The wide-reach of Sanskrit culture in the past!

Excerpted below are the instances of prevalence of Sanskrit from early times across most part of the globe. This is part of the wonderful article on the historical and contemporary relationship between geopolitics and Sanskrit written by Sri Rajiv Malhootra. The complete article "Geopolitics and Sanskrit Phobia" can be read at

http://rajivmalhotra.sulekha.com/blog/post/2005/07/geopolitics-and-sanskrit-phobia.htm

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Centuries prior to the trend of Westernization of the globe, the entire arc from Central Asia through Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Viet Nam and all the way to Indonesia was a crucible of a sophisticated pan-Asian civilization. In A.L. Basham's "A Cultural History of India," it is said that:

By the fifth century CE, Indianized states, that is to say states organized along the traditional lines of Indian political theory and following the Buddhist or Hindu religions, had established themselves in many regions of Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, Malaysia, and Indonesia. (Basham 1975, 442-3)

However, unlike the violent spread of Europeanism in recent centuries, this Sanskritisation of Asia was entirely peaceful, never resorting to physical force or coercion to subvert local cultures or identities, or to engage in economic or political exploitation of the host cultures and societies. Its worldviews were based on compassion and mutual exchange, and not on the principle of conquest and domination. This is not to say that political disputes and wars of conquest never occurred, but that in most instances, neither the motive nor the result was the imposition of cultural or religious homogeneity.

The following passage from Arun Bhattacharjee's "Greater India" elaborates this point clearly:

The unique feature of India's contacts and relationship with other countries and peoples of the world is that the cultural expansion was never confused with colonial domination and commercial dynamism far less economic exploitation. That culture can advance without political motives, that trade can proceed without imperialist designs, settlements can take place without colonial excesses and that literature, religion and language can be transported without xenophobia, jingoism and race complexes are amply evidenced from the history of India's contact with her neighbors...Thus although a considerable part of central and south-eastern Asia became flourishing centers of Indian culture, they were seldom subjects to the regime of any Indian king or conquerors and hardly witnessed the horrors and havocs of any Indian military campaign. They were perfectly free, politically and economically and their people representing an integration of Indian and indigenous elements had no links with any Indian state and looked upon India as a holy land rather than a motherland – a land of pilgrimage and not an area of jurisdiction. (Bhattacharjee 1981, 1-3)

This Sanskritisation in Asia provided an adaptive and flexible unity to those regions it influenced. For example, in Thailand you can find the city of Ayodhya and Thai versions of the Ramayana. In Java, a local forest inhabited by monkeys is thought to have been the home of Hanuman at some point and the current residences his descendents. Every polity influenced by this Sanskritization was able to incorporate the vast Sanskriti culture into its own. This malleability provided a non-invasive and unimposing diffusion.

Sanskriti and Southeast Asia:

The establishment of trade (of goods and mutual material benefit) between India and Southeast Asia was the mechanism of this culture and knowledge trade:

Contacts between India and South-East Asia along the trade-routes, once established, persisted; and cultural changes in the Indian subcontinent had their effect across the Bay of Bengal. During the late Gupta and the Pala-Sena periods many Southeast Asian regions were greatly influenced by developments in Indian religious ideas, especially in the Buddhist field. (Basham 1975, 449)

This Sanskrit based civilization was not centrally developed in what is present day India, but was rather the collaborative effort of Indians with many Asian peoples, especially the Southeast Asians. For example, there were regular scholarly exchanges between thinkers from many diverse parts of Asia.

Many Asian kings sent their best students to centers of learning in India, such as Taksasila and Nalanda, which were ancient equivalents of today's Ivy Leagues in America where the third world now sends its brightest youth for higher education. King Baladeva of Indonesia was so supportive of the university in Nalanda that in A.D. 860 he made a donation to it (Basham 1975, 449). The support given to the university from a foreign king thousands of miles away in Southeast Asian demonstrates how important scholarly exchange was for those regions under the influence of Pan-Asian Sanskriti.

Interestingly, the geographies mentioned in the Puranas, such as Ramayana and Mahabharata, include many countries, especially of Southeast Asia, as a part and parcel of the Indic region. This indicates an ancient link between South and Southeast Asian even before the relatively modern Sanskritization that is being discussed here.

Sanskriti and Thailand:

Sanskriti has an established and obvious influence in Thailand, dating from 1500 years ago to the present day. Sanskrit was used for public social, cultural, and administrative purposes in Thailand and other regions of Southeast Asia.

The Thais, once established in the Menam basin, underwent a process of Indianization which, because it is well documented, provides an invaluable example of the mechanics of cultural fusion in South-East Asia... On the other hand, the Thais absorbed much from their Khmer and Mon subjects; and the influence of Angkor and Dvaravati is obvious in Thai art. Thai kings embraced the Indian religions, and they based their principles of government upon Hindu practice as it had been understood by their Khmer predecessors (Basham, 1975, 450).

In Thailand, Sanskrit is highly respected today as the medium of validating, legitimating, and transmitting royal succession and instituting formal rituals.

The Thai monarchy, though following Hinayana Buddhism of the Sinhalese type, still requires the presence of Court brahmans... for the proper performance of its ceremonials. (Basham 1975, 442-3)

Furthermore, India and Sanskriti directly influenced aspects of Thai aesthetics such as architecture and art.

Thai rulers...sent, for example, agents to Bengal, at that time suffering from the disruption of Islamic conquest, to bring back models upon which to base an official sculpture and architecture. Hence Thai architects began to build replicas of the Bodh-Gaya stupa (Wat Chet Yot in Chiengmai is a good example) and Thai artists made Buddha images according to the Pala canon as they saw it. (Basham: 450).

Dance and theatre also continue to reflect the underlying influence of Sanskriti.

The traditional dance and shadow-puppet theatres in many South-East Asian regions, in Thailand, Malaya, and Java for example, continue to fascinate their audiences with the adventures of Rama and Sita and Hanuman. (Basham 1975, 442-3)

In linguistic terms, Sanskrit had the same cultural influence on Thai as Latin had on English. In other cases, Pali influenced more than Sanskrit - for instance, a person who knows Pali can often guess the meaning of present day Cambodian, Burmese, Thai and Lao, and this Pali impact was largely from Sri Lanka. Basham points out:

Many South-East languages contain an important proportion of words of Sanskrit or Dravidian origin. Some of these languages, like Thai, are still written in scripts which are clearly derived from Indian models. (Basham 1975, 442-3).

