Whiteline Journal English July 2010 by Sasidharan Nair

July 2010

Issue 5

July 2010

Price : Rs. 15

Eternal wisdom of spirituality Founder Editor Suresh H. Kondeth Chairman Anil Raghavan Chief Editor Premlal Editor-in-Charge K. Sasidharan Nair Editor C. Vimal Kumar Associate Editor Nanappan Manjapra Consulting Editor (Business) Dr. Raja Roy Choudhury Subscription Sindhu J. Mannadiar Thiruvananthapuram Bureau Monayi G.K. Baiju S. Pattathanam Kochi Bureau Dr. V.M.R. Nair Hari Pullut Kozhikode Bureau K.S. Gopalakrishnan Thrissur Bureau M.N. Rajendran Middle East Bureau Chief Preman Illath Singapore Mrs. Santha Nair U.K. Dr. Vasudevan Namboothiri U.S.A. T.V. Rajendraprasad Layout & Graphics K. Jayaprakash Sudheesh P.B. Staff Photographers Dani K. Davis Lenin

Knowledge is power and gaining knowledge is an art. When we learn something about a particular subject, we have an overview of it and soon realise the truth that how little we knew about it. The word ‘spirituality’ is the most commonly misused one. In the contemporary materialistic world, spirituality has a hypothesis meaning and its practice meaning is contradictory to it. In veracity the real meaning of spirituality does not find a place between the hypothesis meaning and the practice meaning. Some people, educated and uneducated alike, want to constrict the domain of spirituality to Hindu religion. That too to reading or listening to Ramayana, Mahabharata, Mahabhagavatham or chanting some slokas from Bhagavat Gita, and talking conveniently about Puranas, meditation, Yoga, rituals and occasionally visiting temples. Nevertheless, the real spirituality is something else. Adi Sankaracharya, Srirama Krishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda, and scores of saints, preachers and wise men shed light on true spirituality. In recent times, the contributions of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and Kulapati K.M. Munshi’s Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan are more germane than any other missionaries of spiritualism. In Hindu Philosophy there are four stages: Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. To practise Dharma or attain anything discipline and order is inevitable throughout life. There is no short cut or ‘control + c’ and ‘control + v’ method. But more and more people are inclined to easy and lousy methods misunderstanding that these are the real path towards spirituality. A child can not practice the virtue of Artha or Kama. There are a set of orders consisting of natural and traditional systems. Similarly the mass cannot move together like a procession towards spirituality. It is a divine and pure process. Nobody can adulterate it with vested interests. Spirituality is often experienced as a source of inspiration or orientation in life. Eternal wisdom of spirituality is an ocean. We all are small fishes or creatures of this ocean. There are fishes of different sizes, shapes and powers in the ocean. However, the smallest fish will never bothers to change its outlook and refuses to accept the reality that there are bigger fishes in the ocean. When we change our attitude and outlook broadening our mindset and independent thinking applying our commonsense, certainly we will reach the path of eternal wisdom of spirituality. Sasidharan Nair Editor-in-Charge

CONTENTS

Vikramaditya

Dr. C.N.N.Nair

The first press conference in my life

K.D. Skandan

Champakulam Boat Race and its tradition V.N. Gopalakrishnan

33 THE MORNING RAGA 19 What is coronary

heartDr.disease? Praveen Shah

Pachu Menon

s twilight gives way to the amber glow of the sky, the bright red-ball gradually making its majestic ascend to mark the break of dawn, many would have roused from their sleep; some going about attending to their morning ablutions, others greeting the day with thoughts of tackling the onerous tasks ahead.

CONTENTS

A Covet to keep-up classicism in Music

Revathi Sridharan

Knowing you is more important

New-fangled and synthetic music styles make most of the film music these days and the very concept of music has become so faint under the modern shield that such a transgression from divine music to the nowmusic has passed by, almost unobserved. Music, to the new generation is what comes in movies. Film music has become a yardstick to which other musical forms are matched up to. Ragas are identified not with their names or their association to a familiar kriti but their similarity with a filmi number.

23 Adv. Prakash Nair

46 26 Ramayana and its relevance in Modern Life Swami Dayananda

July 2010

An Introduction to Srimad Bhagavatam Swami Keertananda Saraswathi

Lord Krishna-Chaitanya, the avatâra [an incarnation of the Lord] who heralded this reform, restored the original purpose of developing devotion for God and endeavoured especially for the sacred scripture expounding on the devotion relating to Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This scripture is this bhâgavata purâna from which all the vaishnava-âcâryas derived their wisdom for the purpose of instruction and the shaping of their devotion.

