Hindu gods of Bangkok

From

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2010/9/18/lifetravel/7003443&sec=lifetravel

Hindu gods of Bangkok
Saturday September 18, 2010

By

KEE HUA CHEE

Everyone knows the famous Erawan Shrine in Bangkok dedicated to Lord Brahman, but did you know there are another five Hindu shrines within a stone's throw of each other?



Bangkok is synonymous with Buddhism, but the savvy traveller, the superstitious and the devout know that the city also has five other Hindu shrines the size of Thailand's ubiquitous spirit houses.


Together, these six shrines honour the Hindu deities of Brahma, Indra, Narayana, Lakshmi, Trimurti and Ganesha.
To visit and pray at all six is easy because they are all within walking distance of one another. All six life-sized statues are located on relatively small spaces, and worshippers pray in the open air.


It's customary to start at the famous Erawan Shrine, also called Brahman Shrine or Phra Phrom by the Thais. You should have no problems locating it since every taxi driver in Bangkok knows this most revered and famous of shrines in Ratchaprasong, the city's pre-eminent shopping and entertainment district.


Millions, including Malaysians, visit annually, to petition the four-faced Brahma to grant them their wishes. At anytime, you are likely to find devotees beseeching Brahma to answer their prayers as well as those who return to offer thanksgiving for wishes granted.

The four-faced Brahma at Erawan Shrine is world-famous for granting wishes.

Erawan Shrine sits on a small, triangular patch of land beside the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel. How the shrine came to be can be traced back to the 50s. During the construction of the hotel in 1958, so many workers fell ill or suffered from accidents that soothsayers were summoned to intervene.


The spiritual advisors recommended that a shrine be built in honour of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. From the beginning, it is said that Brahma answered all the prayers of his faithful worshippers, with many returning to thank him by commissioning a performance by classical dancers or donating wooden elephants to honour the sacred elephant of Hindu mythology, Erawan.


Thais are said to be very protective of the deity, as became graphically evident in the early hours of March 21, 2006 when a mentally-ill man smashed the statue of Brahma and was killed by passers-by for the outrage. A replica was made, guided by Buddhist monks and Brahmin priests, and installed on May 21, 2006.


After Erawan, the next shrine to visit is Indra's in front of Amarin Mall. This beautiful jade green Indra carries a thunderbolt, discus, bow and triple-pronged lance. Indra is Lord of Heaven and God of War, Storms and Rain. He is the god who looks after mankind.


A symbol of power and courage, Indra leads the way in the timeless battle between good and evil and has more than 250 hymns dedicated to him in the Rigveda, more than any other god.


Vishnu, in comparison, has only 93 hymns. But not being part of the Holy Trinity, Indra is seen to exhibit more human qualities. He slayed Vritra to release life-giving waters back to mankind and also rescued the sacred cows of the gods from the asura or demons.


Offerings to Indra are usually yellow marigolds and small elephant figurines.
Once you've completed the ritual at Indra's shrine, cross the road to worship Narayana, whose shrine is located in front of Intercontinental and Holiday Inn hotels.


Narayana stands with one leg on the shoulder of his vehicle Garuda. In each of his four hands, he holds the lotus bud which symbolises purity, the discus which denotes the destruction of ego, the mace which stands for divine power and the conch shell which shows his power over the universe.
A god of mercy, Narayana is also a manifestation of Vishnu, the preserver of life who also maintains the balance of the universe.


The Narayana statue was erected in 1997, following a bad period marked by a spate of bankruptcies, to help ailing businesses. So if your business is in the doldrums, Narayana should be able to make your cash registers ring merrily again.


Your next destination then is Gaysorn, the upscale mall next door.

The Trimurti shrine

Head to the fourth floor and ask to see the statue of beautiful Lakshmi, Goddess of Luck, Wealth and Fertility. You will find yourself escorted to the outdoor terrace where Lakshmi stands resplendently above a golden lotus under a nine-layer umbrella.


Lakshmi's statue was erected in 1996 by the owners of Gaysorn Plaza when it was being built, and they have been laughing all the way to the bank ever since. As Lakshmi is the consort of Narayana, who you have just worshipped, your petitions should be doubly reinforced by this divine couple.


Said to protect her devotees from money-related woes, Lakshmi was born at the same time as other precious celestial objects like the moon, her brother, and her elder sister Alakshmi, the Goddess of Misfortune, during the celebrated Churning of the Ocean of Milk period when amrita, the source of power and divinity, was produced.


The deva (heroes) and asura (baddies) were said to have used the serpent Vasuki to stir the Kshisagar (Ocean of Milk) for a thousand years. Upon the amrita being produced, Vishnu took the form of lovely Lakshmi to distract the demons while the deva quickly drank the elixir and became immortal.


Bring lotus flowers, sugarcane juice, coins, jewels and other symbols of wealth as offerings, and you will be rewarded manifold! Or so it is said.


Now cross the road to Central World Plaza where the Trimurti Shrine is located in front of Isetan. As Trimurti is the manifestation of the Holy Trinity of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer, this shrine is said to be a powerful one. The joining of this trio, the holiest and most important in Hinduism, into one statue make Trimurti the representation of the cosmos.


However, in recent years, Trimurti has become very popular with young Thais for a different reason — they have designated him the God of Love! As a result, there are endless streams of young Thais and farang (foreigners) who pray to have the affairs of their heart sorted out.
Try to come at 9.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays because this is when Lord Trimurti descends to listen to prayers and grants love to those seeking it. Offerings include nine red joss sticks, red candles and, of course, red roses.


A few steps away is Ganesha Shrine, devoted to the elephant-headed god, a.k.a. the Remover of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings, Patron of the Arts and Sciences, and Deity of Intellect and Wisdom. Also known as Ganesh or Ganapati, he is known as Pikanet in Thai and his power is said to be in ascendance now.