Sanskriti and China:

China and India had a unique and mutually respected exchange. Buddhist thought is the most notable and obvious import into China from Sanskriti influence. The Tang dynasty provided an opening for the Chinese civilization to welcome Sanskriti coming from South and Southeast Asia.

The Tang dynasty ruled in China from 618 to 907 AD. This is one of the most glorious periods in the history of China. The whole of China came under one political power that extended over Central Asia. It was in this period that the influence of India over China reached the highest peak. A large number of missionaries and merchants crowded the main cities of China. Similarly, more Chinese monks and royal embassies came to India in the seventh century AD than during any other period. The Nalanda University which was at its height attracted large number of Buddhist monks from all over Asia. The Chinese scholars at Nalanda not only studied Buddhism but Brahmanical philosophy, mathematics, astronomy and medicine also. The Chinese emperor gave liberal support to the Chinese scholars studying at Nalanda" (Bhattacharjee 1981, 131-2).

The characteristic of the recipient "pulling" knowledge is typical in the transmission of Sanskriti and is to be contrasted with the "pushing" model of the spread of Christianity and Islam by divine fiat. Unlike Christian evangelists "pushing", Hiuen Tsang and I-Tsing came from China to "pull" knowledge by learning Buddhism and other disciplines in India and taking them back.

Foremost among such scholars was Hiuen Tsang who played the most distinguished part in establishing Buddhism on a solid footing in China and improving the cultural relations between these two countries. He learnt the Yogachara system at Nalanda from the famous monk Silabhadra. On his return to China he translated Buddhist texts and trained his pupils. He founded a new school of Buddhist philosophy in China, which carried on his work after his death. His noble example induced other Chinese monks to visit India. We find that during the later half of the seventh century AD as many as sixty Chinese monks visited India. (Bhattacharjee 1981, 131-2)

An outstanding scholar who dipped into India's prestigious centers of learning to transfer know-how to China was I-Tsing:

I-Tsing...left China by the sea route in 671 AD and having spent several years in Sri-vijaya, an important centre of Buddhist learning in Sumatra reached the port of Tamralipti in Bengal in 673 AD. He stayed at Nalanda for ten years (675-685 AD) and studied and copied Buddhist texts. He came back to China with a collection of four hundred Sanskrit manuscripts containing more than fifty thousand slokas. He translated several texts and compiled a Chinese-Sanskrit dictionary. In his book A Record of the Buddhist Religion as practiced in India and the Malay Archipelago, he has recorded in details the rules of monastic life as practiced in India, which was a subject of his special interest. He also wrote a biography of sixty Buddhist monks who visited India. Most of such monks were Chinese, though some of them belonged to Korea, Samarkand and Tushdra (Turk countries). This book shows the international position of Buddhism in Asia and at the same time indicates its influence in outlying countries like Korea (Bhattacharjee 1981, 138).

Chinese pilgrims were officially sent to Indian holy sites to pay homage on behalf of the Chinese emperorship. The presence of Chinese pilgrims was a practice of close interaction between the Sanskriti superstructure and the Chinese civilization.

Between 950 and 1033 AD a large number of Chinese pilgrims visited India. In 964 AD 300 Chinese monks left China to pay imperial homages (as desired by the Chinese emperor) to the holy places of India. Five of the pilgrims left short inscriptions at the sacred site of Bodh-Gaya. It records the construction of a stupa in honour of emperor T'ai-tsong by the emperor and the dowager empress of the great Song dynasty...The last Chinese monk to visit India was after 1036 AD which marks the close of the long and intimate cultural intercourse between India and China (Bhattacharjee 1981, 125-8).

The exchange was by no means unidirectional. Indian gurus and pandits also went to China and were received with honor by the Chinese. These holy men went to China not just to exchange ideas but also for the practical task of translating Sanskrit texts into Chinese.

In 972 AD as many as forty-four Indian monks went to China. In 973 AD Dharmadeva, a monk of Nalanda was received by the Chinese emperor with great honours. He is credited with translating a large number of Sanskrit texts. Between 970 and 1036 AD a number of other Indian monarchs including a prince of western India named Manjusri stayed at China between 970 and 1036 AD. We know from the Chinese records that there were never so many Indian monks in the Chinese court as at the close of the tenth and the beginning of the eleventh century AD. These Indian monks and Chinese pilgrims carried with them a large number of Sanskrit manuscripts into China. The Chinese emperor appointed a Board of Translators with three Indian scholars at the head. This board succeeded in translating more than 200 volumes between 982 and 1011 AD. (Bhattacharjee 1981, 125-8).

Buddhism's spread across Asia is well acknowledged, but beyond mere religion, this pan-Asian civilization also become a fountain of knowledge in fields as diverse as arts, language, linguistics, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, botany, martial arts and philosophy. For instance, in China:

Indian astronomy, mathematics and medicine earned great popularity... On the official boards were Indian astronomers to prepare the calendars. In the seventh century AD in the capital city flourished three astronomical schools known as Gautama, Kasyapa and Kumara. China had already adopted the Indian theory of nine planets. The Sanskrit astronomical work – Navagraha-Siddhanta was translated into Chinese in the T'ang period. A large number of mathematical and astronomical works were translated into Chinese...Indian medicinal treatise found great favour in China. A large number of medical texts are found in the Chinese Buddhist collection. Rdvana-Kumara Charita, a Sanskrit treatise on the method of treatment of children's diseases was translated into Chinese in the eleventh century AD (Bhattarcharjee 1981, 134-5).

The arts were also centers of confluence of Chinese culture and Sanskriti. Motifs and styles as well as actual artists were exported to China.

Along with Buddhism art of India traveled to China. In fact, the art of India exerted a great influence on the native traditions and gave rise to a new school of art known as Sino-Indian art. The Wei period witnessed a great development in this art. A number of rock-cut caves at Thunwang, Yun-kang and Longmen, colossal images of Buddha 60 to 70 feet high and fresco paintings on the walls of the caves illustrate this art. The inspiration came not only from the images and pictures that were imported from India to China but also from the Indian artists who visited China. Three Indian painters of the names of Sakyabuddha, Buddhakirti and Kumarabodhi worked in China during the Wei period. Gandhara, Mathura and Gupta – the three different schools of sculpture in India were well represented in Chinese art. The best image of Buddha of Wei period was definitely made after the Buddha images of Ajanta and Sarnath. (Bhattarcharjee 1981, 134-5)

Indian musicians also traveled to China and even Japan to share their talent.

