majhi and driver Bapsi in October, after an
improvised explosive device went off under their car. No explanation
was offered by Maoists for the attack, why the vehicle was targeted,
but Laboni residents say the attack was intended to punish Mr. Misir
for renting out vehicles to the police.
In May, Maoists executed Haripada Mahato as he was bathing in a pond
outside his home in the village of Bhumi Dhansola. A former activist
with the Maoist-affiliated Kisan Mazdoor Samiti, Haripada Mahato had
left the movement in disgust a decade ago. He had since then worked as
a night watchman and polio-immunisation campaign volunteer at the
Medinipur Medical College.
“The Maoists said he was an informer for the police”, says Haripada
Mahato’s wife, Padmavati Mahato, “and we swore he wasn’t. But who can
win an argument with a gun?”
Related stories:
West Bengal cannot say ‘no’ to ban on Maoists: Buddhadeb
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/24/stories/2009062457750100.htm
Centre bans CPI (Maoist)
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/23/stories/2009062358320100.htm
Misguided outfits should be fought politically, says Left Front
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/23/stories/2009062358350100.htm
Ban on Maoists will not serve any purpose: Karat
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/23/stories/2009062360611000.htm
Lalgarh: it’s wait and watch
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/23/stories/2009062360561000.htm
Mamata distances herself from PSBJC
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/23/stories/2009062360571000.htm
Ready for dialogue if government agrees to some of our demands:
Maoists
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/23/stories/2009062360551000.htm
Letters to the Editor on Lalgarh crisis
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/23/stories/2009062353960801.htm
Consider people’s safety: Mahato
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/22/stories/2009062254570100.htm
“Charge against Trinamool proved”
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/20/stories/2009062056311000.htm
No link with Maoists: Trinamool
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/20/stories/2009062060801000.htm
Help resolve Lalgarh crisis-Editorial
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/19/stories/2009061955410800.htm
Trouble in Lalgarh - in pics
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/gallery/1160/
Problem at Lalgarh spreading: official
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/17/stories/2009061759701100.htm
“PSBJC will accept democratic forces’ support”
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/17/stories/2009061759711100.htm
Corrections and Clarifications
In a report "Maoist death squads executed dozens around Lalgarh" (June
25, 2009), two sentences were incomplete in some early editions. In
the fifth paragraph the sentence "Most of the killings were
concentrated in the twin blocks of Binpur and adjoining Salboni - the
precise areas where the Maoist-backed Committee Against Police
Atrocities", should have been "Most of the killings were concentrated
in the twin blocks of Binpur and adjoining Salboni - the heartland of
the Lalgrah violence."
In the 12th paragraph, the sentence "Pelaram Tudu, a locally-renowned
football player who supported the, was shot dead in another death-
squad attack", should have been "Pelaram Tudu, a locally-renowned
football player who supported the CPI(M), was shot dead in another
death-squad attack."
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 25, 2009
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2009/06/25/stories/2009062559411000.htm
Maoist posters appear in Kandhamal
Staff Reporter
BERHAMPUR: Bombing by unknown miscreants and posters by alleged
Maoists against the Sangh activists has intensified tension in
G.Udaygiri area of Kandhamal district.
A poster in the name of banned CPI (Maoist) party threatening people
supporting the organisations of the Sangh Parivar appeared on a wall
of the G.Udaygiri hospital. This poster was written in Oriya. Police
has seized the poster and investigation was on to find out whether it
was the handiwork of Maoists or it was mischief of some miscreants.
According to senior police officials they are serious about this
threat poster as it has come up before the Christmas.
During past two years Christmas time has been tense due to communal
tension. Police officials suspect it may be an attempt by alleged
Maoists or some miscreants to disrupt the peace that has returned back
to the district.
This poster is being taken seriously as on Thursday evening some
unknown person had hurled bombs at the shop of one Nageswar Prusty.
Protesting against the bandh call and police inaction to nab the
culprit behind the bomb blast, the traders of G.Udaygiri had observed
a bandh on Saturday.
The poster by alleged Maoists had appeared after the bandh call.
It is alleged that some traders of the area are supporters of
organisations of Sangh Parivar.
So, the police is trying to increase security in the area to avoid
escalation of tension over allegations and counter allegations which
may take communal turn before the Christmas.
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 15, 2009
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2009/12/15/stories/2009121551360300.htm
Maoist posters appear in Kandhamal
Staff Reporter
BERHAMPUR: Bombing by unknown miscreants and posters by alleged
Maoists against the Sangh activists has intensified tension in
G.Udaygiri area of Kandhamal district.
A poster in the name of banned CPI (Maoist) party threatening people
supporting the organisations of the Sangh Parivar appeared on a wall
of the G.Udaygiri hospital. This poster was written in Oriya. Police
has seized the poster and investigation was on to find out whether it
was the handiwork of Maoists or it was mischief of some miscreants.
According to senior police officials they are serious about this
threat poster as it has come up before the Christmas.
During past two years Christmas time has been tense due to communal
tension. Police officials suspect it may be an attempt by alleged
Maoists or some miscreants to disrupt the peace that has returned back
to the district.
This poster is being taken seriously as on Thursday evening some
unknown person had hurled bombs at the shop of one Nageswar Prusty.
Protesting against the bandh call and police inaction to nab the
culprit behind the bomb blast, the traders of G.Udaygiri had observed
a bandh on Saturday.
The poster by alleged Maoists had appeared after the bandh call.
It is alleged that some traders of the area are supporters of
organisations of Sangh Parivar.
So, the police is trying to increase security in the area to avoid
escalation of tension over allegations and counter allegations which
may take communal turn before the Christmas.
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 15, 2009
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2009/12/15/stories/2009121551360300.htm
Maoists blow up culvert in Orissa
Sib Kumar Das
Posters opposing ‘Operation Green Hunt' put up
Maoists block road near Jogi-Palur
Landmines used to damage culvert
BERHAMPUR: Maoists on Saturday blew up a culvert on an important road
and put up posters opposing ‘Operation Green Hunt' in the Narayanpatna
block of Koraput district in Orissa.
They also put up posters near Roxy of the K.Balanga block of
Sundergarh district.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Southwestern range) Sanjiv Panda
said the Maoists used landmines to damage a culvert on the crucial
Narayanpatna-Laxmipur road near the Karki ghat. They also cut down
trees to block the road near Jogi-Palur.
At some places, the road was dug up and optical fibre cables were
damaged disrupting telephone communication in most areas of the
Narayanpatna block.
Mr. Panda said no one was injured as the blast took place early in the
morning. Additional forces were sent to the area.
Following threat of landmines, the security forces were moving with
caution.
The posters opposed ‘Operation Green Hunt' against the Maoists planned
at Dantewada in Chhattisgarh, in Malkangiri and Koraput districts of
Orissa and in parts of Andhra Pradesh.
Security had been tightened in the Narayanpatna block.
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 11, 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/11/stories/2010041159790100.htm
Binayak Sen condemns Dantewada massacre
Raktima Bose
“Dialogue is the need of the hour rather than intensifying security
operations”
Kolkata: Condemning the massacre of 76 security personnel by Maoists
at Dantewada in Chhattisgarh on April 6, eminent human rights activist
Binayak Sen said on Saturday that holding a dialogue between the
rebels and the government was the need of the hour rather than
intensifying security operations.
Dr. Sen was in prison in Raipur for two years for alleged Maoist links
but freed on bail in May last year, following widespread protests both
in India and abroad.
Speaking to The Hindu over telephone from Vellore, where he is
undergoing medical treatment, Dr. Sen said he supported neither the
government's nor the Maoists' violence against each other since both
led to large-scale displacement of people, social inequity and
injustice.
In a statement, he said: “We condemn and deplore the processes of
violence and militarisation that have resulted in the tragic death of
76 police personnel in Dantewada on April 6, as well as the deaths of
so many people on both sides of the ongoing conflict between the
Maoists and the state forces. We also deplore the attendant tragic
deaths of so many ordinary citizens whose deaths have gone unrecorded
and largely unmourned. We cannot and do not valorise recourse to
planned military strategy as a way to bring about social and political
change either by the state or by those opposing it. At the same time
we do mark the reality of structural violence and its role in
perpetuating the criminally high levels of inequity we see all around
us. We join ours to the many voices appealing for the cessation of
violence and the initiation of political dialogue to bring about peace
with justice and equity.”
Dr. Sen, a physician, said the very fact that 3.5 lakh people have
been displaced from 700 villages of Dantewada district alone was
indicative of the situation across Chhattisgarh.
Pointing to the malnutrition figures provided by the National
Nutrition Monitoring Bureau, which says 33 per cent of the population,
including 50 per cent of scheduled tribes and 60 per cent of scheduled
castes, suffer from chronic under-nutrition, Dr. Sen wondered what
prevented the administration from addressing this situation in regions
not affected by Maoist presence.
Referring to a long-term study undertaken by a small non-governmental
organisation, Jan Swarth Sahyog, which functions from the Ganiyari
village in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district, he said the people in the
region suffer from chronic malnutrition and malnutrition-related
diseases like malaria and pulmonary tuberculosis during the period of
August to November each year.
“There is no Maoist in this area. So the government argument that
Maoist violence is responsible for the terrible level of under-
development, poverty and inequity does not hold here…if body mass
index is monitored on a monthly basis, there is a dip of BMI when rice
harvest from the previous year runs out…The starvation leads to low
immunity of the body and so malaria sets in. Also 95 per cent of the
pulmonary tuberculosis cases have been found with BMI less than 18.5,”
Dr. Sen said.
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 11, 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/11/stories/2010041157011400.htm
Nitish questions strategy against Naxals
K. Balchand
NEW DELHI: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday took a dig at
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's offer to resign in the wake of
the Dantewada massacre of CRPF personnel, and disapproved of his
strategy in countering naxalism.
During his interaction with the media at the Indian Women's Press
Corps, Mr. Kumar frowned at Mr. Chidambaram's action underscoring that
there was no need for such theatricals at such a critical juncture.
“Where is the need for it when all know that the Prime Minister will
reject it? Is there any need to talk so much?”
He lashed out at the Home Minister and Home Secretary G.K. Pillai for
the kind of language they used to hit out at those who digressed from
their opinion. “What language is this? How can you approve of Mr.
Chidambaram's language against West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee? The Home Secretary says Bihar is not cooperating in the
fight against Naxalism.”
Mr. Kumar charged that both of them did not seem to be applying their
minds before saying anything. “They are making statements without
thinking of the issues. The Home Secretary would do better to leave
such issues to his political bosses. My status prohibits me, and will
it be proper to set my Home Secretary against the Union Home Secretary
to negate his folly?”
Basic problems
On the Centre's strategy to counter Naxal violence, Mr. Kumar
counselled that brashness barely yielded any gain. The Naxalite
problem could not be tackled through police operations. “You can have
limited success. There might be failures too. But this is no solution
to the basic problems.”
The Chief Minister said action was necessary if the law and order
situation so demanded and underscored that such actions were taken
even in Bihar. “But, where is the need to raise your tone or tenor.”
Development process
Mr. Kumar said it was equally important to unroll the development
process. That means development with justice and not just setting big
factories and projects which had no meaning to them.
The delivery system had to be toned up and corruption uprooted so that
the poor got their due.
“We are against violence and don't approve that it be countered
through violence. And it is not possible to counter this challenge
merely through the State's police force.”
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 11, 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/11/stories/2010041165291400.htm
Naxalites melt away into forest & villages Skip to content.Naxalites
melt away into forest & villages .
.Raipur, April 11: Even five days after the massacre of 76 security
personnel in south Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, the police and
paramilitary forces on Sunday continued to draw a blank, appearing far
from any position of advantage vis-à-vis their ongoing inter-state
joint operation to track down the Naxalites involved in the ambush.
A senior Chhattisgarh police officer engaged in this intense operation
told this correspondent on Sunday that after their primary lead that
the Naxalites had divided themselves into three groups and were
heading in three directions, it had been gathered through their
network of informers in the villages that the Naxalites had split into
even smaller groups. When asked about their weapons and ammunition,
the officer said that the Naxals usually hide them at the houses of
their trained cadres in the villages and that it is very difficult to
detect them. Once the Naxalites leave their formations, they pass off
as any villager by the roadside or in a busy village “haat (community
market)”.
Chhattisgarh additional director-general of police (anti-Naxalite
operations) Ramniwas reiterated on Sunday evening that they had
information that two “companies” of Naxalites (about 200 trained men)
had crossed over to Malkangiri in Orissa, but so far the search
operation in that territory has drawn a blank.
While the joint operation against the Naxalites continues in Bastar
region of Chhattisgarh and the adjoining states of Orissa and Andhra
Pradesh, and in the midst of the charge that the CRPF men had not been
given jungle warfare training before being posted in the Naxalite-
affected area, a committed body of men — 750 of them — are undergoing
gruelling jungle warfare training to combat Naxals at the Counter-
Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College (CJWC) near Kanker, on the Raipur-
Jagdalpur highway. The jawans being trained here are undeterred by the
massacre of the 76 CRPF men. When this correspondent talked to these
men, one of them said: “We are here on a mission and shall not deviate
from our goal.”
State police spokesman R.K. Vij said that besides those being inducted
into anti-Naxal operations from the Chhattisgarh armed police and
paramilitary forces, policemen from Jharkhand and Maharashtra have
also been trained at the CJWC.
Lalit Shastri
Naxal probe panel to visit spot this week .
Monday, 12 April 2010 03:40
.New Delhi, April 11: A one-man inquiry committee appointed to probe
the recent Naxals attack in Dantewada in Chattisgarh, which killed 76
CRPF personnel, is expected to visit the spot this week.
Former chief of Border Security Force E.N. Rammohan has already
started collecting relevant information, like the command structure,
hierarchy and the decision concerning the operation and quality of
training imparted to the Central security forces which were attacked
by the Naxalites. Besides, Mr Rammohan visited Central Reserve Police
Force headquarters here and met director-general of the the force,
Vikram Srivastava, on Saturday. Sources said that the probe committee
has sought call detail records of the mobile telephones used by the
deceased and injured personnel of CRPF during the encounter on April
6.
During his visit to the spot — Tarmetla, Dantewada district, and state
headquarters, Raipur — Rammohan will also interact with CRPF
officials, the local police and civil officials and injured jawans.
The inquiry committee will submit its report on April 24.
Sources further said Mr Rammohan will also gather evidence from family
members and others, who had spoken to some of the CRPF men during the
ambush. The 69-year-old, 1965 batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre IPS officer,
will also examine the response of the state police and the CRPF during
the ambush and post-ambush period, relief and rescue operations.
In his report, which will be submitted to the home ministry, he will
also suggest measures to mitigate lapses, if any, so that such
incidents do not occur in the future.
Age Correspondent
India Naxal attack: State role under scanner
Monday, 12 April 2010 03:39
.New Delhi, April. 11: The role of the Chhattisgarh government has
also come under the scanner after the worst-ever Naxal attack in
Dantewada last week that left 76 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
men dead.
Sources in the Central security agencies revealed that specific
intelligence inputs about the possible Naxal attack in the region was
given to the state government in the month of March. However, a
section of top ranking officials of the state police did not share the
inputs with other senior police officials, sources said
Talking to this newspaper, a high ranking official of the Central
security agency said, “It becomes the duty of the top brass of the
police officials of the state to share intelligence inputs, provided
by the centre, with the officers, including para-military forces,
engaged in the nati-Naxal operations.”
Why not available inputs were discussed with senior officials holding
crucial posts in the state police, this must be probed, sources said,
adding that action must be taken against the erring officials.
“Who engaged the Central security forces in the area domination
exercise without even a single senior official of the state police?
Why not the operational map of the area was provided to the commanding
officer of the Central forces? These are certain questions which need
to be probed,” sources said.
Meanwhile, the CRPF has instructed its all battalions engaged in the
anti-Naxal operations in different states in the country to remain
extra alert and adhere to the standard operation procedure (SOP)
during force movements.
A senior official of the CRPF said, “With the Naxals warning of more
Dantewada type of attacks, our forces deployed in the Naxal-affected
states will have to remain on high alert. State police have also been
instructed to remain on high alert.”
The Dantewada massacre has brought to the fore the urgent need for a
nuanced approach among major political parties over tackling the
Maoist problem even though mainstream parties have favoured a tough
line.
The two main national parties have officially advocated a hardline
stand against the Naxals but voices have arisen from within for
addressing the basic issue of economic and social deprivation.
Age Correspondent
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/india-ink-sid-harth-7/
navanavonmilita
His Master's Voice
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Parent company EMI
Founded 1908
Status defunct (fate: trade mark sold to HMV Group)
Genre Various
Country of origin United Kingdom
His Master's Voice is a famous trademark in the music business, and
for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was
coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening
to a wind-up gramophone. In the photograph on which the painting was
based, the dog was listening to a cylinder phonograph.
Origins
The famous trademark image comes from a painting by English artist
Francis Barraud, A.R.A. and titled His Master's Voice. The original
title of the painting was "His Late Master's Voice" (and this phrase
appears on many of the original RCA Victor labels), but the concept
was considered too depressing for most of the public's tastes, and
certainly for an image used as a means to put the consumer in the mood
to buy. It was acquired from the artist in 1899 by the newly-formed
Gramophone Company. According to contemporary Gramophone Company
publicity material, the dog, a fox terrier called Nipper, had
originally belonged to Barraud's brother Mark. When Mark Barraud died,
Francis inherited Nipper, along with a cylinder phonograph and a
number of recordings of Mark's voice. Francis noted the peculiar
interest that the dog took in the recorded voice of his late master
emanating from the trumpet, and conceived the idea of committing the
scene to canvas.
In early 1899, Francis Barraud applied for copyright of the original
painting using the descriptive working title Dog looking at and
listening to a Phonograph. He was unable to sell the work to any
cylinder phonograph company, but The Gramophone Company purchased it
later that year, under the condition that Barraud modify it to show
one of their disc machines. The image was first used on the company's
publicity material in 1900, and additional copies were subsequently
commissioned from the artist for various corporate purposes.[1]
Later, at the request of the gramophone's inventor Emile Berliner, the
American rights to the picture became owned by the Victor Talking
Machine Company. Victor used the image more aggressively than its UK
partner, and from 1902 on all Victor records had a simplified drawing
of the dog and gramophone from Barraud's painting on their label.
Magazine advertisements urged record buyers to "Look for the dog".
The Gramophone Company becomes "His Master's Voice"
A colored vinyl single released by HMVIn Commonwealth countries, the
Gramophone Company did not use this design on its record labels until
1909. The following year the Gramophone Company replaced the Recording
Angel trademark in the upper half of the record labels by the famous
picture painted by Frances Barraud, commonly referred to as Nipper or
The Dog.
The company was not formally called "HMV" or His Master's Voice, but
was identified by that term because of its use of the trademark.
Records issued by the Company before February 1908 were generally
referred to as "G&Ts", while those after that date are usually called
"HMV" records.
This image continued to be used as a trademark by Victor in the USA,
Canada and Latin America, and then by Victor's successor RCA. In
Commonwealth countries (except Canada) it was used by subsidiaries of
the Gramophone Company, which ultimately became part of EMI.
The trademark's ownership is divided among different companies in
different countries, reducing its value in the globalised music
market. The name HMV is used by a chain of music shops owned by HMV
Group plc, mainly in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Australia,
Hong Kong, and Japan.
In 1921 the Gramophone Company opened the first HMV shop in London. In
1929 RCA bought Victor, and with it a major shareholding in the
Gramophone Company which Victor had owned since 1920.
In 1931 RCA was instrumental in the creation of EMI, which continued
to own the "His Master's Voice" name and image in the UK. In 1935 RCA
sold its stake in EMI but continued to own Victor and the rights to
His Master's Voice in the Americas.[citation needed] HMV continued to
distribute RCA recordings until RCA severed its ties with EMI in 1957
which led EMI to buy Capitol Records.
World War II fragmented the ownership of the name still further, as
RCA Victor's Japanese subsidiary The Victor Company of Japan (JVC)
became independent, and today they still use the "Victor" brand and
Nipper in Japan only.[2] Nipper continued to appear on RCA Victor
records in America while EMI owned the His Master's Voice label in the
UK until the 1980s, and the HMV shops until 1998.
In 1967, EMI converted the HMV label into an exclusive classical music
label and dropped its POP series of popular music. HMV's POP series
artists' roster was moved to Columbia Graphophone and licenced
American POP record deals to Stateside Records.
The globalised market for CDs pushed EMI into abandoning the HMV label
in favour of "EMI Classics", a name they could use worldwide; however,
it was revived in 1988 for Morrissey recordings. The HMV trademark is
now owned by the retail chain in the UK. The formal trademark transfer
from EMI took place in 2003.[3]
Meanwhile, RCA went into a financial decline. The dog and gramophone
image, along with the RCA name, is now licensed by RCA Records and RCA
Victor owner Sony Music Entertainment from Thomson SA, which operates
RCA's consumer electronics business (still promoted by Nipper the dog)
that it bought from General Electric in 1986, after GE bought RCA.[4]
The image of "His Master's Voice" now exists in the United States as a
trademark only on radios and radios combined with phonographs, a
trademark owned by Thomson subsidiary RCA Trademark Management SA.
With that exception, the "His Master's Voice" dog and gramophone image
is in the public domain in the USA, its United States trademark
registrations having expired in 1989 (for sound recordings and
phonograph cabinets), 1992 (television sets, television-radio
combination sets), and 1994 (sound recording and reproducing machines,
needles, and records).
Additional notes
The "His Master's Voice" logo was used around the world, and the motto
became well-known in different languages. In Europe these include "La
Voix de son Maître" (France), "La Voz de su Amo" (Spain), "A Voz do
seu Dono" (Portugal), "La Voce del Padrone" (Italy), "Die Stimme
seines Herrn" (Germany), "Husbondens Röst" (Sweden) and "Sahibinin
Sesi" (Turkey).
On 1 April, 2007, HMV Group announced that Gromit, the animated dog of
Wallace and Gromit fame, would stand in for Nipper for a three-month
period, promoting children's DVDs in its UK stores.[5]
The 1958 LP album "Elvis' Golden Records" shows pictures of various
RCA 45s with Nipper on their labels. On the British version, these
images were blacked out, for obvious copyright reasons. This editing
took place with many other RCA releases in England.
The movie Superman Returns (2006) contains a scene early on set in
Kansas, in which a "His Master's Voice" radio is clearly shown. His
Master's Voice radios have never been sold in the USA, due to RCA
holding the "Nipper" copyright. The movie was made in Australia, and
the nearest "prop" was obviously used.
Homage is played to the iconic dog and gramophone image in the 1999
feature film Wild Wild West where in a dog resembling Nipper runs to
the side of a recently departed character and looks into an ear horn.
The film however, is set in 1869, 30 years before Barraud created his
work.
HMV Group PLC
Main article: HMV Group http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMV_Group
An HMV store on Oxford StreetThe name HMV is still used by the chain
of entertainment shops founded by Gramophone Company in the UK and
Canada, which continued to expand internationally through the 1990s.
In 1998 HMV Media was created as a separate company leaving EMI with a
43% stake. The firm bought the Waterstone's chain of bookshops and
merged them with Dillons.
In 2002 it floated on the London Stock Exchange as HMV Group plc,
leaving EMI with only a token holding. HMV shops in Australia, Ireland
and the UK also use Nipper. HMV has applied for trademark status in
order to use Nipper at HMV stores in Canada.[6]
As of August 2006, there are over 400 HMV stores worldwide, plus the
website hmv.com,[7] which is operated by HMV Guernsey.
See also
Victor Talking Machine Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Talking_Machine_Company
EMI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMI
RCA Records http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_Records
List of record labels http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_record_labels
Nipper http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipper
The Gramophone Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gramophone_Company
List of HMV POP artists http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_HMV_POP_artists
References
^ "The Nipper Saga". http://www.designboom.com/history/nipper.html.
Retrieved 2006-05-27.
^ HMV shops in Canada and Japan are still not allowed to use Nipper
for these reasons; nor did the shops HMV operated in the United States
in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
^ http://www.patent.gov.uk/tm/t-find/t-find-number?detailsrequested=H&trademark=1170322
^ Thomson SA bought the RCA trademarks, including Nipper in the
Americas, from GE in 2003.
^ BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Gromit steps into HMV logo role
^
http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/vwTrdmrk.do;jsessionid=0000LLtCJxwrmM3pl-wC2RfjpfH:1247nfca5?lang=eng&fileNumber=1396181&extension=0&startingDocumentIndexOnPage=1
^ HMV Adds Gaming. Marketnews.ca. 28 August 2006. Retrieved 13
September 2006.
External links
Nipper at the Open Directory Project http://www.dmoz.org/Recreation/Pets/Dogs/Famous_Dogs/Nipper/
Musée des ondes Emile Berlliner http://www.berliner.montreal.museum/berliner/
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Master%27s_Voice"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Master%27s_Voice
Dog's-shit-eating-dingbat-Dr-Dog-tor, Dr Jai Maharaj is Ashok
Chowgule, His master, manipulator, handler, and his Messiah.
Well a long-winding introduction but Dr. Jai Maharaj, A barking Jewish
convert to Hinduism, from Hawaii, USA, deserves the best.
Well, let's get to the Hindu shit, Nay, a veritable Diarrhea, spilled
and spewed, Nay, spawned, sprinkled in excess, on the 8usenet
newsgroups of all kinds
by this idiot, Nay, Hawaiiidiot, has been a staple for the computer
coolies of California and all places where they dig their diggs in
these United States of America.
Honourable Mr. Ashok Chowgule, the Vice President of the famous, Nay,
infamous, "Vishva Hindu Parishad." A violent group of heinous Hindus
of America and all goddamned places the Expatriate Hindus have
migrated to. In other words, "Not Resident Indians."
I call them, fondly, ofcourse, "Not Required Indians."
Our fake doctor Dr. jai maharaj, takes offence to my posting a long
series of articles and asked these heinous Hindus to find and kill me.
That's the new Hindu hate spirit.
I have no problem with Dr. Jai maharaj's filthy posts. Any sane person
would see throug his constant battering as a hesteria. However, these
heinous Hindus love that shit.
Shit is shit no matter what it is called, like rose is rose, no matter
by what other name it is called. It is appaling to find out that no
one has put a stop on Dr jai Maharaj's filthy posts.
It is Free Speech. Free indeed. It doesn't cost that Hindu hooligan a
penny to post.
May Allah be praised!
Well, I can go till Holy Hindu cows come home. You get the idea.
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/his-masters-voice-sid-harth/
navanavonmilita
Latest Articles
Sant Mirabai : Eternal devotee of Lord Krushna in Kaliyug
Specific features of the divine language - 'Sanskrut'
Sanskrut language has been created by God for the benefit of entire
human race and to acquire the ultimatum-Moksha. But are we really
aware of how detached are we getting from this language!
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/21.html
Rashtra Bhasha (National Language): The Mental Sheath of Nation
For the insistence of nationalistic concept, the use of national
language hindi has become necessary for our nation in recent times.
Hindi being an easy and conductive language, it is simple to
communicate and convey thoughts in the nation.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/20.html Hindi - The national
language of Bharat (India)
Our national language hindi is the language which has been binding our
nation together since years. In the recent trends, most of us use the
global language english due to which the our national language is
loosing its significance.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/19.html
Lord Parshuram
Parshuram who is well-versed with the four Vedas and sports the bow
and arrow upon His back (that is the one who has the radiance of both
the Brahman and the Kshatriya) will destroy evildoers either with a
curse or with an arrow.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/18.html Hanuman Jayanti
Chant 'II Sri Hanumate Namah II' as much as is possible on Hanuman
Jayanti, to get maximum benefit of the Hanuman Principle.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/17.html Tatya Tope: Hero of
India's Struggle for Freedom
He admitted boldly, "What I did, was for my mother and I have no
regrets". He was hanged on 18th April 1859 and the sun set forever on
the First War of Bharatiya Independence.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/16.html Mangal Pandey:
Spearheading the 'Indian Mutiny of 1857'
The attack by, and punishment of, Pandey is widely seen as the opening
scene of what came to be known as the 'Indian Mutiny of 1857'. He is
often referred to in Bharat as Shaheed (Martyr) Mangal Pandey.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/15.html Chapekar Brothers:
Guiding Lights
They became active members of the Ganapati melas that lustily sang
songs praising Shivaji for 'his daring deeds and exhorting the
audience to risk their life on the battlefield in a national war to
shed upon the earth the lifeblood of the enemies who destroyed their
religion'.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/14.html Sukhdev Thapar: A true
soldier
His letter to Mahatma Gandhi written just prior to his hanging,
protesting against the latter's disapproval of revolutionary tactics,
throws light on the disparities between the two major schools of
thought among Bharatiya freedom fighters.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/13.html Shivram Rajguru:
Inspiration to Hindus
Shivram Rajguru had great admiration for Shivaji and his guerilla
tactics. He took part in various activities of the revolutionary
movement, the most important being Saunder's murder.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/12.html Martyr Bhagat Singh: The
Revolutionaries who continues to inspire millions!
A freedom fighter, he was considered to be one of the most famous
revolutionaries of the Bharatiya Independence movement. For this
reason, he is often referred to as martyr Bhagat Singh.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/11.html Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj: Founder of Hindu Kingdom
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj founded the Hindu Kingdom (circa 1647 AD)
in the Deccan against all odds, fighting against the mighty Mughals.
He inspired and united the masses to fight the tyranny of Mughal ruler
Aurangzeb, by inculcating a sense of pride and nationality in them.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/10.html Swatantryaveer Savarkar:
Radiant embodiment of blazing Nationalism!
He possessed the rare qualities required by a leader such as meeting
and organising various nationalists for achieving the common goal of
welfare of the Nation.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/9.html Chandrashekhar Azad: A
Pioneer of Bharatiya Independence!
Chandershekhar Azad believed that his Dharma was to fight for the
Nation.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/articles/8.html
Shravan vrats and rituals
Rating :
Views : 1055
1. Vrats of the month of Shravan
At the mention of the month of Shravan, one remembers the vrats. It is
difficult for the common people to perform conducts according to the
Vedas. To overcome this difficulty, the Purans make a mention of
vrats. In this, the special vrats fall in the month of Shravan. For
example:
•Jivantikapujan
•Varadalakshmi vrat
•Kajjali Trutiya
•Budhi Teej
•Pithori Amavasya
Due to the vrats falling in the month of Shravan, benefits are
acquired at an individual and social level. This explains the
importance of vrats and our heads bow with devotion at the holy feet
of the Sages who created these vrats.
1.1 Jivantikapujan
This vrat is observed on every Friday of the Hindu lunar Shravan
month. The deity associated with this vrat is Jivantika, that is,
Jivati Devi. This deity protects small children. In this vrat, on the
first Friday of Shravan, women draw a picture of deity Jivati on the
wall with sandalwood and worship it. Nowadays printed picture is
worshipped. Five married women (suhagan) having children, are invited
to the house and after applying turmeric and vermillion on their
forehead milk, sugar and roasted grams are given to them as holy
sacrament (prasad). On the last Friday of the bright fortnight (Shukla
Paksha) of Shravan a vrat is observed, that is
1.2 Varadalakshmi vrat
In the ritual of this vrat, a metal pot (kalash) is placed and Sri
Varadalakshmi is invoked into it. The Shrisukta is recited and the
devi is worshipped. Thereafter a naivedya of 21 anarasas is offered to
her. Thereafter, brahmin, married women (suhagans) and celibates
(Brahmacharis) are offered upayan, that is, gifts.
In South Bharat, Varadalakshmi vrat is observed on the last Friday of
the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Ashadh month. People
believe that in the temples of Tiruvadi, Tiruvayur and Tiruputtur,
Goddess Lakshmi herself worshipped Lord Shiv. Therefore these temples
have special significance for the observance of this vrat. Begetting a
son, prosperity and obtaining wealth and grains are the fruits of
observing this vrat.
1.3 Kajjali Trutiya
This vrat is observed on Shravan Krushna Trutiya. The deity associated
with this vrat is Srivishnu. This vrat is also known as ‘Satudi Teej’.
At some places this vrat is observed on Bhadrapad Krushna Trutiya. But
realistically it should be observed on Shravan Krushna Trutiya only.
1.4 Budhi teej
Elderly women sing various songs sitting on the swing. They are called
kajari. The women observing this vrat consume only one meal. In this
vrat, some other old woman is paid obeisance by touching her feet and
sugar candies (batases) are gifted to her. In her place dry fruits,
sweets etc. are given to the woman observing the vrat.
1.5 Pithori Amavasya
The Amavasya in the month of Shravan is known as Pithori Amavasya. In
this vrat, the sixty four Yoginis are worshipped. A fast is observed
for the whole day of Shravan Amavasya.
Earlier, in this vrat idols were made from flour (peeth). The food
prepared to be offered as naivedya is also prepared from flour.
Therefore this vrat is known as Pithori Amavasya. The children of the
women observing the vrat of Pithori Amavasya are blessed with a long
life.
2. Shravani ritual
It is also known as Upakarma or Rishitarpan. The ritual of Shravani is
associated with the learning of the Vedas. Two rituals performed
associated with the learning of Vedas are
•Utsarjan ritual, that is, giving up of the Vedas
•Upakarma ritual, that is, accepting of the Vedas
Upakarma vidhi is performed before commencing learning of Vedas. On
the day of Shravani the sequence of studies for the next year is
determined only after performing the Upakarma vidhi. If the learning
of Vedas is to be discontinued, the Utsarjan vidhi is performed.
2.1 Utsarjan ritual
On the day of Shravani, the presiding brahmin takes his seat after
ablutions in the morning. A sacrificial fire pit is created for
Utsarjan-karma (temporary giving up of the Vedas for earning a living)
and a similar one for Upakarma (resuming learning of the Vedas). First
a ring of Darbh (holy grass) is worn and along with uttering of the
desh-kal, resolve (sankalp) is made.
•After this panch-gavya is consumed. Panch-gavya is a mixture of milk,
curd, ghee, cow’s urine and cowdung.
•Then ritualistic worship of Mahaganapati is done.
•Utsarjan hom (fire sacrifice) is then performed.
•Thereafter, oblations of ghee and cooked rice are offered to the
deities in the sacrificial fire.
Ritualistic Bathing: In ritualistic bathing, the body is purified by
bathing using holy ash (bhasma-snan), cowdung (Gomay-snan), mud
(mruttika-snan) and water.
•The body benefits from the Absolute Fire Element (Tej-tattva) by
applying holy ash.
•The body benefits from the Absolute Air Element (Vayu-tattva) by
applying cowdung.
•By applying mud the body benefits from the Absolute Earth Element
(Pruthvi-tattva).
•Also due to application of the frequencies of the principles of holy
ash, cowdung and mud on the body a covering is formed on the body and
the black covering formed on it is removed.
•Then holy grass (durva), sesame seeds and mud is placed on the head
along with uttering of mantras.