Devotees usually invoke his name at the beginning of prayers, important undertakings and religious ceremonies.
When Ganesha was born, he had a human head. Despite his father Shiva's foreboding, his mother, Parvati, was so proud of his dazzling good looks that she insisted on showing him off to all the gods, including Shani (Saturn) who looked at Ganesha with his dreaded "evil eye", burning his head into ashes.


The distraught Parvati then begged Vishnu for help. Vishnu directed Shiva to chop off the head of the first living thing he came across, and this — it happens — turned out to be an elephant! Deed done, Vishnu then replaced Ganesha's head with that of the elephant.


Another version has Ganesha being born from Shiva's laughter. As he was too alluring to bear, Shiva decided to give him an elephant's head and a protruding belly. Ganesha is one of the most beloved and powerful of gods. Despite his size, his celestial vehicle is a tiny shrew or mouse!


This well revered deity promotes success and protection from harm, which should just about take care of all of our earthly desires.

24th Sep, 2010 – a good day to expect Dharma to prevail at Ram Janma Bhoomi.

The Times of India report posted a few minutes ago said that the Allahabad High Court has refused to defer the judgment on the Ram Janma bhoomi- Babri Masjid title suit slated for 24^th September, 2010. But in my opinion, the hurdles to deliver the judgment are not yet over. With Common wealth games coming within a couple of weeks after the proposed date of judgment, I don't think the UPA government has the guts to face the deliverance of judgment. Somehow it would throw hurdles on the way and try to postpone the judgment. If the judgment is deferred now, it means the delay is going to be indefinite. With one of the judges getting retired by this month end, postponement means restarting the process once again.

As it stands, the currently proposed date (24^th sep) is a better time to settle this issue.

The sky map on that day shows a conducive atmosphere for an amicable solution where the Hindu dharma will be honoured. The expected ill- feelings will be by and large trivial and manageable. The sky map on that day is like this

India's moon sign is Cancer and the reckoning is done from cancer. Moon, the lord of cancer will be joining the 9^th lord of Dharma in the 9^th house which is quite a right time for success of Dharma. The star of the day will be Uttara bhadrapada, the star of Saturn. Saturn will be in a safe 3^rd house at that time joined by the 2^nd lord whose dasa is running for India now.

The 4^th lord Venus is well placed in the 4^th house and joined by the 5^th and 10^th lord Mars, who also happens to be the yoga karaka.

In mundane astrology we consider the 11^th house for the government. Its lord is Venus entrenched on own house. Venus as the yayi planet has won the planetary war with another yayi planet, Mars by then. This means that a happy disposition can be expected. The affected parties will be mlechas, kshatriyas and storehouses.

The other planetary conjunctions and aspects on that day are auspicious and not of disturbing nature. Jupiter takes care of the janma rasi (cancer), the crucial 3^rd which has Saturn running in it and the 5^th house of poorva punya. Jupiter's direct aspect on the 3^rd house (Virgo) ensures that there would be no skirmishes within communities (siblings) in the country.

Though Saturn transiting Hastha nakshathra at that time shows hardships to the people of kosala (where Ayodhya is situated), the hardship will be minimal and controllable. Because Saturn  suffers neecha in Navamsa on that day. However, Jupiter aspects that neecha Saturn from a point of strength in collaboration with Rahu in Navamsa, thereby showing control over disturbances.

Moreover the yoga karaka Mars will be in exaltation in Navamsa on that day.

So the overall picture is that Dharma will triumph. There will be no terrible rioting or unrest as an echo of the verdict.

It is my opinion that this date should not be missed.

The Muslims also are aware that Babri is the legacy of the aggressor.

Any right thinking Indian will agree with that.

Only politicians and media whip up Muslim frenzy. It is better they keep their mouth shut.

- jayasree

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From

http://www.tamilhindu.com/2010/09/ayodhya-facts/

அயோத்தி அகழ்வாராய்ச்சி முடிவுகள்:

டாக்டர் ஆர்.நாகசாமி

(டாக்டர் ஆர்.நாகசாமி (1930-) இந்தியாவின் தலைசிறந்த அகழ்வாராய்ச்சி நிபுணர்களில் ஒருவர்.  தமிழகத் தொல்லியல் துறையின் முன்னாள் இயக்குனர்.  தஞ்சை, கங்கைகொண்ட சோழபுரம், கரூர், கொற்கை போன்ற இடங்களில் விரிவான அகழ்வாராய்ச்சிகள் நடத்தியவர்.  தமிழகத்தின் முக்கியமான அருங்காட்சியகங்களை உருவாக்கி, வடிவமைத்தவர்.  பிரபல லண்டன் நடராஜர் சிலை வழக்கில் இந்திய அரசு சார்பாக வாதாடி பத்தூர் நடராஜர் திருவுருவத்தை மீட்டு வந்தவர்.  வரலாறு, கல்வெட்டு ஆராய்ச்சி, கலை, இலக்கியம், சமயம், கோயில் ஆகமங்கள் ஆகிய பல துறைகளிலும் புலமை கொண்டவர். இவற்றின் அணுகுமுறைகளை இணைத்து ஆய்வுகள் செய்தவர்.)

17 Sep 2010

அயோத்தி ராமஜென்ம பூமி என்று அழைக்கப்படும் இடத்தில் மத்திய தொல்லியல் துறை அகழாய்வு மேற்கொண்டு, தன் அறிக்கையை நீதிமன்றத்துக்குச் சமர்ப்பித்துள்ளது. இவ்வறிக்கை ராமஜென்ம பூமியைப் பற்றி மட்டுமல்ல, இந்திய வரலாற்றுக்கே சிறந்த செய்திகளை அளித்துள்ளது.