Indian music also traveled to China. An Indian musician settled in Kuchi was its sponsor in China. In 581 AD a musical party went from India to China. Although emperor Kaotsu (581-595 AD) vainly tried to ban it by an Imperial order, his successor gave encouragement to the lndian music in China. From a Japanese tradition we come to understand that two principal types of music called Bodhisattva and Bhairo were taken from China to Japan by an Indian brahmana called Bodhi in the T'ang period. (Bhattarcharjee 1981, 134-5)

It is little wonder that Hu Shih, former Chinese ambassador to USA is said to have remarked that India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border.

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Related post:-

Re-visiting the greatness of Sanskrit.

 

Anti-Hindu Bias at U.S. Commission -- Aseem Shukla

Perhaps for the first time, the Western Media has posted an article (below) that tells the real scenario in India and with Hindus....

Related posts can be read here:-

Interfaith dialogue: in whose interest?

Don't encroach the Hindu space - Inter-Religious Dialogue, 12-06-2009

Hindu- Vatican dialogue- Will conversions stop??

From

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/aseem_shukla/2009/08/us_commission_slams_india--lack_of_insight_lost_credibility.html


Anti-Hindu Bias at U.S. Commission

Aug. 14, 2009, Washington Post, Aseem Shukla



This week, the United States Commission on International Religious
Freedom (USCIRF) placed India on its "watch list." By this
designation, India, the largest multi-ethnic and multi-religious
democracy joins a motley cabal comprised of the likes of Afghanistan,
Cuba, Egypt, Somalia and Venezuela. Countries like Bangladesh, that so
recently forced the exodus of thousands of Hindus under an Islamist
government, enjoy higher status with the Commission than India. How is
this possible?


The watch list defines those countries that the USCIRF believes are in
danger of being listed among the worst offenders of religious freedom.
The government of India reacted predictably to this rather dubious
distinction, "regretted" the action, said India guaranteed freedom of
religion and aberrations are dealt "within our legal framework, under
the watchful eye of an independent judiciary and a vigilant media."


A closer look at the India designation, however, shows the
Commission's innate bias, lack of insight, absence of understanding,
and loss of credibility. Worse, putting India on the watch list will
be perceived as a self-defeating and egregious act that needlessly
complicates relations between two diverse, pluralistic and secular
democracies.


Created by Congress in 1998, the Commission can only advise the State
Department, which has its own list of countries of concern and amiably
ignores the Commission's recommendations. But the Commission's
pronouncements still carry the symbolism of an official government
entity judging the fitness of another's country's human rights record.


There is power in symbolism, and the attention credible human rights
groups bring to a cause gives succor to the oppressed and isolate the
oppressor . But therein lies the rub-- credibility--and the USCIRF, in
its composition, methodology and ideology, is running low on gas.


Let's begin with the India chapter in the USCIRF report itself. In its
11 pages, the document details three specific episodes to justify
slamming India: Riots between Hindus and Muslims in the state of
Gujarat that broke out after a Muslim mob torched a train full of
Hindu pilgrims killing 58 in 2002; riots between Hindus and Christians
that left 40 dead in the state of Orissa in 2008 after a Hindu priest,
long opposed by fanatic missionaries, was murdered; a brief incident
where miscreants attacked "prayer halls" built by the New Life Church
-- a revivalist Protestant group -- that had distributed a pamphlet
denigrating Hindu Gods and Goddesses and allegedly engaged in mass
conversions of Hindus.


These three episodes in a country of a billion condemn an entire nation?

Incredibly, the Commission's India chapter paints a portrait of
minority religions on the run in India, pursued by a rabid Hindu
majority! This in a country whose last President was Muslim, whose
leader of the largest political party is Christian and whose Prime
Minister is Sikh. In contrast, behold the shrill outcry when our own
President Obama was alleged to be Muslim!


A terrible riot that left hundreds of Muslims and Hindus dead and
occurred closer to a decade ago mandates an entire section, but the
ongoing attacks by jihadis in India's Kashmir targeting Hindus;
several recent bombings in Hindu temples carried out by Islamists, and
Hindu temple desecrations in Christian Goa; and an analysis into the
incendiary results of attempts to convert Hindus by coercive means
fail any mention at all.


Indian Americans know the story of the subcontinent, and without an
exploration of these original sins that sparked riots, is to tell half
a story--a problem now wholly the Commission's.


India's history--beginning with the bloody partition of the country by
religion into East Pakistan (1947)/Bangladesh (1971) and Pakistan in
1947 --created a tinderbox of tension. But a land that gave birth to
Hinduism and Buddhism--a Mahatma Gandhi and a syncretic Muslim emperor
like an Akbar centuries before were both defined by these
traditions--offered a unique experiment that sought to replicate what
our own Founding Fathers did here: create a secular, inclusive
democracy.


That experiment is put to a singularly arduous trial by the
machinations of Pakistan that sees its identity as an Islamic nation
threatened by India's pluralism -- its adventures in Mumbai in 2008
and Kashmir massacres are examples. And a small minority of Indian
Muslims choose the ideology of the Taliban rather than embrace that of
the great Pashtun, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the patriot whose non-violent
struggle against the concept of carving a piece of India into Pakistan
is legendary--reactionary Hindu groups form and trouble brews. It is
in this context that terrible riots too often validate devious
provocateurs--and a point that sadly eludes the USCIRF.


Then there is the explosive issue of coerced conversions in India.
Today, the largest aid donor to India is not the government of any
country. Nearly half a billion dollars are sent to India under the
auspices of Christian missionary organizations. Some of these groups
are involved in truly uplifting work amongst the poorest, but the
underlying subtext for some churches is a bargain: convert and we will
help. The New York Times famously reported on evangelical tsunami aid
organizations disproportionately lavishing help on those communities
that agreed to convert. Legions of converts testify to the pressure
they received in the form of a job, medical aid, education -- if they
just agreed to change their faith. Families are turned against
families and communities -- a potent brew that also raises tensions
that can escalate. And when these evangelical groups proclaim their
work and their scores of new converts couched in colorful videos at
suburban megachurches, the dollars flow and enrich itinerant
missionary mercenaries -- a fact blithely ignored by the Commission.


Examine the makeup of the USCIRF: Six members are Christian, one is
Jewish and one Muslim. Not a single non-Abrahamic faith is
represented. The chair is Vice President of the far-right Federalist
Society, and another commissioner is an executive at the evangelical
Southern Baptist Convention, which publishes material which calls
Hinduism grand festival of Diwali "devil worship."