Spiritual experiences: Some spiritual experiences of the seekers who
participated in the Shravani ritual with spiritual emotion:
1. Black energy going out of the body through yawning and burping
2. Experiencing lightness in the body
3. Fragrance emanating from the body
4. Mind becoming stable and introverted
5. Enhancing of concentration of the mind
It is clear from the above points that by purifying the body
ritualistically in this way together with uttering of mantras, the
mind also starts getting purified.
Worshipping the Sages and giving offerings (tarpan) to the Sages:
Here eight betel-nuts (suparis) are placed on a short wooden stool.
Then the seven Sages namely Kashyap, Atri, Bhardwaj, Gautam, Jamdagni,
Vasishtha, Vishwamitra and Arundhati are invoked and worshipped.
After this, by keeping the sacred thread on both the shoulders,
offerings (tarpan) are given to the Sages.
Seven circles are created from the region of the Sages. These circles
become one at the nirgun level to form a flow. This flow is emitted
towards the Earth and is attracted at the place of the ritualistic
worship of the Sages. Through this flow fountains of frequencies of
Chaitanya spread in the environment. The people present there benefit
from it.
2.2 Upakarma ritual
In this ritual oblations are offered in the sacrificial fire. In this
balls are made from the barley flour and offered in the fire. Then the
person participating in the Shravani ritual swallows the balls made
from barley flour without chewing.
2.3 Adorning a new sacred thread (yadnyopaveet)
In the ritual of adorning the sacred thread, first the sacred thread
is enriched by uttering mantras. By uttering the mantras with
spiritual emotion the vibrations of spiritual energy emitted from the
four Vedas are attracted towards the sacred thread and they revolve
around it in an activated form.
The sacred thread is held in the hands and the Gayatri mantra is
uttered. Then with prayers and spiritual emotion it is adorned. Then
the old sacred thread is discarded. The subtle effect of adorning the
sacred thread is as follows:
1. Through this spiritual energy is activated in the sacred thread and
it gets charged with this energy.
2. Spiritual emotion is awakened in the person who adorns the sacred
thread
2a. The person achieves communion with God.
3. A flow of God’s blessings in the form of Chaitanya is attracted
towards the person.
3a. Chaitanya is activated in his body.
4. A flow of Divine Energy of Knowledge is attracted.
4a. A spiral of Energy of Knowledge is created at the Adnya chakra of
the person who wears the sacred thread
5. Through the spiral of Energy of Knowledge a flow of Energy of
wisdom (pradnya-shakti) spreads at the place of Anahat-chakra of the
person.
5a. A spiral of Energy of wisdom is created in the person’s body.
6. A flow of Divine Chetana-shakti is attracted towards the person.
6a. Through this flow a spiral of Chetana-shakti is created in his
body.
6b. Flows of Chetana-shakti spread in his body.
6c. Also particles of Chaitanya-like energy spread in his body. Due to
the Chetana-shakti generated in the body, the person acquires the
energy to study the Vedas.
7. The seven Kundalini chakras in his body get activated.
8. A protective sheath is created around the body.
9. He is protected from negative energies.
With this one can understand how a person is benefitted from the
frequencies of the Divine Principle by wearing the sacred thread.
For more information on this article, read Sanatan Sanstha's
publication
- 'Holy festivals, Religious festivals and Vowed religious
observances'
What is the significance of chanting Shri Gurudev Datta?
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-is-the-significance-of-chanting-shri-gurudev-datta.html
Nowadays since most people do not perform rites for the departed
(shraddhas), etc. as in the olden days nor undertake spiritual
practice, most suffer due to the subtle bodies of ancestors.
Views: 30,942 What are the implied meanings of the ten incarnations of
Lord Vishnu?
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-is-the-significance-of-chanting-shri-gurudev-datta.html
The ten main incarnations (dashavtar) of Lord Vishnu, their mission,
characteristics and implied meaning are as follows.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-are-the-implied-meanings-of-the-ten-incarnations-of-lord-vishnu.html
Views: 25,859 What are the incarnations of Lord Ganesh in each yug?
Mahotkat Vinayak, Gunesh, Ganesh, Dhumraketu are the incarnations of
Lord Ganaprti. Also know about Ganapati and other deities.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-are-the-incarnations-of-lord-ganesh-in-each-yug.html
Views: 25,303 What is the significance of various forms of Lord
Hanuman?
Hanuman has two forms namely Maruti as the servitor and Maruti as the
courageous one. The servitor form is the one in which Hanuman stands
in front of Rama with His hands folded in obeisance.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-is-the-significance-of-various-forms-of-lord-hanuman.html
Views: 24,042 What are names and function of Lord Datta?
The principle that makes available to an embo-died soul both gross and
subtle (i.e. manifest and unmanifest) frequencies of higher or lower
Gods and Deities in a shorter time is called Datta or Lord
Dattatreya).
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-are-names-and-function-of-lord-datta.html
Views: 19,976 What do the three strands of the sacred thread
represent?
The sacred thread is held in the hand and chanting the Gayatri mantra
ten times, is sprinkled with water charged with mantras. This endows
it with the tej (absolute fire) element. The boy is then asked to wear
it.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-do-the-three-strands-of-the-sacred-thread-represent.html
Views: 16,661 What is the origin of tandav dance?
Shiva is believed to assume two states - the superconscious state
(samadhi) and the tandav or lasya dance. The former refers to the
unmanifest (nirgun) and the latter to the manifest (sagun).
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-is-the-origin-of-tandav-dance.html
Views: 16,270 What is the Science behind offering the sacred thread
(janave) to deities?
Offering the sacred thread to deities means binding the expanse of the
brilliance of deities in the rounds of the sacred thread and evoking
It to function in duality.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-is-the-science-behind-offering-the-sacred-thread-janave-to-deities.html
Views: 14,215 Why 'Namaskar' and not a 'hand shake'?
'Paying obeisance' i.e. Namaskar is a sattva predominant impression on
the Hindu mind, an action that maintains the rich heritage of Hindu
culture.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/why-namaskar-and-not-a-hand-shake.html
Views: 12,238 Why is Ganapati with the right Sided trunk not commonly
worshipped?
Difference between right-sided trunk and left-sided trunk. Implied
meaning of Modak.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/why-is-ganapati-with-the-right-sided-trunk-not-commonly-worshipped.html
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[edit] In 1664 the Maratha leader Shivaji sacked and looted Surat.
In 1664 the Maratha leader Shivaji sacked and looted Surat. When
Shivaji arrived at Surat he demanded tribute from the Mughal commander
and the small army stationed with him for port security. The tribute
was refused and so after Shivaji took the city, he put it to sack.
Surat was under sack for nearly 3 weeks, in which the army looted all
possible wealth from Mughal & Portuguese trading centers. All this
loot was successfully transported to Maharashtra before the Mughal
Empire at Delhi was alerted. This wealth later was used for
development & strengthening the Maratha Empire.
The only exception to the looting was the British factory, a fortified
warehouse-counting house-hostel, which was successfully defended by
Sir George Oxenden. But the prosperity of the factory at Surat
received a fatal blow when Bombay was ceded to the British as part of
the dowry for Catherine of Braganza's wedding to Charles II in 1662.
Shortly afterwards in 1668 another factory was established in
Bombay(Mumbai) by the British East India Company. From that date Surat
began to decline with the rise of British interests in Bombay, and the
city was sacked again by Shivaji in 1670. By 1689 the seat of
presidency was moved to Bombay by the British East India Company. The
Surat population had reached an estimated 800,000 in its heyday, but
by the middle of the 19th century the number had fallen to 80,000.
Surat was again taken by the British in 1759, and the conquerors
assumed the undivided government of the city in 1800. Since the
introduction of British rule, the city and the surrounding district
remained comparatively tranquil; and even during the Revolt of
1857(also known as the first struggle for India's independence) peace
was not disturbed, owing in great measure to the loyalty of the
leading Muslim families to the British and to the largely mercantile
interests of the local population.
vkvora 02:20, 27 April 2007 (UTC)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Vkvora2001
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3ALooting
History of massacres, illegal occupation, destruction of Hyderabad by
India
February 28, 2010
tags: (Hyderabad Historical Society, ardar Patel, Aurangabad, Bajrang
Dall, China, Communist Party of India, destruction of Hyderabad by
India, Forman Christian College, Hindu Extremists, Hindu Terrorism,
History of massacres, human rights crimes in india, human rights
violations, Hyderabad, illegal occupation, India, Indira Gandhi, Indo-
Middle East Cultural Studies, Jawahar lal Nehru, Jinnah’s politics,
Kashmir, Lahore, London, Margrit Pernau, massacre of Muslims, Military
Intelligence, Muslim community in Hyderabad, Omar Khalid, Operation
Polo, Osmania University, Patrimonalism, police, Professor Wilfred
Cantwell Smith, Punjab Regiment, Razakar atrocities, Shiv Sena,
Srinagar, state of Hyderabad, The Gita, The Quran, Union Home
Minister, V.P. Menon, Vallabhbhai Patel, Washingtonby
ThePeopleOfPakistanRate This
Moin Ansari:
A revealing account surfaces of happenings in Hyderabad state in the
wake of the Indian Army’s ‘Police Action’ there in 1948.
“AT times one has to close his (sic) eyes in national interest.” The
“senior police officer” who made this confession to The Indian
Express, in Srinagar on February 17, provided a truthful explanation
for the compromises which sections of the medi a and academia tend to
make in the “national interest”.
The officer was speaking of the volte-face his chief, A.K. Suri, had
performed with regard to the disclosure of the arrest by the police of
a man from Military Intelligence, in plain clothes, for firing
wantonly on a group of youngsters in Maisuma , in Srinagar. But, let
alone matters of immediate occurrence or issues of current interest
such as Kashmir and the border dispute with China, even on historical
events one finds a practice of economising with truth.
That K.M. Munshi, India’s Agent-General in the erstwhile state of
Hyderabad, did not mention in his memoirs The End of an Era (1957) the
massacre of Muslims in many areas in the wake of the Indian Army’s
“Police Action” in September 1948 – itself a compromise with the truth
– was but to be expected in view of his outlook. Not so its omission
in standard works by writers who aspired to scholarly values and who
were not communal; only “patriotic” in a perverted but familiar
manner. A rare exception was the book by Communist Party of India
(Marxist) leader P. Sundarayya, Telengana People’s Struggle and its
Lessons (1972). He wrote of the “untold miseries” that were inflicted
on “the ordinary Muslim people” (pages 88-89).
Suppression of records is not only unethical but futile. More often
than not, the foreign scholar will unearth it from archives in London
or Washington, or in India itself. A German scholar has done just
that. Margrit Pernau records in her book The Pa ssing of Patrimonalism
that “while the occupation by the Indian army had been quick and had
caused only relatively few casualties, the following communal carnage
was all the more terrible. The Razakars had sown wind and reaped not
only storm but a hu rricane which in a few days cost the lives of one-
tenth to one-fifth of the male Muslim population primarily in the
countryside and provincial towers”. (page 336, emphasis added,
throughout. See review on page 75).
Professor Wilfred Cantwell Smith, a scholar on Islam and a critic of
Jinnah’s politics, wrote a seminal article in the periodical The
Middle East Journal in 1950 (Volume 4) titled Hyderabad: A Muslim
Tragedy. He was Lecturer in Islamic Hist ory at the University of the
Punjab and at the Forman Christian College, Lahore (1940-1946) and
visited Hyderabad in 1949. In a critique of the Nizam’s policies and
of Qasim Razvi, the leader of the Razakars, he also fairly described
the aftermath.
“Off the battlefield, however, the Muslim community fell before a
massive and brutal blow, the devastation of which left those who did
survive reeling in bewildered fear. Thousands upon thousands were
slaughtered; many hundreds of thousands uprooted . The instrument of
their disaster was, of course, vengeance. Particularly in the
Marathwara section of the state, and to a less but still terrible
extent in most other areas, the story of the days after ‘police
action’ is grim.
“The only careful report on what happened in this period was made a
few months later by investigators – including a Congress Muslim and a
sympathetic and admired Hindu – commissioned by the Indian Government
to study the situation. The report was submitted but has not been
published; presumably it makes unpleasant reading. It is widely held
that the figure mentioned therein for the number of Muslims massacred
is 50,000. Other estimates by responsible observers run as high as
200,000, and by some of the Muslims themselves still higher. The
lowest estimates, even those offered privately by apologists of the
military government, came to at least ten times the number of murders
with which previously the Razakars were officially accused… In some
areas, all the men were stood in a line, and done to death. Of the
total Muslim community in Hyderabad, it would seem that somewhere
between one in ten and one in five of the adult males may have lost
their lives in those few days. In additio n to killing, there was
widespread rape, arson, looting, and expropriation. A very large
percentage of the entire Muslim population of the Districts fled in
destitution to the capital or other cities; and later efforts to
repatriate them met with scant s uccess.” He was referring to a report
by Pandit Sundarlal (1886-1980) and Kazi Muhammad Abdul
Ghaffar(1889-1956).
In 1988, Omar Khalidi, a devoted chronicler of Hyderabad, published
what he claimed were extracts from their Report in his compilation of
essays, Hyderabad: After the Fall (Hyderabad Historical Society;
Wichita, Kansas; U.S.). His introduction to the extracts, though
informative, is marred by inaccuracies and intemperate language. He
had relied, somewhat uncritically, on an interview with Yunus Salim
who claimed inaccurately, that he was a member of the team led by
Sundarlal which toured Hyderaba d in November-December 1948. A 32-year-
old State attorney then, he was dismissed from the post for having
helped the team.
Yunus Salim was a Deputy Minister for Railways in Indira Gandhi’s
government (1969) and a Governor of Bihar in 1991. Garbled versions of
the Report appeared in Pakistan. Khalidi writes: “In addition to the
copy in the Union Home Ministry, Srinivas Lahoti , a Communist Party
of India leader in Hyderabad, owned a copy. In an interview in
February 1988 he claims to have deposited it with the National
Archives of India, New Delhi upon his party’s instruction. The present
writer obtained fragments of t he Report (which is partly in English
and partly in Urdu) from owners who wish to remain anonymous. The
portion in English is being reproduced without any alteration. The
Urdu portion is translated into English.”
Khalidi was misled. The entire document is in English and the
“fragments” he reproduces should have put him on notice that it is not
safe to rely on them. The brief Introductory portion is intrinsically
unreliable. The rest is a village-wise and d istrict-wise account.
Union Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel reacted angrily to the Report in
a letter to Abdul Ghaffar dated January 4, 1949:
“I notice that in your report you mentioned that you were asked by the
Government of India to proceed to Hyderabad State on a goodwill
mission. At least I am not aware of any such mission having been
entrusted to you by the Government of India. As far as I know, you
wanted to go there and it was arranged that you should go there at
Government expense. There could have been no question of Government of
India sending any goodwill mission to Hyderabad State.
“I notice that your report is and your activities were, restricted to
making inquiries about what happened during and after the police
action. There is nothing in it about the extent and consequences of
Razakar atrocities. Probably that was out of the terms of reference
which you had set for yourselves. At the same time, you have covered
in your reports matters which could by no stretch of imagination, have
formed the purview of your enquiry. I should also like to say at once
that the detailed in quiries which have been made by the local
administration over a fairly long period as opposed to the roving
enquiries which you have made during such a short period show that
your estimate and your appreciation of the position lack balance and
proportion . Finally you have rushed into a sphere which might have
been more appropriately left to be covered by experienced
statesmanship and administrative ability.”
The assertions were simply untrue and the aspersions were unworthy of
Sardar Patel. In those days nobody could have toured the State without
official approval. That the team went there admittedly “at government
expense” revealed a lot. And, as we know “e xperienced statesmanship
and administrative ability” do not guarantee impartiality in
inquiries. The report censured the Razakars and was balanced.
Kazi Abdul Ghaffar was a bitter critic of Razvi’s Majlis-e Ittihadul-
Muslimin and was trusted by the State Congress. He was editor of
Firangi Mahal’s Khilafatist paper Akhuwat (1919-20) and of Payam
(1934-46) and was respected as a scholar- journalist. He visited
Hyderabad in October along with Padmaja Naidu and alerted Maulana Abul
Kalam Azad to the happenings there. Pandit Sundarlal was vice-
president of the United Provinces Congress (1931-36) and as president
of the All-India Peace Counc il (1959-63), urged rapprochement with
China against the majority view of the times.
His magnum opus, The Gita and The Quran, is a neglected work. An
English translation was published in 1957 by the Institute of Indo-
Middle East Cultural Studies, Hyderabad. Neglected also is Volume 8
(second series) of Selected Works of Jawahar lal Nehru (1990) (pages
102-113).
In a Note to Sardar Patel’s Ministry of States, dated November 14,
1948, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, while denying Pakistan’s
propaganda, wrote: “I have recently had talks with Kazi Abdul Ghaffar
and Miss Padmaja Naidu, who have just returned from H yderabad. They
are both reliable observers… The impression I have gathered from these
talks is that while our army is generally believed to have functioned
well and to have protected the people, there is little doubt that a
very large number of outbreaks took place in the small towns and
villages resulting in the massacre of possibly some thousands of
Muslims by Hindus, as well as a great deal of looting, etc… This
information is contrary to what I had believed and I should like it to
be verified through our military and civil authorities in Hyderabad.
We must know the truth, or else we shall be caught saying things which
are proved to be false later.” It is unlikely that those reports did
not reach the ears of the Minister concerned, Vallabhbhai Patel.
Even men like Dr. Zakir Hussain’s brother, the academic Dr. Yusuf
Husain Khan, and Dr. M. A. Ansari’s nephew, M.A. Ansari, a High Court
Judge, were “removed from their post”, Nehru complained. He added:
“One of the persistent charges made is that we inte nd to kill what is
called Muslim culture. Hyderabad is known all over the Middle East as
a city of Muslim culture. The Osmania University is well known and
even better known is the publication department and the translation
bureau of the State.”
With a letter to V.P. Menon, the secretary of the Ministry, dated
November 26, 1946, Nehru enclosed a note on the situation in Hyderabad
and remarked: “If possible, some good non-officials should go there to
help the administration and to try to produce a better frame of mind
both among the Muslims and the Hindus.”
The editor to the volume recorded: “A four-man goodwill mission,
consisting of Kazi Abdul Ghaffar, Pandit Sundarlal, Moulana Abdulla
Misri and Furrukh Sayer Shakeri, was sent to Hyderabad at the personal
instance of Nehru to study existing conditions and to help in the
establishments of communal harmony. After a brief visit to Bidar and
Osmanabad districts by Major-General Chaudhury, Pandit Sundarlal,
Akbar Ali Khan and Fareed Mirza, two teams, one consisting of Pandit
Sundarlal, Kazi Abdul Ghaffar, Mul la Abdul Basith and Mohammed Yunus
Saleem had toured Bidar, Osmanabad and Nanded while the other
consisting of Moulana Abdulla Misri, Furrukh Sayer and Fareed Mirza
visited Aurangabad, Bhir and Gulbarga. They took stock of the
information collected and s ent a report to Vallabhbhai Patel.”
All of which shows Sardar Patel’s repudiation of the officially
sponsored team to be less than honest. Nehru’s note cited “additional
reports from Hyderabad” about the killing and looting. It said: “If
there is even a fraction of truth in these reports, then the situation
in Hyderabad was much worse than we had been led to believe. It is
important that the exact facts should be placed before us. We want no
optimistic account and no suppression of unsavoury episodes. That
would lead us to form incorrect judgments… A sense of fear seems to
pervade the Muslims of Hyderabad. That is perhaps natural after all
that has happened. But unless we can lessen this fear, the situation
will become worse.”
Dr. Charan Sandhilya, Director of Pandit Sundarlal Institute of Asian
Studies at Ghaziabad obtained for this writer a copy of the full text
of the Sundarlal Report from the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library,
New Delhi (excerpts on facing page). It record s official sponsorship
and reflects their objectivity in denouncing the Razakars’ murderous
attacks on Hindus, in praising officials where praise was due, yet
never flinching from telling the terrible truth about the massacre of
Muslims. This is a truth which hardly any Indian scholar has deigned
to admit this day.
The Sundarlal Report is of more than historical importance; it is of
current relevance, for the massacres, coupled with the national
indifference to them, have left scars in the minds of Muslims in the
State, Hyderabad city in particular. And some Muslim communal parties
have not been slow to exploit these scars.
HYDERABAD:Of a massacre untold A. G. NOORANI
Hyderabad State had its own army, as well as its own airline,
telecommunication system, railway network, postal system, currency and
radio broadcasting service, with a GDP larger than that of Belgium.
It was in this context that the Nizam, then the richest man in the
world, desired to retain independence for his state. The Indians
however, were wary of having an independent – and possibly hostile in
the heart of its territory, and were determined to assimilate
Hyderabad into the Indian Union, in the same manner as the other five
hundred and sixty five royal states that had already acceded.
The Nizam allowed Qasim Razvi, a close advisor, and leader of the
radical Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) Party, to set up an
voluntary militia of Muslims called the ‘Razakars’. The Razakars – who
numbered up to 200,000 at the height of the conflict
The Nizam of Hyderabad initially approached the British government
with a request to take on the status of an independent constitutional
monarchy under the British Commonwealth of Nations. This request was
however rejected.
When Indian Home Minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel requested the
Hyderabad Government to sign the instrument of accession, the Nizam
refused and instead declared Hyderabad as an independent nation on 15
August 1947, the same day that India became independent. Alarmed at
the idea of an independent Hyderabad in the heart of Indian territory,
Sardar Patel approached the governor general of India, Lord
Mountbatten who advised him to resolve the issue without the use of
force.
Accordingly, the Indian government offered Hyderabad a ‘Standstill
Agreement’ which made an assurance that the status quo would be
maintained and no military action would be taken.
Hyderabadi Military Preparations
The Nizam of Hyderabad had a large army with a tradition of hiring
mercenary forces. These included Arabs, Rohillas, North Indian Muslims
and Pathans. The State Army consisted of three armoured regiments, a
horse cavalry regiment, 11 infantry battalions and artillery. These
were supplemented by irregular units with horse cavalry, four infantry
battalions (termed as the Saraf-e-khas, paigah, Arab and Refugee) and
a garrison battalion – all forming a total of 22,000 men. This army
was commanded by Major General El Edroos, an Arab.[4] 55 per cent of
the Hyderabadi army was composed of Muslims, with 1,268 Muslims in a
total of 1,765 officers as of 1941.[5]
In addition to these, there were about 200,000 irregular militia
called the Razakars under the command of civilian leader Qasim Razvi.
A quarter of these were armed with modern small firearms, while the
rest were predominantly armed with muzzle-loaders and swords.[4]
It is reported that the Nizam received arms supplies from Pakistan and
from the Portuguese administration based in Goa. In addition,
additional arms supplies were received via airdrops from an Australian
arms trader Sidney Cotton.
Breakdown of Negotiations
As the Indian government received information that Hyderabad was
arming itself and was preparing to ally with Pakistan in any future
war with India, Sardar Patel described the idea of an independent
Hyderabad as an ulcer in the heart of India – which had to removed
surgically. In response, Hyderabad’s prime minister Laik Ali stated
“India thinks that if Pakistan attacks her, Hyderabad will stab her in
the back. I am not so sure we would not.” Sardar Patel responded later
by stating “If you threaten us with violence, swords will be met with
swords”.[5]
In Hyderabad, militia leader Qasim Razwi told a crowd of Razakars,
“Death with the sword in hand, is always preferable to extinction by a
mere stroke of the pen.”. Razwi was later described by Indian
government officials as “The Nizam’s Frankenstein Monster”. In
response to reports that India was planning to invade Hyderabad Razwi
stated, “If India attacks us I can and will create a turmoil
throughout India. We will perish but India will perish also.” The
magazine “Time” pointed out that if India invaded Hyderabad, the
Razakars would massacre Hindus, which would lead to retaliatory
massacres of Muslims across India.[6]
Skirmish at Kodar
On September 6 an Indian police post near Chillakallu village came
under heavy fire from Razakar units. The Indian Army command sent a
squadron of The Poona Horse led by Abhey Singh and a company of 2/5
Gurkha Rifles to investigate who were also fired upon by the Razakars.
The tanks of the Poona Horse then chased the Razakars to Kodar, in
Hyderabad territory. Here they were opposed by the armoured cars of 1
Hyderabad Lancers. In a brief action the Poona Horse destroyed one
armoured car and forced the surrender of the state garrison at Kodar.
Indian Military Preparations
On receiving directions from the government to seize and annex
Hyderabad, the Indian army came up with the Goddard Plan (laid out by
Lt. Gen E.N. Goddard, the C-in-C of the Southern Command). The plan
envisaged two main thrusts – from Vijayawada in the East and Solapur
in the West – while smaller units pinned down the Hyderabadi army
along the border. Overall command was placed in the hands of Lt. Gen.
Rajendrasinghji, DSO.
The attack from Solapur was led by Major General J.N. Chaudhari and
was composed of four task forces:
Strike Force comprising a mix of fast moving infantry, cavalry and
light artillery,
Smash Force consisting of predominantly armoured units and artillery,
Kill Force composed of infantry and engineering units
Vir Force which comprised infantry, anti-tank and engineering units.
The attack from Vijaywada was led by Major General A.A. Rudra and
comprised the 2/5 Gurkha Rifles, one squadron of the 17th (Poona)
Horse, and a troop from the 19th Field Battery along with engineering
and ancillary units. In addition, four infantry battalions were to
neutralize and protect lines of communication. Two squadrons of Hawker
Tempest aircraft were prepared for air support from the Pune base.
The date for the attack was fixed as 13 September, even though General
Sir Roy Bucher, the Indian chief of staff, had objected on grounds
that Hyderabad would be an additional front for the Indian army after
Kashmir.
Commencement of Hostilities
Day 1, September 13
The first battle was fought at Naldurg Fort on the Solapur
Secundarabad Highway between a defending force of the 1st Hyderabad
Infantry and the attacking force of the 7th Brigade. Using speed and
surprise, the 7th Brigade managed to secure a vital bridge on the Bori
river intact, following which an assault was made on the Hyderabadi
positions at Naldurg by the 2nd Sikh Infantry. The bridge and road
secured, an armoured column of the 1st Armoured Brigade – part of the
Smash force – moved into the town of Jalkot, 8 km from Naldurg, at
0900 hours, paving the way for the Strike Force units under Lt. Col
Ram Singh Commandant of 9 DOGRA (a motorised battalion) to pass
through. This armoured column reached the town of Umarge, 61 km inside
Hyderabad by 1515 hours, where it quickly overpowered resistance from
Razakar units defending the town. Meanwhile, another column consisting
of a squadron of 3rd Cavalry, a troop from 18th King Edward’s Own
Cavalry, a troop from 9 Para Field Regiment, 10 Field Company
Engineers, 3/2 Punjab Regiment, 2/1 Gurkha Rifles, 1 Mewar Infantry,
and ancillary units attacked the town of Tuljapur, about 34 km north-
west of Naldurg. They reached Tuljapur at dawn, where they encountered
resistance from a unit of the 1st Hyderabad Infantry and about 200
Razakars who fought for two hours before surrendering. Further advance
towards the town of Lohara was stalled as the river had swollen. The
first day on the Western front ended with the Indians inflicting heavy
casualties on the Hyderabadis and capturing large tracts of territory.
Amongst the captured defenders was a British mercenary who had been
tasked with blowing up the bridge near Naldurg.
In the East, forces led by Lt. Gen A.A. Rudra met with fierce
resistance from two armoured units of Humber armoured cars and
Staghound armoured cars, but managed to reach the town of Kodar by
0830 hours. Pressing on, the force reached Mungala by the afternoon.
There were further incidents in Hospet – where the 1st Mysore
assaulted and secured a sugar factory from units of Razakars and
Pathans – and at Tungabhadra – where the 5/5 Gurkha attacked and
secured a vital bridge from the Hyderabadi army.
Day 2, September 14
The force that had camped at Umarge proceeded to the town of Rajasur,
48 km east. As aerial reconnaissance had shown well entrenched ambush
positions set up along the way, the air strikes from squadrons of
Tempests were called in. These air strikes effectively cleared the
route and allowed the land forces to reach and secure Rajasur by the
afternoon.
The Assault force from the East was meanwhile slowed down by an anti-
tank ditch and later came under heavy fire from hillside positions of
the 1st Lancers and 5th Infantry 6 km from Surriapet. The positions
were assaulted by the 2/5 Gurkha – veterans of the Burma Campaign –
and was neutralised with the Hyderabadis taking severe casualties.
At the same time, the 3/11 Gurkha Rifles and a squadron of 8th Cavalry
attacked Osmanabad and took the town after heavy street combat with
the Razakars who determinedly resisted the Indians
A force under the command of Maj. Gen. D.S. Brar was tasked with
capturing the city of Aurangabad. The city was attacked by six columns
of infantry and cavalry, resulting in the civil administration
emerging in the afternoon and offering a surrender to the Indians.
There were further incidents in Jalna where 3 Sikh, a company of 2
Jodhpur infantry and some tanks from 18 Cavalry faced stubborn
resistance from Hyderabadi forces.
Day 3, September 15
Leaving a company of 3/11 Gurkhas to occupy the town of Jalna, the
remainder of the force moved to Latur, and later to Mominabad where
they faced action against the 3 Golconda Lancers who gave token
resistance before surrendering.
At the town of Surriapet, air strikes cleared most of the Hyderabadi
defences, although some Razakar units still gave resistance to the 2/5
Gurkhas who occupied the town. The retreating Hyderabadi forces
destroyed the bridge at Musi to delay the Indians but failed to offer
covering fire, allowing the bridge to be quickly repaired. Another
incident occurred at Narkatpalli where a Razakar unit was decimated by
the Indians.
Day 4, September 16
The task force under Lt. Col. Ram Singh moved towards Zahirabad at
dawn, but was slowed down by a minefield, which had to be cleared. On
reaching the junction of the Bidar road with the Solapur-Hyderabad
City Highway, the forces encountered gunfire from ambush positions.
However, leaving some of the units to handle the ambush, the bulk of
the force moved on to reach 15 kilometres beyond Zahirabad by
nightfall in spite of sporadic resistance along the way. Most of the
resistance was from Razakar units who ambushed the Indians as they
passed through urban areas. The Razakars were able to use the terrain
to their advantage until the Indians brought in their 75 mm guns.
Day 5, September 17
In the early hours of September 17, the Indian army entered Bidar.
Meanwhile, forces led by the 1st Armoured regiment were at the town of
Chityal about 60 km from the capital city, while another column took
over the town of Hingoli. By the morning of the 5th day of
hostilities, it had become clear that the Hyderabad army and the
Razakars had been routed on all fronts and with extremely heavy
casualties. The Nizam’s defeat was now imminent.
Consultations with Indian Envoy
On September 16, faced with imminent defeat, the Nizam summoned the
Prime Minister Mir Laik Ali and requested his resignation by the
morning of the following day. The resignation was delivered along with
the resignations of the entire cabinet.
On the noon of September 17, a messenger brought a personal note from
the Nizam to India’s Agent General to Hyderabad, K.M. Munshi summoning
him to the Nizam’s office at 1600 hours. At the meeting, the Nizam
stated “The vultures have resigned. I don’t know what to do”. Munshi
advised the Nizam to secure the safety of the citizens of Hyderabad by
issuing appropriate orders to the Commander of the Hyderabad State
Army, Major General El Edroos. This was immediately done.
The aftermath
“Operation Polo” resulted in moderate casualties for Indian forces,
with significantly higher losses for Hyderbadi forces. Indian losses
were 32 killed and 97 wounded. Among the Indian units, the Punjab
Regiment had by far suffered the greatest number of casualties, with
20 of its soldiers killed in action. The losses suffered by Hyderbad
state forces and Irregular forces combined were 1,863 killed, 122
wounded, and 3,558 captured. In the following weeks the state erupted
in widespread communal violence. 50,000 people may have died in the
reprisals that followed the invasion.[7] Most of the violence occurred
in the state’s rural districts, sparking large scale migration both to
the capital at Hyderabad, and to Pakistan.
The Nizam received the ceremonial post of Rajpramukh in 1950, but
resigned from this office when the states were re-organized in 1956 on
linguistic basis and large parts of Hyderabad state went to Bombay
State. Many officials and members of the royal family fled and re-
settled in Pakistan where they now live.
References
^ http://indianarmy.nic.in – Official Indian army website complete
Roll of Honor of Indian KIA
^ a b c Hyderabad 1948 Revisited IndiaDefence.com
^ http://www.boloji.com/analysis2/0233.htm
^ a b http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE2-3/lns.html
^ a b http://www.indianofficer.com/forums/history-wiki/899-operation-polo-liberation-hyderabad.html
^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,799076-2,00.html
^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/making_history/making_history_20080527.shtml
Making History, 27 May 2008, BBC Radio 4
Zubrzycki, John. (2006) The Last Nizam: An Indian Prince in the
Australian Outback. Pan Macmillan, Australia. ISBN 978-0-3304-2321-2.
External links
A Blog by Narendra Luther on Operation polo
Picture of VII Nizam with Sardar Patel after his surrender
From the Sunderlal Report – Excerpts in FRONTLINE
Of a massacre untold – A.G.Noorani
In the Nizam’s dominion
Armchair Historian – Operation Polo (Monday, 18 September 2006) –
Contributed by Sidin Sunny Vadukut – Last Updated (Monday, 18
September 2006
From the Sundarlal Report
CONFIDENTIAL
To:
(1) The Honourable the Prime Minister, Government of India, New Delhi.
(2) The Honourable the States Minister, Government of India, New
Delhi.
Sir,
We were asked by the Government of India to proceed to Hyderabad State
on a goodwill mission. After completing our task there we now beg to
submit our report.
(1) The delegation consisting of Pandit Sundarlal, Kazi Abdul Ghaffar
and Moulana Abdulla Misri arrived at Hyderabad on the 29th of November
and returned to Delhi on the 21st of December 1948. During this period
we toured through 9 out of the 16 district s of the state, visiting 7
district headquarters, 21 towns and 23 important villages. In addition
we interviewed over 500 people from 109 such villages as we did not
visit.
Further 31 public meetings at various places and 27 private gatherings
of Hindus, Muslims, Congress men, Official Members of Jamiat Ullma and
of the Ittahadul Muslimeen, the staffs and students of some
Educational Institutions, Members of the Progressive Writers
Association and of the Hindustani Parchar Sabha, etc., were addressed
by members of the delegation.
Amongst important men and officials interviewed by us may be mentioned
H.E.H. the Nizam, H.E. the Prince of Berar, Major General Choudhri,
Mr. Bakhlo, the Chief Civil Administrator, Swami Ramanand Tirtha, Dr.
Malkote, Messrs Ramchander Rao, Ramachari, K. Vadya, Venkat Rao and
Abul Hassan Sayed Ali, Nawab Ali Yawar Jung, Nawab Zain Yar Jung, Raja
Dhonde Raj, Moulana Abu Yousuf, Moulvi Abdul Khair, and Moulvi Hameed
uddin Qamar Farooqi.