இங்கு பூமியை அகழ்வதற்கு முன்பாக நவீன ரேடர் கருவிகளைக் கொண்டு பூமிக்கடியில் ஏதாவது கட்டடங்கள் புதைந்து கிடக்கின்றனவா என்று ஆய்ந்து பார்த்துள்ளனர். இந்த ஆய்வில் சில தூண்களின் பகுதிகளும், கட்டடப் பகுதிகளும் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டன. ரேடார் கருவியினால் காணப்பட்டவை உண்மையானவை தானா என்றும் மேலும் ஏதாவது உள்ளதா எனவும் பார்க்கத்தான் அகழாய்வு இங்கு மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டது. அதன் அறிக்கைதான் இப்பொழுது சமர்ப்பிக்கப் பட்டுள்ளது. இவ்வறிக்கையின் சுருக்கம் வருமாறு.

மூவாயிரம் ஆண்டுகள்

பாபர் மசூதிப் பகுதியில் மிகவும் ஆழமான பகுதியில் எவ்வளவு காலம் மக்கள் வாழ்ந்து இருக்கின்றனர் என அறிய இயற்கையான பகுதி உள்ள வரையில் ஆழ்ந்து பார்த்துள்ளனர். அதன்படி இங்கு 3,000 ஆண்டுகளாக மனிதன் தொடர்ந்து வாழ்ந்துள்ளான் எனக் குறிக்கும் தடயங்கள் கிடைத்துள்ளன.

'கார்பன் 12' எனப்படும் விஞ்ஞான முறையில், கிடைத்த பொருட்களின் காலம் கணக்கிடப் பட்டுள்ளது. அக்கால மனிதன் பயன்படுத்திய பானை ஓடுகள், சுடுமண் பாவைகள், மணிகள் முதலியன கிடைத்துள்ளன. சுடுமண் பாவைகளில் தாய் முலை தழுவிய சேய்களின் உருவங்கள் உள்ளன.

இவற்றில் முக்கியமாக குறிப்பிடத்தகுந்தது ஒரு மோதிரமாகும். இதில் அசோகன் காலத்து பிராம்மி எழுத்து பொறிக்கப் பட்டுள்ளது. இங்கு கிடைத்த பொருட்களைக் கொண்டு மக்கள் சுமார் மூவாயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்கும் மேலாக வாழ்ந்திருக்கின்றனர் என்னும் உண்மை கண்டுபிடிக்கப் பட்டுள்ளது.

இதையடுத்து சுங்கர் என்னும் அரச வமிசத்தவர்கள் ஆண்ட காலத் தடயங்கள் கிடைத்துள்ளன. அக்காலத்தில் வழங்கிய சுடுமண் பாவைகள், விலங்குகளின் உருவங்கள், பானை ஓடுகள் முதலியன கிடைத்துள்ளன. சுமார் இருநூறு ஆண்டுகள் சுங்கர் காலச் சான்றுகள் கிடைக்கின்றன.

சுங்கர் காலத்துக்குப்பின் இங்கு குஷானர் காலப் பொருள்கள் கிடைத்துள்ளன. 300 ஆண்டுகள் இப்பண்பாடு நிலவிய சான்றுகள் இங்கு உள்ளன. அதாவது கிறிஸ்தவ சகாப்தம் தொடங்கி, முதல் மூன்று நூற்றாண்டுகள் இங்கு இந்தப் பண்பாடு நிலவியது. இதை மூன்றாவது காலகட்டம் என்று கூறலாம்.

இதில் பெரிய செங்கற்களைக் கொண்டு கட்டப்பட்ட சுவரின் அடிப்பகுதி ஒன்றும் கிடைத்துள்ளது. ஏழு அடுக்குகள் வரை இச்சுவரின் செங்கல் வரிசை கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இது ஒரு பெரிய கட்டடப் பகுதியாகும்.

குப்தர் காலம்

இதையடுத்து குப்தர் காலச் சின்னங்கள் இங்கு தொடர்ந்து கிடைக்கின்றன. இவை சுமார் 300 ஆண்டுகள் அதாவது கி.பி. 5 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு வரை வழங்கிய பொருட்கள் ஆகும். இங்கு கிடைத்தவற்றில் சந்திரகுப்த அரசன் வெளியிட்ட செப்புக்காசு ஒன்று உள்ளது. இதில் 'ஸ்ரீ சந்திர' என்ற எழுத்துக்கள் பொறிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.

குப்தர்களுக்குப் பின் ஆண்ட ராஜபுத்திரர்கள் காலம் வரை அடுத்த கட்டம் எனலாம். சுமார் 400 ஆண்டுகள் வரை நிலவிய, அதாவது கி.பி. 600 முதல் கி.பி. 1000 வரையில் மக்கள் வாழ்ந்த பகுதிகளும் கிடைத்துள்ளன.

இக்காலத்தைச் சார்ந்த வட்ட வடிவமான ஒரு கட்டடம் இங்கு கிடைத்துள்ளது. இது ஒரு கோயிலின் வடிவமாகவே  காணப்படுகிறது என்பதில் சந்தேகம் இல்லை. செங்கற்களால் கட்டப்பட்ட சுவரில் வடபுறத்தில் அபிஷேக நீர் வழிந்தோட கோயில்களில் அமைக்கப் படும் பிரனாளம் என்னும் பகுதியும் தெளிவாக அடையாளம் காணப் பட்டுள்ளது.

இது ஒரு மாபெரும் கட்டடமாக மண்டபம் போல் காணப்படுகிறது. இரு அங்கணமாக  எழுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளது. முன்பிருந்த கட்டடத்தின் மேலேயே இந்தக் கட்டடமும் எழுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளது. இக்கட்டடம் வெகு காலம் பயன்பாட்டில் இருந்துள்ளது. இது 150 அடி நீளமும் 100 அடி அகலமுமாக கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இப்பெரும் கட்டடத்தின் மேல் தான் பிற்காலத்தில் பாபர் மசூதி எழுப்பப் பட்டிருக்கிறது. பாபர் மசூதியின் நேர் கீழே தான் தெற்கு வடக்காகவும்,  கிழக்கு மேற்காகவும் இப்பெரும் கட்டடச் சுவர்கள் காணப்படுகின்றன. இம்மண்டபப் பகுதியில் சீராக அமைக்கப்பட்ட ஐம்பது தூண்களின் அடிப்பகுதிகள் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.