Finally, Hindu Americans are wondering today if there is quid pro quo
at work. The USCIRF was denied a visa this month to travel to India
for a "fact-finding" trip. But the Commission was clear that it would
not visit Kashmir (because of threats by Muslim terrorists) nor the
Northeast of India where militant Christian terrorists are displacing
Hindus and fighting for separatism. It would not look into Hindu
temple desecrations in Goa and other attacks. It only wanted to visit
Gujarat and Orissa. The Government of India said, "thanks, but no
thanks." The USCIRF was outraged at the denial, and we can only ponder
whether this was payback.


By Aseem Shukla  |  August 14, 2009; 9:57 AM ET Associate Professor in
urologic surgery at the University of Minnesota medical school.
Co-founder and board member of Hindu American Foundation.

http://tinyurl.com/l8for4

********

One of the best comments
Posted by: vskale | August 15, 2009 1:45 AM

I'm an Indian staying in India and here is my perspective
of this. If you drive through the roads in India you will find many mosques and temples either at the corner of the road or at the middle of the road and the govt does not dare to touch them fearing that it would evoke violent protests.

In my city virtually every mosque has a loud speaker on top of them and my Muslim brethren begin praying at 5:30 am every day and repeat it six to seven times a day and you can hear it 5 miles away as well. Nobody complains and nobody fights. The Hindus block the entire main road during one of their festivals to carry our processions. They too erect stalls besides the roads and play devotional songs at deafening sound levels during the festivities but nobody seems to complain.

Even Muslim Arab countries don't allow such broadcasting.
Do you have such religious freedom in your country ? You would sue anyone who does something like this.

During Ramzaan , In Hyderabad , your would find the roads to the Charminar, a historical monument , blocked so that they can cut goats on the main roads , use the road as praying ground. Neither does the govt nor the people object.

The fact is that Indians adjust to an extent which Americans would never be able to do. They live and let live and those who can't don't return to this country after going abroad for higher studies. 

There has been a lot of foreign direct investment in the city of Hyderabad in the past six years. There are areas in the city where communal riots used to flare up at the slightest provocation. Now they don't. Last year there was a bomb blast near a prominent and important mosque but the situation was peaceful. The people living in that area have found direct or indirect employment due to the FDI in the city. Today they understand that wasting their time fighting means losing an opportunity to earn. Having seen the befits of free market economy, uneducated people are sending their children to US, UK and Australian universities.

Can you explain why the United States of America attacked Iraq and killed thousands of innocent people
, both Iraqis and American soldiers ? Can you publish
how you captured and tortured innocent people after the 9/11 attack ? There was no such knee jerk reaction India against Muslims after the recent terror attacks in Mumbai.

My neighbors and coworkers are Muslims and I'm a
Hindu and we are good friends. During communal riots we express our disappointment and hope that the benefits of
liberalization reaches every corner of Indian society
so that everybody focuses on personal development and
gets a chance to channel their energies to prove themselves by working hard.

Mahabharata relic in Nepal?

From

 

http://www.dc-epaper.com/DC/DCC/2009/08/13/ArticleHtmls/13_08_2009_013_005.shtml?Mode=0

 

Mahabharata relic in Nepal?

 

SUDESHNA SARKAR

 

 

A structure found in the Kathmandu valley is a divine relic that goes back 4,000 years to the time of the epic Mahabharata, says an Indian seer who is in Nepal for a month's rituals dedicated to Lord Shiva.

"For 4,000 years, people have been searching for the head of (Hindu deity) Kedarnath, who assumed the shape of a bull to avoid the five Pandava brothers, the heroes of the Mahabharata," says Bhim Shankarling Shivacharya, the 54-year-old head of Kedarpeeth in Uttarakhand, who is currently in Nepal.

 

"While the body of the bull lies in Kedarnath, one of the holiest pilgrim destinations in India, now the head has been discovered in Kathmandu Valley's Bhaktapur city."

The legend goes back to the fabled battle of Kurukshetra fought between the five Pandava brothers and their cousins, the 100 Kauravas. The Pandavas won, but sorrowed by the loss of lives, they renounced the kingdom they had wrested back and headed for the abode of the gods.

 

"The brothers had sinned by shedding the blood of their own kin," the seer said, recounting the tale from his silver throne in Kathmandu's Pashupatinath temple.
"They were asked to worship Kedarnath and get exculpated."

However, Kedarnath was not ready to expiate their sins and assumed the form of a bull to avoid them. The brothers realised who the bull was and tried to arrest it by pulling its tail.

 

EVM hackers can steal ballots

From

 

http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=304&page=28

EVM expose
Is electronic 'rigging' subverting electoral mandate?

By GVL Narasimha Rao

The debate over the unreliability of the EVM that raged over the last two months is reaching a crescendo as many new facts come to light, even as Election Commission officials continue to carp ad nauseam that the EVMs used by the Election Commission are infallible, without any substantive proof, whatsoever.

 

On the other hand, there is now enough verifiable and circumstantial evidence to show that there is something amiss about the EVMs. The true story of the EVMs is beginning to unfold and it would be a tragedy if the political parties do not get to the bottom of the truth about these allegations and apprehensions. The poll panel is betraying signs of nervousness as it has no convincing explanations to a number of emerging concerns and the political parties owe it to the millions of the voting public to investigate and arrive at proper conclusions to show that their votes have not been robbed by unscrupulous individuals and to restore the public faith in our voting system.

 

Shocking verdicts

As someone who has analysed and predicted many parliamentary and assembly elections in the past, let me add a new perspective to the raging EVM debate. The only two parliamentary elections where the pollsters in general have gone horribly wrong in India's parliamentary history are the Lok Sabha elections of 2009 and 2004. Consider this fact these are the only two national elections that were totally electronic.

 

In stark contrast, the Lok Sabha election results of 1991, 1996 and 1999 which were manual could be accurately predicted by most pollsters. For instance, my own Lok Sabha predictions for the Times of India and Doordarshan for all these elections were bang on target. (See box for these predictions and actual results).

 

That brings up the relevant question: Has the voter mood in the Lok Sabha elections that we were able to gauge very accurately until 1999 become so complex after the Election Commission made them totally electronic employing the EVMs?

 

Poll predictions vs. Actual results

* Polls by G.V.L. Narasimha Rao for Times of India/Doordarshan

 

Interestingly, we could accurately predict various assembly elections (held using EVMs) held between 2004 and 2009 general elections including the elections of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. How is it that the same electronic voting machines turned in voting results that we could capture accurately in assembly polls, but not in national elections?

 

Is it the case that these voting machines per se are reliable when they are properly handled (which explains why there were no problems in assembly elections), but have been tampered with in the Lok Sabha polls producing startling results both in 2004 and 2009?