At all these meetings and interviews the main problem discussed was
that of the creation and maintenance of cordial relations between the
communities. Appeals were made to the people to forget the past and to
work unremittingly for the establishment of p eace and harmony amongst
themselves. The aim and policy of the Indian Union was also explained
and special emphasis was laid on the objective which was the
establishment of a secular government for the people of Hyderabad, in
which all of them irrespecti ve of religion, caste or creed will enjoy
equal freedom and civil rights and will have equal opportunities for
development and progress. It was made perfectly clear that the
military administration had been charged with the duty of implementing
that poli cy. We clarified our position, whenever opportunity
presented itself saying that ours was not a Commission of
investigation or Inquiry into events proceeding or following the
police action and that ours was merely a goodwill mission charged with
the task of restoring better communal relations. All the same, we feel
it our duty to bring to your notice what we saw and gathered in our
tourings, as it has, in our opinion, an importance all its own.
(2) Hyderabad State has 16 districts, comprising nearly 22,000
villages. Out of them only three districts remained practically,
though not wholly, free of communal trouble which affected the state
first during the activities of the Razakars and then duri ng the
reprisals that followed the collapse of that organisation. In another
four districts the trouble had been more serious but nothing like the
havoc that overtook the remaining eight. Out of these again the worst
sufferers have been the districts of Osmanabad, Gulburga, Bidar and
Nanded, in which four the number of people killed during and after the
police action was not less, if not more than 18,000. In the other four
districts viz. Aurangabad, Bir, Nalgunda and Medak those who lost
their lives num bered at least 5 thousand.
We can say at a very conservative estimate that in the whole state at
least 27 thousand to 40 thousand people lost their lives during and
after the police action. We were informed by the authorities that
those eight were the most affected districts and n eeded most the good
offices of our delegation. We, therefore, concentrated on these and
succeeded, we might say, to some extent at least, in dispelling the
atmosphere of mutual hostility and distrust.
It is a significant fact that out of these eight the four worst
affected districts (Osmanabad, Gulburga, Bidar and Nanded) had been
the main strongholds of Razakars and the people of these four
districts had been the worst sufferers at the hands of the R azakars.
In the town of Latur, the home of Kasim Razvi – which had been a big
business centre, with rich Kuchhi Muslim merchants, the killing
continued for over twenty days. Out of a population of about ten
thousand Muslims there we found barely three th ousand still in the
town. Over a thousand had been killed and the rest had run away with
little else besides their lives and completely ruined financially.
(3) Almost everywhere in the affected areas communal frenzy did not
exhaust itself in murder, alone in which at some places even women and
children were not spared. Rape, abduction of women (sometimes out of
the state to Indian towns such as Sholapur and Nagpur) loot, arson,
desecration of mosques, forcible conversions, seizure of houses and
lands, followed or accompanied the killing. Tens of crores worth of
property was looted or destroyed. The sufferers were Muslims who
formed a hopeless minority in r ural areas. The perpetrators of these
atrocities were not limited to those who had suffered at the hands of
Razakars, not to the non-Muslims of Hyderabad state. These latter were
aided and abetted by individuals and bands of people, with and without
arms , from across the border, who had infiltrated through in the wake
of the Indian Army. We found definite indications that a number of
armed and trained men belonging to a well known Hindu communal
organisation from Sholapur and other Indian towns as also some local
and outside communists participated in these riots and in some cases
actually led the rioters.
(4) Duty also compels us to add that we had absolutely unimpeachable
evidence to the effect that there were instances in which men
belonging to the Indian Army and also to the local police took part in
looting and even other crimes. During our tour we ga thered, at not a
few places, that soldiers encouraged, persuaded and in a few cases
even compelled the Hindu mob to loot Muslim shops and houses. At one
district town the present Hindu head of the administration told us
that there was a general loot of M uslim shops by the military. In
another district a Munsif house, among others was looted by soldiers
and a Tahsildar’s wife molested. Complaints of molestation and
abduction of girls, against Sikh soldiers particularly, were by no
means rare. We were gen erally told that at many places out of the
looted property cash, gold and silver was taken away by military while
other articles fell to the share of the mob. Unfortunately there was a
certain element in the army which was not free from communal feelings
probably because some of them could not forget the atrocities
committed elsewhere on their own kith and kin.
Lest we might be understood to imply a slur on the Indian army we
hasten to record our considered opinion that the Indian Army and its
officers in Hyderabad generally maintained a high standard of
discipline and sense of duty. In General Choudhri we foun d a man
without any tinge of communal prejudice, a firm disciplinarian and
thorough gentleman.
We were given by Muslims instances in which Hindus had defended and
given protection to their Muslim neighbours, men and women even at the
cost of their own lives. In some professions the fellow feeling was
particularly marked. For instance at places Hin du weavers defended
Muslim weavers against Hindu and protected them often at a very heavy
cost (including loss of life) to themselves. Many Hindus helped in the
recovery of abducted Muslim women.
(5) This communal trouble followed close upon the heels of the police
action and the consequent collapse of the Razakar organisation, which
had stood in the Muslim mind, as an effective barrier against the
establishment of responsible government which wa s synonymous, to the
average Hyderabadi Muslim, with Hindu Raj, because it would be based
on the will of the Hindu majority. Muslim masses were generally slow
to realise that their sufferings were the inevitable repercussions of
the atrocities committed on the Hindus only, a few days before, by the
Razakars. The Razakars movement had the sympathy of a good number of
Muslimans in Hyderabad. Such of them as dared publicly to oppose that
madness paid heavily for their temerity, so much so that one of them
fell before the bullet of an assassin. Like the Razakars the
perpetrators of crimes against the Muslims encouraged the belief that
they had the backing of the authorities…
Before closing we must gratefully acknowledge the valuable help and
willing cooperation given to us by the Military Administration in
Hyderabad, by Government officials in the districts we visited, by
public workers and prominent citizens and lastly by o ur two
Secretaries Messrs Furrukh Sayer and P.P. Ambulkar.
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/a_short_history_of_india_its_heroes_and_invaders.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_rule_in_India
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/his-masters-voice-sid-harth-2/
navanavonmilita
Anti-Hindu prejudice is a negative perception or religious intolerance
against the practice and practitioners of Hinduism. Anti-Hindu
sentiments have been expressed by Muslims in Pakistan, Bangladesh,
leading to significant persecution of Hindus in those regions, such as
the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities by Pakistan, and the recent demolition
of Hindu temples in Malaysia.[1][2][citation needed]
There are also allegations of Anti-Hinduism voiced by members of the
Hindu diaspora in the West against their host societies, notably in
the United States, where these form part of the so-called "culture
wars", with cases such as the California textbook controversy over
Hindu history.
Individuals in the Indian diaspora have begun to protest that Western
scholars "distort their religion and perpetuate negative stereotypes".
[3] Historically, such stereotypes were promulgated during the British
Raj by several Indophobes in South Asia as a means to aggrandize
sectarian divisions in Indian society, part of the divide and rule
strategy employed by the British.[citation needed] Such allegations
have seen a rise with the Hindu right using them for politics.[3]
The Indian Caste System, a social stratification system in South Asia
which has been criticized for its discriminatory problems, is uniquely
blamed on Hindus and the religion of Hinduism. This is a common
stereotype, as adherents of other religions such as Islam and
Christianity have kept the practice of caste segregation in India (for
details, see Caste system among South Asian Muslims). Some in India
regard it as a social issue, rather than a religious one.[citation
needed] Several organizations in India and abroad have been criticized
by Hindu advocacy groups for these types of attacks.
The devotion to bovine animals (regarded as holy in Hinduism) is also
used as a pretext to mock the Hindu people by many in the west.
[citation needed] In addition, the Hindu tradition of cremating their
dead is used to mock the people.[citation needed]
Anti-Hindu attacks often accuse Hindus of being "Blasphemers" for
committing "idolatry" and "polytheism" (Hinduism is more accurately
described as monistic or henotheistic than polytheistic depending on
the sect or school of belief involved ). Some Anti-Hindus insist on an
interpretation of Hinduism, relating to ancient polytheistic religions
as opposed to one that relates to enlightenment or moksha. This
accusation is prevalent among adherents of monotheistic religions like
Islam and Christianity. Many Christian missionaries, particularly
those of Fundamentalist Christianity, denigrate Hindu deities as
"evil" or "demonic". Advocacy groups in the west, such as the Hindu
American Foundation and the Simon Wiesenthal Center have spoken
against anti-Hindu bigotry and prejudice.
Historical instances of anti-Hindu views
See also: Persecution of Hindus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Hindus
During Islamic Rule in the Indian Subcontinent
Parts of India have historically been subject to Islamic rulers from
the period of Muhammad bin Qasim to the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal
Empire, as well as smaller kingdoms like the Bahmani Sultanate and
Tipu Sultans kingdom of Mysore. In almost all of those regimes, Hindus
have had an inherently inferior status to the Muslim overlords.
Islamic law demands that when under Muslim rule "polytheists" or
"infidels" be treated as dhimmis (from the Arab term) ahl-al-dhimma.
[4]
Barrani
Under the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the Muslim cleric Ziauddin
Barrani wrote several works, such as the Fatwa-i-Jahandari, which gave
him a reputation as as a "fanatical protagonist of Islam"[5] and wrote
that there should be "an all-out struggle against Hinduism",
advocating a militant and dogmatic religiosity.[6] He developed a
system of religious elitism to that effect.[6]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_bin_Tughlaq
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziauddin_Barrani
Tipu Sultan
The attitude of Muslim Ruler Tipu Sultan towards Hindus has been the
subject of acrimonious debate in India in recent times with historians
questioning the generally held belief that Tipu Sultan had a secular
outlook.[7]
In the first part of his reign in particular he appears to have been
notably more aggressive and religiously doctrinaire than his father,
Haidar Ali.[8] Malayalam writer V.V.K. Valath has claimed[9] that
Tippu Sultan was a religious persecutor of Hindus. In 1780 CE he
declared himself to be the Padishah or Emperor of Mysore, and struck
coinage in his own name without reference to the reigning Mughal
Emperor Shah Alam II. H. D. Sharma writes that in his correspondence
with other Islamic rulers such as Shah Zaman of Afghanistan, Tippu
Sultan used this title and declared that he intended to establish an
Islamic Empire in the entire country, along the lines of the Mughal
Empire which was at its nadir during the period in question.[10] His
alliance with the French was supposedly aimed at achieving this goal
by driving his main rivals, the British, out of the subcontinent.
C. K. Kareem also notes that Tippu Sultan issued an edict for the
destruction of Hindu temples in Kerala.[11]. The archaeological survey
of India has listed three temples - throughout India - which were
destroyed during the reign of Tipu Sultan. These were the
Harihareshwar Temple at Harihar which was converted into a mosque, the
Varahswami Temple in Seringapatam and the Odakaraya Temple in Hospet.
[12]. The list is incomplete and has not concidered temples such as in
Keladi, Ikkeri and Sagar
S.Chandrasekar, Travel writer & Photographer,2010, records from his
family genealogy (Visanasola,Kuthsa gothra,Telugu Konaseema Dravidlu):
"One of my anscestors, Someswara Iyer was mistakenly imprisoned by
Tipu in 1789. He was a pure saivite and an innocent brahmin. He
refused to eat or drink in prison due to shame and humiliation. Soon
he drooned and fell unconscious. That night Lord appeared in the dream
of Tipu and ordered him to release the poor brahmin. Tipu apoligised
and repented for the sin committed. Someswaran was too fragile and
couldn't move. Tipu asked his court physician to smear battered
curdrice paste throughout the body twice a day. His skin pores
absorbed them. On the third day it was said that he regained energy to
speak. Tipu granted few villages and an emerald shiva linga to
Someswaran Iyer as a token of respect. The lands and lingam have
vanished over the centuries. Henceforth Someswara Iyer was called
Nawab Somayajulu (wife Subbulakshmi). They belonged to the Konaseema
Telugu speaking kuthsa-gothra brahmin family of southindia Konaseema
dravidlu, kuthsa gothram, Visanasola telugu brahmins . Someswaran was
the 8th descendent from Madhyarjunam Subbarao who was a minister at
the court of King Sri Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara Empire c.1500AD
(approx.)"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konaseema_dravidlu,_kuthsa_gothram,_Visanasola_telugu_brahmins
After such attrocities, Tipu's view towards hinduism changed
completely and the history recorded his seeking reverential advice
from the then Sringeri pontiff Sri Sacchidananda Bharati III (1770–
1814). The Sringeri Sarada Peetam has in its safe possession some 24
letters written by the Sultan. Tipu had donated many silver vessels
and gold ornaments to Sri Ranganatha swamy at Seringaptnam which is at
stone's throw from his palace. He had a daily darshan of the temple
gopura from his balcony.
Historian Hayavadana C. Rao wrote about Tippu in his encyclopaedic
work on the History of Mysore. He asserted that Tippu's "religious
fanaticism and the excesses committed in the name of religion, both in
Mysore and in the provinces, stand condemned for all time. His
bigotry, indeed, was so great that it precluded all ideas of
toleration". He further asserts that the acts of Tippu that were
constructive towards Hindus were largely political and ostentatious
rather than an indication of genuine tolerance.[13]
Whilst no scholar has denied that, in common with most rulers of his
period, Tippu’s campaigns were often characterized by great brutality,
some historians claim that this was not exclusively religiously
motivated, and did not amount to a consistent anti-Hindu policy.
Brittlebank, Hasan, Chetty, Habib and Saletare amongst others argue
that stories of Tippu's religious persecution of Hindus and Christians
are largely derived from the work of early British authors such as
Kirkpatrick[14] and Wilks,[15] whom they do not consider to be
entirely reliable.[16] A. S. Chetty argues that Wilks’ account in
particular cannot be trusted.[17]
Although the attitudes of Muslim ruler Tippu Sultan have been
criticized as being anti-Hindu by Indian historians, left-wing
historians note that he had an egalitarian attitude towards Hindus and
was harsh towards them only when politically expedient [18]. Former
IAS Officer, Praxy Fernandes has mentioned in his book that Tipu
Sultan displayed reverence to the head of the Hindu Shringeri Mutt, by
sending a silver palanquin and a pair of silver chauris to the Sarada
Temple [12].
Irfan Habib and Mohibbul Hasan argue that these early British authors
had a strong vested interest in presenting Tippu Sultan as a tyrant
from whom the British had "liberated" Mysore.[19] This assessment is
echoed by Brittlebank in her recent work[20] These claims not
withstanding, one can see vandalized temples in Ikkeri to understand
the fairness of arguments.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irfan_Habib
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikkeri
During Portuguese rule in Goa
During the Portuguese rule in Goa, thousands of Hindus were coerced
into accepting Christianity by passing laws that made it difficult to
practice their faith, harassing them under false pretences or petty
complaints and giving favourable status to converts and mestiços in
terms of laws and jobs [21]. It is alleged that during the Goa
Inquisition, thousands of Goan Hindus were massacred by Portuguese
rulers, starting in the year 1560. The inquisition was proposed by St.
Francis Xavier[22]
During the British Raj
During the British rule of the Indian subcontinent, several
evangelical Christian missionaries spread anti-Hindu propaganda as a
means to convert Hindus to Christianity. Examples include missionaries
like Abbe J.A. Dubois, who wrote "Once the devadasis' temple duties
are over, they open their cells of infamy, and frequently convert the
temple itself into a stew. A religion more shameful or indecent has
never existed amongst a civilized people" [23]
In Charles Grant's highly influential "Observations on the ...Asiatic
subjects of Great Britain" (1796),[24] Grant criticized the
Orientalists for being too respectful to Indian culture and religion.
His work tried to determine the Hindu's "true place in the moral
scale", and he alleged that the Hindus are "a people exceedingly
depraved".
In the West
By the late 19th century, fear had already begun in North America over
Chinese immigration supplying cheap labor to lay railroad tracks,
mostly in California and elsewhere in the West Coast. In xenophobic
jargon common in the day, ordinary workers, newspapers, and
politicians uniformly opposed this "Yellow Peril". The common cause to
eradicate Asians from the workforce gave rise to the Asiatic Exclusion
League. When the fledging Indian community of mostly Punjabi Sikhs
settled in California, the xenophobia expanded to combat not only the
East Asian Yellow Peril, but now the immigrants from British India,
the Turban Tide, equally referred to as the Hindoo Invasion (sic).[25]
[26][27]
The rise of the Indian American community in the United States has
brought about some isolated incidences of attacks on them, as has been
the case with many minority groups in the United States. Attacks
specific to Hindus in the United States stem from what is often
referred to as the "racialization of religion" among Americans, a
process that begins when certain phenotypical features associated with
a group and attached to race in popular discourse become associated
with a particular religion or religions.The racialization of Hinduism
in American perception has led to perceiving Hindus as a separate
group and contributes to prejudices against them.[28]
Pat Robertson
In addition, there have been anti-Hindu views that are specific to the
religion of Hinduism as well as mistaken racial perceptions. Christian
televangelists such as Pat Robertson in the United States has made
remarks that are regarded as anti-Hindu, if not racist,[29] denouncing
Hinduism as "demonic" and evoking similar canards against Hinduism.
These remarks were widely condemned and rebutted by Indian Americans
and many non-partisan advocacy groups.[30] Other Fundamentalist
Christian evangelicals such as Albert Mohler have defended the anti-
Hindu remarks and made disparaging statements about Hinduism as
"satanic", laced together with anti-Buddhist and Islamophobic rhetoric.
[31]
Tony Brown
In 2001, an American talk show host Tony Brown, made several
derogatory anti-Hindu remarks in his talk show on WLS 890 AM that
began with the concern among American workers about the influx of
software engineers from India. He evoked anti-Hindu canards such as
exaggerating the importance of the Caste System in Hinduism, and made
patent falsehoods about Human Rights in India. Protests by Indian-
American community leaders led to the radio host publicly apologizing
for his remarks against Hindus and Hinduism. In his apology, Brown
said:
“ The statements I made were derived from either books or articles
that I read. Still, I had not considered the possibility of bigots
using the information to persecute the Hindu minority in this
country.That does not excuse me from the pain that I have caused by
not being more circumspect.[32] ”
After his apology, Brown also invited Swami Atmajnanananda of the
Washington branch of the Ramakrishna Mission and an Indian journalist
based in Chicago, J V Lakshmana Rao, to participate in the talk show.
Atmajnanananda said one must draw a distinction between caste and
casteism. He said:
“ The assumption that Hindus are inherently racists is dangerous.Caste
does not play a role in one's occupation any more. One should not use
the pitfalls of the Indian culture to attack Hinduism.[32] ”
Refuting Brown's statement that lower castes were being persecuted in
India, Rao spoke of affirmative actions in favor of the lower castes
by the Government of India.
Denver Post
On April 28, 2004, an article on the Denver Post, authored by thoracic
and general surgeons and a commentator on National Public Radio in USA
Pius Kamau, portrayed the entire Indian community and the Hindus with
"bigoted views". Widespread letter-writing and protests from the
Indian American community, the Denver post responded by conveying the
writer and editor's apologies.[33]
On May 6 of that year, Denver Post also published a strong rebuttal to
the original article By P.K. Vedanthan titled "Healing ethnic wounds".
[33]
Hindu American Foundation
The Hindu American Foundation, together with organizations like the
American Jewish Committee, have worked to counter perceived biases
against Hindus and Jews in college campuses like Stanford University.
Both groups claim to have identified cases of academic hostility
against both minorities.[34]
In 2005, The Hindu American Foundation protested against the
defamation of Hinduism in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle
alleging the false anti-Hindu canard of rape being a "just punishment
for criminal behavior". The author removed the statement following the
protest.[35]
In the same year, HAF also protested against an anti-Hindu article
published in the Los Angeles Times where the writer, Paul Watson also
equates Hinduism with the worship of cows and snakes.[36]
US Congress
In July, 2007, The United States Senate conducted its morning prayer
services with a Hindu prayer[37], a historical first. During the
service, three disruptors, named Ante Nedlko Pavkovic, Katherine Lynn
Pavkovic and Christian Renee Sugar, from the Fundamentalist Christian
activist group Operation Save America [7] protested that the Hindu
prayer was "an abomination", and that they were "Christians and
Patriots". They were swiftly arrested and charged with disrupting
Congress.[38][39].
The event generated a storm of protest from Fundamentalist Christian
groups in the country, with the American Family Association posting
lengthy anti-Hindu diatribes on their website.[40] Their
representative attacked the proceedings as "gross idolatry" [41]
The chairman of the United States and India Political Action
Committee, Sanjay Puri, has circulated a letter to the organization
protesting the move as an act of bigotry. He writes:
“ It is our hope and goal that we can open up this dialogue because we
were dismayed to see the communication made to your members that was
blatantly offensive and factually erroneous. As a United States
organization representing the Indian American community, which
includes diverse groups from various religious backgrounds, we hope
that you will make efforts to bring people together.[42] ”
Senate majority leader Harry Reid, who had invited Zed to conduct the
service, responded to the protest by defending his actions. He said:
“ If people have any misunderstanding about Indians and Hindus," Reid
said, "all they have to do is think of Gandhi," a man "who gave his
life for peace.I think it speaks well of our country that someone
representing the faith of about a billion people comes here and can
speak in communication with our heavenly Father regarding peace.[41]
”
Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation
of Church and State, said the protest "shows the intolerance of many
religious right activists. They say they want more religion in the
public square, but it’s clear they mean only their religion."[41]
In South Asia
Afghanistan
The Taliban regime in Afghanistan was known for its extremist
attitudes and views on Islam, including their strict enforcement of
Islamic sharia law in the society. The Taliban regime declared that
Hindus would be required to wear badges in public identifying
themselves as Hindus, ostensibly to "protect them". This was part of
the Taliban's plan to segregate "un-Islamic" and "idolatrous"
communities from Islamic ones.[43]
The decree was regarded as an anti-Hindu one by several lawmakers and
congressmen in the United States, as well as by the Indian Government.
[44] There were widespread protests against this decree in both India
and the United States. In the United States, chairman of the Anti-
Defamation League Abraham Foxman compared the decree to the practices
of Nazi Germany, where Jews were required to wear labels identifying
them as such.[45] In the United States, congressmen wore yellow badges
on the floor of the Senate during the debate as a demonstration of
their solidarity with the Hindu minority in Afghanistan.[44]
[edit] Pakistan
In Pakistan, anti-Hindu sentiments and beliefs are widely held among
many sections of the population. There is a general stereotype against
Hindus in Pakistan. Hindus are regarded as "miserly".[46] Also, Hindus
are often regarded as "Kaffirs" (lit. "unbelievers") and blamed for
"causing all the problems in Pakistan".[47] Islamic fundamentalist
groups operating within Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan have
broadcasted or disseminated anti-Hindu propaganda among the masses,
[48] referring to Hindus as "Hanood" and blaming them for
"collaborating with the foreigners" against the people of the region.
The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), a coalition of Islamist political
parties in Pakistan, calls for the increased Islamization of the
government and society, specifically taking an anti-Hindu stance. The
MMA leads the opposition in the national assembly, held a majority in
the NWFP Provincial Assembly, and was part of the ruling coalition in
Balochistan. However, some members of the MMA made efforts to
eliminate their rhetoric against Hindus.[49]
The public school curriculum in Pakistan was Islamized during the
1980s.[50] The government of Pakistan claims to undertake a major
revision to eliminate such teachings and to remove Islamic teaching
from secular subjects.[49] The bias in Pakistani textbooks was also
documented by Y. Rosser (2003). She wrote that
“ in the past few decades, social studies textbooks in Pakistan have
been used as locations to articulate the hatred that Pakistani policy
makers have attempted to inculcate towards their Hindu neighbours”,
and that as a result "in the minds of generations of Pakistanis,
indoctrinated by the 'Ideology of Pakistan' are lodged fragments of
hatred and suspicion. ”
(Rosser 2003)[51]
The bias in Pakistani textbooks was studied by Rubina Saigol, Pervez
Hoodbhoy, K. K. Aziz, I. A. Rahman, Mubarak Ali, A. H. Nayyar, Ahmed
Saleem, Y. Rosser and others.
A study by Nayyar & Salim (2003) that was conducted with 30 experts of
Pakistan's education system, found that the textbooks contain
statements that seek to create hate against Hindus. There was also an
emphasis on Jihad, Shahadat, wars and military heroes. The study
reported that the textbooks also had a lot of gender-biased
stereotypes. Some of the problems in Pakistani textbooks cited in the
report were:
“ Insensitivity to the existing religious diversity of the nation”;
"Incitement to militancy and violence, including encouragement of
Jihad and Shahadat”; a “glorification of war and the use of force”;
"Inaccuracies of fact and omissions that serve to substantially
distort the nature and significance of actual events in our history";
“Perspectives that encourage prejudice, bigotry and discrimination
towards fellow citizens, especially women and religious minorities,
and other towards nations” and “Omission of concepts ... that could
encourage critical self awareness among students”. (Nayyar & Salim
2003).The Pakistani Curriculum document for classes K-V stated in 1995
that "at the completion of Class-V, the child should be able to
"Understand Hindu-Muslim differences and the resultant need for
Pakistan. ”
[pg154]
A more recent textbook published in Pakistan titled "A Short History
of Pakistan" edited by Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi has been heavily
criticized by academic peer-reviewers for anti-Hindu biases and
prejudices that are consistent with Pakistani nationalism, where
Hindus are portrayed as "villains" and Muslims as "victims" living
under the "disastrous Hindu rule" and "betraying the Muslims to the
British", characterizations that academic reviewers fond "disquieting"
and having a "warped subjectivity".[52][53][54]
Ameer Hamza, a leader of the banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba,
wrote a highly derogatory book about Hinduism in 1999 called "Hindu Ki
Haqeeqat" ("Reality of (a) Hindu"); he was not prosecuted by the
Government.[55]
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the Bangladesh National Party is regarded as an anti-
Hindu party, and reportedly encourages anti-Hindu views and sentiments
among the Muslim majority.[citation needed] Prominent political
leaders frequently fall back on "Hindu bashing" in an attempt to
appeal to extremist sentiment and to stir up communal passions.[56] In
one of the most notorious utterances of a mainstream Bangladeshi
figure, the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, while leader of the
opposition in 1996, declared that the country was at risk of hearing
"uludhhwani" (a Bengali Hindu custom involving women's ululation) from
mosques, replacing the azaan (Muslim call to prayer) (eg, see Agence-
France Press report of 18 November 1996, "Bangladesh opposition leader
accused of hurting religious sentiment").
Even the supposedly secular Awami League is not immune from this kind
of scare-mongering. The current prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, was
alleged to have accused Bangladeshi Hindu leaders in New York of
having divided loyalties with "one foot in India and one in
Bangladesh". Successive events such as this have contributed to a
feeling of tremendous insecurity among the Hindu minority.[57]
The fundamentalists and right-wing parties such as the Bangladesh
Nationalist Party and Jatiya Party often portray Hindus as being
sympathetic to India, making accusations of dual loyalty and
allegations of transferring economic resources to India, contributing
to a widespread perception that Bangladeshi Hindus are disloyal to the
state. Also, the right wing parties claim the Hindus to be backing the
Awami League.[58]
As widely documented in international media, Bangladesh authorities
have had to increase security to enable Bangladeshi Hindus to worship
freely[59] following widespread attacks on places of worship and
devotees.
India
Extremist fringes within the broader movement for Dalits, such as
Dalit Voice have expressed anti-Hindu views and sentiments, demanding
the eradication of Hindus and expressing support for various Islamist
groups around the world.[60]
Other countries
South Africa
South Africa is home to a small Hindu minority. In 2006, the son of an
Islamic cleric named Ahmed Deedat, circulated a DVD that denounced
South African Hindus. The elder Deedat, former head of the Arab funded
"Islamic Propagation Centre International" (IPCI), had previously
circulated an anti-Hindu video in the 80's where he said that Indian
Muslims were 'fortunate' that their Hindu forefathers 'saw the light'
and converted to Islam when Muslim rulers dominated some areas of
India. His video was widely criticized. While Hindus in South Africa
have largely ignored the new anti-Hindu DVD circulated by Deedat
Junior, he has been severely criticized by local Muslims, including
other members of the IPCI.[citation needed]The IPCI said in a
statement that Yusuf Deedat did not represent the organisation in any
way. Deedat Junior, undeterred by the opposition from his own
brethren, continues to circulate the material.He has placed
advertisements in newspapers inviting anyone to collect a free copy
from his residence to see for themselves "what the controversy is
about".[61]
Anti-Hindu crimes
See also persecution of Hindus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Hindus
Hate crime statistics against Hindus in North American countries are
unavailable. However, it is believed that sporadic bouts of communal
and institutional hatred against Hindus have occurred, though their
frequency may have decreased in recent years. In the late 1980s a
Jersey City street gang calling themselves the "Dotbusters" targeted,
threatened and attacked South Asians, specifically Hindus.[62]
On July 20, 2006, The Hindu American Foundation represented Hindus as
a part of a coalition of civil rights, educational and religious
submitting comments to the Department of Justice on its implementation
of the Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA). Enacted by Congress in 1990,
the HCSA requires the Justice Department to acquire data on crimes
which "manifest prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation,
or ethnicity" from law enforcement agencies across the country and to
publish an annual report of its the findings.[63]
More recent anti-Hindu violence
There have been a number of more recent attacks on Hindu temples and
Hindus by Muslim militants. Prominent among them are the 1998 Chamba
massacre, the 2002 fidayeen attacks on Raghunath temple, the 2002
Akshardham Temple attack allegedly perpetrated by Islamic terrorist
outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba[64], the 2006 Lahore temple demolition, and the
2006 Varanasi bombings (supposedly perpetrated by Lashkar-e-Toiba),
resulting in many deaths and injuries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Chamba_massacre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_fidayeen_attacks_on_Raghunath_temple
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akshardham_Temple_attack
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lashkar-e-Toiba
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Lahore_temple_demolition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Varanasi_bombings
Further reading
Balagangadhara, S.N.; Sarah Claerhout (Spring 2008). "Are Dialogues
Antidotes to Violence? Two Recent Examples From Hinduism
Studies" (PDF). Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies 7
(19): 118–143. http://www.jsri.ro/new/?download=19_balagangadhara_claerhout.pdf.
External links
YouTube video of Rajan Zed prayer in Senate disrupted by Operation
Rescue America
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ9To30Hz7A
What Really Happened in 1947 ? An Open Letter to Khushwant Singh
http://www.khurmi.com/what1947.htm
See also
Decline of Hinduism in Pakistan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_Hinduism_in_Pakistan
Notes
^ [1][dead link]
^ Temple row - a dab of sensibility please
http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0412/features/index-print.shtml
^ a b Braverman, Amy M. (2006). "The interpretation of gods".
University of Chicago Magazine. http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0412/features/index-print.shtml.
Retrieved 2007-04-01. '
http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0412/features/index-print.shtml
http://www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/mm.htm
^ Nicholas F. Gier, FROM MONGOLS TO MUGHALS: RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE IN
INDIA 9TH-18TH CENTURIES, Presented at the Pacific Northwest Regional
Meeting American Academy of Religion, Gonzaga University, May,
2006[2]
^ Das, Arbind, Arthashastra of Kautilya and Fatwa-i-Jahandari of
Ziauddin Barrani:an analysis, Pratibha Publications, Delhi 1996, ISBN
81-85268-45-2 pgs 138-139
^ a b Verma, V.P, Ancient and Medieval Indian Political Thought,
Lakshmi Narasan Aggarwal Educational Publications, Agra 1986
pgs218-220
^ http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/05/09/stories/2003050902820400.htm
^ Lewin Bowring Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan and the struggle with the
Musalman powers of the south (Oxford: Clarendon Press) 1893
^ Valath, V. V. K. (1981) (in Malayalam). Keralathile
Sthacharithrangal - Thrissur Jilla. Kerala Sahithya Academy. pp. 74–
79.
^ Sharma, H.D (January 16, 1991). The Real Tipu. Rishi Publications,
Varanasi.
^ Kareem, C.K (1973) [1973]. Kerala Under Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan
P187. Kerala History Association : distributors, Paico Pub. House. p.
322.
^ a b http://newstodaynet.com/guest/3110gu1.htm
^ Rao, Hayavadana C.. History of Mysore 1399-1799: Incorporating the
latest Epigraphical, Literary and Historical Researches Vol. 3 pgs
1047-53. Bangalore Government Press.
^ W. Kirkpatrick Select Letters of Tippoo Sultan (London) 1811
^ M. Wilks Report on the Interior Administration, Resources and
Expenditure of the Government of Mysore under the System prescribed by
the Order of the Governor-General in Council dated 4 September 1799
(Bangalore) 1864 & Historical Sketches of the South of India in an
Attempt to Trace the History of Mysore Ed. M. Hammick (Mysore) 1930 2
Vols.
^ C.C. Davies "Review of The History of Tipu Sultan by Mohibbul Hasan"
in The English Historical Review Vol.68 №.266 (Jan, 1953) pp144-5
^ A. Subbaraya Chetty “Tipu’s endowments to Hindus and Hindu
institutions” in Habib (Ed.) Confronting Colonialism p111
^ Kate Brittlebank Tipu Sultan’s Search for Legitimacy: Islam and
Kingship in a Hindu domain (Delhi: Oxford University Press) 1997
^ Irfan Habib "War and Peace. Tippu Sultan's Account of the last Phase
of the Second War with the English, 1783-4" State and Diplomacy Under
Tipu Sultan (Delhi) 2001 p5; Mohibbul Hasan writes "The reasons why
Tipu was reviled are not far to seek. Englishmen were prejudiced
against him because they regarded him as their most formidable rival
and an inveterate enemy, and because, unlike other Indian rulers, he
refused to become a tributary of the English Company. Many of the
atrocities of which he has been accused were allegedly fabricated
either by persons embittered and angry on account of the defeats which
they had sustained at his hands, or by the prisoners of war who had
suffered punishments which they thought they did not deserve. He was
also misrepresented by those who were anxious to justify the wars of
aggression which the Company's Government had waged against him.
Moreover, his achievements were belittled and his character blackened
in order that the people of Mysore might forget him and rally round
the Raja, thus helping in the consolidation of the new regime" The
History of Tipu Sultan (Delhi) 1971 p368
^ Brittlebank Tipu Sultan’s search for legitimacy p10-12. On p2 she
writes “it is perhaps ironic that the aggressive Hinduism of some
members of the Indian Community in the 1990s should draw upon an image
of Tipu which, as we shall see, was initially constructed by the
Subcontinent’s colonizers.”
^ Saraswati's Children - Alan Machado Prabhu
^ Rao, R.P (1963). Portuguese Rule in Goa:1510-1961 P43. Asia
Publishing House.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.P_Rao
^ Hinduism Today | Sep 1993 http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1993/9/1993-9-12.shtml
^ Grant, Charles. (1796) Observations on the state of society among
the Asiatic subjects of Great Britain, particularly with respect to
morals; and on the means of improving it, written chiefly in the year
1792.