இவை செங்கல் தூண்களைப் பாவி திமிசு அடித்தும் அதன் மேல் மணற்கற்களை அடுக்கியும் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. இத்தூண்கள் எந்த அமைப்பில் இக்கட்டடம் இருந்தது என்பதை தெளிவாகக் காட்டுகின்றன. இக்கட்டடச் சுவர்களின் பகுதிகள் 150 அடி நீளத்திற்கு இன்னமும் எஞ்சியுள்ளன.

இக்கட்டடத்தின் நேர்மையத்தின் மேல்தான் பாபர் மசூதியை எழுப்பியுள்ளனர். இதன் கிழக்கில் செங்கல் பாவிய தரையில் வட்ட வடிவில் குடையப்பட்டுள்ளது. இங்கு ஏதோ முக்கியமான பொருள் பொருத்தி வைத்திருந்தனர் என ஊகிக்கமுடிகிறது. இங்கு பல மண் விளக்குகளும் கிடைத்துள்ளன. இவ்விளக்குகள் இக்கட்டடம் புழக்கத்தில் இருந்த காலத்தில் ஏற்றி வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.  இதன் மேல்தான் பாபர் மசூதியைக் கட்டியுள்ளார்.

பாபர் மசூதி கட்டிய காலத்தில் இருந்து செலிடான் என்ற வகை பீங்கான் பானை ஓடுகளும், மேல் புறத்தே பீங்கான் போன்ற வழவழப்பான மண்பாண்டங்களும் கிடைத்துள்ளன. இந்த நிலையில் மனித உடல்களைப் புதைத்ததால் எஞ்சியிருக்கும் மனித எலும்புகளும் கிடைக்கின்றன.

பாபர் மசூதி கட்டியபிறகு இங்கு ஜனநடமாட்டம் குறைந்து போன தடயங்கள் உள்ளன. இந்த அகழாய்வில் பல நிலைகளிலும் கிடைத்த கரித்துண்டுகளைக் கொண்டு கார்பன் 14 என்னும் விஞ்ஞான முறையில் காலத்தைக் கணித்துள்ளனர். மூவாயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்கும்  முன்பிருந்து, அதாவது கிறிஸ்தவ சகாப்தத்திற்கு ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்கும் முன்பிருந்தே அயோத்தியில் மக்கள் பரவலாக வாழ்ந்துள்ளனர் என்பது இதனால் நிரூபணமாகிறது.

பிற்கால கரித்துண்டுகள் அங்கு தொடர்ந்து வரலாற்றுக் காலங்களில் மக்கள் வாழ்ந்துள்ளனர் என்பதை திட்டவட்டமாகக் காட்டியுள்ளன. தொடக்க காலத்தைச் சேர்ந்த கட்டடங்கள் எதற்காக பயன்பட்டன எனக்கூற இயலாது.

பத்தாம் நூற்றாண்டில்

ஆனால் பத்தாம் நூற்றாண்டில் கட்டப்பட்டு தொடர்ந்து பாபர் மசூதி கட்டப்படும் வரை புழக்கத்தில் இருந்த பகுதி பொதுமக்களின் பரவலான பயன்பாட்டுக்கான கட்டிடம் என்பது தெளிவாகிறது. வட இந்திய கோயில்களின் அமைப்புடைய பகுதியும் இதில் அடங்கும். இப்பெரும் கட்டடப் பகுதியில் காணப்படும் ஐம்பதுக்கும் மேற்பட்ட தூண்களின் அடிப்பகுதிகளும், வாயில் நிலைகளும், சிற்பங்களும், அதில் காணப்படும் அபிஷேக நீர் வழியும் பிரனாளமும், மண்விளக்குகளும் கோயில் வழிபாட்டை நினைவு கூர்கின்றன. இவை பாபர் மசூதியின் நேர் கீழே காணப்படுகின்றன. இக்கட்டத்தின் மேல் தான் பாபர் மசூதி கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது என்பதும் வெளிப்படை. இதுதான் மத்திய தொல்லியல் துறை அளித்துள்ள அறிக்கையாகும்.

இந்த அகழாய்வு முற்றிலும் உயர்நீதிமன்ற அதிகாரியின் நேர்முகப் பார்வையில் நடைபெற்ற ஒன்றாகும். மேலும் இருதரப்பு பிரதிநிதிகளும் அகழாய்வின்போது உடன் இருந்துள்ளனர். இங்கு கிடைத்த பொருள்களைப் பற்றியோ, அன்றி பாபர் மசூதியின் கீழே கட்டடம் இருந்துள்ளது என்பதைப் பற்றியோ இனி ஐயம் எதுவும் இருக்க முடியாது.

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

From

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Babri-Masjid-demolition-HC-refuses-to-defer-verdict/articleshow/6570859.cms

Babri Masjid demolition: HC refuses to defer verdict

PTI, Sep 17, 2010, 03.32pm IST

Read more: Babri Masjid demolition: HC refuses to defer verdict - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Babri-Masjid-demolition-HC-refuses-to-defer-verdict/articleshow/6570859.cms#ixzz0zmig2yxs

NEW DELHI: The Allahabad High Court has rejected plea for deferring the judgement in the Ramjanambhoomi-Babrimasjid title suit. A three-judge special bench of the court rejected the application of one Ramesh Chandra Tripathi, a defendant, for reaching an amicable settlement through reconciliation and deferment of the judgement slated for September 24.

Meanwhile, with the date of the Ram Janmabhoomi- Babri Masjid judgement drawing near, religious leaders and scholars of both the communities have appealed for peace and communal harmony.

Leading Muslim religious leaders, including Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, naib imam of Idgah and member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangimahli besides Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband have asked Muslims to respect the verdict of the court and maintain communal harmony .

"Peace is of prime importance and we have made the Muslims aware of it at every level in discourses and appeals that communal harmony should be maintained, so as to check vested interests from taking advantage of the situation," Firangimahli told PTI.