 

Lest the cynics argue that my theory of "electronic rigging" in national elections based on this circumstantial evidence is a figment of my imagination and rubbish it on the promise that the BJP would not have performed creditably well in states like Bihar and Chhattisgarh in 2009 general elections if that were the case, let me substantiate my claims with some pertinent information and questions.

 

EC owes explanation

The Election Commission is less than truthful in claiming that the EVMs deployed in general elections are tamperproof, when its own technical committee led by Prof. P.V. Indiresan held otherwise. The Expert Committee in its September, 2006 report (points 3.6 and 3.7) recommended that the old EVMs should be upgraded with suggested modifications, testing and operating precautions to make them tamper proof.

 

Shockingly, of the 13.78 lakh EVMs deployed in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, only 4.48 Lakh are either new or upgraded machines, while as many as 9.3 Lakh EVMs (or over 2/3rd of all EVMs) deployed are old machines. The Commission has furnished this information in reply to a RTI query dated July 21 to V Venkateswara Rao, the main petitioner who filed a PIL in the Supreme Court on the issue. (Copy of the ECI reply enclosed)

 

New, improved EVMs were deployed in the states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and some UT's and all north eastern states except Assam. In all others states, old EVMs, which do not meet the technical specifications, were used.  Why is it that these new, improved machines were not deployed in any of the key Congress-United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ruled states? Who were the persons responsible in making these decisions and what was the rationale in making the choice of states with the new, improved EVMs?

 

Curiously, while many states seem to have been selected following some alphabetical sequence, the UPA ruled states like Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Maharastra and Tamil Nadu (which fall in the same sequence) have been left out systematically.

Naturally, the following questions arise and the EC is duty bound to answer them satisfactorily. What considerations guided the deployment of the old EVMs, more susceptible to tampering in all the states ruled by the ruling combine at the Centre? Why all the EVMs were not upgraded or replaced as recommended by the Expert Committee? Isn't the Commissions guilty of misleading the political parties and the public opinion that it's EVMs are tamper proof when it is fully aware of their limitations and shortcomings? All these serious questions warrant convincing answers from the Commission.

 

Latest statements from Commission officials reveal that they themselves seem to entertain doubts about the functioning of the old EVMs deployed in Lok Sabha elections. The Commission officials now say that only new, improved and 'certified' EVMs will be deployed for by-polls due shortly in Tamil Nadu where the opposition parties led by the AIADMK have decided to boycott by-elections. Does it not amount to admission of guilt that the old EVMs used in the Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu were not reliable and prone to tampering?

 

'Stand alone' EVMs

Election Commisison officials have time and again argued that the EVMs cannot be tampered as they are stand alone machines without being part of any network and are not based on operating systems as the EVMs used elsewhere in the world.

 

That is an erroneous argument. The stand alone EVMs can be hacked on a selective basis; in any state, constituency or polling station of one's choosing. Granted, this cannot happen without tampering with the individual EVMs deployed for election duty at some stage of their handling in the manufacture or election operations. That brings up the relevant question as to who can actually be involved in tampering.

 

It may be difficult or even impossible to influence lakhs of government functionaries deployed for election duty to tamper all the EVMs. But, it appears that there are a number of private players involved in gaining access to the EVMs at various stages, starting from their manufacture to their operations and maintenance at various stages of elections. Evidently, they are a huge potential security hazard.

 

Role of private players

Election Commission officials now claim that the EVMs are tamper proof and this confidence stems merely from the certificates of authenticity given by their manufacturers namely the ECIL and BEL, both in the public sector. Is that a valid ground for unbridled optimism about their tamper proof reliability? Is there any way that the officers on election duty or political party representatives to verify that these EVMs are indeed not tampered with? The answer is a no.

 

In addition to the manufacturers, there are a number of private players and individuals who are engaged in handling these machines at several crucial stages. There is not much information available on who these people are, who hires them, what duties they perform, what process is adopted to hire them and what are the terms of their engagement?

 

Preliminary enquiries show that they include chip manufacturers, service maintenance staff, manpower suppliers, outsourcing agencies, transporters of EVMs etc., who have unlimited access to the EVMs. What prevents them from tampering with the EVMs at some stage of election operations? In some states, we found reports suggesting that the maintenance and EVM handling work has been done by people belonging to the ruling parties. Does that not give ample scope to these parties to manipulate these machines?

 

A few authorised, unscrupulous elements gaining access to the machines can play havoc with them. No one would even get a hint of such manipulation as most officials are completely ignorant of the technology manipulation possibilities. Experts allege that these manipulations are so simple and devious that these could be done even without any knowledge on the part of the operational staff engaged in such manipulations who will mistake these activities to be part of the operational procedures.

 

 

Most senior officials of the Election Commission and those engaged in the polling process at various levels seem blissfully unaware of the manipulation possibilities of the EVMs. Worse, ECI officials see any doubts raised against EVMs as attacks on their personal integrity.

But, in a country where the election commissioners are appointed owing to their known political affiliations and former election commissioners are rewarded with positions and ministerial berths for 'services' rendered, doubts are bound to be raised about their impartiality. It is the duty of the Commission to reveal all facts to show that it has little to hide.

 

The Election Commission has the responsibility to initiate a national debate to discuss all issues threadbare. In stead of addressing valid concerns, it has been asking everyone to prove that their EVMs are tamper prone. Granted, no tampering can be done without physically manipulating it. Experts are challenging that the EVMs used in the elections can be tampered if one has physical access to them and the commission is not willing to take the challenge. The Commission perhaps wants the petitioners to perform some magic skills in manipulating their machines without gaining any physical access.

 

In the wake of serious concerns and the emerging potential possibilities for manipulation at various stages, it is the onerous duty of the poll panel to demonstrate basis for their oft repeated claims that their EVMs cannot be tampered with and not anyone else. The Commission should take voluntary steps in promoting a healthy debate and remove all hurdles to restore public faith in a system that has been junked by most western democracies rather than attempt to muzzle all opposition by making unsustainable claims.

 

Political parties must demand accountability

Most political parties now suspect that something has wrong but appear woefully short in understanding the rigging possibilities of electronic voting machines. Most of them have nagging doubts about the tampering of the EVMs, but have not raised these concerns in an open manner for fear of retribution and ridicule. The Supreme Court in its order in disposing the writ petition on EVMs had stated last month that the issue raised are of vital concern and the political parties may approach the Commission to clarify their doubts about the EVMs.