^ Chan Sucheng,Asian Americans: An Interpretive History,Twayne 1991
^ "Shut the gate to the Hindoo invasion", San Francisco examiner, June
6, 1910
^ Closed Borders and Mass Deportations: The Lessons of the Barred Zone
Act by Alicia J. Campi
http://www.ailf.org/ipc/barredzoneprint.asp
^ Joshi, Khyati, The Racialization of Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism in
the United States,Equity & Excellence in Education, Volume 39, Number
3, August 2006, pp. 211-226(16)
^ CHRISTIAN PAT ROBERTSON DENOUNCES HINDUISM AS "DEMONIC"
http://www.sullivan-county.com/news/pat_quotes/hindus.htm
^ "Using TV, Christian Pat Robertson Denounces Hinduism as "Demonic"".
Archived from the original on 2009-10-25. http://www.webcitation.org/5kmoc6zLH.
http://www.webcitation.org/5kmoc6zLH
^ Not to be outdone by Robertson, Mohler claimed that Buddhism,
Hinduism, and Marxism are "demonstration[s] of satanic power",Media
Matters
http://mediamatters.org/research/200603200013
^ a b US radio host apologises over anti-Hindu remarks, rediff.com
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jul/28hindu.htm
^ a b Denver Post / Author "regrets" for the "Racially Hateful"
article, Indiacause.com
http://www.ivarta.com/Cause/C29_denverpost.htm
^ Panel promotes understanding
http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2005/11/17/panelPromotesUnderstanding
^ HAF Protests Defamation of Hinduism in San Francisco Chronicle,
Hindu American Foundation
http://www.hinduamericanfoundation.org/media_letters_sfchronicle_hinduphobic.htm
^ HAF Responds to Hinduphobic Article in LA Times, Hindu American
Foundation
http://www.hinduamericanfoundation.org/media_letters_latimes_hinduphobic.htm
^ "Senate Prayer Led by Hindu Elicits Protest".
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/12/AR2007071202007.html.
Retrieved 2008-12-19.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/12/AR2007071202007.html
^ [3]
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/13/washington/13brfs-AHINDUPRAYER_BRF.html?ex=1341979200&en=851dbe33e5130b8d&ei=5124&partner=digg&exprod=digg
^ A link to YouTube video at YouTube http://www.youtube.com/videos
^ [4] http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070712205448.8n6ee52e&show_article=1&image=large
^ a b c [5] http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/politics/view.bg?articleid=1010979
^ [6] http://www.usinpac.com/news_details.asp?News_ID=66
^ Taliban to mark Afghan Hindus,CNN
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/politics/view.bg?articleid=1010979
^ a b US Lawmakers Condemn Taliban Treatment Of Hindus,CNSnews.com
http://www.usinpac.com/news_details.asp?News_ID=66
^ Taliban: Hindus Must Wear Identity Labels,People's Daily
http://archives.cnn.com/2001/fyi/news/05/22/taleban.hindus/index.html
^ Why are the Jews ‘kanjoos’? —Khaled Ahmed’s Review of the Urdu
press,Daily times (Pakistan)
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2005\10\21\story_21-10-2005_pg3_2
^ Why democracy didn't take roots in Pakistan?, Kashmir Herald
http://www.kashmirherald.com/featuredarticle/democracyinpakistan.html
^ Military drops leaflets in Waziristan, jang.com.pk
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2006-daily/24-03-2006/main/main5.htm
^ a b International Religious Freedom Report 2006 Published by the US
Department of State
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71443.htm
^ Pakistan http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71443.htm
^ Abuse of History in Pakistan: Bangladesh to Kargil, by Dr. Yvette C
Rosser
http://web.archive.org/web/20031114223934/http://www.mlists.net/sindh-intl/mail/mail_abuseofhistory.htm
^ Lehmann, F., 1968, Pacific Affairs, University of British Columbia,
pp. 644-645
^ Calkins, P. B. Pacific Affairs, University of British Columbia, pp.
643-644, 1968
http://www.jstor.org/
^ Ahmed, A., Pacific Affairs, University of British Columbia, pp.
645-647, 1968
http://www.jstor.org/view/0030851x/dm991959/99p1008i/0
^ International Religious Freedom Report 2004" Published by the US
Department of State
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35519.htm
^ Print Article - Wanted: Some Hindu spine
http://in.rediff.com/cms/print.jsp?docpath=/news/2005/aug/13guest1.htm
^ A Bleak Future for Bangladesh Hindu's, hinduismtoday.com
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/2000/2/2000-2-07.shtml
^ Amnesty International Report
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA13/006/2001
^ Security fears for Hindu festival, BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2310359.stm
^ Dalit Voice, 16 January 1993
^ South African Muslims reject anti-Hindu DVD,India Enews
http://www.indiaenews.com/africa/20060312/230.htm
^ U.S. Racial Attacks Evoke Self-Scrutiny, hinduismtoday.com
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1989/01/1989-01-09.shtml
^ Hindu American Foundation Comments on Hate Crime Statistics Act
Report
http://www.hinduamericanfoundation.org/media_press_release_hate_crime_statistics_act.htm
^ Bajrang Dal launches campaign,The Tribune
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20021021/ldh1.htm#6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti_Hindu
Intra-Hindu Prejudice
Shudra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shudra (IAST: Sanskrit and Hindi: शूद्र Śūdra, normally now spelled
Sudra or Súdra in English, which has produced a spelling
pronunciation[1]) is the lowest[citation needed] Varna in the
traditional four-section division in the Hindu caste system. Their
assigned and expected role in post-Vedic North India was that of
farmers, craftsmen, and labourers. The four Varnas are Brahmin,
Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. (Hindu society eventually came to
include a fifth pariah class,[citation needed] the lowest of all,
[citation needed] popularly known as "untouchables".)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraiyar
Origins
Whilst the origins of the other varnas can be traced to Proto-Indo-
European words, the word[clarification needed] is translated as the
Sanskrit word for color of the soul. In the Shanti Parva of
Mahabharata, it is said that there was only one Varna—Brahmana—in the
beginning. The other Varnas were formed depending on the dominance of
the three Gunas—Sattwa, Rajah and Tamah—in one's self.
Etymology
The etymology of the word is not certain. One theory is that Shudra
comes from the word śuchāt dravanam (शुचात् द्रवनम्)[citation needed]
a person who is in suffering/mourning/pain, who needs mental or
physical cleansing. This theory is however intended to demean the
significance of the Varna system. Shudra was a common Sanskrit word,
any person regardless of his/her varna to could be addressed as
shudra. An implied version of this common form has become
traditionally associated with the varna system. It is also mentioned
in the purusha-sukta of Rigveda where shudras are said to have
emanated from the feet of the lord (पद्भ्याम् शूद्र् अजायत padbhyām
śūdro ajāyata)[citation needed]. A very symbolic statement indeed. It
denotes that the three other varnas which made up the parts of purusha
(पुरुश, the lord) were supported by the shudras as the feet form the
supporting system of the entire body.[citation needed] This can be
understood clearly from the fact that the shudras were basically
farmers, potters, cobblers etc (anything the other three varnas would
not do viz, teaching, fighting and trade)[citation needed] and hence
they formed a support system for the entire society. Unfortunately,
direct misinterpretations of these vedic hymns have caused a lot of
unrest and confusion in the modern Hindu society. Vedas do not
establish supremacy of any varna over the other nor do they say head
of the Lord is superior to his feet. Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita
clarifies (Chapter 4 verse 13) states "catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-
karma-vibhagasah tasya kartaram api mam viddhy akartaram avyayam"
meaning that the fours varnas were established based on one's karma/
duties.[citation needed]
Jāti
Main article: Jāti
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C4%81ti
The theoretical and the original varnas carried to its extreme in the
ages following the "vajj" Indian period. Every Jāti claimed to belong
to some varna. Local variations of Jāti sub-castes exist within the
Shudra caste. A sub-caste is a local endogenous group practising a
lower end Shudras will be untouchable Dalits, i.e., Dalits are
considered as Shudra.[citation needed]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit
Shudras and North Indian society
It is commonly believed[who?] that the caste division is more
uniform[clarification needed] in North India than in South India. Some
prominent rulers of North India were believed to have originated from
the Shudra caste, e.g., the Nandas. Another feature of North Indian
society is the presence of castes or Jatis with conflicting Varna
status, e.g., Kayasthas, Khatris, etc.
Medieval royal dynasties
Inscriptions of Shudra dynasties declare that belonging to the fourth
varna was a matter of pride. An inscription of Singaya-Nayaka (1368
CE) says:[2]
The three castes, viz. Brahmanas and the next [Kshatriyas and
Vaishyas], were produced from the face, the arms and the thighs of the
Lord; and for their support was born the fourth caste from His feet.
That this caste is purer than the former [three] is self-evident; for
this caste was born along with the river Ganges [which also springs
from his feet], the purifier of the three worlds. The members of this
caste are eagerly attentive to their duties, not wicked, pure-minded,
and are devoid of passion and other such blemishes; they ably bear all
the burdens of the earth by helping those born in the kingly caste.
Another inscription relates how his relative Kapaya-Nayaka "rescued
the Andhra country from the ravages of the Mohammedans".[3]
Shudras outside India
See also: Balinese caste system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balinese_caste_system
Shudra as a Varna is seen amongst the Hindus of Nepal, Sri Lanka, and
Bali in Indonesia.[clarification needed] In Bali, they form 90% of the
practicing Hindu population. During the historic period,[when?] many
people in Java, Cambodia, and Champa (a region in Vietnam) were
considered to be Shudras[citation needed] prior to their conversion to
Islam or Buddhism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodia
See also
Other Backward Castes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_Backward_Castes
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prabhat_Ranjan_Sarkar
Hindu reform movements http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_reform_movements
Caste system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varna
Varna http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_system
Notes
^ "Who were the Shudras", B. R. Ambedkar http://www.saxakali.com/
^ Shudras in Ancient India, R. Chandra and K.L. Chanchreek. New Delhi,
Shree Pub., 2004, ISBN 81-88658-65-0.
^ Early Evidence for Caste in South India http://www.tamilnation.org/caste/hart.pdf
^ Oxford English Dictionary, s. v. "Sudra" sic
^ Sastri, K. Rama (1982). "Akkalapundi grant of Singaya-Nayaka: Saka-
Samvat 1290" Epigraphica Indica, vol. XIII. India: Archaeological
Survey of India. pp. 259ff., v.5–7.
^ Sastri, K. Rama (1982). "Akkalapundi grant of Singaya-Nayaka: Saka-
Samvat 1290" Epigraphica Indica, vol. XIII. India: Archaeological
Survey of India. p. 261.
External links
The Jati-Varna Matrix
http://www.hindubooks.org/sudheer_birodkar/hindu_history/castejati-varna.html
Caste System in Bengal
http://tanmoy.tripod.com/bengal/caste.html
Dictionary definition of Shudra
http://bopedia.com/en/wikipedia/s/sh/shudra.html
Contribution of Backward-caste Hindu Saints
http://hinduwiki.com/index.php?title=Backward-caste_Hindu_Saints
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shudra
Manusmṛti
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Manu Smriti)
Manusmṛti or Manusmriti (Sanskrit: मनुस्मृति), also known as Mānava-
Dharmaśāstra (Sanskrit: मानवधर्मशास्त्र), is the most important and
earliest metrical work of the Dharmaśāstra textual tradition of
Hinduism.[1] Generally known in English as the Laws of Manu, it was
first translated into English in 1794 by Sir William Jones, an English
Orientalist and judge of the British Supreme Court of Judicature in
Calcutta.[2] The text presents itself as a discourse given by Manu,
the progenitor of mankind to a group of seers, or rishis, who beseech
him to tell them the "law of all the social classes" (1.2). Manu
became the standard point of reference for all future Dharmaśāstras
that followed it.[3]
According to Hindu tradition, the Manusmriti records the words of
Brahma.[4] By attributing the words to supernatural forces, the text
takes on an authoritative tone as a statement on Dharma, in opposition
to previous texts in the field, which were more scholarly.[5]
Date and context
The text shows the obvious influence of previous Dharmasutras and
Arthasastric work. In particular, the Manu Smriti was the first to
adopt the term vyavaharapadas. These eighteen Titles of Law or Grounds
for Litigation make up more than one fifth of the work and deal
primarily with matters of the king, state, and judicial procedure.[5]
Though most scholars had previously considered the text a composite
put together over a long period of time, Olivelle has recently argued
that the complex and consistent structure of the text suggests a
single author. However, no details of this eponymous author's life are
known, though it is likely that he belonged to a conservative Brahmin
caste somewhere in Northern India.[3]
A range of historical opinion generally dates composition of the text
any time between 200 BCE and 200 CE.[6] After the breakdown of the
Maurya and Shunga empires, there was a period of uncertainty that led
to renewed interest in traditional social norms.[7] In Thapar's view,
"The severity of the Dharma-shastras was doubtless a commentary
arising from the insecurity of the orthodox in an age of flux."[8]
The dharma class of texts were also noteworthy because they did not
depend on the authority of particular Vedic schools, becoming the
starting point of an independent tradition that emphasized dharma
itself and not its Vedic origins.[9]
Structure
The original treatise consisted of one thousand chapters of law,
polity, and pleasure given by Brahmā. His son, Manu, learns these
lessons and proceeds to teach his own students, including Bhrigu.
Bhrigu then relays this information in the Manu Smriti, to an audience
of his own pupils.[10]
This original narrative was subdivided later into twelve chapters.
There is debate over the effects of this division on the underlying,
holistic manner in which the original treatise was written.[11] The
book is written in simple verse as opposed to the metrical verse of
the preceding dharmasutras. Manu also introduced a unique
“transitional verse” which segued the end of one subject and the
beginning of the next.
The treatise is written with a frame story, in which a dialogue takes
place between Manu’s disciple, Bhrigu, and an audience of his own
students. The story begins with Manu himself detailing the creation of
the world and the society within it, structured around four social
classes. Bhrigu takes over for the remainder of the work, teaching the
details of the rest of Manu’s teachings. The audience reappears twice
more, asking first to ask about how Brahmins can be subjected to
death, and second to ask the effects of action.[12]
Table of Contents
This Table of Contents comes from Olivelle's translation of the Manu
Smriti and provides the transitional verses between each subject:[13]
1. Origin of the World (1.1-119)
2. Sources of the Law (2.1-24)
"I have described to you above succinctly the source of the Law, as
also the origin of this whole world. Learn now the Laws of the social
classes." (2.25)
3. Dharma of the Four Social Classes (2.25-11.266)
3.1 Rules Relating to Law (2.25-10.131)
3.1.1 Rules of Action in Normal Times (2.26-9.336)
3.1.1.1 Fourfold Dharma of a Brahmin (2.26-6.97)
"I have explained to you above the fourfold Law of Brahmins, a Law
that is holy and brings imperishable rewards after death. Listen now
to the Law of kings." (6.97)
3.1.1.2 Rules of Action for a King (7.1-9.325)
"I have described above in its entirety the eternal rules of action
for the king. What follows, one should understand, are the rules of
action for the Vaiśyas and Śūdras in their proper order." (9.325)
3.1.1.3 Rules of Action for Vaiśyas and Śūdras (9.325-36)
"I have described above the splendid rules of action for the social
classes outside times of adversity. Listen now to the rules for them
in the proper order for times of adversity." (9.336)
3.1.2 Rules of Action in Times of Adversity (10.1-129)
"I have described above the entire set of rules pertaining to the Law
of the four classes. Next, I will explain the splendid rules
pertaining to penance." (10.131)
3.2 Rules Relating to Penance (11.1-265)
"You have described this Law for the four classes in its entirety, O
Sinless One! Teach us accurately the ultimate consummation of the
fruits of actions." (12.1)
4. Determination Regarding Engagement in Action (12.3-116)
"Bhrgu, the son of Manu and the very embodiment of the Law, said to
those great seers: ‘Listen to the determination with respect to
engagement in action.’" (12.2)
4.1 Fruits of Action (12.3-81)
"I have declared to you above all the fruits arising from actions.
Listen now to these rules of action for a Brahmin, rules that secure
the supreme good." (12.82)
4.2 Rules of Action for Supreme God (12.83-115)
"I have explained to you above all the best means of securing the
supreme good. A Brahmin who does not deviate from them obtains the
highest state." (12.116)
Nature and Purpose
The Manu Smriti is written with a focus on the “shoulds” of dharma
rather than on the actuality of everyday practice in India at the
time. Still, its practical application should not be underestimated.
Through intermediate forces such as the instruction of scholars, the
teachings did indeed have indirect effect on major segments of the
Indian population. It is also an invaluable point of common reference
in scholarly debates.[14]
It seems likely that the book was written in a manner which was very
mindful to the dangers facing the Brahmin community during a time of
much change and social upheaval. A renewed alliance between the
Brahmin and Kṣatra communities is clearly a goal reflected in the
introduction of the vyavahārapadas.[15] The emphasis which this topic
receives can be seen as an offering of solidarity from the religious
community to the ruling class.
Commentaries on Manu
There have been numerous commentaries written on the Manu Smṛti. Some
of the major commentaries are listed below:
Bhāruci
Bhāruci is the oldest known commentator on the Manu Smṛti. Kane places
him in the late 10th or early 11 century,[16] Olivelle places him in
the 8th century,[17] and Derrett places him between 600-650 CE.[17]
From these three opinions we can place Bhāruci anywhere from the early
seventh century CE to the early eleventh century CE. The surviving
portion of Bhāruci's commentary that we have today deals mostly with
the duties of the king and whether or not the king can be a source of
dharma.
Medhātithi
Medhātithi is one of the most famous commentators on the Manu Smṛti,
and there is some debate regarding the location in which he was
writing, but scholars such as Buhler, Kane, and Lingat tend to believe
he was from Kashmir or the area around Kashmir. The exact date that
Medhātithi was writing is also unclear, and he has been placed
anywhere between 820CE and 1050CE.[18]
Economic Ideas
Economic Ideas Embedded in Manusmriti has been given in detail by
Ratan Lal Basu.[19]
Views and criticism
The work is considered an important source for sociological, political
and historical studies. Manu Smriti is one of the most heavily
criticized of the scriptures of Hinduism, having been attacked by
colonial scholars, modern liberals, Hindu reformists, Dalit advocates,
feminists[20] , Marxists and certain groups of traditional Hindus,
namely Smartas[citation needed]. Much of its criticism stems from its
unknown authority, as some believe the text to be authoritative, but
others do not. There is also debate over whether the text has suffered
from later interpolations of verses.
In northern/southern India Vaishnavism and Shaivism were the common
religious traditions, and the teachings of the Manu Smriti was not as
widely followed or well-known.
In 300 BCE, Megasthenes wrote that the people around the Mathura
region worshipped Harculas (Hari-Krishna) and followed the Gita as
daily life principles. Also Faxian did not mention anything about
rigid-ness of the varna systems. Chanakya, the author of Arthashastra,
never mentioned any social laws prevailing in the society during the
first integrator and Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta's reign.
The Manu Smriti was one of the first Sanskrit texts studied by the
British. It was first translated into English by the founder of
indology, Sir William Jones. His version was published in 1794.[21]
British administrative requirements encouraged their interest in the
Dharmashastras, which they believed to be legal codes. In fact, these
were not codes of law but norms related to social obligations and
ritual requirements.[22] According to Avari:
The text was never universally followed or acclaimed by the vast
majority of Indians in their history; it came to the world's attention
through a late eighteenth-century translation by Sir William Jones,
who mistakenly exaggerated both its antiquity and its importance.
Today many of its ideas are popularised as the golden norm of
classical Hindu law by Hindu universalists. They are, however,
anathema to modern thinkers and particularly feminists.[23]
The "Law of Manu" was cited favorably by the German philosopher
Friedrich Nietzsche, who deemed it "an incomparably spiritual and
superior work" to the Christian Bible. He observed that "the sun
shines on the whole book" and attributed its ethical perspective to
"the noble classes, the philosophers and warriors, [who] stand above
the mass."[24] However, he also criticized it for its abusive
treatment of the chandala, claiming that "this organization too found
it necessary to be terrible."[25]
Surendra Kumar, who counts a total of 2,685 verses, finds that only
1,214 are authentic, the other 1,471 being interpolations on the text.
[26] In reply to the criticism of the sudra caste, the verses critical
of the sudras and women are considered to be later interpolations, but
not later than Adi Shankara (7th-8th century CE). The law in Manu
Smriti also appears to be overtly positive towards the brahmin
(priest) caste in terms of concessions made in fines and punishments.
The stance of the Manu Smriti about women has also been debated. While
certain verses such as (III - 55, 56, 57, 59, 62) glorify the position
of women, other verses (IX - 3, 17) seem to attack the position and
freedom women have. The education of women is also discussed in the
text. Certain interpretations of Verse (IX - 18) claim that it
discourages women from reading Vedic scriptures. Verse (II - 240),
however, allows women to read Vedic scriptures. Similar contradictory
phrases are encountered in relation to child marriage in verses (IX -
94) and (IX - 90).
In his book Revolution and Counter-Revolution in India, Dalit leader
B. R. Ambedkar asserted that Manu Smriti was written by a sage named
Brigu during the times of Pushyamitra of Sangha in connection with
social pressures caused by the rise of Buddhism.[27] However,
historian Romila Thapar considers these claims to be exaggerations.
She writes that archaeological evidence casts doubt on the claims of
Buddhist persecution by Pushyamitra.[28] Support of the Buddhist faith
by the Sungas at some point is suggested by an epigraph on the gateway
of Bharhut, which mentions its erection "during the supremacy of the
Sungas"[29] Hinduism does not evangelize.[30]
However, not all Hindus agree with the criticisms of the text, or the
assertion that the Manu Smriti is not authoritative. Some prominent
Hindu figures, such as Swami Dayananda Saraswati[31] and A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami,[32] hold the text to be authentic and
authoritative. Other admirers of the text have included Annie Besant,
P.D. Ouspensky, Pandurang Shastri Athavale and Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan. Friedrich Nietzsche is noted to have said "Close the
Bible and open the Manu Smriti. “It has an affirmation of life, a
triumphing agreeable sensation in life and that to draw up a lawbook
such as Manu means to permit oneself to get the upper hand, to become
perfection, to be ambitious of the highest art of living"[33]
Notes
^ See Flood 1996: 56 and Olivelle 2005.
^ Jones's translation is available online as The Institutes of Hindu
Law: Or, The Ordinances of Manu, Calcutta: Sewell & Debrett, 1796.
^ a b Olivelle, "Literary History," p. 16.
^ Olivelle(2004), p. xx.
^ a b Olivelle, Literary History, p. 17.
^ For composition between 200 BCE and 200 CE see: Avari, p. 142. For
dating of composition "between the second century BCE and third
century CE" see: Flood (1996), p. 56. For dating of Manu Smriti in
"final form" to the second century CE, see: Keay, p. 103. For dating
as completed some time between 200 BCE and 100 CE see: Hopkins, p. 74.
For probable origination during the second or third centuries AD, see:
Kulke and Rothermund, p. 85. For the text as preserved dated to around
the 1st century BCE. see: Encyclopedia Britannica Concise,
http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9371223/Manu-smrti,
retrieved 2007-06-24
^ For significance of post-empire social uncertainty as a factor in
the development of the Code of Manas, see: Kulke and Rothermund, p.
85.
^ Tharpar (2002), p. 279.
^ For the dharmashastras, including Manu Smriti, as the starting point
for an independent tradition not dependent on Vedic origins, see:
Hopkins, p. 74.
^ Olivelle(2004), pp. xxi-xxii.
^ Olivelle(2004), pp. xxvii.
^ Olivelle(2004), p. xxv.
^ Olivelle(2004), pp. xxviii-xxix.
^ Olivelle(2004), p. xxli.
^ Olivelle, Literary History, p. 19.
^ Kane, P. V., History of Dharmaśāstra, (Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental
Research Institute, 1975), Volume I, Part I, 566.
^ a b Olivelle, Patrick, "Dharmaśāstra: A Literary History", 29.
^ Kane, P. V., History of Dharmaśāstra, (Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental
Research Institute, 1975), Volume I, Part II, 583.
^ Ratan Lal Basu & Rajkumar Sen, 2008, Ancient Indian Economic
Thought, Relevance for Today, ISBN 81-316-0125-0, Rawat Publications,
New Delhi
^ For objections to the work by feminists, see: Avari, pp. 142-143.
^ For Manu Smriti as one of the first Sanskrit texts noted by the
British and translation by Sir William Jones in 1794, see: Flood
(1996), p. 56.
^ For British interest in Dharmashastras due to administrative needs,
and their misinterpretation of them as legal codes rather than as
social and ritual texts, see: Thapar (2002), pp. 2-3.
^ Avari, p. 142.
^ Friedrich Nietzche, The Antichrist (1888), 56-57.
^ Friedrich Nietzche, Twilight of the Idols (1888).
^ Surendra Kumar, Vishuddha Manusmriti, (Arsh Sahitya Prachar Trust,
Delhi, Fourth Edition), p. 5.
^ Revolution and Counter-Revolution in India
^ Romila Thapar, Asoka and the Decline of the Mauryas, Oxford
University Press (1960) p. 200.
^ John Marshall, "An Historical and Artistic Description of Sanchi",
from A Guide to Sanchi, citing p. 11. Calcutta: Superintendent,
Government Printing (1918). Pp. 7-29 on line, Project South Asia.
^ K. V. Rao, Socialism, Secularism, and Democracy in India, pp. 28-30.
Nagendra K. Singh, Enforcement of Human Rights in Peace and War and
the Future of Humanity, p. 35. Martinus Nijhoff (1986) ISBN
9024733022
^ The Light of Truth, Chapter 4
^ Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 16 Text 7 - "...Even up to today,
those who are Hindu follow the Manu-samhita..."
^ Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power, vol. 1.
References
Flood, Gavin (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press. ISBN 0-521-43878-0.
Hopkins, Thomas J. (1971). The Hindu Religious Tradition. Belmont,
California: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
Keay, John (2000). India: A History. New York: Grove Press. ISBN
0-8021-3797-0.
Kulke, Hermann; Rothermund, Dietmar (1986). A History of India. New
York: Barnes & Noble. ISBN 0-88029-577-5.
Olivelle, Patrick (2005). Manu's Code of Law: A Critical Edition and
Translation of the Mānava-Dharmaśāstra. Oxford: Oxford University
Press. ISBN 0-195-17146-2.
Thapar, Romila (2002). Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300.
Berkeley, California: University of California Press. ISBN
0-520-24225-4.
Translation by G. Bühler (1886). Sacred Books of the East: The Laws of
Manus (Vol. XXV). Oxford. Available online as The Laws of Manu
"The Laws of Manu". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton
Company. 1913. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/The_Laws_of_Manu.
Olivelle, Patrick (2004). The Law Code of Manu. New York: OUP. ISBN
0192802712.
Olivelle, Patrick (to be published). "Dharmasastra: A Literary
History". in Lubin, Timothy; Krishnan, Jayanth; and Davis, Jr., Donald
R.. Law and Hinduism: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manu_Smriti
Hindu
Ramendra Nath
Originally published by Bihar Rationalist Society (Bihar Buddhiwadi
Samaj) 1993.
Electronically reprinted with permission.
I have read and admired Bertrand Russell's Why I Am Not a Christian.
On the other hand, I have also read and disagreed with M.K.Gandhi's
Why I Am a Hindu. My acquaintance with these writings has inspired me
to write this essay explaining why I am not a Hindu, though I was born
in a Hindu family.
The Meaning of "Hindu"
The word "Hindu" is a much-abused word in the sense that it has been
used to mean different things at different times. For example, some
people even now, at least some times, use the word "Hindu" as a
synonym for "Indian". In this sense of the term, I am certainly a
"Hindu" because I do not deny being an Indian. However, I do not think
that this a proper use of the term "Hindu". There are many Indians
such as Muslims, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians as well as
rationalists, humanists and atheists who do not call themselves
"Hindu" and also do not like to be described as such. It is certainly
not fair to convert them into Hinduism by giving an elastic definition
of the term "Hindu". Besides, it is also not advisable to use the word
"Hindu" in this sense from the point of view of clarity. The word
"Hindu" may have been used in the beginning as a synonym for
"Indian" [1], but, at present, the word is used for people with
certain definite religious beliefs. The word "Hindu" belongs to the
category of words like "Muslim", "Christian", "Buddhist" and "Jain"
and not to the category of words like "American", "British",
"Australian", "Chinese" or "Japanese". There are, in fact, many
Indians who are not Hindus, and on the other hand, there are many
Hindus who are not Indians , for example, those who are citizens of
Nepal, Sri Lanka and some other countries.
In the religious sense, the word, "Hindu" is often used broadly to
include Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs in addition to those who are
described as "Hindu" in this most restricted sense of the term, that
is, the adherents of Vedic or Brahmin religion. For example, the
expression "Hindu" is used in the Hindu law not only for those who are
Hindu by religion but also for persons who are Buddhists, Jains and
Sikhs by religion. This, again, is too broad a definition of "Hindu".
If we consistently use the word "Hindu" in this sense, we will have to
say that Japan is a Hindu country!
The above definition of "Hindu" is clearly inadequate from a
philosophical point of view. Buddhism and Jainism, for instance,
explicitly reject the doctrine of the infallibility of the Vedas and
the system of varna-vyavastha, which are fundamental to Hinduism, that
is, if the term "Hinduism" is used in its most restricted sense.
Therefore, clubbing together Buddhists and Jains or even Sikhs with
those who believe in the infallibility of the Vedas and subscribe to
the varna-vyavastha is nothing but an invitation to confusion.
Though I agree with Buddhism in its rejection of god, soul,
infallibility of the Vedas and the varna-vyavastha, still I am not a
Hindu even in this broad sense of the term "Hindu", because as a
rationalist and humanist I reject all religions including Buddhism,
Jainism and Sikhism. However, in this essay I am concerned with
explaining why I am not a Hindu in the most appropriate sense of the
term "Hindu", that is, the sense in which a person is a Hindu if his
religion is Hinduism in the restricted sense of the term " Hinduism".
In this restricted sense of "Hinduism", Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism
are excluded from its scope. I also maintain that this is, at present,
probably the most popular sense of the term, and every body should, in
the interest of clarity, confine its use, as far as possible, to this
sense only, at least in philosophical discourse.
Radhakrishnan, for example, has used the term "Hindu" and "Hinduism"
in this restricted sense when he says in his The Hindu View of Life
that, "The chief sacred scriptures of Hindus, the Vedas register the
intuitions of the perfected souls." [2] Or, when he says that
"Hinduism is the religion not only of the Vedas but of the Epics and
the Puranas." [3]
Basic Beliefs of Hinduism
Gandhi, too, has used the term "Hindu" in this restricted sense, when
writing in Young India in October, 1921, he says:
I call myself a sanatani Hindu, because,
I believe in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas and all that goes
by the name of Hindu scriptures, and therefore in avatars and
rebirth.
I believe in the Varnashram dharma in a sense in my opinion strictly
Vedic, but not in its present popular and crude sense.
I believe in the protection of the cow in its much larger sense than
the popular.
I do not disbelieve in idol-worship. [4]
One may be tempted to ask, at this point, whether all the beliefs
listed by Gandhi are really fundamental to Hinduism. In my opinion,
(I) the belief in the authenticity of the Vedas and (II) the belief in
the varnashram dharma are more basic to Hinduism than the belief in
cow-protection and idol-worship. [5] Though it cannot be denied that,
in spite of attempts by reformers like Kabir, Rammohan Roy and
Dayanand Saraswati, idol-worship is still practiced widely by the
Hindu masses, and there is, at present, a taboo on eating beef among a
large number of Hindus. In any case, I am in a position to establish
the fact of my not being a Hindu by asserting the contradictory of
each of the above statements made by Gandhi:
In other words, I assert that I am not a Hindu, because,
I do not believe in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas and all
that goes by the name of Hindu scriptures, and therefore in avatars
and rebirth.
I do not believe in the varnashram dharma or varna-vyavastha either in
the sense in which it is explained in Hindu dharma shastras like
Manusmriti or in the so-called Vedic sense.
I do not believe in the Hindu taboo of not eating beef.
I disbelieve in idol-worship.
However, while explaining why I am not a Hindu, I will concentrate
mainly on (I) the belief in the authenticity of the Vedas, and (II)
the varnashram dharma , which I consider more fundamental to Hinduism.
Besides, in the concluding section of the essay, I will briefly
discuss moksha, which is regarded as the highest end of life in
Hinduism, and some other Hindu doctrines like karmavada and
avatarvada.
The infallibility of the Vedas
First of all, let me explain what do I mean by saying that "I do not
believe in the Vedas", and why I do not do so.
The schools of ancient Indian thought are generally classified by
orthodox Hindu thinkers into two broad categories, namely, orthodox
( astika) and heterodox ( nastika). The six main Hindu systems of
thought -- Mimamsa, Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya and Vaisheshika --
are regarded as orthodox ( astika), not because they believe in the
existence of god, but because they accept the authority of the Vedas.
[6]
Out of the six orthodox systems of Hindu thought, Nyaya system is
primarily concerned with the conditions of correct thinking and the
means of acquiring true knowledge. According to Nyaya system, there
are four distinct and separate sources of knowledge, namely, (i)
perception (ii) inference (iii) comparison, and (iv) testimony or
shabda.
Shabda, which is defined in the Nyaya system as "valid verbal
testimony" is further classified into (i) the scriptural ( vaidika),
and (ii) the secular ( laukika). Vaidika or scriptural testimony is
believed to be the word of god, and therefore, it is regarded as
perfect and infallible .[7]
Mimamsa or Purva Mimamsa, another orthodox Hindu system is "the
outcome of the ritualistic side of the vedic culture". However, in its
attempt to justify the authority of the Vedas, Mimamsa elaborately
discusses different sources of valid knowledge. Naturally enough,
among the various "sources of valid knowledge", Mimamsa pays greatest
attention to testimony or authority, which, too, is regarded by it as
a valid source of knowledge. There are, according to Mimamsa, two
kinds of authority -- personal ( paurusheya) and impersonal
( apaurusheya). The authority of the Vedas is regarded by Mimamsa as
impersonal. [8]
As mentioned earlier, according to Nyaya, the authority of the Vedas
is derived from their being the words of god. But Mimamsa, which does
not believe in the existence of god, declares that the Vedas like the
world, are eternal. They are not the work of any person, human or
divine. The infallibility of the authority of the Vedas, according to
Mimamsa, rests on the "fact" that they are not vitiated by any defect
to which the work of imperfect persons is liable. [9]
Thus, orthodox Hindu schools like Nyaya and Mimamsa regard the
testimony of the Vedas as infallible, though they give different
reasons for doing so. Well-known orthodox Hindu theologians like
Shankar and Ramanuja believed in the authority of the Vedas.