COVER STORY

Hinduism and Temples of the USA T

T.V. Rajendraprasad

he advent of Hinduism in the United States has long been a subject for debate. It is believed that adherents to Hinduism arrived with early immigrants who may have been on the continent since the founding of the United States. The number of adherents, however, did not increase to a significant number until the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Services (INS) Act of 1965. Since then, the United Statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; growing Hindu population has enjoyed greater equality and attracted the attention of scholars. However, the Hindu faith is still largely unknown to the general population, even as more temples are built. The ARIS study of 2001 found some 1.1 million adherents of Hinduism in the United States (0.4% of US population).

History

Swami Vivekananda on the Platform of the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893 Swami Vivekananada addressed the World Parliament of Religion in 1893 in Chicago. He spent two years in the United States lecturing in several cities including Chicago, Detroit, Boston and New York. In 1902 Swami Rama Tirtha visited the US lecturing on the philosophy of Vedanta. In 1920 Paramhansa Yogananda was Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delegate at the International Congress of Religious Liberals held in Boston. Prior to 1965, Hindu immigration to the U.S. was minuscule and isolated. In those earlier days, visitors, students and some traders were primarily the only ones who bothered to set foot in the USA. The Bellingham

Riots in Bellingham, Washington on September 5, 1907 epitomized the low tolerance in the USA for Indians and Hindus. Despite such events, some people including professionals stayed and worked until the Immigration and Nationality Services (INS) Act of 1965 was passed. This opened the doors to Hindu immigrants who wished to work and start families in the United States. It included Hindu preachers as well, who spread awareness of the religion among a people that had little contact with it. In September 1965, an elderly Indian Sadhu named Swami Prabhupada arrived in New York. After a short time, he acquired a troupe of followers, and founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Since then many Hindu communities exist, from close-knit communities of

mainstream Hindus living near one another to several farm communities owned by ISKCON. Other influential Indians of a Hindu faith are Chinmoy and Maharshi Mahesh Yogi. Today, the most visible of the Hindu preachers appear to be those who sing the Hare Krishna Mahamantra (i.e., the Gaudiya Vaishavas) as well as other Vaishavas, and those of a Shaivite faith. Numerous Sadhus and live in or visit the United States. A joint session of the United States Congress was opened with a prayer in Sanskrit (with some Hindi and English added), read by Venkatachalapathi Samudrala, in September 2000, to honour the visit of Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The historic gesture was an initiative by Ohio Congressman Sherrod Brown who requested the US Congress House Chaplain to invite the Hindu priest from the Shiva Vishnu Hindu Temple in Parma, Ohio. Another Hindu prayer was read in the United States Senate on July 12 2007, by Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain from Nevada. His prayer was interrupted by a couple and their daughter who claimed to be “Christian patriots”, which prompted a criticism of candidates in the upcoming presidential election for not criticizing the remarks. In October 2009, President Barack Obama lit a ceremonial Deepavali lamp at the White House to symbolise victory of light over darkness.

Hindu temples in the U.S. The first Hindu temple is located in Northern California. Another earliest Hindu temple in the United States is the Maha Vallabha Ganapathi Devastanam owned by the Hindu Temple Society of North America in Flushing, New York City. It was consecrated on July 4, 1977. This temple recently underwent significant expansion and renovation. Other prominent temples include the Malibu Hindu Temple, built in 1981 and located in Calabasas, is owned and operated by the Hindu July 2010

Temple Society of Souther California. The temple is near Malibu, California. Apart from these, Swaminarayan temples exist in several cities across the country with a sizable following. President of the United States Barack Obama receives a red shawl from a Hindu priest from Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Lanham, Maryland (October 2009) The Hindus of the United States seem to enjoy both de jure and de facto legal equality. Generations of Hindus, both of South Asian, as well as European ancestry, have lived and worked in the USA, raising families, buying homes, and making roots, rendering their culture and spiritu-

ality an integral part of American culture. Hindus are second most educated among all religious groups in the United States, and are the second most affluent after the Jews. 43% of American Hindus made over $100,000 per year and 48% of Hindus have post-graduate degrees According to the United States Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report 2004, the number of Hindus in the United States is approximately 1,478,670, or 0.5% of the total population. This figure consists of immigrants from countries where Hinduism is an indigenous belief and their descendants, and Americans who adhere to Hinduism.