Kalbe Jawwad asked community members to be weary of political leaders who would try to take advantage of the situation to serve their ulterior motives.

Darul Uloom Deoband had yesterday appealed to the people to respect the verdict of the court and maintain peace and communal harmony in the country .

The main pujari of the Ram Janmbhoomi temple in Ayodhya, Acharya Satyendra Das Mahraj and Mahant of Janki Ghat in Ayodhya, Janmey Sharan have also asked the community to remain calm and accept the verdict of the court.

Satyendra Das, appointed main pujari by the court, had also taken part in the roza iftar function recently to strengthen communal amity.

"In case the verdict is against the aspirations of any individual or party in the case, he is free to approach the Supreme Court,", Firangimahli said, adding there should not be any reaction to it in society or on streets.

Read more: Babri Masjid demolition: HC refuses to defer verdict - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Babri-Masjid-demolition-HC-refuses-to-defer-verdict/articleshow/6570859.cms#ixzz0zmicJC3W

The Hindu Rate Of Wrath

From

http://vivekajyoti.blogspot.com/2010/09/hindu-rate-of-wrath-when-mahatmas.html

Sep 16, 2010 

The Hindu Rate Of Wrath -- When the Mahatma's cowards erupt in fury, it hurts. It isn't terror.

by

FRANCOIS GAUTIER

Is there such a thing as 'Hindu terrorism', as the arrest of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur for the recent Malegaon blasts may tend to prove? Well, I guess I was asked to write this column because I am one of that rare breed of foreign correspondents—a lover of Hindus! A born Frenchman, Catholic-educated and non-Hindu, I do hope I'll be given some credit for my opinions, which are not the product of my parents' ideas, my education or my atavism, but garnered from 25 years of reporting in South Asia (for Le Journal de Geneve and Le Figaro).



In the early 1980s, when I started freelancing in south India, doing photo features on kalaripayattu, the Ayyappa festival, or the Ayyanars, I slowly realised that the genius of this country lies in its Hindu ethos, in the true spirituality behind Hinduism. The average Hindu you meet in a million villages possesses this simple, innate spirituality and accepts your diversity, whether you are Christian or Muslim, Jain or Arab, French or Chinese. It is this Hinduness that makes the Indian Christian different from, say, a French Christian, or the Indian Muslim unlike a Saudi Muslim. I also learnt that Hindus not only believed that the divine could manifest itself at different times, under different names, using different scriptures (not to mention the wonderful avatar concept, the perfect answer to 21st century religious strife) but that they had also given refuge to persecuted minorities from across the world—Syrian Christians, Parsis, Jews, Armenians, and today, Tibetans. In 3,500 years of existence, Hindus have never militarily invaded another country, never tried to impose their religion on others by force or induced conversions.


You cannot find anybody less fundamentalist than a Hindu in the world and it saddens me when I see the Indian and western press equating terrorist groups like simi, which blow up innocent civilians, with ordinary, angry Hindus who burn churches without killing anybody. We know also that most of these communal incidents often involve persons from the same groups—often Dalits and tribals—some of who have converted to Christianity and others not.


However reprehensible the destruction of Babri Masjid, no Muslim was killed in the process; compare this to the 'vengeance' bombings of 1993 in Bombay, which wiped out hundreds of innocents, mostly Hindus. Yet the Babri Masjid destruction is often described by journalists as the more horrible act of the two. We also remember how Sharad Pawar, when he was chief minister of Maharashtra in 1993, lied about a bomb that was supposed to have gone off in a Muslim locality of Bombay.


I have never been politically correct, but have always written what I have discovered while reporting. Let me then be straightforward about this so-called Hindu terror. Hindus, since the first Arab invasions, have been at the receiving end of terrorism, whether it was by Timur, who killed 1,00,000 Hindus in a single day in 1399, or by the Portuguese Inquisition which crucified Brahmins in Goa. Today, Hindus are still being targeted: there were one million Hindus in the Kashmir valley in 1900; only a few hundred remain, the rest having fled in terror. Blasts after blasts have killed hundreds of innocent Hindus all over India in the last four years. Hindus, the overwhelming majority community of this country, are being made fun of, are despised, are deprived of the most basic facilities for one of their most sacred pilgrimages in Amarnath while their government heavily sponsors the Haj. They see their brothers and sisters converted to Christianity through inducements and financial traps, see a harmless 84-year-old swami and a sadhvi brutally murdered. Their gods are blasphemed.


So sometimes, enough is enough. At some point, after years or even centuries of submitting like sheep to slaughter, Hindus—whom the Mahatma once gently called cowards—erupt in uncontrolled fury. And it hurts badly. It happened in Gujarat. It happened in Jammu, then in Kandhamal, Mangalore, and Malegaon. It may happen again elsewhere. What should be understood is that this is a spontaneous revolution on the ground, by ordinary Hindus, without any planning from the political leadership. Therefore, the BJP, instead of acting embarrassed, should not disown those who choose other means to let their anguished voices be heard.


There are about a billion Hindus, one in every six persons on this planet. They form one of the most successful, law-abiding and integrated communities in the world today. Can you call them terrorists?

 

கலைஞர் கையில் என்ன அது?

நம்ம கலீஞ்சரு கீராரே, படா ஸோக்கா போஸு குட்துக்கிறாரு பாத்தியா?
மஞ்சா துண்டுக்கு ஸோடியா, கை மேல மஞ்சா கலருல கொஸு அடிக்கற  மட்ட வச்சிகிறாரு.
நம்ம சனத்துக்கல்லாம் ப்றீயா கொஸு மட்ட தர்றாங்களாம்.
அந்தம்மா சொம்மா கொஸு கொஸுன்னு புடிங்கி தள்ளுதுல்லை.
பாத்தாரு  நம்ம கலீஞ்சரு.
அல்லார்க்கும் ப்றீயா கொஸு மட்டைய குடுத்துக்கிறேன்னு சொல்ட்டாரு .
கலீஞ்சரு கொஸு மட்ட திட்டம்னு திட்டம் வந்திர்ச்சி  தெர்யுமா?