Manusmriti, too, upholds the infallibility of the Vedas. As pointed
out by S.N.Dasgupta, "The validity and authority of the Vedas were
acknowledged by all Hindu writers and they had wordy battles over it
with the Buddhists who denied it." [10]
The point worth noting is that though popularly Hinduism is a theistic
religion, it is not essential to believe in the existence of god for
being an orthodox Hindu -- belief in the authority of the Vedas is
more important.
When I say, "I do not believe in the Vedas", what I mean is that I do
not regard the testimony of the Vedas as a valid source of knowledge.
In other words when I say, "I do not believe in the Vedas", I do not
mean that each and every proposition contained in the Vedas is false.
It is quite possible that one may find a few true statements in the
Vedas after great amount of patient research. But I assert that the
truth or the falsity of a proposition is logically independent of its
being contained or not contained in the Vedas. A proposition is true
if there is a correspondence between the belief expressed by it and
the facts. Otherwise, it is false. So, a proposition contained in the
Vedas might be true, that is, if there is a correspondence between the
belief expressed by it and the facts, but it is, I insist, not true
because it is contained in the Vedas. I categorically reject as
invalid every argument of the form: "The proposition P is contained in
the Vedas. Therefore, the proposition P is true".
Besides, I also assert that some propositions contained in the Vedas
are certainly false. For example, according to Purusha-Sukta of Rig
Veda , Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras originated
respectively from the mouth, hands, thighs and feet of the purusha or
the creator. I categorically reject this statement as false. I
maintain that varna-vyavastha is a man-made social institution and it
has nothing to do with the alleged creator of this world.
I also reject both the reasons put forward in support of the
infallibility of the Vedas. I neither regard them to be "the words of
god" nor I consider them to be eternal and impersonal. I believe that
Vedas were conceived, spoken and written by human beings. The question
of their being "words of god" simply does not arise, because there are
no good reasons for believing in the existence of god. The existence
of an omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent god is totally
inconsistent with the presence of suffering and evil in this world. It
is impossible for god to exist. [11]
Similarly, Vedas could not have come into existence before human
beings appeared on this earth, and before Sanskrit language came into
existence. And there are no good reasons for believing that Sanskrit
language came into existence even before human beings appeared on this
earth!
As far as Gandhi is concerned, though he liked to describe himself as
a sanatani Hindu, he was, in fact, not a completely orthodox Hindu.
For example, in the article quoted earlier in this essay Gandhi goes
on to add, "I do not believe in the exclusive divinity of the Vedas. I
believe the Bible, the Koran, and the Zend-Avesta to be as much
divinely inspired as the Vedas. My belief in the Hindu scriptures does
not require me to accept every word and every verse as divinely
inspired, I decline to be bound by any interpretation, however learned
in may be, if it is repugnant to reason or moral sense. "[12](emphasis
mine)
I seriously doubt that this position will be acceptable to an orthodox
Hindu. In fact, Gandhi's position comes very close to that of
rationalists and humanists when he says that "I decline to be bound by
any interpretation however learned it may be, if it is repugnant to
reason and moral sense". However, since he refused to say in so many
words that he did not believe in the authority of the Vedas, Gandhi
may be described, in my opinion, as a liberal Hindu with an eclectic
approach towards religion. On the other hand, my position is radically
different from that of Gandhi, because I do not consider either the
Vedas or the Bible, the Koran and Zend-Avesta or any other book to be
divinely inspired.
Varna-vyavastha
Before discussing varna-vyavastha or varnashram dharma, let me clarify
in the very beginning that I am not interested in giving my own
interpretation of what varna-vyavastha is or ought to be in its ideal
form. I am interested, firstly, in giving an objective exposition of
varna-vyavastha as contained in recognized Hindu scriptures like Vedas
and dharmashastras like Manusmriti; and secondly, in mentioning my
reasons for rejecting varna-vyavastha. In doing so I will concentrate
on the chaturvarnya (four-fold division of society) aspect of varna-
vyavastha.
We have already noted that the first reference to varna (class based
on birth or caste) is to be found in the Purusha-Sukta of the Rig
Veda . The reference to the four ashrams or stages of life, namely,
Brahmcharya, Garhastya, Vanprashta and Sanyas is to be found in the
Upanishads. These are, in their turn, related to the four purusarthas
or ends of life, namely, dharma (duty), artha (wealth), kama
(satisfaction of sensual desires) and moksha (liberation). Out of
these, the Upanishads attach maximum value to sanyas ashram and moksha
purusartha, which is regarded as the highest end of life. [13]
The system of varnashram dharma is upheld by popular Hindu scriptures
like Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagvat-Gita. In Ramayana, for example,
Ram kills Shambuka simply because he was performing tapasya (ascetic
exercises) which he was not supposed to do as he was a Shudra by
birth. [14]
Similarly, in Mahabharata, Dronacharya refuses to teach archery to
Eklavya, because he was not a Kshatriya by birth. When Eklavya,
treating Drona as his notional guru, learns archery on his own, Drona
makes him cut his right thumb as gurudakshina (gift for the teacher)
so that he may not become a better archer than his favorite Kshatriya
student Arjuna!
The much-glorified Bhagvat-Gita, too, favors varna-vyavastha.[15] When
Arjuna refuses to fight, one of his main worries was that the war
would lead to the birth of varna-sankaras or offspring from
intermixing of different varnas and the consequent "downfall" of the
family. [16] On the other hand, Krishna tries to motivate Arjuna to
fight by saying that it was his varna-dharma (caste-duty) to do so
because he was a Kshatriya. In fact, Krishna goes to the extent of
claiming that the four varnas were created by him only. [17] Thus,
Arjuna's main problem was being born a Kshatriya. Had he been a
Brahmin or a Vaishya or a Shudra by birth, he would have been spared
the trouble of fighting a destructive war. Even the much-applauded
doctrine of niskama karma is nothing but an exhortation to faithfully
perform one's varnashram dharma in a disinterested manner. [18]
The celebrated orthodox Hindu theologian Shankar, too, was a supporter
of varna-vyavastha. According to him, Shudras are not entitled to
philosophical knowledge. [19] However, the most elaborate exposition
of varnashram dharma is to be found in Manusmriti, an important
dharmashastra of Hindus. Let us turn to it in order to have a close
look at the varna-vyavastha.
Manusmriti
In the very first chapter of Manusmriti, it is clearly stated that
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras were created by Brahma
(creator of this world) from his mouth, hands, thighs and feet
respectively. [20]
Manu claims that the same Brahma, who created this world, also created
Manusmriti and taught it to him. [21]
The duties of the different varnas are also mentioned in the
Manusmriti. The Brahmins were created for teaching, studying,
performing yajnas (ceremonial sacrifices), getting yajnas performed,
giving and accepting dan (gifts).[22] The Kshatriyas were created for
protecting the citizens, giving gifts, getting yajnas performed and
studying. [23] The Vaishyas were created for protecting animals,
giving gifts, getting yajnas performed, studying, trading, lending
money on interest and doing agricultural work. [24] The Shudras were
created by Brahma for serving Brahmins and the other two varnas
without being critical of them. [25]
It is interesting to note that studying, getting yajnas performed and
giving gifts or charity are common duties of Brahmins, Kshatriyas and
Vaishyas; whereas teaching, accepting gifts and performing yajnas are
reserved exclusively for Brahmins. The Shudras, of course, are denied
the rights to study, getting yajnas performed by Brahmins or even
giving gifts to them.
Manusmriti further states that having originated from the mouth of
Brahma, being elder and being the repository of the Vedas; Brahmins
are the masters of the entire universe. [26] Besides, Brahmins alone
act as a sort of post office for transmitting food to the gods and the
dead, that is to say, the gods and the dead eat food through the
mouths of Brahmins (apparently because they do not have mouths of
their own). Therefore, no one can be superior to Brahmins.[27] All
others are said to enjoy everything owing to the Brahmins' mercy.[28]
The Manusmriti clearly states that Brahmins alone are entitled to
teach this dharmashastra and none else. [29]
Manusmriti refers to the Vedas, which are to be regarded as the main
valid source of knowledge about dharma, as shruti and to
dharmashastras as smriti. No one is to argue critically about them
because religion has originated from them. [30] Any nastika (non-
believer) or critic of the Vedas, who "insults" them on the basis of
logic, is worthy of being socially boycotted by "noble" persons. [31]
In short, the main features of chaturvarnya as elaborated in the
Manusmriti are as follows:
1. Division of Hindu society into four varnas on the basis of birth.
Out of these only the first three, namely , Brahmins , Kshatriya and
Vaishya, who are collectively known as dwija (twice-born) are entitled
to upanayan and the study of the Vedas. Shudras as well as women of
dwija varnas are denied the right to study.
2. Assigning different duties and occupations for different varnas.
This is to be enforced strictly by the king. [32] According to
Manusmriti, if a person of lower caste adopts the occupation of a
higher caste, the king ought to deprive him of all his property and
expel him from his kingdom. [33]
3. Treating Brahmins as superior and other varnas, namely, Kshatriya,
Vaishya and Shudra as inferior to him in descending order with the
Shudra occupying the bottom of the hierarchy. A Brahmin is to be
treated as god and respected even if he is ignorant. Even a hundred-
year old Kshatriya is to treat a ten year old Brahmin as his father.
[34] Brahmin alone is entitled to teach. If a Shudra dares to give
moral lessons to a Brahmin, the king is to get him punished by pouring
hot oil in his ear and mouth. [35] Similarly, if a Shudra occupies the
same seat as a Brahmin, he is to be punished by branding his waist
(with hot rod) or getting his buttocks cut! [36]
4. Treating women as unequal. Women, that is, even women belonging to
Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya varna are not entitled to upanayan and
the study of the Vedas. For them, marriage is equivalent to upanayan
and service of their husbands is equivalent to the study of the Vedas
in the gurukul.[37] Even if the husband is morally degraded, engaged
in an affair with another woman and is devoid of knowledge and other
qualities, the wife must treat him like a god. [38] A widower is
allowed to remarry but a widow is not. [39] Besides, women are not
considered fit for being free and independent. They are to be
protected in their childhood by father, in youth by husband and in old
age by son. [40] They should never be allowed by their guardians to
act independently. [41] A woman must never do anything even inside her
home without the consent of her father, husband and son respectively.
[42] She must remain in control of her father in childhood, of husband
in youth and of son after the death of her husband. [43]
5. Treating different varnas as unequal for legal purposes. The Hindu
law as codified by Manu is based on the principle of inequality. The
punishment for a particular crime is not same for all varnas. In fact,
the punishment varies depending on the varna of the victim as well as
the varna of the person committing the crime. For the same crime, the
Brahmin is to be given a mild punishment, whereas the Shudra is to
given the harshest punishment of all. Similarly, if the victim of a
crime is a Shudra, the punishment is mild, and the punishment is harsh
in case the victim is a Brahmin. For example, if a Brahmin is awarded
death sentence, it is sufficient to shave his head, but Kshatriya,
Vaishya and Shudra are to actually die. [44] If a Kshatriya, a
Vaishya, or a Shudra repeatedly gives false evidence in the court, he
is to be punished and expelled from the kingdom, whereas the Brahmin
is not to be punished, he is to be only expelled. [45] If a person has
sexual intercourse with a consenting women of his own varna, he is not
to be punished. [46] But if a person of lower varna has sexual
intercourse with a woman of higher varna, with or without her consent,
he is to be killed. [47] If a Brahmin forces a dwija to work for him,
he is to be punished. [48] But if a Brahmin forces a Shudra to work
for him, whether by making or not making payments to him, he is not to
be punished, because Shudras have been created only for serving
Brahmins.[49] If a Brahmin abuses a Shudra, he is to be fined mildly,
[50] but if a Shudra abuses a Brahmin, he is to be killed. [51] On the
other hand, even if a Brahmin kills a Shudra, he is merely to perform
penance by killing a cat, frog, owl or crow, etc. [52] Thus a Shudra
is to be killed for abusing a Brahmin, whereas a Brahmin is to be let
off lightly even if he kills a Shudra. Such is the unequal justice of
Manusmriti.
In fact, this system of graded inequality seems to be the very essence
of the varna-vyavastha. Whether it is the choice of names, [53] or the
manner of greeting, [54] or the mode of entertaining guests, [55] or
the method of administering oath in the court, [56] or the process of
taking out the funeral procession, [57] at each and every step in
life, from birth to death, this system of graded inequality is to be
applied and observed. Manu does not even spare the rates of interest
on loan. For borrowing the same amount, Kshatriya has to pay more as
interest than Brahmin, Vaishya more than Kshatriya and the poor Shudra
has to pay the maximum amount as interest! [58]
6. Prohibiting inter-marriage between different varnas. According to
Manusmriti, a dwija ought to marry a woman of his own varna.[59] A
woman of the same varna is considered best for the first marriage.
However, a dwija may take a woman of inferior varna as his second wife
if he is overcome by sexual passion. [60] But Manu strongly
disapproves of Brahmins and Kshatriyas taking a Shudra woman even as
their second wife. They become Shudra if they do so. [61]
7. Supporting untouchability is also a part of the scheme of social
stratification outlined in the Manusmriti. Manu clearly mentions that
Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya, collectively known as dwija and the
Shudras are the four varnas. There is no fifth varna.[62] He explains
the origin of other castes by saying that they are varna-sankara
castes, that is to say, castes originating due to the intermixture of
different varnas, both in anuloma (upper varna male and lower varna
female) and pratiloma (lower varna male and upper varna female)
manner. [63] For example, Nishad caste is said to have originated from
anuloma relationship between Brahmin male and Shudra female,[64]
whereas C handala caste is said to be owing its origin to pratiloma
relationship between Shudra male and Brahmin female. [65]
Manu seems to be disapproving of pratiloma relationship more than the
anuloma, because he describes C handalas as the lowest of the low
castes. [66]
Let us see what Manusmriti, has to say about the C handala. The
Chandala, says Manusmriti, must not ever reside inside the village.
While doing their work, they must reside outside the village, at
cremation ground, on mountains or in groves. They are not entitled to
keep cows or horses, etc., as pet animals. They may keep dogs and
donkeys. They are to wear shrouds. They are to eat in broken utensils.
They are to use ornaments of iron, not of gold. They must keep moving
from one place to another, not residing at the same place for a long
duration. [67] They must not move around in villages and cities in
night hours. They may enter the villages and cities in daytime, with
king's permission, wearing special symbols (to enable identification),
and take away unclaimed dead bodies. [68]
Moreover, how is the "religious" person to deal with the Chandala? He
must not have any social intercourse (marriage, interdining, etc.)
with them. He must not talk to or even see them! [69] He may ask
servants (apparently Shudras) to give them food in broken utensils.
[70]
8. Granting divine and religious sanction to varna-vyavastha. Manu
gives divine and religious sanction to the varna-vyavastha by claiming
divine origin for the varnas as well as for the Manusmriti and
demanding unquestioning obedience of it.
So, that completes my exposition of the varna-vyavastha. I want to
emphasize in particular that my exposition does not contain any
exaggeration at all. The reader may check each and every statement by
comparing with the original Manusmriti in order to satisfy himself or
herself. I cannot help if the system is so unjust and so out of tune
with out existing values that even an objective exposition reads like
a severe condemnation. Nevertheless, I will now turn to my reasons for
rejecting varna-vyavastha: I reject varna-vyavastha because it is
irrational, unjust and undemocratic, being opposed to the democratic
and human values of liberty, equality and fraternity.
Criticism of varna-vyavastha
The varna-vyavastha is opposed to the value of liberty as it denies
the freedom to choose one's occupation and marriage partner to one and
all. Everyone must join the occupation of his varna and must marry
within his varna. Similarly, it denies the freedom to study to the
Shudras and woman in particular. Even the dwija must study the Vedas
before he studies anything else. Otherwise, he becomes a Shudra.[71]
(Incidentally, according to Manusmriti, there are several ways by
which a Brahmin or dwija may become a Shudra but there is no way by
which a Shudra may become a Brahmin. A Shudra must always remain a
Shudra.)[72]
What is worse, the Chandala is even denied the freedom to reside at a
place of his choice or to wear clothes and ornaments of his choice. He
is not even free to keep pet animals of his choice.
The conflict between varna-vyavastha and the value of equality is more
than obvious. As I mentioned earlier, the system of graded inequality
seems to be the very essence of varna-vyavastha. It denies equal
respect to all in society. It denies equality before law. It denies
equal access to marriage partners. It denies equal access to jobs. The
occupation of teachers and priests, for example, is reserved
exclusively for Brahmins. Finally, it also denies equal access to
education and knowledge.
A Brahmin, according to Manu, must not teach the Shudra and woman even
if he dies with his knowledge without imparting it to anybody. [73] On
the other hand, if anyone studies the Vedas on his own he or she will
go straight to hell. [74] In other words, cent percent reservations
for dwija males in the sphere of education.
The varna-vyavastha is most unfair to the Shudras and the
untouchables. They are denied respect, knowledge, power and wealth.
They are denied access to occupations considered respectable, just as
they are denied access to men and women of upper varnas for marriage.
The Shudras are virtually reduced to being slaves of the Brahmins in
particular and the dwijas in general, whereas the untouchables are
regarded as outcast -- beyond the pale of the society. The women are
generally treated as sexual objects and as unfit for being independent
and free.
As far as fraternity is considered, we must not expect it to exist in
a society, which is so unequal and unjust. A Shudra's waist is to be
branded or his buttocks are to be cut only because he occupies the
same seat as the Brahmin. The "religious" are not to talk or even look
at a Chandala. Inter-marriage is prohibited. Manu seems to be most
eager to prevent inter-mixing of the varnas. Thus, the Hindu social
order is based on the isolation and exclusiveness of the varnas.
The Manusmriti not only outlines a totally undemocratic and unjust
social system but also gives divine, religious sanction to this man-
made social institution of chaturvarnya. Some Hindus, including
apparently learned "thinkers" and writers, smugly wax eloquent about
Hinduism being the most tolerant and liberal religion of the world.
Is there any other religion, which sanctions slavery and
untouchability? Is there any other religion in which only persons born
in a particular caste ( Brahmin) are entitled to become priests?
Slavery is not peculiar to India or to Hinduism, but carrying it to
the extremes of untouchability, and granting it divine and religious
sanction is peculiar to Hinduism.
Similarly, some Hindus may be tolerant, just as some of them are
intolerant, but Hinduism or Hindu religion is not tolerant at all,
either socially or intellectually. Manusmriti, for example, clearly
says that anybody who argues critically and logically about
dharmashastras ought to be ostracized. [75] Non-believers, including
freethinkers, rationalists and Buddhists, are not to be entertained
respectfully as guests; though, mercifully, they may be given food.
[76] The families of non-believers are destroyed sooner than later
according to Manu. [77] A state with a large number of Shudras and
nastikas soon meets its destruction. [78] Manusmriti is full of
abusive epithets for freethinkers and non-believers. The unorthodox
( nastikas) are sometimes equated with the Shudras, sometimes with the
Chandalas, sometimes with thieves and sometimes with lunatics! [79]
Such is the generosity of Hindu dharma.
Apologies for varna-vyavastha
Let me now consider what the apologists of varna-vyavastha have to say
in its defense.
A standard defense of varna-vyavastha is to say that it is a system of
division of labor. It is easy to grant that division of labor is
essential for any complex society, but it is equally easy to see that
varna-vyavastha is not a system of division of labor based on aptitude
and capability. It is a system of division of labor based on birth .
Besides, it has other associated features such as feeling of
superiority and inferiority, inequality before law, denial of equal
access to knowledge and prohibition against inter-marriage.
What have these features to do with the division of labor?
Division of labor is found in all societies, but varna-vyavastha is
not. Thus, trying to justify varna-vyavastha as division of labor is a
futile exercise.
Another standard defense of the varna-vyavastha is to say that the
system was originally based on aptitude and capability. Whether it was
actually ever so is a subject for historical research. Most probably,
the racial theory of the origin of castes is true. However, even if we
grant for the sake of argument that the varna-vyavastha was originally
based on aptitude and capability, how does it help? We cannot say that
because the system was originally, some time in remote past, based on
aptitude and capability; therefore we ought to gladly suffer the
present system based on birth. It hardly makes any sense at all!
In any case, Manusmriti was most probably written between200 BC and
200 AD [80] and the system as outlined in it is totally based on
birth. Gautam Buddha, who lived in sixth century BC, challenged the
infallibility of the Vedas as well as the varna-vyavastha. There are
several passages in Tripitaka, mainly in Digha Nikaya and Majhima
Nikaya which are "directed against the claims of the Brahmans to be of
different origin from the rest of humanity, born from the mouth of
Brahma, having a hereditary prerogative to teach, guide and
spiritually govern the rest of the society." [81] In Majhima Nikaya
Buddha is quoted as refuting varna-vyavastha on several occasions.
According to Buddha, it is unreasonable to decide one's place and
functions in society on the basis of one's birth in a caste. Buddha is
also quoted as insisting that in the eyes of the law all persons ought
to be treated as equal, irrespective of the caste or varna in which he
or she is born. [82] Thus, it is obvious that even if the system of
varna-vyavastha ever existed in its ideal form -- which is doubtful --
it had already degenerated by the time of Buddha, that is, about 2500
years back.
The most blatant defense of varna-vyavastha, however, is to say that
human beings are born unequal, and, therefore, it is natural and
normal for children to join the occupation of their fathers.
Surprisingly and sadly, no less a person than Gandhi defended varna-
vyavastha in a similar manner.
To quote Gandhi: "I believe that every man is born in the world with
certain natural tendencies. Every person is born with certain definite
limitations which he cannot overcome. From a careful observation of
those limitations the law of varna was deduced. It establishes certain
spheres of action for certain people with certain tendencies. This
avoided all unworthy competition. Whilst recognizing limitations, the
law of varna admitted of no distinction of high and low; on the one
hand it guaranteed to each the fruits of his labors and on the other
it prevented him from pressing upon his neighbor. This great law has
been degraded and fallen into disrepute. But my conviction is that an
ideal social order will only be evolved when the implications of this
law are fully understood and given effect to". [83]
Again, "I regard Varnashrama as a healthy division of work based on
birth. The present ideas of caste are a perversion of the original.
There is no question with me of superiority or inferiority. It is
purely a question of duty. I have indeed stated that varna is based on
birth. But I have also said that it is possible for a shudra, for
instance, to become a vaishya. But in order to perform the duty of
vaishya he does not need the label of a vaishya. He who performs the
duty of a brahman will easily become one in the next
incarnation." [84]
So, varna-vyavastha, according to Gandhi, is a "healthy division of
work based on birth", which takes into account the "natural
tendencies" of human beings and avoids "unworthy competition."
This apparently plausible defense of varna-vyavastha is, in fact, most
unscientific. It is a well-known and scientifically verified fact that
acquired characteristics are not inherited biologically, only genetic
qualities are transmitted from one generation to another. For
instance, carpentry is an acquired characteristic; just as knowledge
of philosophy is an acquired quality. Neither a carpenter's son or
daughter is born with the knowledge of carpentry, nor is a
philosopher's daughter or son born with the knowledge of philosophy.
These are acquired characteristics and, therefore, they cannot be
inherited biologically. If sometimes, though not always, a carpenter's
son becomes a good carpenter or a philosopher's daughter acquires a
good knowledge of philosophy, without being formally initiated into
these disciplines, it is not because they are born with the required
knowledge, but only because of the favorable environment at home,
which enables them to acquire these characteristics. The result could
be different if their places were to be interchanged.
One may say that though the knowledge of carpentry of philosophy in
not inherited biologically, the mental qualities enabling one to
acquire the requisite knowledge is inherited. Some physical and mental
qualities are, no doubt, inherited but this does not mean that parents
and their children are always identical in physical or mental
qualities. It is a well known fact -- anybody can verify this by
careful observation -- that due to different permutations and
combinations of chromosomes and genes offspring of same parents are
not always identical to one another or to their parents. More often
than not, they are different. For instance, one son or daughter of
same parents may be tall and another short. The colors of skin, hair
and eyes may differ likewise. What is true of physical characteristics
is equally true of mental qualities. Thus, a child may or may not have
the mental characteristics, which his father has.
Therefore, it is totally unscientific to forcefully restrict children
to the occupations of their forefathers.
It is true that all human beings are not equal in the sense of being
identical in physical or mental qualities. But it does not follow from
this that they ought to be denied equal opportunity to join a vocation
of their choice or that they ought to be denied equality before law or
equal respect as human beings in the society.
As for "unworthy" competition, how do we know that the competition is
unworthy unless all are, to begin with, given equal opportunity? Take
the example of Gandhi himself. He was a bania by caste. Yet, in spite
of some serious aberrations such as supporting varna-vyavastha based
on birth and linking politics with religion, he performed fairly well
in the role of a national leader. It would have been a great loss for
the nation if in the name of avoiding "unworthy" competition in
politics, Gandhi would have been confined to running a grocery shop.
Similarly, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was born in an "untouchable" caste, but
he played an important role in the drafting of the democratic
constitution of independent India. He also taught in a college for
some time. To use the terminology of varna-vyavastha, he ably
performed the work of a Brahmin.
Is it possible to imagine how many Ambedkars we may have lost by now
owing to the restrictive varna-vyavastha?
As we have noted earlier, varna-vyavastha is a closed system of social
stratification without any scope for upward social mobility. To quote
M. Haralambos, author of a textbook on sociology, "A person belongs to
his parents jati and automatically follows the occupation of the jati
into which he was born. Thus no matter what the biologically based
aptitude and capacities of an untouchable, there is no way he can
become a Brahmin. Unless it is assumed that superior genes are
permanently located in the Brahmin caste, and there is no evidence
that this is the case, then there is probably no relationship between
genetically based and socially created inequality in traditional Hindu
society." [85]
Returning to Gandhi, though Gandhi was opposed to untouchability and
caste, he did not carry his opposition to its logical conclusion.
Inconsistently enough, he continued to support the varna-vyavastha
based on birth. At one stage, he even supported restrictions on
interdining and intermarriage. As he wrote in Young India in 1921,
"Hinduism does most emphatically discourage interdining and
intermarriage between divisions... It is no part of a Hindu's duty to
dine with his son. And by restricting his choice of bride to a
particular group, he exercises rare self-restraint. Prohibition
against intermarriages and interdining is essential for the rapid
evolution of the soul. "[86] (emphasis mine)
Later Gandhi moved away from these orthodox ideas, and started
supporting intercaste marriages. Finally in 1946, he refused to
solemnize any marriage at Sevagram Ashram unless one of the parties
was an untouchable. [87] May be he would also have given up varna-
vyavastha if he had lived longer. That, however, is in the realm of
imagination, the fact is that Gandhi supported varna-vyavastha. It is
worth noting that he invented his own conception of varna-vyavastha,
which, according to him, had nothing to do with the feeling of
superiority and inferiority or with prohibition against intermarriage.
We find here in Gandhi a quaint mixture of conservatism and
reformism.
I would like to dispose of one last objection before concluding this
section. One may say that the Hindu law at present is quite different
from what Manu desired, and presently Hindus in general do not follow
Manu in totality. This is true. The Hindu law at present, for
instance, allows inter-caste marriage and prohibits bigamy and child
marriage. It permits divorce. It also allows widow remarriage and
grants equal rights to daughters in father's property. Nevertheless,
there seems to be a gap between the progressive Hindu law and the
conservative social practices of the Hindus. A majority of Hindu
marriages are still within the caste and very few Hindu women actually
claim or get a share in father's property.
The Indian constitution has rightly made special provisions, such as
reservations in services for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and
other socially and educationally backward classes, to enable them to
enter occupations and positions of power, which had been traditionally
denied to them. No doubt, some upper caste liberal Hindus, too,
support the policy of reservation. But, by and large, the Hindu upper
castes are far from fully reconciled to this progressive step as is
evident from violent and aggressive anti-reservation agitation
spearheaded by upper caste students from time to time. This kind of
reactionary agitation aimed at preserving the present dominance of
upper castes in education and the services enjoys considerable support
and sympathy in the upper caste dominated media as well as the
academia.
On the whole, the Hindu society is yet to fully exorcise the ghost of
Manu. Caste based on birth and untouchability still exist in the Hindu
society, in spite of the fact that untouchability has been abolished
by the Indian constitution. The distribution of education, power and
wealth continues to be uneven in the Hindu society, with the dwijas
being on the top and the Shudras and untouchables being at the bottom.
Teaching is no more an exclusive preserve of Brahmins, but the
occupation of Hindu priests is still fully reserved for Brahmins,
though this fact does not arouse the ire of our fervent anti-
reservationists.
Moksha, Karmavada and Avatarvada
Moksha is traditionally regarded as the highest end of life in Hindu
religion. The "endless cycle of birth and death" is considered a
bondage from which one must attain liberation, that is moksha or
mukti.
This whole concept of bondage and liberation is based on the unproved
assumption of life after death, and the existence of soul ( atma)
which continues to exist apart from the body even after death. In the
famous words of Gita, the soul changes bodies just as human beings
change clothes. [88]
Now, there are no good reasons for believing in the existence of soul
or life after death or rebirth. These beliefs are not at all supported
by incontrovertible scientific evidence. According to S.N. Dasgupta,
"there has seldom been before or after Buddha any serious attempt to
prove or disprove the doctrine of rebirth. The attempts to prove the
doctrine of rebirth in the Hindu philosophical works such as Nyaya,
etc. are slight and inadequate." [89]
However, even before Buddha, Lokayat had disproved the existence of
soul, life after death, rebirth, heaven and hell on an empirical
basis, as these things are never perceived. [90]
Thus, in absence of any evidence to the contrary, it is reasonable to
believe that each one of us has got one and only one life . Once a
person is dead, he is dead for ever. Never to be reborn. Mind,
consciousness, memory and life cannot outlast the destruction of brain
and body. This is the harsh truth; howsoever we may dislike it.
The belief in soul seems to have originated from primitive animism.
[91] If this belief continues to persist, in spite of total lack of
evidence in its support, it is only because of human beings' inability
to come to terms with, or to squarely face, the reality of death. One
likes to believe that one's near and dear ones, who are dead and
finished forever, actually continue to live in some other imaginary
world, and that they will also be reborn one day. One draws comfort
from the thought that one will not die even after death, and continue
to live in some other form. It is paradoxical that, first, the fear of
death and love of life makes one readily accept the belief in the
immortality and rebirth of soul without adequate evidence, and, then,
getting rid of this alleged cycle of birth and death itself becomes
the topmost religious aim! [92]
The problem of getting "released" from the alleged cycle of birth and
death is a pseudo-problem (in the sense that one is trying to get rid
of something which simply does not exist) and moksha is an imaginary
ideal which has nothing to do with the reality. Instead of running
after the imaginary ideal of moksha, it is far better to concentrate
on improving and living well this one and only life, which we have.
Mimamsa, which is an orthodox Hindu school of thought, considers
attainment of heaven ( swarga), instead of moksha, as the highest end
of life. References to heaven and hell are also to be found in the
Manusmriti. The belief in heaven is fairly widespread at popular
level. However, the ideal of the attainment of heaven, too, is based
on unproved assumptions, like life after death and the existence of
heaven, and, therefore, it cannot be accepted.
Another related doctrine is the Hindu belief in karmavada or the so-
called law of karma. According to this doctrine, every human being
gets the fruits of his actions either in the present or in some future
life. Whatever a human being is in his present life is the result of
his own actions in the past life or lives.
This, again, is a totally unverified and unverifiable doctrine based
on the assumption of the "cycle of birth and death". It is only a
convenient tool for explaining away the perceived inequality in human
society. The idea of karma is found in Buddhism and Jainism as well.
However, these religions do not support varna-vyavastha. But in
Hinduism the doctrine of karma, along with the idea of god, has been
used for providing ideological support to the unjust varna-vyavastha
and for making it appear just and fair. In Hinduism the so-called law
of karma merely serves the purpose of legitimizing the unjust varna-
vyavastha by making the Shudras and the "untouchables" meekly accept
their degrading position as a "result of their own deeds" in imaginary
past lives, and by assuring them "better" birth in "next life" if they
faithfully perform their varna-dharma in their present lives. [93] In
this way, this doctrine prevents them from revolting against this man-
made undemocratic system, which has nothing to do with alleged past
and future lives.
Lastly, I come to the Hindu doctrine of avatarvada. According to this
doctrine, whenever religion is threatened in this world, god takes
birth as an avatar to put things back into order. Ram and Krishna, for
example, are popularly regarded as avatars by the Hindus.
Belief in avatarvada, too, is logically unjustifiable and merely makes
one run away from one's own responsibilities. Instead of making
efforts to improve their own condition, those who believe in
avatarvada keep waiting for an avatar to take birth. Since god does
not exist, there is no question of his being born on this earth as an
avatar. (Let me add here that I also do not believe in the truth of
statements like "Jesus is the son of god" or "Mohammed is the
messenger of god".)
Not only I do not regard Ram or Krishna (or anyone else) as an avatar
of god, I also do not regard them as ideal personalities. Ram, as
mentioned earlier, was on upholder, of the varna-vyavastha. His cruel
behavior with Sita, after fighting a destructive war with Ravana to
get her released, is too well known to need recapitulation. [94]
Krishna, on the other hand, is portrayed in the Mahabharata as the
teacher of Bhagvat Gita , a book which expounds untrue and harmful
doctrines like the belief in god and immortal soul, avatarvada,
karmavada, varnashram dharma and the doctrine of moksha.
In Mahabharata Krishna adopts and advocates adoption of unfair means
like lying and deception for achieving one's ends. Obviously, he did
not believe in the doctrine of purity of ends and means. There are
several flaws in the character of Krishna as portrayed in the
Mahabharata, Bhagvat and Harivamsa. These have been ably enumerated by
Dr. Ambedkar in his The Riddle of Ram and Krishna . I refer the
interested reader to this work for a fuller treatment of this subject.
[95]
Conclusion
To conclude, I categorically reject major Hindu religious beliefs
including the doctrine of the infallibility of the Vedas, varnashram
dharma , moksha, karmavada, and avatarvada. I am not an admirer of Ram
and Krishna, and I also do not believe in idol worship or the Hindu
taboo of not eating beef. I support logical and scientific thinking;
and a secular, rational morality based on human values of liberty,
equality and fraternity. Therefore, I am not a Hindu by conviction,
though I am a Hindu by birth.
Endnotes
[1] S. Radhakrishnan, The Hindu View of Life (Bombay: Blackie & Son
(India) Ltd., 1979), p. 12.
[2] Ibid., p. 14.
[3] Ibid., pp. 16-17.
[4] M.K.Gandhi, "Aspects of Hinduism" in Hindu Dharma (New Delhi:
Orient Paperbacks, 1978), p. 9.
[5] Ninian Smart, "Hinduism" in The Encyclopedia of Philosophy (ed. in
chief, Paul Edwards) Vol. IV (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.
& The Free Press, 1972), p.1.
[6] S.N.Dasgupta , A History of Indian Philosophy , Vol. 1 (Delhi:
Motilal Banarsidass, 1975), pp. 67-68.