At stake is not just the fate of the political parties but the sanctity of our electoral process and the essence of our democracy. Parties must vociferously raise their concerns in public domain and in Parliament and ensure that the poll panel is held accountable to the millions of its electorate and conduct future elections in a manner that enhances the confidence of the electorate and that of the political parties in their outcomes

(The author is a leading political analyst and a member of the BJP. Views expressed here are his own.)

-          Forecast    Actual
1996BJP+  188     189
-Congress+142     132
-Others      212     215
1998BJP+  252     252
-Congress+140     147
-Others     145      138
1999BJP+ 287      298
-Congress+174     135
-Others      77       105

Modify Setu plan, says expert. Scrap it, says Dr Kalyanraman!

Message from Dr S.Kalyanaraman

Capt. Balakrishnan has conclusively proved that the Setu channel is a
nautical folly with zero socio-economic benefit. An alternative
project in Setusamudram is a marine economic zone to benefit the
coastal people and a rail-link from Vizhinjam container port to
Chennai.

Scrap the Setu channel project. Declare Ramasetu world heritage,
sacred ecosphere.



Modify Sethu plan, says expert

By By Our Correspondent
Aug 11 2009


Chennai,Aug. 10: The Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project would not
be viable and sustainable unless the government carries out
modification of the existing plan, according to a reputed
seismologist. Dr Arun Bapat, former head of the Central Water and
Power Research Station, Pune, pointed out that big ships would not be
able to sail through the channel.


"The Channel has been designed for ships with a draft of 8 meters.
Only ships with Dead Weight Tonnage of 30,000-40,000 will be able to
sail through the channel, " Dr Bapat told Deccan Chronicle. He
explained that the draft was the vertical distance between waterline
and the bottom of the hull.


Dr Bapat pointed out that ships in the 30,000-40,000 DWT were being
phased out. "This is the time of super tankers and carriers of
1,00,000-5,00,000 DWT. Their draft measure anything more than 22
meters. How can they sail through this small channel of ours?" he
asked. The only option, according to the scientist, was to increase
the draft of the channel to 30 meters. "This will ensure a smooth
sailing. Otherwise no mariners will enter the SCCP," said Dr Bapat.


The seismologist pointed out that the frequent reports about tremors
are causing apprehension in the minds of the people. "Most of the
times, what is reported as earthquakes are mild geological movements
that occur routinely. An earthquake can cause havoc only if its of the
magnitude of 6 or above in the Richter Scale. Modern seismological
instruments are capable of detecting tremors of even Minus Two," said
Dr Bapat.


He said researches have showed that the region between Coimbatore and
Ooty was vulnerable to earthquakes. "A major earthquake on Feb 8, 1900
ravaged many parts of Coimbatore and Ooty," he said.

Dr Bapat said that the effects of earthquakes could be mitigated only
by choosing the right construction practices. "Earthquakes do not kill
people; it is the collapse of man-made structures which cause death,"
he said.


________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/modify-sethu-plan-says-expert-271

Swine Flu- symptoms & precautions.

 

 

Threat of Swine Flu is very much at our door steps. With cases reported in Coimbatore and a boy form Tamilnadu succumbing to it, I thought I must put up a post about it for the benefit of those who may be searching for the information on Swine Flu. I am worried about school children in particular and the general lack of concern for hygienic habits even among the city people of Tamilnadu. Hope this post is of help.

 

Swine Flu H1N1

What is swine flu (Influenza A)?

•Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by Type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs.

 

 

•Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.

 

 

Is the current swine flu virus contagious?

•Various international agencies (US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, World Health Organization) have determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human.

 

 

•WHO has escalated the world Pandemic Phase to Phase 6 (in a 6-scale Phase), indicating that a worldwide pandemic due to swine flu H1N1 is possible.

 

 

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?

•The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

 

 

•Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people.

 

 

•Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

 

 

Symptoms

How does swine flu spread?

•Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads.

 

 

•Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza.

 

 

•Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with live flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

 

 

How are human infections with swine influenza diagnosed?

 

•To diagnose swine influenza A infection, a respiratory specimen would generally need to be collected within the first 4 to 5 days of illness (when an infected person is most likely to be shedding virus).

 

 

•However, some persons, especially children, may shed virus for 10 days or longer.

 

 

•Identification as a swine flu influenza A virus requires sending the specimen to a hospital laboratory for testing.

 

 

How can someone with the flu infect someone else?

•Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick.

 

 

•That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

 

 

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?

•People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset.

 

 

•Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

 

 

Is there a vaccine for Pandemic Flu?

•Because the virus is new, there will be no vaccine ready to protect against pandemic flu.

 

•Vaccine against Swine Flu virus H1N1 needs at least 6-12 months to be produced.

 

 

•Seasonal flu vaccine or past flu immunization will not provide protection.

 

 

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?

•Yes. Doctors recommend the use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses.  These should not be taken without doctor's advice.

 

 

•Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body.

 

 

•If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications.

 

•For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

 

 

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?

•The virus can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with the virus and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

 

 

•Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. The virus can then be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, doorknob, child's toy or phone handset and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

 

 

How long can viruses live outside the body?

•We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks.

 

 

•Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

 

 

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

 

•Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

 

 

•Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

 

 

•Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. The virus can spread this way.

 

 

•Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

 

 

•If you get sick with influenza, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

 

 

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?

 

•If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill.

 

•Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket.

 

•Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

 

 

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?

•Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner.

 

•When you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores.

 

 

•If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

 

 

What should I do if I get sick?

•If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

 

 

•If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.

 

 

•If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs (next 2 slides), seek emergency medical care.

 

 

Household Cleaning, Laundry, and Waste Disposal

 

•Throw away tissues and other disposable items used by the sick person in the trash. Wash your hands after touching used tissues and similar waste.

 

 

•Keep surfaces (esp bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, children's toys, phone handles, doorknobs) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.

 

 

•Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.

 

 

•Wash linens (such as bed sheets and towels) by using household laundry soap and tumble dry on a hot setting. Avoid "hugging" laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating yourself. Clean your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub right after handling dirty laundry.

 

 

•Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

 

Re-visiting the greatness of Sanskrit.

-->

Two articles on the greatness of Sanskrit and the struggle to revive the Sanskrit are posted below. Though they are old posts, they do deserve a reading. My thanks to my friend Mr Parthasarathy for sending those articles.

On reading them, I thought of the two great verses – one, which is recited from time immemorial whose author is not known and another composed in the recent past by none other than the Paramacharyal of Kanchi.  These are the Peace verses that the entire world be happy (which scores of people recite at the end of Ramayana parayana), and the Maithrim Bhajatha verse composed by Paramacharyal stressing peace in the world.

Sanskrit is a power-packed language as its words convert the meaning into reality.