இன்னா ... எவண்டா அது கஸ்மாலம் தொண தொணன்னு கிராஸ் டாக்கு  குட்த்து பேஜார் பண்றது?
இன்னா சொல்ற?
கொஸு மட்ட இல்லீன்க்ர்யா ?
அப்பால இன்னாங்கற?
டென்னிஸு மட்டையா?
அப்டீன்னு மட்ட கீது?
அட்ரா சக்க, அதானா னூசு?
யிப்ப அல்லா மேட்டரும் கப்புனு புறிஞ்சு போச்சு.


நம்ம கலீஞ்சரு ஆட்சில கிறிக்கெட்டு வந்துச்சு.
தோனி அண்ணாச்சி வந்தாங்க.
விளா எடுத்தாங்க .


இப்ப டென்னிஸு வந்துகினே கீது.
அத்தொட்டு விளா எடுக்கணும்.
விளாக்கு கலீஞ்சரு புக்கிங்கு ஆவணும்.
ஸோக்கா மட்டைய ஆட்டிக் காமிச்சு தங்கத்துலய மட்ட வாங்கிடு தம்பீஇன்கறாரு

ஜகத்து ரச்ச்சகனு அண்ணே,
உனிக்குதான் சொல்ட்ராறு
கண்டுகினியா ???

Its time to correct Tipu Sultan's assault on Hinduism in Dindukkal

From

http://www.vijayvaani.com/FrmPublicDisplayArticle.aspx?id=1415

Archaeological Survey: Respect Hindu sentiments at Dindukkal

B R Haran

16 Sep 2010

Padmagiri hillock lies in the centre of Dindukkal town, Tamil Nadu. A beautiful temple, hundreds of years old, is situated atop the hillock. Its presiding deities are Sri Padmagiriswarar and Sri Abirami Ambal. The Sthal Purana says that the sage Agasthya, who was asked to settle south of Vindhyas by Bhagwan Shiva, was blessed with the darshan of Bhagwan Shiva and Devi Parvati abode's Mount Kailash, at this hillock.  

History says that during the invasion of Tipu Sultan some 200 years ago, he plundered the temples of Tamil Nadu, not sparing the temples of Dindukkal. At that time, the local people brought down the deities of the hillock temple safely and installed them in another temple – the Sri Kalahastheeswarar temple. Since then this temple is the only temple with two sets of Moolavars (Sri Kalahastheeswarar, Sri Padmagiriswarar and their consorts).

Devotees visiting Sri Soundararaja Perumal temple in Dindukkal can see the mutilated murtis of Bhagwan Narasimhar and Chakkarathazhwar even now in a separate place, while new murtis adorn the sanctum sanctorum.

It has been a long unfulfilled desire of Dindukkal Hindus to return the murtis to the hillock temple with due consecration, as it is not auspicious to have two presiding deities (Moolavars) in a same temple, nor to have a temple without deities.

Due to the efforts of committed Hindus belonging to the Hindu Dharma Protection Movement, Temple Bakthas Forum, South Kailash Padmagiri Worshippers Forum and Temple Maintenance Committee, along with members of the Dindukkal Chamber of Commerce, a huge public meeting was organized to recommence the Girivalam, circumambulation of the hillock, on 17 April 2010, in the presence of Acharyas and Adheenams who blessed the thousands of devotees participating in the event.

The following resolutions were passed:

-        It was resolved to perform Girivalam around Padmagiri Hill every Pournami Day without fail.

-        It was resolved to conduct a signature campaign among the local people and thereafter to approach the Archaeological Survey of India for earlier installation of the presiding deities at their original abodes atop the Padmagiri hillock.

-        It was resolved to conduct the Consecration Ceremony with the help of the government immediately after getting the permission from ASI to install the deities.

-        It was resolved to conduct such meets thrice a year taking any temple related issues across the state.

Since April, hundreds of people have been participating in the Girivalam every Paurnami (Full Moon) day. As per the resolution, a signature campaign has been going on and thousands of signatures have been obtained. Some considerate Muslims and Christians also signed the petition addressed to the Director General, Archaeological Survey of India. It is very unfortunate that ASI has not bothered to install the Murtis inside the temple all these years. In fact, it is the duty of the ASI to keep the temple functioning for the satisfaction and benefit of the people. Just because a temple is under the maintenance of ASI, it doesn't mean that it should be sans worship. There are many ASI maintained temples, which function like any other temple with necessary pujas, rituals and utsavams. In this case the ASI has indeed abdicated from its responsibility.  

Mr. N.S.V. Chithan, Congress MP from Dindukkal, made budget allocations from his Constituency Development Fund to lay the Girivalam Path around the hillock. The local Municipal Chairman from the DMK also arranged a budget sanction for the same. Sources said the Revenue Minister and local MLA Periyasamy was also supportive of the project. The local Hindus performed (28 August) the Kumbabishekam of Odha Swamikal Ashram Temple, situated on the Girivalam path, after fifty years.

On the night of Monday, 13 September, volunteers from the Hindu Makkal Katchi (Hindu People's Party) went up the hillock and installed the murtis in the respective sanctum sanctorums and then performed pujas for more than two hours early the next morning. Local cadres of Hindu Munnani and Bharatiya Janata Party supported them. The new murtis were reportedly sculpted by renowned stapathis from Thirumurganpoondi near Coimbatore. The volunteers involved in the installation and pujas undertook a proper Vrat (fasting) for 42 days.  

As news of the installation spread, more cadres of Hindu Munnani, who arrived to climb the hillock for puja, were arrested by the police. The volunteers atop the hillock were also arrested. The arrested included some Muslims and Christians who supported the volunteers. Some cadres of Hindu Munnani, who refused to take the Ganesh murtis for Visarjanam (immersion) demanding re-installation of the Amman murti, were also arrested.