[7] Chatterjee and Datta, An Introduction to Indian Philosophy .
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] S.N.Dasgupta, Op. Cit., p. 394.
[11] I have discussed the question of the existence of god in my small
Hindi book Kya Ishwar Mar Chuka Hai? (Patna: Bihar Buddhiwadi Samaj,
1985, 1995). See, Is God Dead? (An introduction to Kya ishwar mar
chuka hai? ) [Patna: Buddhiwadi Foundation, 1998]
[12] M.K.Gandhi, "Aspects of Hinduism" in Hindu Dharma , pp. 9-10.
[13] A.L.B., "History of Hinduism" in The New Encyclopaedia
Britannica , Vol. 8 (Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 1981),
pp. 910-11.
[14] B.R. Ambedkar , Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writings and Speeches,
Vol. 4, Riddles in Hinduism (Bombay: Education Department, Government
of Maharashtra, 1987), p. 332.
[15] Y.Masih, The Hindu Religious Thought (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass,
1983), pp. 192-93.
[16] Bhagvad-Gita I: 40,41, 42,43.
[17] B.G. IV: 13.15.
[18] Y.Masih, Op.Cit., p.208, Also see, pp. 224-25.
[19] V.P.Verma, Modern Indian Political Thought (Agra: Lakshmi Narain
Agarwal, 1991), pp. 50-51.
[20] Manusmriti (MS) I: 31.
[21] MS I:58.
[22] MS I:88.
[23] MS I:89.
[24] MS I: 90.
[25] MS I: 91.
[26] MS I: 93, Also see, X: 3.
[27] MS I: 95.
[28] MS I: 101.
[29] MS I: 103.
[30] MS II: 10,13.
[31] MS II: 11.
[32] MS VIII: 410.
[33] MS X: 96. Also see, Kautilya, Arthshastra I: 3, Quoted by J.N.
Farquhar in An Outline of the Religious Literature of India ( Delhi:
Motilal Banarsidass, 1984), p. 44.
[34] MS II: 135.
[35] MS VIII: 272.
[36] MS VIII: 281.
[37] MS II: 67.
[38] MS V: 154.
[39] MS V: 168,157.
[40] MS IX: 3.
[41] MS IX: 2.
[42] MS V: 147.
[43] MS V: 148.
[44] MS VIII: 379.
[45] MS VIII: 123.
[46] MS VIII: 364.
[47] MS VIII: 366.
[48] MS VIII: 412.
[49] MS VIII: 413.
[50] MS VIII: 268.
[51] MS VIII: 267.
[52] MS XI: 131.
[53] MS II: 31,32.
[54] MS II: 127.
[55] MS III: 111,112.
[56] MS VIII: 88.
[57] MS V: 92.
[58] MS VIII: 142.
[59] MS III: 4.
[60] MS III: 12.
[61] MS III: 14,15,16,17,18,19.
[62] MS X: 4.
[63] MS X: 25.
[64] MS X: 8.
[65] MS X: 12.
[66] Ibid.
[67] MS X: 50,51,52.
[68] MS X: 54,55.
[69] MS X: 53.
[70] MS X: 54.
[71] MS II: 168.
[72] MS VIII: 414.
[73] MS II: 113; X: 1.
[74] MS II: 116.
[75] MS II: 11.
[76] MS IV: 30.
[77] MS III: 65.
[78] MS VIII: 22.
[79] MS III:150, 161; IX: 225. From a humanist point of view, there is
nothing wrong in being born as a Shudra or a Chandala, but in the
context of the Manusmriti, these are abusive epithets.
[80] Manusmriti (Varanasi: Chaukhambha Sanskrit Sansthan, 1982), pp.
10-11.
[81]A.K.Warder, Indian Buddhism (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1980),p.
163.
[82] Y.Masih, The Hindu Religious Thought, pp. 336-37.
[83] Nirmal Kumar Bose, Selections from Gandhi ( Ahmedabad: Navajivan
Publishing House, 1972), p. 265.
[84] Ibid., p. 263.
[85] M.Haralambos, Sociology Themes and Perspectives (Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 1980) pp. 27-28.
[86] N.K.Bose, Op.Cit., p. 266.
[87] Louis Fischer, Gandhi (New York: New American Library, 1954), pp.
111-12, Also see, N.K.Bose, Op.Cit., p. 267.
[88] B.G. II: 20-25.
[89] S.N. Dasgutpa, A History of Indian Philosophy , Vol. I, p. 87.
[90] Chatterjee and Datta. An Introduction to Indian Philosophy .
[91] See M.N.Roy, "The Transmigration of Soul" in India's Message
( Delhi: Ajanta Publications, 1982), pp. 4-6.
[92] Probably "the cycle of life and death" is considered "bondage"
because it will presumably lead to death again and again. So,
primarily the doctrine of liberation seems to be a reaction against
death.
[93] "Those whose conduct has been pleasing will quickly attain a
pleasing birth, the birth of a Brahman or a Kshatriya, or a Vaisya;
but those whose conduct has been abominable, will quickly attain
abominable birth, the birth of a dog, or a hog, or an Outcaste."
Brihadaranyaka, quoted by J.N. Farquhar, An Outline of the Religious
Literature of India , p. 34, Also see, S.N.Dasgupta, Op. Cit., p.
363.
[94] See, my "Why I do not want Ramrajya" in Why I am Not a Hindu &
Why I do not want Ramrajya (Patna: Bihar Rationalist Society, 1995).
[95] B.R. Ambedkar, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writings and Speeches ,
Vol. 4, Riddles in Hinduism.
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/ramendra_nath/hindu.html
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/his-masters-voice-sid-harth-3/
navanavonmilita
Gotra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Part of a series on
Hinduism
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2009)
A gotra is the lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. In most
cases, the system is patrilineal and the gotra assigned is that of the
person's father. Other terms for it are vansh, vanshaj, bedagu,
purvik, purvajan, pitru. An individual may decide to identify his
lineage by a different gotra, or combination of gotras.
According to strict Hindu tradition, the term gotra is used only for
the lineages of Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya varnas[citation
needed]. Brahminical gotra relates directly to the original seven or
eight rishis of the Vedas[citation needed]. Later, the term gotra was
expanded beyond Brahmin[citation needed].
A gotra must be distinguished from a kula. A kula is a set of people
following similar cultural rituals, often worshiping the same divinity
(the Kula-Devata, god of the clan). Kula does not relate to lineage or
caste. In fact, it is possible to change one's kula, based on one's
faith or Iṣṭa-devatā.
It is common practice in preparation for Hindu marriage to inquire
about the kula-gotra (meaning clan lineage) of the bride and groom
before approving the marriage. In almost all Hindu families, marriage
within the same gotra is prohibited, since people with same gotra are
considered to be siblings. But marriage within the kula is allowed and
even preferred.
Shudras also have gotras, and follow them in marriages[citation
needed]. For example a weaver falls under Markandeya gotra. Markandeya
was known be a Maharishi and had 60 sons. Marriages are held within
Markandeya but never in same family name. So, every weaver falls under
one of these gotra. The family name is given by the Brahmin or Guru's
name[citation needed].
Origin of gotra
In Vedic Sanskrit, the word "gotra" originally meant "cow-pen." [1]
Cows were at the time (which time?) the most valuable possession of a
family group, so with time, the term "gotra" began to refer to the
family group who owned a particular pen of cows[citation needed]. The
term was associated eventually with just the family group and its
lineage.
Gotra is the Sanskrit term for a much older system of tribal
clans[citation needed]. The Sanskrit term "Gotra" was initially used
by the Vedic people [citation needed] for the identification of the
lineages. Generally, these lineages mean patrilineal descent from the
sages or rishis in Brahmins, warriors and administrators in Kshatriyas
and ancestral trademen in Vaisyas[citation needed].
The lineage system, either patrilineal or matrilineal, was followed by
the South Asian people. In present-day Hinduism, Gotra is applied to
all the lineage systems. Many Hindu castes have lineages that do not
follow Vedic classification.
A brahmin, though solely eligible to be regarded as such by virtue of
being born of, at the least, A male brahmin and a female Brahmin, or a
female who is seven parts out of eight Brahmin and in no part a Shudra
or non-dwija lineage (Manu-Smriti)[citation needed], must nevertheless
be reborn by the rite of the thread ceremony at an age earlier than
that permissible to the Kshatriya and Vaisya classes and is
traditionally expected to display learning and intellect befitting a
Brahmin[citation needed]. Those born low could become a Brahmin in
their next life[citation needed] by elevating his learning and conduct
and similarly one who had achieved Brahmanical status could be pushed
to a lower strata if his conduct came to demand such
relegation[citation needed]. A Brahmin must be "Re-born" and that is
why he is called "Dwija- twice born".
The case of sage Vishwamitra is the example. Thus the gotra must have
been of the lineage of the learning one chose rather than the lineage
of one's birth. Rama is stated to be the descendant of Ikshwaku, but
the lineage was broken when Kalmashpada got his son through Niyoga of
Vasishta with Kalmashapad's wife Madayanthi, and not through a
biological liaison. Yet Rama is said to be Ikshwaku's descendant and
not of Vasishta. Some claim of a continuous biological linkage with
the moola purusha [or most significant personality] of the Gothra,
where as it need not be the case. Some times, a Gotra is based on the
Guru for the family or one of the ancestors. Many of the Niyogi
Brahmins have descended from a Niyoga liaison, but not a marital
liaison[citation needed].
Marriages and gotras
In a patrilineal Hindu society (most common), the bride belongs to her
father's gotra before the marriage, and to her husband's gotra after
the marriage. The groom on the other hand only belongs to his father's
gotra throughout his life.
Marriages within the gotra ('sagotra' marriages) are not permitted
under the rule of exogamy in the traditional matrimonial system. The
word 'sagotra' is union the words 'saga' + gotra, where 'saga' means
same or similar. People within the gotra are regarded as kin and
marrying such a person would be thought of as incest. The Tamil words
'sagotharan' (brother) and 'sagothari' (sister) derive their roots
from the word 'sagotra'. In communities where gotra membership passed
from father to children, marriages were allowed between maternal uncle
and niece[2], while such marriages were forbidden in matrilineal
communities, like Malayalis and Tuluvas, where gotra membership was
passed down from the mother.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exogamy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinship
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incest
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrilineal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayali
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuluva
A much more common characteristic of south Indian Hindu society is
permission for marriage between cross-cousins (children of brother and
sister). Thus, a man is allowed to marry his maternal uncle's daughter
or his paternal aunt's daughter, but is not allowed to marry his
father's brother's daughter. She would be considered a parallel cousin
who is treated as a sister.[3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-cousin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_cousin
North Indian Hindu society not only follows the rules of gotra for
marriages, but also had many regulations which went beyond the basic
definition of gotra and had a broader definition of incestuousness.[4]
Some communities in North India do not allow marriage with some other
communities on the lines that both the Communities are having
brotherhood.[5]
An acceptable social workaround for sagotra marriages is to perform a
'Dathu' (adoption) of the bride to a family of different gotra
(usually dathu is given to the bride's maternal uncle who obviously
belongs to different gotra by the same rule) and let them perform the
'kanniyadhanam' ('kanni' (virgin) + 'dhanam' (gift)). However, this is
easier said as it would be quite difficult for the bride's father to
watch another man give his daughter's hand away in marriage in his own
presence.
List of gotras
Main article: List of gotras
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gotras
See also
Brahmin gotra system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmin_gotra_system
Thogata Veera Kshatriya Gotra System
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/Thogata_Veera_Kshatriya_Gotra_System
Tuluva Malayali lineage system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuluva_Malayali_lineage_system
Hindu genealogy registers at Haridwar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_genealogy_registers_at_Haridwar
List of Brahmin gotras http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brahmin_gotras
Pravaras http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pravaras
List of Kongu Vellala kootams http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/List_of_Kongu_Vellala_kootams
Bhatias gotra system http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Search&search=Banias+gotra+system&ns0=1&redirs=0
Jat clans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jat_clans
Notes
^ Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon:
http://webapps.uni-koeln.de/cgi-bin/tamil/recherche?dictionary=mwd&prst=exact&st=gotra
^ http://countrystudies.us/india/86.htm
^ http://neurologyasia.org/articles/20073_015.pdf
^ http://anthro.palomar.edu/marriage/marriage_3.htm
^ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/haryana-panchayat-takes-on-govt-over-samegotra-marriage/491548/
References
Ruegg, D. Seyfort (1976). 'The Meanings of the Term "Gotra" and the
Textual History of the "Ratnagotravibhāga"'. Bulletin of the School of
Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 39, No. 2
(1976), pp. 341–363
External links
Brahmin Sages and Branches (Gotras and Subcastes)
http://www.vedah.net/manasanskriti/Brahmins.html#Brahmin_Sages_and_Branches
gotra http://www.gurjari.net/ico/Mystica/html/gotra.htm
Goelji.com is a community portal of baniyas http://goelji.com/
Marriage Ceremonies http://www.sanathanadharma.com/samskaras/index.htm#VIVAHA
Encyclopedia Britannica
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotra"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotra
List of gotras
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it.
Please introduce links to this page from related articles; suggestions
are available. (March 2010)
The word gotra means "lineage" in the Sanskrit language. While it is
somewhat akin to a family name, the given name of a family is often
different from its gotra, as given names may reflect the traditional
occupation, place of residence or other important family
characteristic rather than gotra.
People belonging to the same gotra also belong to the same caste in
the Hindu social system. But there is a notable exception among
matrilineal Tulu/Malayalee speakers where the lineages are the same
across the castes. For such lists of gotras compounded by caste, refer
to the following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste
Brahmins:
refer to List of Brahmin gotras http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brahmin_gotras
Vysyas:
refer to Komati (caste) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komati_(caste)
Velamas:
refer to Velama (caste) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velama_(caste)
Dhangars:
refer to List of Dhangar clans in India
Gurjars:
refer to List of Gujjar clans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dhangar_clans_in_India
Kammas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma_(caste)
Khatris:
refer to List of Khatri last names http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Khatri_surnames
Kapu/Telaga/Balija/Naidu [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapu_(caste)
Nairs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nair
Reddys http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reddy
Rajputs: refer to Rajput clans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajput_clans
Jats: refer to List of Jat clans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jat_clans
Tuluva/Malayalees: refer to Tuluva Malayali lineage system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuluva_Malayali_lineage_system
Rohillas: refer to List of Rohilla Gotra http://www.rohillarajput.com/pgGotraList.aspx
Boyar caste: refer to Boyar gotras
Mudaliars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyar_gotras
Oraons http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oraon
Hindu gotras
Sawarna (The highest ranked gotra among Brahimns)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawarna_(The_highest_ranked_gotra_among_Brahimns)
Bhardwaj http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharadwaj
Agastya http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agastya
Angirasa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angiras_(sage)
Atri http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atri
Bhrigu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhrigus
Kashyapa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashyapa
Vasistha http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasistha
Vishvamitra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishvamitra
Pamidikula
Grandhisila
Dosodia
Siwal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siwal
Serawat
Haritasa హరితస
External links
Oswal Vansh and its gotras http://www.shriosiyamataji.org/osvansh.html
http://www.salagram.net/sstp-Gotras.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gotras
Category:Indian castes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The main article for this category is Indian caste system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_caste_system
[−] Indian castes
[+] Agarwal
[+] Ahluwalia
[+] Arora clans
[+] Bania communities
[+] Brahmins
[+] Bunts
[+] Dalit
[+] Dalit community
[+] Ezhava
[+] Goud
[+] Kak
[+] Kayastha
[+] Khatri clans
[+] Kshatriya
[+] Labana
[+] Maratha clans
[+] Mogaveeras
[+] Mohyal
[+] Ror
[+] Weaving communities of South Asia
Contents: Top · 0–9 · A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T
U V W X Y Z
(previous 200) (next 200)
Subcategories
This category has the following 18 subcategories, out of 20 total.
A
[+] Agarwal (1 C, 10 P)
[+] Ahluwalia (4 P)
[+] Arora clans (6 P)
B
[+] Bania communities (25 P)
[+] Brahmins (3 C, 30 P)
[+] Bunts (2 P) D
[+] Dalit (6 C, 64 P)
[+] Dalit community (3 C, 9 P)
E
[+] Ezhava (33 P)
G
[+] Goud (3 P)
K
[+] Kak (5 P)
[+] Kayastha (10 P) K cont.
[+] Khatri clans (180 P)
[+] Kshatriya (3 C, 92 P)
L
[+] Labana (9 P)
M
[+] Maratha clans (11 P)
[+] Mogaveeras (7 P)
[+] Mohyal (8 P)
Pages in category "Indian castes"
The following 182 pages are in this category, out of 303 total.
This list may not reflect recent changes (learn more).
2
24 Manai Telugu Chettiars
A
Achari
Adaviyar
Adisaivar
Agamudaya Mudaliar
Agrawal
Ahluwalia
Aitch (Aich)
Aiyarika Patrulu
Alavan
Ambalavasi
Ambashtha
Ambat Sivarama Menon
Anjana Chaudhari
Anuppan
Arayan
Ashtagrama Iyer
B
Babboor Kamme
Bachara
Bais Rajput
Balija
Bangar (caste)
Bania (caste)
Banjara
Barnwal
Barwar (caste)
Bhaiband
Bhatnagar
Bhishti
Bhumihar
Billava
Boyar (caste)
C
Candala
Template:Caste Groups of India (Isai Vellalar)
Template:Caste Groups of India (Kongu Vellalar)
Template:Caste Groups of India (Vellalar)
Chakkala Nair
Chakyar
Chamar
Chandala
Channar
Chekavar
Chettiar
Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin
Chozhia Vellalar
Chura
Cochin GSB's
D
Daivadnya
Dalit
Dangi
Dashora
Datla
Desigar
Devadiga
Devanga
Dewangan
Dhadhor
Dhangar
Dheevara
Domba
Dusadh
E
Elur Chetty
Ezhava
G
Gaderia
Gakhar Hindus
Gangaputra Brahmin
Garha
Ghate Bania
Ghirth
Goravayyalu
Goud
List of Gouds
List of Gurjars
Guradikapu
H
Halbi
Halwai
Havyaka Brahmin
Holar (people)
I
User:ISKapoor/sandbox4
Idangai
Ilayath
Illathu Nair
Illathu Pillaimar
Iluvar
Irulas
Isai Vellalar
Itasseri Nair
Iyengar
Iyer
J
Jaddu
Jenu Kuruba
Jogi (castes)
Jogi Faqir
Jāti
K
Kachhi (caste)
Kadava Patidar
Kadia (Muslim)
Kadu Kuruba
Kaimal
Kainth
Kalbi
Kaler
Kalingi
Kalwar
Kamma (caste)
List of Kammas
Kandera
Kanet
Kanjar
Kapu (caste)
List of Kapus
Karanam
Karkarthar
Karmani
Kartha
Kashmiri Muslim tribes from Hindu Lineage
Kathi (caste)
Kavutheeyya
Kayastha
List of Kayasthas
Kesarvani
Kewat
K cont.
Khandelwal
Khant (caste)
Kharol
Kharwa (caste)
Kirar
Kiryathil Nair
List of Kodavas
Koiry
Konar
Kongu Vellalar
Konkani Brahmins
Kori (people)
Koshti
Kulin Brahmin
Kulina sub-caste
Kunbi
Kuruba
Kurukkal
Kurumbar
Kurup
Kushwaha
L
Labana
Labbay
Lal Begi
Lavana
Leva Patil
List of gotras
List of Indian castes
List of Kongu Vellalar Kootams
List of Labanas
List of Vellalar sub castes
Lodh
Lohana
Lok Rajput
Lonari
Lonia
M
Maaran
Madiga
Mahishya
Mahton
Mahuri
Maiya
Mala (caste)
Malayali Brahmins
Mali (phul)
Mali caste
Malkana
Mangali
Mangela Kolis
Maratha
Maurya caste
Menon (Nair subcaste)
Mochi (caste)
Modh
Mogaveera
Mudaliar
List of Mudaliars
Mukkulathor
Mukkuvar
Munnuru Kapu
(previous 200) (next 200)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indian_castes"
Subcategories
This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 20 total.
R
[+] Ror (20 P)
W
[+] Weaving communities of South Asia (10 P)
Pages in category "Indian castes"
The following 121 pages are in this category, out of 303 total. This
list may not reflect recent changes (learn more).
M
Murao
Muslim Dhobi
N
Nadan (Nadar subcaste)
Nadar (caste)
Nagarathar
Nai (caste)
Nair
Namasudra
Nambiar (Ambalavasi/Mizhavu)
Nambiar (Nair subcaste)
Randu illom vargam
Randuthara Achanmār
Nambidi
Nambudiri
Narikurava
Natrayat Rajput
Navnat
Nethakani
Niyogi
P
Padamangalam Nair
Padayatchi
Padmashali
Pancha-Gauda
Panicker
Paravas
Parekh
Pasi (caste)
Pathare Prabhu
Patnūlkarar
Patwa
Perike
Pillai (Nair title)
Pillai (title)
Pingali
Pothuval
Punjabi Banias
Purohitan
Q
Qassab
R
Rai (Indian)
Rai Bhat
Rajputs of Gujarat
R cont.
Rajus
Ramdasia
Rastogi
User:Ravinder121
Reddy
Ror
S
Sadh
Sagar (caste)
Sahariya (caste)
Sakaldwipiya
Sakaldwipiya History
Salaat (caste)
Saliya
Salvi (caste)
Samantha Kshatriya
Samanthan Nair
Sambandam
Saraswat Brahmin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraswat_Brahmin
Saryupareen Brahmins http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saryupareen_Brahmins
Seer Karuneegar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seer_Karuneegar
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Shudra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shudra
Sinha http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinha
Soliga http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somvanshi_Kshatriya_Pathare
Somvanshi Kshatriya http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somvanshi_Pathare_Kshatriya
Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare
Somvanshi Pathare Kshatriya
Sondhia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sondhia
Sunar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunar
Sunar (caste) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunar_(caste)
Sundhi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundhi
Suryavanshi Aare Katika http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suryavanshi_Aare_Katika
Suthar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suthar
Swakula Sali http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swakula_Sali
Swaroopathil Nair http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swaroopathil_Nair
Syrian Malabar Nasrani http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Malabar_Nasrani
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Tamil Padam Nair http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_Padam_Nair
Telaga http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telaga
Teli http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teli
Telugu castes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telugu_castes
T cont.
Thakore http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thakore
Thampan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thampan
Thandan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thandan
Thathera http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thathera
Thigala http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thigala
Thirumulpad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirumulpad
Thogataveera http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thogataveera
Thondaimandala Mudaliar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thondaimandala_Mudaliar
Tirgar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirgar
Tuluva Brahmins http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuluva_Brahmins
Tuluva Hebbars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuluva_Hebbars
Turaiha http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turaiha
Tyagi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyagi
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Unnithan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unnithan
Uppara http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uppara
Urali gounder http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urali_gounder
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Vaishya Vani http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishya_Vani
Valand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valand
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Valiathan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valiathan
Vaniya Chettiar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaniya_Chettiar
Vanjari (caste) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanjari_(caste)
List of Vanniars
Vanniyar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanniyar
List of Vanniyar subcaste http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Vanniyar_subcaste
Vanzha http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanzha
Vatandar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatandar
Velama (caste) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velama_(caste)
Vellala Mudaliar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vellala_Mudaliar
Vellalar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vellalar
Vijayvargiya http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayvargiya
Vishwakarma (caste) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishwakarma_(caste)
Vishwakarmas of Karnataka http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishwakarmas_of_Karnataka
Vokkaliga http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vokkaliga
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Yadav http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yadav
List of Yadavs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Yadavs
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navanavonmilita
Mumbai, April 14, 2010
BJP protests outside German Consulate
Staff Reporter
Leaders and supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party staged a protest
outside the German Consulate office here on Tuesday, condemning the
recent remarks made against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi by a
visiting German delegation.
The delegation of five MPs from the country's ruling coalition
Christian Democratic Union had endorsed the European Union decision
not to grant Mr. Modi a visa.
The agitators said the delegation, which had gone to Gujarat to assess
the condition of minorities there, called Mr. Modi “a dictator.” It
also commented on the Anti-conversion Bill passed by the State
legislature.
Party supporters raised slogans decrying the German Republic. A
delegation including Mumbai BJP president Gopal Shetty, the former
Union Minister Ram Naik, the former State Minister Raj K. Purohit and
Atul Shah met Consul-General Walter Spechel.
In a memorandum, they demanded “an unqualified apology from the German
Republic for hurting the sentiments of the people of India.”
Keywords: German delegation, Narendra Modi, BJP
TOPICS: Maharashtra, Mumbai, unrest, conflicts and war, emonstration
Comments:
The "over-freedom" given to certain elements have created terror cells
all over the world especially Europe. It is in the wake of money based
religious conversion that Gujarat ruled against conversions. It is not
a question of freedom, but one that reflects the pressures in
terrorism prevention. Germany housed and fed the World Trade bomber
Mohammed Atia for many months. They should have known! Further as I
understand, there is visible racism in parts of Germany, much more
than any other European nation. Perhaps an Indian delegation should
visit Germany.
from: B J Krishnan
Posted on: Apr 14, 2010 at 08:46 IST
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396663.ece
NEW DELHI, April 12, 2010 German govt. must apologise: BJP
Aarti Dhar
For making adverse remarks against Gujarat Chief Minister
The BJP on Sunday demanded an apology from the German government for
“provocative” statements made by its Parliamentary delegation.
“Tarnishing of the image of a democratically elected Chief Minister by
visiting German officials is unacceptable,” it said.
A release issued by Vijay Jolly, joint convener, foreign cell of the
BJP, said the party would hold a demonstration outside the German
mission here on Monday.
The delegation, whose visit was supported by ‘Missio,' a Christian
Catholic Bishops Agency, had gone to Gujarat, it said.
The German lawmakers had raised an objection to the new anti-
conversion law of the State government saying it had made conversions
difficult, the release claimed.
It termed the act of the delegation “unfriendly” and said various BJP
leaders would take part in the demonstration and submit a memorandum
to the German ambassador.
The delegation members, who had visited Gujarat to study the status of
the minorities, reportedly justified the European Union's decision not
to grant visa to Mr. Modi.
“The Chief Minister of Gujarat has a radical tone to his politics and
is described as dictatorial. He has a wrong perception of religious
freedom,” members of the Christian Democratic Union of the ruling
coalition of Germany reportedly told the media during their visit to
Ahmedabad on April 8.
The next day Mr. Modi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
demanding an apology from the delegation.
Keywords: BJP, German government, Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra
Modi
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article394462.ece
GANDHINAGAR, April 11, 2010
Modi issue: ‘Centre must take it up with Germany'
Manas Dasgupta
The reported clarification by the German embassy in Delhi washing its
hands of the Narendra Modi controversy, has failed to assuage the hurt
feelings of the Gujarat Chief Minister.
An official spokesman of the State government here on Saturday said
the Central government should take up the matter with the German
government “more seriously” and lodge a strong protest against such
uncharitable remarks against an elected Chief Minister of a State.
An unofficial delegation of the German parliamentarians on a visit to
India reportedly stated on Thursday that Mr. Modi was persona non-
grata in the European Union countries and Germany also supported the
denial of visa to Mr. Modi to visit these countries for his alleged
role in the 2002 pogrom in the State. The German embassy, however,
reportedly informed the External Affairs Ministry that it was an
unofficial team and its views was not necessarily shared by the German
government.
The official spokesman of the State government, however, remarked that
such uncharitable remarks could not be taken lightly. Mr. Modi himself
had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, seeking Central
intervention to get an apology from the German embassy.
The government spokesman said while the State government had been
appreciative of freedom of expression, it viewed the remark as a
“systematic attempt to malign the image of the State.” He said had
similar incidents had taken place in any other country, “these people
would have found themselves behind the bars.”
The spokesman demanded that the delegation members either apologise or
issue a clarification in the case that they had been misquoted.
Mr. Modi was denied visa by the U.S. in 2005 and again last year due
to his alleged role in 2002 riots.
Keywords: Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, German embassy, visa
Comments:
You are either ignorant of facts or are intentionally malicious in
your reporting.
The quote "Mr. Modi was denied visa by the U.S. in 2005 and again last
year due to his alleged role in 2002 riots." is untrue. Last year the
US State Department issued an uncalled for clarification that Modi was
not issued a visa when he had not even applied for it. Visa could not
have been denied last year if it was not even applied for.
Modi is doing well as the Best CM of Gujarat, and for that matter,of
India - from among all present & past CMs of ALL states combined. That
is with, without and in spite of any visa denials.
from: Dhananjay
Posted on: Apr 11, 2010 at 03:49 IST
Modi needs to be congratulated for becoming famous in USA and European
Union, but for the wrong reasons. His involvement in Gujarat riots is
so conclusive yet he has refused to resign. Both USA and EU had
refused visa for his involvement in the riots. German delegation
perception cannot be dictated by Modi or India. Just because he has
been elected does not absolve him of his crime. Modi and Gujarat are
not one. If visa is refused to Modi it does not mean Gujarat's image
is tarnished.
from: V.Narayanaswamy
Posted on: Apr 11, 2010 at 12:35 IST
CM Narendra Modi is an elected head of Indian state just like ex. PM
Rajiv Gandhi. There were action & reaction and many people died in
Rajiv's PM time and also Narendra CM time. Nobody anywhere globally
has any right / justification to declare Modi as persona non grata or
in Rajivs time Rajiv as persona non grata. An apology is due no
mattter any personal or official status of any person / group /
country.
from: Rajesh Bhai
Posted on: Apr 11, 2010 at 15:35 IST
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article394002.ece
New Delhi, April 14, 2010 IPL Kochi: Modi offered $50 million as bribe
PTI
The Hindu IPL Commissionner Lalit Modi.
In a new twist to the controversy over the Kochi franchise, its owner
Rendezvous Sports on Wednesday alleged that IPL Commissioner Lalit
Modi had offered a $50 million bribe to withdraw from the race,
prompting him to threaten legal action.
“We were offered $50 million by Modi to withdraw from the Kochi team”
Shailendra Gaikwad, CEO of the franchise, alleged within hours of Mr.
Modi telling reporters that there was a question mark over the owners
of the new team, secured by a bid of Rs. 1,533 crore last month.
Modi to take legal action
Terming as “rubbish” the charges, Mr. Modi told PTI: “Are they mad.
Who will offer them Rs. 200 crore. I will take legal recourse.”
Asked when he would initiate the legal action, he said “I am awaiting
the clippings (in which Mr. Gaikwad had made allegation that Mr. Modi
wanted their bid to be withdrawn). Once I have that, I will serve them
legal notice... possibly on Thursday.”
Deliberately made to go through a 'tough time'
Hours after Mr. Modi told a press conference that there was a question
mark over the owners of the Kochi franchise, Mr. Gaikwad hit back at
the IPL Commissioner saying that they were being deliberately made to
go through a “tough time” because they refused the offer.
“We went through the process in the right manner and won the bid. But
within 10 days of winning the bid, Mr. Modi offered us $50 million to
give away the rights of the IPL franchise,” Mr. Gaikwad told PTI.
Mr. Gaikwad said that the franchise was being targeted because it
outbid some big business houses whom Mr. Modi wanted to rope in for
the subsequent editions of IPL.
“We are being put to an unnecessary process and the reasons are
obvious. If we did not have all the papers in place how could we win
the bid. It is unfair now to make us go through these problems,” he
said.
Mr. Modi, on the other hand, wondered as to “why I will offer them the
money... the bid had gone for a good sum,” and dared Mr. Gaikwad to
prove the allegations.
“Today they are saying $50 million. Tomorrow they may say some
different figures,” he said adding that every communication and
conversations, including that of Mr. Tharoor wherein the Union
Minister asked him not to identify the owners, was recorded in the
meeting.
Allegations from Rendezvous, which has given a 18 per cent share of
its 25 per cent equity in Kochi Team to Sunanda Pushkar — a friend of
Mr. Tharoor, came within days of Mr. Modi divulging the names of
stakeholders in Kochi Team, a tweet that led to a public spat between
the Union Minister and IPL official.
Keywords: Tharoor-Modi spat, Kochi franchise, Shashi Tharoor
http://beta.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/article397377.ece
Mumbai, April 14, 2010 Question mark over Kochi IPL owners, says Modi
PTI
IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi addresses a press conference in Mumbai on
Wednesday. Photo: Shashi Ashiwal
“Even those who presented the bid documents do not know who they are”
Unfazed by Shashi Tharoor's counter-attack, Indian Premier League
Commissioner Lalit Modi on Wednesday maintained that there was a
question mark over the owners of the IPL Kochi franchise.
In the midst of a raging controversy in which the Minister of State
for External Affairs has been drawn into, Mr. Modi told a press
conference here that he would call a meeting of the IPL Governing
Council after April 25 and discuss the issue.
“As regards all earlier franchisees we know who the owners are. They
come, they attend conferences and meetings but as far as the Kochi IPL
is concerned we had a question mark.
“Even those who presented the bid documents do not know who they
[owners] are,” he said, in reply to questions over the Kochi team
ownership, following a controversy that Mr. Tharoor's friend, Sunanda
Pushkar, has got a free equity of 19 per cent valued at about Rs. 70
crore in the consortium that owns the team.
Replying to a question, Mr. Modi said that in the case of eight teams
already in the IPL, everybody knew who the shareholders were but in
the case of Kochi even the shareholders did not know.
Calling it a “small issue, nevertheless an issue,” Mr. Modi said, “We
will deal with it.”
To a question about his interest in the Rajasthan Royals team, he
said: “I have no hidden agenda or hidden stake.”
Asked if the latest controversy has affected him, he said, “No,
nothing.”
To seek details
Mr. Modi earlier told PTI that it was a job to seek the details of
every shareholder and authenticate the shareholding of every
franchisee.
“It is my job as Chairman of the IPL to seek [the] details and
authenticate the shareholding of every franchise...how would I
otherwise know where the money is coming from,” Mr. Modi said in reply
to Mr. Tharoor who accused him of impropriety, by divulging the
details of the shareholding of the Kochi franchise.
Wondering why any third party (Mr. Tharoor), which is not a
shareholder in any of the franchise, should be exercised about IPL
seeking details, Mr. Modi said he did not know who Ms. Pushkar was
till he read about her in the newspapers.
Ms. Pushkar was given 19 per cent of the 25 per cent equity held by
Rendezvous Sports World in the Kochi franchise.
The cash-rich IPL, which has become a billion-dollar revenue entity in
the third season this year, had auctioned the Kochi and Pune
franchisees to Rendezvous and Sahara last month for a total of about
Rs. 3,200 crore.
Mr. Modi, who has been credited with the success of the IPL, also
wondered why Ms. Pushkar should be given free equity and asked
“whether she is bringing any value?”
‘Call has been minuted’
Questioning Mr. Tharoor making a phone call to the IPL for not
disclosing the identity of shareholders of Rendezvous, he said: “His
call has been minuted and the entire conversation has been minuted by
IPL.”