The many welfare- verses of Sanskrit not only keep the world moving but also implant a deep love for the welfare of all in the one who recites them.

Particularly I am moved to recite the "Kale varshathu..." everyday after I finish Ramayana Parayana. I am proud to be born in this tradition that made me say these and such other verses.

Kale varshathu parjanya,
Prauthwee sasya shalini,
Deso yam kshobha rahitha,
SAjjana santhu nirbhaya.

Let the monsoon be timely and plentiful,
Let earth be covered with vegetation,
Let the country live without problems,
And let good people never have fear.

The two verses (among scores of similar ones) are posted here.

-         jayasree.

****************

Mangalya Prarthana
[Universal Prayer to well being from the Vedas]
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Swasthi prajabhya paripalayantham,
Nyayena margena maheem maheesa,
Gobrahmanebhyo shubhamasthu nithyam,
Loka samastha Sukhino bhavantu.

Let good things occur to the king of the country,
Who looks after his people well, in the path of justice,
Let Cows* and Brahmins** have a pleasant life daily,
Let all people of the world have a very pleasant life.
*wealth was measured by cows in those times
** People in search of God

Kale varshathu parjanya,
Prauthwee sasya shalini,
Deso yam kshobha rahitha,
SAjjana santhu nirbhaya.

Let the monsoon be timely and plentiful,
Let earth be covered with vegetation,
Let the country live without problems,
And let good people never have fear.

Aputhra puthrina santhu,
Puthrina santhu pouthrina,
Adhana sadhana,
Santhu jeevanthu sarada satham.

Let sonless people have son,
Let people with son have grand sons,
And let people who are poor or rich,
Live and see one hundred autumns.

Sarvathra sukhina santhu,
Sarve santhu niramaya,
Sarve bhadrani pasyanthu,
Ma kaschid dukha bhag bhaveth.

Let people live with pleasure everywhere,
Let all people live without diseases,
Let every one feel themselves secure,
And let none have at anytime sorrow,

Om Sarvesham swasthir bhavthu,
Om Sarvesham santhir Bhavathu,
Om Sarvesham poornam Bhavathu,
Om Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavathu.

Let comfort be every where,
Let peace be everywhere,
Let there be plenty everywhere,
And let good things happen everywhere.

Om Santhi, Om Santhi, Om Santhi

Let there be peace,
Let there be peace,
Let there be peace.

*****************

Maithreem Bhajatha
By Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati
Translation by P. R. Ramachander
[This prayer was written by Paramacharya of Kanchi to be sung in the U.N. Assembly by Smt. M. S. Subbalakshmi during its 50th anniversary and dealt about universal brotherhood and peace as enshrined by the Sanathana Dharma.]

Maithreem Bhajatha Akila Hrith Jeththreem
Atmavat Eva Paraan api pashyata
Yuddham thyajatha, Spardhaam Tyajata, thyajatha Pareshwa akrama aakramanam
Jananee Prthivee Kaamadughaastey
Janako Deva: Sakala Dayaalu
Daamyata Datta Dayathvam Janathaa
Sreyo Bhooyaath Sakala Janaanaam
Sreyo Bhooyaath Sakala Janaanaam
Sreyo Bhooyaath Sakala Janaanaam.

With friendship please serve,
And conquer all the hearts,
Please think that others are like you,
Please forsake war for ever,
Please forsake competition for ever,
Please forsake force to get,
Some one else property,
For mother earth is a wish giving animal,
And God our father is most merciful,
Restrain, donate and be kind,
To all the people of this world.
Let all the people live with bliss,
Let all the people live with bliss,
Let all the people live with bliss.

**********************

http://www.blogs.ivarta.com/india-usa-blog-column44.htm

Killing Sanskrit – the voice of Hinduism

By: Chanchal Malviya
11/5/2007 3:14:05 PM

(Author is a Project Manager at a Multinational company in India, taking care of their Offshore magazine publishing. Has been an active writer, and have recently completed my book - "From the Laws of Nature - I")

 
Language is one of the key tools forming the basis of unity among diversities. English has tied this world due to its simplicity. Urdu has tied the Muslims together and Hindi has tied the Hindus together. While there are some positive conclusions about all languages, we will look at Sanskrit as a language for its maturity. Why is it called a scientific language? We will find that the maturity of Indian culture was killed the day Sanskrit lost its importance and it was killed for those who lost the knowledge of Sanskrit. The Long Leaders have continuously worked for bringing Urdu over Sanskrit, making sure that the sense of being matured is lost on the long run – obviously if the Voice dies, one is lost in the world of expressions alone. Voice of Hinduism is Sanskrit and why Hindus, it is a say – Sanskrit is the mother of all languages. Isn't it the moral responsibility of the country to respect and keep the mother healthy?

We call Sanskrit as the mother of all language for reasons. One, Sanskrit is the oldest language known to humanity. Two, Sanskrit is yet the most scientific and most matured language. Third, as it is scientific it develops a level of intelligence in its speaker. Fourth, knowledge is very easily transferred through this language as the language is such that it allows memory to grow sharper – this was proven in ancient days when most of the learning used to happen verbally and none of the student used to forget that was taught, as the language allowed them to bring concepts and words to same space, not allowing much possibility of varied and modified presentations.

Such is the language of Sanskrit that even one word of it can allow an individual to write books in other languages. That is how we find our Sanskrit readers and saints of India to be the most effective speakers on the globe. What is stopping us then to evolve this science back?

If we look at language construct of English, we find all vowels of English using one of the "Matras' of Sanskrit the so called vowels as "a', "e', "i', "o', "u'. Thus, the basis of English also seems to be Sanskrit and English has realized only 5 vowels out of many "Matras' of Sanskrit. We have similar language constructs in nearly for all languages, Sanskrit being the oldest surely has produced them all.

We have Vedas as the oldest book in Sanskrit. Seeing the maturity of Vedas, it is quite understandable that Sanskrit and its relation to such high philosophy must be another few thousands years old that what is predicted by modern Historians. In fact, it is known to Hindus that Sanskrit being a natural and scientific language must have existed since creations. Anyway, the world's greatest creations Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagwad Geeta, AyurVeda, Purana, Mahabharat, and Ramayan – all had been in Sanskrit. This in no way can be falsified that Sanskrit was the speaking language of ancient India. And amazingly these languages have survived ages and yet are in original form.

The derived languages of India are very close to Sanskrit, but yet they do not gain an importance as high as Sanskrit. Children learning Sanskrit, by the natural virtue of the language, tend to develop intelligence and memory far more than children getting educated in any other language. In effect of the scientific nature of the language, communication of children improves. The language being natural, inculcates a sense of natural understanding, thus creating children of higher understanding about nature, life and God.