Although there was no overt objection from the minority communities, the police cited law and order problems and removed the murtis. Sources say Police was informed by the local staff of the Archaeological Survey of India, who joined the police in removing the murtis. The police reportedly said the Muslims would also demand worshipping rights atop the hillock, if Hindus are allowed. This is absolutely ridiculous as there is no mosque atop the hillock and Muslims used to address it simply as "Tipu Sultan Kottai" (Tipu Sultan Fort) without any reverence.

Obviously, the police will not act independently in such matters. They will act only as per the instructions of the government and there is every chance that top Muslim leaders may have contacted the top leadership of the DMK to thwart the move by Hindu organizations. What the government needs is to understand the following facts:-   

     

-        The hillock has a historically significant temple sans murtis.

-        The local people have been yearning for years to install the murtis, conduct consecration and circumambulate the hillock on auspicious days.

-        There is no Mosque or a Church atop the hill.

-        The Muslims have no specific reverence for the hill, as it doesn't have a Mosque.

-        The Christian community surrounding the hillock (a dozen Churches are there) along the Girivalam path has no problem with Girivalam by Hindus which has been going on regularly.

-        When the conference was held in April, sponsored by the members of Dindukkal Chamber of Commerce, the minority members of the sponsoring body did not raise any objections.

-        If murtis are installed and the temple consecrated, Dindukkal will definitely become another Thiruvannamalai leading to overall development of the town and prosperity of the local populace.

-        The moderate section of the minority communities seem to support such a revival of the town so that their businesses also flourish.

-        The government itself will increase its revenue through the HR & CE Department, as Dindukkal will become another temple town of pilgrim tourism. Though Hindu Makkal Katchi, a splinter group of Hindu Munnani, acted on its own in installing the murtis overnight, volunteers of Hindu Munnani, VHP and BJP honoured the call of HMK and joined and supported the proceedings the day after the installation.

-        In the current scenario, the guidance and blessings of important Hindu Acharyas would strengthen the Hindu Samaj and a combined show of strength could make the government yield.

 The need of the hour is unity. Recently, unity at Erode forced the government to stop demolition of the famous Mariamman Temple and change the design of a flyover which was to be constructed over the Mariamman temple.

 For Dindukkal, that is the way ahead. May Goddes Devi Abirami show the way!        

****

Related post:-

http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HkPage.aspx?PAGEID=10893&SKIN=B

10 things to know about a woman’s brain! (& some astrology)

The common belief is that it is difficult to understand the mind of a woman.  This article from a recent edition of livescience.com says that the reason for that lies in the biological factors that make up a woman. It lists down 10 attributes commonly found in women, but can not be detected or understood by others. All these attributes were deduced after research into various factors regulated by the brain activity of women. The one-line explanation for why a woman behaves in certain ways is that she has a Female brain. Men and women do not think alike nor react in the same way to an issue.

This reminds me of the wonderful explanations that pertain to women-only in astrology. Moon and Venus are regarded as female planets. The reasons are strikingly closer to what this livescience article has brought out.

The primary reason why these two planets are known as female planets is that it is difficult to see their exact nature like how it is difficult or even impossible to fathom a woman's mind. The very nature of a woman is not to reveal everything in her mind. She always has some amount of caution or doubt or suspicion or call whatever you may and will retain some level of secrecy about herself. Perhaps that makes her attractive to others. The attractive potential of moon and Venus depends on such kind of secrecy that they reveal themselves only in phases!

The foremost feature of these two planets is that they never show their other side to us on the earth. They have waxing and waning phases and show a part of their being at any time. Even when the moon attains fullness on Pournami (Full moon day), its other side always remains away form us or not seen by us. 

Another predominantly feminine nature is wavering-ness and it is associated with the changing phases of these two planets.

The beauty of these planets is associated with soft and non- aggressive nature and that is also amply brought out in this article.

Moon is associated with imagination, creativity and intuition. It stands for motherhood and motherliness. Venus is a rajasic planet that kindles passion. It stands for beauty, comforts, artistic nature, desire and happy disposition – all of which are inherently ingrained in a woman's brain.

According to astrology, the pair of man and woman changes at day and night. For those born in the day time, the male or father significances are related to sun and of the mother to Venus. For those born at night time, the father is Saturn and the mother is the moon. So the difference between these female planets can be deduced from the day – night differences. The aggressiveness of a female is not a male attribute but a Venusian attribute of the sunlight time. Whereas the moon - person would be subdued and may even turn to depression as the moon's pair at night is Saturn, the slow, sluggish, and melancholic planet. Like this we can keep on relating the relevance of female planets to what we actually see in a woman. This article throws light on one facet of the genius of our seers who had designed the science of astrology.

 

-         jayasree

 

From

http://www.livescience.com/health/human-brain-gender-differences-100820.html

 

10 Things Every Man Should Know about a Woman's Brain

 

10. She loves risk during the mature years

Once The Change has finished, and the body moves into its "advanced" stage, the female brain gets a second wind. While men start to show increased interest in relationships as they age, the mature woman becomes ready to risk conflict ¾ especially if her nest is now empty.

She may continue to feel motivated to help others, but her focus might shift from her immediate family to local and global communities. She may also feel a strong desire to do more for herself, and her career, after decades of caretaking, explains Brizendine.

Whether she sows her newly wild oats with whirlwind travel, going back to school, or by playing the field depends on the individual, of course. But for many 50-plus women the twilight years are characterized by an increased "zest" for life and a hearty appetite for adventure.

9. She goes through adolescence twice

No one wants to go through adolescence again. Its physical changes and hormonal fluctuations not only create mood swings and physical discomfort but nagging questions about self-identity as well.

Women, however, lucky girls, get to do just that. They go through a "second adolescence" called perimenopause in their 40s. It starts around age 43 and reaches its pinnacle by 47 or 48 years old. (Men's hormones also change as they age, but not nearly as abruptly.) In addition to erratic periods and night sweats, a woman's hormones during this transition are so crazed she can be as moody as a teenager.
The duration of perimenopause varies from two to nine years, with most women leaving it behind by age 52.