For transparency
He said his main concern was always to find out the sources of money
and the identity of the shareholders, to maintain transparency in IPL
and keep it above board, particularly on account of the huge money
involved.
Asked about the Board of Control for Cricket in India president
Shashank Manohar's reaction on the Kochi issue, Mr. Modi said: “I will
not comment on the issue, particularly when it is our internal matter.
I will give a suitable reply.”
Keywords: Kochi franchise, IPL, Lalit Modi, Shashi Tharoor, Sunanda
Pushkar
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article397201.ece
New Delhi, April 13, 2010 Tharoor abused office, says BJP
Special Correspondent
The Hindu BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad at a party meeting in
Lucknow. File Photo: Subir Roy
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday charged Union Minister of State
Shashi Tharoor with having abused his office to obtain a pecuniary
advantage in pushing the Kochi franchise for the Indian Premier
League, while the Congress changed its earlier stand to say Mr.
Tharoor himself should explain.
BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded here that Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh take note of the scandal and “sack” Mr. Tharoor, who
should not continue in the government for a moment more. A CBI inquiry
must be ordered. This was a “copybook case of corruption” as Section
13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act clearly defined criminal
conduct as one misusing public office to a obtain pecuniary advantage
for oneself “or any other person.” In this instance, the other person,
Sunanda Pushkar, was an acknowledged friend of Mr. Tharoor, Mr. Prasad
said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed put up some
sort of a defence, pointing out that no one could find fault with Mr.
Tharoor for taking interest in bringing an IPL team to Kochi. He
described the demand for the Minister's resignation or “sacking” as
“absurd.” However, by evening, his senior colleague Janardan Dwivedi
took the line that it was for Mr. Tharoor to “explain” the entire
matter. The party had nothing to do with the controversy.
The Congress adopted a “wait and watch” policy as senior partymen
looked for signals from the high command. They said the matter was
sure to explode as a number of high ranking politicians were involved
with the IPL. Privately, they also said that while Mr. Tharoor's
earlier “tweets” could be explained away as slips of the tongue, this
controversy was far more serious. Doubts were being expressed whether
he would be able to get out of it. While Mr. Prasad was aggressive in
his demand for an inquiry, he objected to any “fishing or roving”
probe into the entire gamut of IPL affairs that would reveal the stake-
holding pattern in the IPL teams from Kolkata, Rajasthan, Punjab or
Chennai.
Mr. Prasad said the BCCI and the IPL were private bodies and there was
no need for a broad inquiry into their business affairs. However, if a
full probe into the IPL affairs were to be ordered, “we will not
object.”
Mr. Prasad admitted that many leaders of the BJP were involved in
cricket and the IPL as were leaders from other parties. Asked whether
he favoured the BCCI coming under the Right to Information Act, his
response was, “Why not? This is a suggestion.”
Keywords: IPL controversy, Lalit Modi, Shashi Tharoor, BJP, Ravi
Shankar Prasad, corruption
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396200.ece
New Delhi, April 13, 2010 Let CBI probe Tharoor’s stakes: plea in
court
J. Venkatesan
“Minister allegedly used official position to get Kochi IPL team for
Rendezvous”
The Supreme Court has been moved for a CBI probe into alleged proxy
stakes of Union Minister of State for External Affairs Sashi Tharoor
in the Kochi-based Rendezvous Sports World Ltd.-led consortium that
won the bid for an Indian Premier League team for Rs 1,533-crore.
Advocate Ajay Agrawal, who filed this petition, said the court could
alternatively order a probe by a special investigation team. He said
he would make a mention on April 15 for early listing of the case.
The petitioner said the Minister allegedly used his official position
to get the Kochi IPL team for the consortium led by Rendezvous, a
company in which, according to reports, Sunanda Pushkar had 19 per
cent free stakes. Mr. Agrawal said she was the Minister's friend, and
he had a reasonable apprehension that hawala and black money might
have also played a big role in the Kochi IPL team obtaining the
franchise.
Mr. Tharoor already issued a statement which said: “A consortium led
by Rendezvous was set up to bid for an IPL team. They approached me
for help and guidance. I steered them towards Kerala. Rendezvous
includes a number of people, including many I have never met, and Ms.
Sunanda Pushkar, whom I know well. My role in mentoring the consortium
included several conversations with Mr. Lalit Modi [IPL chairman], who
guided us through the process and presented himself as a trusted
friend.”
On his interests in the franchise, the Minister said: “I repeat that I
am proud to have helped the consortium come to Kerala. I have neither
invested nor received a rupee for my mentorship of the team.”
Keywords: IPL row, controversy, Shashi Tharoor, Lalit Modi, Kochi
franchise, Rendezvous Sports World
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396286.ece
NEW DELHI, April 13, 2010 BJP wants Shashi Tharoor sacked as IPL row
hots up
Neena Vyas
K. Balchand
PTI File photo shows Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi
Tharoor with his friend Sunanda Pushkar at an event. Allegations have
surfaced that Pushkar received a “free” equity of the Kochi team of
the IPL worth about Rs. 70 crore.
A Molotov cocktail of cricket and politics on Tuesday threatened to
explode the underbelly of the multi-billion rupee Indian Premier
League, with the battle lines drawn between Union Minister of State
Shashi Tharoor and IPL commissioner Lalit Modi.
After allegations surfaced that the Kerala team mentor, Mr. Tharoor's
acknowledged friend Sunanda Pushkar received a “free” equity of the
Kochi team of the IPL worth about Rs. 70 crore, the BJP jumped into
the arena, demanding that Mr. Tharoor be sacked as it was a “copybook
case of corruption.” Party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad sought a
CBI probe.
While the issue has been taken to court, the Congress seemed to be
caught off guard, changing its stance from the defensive to cautious,
aware of the start of the second part of the budget session in a
couple of days.
Initially, its defence was limited to the legitimacy of Mr. Tharoor
helping Kerala get an IPL team. But by evening, the party adopted a
hands-off attitude, saying it was for Mr. Tharoor to “explain
himself.”
In the morning, Board of Control for Cricket in India spokesperson
Rajiv Shukla and External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna met Congress
president Sonia Gandhi. Mr. Shukla said the Tharoor matter was not
discussed.
Mr. Tharoor, meanwhile, took on Mr. Modi, charging him with wanting to
cancel the Kerala IPL to take it elsewhere and committing an
“extraordinary breach of propriety” by disclosing confidential
information on the Kerala consortium's composition.
Simultaneously, Mr. Shukla said BCCI president Shashank Manohar
decided to call a meeting of the IPL governing council within 10 days.
Mr. Manohar charged Mr. Modi with “unbecoming” conduct as he had
raised serious issues on Twitter, rather than discussing them at a
meeting of the governing council.
Vivek Venugopal, co-owner, Kochi IPL franchise, demanded that
shareholdings of consortiums that have stakes in Punjab Kings XI,
Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals be disclosed.
Keywords: Indian Premier League, IPL, Shashi Tharoor, Lalit Modi,
Sunanda Pushkar
Comments:
The way shareholder structure was released into twitter doesnt make
sense at all. If its a public information, then why the public is not
seeing any such things on other ipl team ownership's shareholder
percentages. If Taroor knows one of the shareholders, i cant see why
its a big issue, particularly when we have ways to track if he is
going to gain anything monetarily now or down the line. I think Kochi
like franchise will lead to more exposure for small town kids, a real
way of cricket expansion. Didnt expect this behaviour from a high
profile corporate guy.
from: craig
Posted on: Apr 14, 2010 at 06:14 IST
BJP is trowing arrow in dark and expecting they will get some frame
they should know the histroy of the person and then comment ...if not
people will take there words lightly ....
from: pavan
Posted on: Apr 14, 2010 at 15:23 IST
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396478.ece
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, April 14, 2010
Rendezvous alleges breach of trust by Lalit Modi
A. Vinod
Files complaint with BCCI, asking it to instruct Modi to retract his
statements
The controversy over the ownership of the Kochi IPL consortium seemed
to assume the scale of a bitter war on Tuesday, with team franchisee
Rendezvous Sports World filing a complaint with the Board of Control
for Cricket in India (BCCI), alleging breach of trust by IPL chairman
and commissioner Lalit K. Modi.
“It is unfortunate to note that Mr. Modi himself has disclosed various
vital aspects of the contract on Monday evening,” the complaint,
written by co-owner of the franchise Vivek Venugopal to BCCI president
Shashank Manohar, said.
The letter said: “Information disclosed include shareholding pattern
of the consortium as well as shareholding patterns of various
participating consortium member companies. Please note that Mr. Modi
has not disclosed such information for the other nine teams
participating in the league. In addition, we have been seeing various
remarks by Mr. Modi questioning the capability and the intentions of
this consortium.
“As a consortium, we have abided by the terms and conditions of the
bid document and franchise agreement in letter and in spirit.
Behaviour and actions as conducted by Mr. Modi brings complete
disrespect to the sport, the IPL league, as well as to the sanctity of
the bidding process.”
The letter, which cited the confidentiality clause in the franchise
agreement, sought Mr. Manohar's immediate intervention. “On behalf of
the consortium, I sincerely request you to immediately instruct Mr.
Modi to retract his statements… and apologise for the communications
given in the media. We, as a consortium, are also contemplating legal
action against Mr. Modi for his irresponsible behaviour, which brings
disrepute to his office,” it said.
Modi's tweet
On Monday, within 17 minutes, Mr. Modi used popular social networking
platform Twitter to reveal details, including the stock options held
by the members of the consortium that won the bid for the Kochi
franchise of the IPL at the March 21 auction in Chennai.
He started with the tweet, “A lot of you are asking about the
shareholders and events surrounding the Kochi team. I am compiling a
note shortly and will put out a press release soon.” He went on to
add: “Twenty five per cent of Kochi team is given free to Rendezvous
Sports for life. The same equity is non-dilutable in perpetuity. What
does that mean? Why? Wait.” He then tweeted again: “Will disclose
those details soon.”
Keeping his promise, he then quite dramatically wrote: “Who are the
shareholders of Rendezvous? And why have they been given this 100s of
million dollars bonanza? Kochi shareholders are Rendezvous 25 per cent
[free]; Rendezvous 1 per cent; Anchor 27 per cent; Parinee 26 per
cent; Film Waves Combine 12 per cent; Anand Shyam 8 per cent; Vivek
Venugopal 1 per cent.”
He went on to reveal more: “Rendezvous free equity – held by Kisan,
Shailendra and Pushpa Gaikwad, Sunanda Pushkar, Puja Gulati, Jayant
Kotalwar, Vishnu Prasad, Sundip Agarwal.”
Minutes later, Mr. Modi tweeted again in reply to a query from a
fellow tweeter. “A big? I was told by him not to get into who owns
Rendezvous. Especially Sunanda Pushkar. Why? The same has been minuted
in my records.”
Keywords: Shashi Tharoor, Lalit Modi, Sunanda Pushkar, Rendezvous
Sports World, Board of Control for Cricket in India, BCCI
Comments:
Modi's rash and irresponsible action on the Kerala IPL issue has to be
viewed in two contexts. 1) the perpetual snub the south attitude by
the IPL and BCCI at large and 2) Modi's personal despair in not being
able to grant the franchise to his preferred groups. He has to be
legally pulled up and made obliging to disclose the shareholding
details of all the IPL teams. Why should only KERALA IPL be an open
book while the all the remaining dwells in murky darkness!
from: K.P. Prashanth
Posted on: Apr 14, 2010 at 13:04 IST
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396455.ece
New Delhi, April 14, 2010 Tharoor meets Pranab, Antony
PTI
PTI Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor arrives at
the residence of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for a meeting, in
New Delhi on Wednesday. Related
Union Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor on
Thursday night met Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence
Minister A .K. Antony as the controversy surrounding him in the IPL
snowballed with the Opposition demanding his dismissal.
Mr. Tharoor, who earlier in the evening ruled out his resignation on
the IPL issue saying he had not done anything wrong or misused office,
met the two ministers at Mr. Mukherjee's residence for nearly an hour
after which he left without speaking to waiting media persons.
No official word
There was no official word on the meeting but Mr. Tharoor is believed
to have explained his version of his role in mentoring the IPL Kochi
bid that has triggered a massive controversy over alleged misuse of
his office.
The meeting came after the Congress Core Group headed by party chief
Sonia Gandhi met to discuss the strategy in Parliament on the eve of
resumption of the Budget Session.
Both the BJP and Left parties have demanded his dismissal. The BJP-led
NDA met in the evening and demanded action against him under the
Prevention of Corruption Act.
Keywords: Shashi Tharoor, Lalit Modi, Pranab Mukherjee, A.K. Antony,
IPL row, IPL Kochi, Rendezvous Sports, Sunanda Pushkar
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article397463.ece
New Delhi, April 14, 2010 Tharoor rules out resignation
PTI
PTI A file photo of Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar.
Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday
ruled out resigning from the government and rejected charges that he
had misused his office or indulged in corruption in IPL Kochi team’s
bid.
“Have I done anything wrong to resign. When you have done nothing
wrong....it seems to me it means that you are giving more importance
to other people’s perception.
“I am not going to resign. Obviously I am not going to be an
embarrassment to the Congress Party. These are false and motivated
charges levelled by business interests of some vested interests,” he
told NDTV.
Mr. Tharoor said he has sought an appointment with Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh when he comes back from abroad to explain his side of
the story. “I will certainly be conveying my story to the Prime
Minister,” he said adding he would also meet the Congress President.
Asked if he expected the controversy to figure in Parliament, he said
“this may be one more issue in Parliament which he respects”. He would
be going to Parliament in the spirit of a “worshipper“.
The Minister said he was extremely sad and found it deeply offensive
that that he was being “vilified and accused” of making pecuniary
gains and his integrity and honesty being questioned.
“I have quit a UN job with a good salary for the salary of a minister
in the government and find it extremely upsetting (that charges have
been made),” he said.
Mr. Tharoor said he is one person who was somewhat upfront and
transparent and suddenly found charges being levelled against him.
Asked about the Opposition charge that he had misused his office as
Minister to get gains for his friend Sunanda Pushkar and telephoned
Lalit Modi not to seek details in this regard, he said why would he as
a minister indulge in corruption in such an open manner to help a
friend.
Keywords: Tharoor-Modi spat, IPL Kochi franchise, Sunanda Pushkar
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article397348.ece
New Delhi, April 14, 2010 Tharoor a honest person, says Sunanda
PTI
PTI A file photo of Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar.
Breaking her silence over the raging IPL Kochi controversy, Sunanda
Pushkar on Wednesday batted for her friend Shashi Tharoor, describing
the Union Minister as a “principled” man and denying accusations that
she was fronting for him.
In an exclusive telephonic interview with PTI from Dubai, Sunanda hit
out at the media for “haunting” Tharoor and making him out to be a
corrupt person.
“Shashi is a kind and honest person. He is a great and principled guy.
It (media trial) makes me sad,” she said, adding that she herself had
been “reduced to a caricature in the media, portrayed with
inaccuracies and falsehoods.”
Lashing out at critics trying to “besmirch” Tharoor by “presenting me
as a proxy for him”, Sunanda said it was “insulting for me as a woman
and a friend“.
Rejecting accusations that she has got equity worth about Rs 69 crore
in the IPL franchise as a gift because of her proximity to Tharoor,
she said “Why you people can’t accept that I am a businesswoman. I
wanted to associate with IPL and I had tried with Kolkata Knight
Riders earlier.
“I am rendering services for Kochi franchise. (I) have advised them in
getting IPL. I am also advising them on marketing and branding and
hence I am getting sweat equity. It is only on paper now. I have not
yet got it.
“And all the report that I have got 18 per cent equity makes me laugh.
It is way below this number but I can’t give the numbers as I am
committed to others about the confidentiality.”
Keywords: IPL Kochi, Sunanda Pushkar, Shashi Tharoor
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article397322.ece
New Delhi, April 14, 2010 Threat to Tharoor: phone number of sender
traced to Delhi
PTI
Central security agencies have traced a local phone number from, which
the alleged death threat from Dawood Ibrahim gang was made to an aide
of Minister of State External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.
Official sources said the number used for sending the alleged threat
message, received by the personal staff of Tharoor, belonged to Delhi
circle and the hunt for the sender is on.
Jacob Joseph, Officer on Special Duty with the Union Minister, has
alleged that the henchmen of Karachi-based underworld don Dawood
Ibrahim have threatened Tharoor to stay out of IPL Kochi team or face
death.
He told the media that the Home Ministry and Delhi Police have been
informed about the message.
Tharoor has been in the thick of a controversy after IPL commissioner
Lalit Modi disclosed that the Minister had telephoned him not to
reveal details about owners of the IPL Kochi franchise, which included
Sunanda Pushkar, a close friend of the Minister.
Pushkar has been given a free equity of around 19 percent, which is
valued at Rs 70 crore in Rendezvous Sports World, which heads the
consortium that owns the IPL Kochi team.
Keywords: Shashi Tharoor, Kochi IPL, Lalit Modi, Rendezvous Sports
World
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article397001.ece
Washington, April 14, 2010 Manmohan to look into Tharoor IPL matter
Special Correspondent
PTI Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor with Sunanda
Pushkar at a function in New Delhi. File Photo: PTI
With controversy swirling back home about the alleged links between
Shashi Tharoor and the promoters of the Kochi IPL franchisees, Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh was asked here on Tuesday how he would respond
to the Opposition’s demand that the junior foreign minister be
dismissed.
“I don’t have all the facts before me and when I go back I will get
all the facts and in the light of those if any action is necessary I
think that would be the proper way to proceed”, he said, declining to
get drawn in to specifics. “I cannot go by hearsay or what is in
various columns of the newspapers.”
Keywords: Shashi Tharoor, IPL controversy, Sunanda Pushkar, Manmohan
Singh
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396745.ece
Washington DC, April 13, 2010 Tharoor’s IPL googly is hat-trick for
Manmohan
Siddharth Varadarajan
PTI
Whatever the facts of the dispute between Shashi Tharoor and Lalit
Modi, this is the third time that a controversy surrounding the junior
foreign minister has threatened to overshadow the Prime Minister
during an important overseas visit.
Halfway through Manmohan Singh’s ongoing visit to the U.S. and Brazil
for the Nuclear Security, BRIC and IBSA summits, the media back home
has already turned its attention to Mr. Tharoor, much to the
irritation of the traveling delegation.
On Tuesday night, TV channels devoted virtually all their time to the
Tharoor-IPL issue, tuning out of what the Prime Minister had to say in
Washington.
In February this year, Mr. Tharoor’s on-the-record comments to Indian
reporters during an informal dinner hosted by the Indian ambassador in
Riyadh triggered a controversy over his use of the word‘interlocutor’.
Though PMO officials agree that the media erred in alleging that he
had called for Saudi ‘mediation’ with Pakistan, they say the junior
minister invited the controversy upon himself and that he should not
have spoken to the press in the first place during the Prime
Minister's visit.
Last September, part of the Prime Minister’s press conference during
the India-Asean summit was spent in firefighting after Mr. Tharoor’s
tweets about traveling in ‘cattle-class’ triggered a political
controversy back home.
Keywords: Shashi Tharoor, Manmohan Singh, Lalit Modi, IPL
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396519.ece
New Delhi, April 14, 2010 My job is to authenticate every
shareholding: Modi
PTI
The Hindu IPL Commissioner and Chairman Lalit Modi during an IPL match
in Mohali. File Photo: Akhilesh Kumar Related
Tharoor meets Pranab, Antony
Threat to Tharoor: phone number of sender traced to Delhi
Undeterred by Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor
launching an attack on him on Kochi franchise issue, Chairman of
Indian Premier League Lalit Modi on Wednesday asserted that it was his
job to seek details of every shareholder and authenticate.
“It is my job as Chairman of IPL to seek details and authenticate the
shareholding of every franchise... how would otherwise I know where
the money is coming from,” Mr. Modi told PTI on Tharoor’s accusation
of he causing impropriety by divulging the details of the shareholding
of Kochi franchise.
Wondering as to why any third party (Tharoor), which is not a
shareholder in any of the franchise, should be exercised about IPL
seeking details, Mr. Modi said that he did not know about who Sunanda
Pushkar was till he read about her in the newspapers.
Sunanda Pushkar, who was given 19 per cent of the 25 per cent equity
held by Rendezvous Sports World in Kochi franchise, was reported to be
very close to Mr. Tharoor, who is also reported to be planning to
marry her.
The cash rich IPL, which has become a one billion dollar revenue
entity in the third season this year, had auctioned Kochi and Pune
franchise to Rendezvous and Sahara last month for a total of about Rs
3,200 crore.
Mr. Modi, who has been credited for success of IPL which he had
earlier said would help make BCCI the richest sports entity in the
world in next 3-4 years, also wondered as to why Sunanda should be
given free equity and quipped “whether she is bringing any value?”
Questioning Mr. Tharoor making a phone call to IPL for not disclosing
the identity of shareholders of Rendezvous, he said “his call has been
minuted and the entire conversation has been minuted by IPL“.
He said that his main concern was always to find out the sources of
money and identity of shareholders to keep IPL, which has dislodged TV
programmes in terms of catching the eyeballs, to keep the working
transparent and entity above board, particularly on account of the
huge money involved.
Asked about the Board of Control for Cricket in India President
Shashank Manohar taking up cudgels on Kochi issue, Mr. Modi said “I
will not comment on the issue, particularly when it is our internal
matter. I will give a suitable reply.”
Keywords: IPL, controversy, Lalit Modi, Shashi Tharoor, Kochi
franchise
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396944.ece
New Delhi, April 14, 2010 After BJP, Left demands Tharoor’s
resignation
PTI
After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Left parties on Wednesday
stepped up pressure demanding the resignation of Shashi Tharoor,
saying it was “highly inappropriate” for a Union minister to be
involved in “murky dealings” in connection with IPL.
Noting that the IPL is not just a sporting event but a “big business
enterprise in which big money is involved, the CPI(M) said it was
“highly inappropriate for a minister in the Union government to be
involved in such murky dealings.”
“It is incumbent upon Mr. Tharoor to step down from office till his
name is cleared of any unethical or irregular behaviour,” the party
said in a statement here.
“The involvement of Mr. Tharoor in the IPL franchise for the Kochi
team has raised a number of questions. It now transpires that a person
associated with him has got 19 per cent free equity worth Rs. 70
crores in the company that led the consortium which got the
franchise,” it said.
The CPI(M) also said the UPA government should also explain whether
its ministers can be involved in business dealings in the name of IPL.
“The government should probe the source of certain funds flowing into
the tournament and reconsider whether any tax exemptions or
concessions are justified for this commercial enterprise,” it added.
CPI National Secretary D. Raja also demanded Mr. Tharoor’s resignation
saying his continuance in the government has become “untenable“.
“There should be an enquiry into it. Mr. Tharoor should step down as
his continuance has become untenable,” Mr. Raja said.
Keywords: Lalit Modi, IPL, Shashi Tharoor
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article397173.ece
New Delhi, April 13, 2010 Let CBI probe Tharoor’s stakes: plea in
court
J. Venkatesan
“Minister allegedly used official position to get Kochi IPL team for
Rendezvous”
The Supreme Court has been moved for a CBI probe into alleged proxy
stakes of Union Minister of State for External Affairs Sashi Tharoor
in the Kochi-based Rendezvous Sports World Ltd.-led consortium that
won the bid for an Indian Premier League team for Rs 1,533-crore.
Advocate Ajay Agrawal, who filed this petition, said the court could
alternatively order a probe by a special investigation team. He said
he would make a mention on April 15 for early listing of the case.
The petitioner said the Minister allegedly used his official position
to get the Kochi IPL team for the consortium led by Rendezvous, a
company in which, according to reports, Sunanda Pushkar had 19 per
cent free stakes. Mr. Agrawal said she was the Minister's friend, and
he had a reasonable apprehension that hawala and black money might
have also played a big role in the Kochi IPL team obtaining the
franchise.
Mr. Tharoor already issued a statement which said: “A consortium led
by Rendezvous was set up to bid for an IPL team. They approached me
for help and guidance. I steered them towards Kerala. Rendezvous
includes a number of people, including many I have never met, and Ms.
Sunanda Pushkar, whom I know well. My role in mentoring the consortium
included several conversations with Mr. Lalit Modi [IPL chairman], who
guided us through the process and presented himself as a trusted
friend.”
On his interests in the franchise, the Minister said: “I repeat that I
am proud to have helped the consortium come to Kerala. I have neither
invested nor received a rupee for my mentorship of the team.”
Keywords: IPL row, controversy, Shashi Tharoor, Lalit Modi, Kochi
franchise, Rendezvous Sports World
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396286.ece
New Delhi, April 13, 2010 I did not pressure Modi: Tharoor
Special Correspondent
"My sole interest behind mentoring consortium is to steer it towards
Kerala"
Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor has denied
asking Indian Premier League (IPL) boss Lalit Modi not to disclose the
composition of the Rendezvous-led consortium that won the bid for an
IPL team.
Admitting his acquaintance with a member of the winning team, the
Minister maintained that his sole interest behind “mentoring'' the
consortium was to “steer'' it towards Kerala.
While Mr. Modi initially guided the consortium through the process and
presented himself as its “trusted friend,'' its unexpected success
upset the plans of a “lot of powerful people'' who wanted the
franchise to go elsewhere, said the Minister in a statement.
Mr. Tharoor's clarification came after Mr. Modi disclosed the names of
the members of the winning consortium and alleged that the former
called him up asking him not to reveal the names.
Mr. Modi's “extraordinary breach of all propriety'' in publicly
raising issues relating to the consortium's composition was an attempt
to discredit the team and create reasons to disqualify it, so that the
franchise could be awarded elsewhere. Mr. Modi raised several
objections to the bid documents, but finally had no choice but to
approve them, Mr. Tharoor said.
The Minister denied pressuring Mr. Modi not to question the
composition of the consortium. Rather, he called up Mr. Modi to ask
why he was further delaying the approval of the franchise when all
legal requirements were fulfilled. “Had he conducted himself in good
faith throughout, no call would have been necessary.''
Mr. Tharoor asserted that his sole interest in “steering'' the
consortium to Kerala was that the move had the potential to bring
“great material and psychological benefits'' to the State's economy
and society.
He said: “I have neither invested nor received a rupee for my
mentorship of the team. Whatever my personal relationships with any of
the consortium members, I do not intend to benefit in any way
financially from my association with the team now or at a later
stage.
“It has been clear for some time that the real motive is to assign
this IPL team elsewhere than Kerala. All of us in Kerala hope that the
BCCI will not permit statements and activities which seek to discredit
the Kerala team before it has even had a chance to prove its worth.''
The statement was issued in his personal capacity to respond to the
allegations made against him.
Keywords: Shashi Tharoor, Lalit Modi, Rendezvous Sports World, BCCI
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article396076.ece
New Delhi, April 14, 2010 UPA all set for battle in Parliament
Neena Vyas
PTI UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi at a function to mark the 119th birth
anniversary of B.R. Ambedhkar, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Gandhi had
consultations with senior colleagues to work out a strategy to meet
the Opposition challenge during the second part of the budget
session.
The United Progressive Alliance coalition at the Centre on Wednesday
prepared to fight the expected onslaught from the Opposition on a
variety of issues that are sure to come up in the second part of the
budget session starting on Thursday.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi began a round of consultations with
senior colleagues to work out a strategy to ward off an Opposition
that seemed determined to embarrass the government. Leader of the Lok
Sabha Pranab Mukherjee, who as Finance Minister will move the Finance
Bill, was among those who met her. Defence Minister A.K. Antony also
met her. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal is at work
to ensure that the UPA's wafer-thin majority does not get eroded by
its MPs absenting themselves on critical days.
The Congress sees cut motions that the Opposition parties have said
they will move as the biggest threat. But party leaders were confident
of meeting the challenge successfully as neither the Left parties nor
the BJP want to bring down the government before they shore up their
strength in their own electoral bastions.
The government's prestige is also at stake, with the Opposition
levelling charges of corruption against Minister of State Shashi
Tharoor. The Congress has already begun distancing itself from him
saying he must explain and the Prime Minister saying in Washington he
would ascertain the facts after returning home. And on the Dantewada
killings, Home Minister P. Chidambaram has already found a supporter
in the BJP, despite its decision to ask for suspension of Question
Hour on the issue.
Keywords: United Progressive Alliance, UPA, budget session, Congress,
Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Lok Sabha, Pranab Mukherjee, Finance Bill,
Defence Minister, A.K. Antony
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article397282.ece
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/horseplay-in-harappa-sid-harth-2/
navanavonmilita
Francis of Assisi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article's introduction section may not adequately summarize its
contents. To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, please
consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of the
article's key points. (February 2010)
This article is about the friar and patron saint.
Saint Francis of Assisi
Painting by Jusepe de Ribera
Confessor
Born 1181/1182, Italy
Died October 4, 1226, Assisi, Italy
Venerated in Catholic Church, Anglican Church
Canonized July 16, 1228, Assisi by Pope Gregory IX
Major shrine Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi
Feast October 4
Attributes Cross, Dove, Pax et Bonum, Poor Franciscan habit, Stigmata
Patronage animals, Catholic Action, environment, merchants,
Meycauayan, Italy, Brgy. San Francisco, San Pablo City, Philippines,
stowaways[1]
Saint Francis of Assisi (Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone; 1181/1182 –
October 3, 1226)[2] was a Catholic deacon and preacher. He also was
the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, more commonly known as the
Franciscans.
He is known as the patron saint of animals, the environment and one of
the two patrons of Italy (with Catherine of Siena), and it is
customary for Catholic churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on
his feast day of 4 October.[3]
Childhood and early adulthood
Francis was one of seven children born to Pietro di Bernardone, a rich
cloth merchant, and his wife Pica, about whom little is known except
that she was originally from France[4]. Pietro was in France on
business when Francis was born, and Pica had him baptised as Giovanni
di Bernardone[3] in honor of Saint John the Baptist, in the hope he
would grow to be a great religious leader. When his father returned to
Assisi, he took to calling him Francesco, possibly in honor of his
commercial success and enthusiasm for all things French.[5]
As a youth, Francesco—or Francis in English—became a devotee of
troubadours and was fascinated with all things French.[2][5] Although
many hagiographers remark about his bright clothing, rich friends,
street brawls, and love of pleasure,[4] his displays of
disillusionment toward the world that surrounded him came fairly early
in his life, as is shown in the "story of the beggar." In this
account, he was selling cloth and velvet in the marketplace on behalf
of his father when a beggar came to him and asked for alms. At the
conclusion of his business deal, Francis abandoned his wares and ran
after the beggar. When he found him, Francis gave the man everything
he had in his pockets. His friends quickly chided and mocked him for
his act of charity. When he got home, his father scolded him in rage.
[6]
In 1201, he joined a military expedition against Perugia and was taken
as a prisoner at Collestrada, spending a year as a captive.[7] It is
possible that his spiritual conversion was a gradual process rooted in
this experience. Upon his return to Assisi in 1203, Francis returned
to his carefree life and in 1204, a serious illness led to a spiritual
crisis. In 1205 Francis left for Puglia to enlist in the army of the
Count of Brienne. A strange vision made him return to Assisi,
deepening his ecclesiastical awakening [2].
Francis of Assisi by Francisco de ZurbaránAccording to the
hagiographic legend, thereafter he began to avoid the sports and the
feasts of his former companions; in response, they asked him
laughingly whether he was thinking of marrying, to which he answered
"yes, a fairer bride than any of you have ever seen", meaning his
"lady poverty". He spent much time in lonely places, asking God for
enlightenment. By degrees he took to nursing lepers, the most
repulsive victims in the lazar houses near Assisi. After a pilgrimage
to Rome, where he begged at the church doors for the poor, he said he
had had a mystical vision of Jesus Christ in the Church of San Damiano
just outside of Assisi, in which the Icon of Christ Crucified said to
him, "Francis, Francis, go and repair My house which, as you can see,
is falling into ruins". He thought this to mean the ruined church in
which he was presently praying, and so sold some cloth from his
father's store to assist the priest there for this purpose.[2][8]
His father Pietro, highly indignant, attempted to change his mind,
first with threats and then with beatings. After legal proceedings
before the bishop, Francis renounced his father and his patrimony,
laying aside even the garments he had received from him. For the next
couple of months he lived as a beggar in the region of Assisi.
Returning to the countryside around the town for two years this time,
he restored several ruined churches, among them the Porziuncola--
little chapel of St Mary of the Angels--just outside the town, which
later became his favorite abode.[8]
Founding of the Order of Friars Minor
At the end of this period (on February 24, 1209, according to Jordan
of Giano), Francis heard a sermon that changed his life. The sermon
was about Matthew 10:9, in which Christ tells his followers they
should go forth and proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven was upon them,
that they should take no money with them, nor even a walking stick or
shoes for the road.[2] Francis was inspired to devote himself to a
life of poverty.[2]
Clad in a rough garment, barefoot, and, after the Evangelical precept,
without staff or scrip, he began to preach repentance.[2] He was soon
joined by his first follower, a prominent fellow townsman, the jurist
Bernardo di Quintavalle, who contributed all that he had to the work.
Within a year Francis had eleven followers. Francis chose never to be
ordained a priest and the community lived as "lesser brothers,"
fratres minores in Latin.[2]
The brothers lived a simple life in the deserted lazar house of Rivo
Torto near Assisi; but they spent much of their time wandering through
the mountainous districts of Umbria, always cheerful and full of
songs, yet making a deep impression upon their hearers by their
earnest exhortations.[2]
In 1209, Francis led his first eleven followers to Rome to seek
permission from Pope Innocent III to found a new religious order.[9]
Upon entry to Rome, the brothers encountered Bishop Guido of Assisi,
who had in his company Giovanni di San Paolo, the Cardinal Bishop of
Sabina. The Cardinal, who was the confessor of Pope Innocent III, was
immediately sympathetic to Francis and agreed to represent Francis to
the pope. Reluctantly, Pope Innocent agreed to meet with Francis and
the brothers the next day. After several days, the pope agreed to
admit the group informally, adding that when God increased the group
in grace and number, they could return for an official admittance. The
group was tonsured.[10]
Later life
Pope Innocent III has a dream of St. Francis of Assisi supporting the
tilting church (attributed to Giotto)From then on, his new order grew
quickly with new vocations.[11] When hearing Francis preaching in the
church of San Rufino in Assisi in 1209, Clare of Assisi became deeply
touched by his message and she realized her calling.[11] Her brother
Rufino also joined the new order.
On Palm Sunday, March 28, 1211 Francis received Clare at the
Porziuncola and hereby established the Order of Poor Ladies, later
called Poor Clares.[11] In the same year, Francis left for Jerusalem,
but he was shipwrecked by a storm on the Dalmatian coast, forcing him
to return to Italy.