The word "Sanskrit' is a combination of two words – "Sanskar' and "Krit'; "Krit' meaning "Inculcating' and "Sanskar' meaning "Essence of Moral Values'. Thus by its meaning Sanskrit means a language that has the capacity to indoctrinate higher values in an individual.

Despite of these amazing facts about Sanskrit, our political leaders have shown nearly no interest in promoting Sanskrit in schools. Instead, they have hideously driven strategies to kill this language, as is always visible from their policies. It is now, up to every Parents to decide, how they want to bring up their children – their children exposed to the drawbacks of western education system thereby falling into a directionless path and developing loss of individuality or they want them to hold on values and develop a sense of identity through highest morale and understanding about matter, life and God.

Sanskrit can play an amazing role in reshaping the highest philosophy into practice. Sanskrit in no way comes against the modern scientific knowledge, rather it envelops them in true shape, and it delivers them with the sense of natural parameter attached. Hindu scriptures in Sanskrit goes doubtlessly to inculcate patience, tolerance, concentration, confidence, faith, positive attitude and strong will in any individual who religiously study and practice it.

It is under a prolonged conspiracy that despite of means to grow high morale personalities, we find youths of modern age adopting dead personalities. It was Mughals who destroyed Sanskrit literatures whatever they could with barbarism, which was followed by British who deceived the whole mass about superiority of English and deprived the fighting group of their precious strength – Sanskrit. With loss of Sanskrit, India is loosing its cultural strength, its valuable high morale youths, and its character of producing Gods on this land.

...............................

http://varnam.org/blog/archives/2008/05/sanskrit_a_synonym_for_communa.php

Sanskrit, a synonym for Communalism

In a column analyzing the BJP victory in Karnataka, Indian Express columnist Seema Chisthi wrote the following paragraph.

The much-Sanskritised chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, who had also campaigned in Karnataka, was calmly in conversation with the TV anchor, commenting on national issues. Very difficult to engage on matters outside Gujarat usually, he signalled his stepping onto a national stage on Sunday — a Sanskritisation (a phrase coined by a Kannadiga sociologist M.N. Srinivas, incidentally) in political terms, which could have violent consequences for not just his party, but also for how politics may take shape quickly, and feverishly, before 2009.[He who holds Bangalore

Usually you see the word saffronization associated with the Hindutva folks, not Sanskritization. This word, which was used as a pejorative during the anti-Brahmin movement, is not in vogue in public commentary these days, but the revival is with mischievous intent. Narendra Modi and Sanskritization, well you get the association. Now the name of a language has become a synonym for communal politics.

In fact this attempt to brand Sanskrit as a non-secular entity happened once before, believe it or not - by the Central Board of Secondary Education. It was an attempt to pull the rug off India's cultural heritage and history by branding an entire language as not-secular.

At that time the Central Board of Secondary Education decided not to offer Sanskrit as an elective because

1.       If they offered Sanskrit, they would have to offer Arabic and Persian since they were also classical languages. If Sanskrit alone was offered ignoring Arabic and Persian, then it would not be secular education, so went the reasoning.

2.       If they offered Sanskrit, they would also have to offer other languages like French and German and even Lepcha.

The Supreme Court in a landmark verdict rejected the accusation that teaching Sanskrit was against secularism. To make that judgment, the Court first defined secularism as neither pro-God or anti-God, but the ability to treat devout, agnostic and atheist alike and to be neutral in religious matters. To be a secular person you don't have to reject your religious beliefs; you could deeply religious as well as secular. To illustrate the case, the Court cited two Indians - Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda - to "dispel the impression that if a person is devout Hindu or devout Muslim he ceases to be secular."

Regarding the language, the Court wrote that Sanskrit was the language in which Indian minds expressed the noblest ideas. It was also the language in which our culture, which includes the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, the teachings of Sankaracharya to Vallabhacharya and classics of Kalidasa to Banabhatta were expressed. Without understanding Sanskrit, the Court wrote, you cannot understand Indian philosophy on which our culture is based.

There were two other reasons (a) Sanskrit is in the Eighth Schedule, while French, German, Arabic, Persian and Lepcha are not and (b) Article 351 of the Indian Constitution.

Now Seema Chisthi is taking us two decades back, once again to imply that Sanskrit = Communal, thus giving a language such a narrow definition that it would disconnect an ancient nation from its rich cultural heritage. Soon Sanskrit speakers, students of history, and Indian philosophy will be branded communal and the volunteers of Samskrita Bharati will be compared to Mohammed Afzal. Lets watch to see if our eminent journalists, defenders of secularism and guardians of enlightenment pick this up.

http://varnam.org/blog/archives/2008/06/a_spanner_in_reviving_sanskrit.php

Spanner in Reviving Sanskrit

This January, the Indian Govt. cut funding for a Sanskrit program because it is now a sin to learn an ancient language and the reason: India has a large Muslim population.

Such camps, run by volunteers from Hindu nationalist groups, are designed to promote a language long dismissed as dead, and to instill in Hindus religious and cultural pride. Many Sanskrit speakers, though, believe that the camps are a steppingstone to a higher goal: turning back the clock and making Sanskrit modern India's spoken language.

Their endeavors are viewed with suspicion by many scholars here as part of an increasingly acrimonious debate over the role of Sanskrit in schools and society. The scholars warn against exploiting Indians' reverence for Sanskrit to promote the supremacy of Hindu thought in a country that, while predominantly Hindu, is also home to a large Muslim population and other religious minorities.

"It is critical to understand Sanskrit in order to study ancient Indian civilization and knowledge. But the language should not be used to push Hindu political ideology into school textbooks," said Arjun Dev, a historian and textbook author. "They want to say that all that is great about India happened in the Hindu Sanskrit texts."[Summer Camps Revive India's Ancient Sanskrit]

When the Supreme Court of India writes judgements admiring the language in which Indian minds expressed noblest ideas, it takes the UPA Govt. to accuse that it is communal. Instead of whining about the Govt. the best course of action would be to organize a Samskrita Bharati camp in your area.

http://arvindsharma.wordpress.com/2008/06/13/29-hebrew-%e2%80%93-what-has-that-got-to-do-with-sanskrit/

 Related posts in this blog:-

Sanskrit dictionary - the biggest work in lexicography

Sanskrit and other languages

Can Mantras be chanted in Tamil in temples?

'Anna daanam' or 'Soru daanam' – which is correct?