Malibu Hindu Temple

Malibu Hindu Temple a temple of the god Venkateswara, built in 1981, is located in the city of Calabasas near Malibu, California in the Santa Monica Mountains. It is owned and operated by the Hindu Temple Society of Southern California. Built in the traditional South Indian style, it is frequented by followers of Hinduism in Southern California. The priests are situated and live on the grounds of the temple. The temple has many gatherings for ceremonies, and provides numerous space for meditation, pick

nicking, it has a full stage for special cultural and Hindu programs. In 1997, the temple was used in a small scene in the movie Beverly Hills Ninja starring Chris Farley, and in 1998 in a song in the Tamil film Jeans. In January 2006, the pop-star singer Britney Spears had her 4-month-old son blessed in a large ceremony by the priests, of this temple. The event had worldwide coverage in the media. Temple Complex The Hindu temple has two complexes - the upper complex with Lord Venkateswara as the presiding deity and the lower complex with Lord Shiva as the presiding deity. In addition to the presiding deity, both complexes have shrines for other deities. Address: 1600 Las Virgenes Canyon Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302 Temple Hours: The temple is open every day of the year. Weekdays: Summer hours: 9:00 A.M to 12:30 Noon and 5 P.M to 8 P.M. Winter hours: 9:00 A.M to 12:30 Noon and 5 P.M to 7 P.M. Weekends and Holidays: Summer hours: 8:00 A.M to 8:00 P.M Winter hours: 8:00 A.M to 8:00 P.M

Trends

Globalisation and Indian music

minent musicians, musicologists and internationally renowned performers, all tend to agree that Indian music has little to fear from globalisation. They call it a natural process, which has been in evidence for at least four millenia. Participating in a three-day seminar on “Globalisation and Indian Music”, organised by the ITC-Sangeet Research Academy, the National Centre for Performing Arts and the Music Forum, in Mumbai, they welcomed it as “more interaction between people wherever they live in the world, for a common set of humanistic and democratic values, for an economic system capable of dealing with the old vicissitudes of geography and resources.” Simon Mundy, Cultural Policy Adviser, UK, and eminent writer, however, struck a slight discordant note, when he said, “Globalisation is the political and trading expression of the 21st century, responding (as all such developments do) not to the deliberate intentions of the government, but to the opportunities presented by communication, the ratio of time to distance in travel and the ease of migration.” He warned: “The notion that the trading system could

deliver the ideal that thousands of years of mutual conquest and cultural imposition had failed to do —the ideal of global inclusion — is immensely attractive. It offers a just, open modus vivendi too big to be manipulated by any tyrant or hijacked by any empire. But that is not the whole story. No shift in political strategy or economic system, certainly not one as big as this second industrial revolution, occurs without cost or tension. There are fears that big business (and especially American business) will become all-consuming — only interested in its own success — and

P.K. Ravindranath outside social influence or democratic political control. It is the East India Company on a world scale.” He continued: “There are justifiable fears that the interests of financial institutions in the free movement of capital will be put before the interests of the environment or social justice. “And there are the political fears of those who have spent most of the past century carving out nation states (or achieving national sovereignty, as they would see it) that such states become economically irrelevant and so politically moribund.” Mundy also warned of “global

Amjed Ali Khan

cultural exploitation.” If globalisation releases the potential of the people, and allows them to discover and explore, then it is of great benefit. “There is nothing wrong with globalisation which serves the spread of genuine artistic understanding and the exchange of ideas,” he said. Two eminent performing artistes, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma (sarod) and Ustad Zakir Hussain (tabla), who often play abroad, welcomed globalisation. Pandit Sharma stressed the fact that Indian music had been subject to constant and continuing change over the past millennium. Indian classical music, he said, had gone global even even before globalisation came in. “The interaction with the music of other countries had produced fusion. This cannot by any stretch of imagination be called dilution of our music. The artiste has every right to assimilate change, without losing his firm grip on the ground”, Zakir Hussain said. He firmly believed that Indian classical music will always remain just that. Zakir Hussain said it was Amir Khusro who started the concept of globalisation with his development of khayal out of Dhrupad. Ali Akbar, Bade Ghulam Ali and Ravi Shankar have all changed Indian music, and had been successful in making us accept such changes. Today’s musicians, he said, were fully aware of what they were capable of Pandit Shiv Sharma, he said, had brought the santoor out of obscurity and made it into one of the premier Indian instruments. “Change is inevitable”, Zakir Hussain said, “but it is for us to decide what we are going to do with globalisation.” Arvind Parikh, an eminent sitar player and president, Music Forum, posed the question: “How do we get the benefits and avoid the disadvantages of globalisation?” He gave no specific answer, nor did any one else attempt it. July 2010