On May 8, 1213 he was given the use of the mountain of La Verna
(Alverna) as a gift from the count Orlando di Chiusi who described it
as “eminently suitable for whoever wishes to do penance in a place
remote from mankind.”[12][13] The mountain would become one of his
favorite retreats for prayer.[13] In the same year, Francis sailed for
Morocco, but this time an illness forced him to break off his journey
in Spain. Back in Assisi, several noblemen (among them Tommaso da
Celano, who would later write the biography of St. Francis) and some
well-educated men joined his order.
In 1215 Francis went again to Rome for the Fourth Lateran Council.
During this time, he probably met Dominic de Guzman[1] (later to be
Saint Dominic, the founder of the Friars Preachers, another Catholic
religious order).
In 1217 the growing congregation of friars was divided into provinces
and groups were sent to France, Germany, Hungary, Spain and to the
East.
St. Francis before the Sultan — the trial by fire (fresco attributed
to Giotto)In 1219 Francis left, together with a few companions, on a
pilgrimage to Egypt. Crossing the lines between the sultan and the
Crusaders in Damietta, he was received by the sultan Melek-el-Kamel.[1]
[14] Francis challenged the Muslim scholars to a test of true religion
by fire; but they retreated.[1] When Francis proposed to enter the
fire first, under the condition that if he left the fire unharmed, the
sultan would have to recognize Christ as the true God, the sultan was
so impressed that he allowed Francis to preach to his subjects.[1][15]
Though Francis did not succeed in converting the sultan, the last
words of the sultan to Francis of Assisi were, according to Jacques de
Vitry, bishop of Acre, in his book "Historia occidentalis, De Ordine
et praedicatione Fratrum Minorum (1221)" : “Pray for me that God may
deign to reveal to me that law and faith which is most pleasing to
him.”.[16]
Francis's visit to Egypt and attempted rapprochement with the Muslim
world had far-reaching consequences, long past his own death, since
after the fall of the Crusader Kingdom it would be the Franciscans, of
all Catholics, who would be allowed to stay on in the Holy Land and be
recognised as "Custodians of the Holy Land" on behalf of Christianity.
Saint Francis of Assisi with the Sultan al-Kamil (15th century)At
Acre, the capital of what remained of the Kingdom of Jerusalem,
Francis rejoined the Order's brothers Elia and Pietro Cattini, and
then most probably visited the holy places in Palestine in 1220.
Although nativity drawings and paintings existed earlier, St Francis
of Assisi celebrated Christmas by setting up the first known three-
dimensional presepio or crèche (Nativity scene) in the town of Greccio
near Assisi, around 1220.[17] He used real animals to create a living
scene so that the worshipers could contemplate the birth of the child
Jesus in a direct way, making use of the senses, especially sight.[17]
Thomas of Celano, a biographer of Francis and Saint Bonaventure both,
tell how he only used a straw-filled manger (feeding trough) set
between a real ox and donkey.[17] According to Thomas, it was
beautiful in its simplicity with the manger acting as the altar for
the Christmas Mass.
When receiving a report of the martyrdom of five brothers in Morocco,
Francis returned to Italy via Venice.[18] Cardinal Ugolino di Conti
was then nominated by the Pope as the protector of the Order. On
September 29, 1220, Francis handed over the governance of the Order to
brother Pietro Catani at the Porziuncola. However, Brother Pietro died
only five months later, on March 10, 1221, and was buried in the
Porziuncola. When numerous miracles were attributed to the late Pietro
Catani, people started to flock to the Porziuncola, disturbing the
daily life of the Franciscans. Francis then prayed, asking Pietro to
stop the miracles and obey in death as he had obeyed during his life.
The report of miracles ceased. Brother Pietro was succeeded by Brother
Elias as Vicar of Francis.
During 1221 and 1222 Francis crossed Italy, first as far south as
Catania in Sicily and afterwards as far north as Bologna.
On November 29, 1223 the final Rule of the Order (in twelve chapters)
was approved by Pope Honorius III.
St. Francis receives the Stigmata (fresco attributed to Giotto)While
he was praying on the mountain of Verna, during a forty-day fast in
preparation for Michaelmas (September 29), Francis is said to have had
a vision on or about September 14, 1224, the Feast of the Exaltation
of the Cross, as a result of which he received the stigmata.[19]
Brother Leo, who had been with Francis at the time, left a clear and
simple account of the event, the first definite account of the
phenomenon of stigmata.[2][19] "Suddenly he saw a vision of a seraph,
a six-winged angel on a cross. This angel gave him the gift of the
five wounds of Christ."[19]
Suffering from these stigmata and from an eye disease, Francis
received care in several cities (Siena, Cortona, Nocera) to no avail.
In the end, he was brought back to a hut next to the Porziuncola.
Here, in the place where it all began, feeling the end approaching, he
spent the last days of his life dictating his spiritual testament. He
died on the evening of October 3, 1226, singing Psalm 141.
On July 16, 1228, he was pronounced a saint by Pope Gregory IX (the
former cardinal Ugolino di Conti, friend of St Francis and Cardinal
Protector of the Order). The next day, the Pope laid the foundation
stone for the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi.
He was buried on May 25, 1230, under the Lower Basilica. His burial
place remained inaccessible until it was reopened in 1818. Pasquale
Belli then constructed for his remains a crypt in neo-classical style
in the Lower Basilica. It was refashioned between 1927 and 1930 into
its present form by Ugo Tarchi, stripping the wall of its marble
decorations. In 1978 the remains of St. Francis were identified by a
commission of scholars appointed by Pope Paul VI, and put in a glass
urn in the ancient stone tomb.
Saint Francis is considered the first Italian poet by literary
critics. He believed commoners should be able to pray to God in their
own language, and he wrote often in the dialect of Umbria instead of
Latin. His writings are considered to have great literary value, as
well as religious.[20]
Feast day
Saint Francis's feast day is observed on October 4. In addition to
this feast, a secondary feast is still observed amongst Traditional
Roman Catholics and Franciscans worldwide in honor of the stigmata
received by St Francis celebrated on September 17 called "The
Impression of the Stigmata of St Francis, Confessor" (see the General
Roman Calendar as in 1954, the General Roman Calendar of Pope Pius
XII, and the General Roman Calendar of 1962). On June 18, 1939, Pope
Pius XII named him a joint Patron Saint of Italy along with Saint
Catherine of Siena with the apostolic letter "Licet Commissa", AAS
XXXI (1939), 256-257. Pius XII also remembered the two saints in the
laudative discourse he pronounced on May 5, 1949 in the Santa Maria
sopra Minerva Church.
Nature and the environment
A garden statue of Francis of Assisi with birdsMany of the stories
that surround the life of St. Francis deal with his love for animals.
[21] Perhaps the most famous incident that illustrates the Saint's
humility towards nature is recounted in the "Fioretti" ("Little
Flowers"), a collection of legends and folklore that sprang up after
the Saint's death. It is said that, one day, while Francis was
traveling with some companions, they happened upon a place in the road
where birds filled the trees on either side. Francis told his
companions to "wait for me while I go to preach to my sisters the
birds".[21] The birds surrounded him, drawn by the power of his voice,
and not one of them flew away. Francis spoke to them:
My sister birds, you owe much to God, and you must always and in
everyplace give praise to Him; for He has given you freedom to wing
through the sky and He has clothed you... you neither sow nor reap,
and God feeds you and gives you rivers and fountains for your thirst,
and mountains and valleys for shelter, and tall trees for your nests.
And although you neither know how to spin or weave, God dresses you
and your children, for the Creator loves you greatly and He blesses
you abundantly. Therefore... always seek to praise God.
Main article: Wolf of Gubbio http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_of_Gubbio
Another legend from the Fioretti tells that in the city of Gubbio,
where Francis lived for some time, was a wolf "terrifying and
ferocious, who devoured men as well as animals". Francis had
compassion upon the townsfolk, and went up into the hills to find the
wolf. Soon, fear of the animal had caused all his companions to flee,
though the saint pressed on. When he found the wolf, he made the sign
of the cross and commanded the wolf to come to him and hurt no one.
Miraculously the wolf closed his jaws and lay down at the feet of St.
Francis. "Brother Wolf, you do much harm in these parts and you have
done great evil...", said Francis. "All these people accuse you and
curse you... But brother wolf, I would like to make peace between you
and the people". Then Francis led the wolf into the town, and
surrounded by startled citizens made a pact between them and the wolf.
Because the wolf had “done evil out of hunger”, the townsfolk were to
feed the wolf regularly, and in return, the wolf would no longer prey
upon them or their flocks. In this manner Gubbio was freed from the
menace of the predator. Francis, ever the lover of animals, even made
a pact on behalf of the town dogs, that they would not bother the wolf
again. It is also said that Francis, to show the townspeople that they
would not be harmed, blessed the wolf.
These legends exemplify the Franciscan mode of charity and poverty as
well as the saint's love of the natural world.[22] Part of his
appreciation of the environment is expressed in his Canticle of the
Sun, a poem written in Umbrian Italian in perhaps 1224 which expresses
a love and appreciation of Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Mother Earth,
Brother Fire, etc. and all of God's creations personified in their
fundamental forms. In "Canticle of the Creatures," he wrote: "All
praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister
creatures."[3]
Francis's attitude towards the natural world, while poetically
expressed, was conventionally Christian.[4] He believed that the world
was created good and beautiful by God but suffers a need for
redemption because of the primordial sin of man. He preached to man
and beast the universal ability and duty of all creatures to praise
God (a common theme in the Psalms) and the duty of men to protect and
enjoy nature as both the stewards of God's creation and as creatures
ourselves.[21]
Legend has it that St. Francis on his deathbed thanked his donkey for
carrying and helping him throughout his life, and his donkey wept.
Media
St. Francis by Johann Baptist Moroder-Lusenberg[edit] Films
The Flowers of St. Francis, a 1950 film directed by Roberto Rossellini
and co-written by Federico Fellini
Francis of Assisi, a 1961 film directed by Michael Curtiz, based on
the novel The Joyful Beggar by Louis de Wohl
Brother Sun, Sister Moon, a 1972 film by Franco Zeffirelli
Francesco, a 1989 film by Liliana Cavani, contemplatively paced,
follows Francis of Assisi's evolution from rich man's son to religious
humanitarian and eventually to full-fledged self-tortured saint. This
movie was inspired by Hermann Hesse's novel Peter Camenzind[citation
needed] and Scripta Leonis, Rufini et Angeli, Sociorum S. Francisci:
The Writings of Leo, Rufino and Angelo, Companions of St. Francis from
which much of the dialogue is taken directly. St. Francis is played by
Mickey Rourke, and the woman who later became Saint Clare, is played
by Helena Bonham Carter
St Francis, a 2002 film directed by Michele Soavi, starring Raoul Bova
and Amélie Daure.
Clare and Francis, a 2007 film directed by Fabrizio Costa, starring
Mary Petruolo and Ettore Bassi.
[edit] Classical music
Franz Liszt:
Cantico del sol di Francesco d'Assisi, S.4 (sacred choral work, 1862,
1880–81; versions of the Prelude for piano, S. 498c, 499, 499a;
version of the Prelude for organ, S. 665, 760; version of the Hosannah
for organ and bass trombone, S.677)
St. François d'Assise: La Prédication aux oiseaux, No. 1 of Deux
Légendes, S.175 (piano, 1862–63)
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco:
Fioretti (voice and orchestra, 1920)
Gian Francesco Malipiero:
San Francesco d'Assisi (soloists, chorus and orchestra, 1920–1921)
Amy Beach:
Canticle of the Sun (soloists, chorus and orchestra, 1928)
Leo Sowerby:
Canticle of the Sun (cantata for mixed voices with accompaniment for
piano or orchestra, 1944)
Seth Bingham
The Canticle of the Sun (cantata for chorus of mixed voices with soli
ad lib. and accompaniment for organ or orchestra, 1949)
Olivier Messiaen:
opera Saint François d'Assise (1975–83)
William Walton:
Cantico del sol (chorus, 1973–74)
Books
Sant Francesco (Saint Francis, 1895), a book of forty-three Saint
Francis poems by Catalan poet-priest Jacint Verdaguer, three of which
are included in English translation in Selected Poems of Jacint
Verdaguer: A Bilingual Edition, edited and translated by Ronald Puppo,
with an introduction by Ramon Pinyol i Torrents (University of
Chicago, 2007). The three poems are "The Turtledoves", "Preaching to
Birds" and "The Pilgrim".
Saint Francis of Assisi (1923), a book by G. K. Chesterton
"Blessed Are The Meek(1944 ). a book by [Zofia Kossak]
Saint Francis (1962), a book by Nikos Kazantzakis
Scripta Leonis, Rufini Et Angeli Sociorum S. Francisci: The Writings
of Leo, Rufino and Angelo Companions of St. Francis (1970), edited by
Rosalind B. Brooke, in Latin and English, containing testimony
recorded by intimate, long-time companions of St. Francis
Saint Francis and His Four Ladies (1970), a book by Joan Mowat
Erikson
The Life of Saint Francis of Assisi (1996), a book by Patricia
Stewart
Reluctant Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi (2002), a book by
Donald Spoto
Flowers for St Francis (2005), a book by Raj Arumugam
Chasing Francis, 2006, a book by Ian Cron
Other
In Rubén Darío's poetry "Los Motivos Del Lobo" (The Reasons Of The
Wolf) St. Francis tames a terrible wolf only to discover that the
human heart harbors darker desires than those of the beast.
In Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, Ivan Karamazov invokes
the name of 'Pater Seraphicus,' an epithet applied to St. Francis, to
describe Alyshosha's spiritual guide Zosima. The reference is also
found in Goethe's "Faust," Part 2, Act 5, lines 11918–25.
Frank McCourt's autobiography Angela’s Ashes contains some references
to St. Francis.
St. Francis preaches to the birds (2005), chamber concerto for violin
by composer Lewis Nielson
Brother, Sister (2006), third full-length album by indie rock band
MewithoutYou, featuring the song "The Sun and Moon"
The song "Fifty Gallon Drum" from the album Talkin Honky Blues by Buck
65 contains the lyric "I've got a Francis of Assisi keychain, and a
wallet made of Corinthian leather."
St. Francis' Folly is a fictional building in both the original Tomb
Raider video game, and the remake, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, which
somewhat resembles the Pantheon, Rome. Although St. Francis is an
Italian saint, the fictional folly in the video game honors Greek
gods, and consists of a mixture of ancient Greek and Roman
architecture.
The song Boy From the Country, by Michael Martin Murphey from the
album Geronimo's Cadillac.
Sarah Slean's 2002 album, Night Bugs, contains a song entitled St.
Francis.
David Mazzucchelli's graphic novel "Asterios Polyp" makes several
references to Francis of Assisi, including the ironic question "Would
St. Francis swat a mosquito?"
In The Simpsons episode, Sweet and Sour Marge, He was referred to as
"The World's Most Overrated Saint".
Main writings
Canticum Fratris Solis or Laudes Creaturarum, Canticle of the Sun.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canticle_of_the_Sun
Prayer before the Crucifix, 1205 (extant in the original Umbrian
dialect as well as in a contemporary Latin translation).
Regula non bullata, the Earlier Rule, 1221.
Regula bullata, the Later Rule, 1223.
Testament, 1226.
Admonitions.
For a complete list, see [1]. http://198.62.75.1/www1/ofm/fra/FRAwr02.html
See also
Prayer of Saint Francis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_of_Saint_Francis
Fraticelli http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraticelli
Saint Benedict, who founded the Benedictine Monastery.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_of_Nursia
Saint Juniper, one of Francis' original followers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper_(saint)
Saint Margaret of Cortona http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Margaret_of_Cortona
Saint-François d'Assise, an opera by Olivier Messiaen
Society of Saint Francis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Fran%C3%A7ois_d%27Assise
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_Messiaen
The Flowers of St. Francis (1950), a film by Roberto Rossellini
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flowers_of_St._Francis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Rossellini
Saint-François (places called for Francis of Assisi in French-speaking
countries) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Fran%C3%A7ois
References
^ a b c d e Chesterton(1924), p.126
^ a b c d e f g h i j Paschal Robinson (1913). "St. Francis of
Assisi". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/St._Francis_of_Assisi.
^ a b c "Blessing All Creatures, Great and Small". Duke Magazine.
2006-11. http://www.dukemagazine.duke.edu/dukemag/issues/111206/depobs.html.
Retrieved 2007-07-30.
^ a b c Englebert, Omer (1951). The Lives of the Saints. New York:
Barnes & Noble. pp. 529. ISBN 978-1566195164.
^ a b Chesterton, Gilbert Keith (1924), St. Francis of Assisi (14
ed.), Garden City, New York: Image Books, pp. 158
^ Chesterton (1924), pp. 40–41
^ Bonaventure; Cardinal Manning (1867), The Life of St. Francis of
Assisi (from the Legenda Sancti Francisci) (1988 ed.), Rockford,
Illinois: TAN Books & Publishers, pp. 190, ISBN 978-0895553430
^ a b Chesterton(1924), pp. 54–56
^ Chesterton(1924), pp. 107–108
^ Galli(2002), pp. 74–80
^ a b c Chesterton(1924), pp. 110–111
^ Fioretti quoted in: St. Francis, The Little Flowers, Legends, and
Lauds, trans. N. Wydenbruck, ed. Otto Karrer (London: Sheed and Ward,
1979) 244.
^ a b Chesterton(1924), p.130
^ "Francis of Assisi in the Holy land". http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sbf/escurs/wwc/f.html.
^ "Life of St. Francis of Assisi by Paul Sabatier".
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18787/18787-8.txt.
^ "St. Francis lecture". http://www.london.anglican.org/SermonShow_5071.
^ a b c Bonaventure (1867), p. 178
^ Bonaventure (1867), p. 162
^ a b c Chesterton(1924), p.131
^ Chesterton, G.K. (1987). St. Francis. Image. pp. 160 p.. ISBN
0385029004. http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/stf01010.htm.
^ a b c Bonaventure (1867), pp. 78–85
^ Bonaventure (1867), pp. 67–68
Further reading
Basilica of St. Francis, AssisiFriar Elias, Epistola Encyclica de
Transitu Sancti Francisci, 1226.
Pope Gregory IX, Bulla "Mira circa nos" for the canonization of St.
Francis, 19 July 1228.
Friar Tommaso da Celano: Vita Prima Sancti Francisci, 1228; Vita
Secunda Sancti Francisci, 1246–1247; Tractatus de Miraculis Sancti
Francisci, 1252–1253.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_of_Celano
Friar Julian of Speyer, Vita Sancti Francisci, 1232–1239.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_of_Speyer
St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, Legenda Maior Sancti Francisci, 1260–
1263.
Ugolino da Montegiorgio, Actus Beati Francisci et sociorum eius, 1327–
1342.
Fioretti di San Francesco, the "Little Flowers of St. Francis", end of
the 14th century: an anonymous Italian version of the Actus; the most
popular of the sources, but very late and therefore not the best
authority by any means.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Flowers_of_St._Francis
The Little Flowers of Saint Francis (Translated by Raphael Brown),
Doubleday, 1998. ISBN 978-0-385-07544-2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubleday_(publisher)
External links
Find more about Francis of Assisi on Wikipedia's sister projects:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/wosf/index.htm
http://franciscan-archive.org/
http://www.catholicrevelations.com/category/saints/the-life-of-st-francis-of-assisi-patron-saint-of-the-catholic-church-who-received-the-stigmata-of-jesus-christ.html
Textbooks from Wikibooks http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Special:Search/Francis_of_Assisi
Quotations from Wikiquote http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi
Source texts from Wikisource http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Special:Search/Francis_of_Assisi
Images and media from Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi
News stories from Wikinews http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Special:Search/Francis_of_Assisi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/of-god-godmen-and-good-men-sid-harth-6/
navanavonmilita
Dogma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion,
ideology or any kind of organization: it is authoritative and not to
be disputed, doubted or diverged from. The term derives from Greek
δόγμα "that which seems to one, opinion or belief"[1] and that from
δοκέω (dokeo), "to think, to suppose, to imagine".[2] The plural is
either dogmas or dogmata , from Greek δόγματα.
Dogma in religion
Dogmata are found in many religions such as Christianity, Islam, and
Judaism, where they are considered core principles that must be upheld
by all followers of that religion. As a fundamental element of
religion, the term "dogma" is assigned to those theological tenets
which are considered to be well demonstrated, such that their proposed
disputation or revision effectively means that a person no longer
accepts the given religion as his or her own, or has entered into a
period of personal doubt. Dogma is distinguished from theological
opinion regarding those things considered less well-known. Dogmata may
be clarified and elaborated but not contradicted in novel teachings
(e.g., Galatians 1:8-9). Rejection of dogma may lead to expulsion from
a religious group.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal%201.8-9;&version=NIV;
For most of Eastern Christianity, the dogmata are contained in the
Nicene Creed and the canons of two, three, or seven ecumenical
councils (depending on whether one is Nestorian, Oriental Orthodox, or
Eastern Orthodox). These tenets are summarized by St. John of Damascus
in his Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, which is the third book
of his main work, titled The Fount of Knowledge. In this book he takes
a dual approach in explaining each article of the Eastern Orthodox
faith: one for Christians, where he uses quotes from the Bible and,
occasionally, from works of other Fathers of the Church, and the
second, directed both at non-Christians (but who, nevertheless, hold
some sort of religious belief) and at atheists, for whom he employs
Aristotelian logic and dialectics, especially reductio ad absurdum.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Christianity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicene_Creed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecumenical_council
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Orthodoxy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodoxy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Fathers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Term_logic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_absurdum
Catholics also hold as dogma the decisions of fourteen later councils
and two decrees promulgated by popes' exercising papal infallibility
(see Immaculate Conception and Assumption of Mary). Protestants to
differing degrees affirm portions of these dogmata, and often rely on
denomination-specific 'Statements of Faith' which summarize their
chosen dogmata (see, e.g., Eucharist).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_infallibility
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_Mary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucharist
In Islam, the dogmatic principles are contained in the aqidah. Within
many Christian denominations, dogma is referred to as "doctrine". In
debates among Marxists the terms "dogma" and "dogmatic" are often used
with a negative connotation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqidah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctrine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxist
Other usage
The term "dogmatic" is often used disparagingly to refer to any belief
that is held stubbornly. It is sometimes applied to political beliefs
[3] or even anti-religious beliefs [4]
A notable use of the term can be found in the Central Dogma of
Molecular Biology. In his autobiography, What Mad Pursuit, Crick wrote
about his choice of the word dogma and some of the problems it caused
him:
I called this idea the central dogma, for two reasons, I suspect. I
had already used the obvious word hypothesis in the sequence
hypothesis, and in addition I wanted to suggest that this new
assumption was more central and more powerful. ... As it turned out,
the use of the word dogma caused almost more trouble than it was
worth.... Many years later Jacques Monod pointed out to me that I did
not appear to understand the correct use of the word dogma, which is a
belief that cannot be doubted. I did apprehend this in a vague sort of
way but since I thought that all religious beliefs were without
foundation, I used the word the way I myself thought about it, not as
most of the world does, and simply applied it to a grand hypothesis
that, however plausible, had little direct experimental support.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothesis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Monod
References
^ Dogma, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon,
at Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2327819&redirect=true
^ Dokeo, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon,
at Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2327848&redirect=true
^ http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-gabler2-2009oct02,0,7817347.story
^ http://www.deism.com/dogmaticatheism.htm
External links
Look up dogma in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
"Dogma" in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dogma
Dogma - Strong's N.T. Greek Lexicon
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogma"
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/dogma.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Strong_(theologian)
http://www.myspace.com/sidhinduharth
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/of-god-godmen-and-good-men-sid-harth-7/
navanavonmilita
Mahavira
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Tirthankara of Jainism. For the Jain
mathematician Mahavira Acharya, see Mahavira (mathematician).
Mahāvīra
24th Jain Tirthankara
Miniature painting of Mahāvīra
Details
Alternate name: Vardhamana
Historical date: 599 – 527 BCE
Family
Father: Siddharatha
Mother: Trishala (Priyakarni)
Dynasty: Ikshvaku http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikshvaku
Places
Birth: Kundalagrama near Vaishali
Nirvana: Pavapuri http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavapuri
Attributes
Colour: Yellow
Symbol: Lion
Height: 6 Feet
Age At Death: 72 years old
Attendant Gods
Yaksha: Matang http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaksha
Yaksini: Siddhayika http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaksini
Jainism
This article is part of a series on Jainism
Prayers and Vows
Navakar Mantra · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namokar_Mantra
Ahimsa · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahimsa
Brahmacharya · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmacharya
Satya · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satya
Nirvana · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana
Asteya · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteya
Aparigraha · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aparigraha
Anekantavada · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anekantavada
Parasparopagraho Jīvānām http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasparopagraho_Jivanam
Key concepts
Kevala Jñāna · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevala_Jnana
Cosmology · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jain_cosmology
Samsara · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsara_(Jainism)
Karma · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Jainism
Dharma · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Jainism)
Mokṣa · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksa_(Jainism)
Gunasthana · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunasthana
Navatattva http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattva_(Jainism)
Major figures
The 24 Tirthankaras · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirthankar
Rishabha · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rishabha_(Jain_tirthankar)
Mahavira ·
Acharya · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acharya
Ganadhar · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganadhar
Siddhasen Divakar · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhasen_Divakar
Haribhadra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haribhadra
Jainism by region
India · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Jainism
Western http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism_in_the_West
Sects
Svetambara · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svetambara
Digambara · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digambara
Svetambar Terapanth · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svetambar_Terapanth
Sthanakvasi · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sthanakvasi
Bisapantha · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bispanth
Murtipujaka http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murtipujaka
Texts
Kalpasutra · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpasutra_(Jain)
Agama · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80gama_(Jainism)
Tattvartha Sutra · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattvartha_Sutra
Sanmatti Prakaran
Other
Timeline · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Jainism
Topics list http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jainist_topics
Jainism Portal
v • d • e
Mahavira (Sanskrit महावीर and Tamil அருகன்("Arugan") lit. "Great
Hero", traditionally 599 – 527 BCE[1]) is the name most commonly used
to refer to the Indian sage Vardhamana (Sanskrit: वर्धमान
"increasing") who established what are today considered to be the
central tenets of Jainism. According to Jain tradition, he was the
24th and the last Tirthankara. In Tamil, he is referred to as Arugan
or Arugadevan. He is also known in texts as Vira or Viraprabhu,
Sanmati, Ativira,and Gnatputra. In the Buddhist Pali Canon, he is
referred to as Nigantha Nātaputta.
Life
Birth of Prince Vardhaman
Queen Trishala and her fourteen dreamsIn a place called Kshatriyakunda
in the ancient kingdom of Lachuar in Jamui District in modern day
Bihar, India, Mahavira was born to King Siddartha and Queen Trishala
on the 13th day under the rising moon of Chaitra (12 April according
to the Gregorian calendar). While still in his mother's womb it is
believed he brought wealth and prosperity to the entire kingdom, which
is why he was also known as Vardhaman. An increase of all good things,
like the abundant bloom of beautiful flowers, was noticed in the
kingdom after his conception. Queen Trishala had 14 (14 in Swetambar
Sect, 16 in Digambar Sect) auspicious dreams before giving birth to
Vardhaman, signs foretelling the advent of a great soul.
Jain tradition states that after his birth, Indra bathed him in
celestial milk with rituals befitting a future Tirthankar and he was
returned to his mother, Trishala.
Vardhaman's birthday is celebrated as Mahavir Jayanti, the most
important religious holiday of Jains around the world.
Early years
As King Siddartha's son, he lived as a prince. However, even at that
tender age he exhibited a virtuous nature. He started engaging in
meditation and immersed himself in self-contemplation. He was
interested in the core beliefs of Jainism and began to distance
himself from worldly matters.
Spiritual pursuit
India at the time of MahaviraAt the age of thirty Mahavira renounced
his kingdom and family, gave up his worldly possessions, and spent
twelve years as an ascetic. During these twelve years he spent most of
his time meditating. He gave utmost regard to other living beings,
including humans, animals and plants, and avoided harming them. He had
given up all worldly possessions including his clothes, and lived an
extremely austere life. He exhibited exemplary control over his senses
while enduring the penance during these years. His courage and bravery
earned him the name Mahavira. These were the golden years of his
spiritual journey, at the end of which he achieved Kaivalya Gyan. He
was now a person of infinite harmony, knowledge and self-control.
Later years
Mahavira devoted the rest of his life to preaching the eternal truth
of spiritual freedom to people around India. He traveled barefoot and
without clothes, in the hardest of climates, and people from all walks
of life came to listen to his message. At one point Mahavira had over
400,000 followers. Mahavira's preaching and efforts to spread Jain
philosophy is considered the real catalyst to the spread of this
ancient religion throughout India and into the mainstream.
At the age of 72 years and 4.5 months, he attained Nirvana in the area
known as Pawapuri on the last day of the Indian and Jain calendars,
Dipavali. Jains celebrate this as the day he attained liberation or
Moksha. Jains believe Mahavira lived from 599-527 BCE, though some
scholars prefer 549-477 BCE.[2]
Philosophy
Mahavira
The Jina, or Mahavir, as Guru folio from a manuscript, Gujarat, India,
c. 1411Mahavira's philosophy has eight cardinal principals – three
metaphysical and five ethical. The objective is to elevate the quality
of life.
Mahavira preached that from eternity, every living being (soul) is in
bondage to karmic atoms accumulated by good or bad deeds. In a state
of karmic delusion, the individual seeks temporary and illusory
pleasure in material possessions, which are the root causes of self-
centered violent thoughts and deeds as well as anger, hatred, greed,
and other vices. These result in further accumulation of karma.
To liberate one's self, Mahavira taught the necessity of right faith
(samyak-darshana), right knowledge (samyak-gyana), and right conduct
(samyak-charitra'). At the heart of right conduct for Jains lie the
five great vows:
Nonviolence (Ahimsa) - to cause no harm to any living being;
Truthfulness (Satya) - to speak the harmless truth only;
Non-stealing (Asteya) - to take nothing not properly given;
Chastity (Brahmacharya) - to indulge in no sensual pleasure;
Non-possession/Non-attachment (Aparigraha) - to detach completely from
people, places, and material things.
These vows cannot be fully implemented without accepting the
philosophy of non-absolutism (Anekantvada) and the theory of
relativity (Syādvāda, also translated "qualified prediction"). Monks
and nuns adhere strictly to these vows, while the laypeople observe
them as best they can.
Mahavira taught that men and women are spiritual equals and that both
may renounce the world in search of moksh or ultimate happiness.
Mahavira attracted people from all walks of life, rich and poor, men
and women, touchable and untouchable. He organized his followers into
a fourfold order; monk (Sadhu), nun (Sadhvi), layman (Shravak), and
laywoman (Shravika). This order is known as Chaturvidh Jain Sangh.
Mahavira's sermons were preserved orally by his immediate disciples in
the Agam Sutras. Through time many Agam Sutras have been lost,
destroyed, or modified. About one thousand years after Mahavira's time
the Agam Sutras were recorded on Tadpatris (palm leaf paper used then
to form books). Swetambar Jains accept these sutras as authentic
teachings while Digambar Jains use them as a reference.
Jainism existed before Mahavir, and his teachings were based on those
of his predecessors. Thus Mahavira was a reformer and propagator of an
existing religion, rather than the founder of a new faith. He followed
the well established creed of his predecessor Tirthankar Parshvanath.
However, Mahavira did reorganize the philosophical tenets of Jainism
to correspond to his times.
A few centuries after Mahavira's Nirvana, the Jain religious order
(Sangh) grew more and more complex. There were schisms on minor
points, although they did not affect Mahavira's original doctrines.
Later generations saw the introduction of rituals and complexities
that some criticize as placing Mahavira and other Tirthankars on the
throne similar to those of Hindu deities.
Replica of Pavapuri temple at Pansara. Mahavira attained Nirvana at
Pava.
Plate showing Mahavira accepting Alms
Mahavira
Folio from a Kalpasutra (Book of Sacred Precepts) by Acharya
Bhadrabahu, c. 1400 CEThere are various Jain text describing life of
Lord Mahavira. Most notable of them is Kalpasutra by Acharya
Bhadrabahu I. First Sanskrit biography of Mahavira was
Vardhamacharitra by Asaga in 853 CE [3]
See also: "Sraman Mahavira" by Acharya Mahapragya
"Lord Mahavira and his times" by Kailash Chand Jain (1991) Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers PVT LTD Delhi (India)
"Lord Mahavira (A study in historical perspective)" by Bool Chand
( 1987 ) P.V. Research Institute I.T.I Road Varanasi 5 (India)
"Lord Mahavira in the eyes of foreigners" by Akshaya Kumar Jain
( 1975 ) Meena Bharati New Delhi 110003 (India)
Quotes
"Once when he sat [in meditation]... they cut his flesh... tore his
hair... picked him up and... dropped him... the Venerable One bore the
pain." (from the Acaranga Sutra)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acaranga_Sutra
See also
Tirthankara http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirthankara
Jain philosophy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jain_philosophy
Jainism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism
History of Jainism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Jainism
Trishala http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trishala
Notes
^ "Mahavira." Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Encyclopædia
Britannica, Inc., 2006. Answers.com 28 Nov. 2009. http://www.answers.com/topic/mahavira
^ The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions. Keith Crim, editor.
Harper & Row Publishers: New York, 1989. 451.
^ Jain, Kailash Chand (1991). Lord Mahāvīra and his times, Lala S. L.
Jain Research Series. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 59. ISBN 8120808053.
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=0UCh7r2TjQIC&pg=PA341&lpg=PA341&dq=asaga+9th+century+poet&source=bl&ots=9hmuD0MAsf&sig=2qxwBO1G_4alg8v9KXbzJuFZZ9M&hl=en&ei=1_SKSojFDYPe7AOJyrGgDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false.
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http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/mahavira.html
http://www.jainguru.com/mahabir.html
Shri Mahavir Swami Jain temple in Osiya http://www.shriosiyamataji.org/mahavirswamitemplehistory.html
Mahavir Swami http://jainreligion.in/Jain-Tirth/Bhagwan-Mahavir-Swami-Message-Urjayant-sagar.asp
24 Tirthankars of Jainism
Rishabha or Adinath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rishabha_(Jain_tirthankar)
Ajitnath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajitnath
Sambhavanath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambhavanath
Abhinandannath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhinandannath
Sumatinath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatinath
Padmaprabha • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmaprabha
Suparshvanath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suparshvanath
Chandraprabha • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandraprabha
Pushpadanta • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushpadanta
Sheetalnath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheetalnath
Shreyansanath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shreyansanath
Vasupujya • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasupujya
Vimalnath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimalnath
Anantnath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anantnath
Dharmanath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmanath
Shantinath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shantinath
Kunthunath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunthunath
Aranath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aranath
Mallinath • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallinath
Munisuvrata • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munisuvrata
Naminatha • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nami_Natha
Neminatha • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neminath
Parshva • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parshva
Mahavira http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavira
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavira
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/of-god-godmen-and-good-men-sid-harth-8/