8. She is affected by mommy brain

The physical, hormonal, emotional and social changes facing a woman directly after giving birth can be monumental. "And because everything else has changed, she needs everything else to be as predictable as possible, including the husband," Brizendine said.

Over the course of evolution, it was rare for our maternal ancestors to be full-time mothers, said Brizendine, because there was always kin-folk around to help with child rearing. And a mother needs a lot of support, not only for her own sake but for the child's as well. Her ability to adequately respond to her infant can impact the child's developing nervous system and temperament, research shows.

One way Mother Nature tries to help is through breastfeeding. Nursing may help women deal with some types of stress, studies suggest. (Too much stress, however, can disrupt lactation.) One study even found that breastfeeding might be more rewarding to the female brain than cocaine. The research was published in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2005.

7. She is affected by pregnant brain

Progesterone increases 30-fold in the first eight weeks of pregnancy, causing most women to become very sedated, Brizendine said. "Progesterone is a great sleeping pill."

A woman's brain also shrinks during pregnancy, becoming about 4-percent smaller by the time she delivers, according to a 2002 study published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology. (Don't worry; it returns to normal size by six months after delivery.)

Whether pregnancy causes women to think differently is controversial -- one recent study linked memory problems to pregnancy hormones -- but some researchers have suggested the changes prepare brain circuits that guide maternal behavior.

These circuits likely continue to develop after birth. Handling a baby releases maternal hormones, even among females who have never been pregnant, found researchers at Tufts University. While measured in rats, the finding offers a chemical understanding of the bonding that can occur among foster moms and children.
The study was published in the journal Developmental Psychobiology in 2004.

 

6. She is easily turned off

"A women's sex drive is much more easily upset than a guy's," Brizendine said.
For women to get in the mood, and especially to have an orgasm, certain areas of her brain have to shut off. And any number of things can turn them back on.

A woman may refuse a man's advances because she is angry, feeling distrustful -- or even, because her feet are chilly, studies show. Pregnancy, caring for small children and menopause can also take a toll on a woman's sex drive (although some women experience a renewed interest in sex after The Change.)
Best advice for a turned-on dude? Plan ahead.

"For guys, foreplay is everything that happens three minutes before insertion. For women, it is everything that happens 24 hours beforehand," Brizendine said.

5. She avoids aggression

Stressful situations are known to spur the "fight or flight" response in men, but researchers have suggested that women, after sensing a threat, instinctually try to "tend or befriend." That is, they skirt physical responses in favor of forming strategic, even manipulative, alliances.

Women may have evolved to avoid physical aggression because of the greater dependence of children on their survival, suggests Anne Campbell of Durham University. (In ancient hunter-gatherer days, men only needed to do the deed to spread their genes, while women had to stay alive long enough to birth and raise the young.)

"It is not that females are not aggressive, it is that they are aggressive in different ways," said evolutionary psychologist Daniel Kruger of the University of Michigan. They tend to use more indirect forms of confrontation, he told LiveScience.

4. She responds to pain and anxiety differently

Brain-imaging studies over the last 10 years have shown that male and female brains respond differently to pain and fear. And, women's brains may be the more sensitive of the two.

The female brain is not only more responsive to small amounts of stress but is less able to habituate to high levels of stress, said Debra Bangasser of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, describing her recent research looking at molecular changes in the brain. Bangasser's research was conducted in rats but is considered potentially applicable to humans.

Stress sensitivity may have some benefits; it shifts one's mental state from being narrowly focused to being more flexibly and openly aware. But if the anxiety is prolonged, it can be damaging. Such findings may help explain why women are more prone to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders, the researchers told LiveScience.

The research was published in the June 2010 issue of Molecular Psychiatry.

3. She hates conflict (but lack of response even more)

Women may also have evolved extra-sensitivity to interpersonal cues as a way to avoid conflict, a state that can feel intolerable to women, according to Brizendine. The flood of chemicals that takes over the female brain during a conflict -- especially within an intimate relationship -- is almost on the same order as a seizure, she explains.

Possibly because of their overachievement in "mind reading," women often find blank expressions, or a lack of response, completely unbearable. A young girl will go to great lengths trying to get a response from a mime while a boy will not be nearly so determined, Brizendine said. For females in particular, a negative response may be better than no response at all.

2. She really is intuitive (though not magic)

Men can have the uncomfortable feeling that women are mind readers or psychics, Brizendine said. But women's intuition is likely more biological than mystical.
Over the course of evolution, women may have been selected for their ability to keep young preverbal humans alive, which involves deducing what an infant or child needs -- warmth, food, discipline -- without it being directly communicated. This is one explanation for why women consistently score higher than men on tests that require reading nonverbal cues. Women not only better remember the physical appearances of others but also more correctly identify the unspoken messages conveyed in facial expressions, postures and tones of voice, studies show.

This skill, however, is not limited to childrearing. Women often use it tell what bosses, husbands and even strangers are thinking and planning.

 

1. She changes every day based on her cycle

Affecting up to 80 percent of women, PMS is a familiar scapegoat. But women are affected by their cycles every day of the month. Hormone levels are constantly changing in a woman's brain and body, changing her outlook, energy and sensitivity along with them.

About 10 days after the onset of menstruation, right before ovulation, women often feel sassier, Brizendine told LiveScience. Unconsciously, they dress sexier as surges in estrogen and testosterone prompt them to look for sexual opportunities during this particularly fertile period.

A week later, there is a rise in progesterone, the hormone that mimics valium, making women "feel like cuddling up with a hot cup of tea and a good book," Brizendine said. The following week, progesterone withdrawal can make women weepy and easily irritated. "We call it crying over dog commercials crying," Brizendine said.

For most women, their mood reaches its worst 12-24 hours before their period starts. "It is not entirely an issue of free will," Brizendine stressed.