They did not seem to realise that globalisation is blatantly the transfer of power to the international business class, which has now become the ruling class the world over.” The threats posed by globalisation is that the USA is today the controlling voice in international business. Three successful businessmen run the country today — George W. Bush, who had been in the petroleum industry, VicePresident Dick Cheney and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who were both CEOs of powerful petroleum corporations. The massive corporate structures of the USA continue to overawe trade and commerce in countries rich in raw materials and natural resources through the mechanism of the World Trade Organisation. Since it has steadfastly refused to join UNESCO, it is not bound by its conventions that protect the rich cultural diversity of countries like India. This leaves it free to “globalise” the arts and cultural heritage of countries like India, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh and a host of other culturally rich countries. The first threat under globalisation will, therefore, be to our rich heritage of music. The removal of the quantitative restrictions on the import of 715 items by India at the instance of the WTO is a precursor of what could come about in respect of Indian music lore, dance forms, folk art and other artistic expositions. They could all be “glo

Zakir Hussain balised.” No Indian promoter of recorded music will be able to withstand the tentacles of American monopoly houses or transnational corporations. A number of Indian companies that have already been taken over by American MNCs stand mute testimony to what could happen to Indian music recording companies. They are better organised globally and are in a much better position than others to quell dissenting voices and provide alternative distribution networks or take over existing ones in the poorer countries. Several Indian musicians have already established a market for themselves abroad — Ravi Shankar, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali, Yesudas, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Zakir Hussain and others. They may not feel the pinch, but in the case of lesser known artistes, there is very little to safeguard their royalty, recording rights and other privileges. (Courtesy: The Stateman)

Stories of Thenali Raman

The Last Wish Mango Fruit B. Sarojini

nce when King Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu was ruling the Vijaya Nagar Empire, the royal mother fell sick and was bedridden. The medical professionals of the court declared that there was no chance for her to survive this episode and that she grew too old to respond to any medication. One morning, she summoned Rayalu to her presence. “My Dear Son! I realise that I am close to death’s door. I also do not have any hopes that my health would become better. However, I have a last wish.” She paused and asked, “Can you accomplish it for me before my soul is taken away?” Rayalu was the King of Kings. His mother was on the deathbed, expressing her last wish. How could he turn away from it? He gently said, “Mother! Please tell me I will definitely accomplish your last wish” he assured. “I…” she added, “…wish to eat a mango fruit, can you get me one?” in a feeble tone the mother asked Rayalu. It was early summer. Trees had just started bearing tender fruits. There was no guarantee that royal mother would live until the tender ones ripened on the tree, Rayalu thought. It was also an insult to his royalty, if he was unable to fulfil his mother’s last wish. Immediately the King ordered

his soldiers to scan through the fields of the kingdom and bring some ripe mangoes at any cost, immediately. The soldiers plunged into action. They did their best and returned with a basket filled with ripe mangoes. Eventually, just before the soldiers could place the basket before their King, king’s mother breathed her last. Rayalu was taken aback, for being unable to fulfil the last wish more than for her demise. He was shook deeply with the thought that his mother was dead even before her quench for mangoes was fulfilled. He slowly started to sink day after the day with the thoughts that were ripping him. Rayalu invited Royal Master Thathacharya, explained his struggle, and sought an advice that would take the suffering off from him. Thathacharya thought for a while and told the King, “My king! Your mother was fond of giving alms to the poor and needy. Her soul would rest in peace, if you can fulfil her last wish through donations. Order for preparing mangoes with gold and distribute them to Brahmins of the country.” The news spread like wildfire in the kingdom that Rayalu was doling out golden mangoes to Brahmins in the memory of his mother. Brahmins from all over the empire started flooding into the capital to accept the golden mango from the King. Day in and out, long queues were always seen only to add people to its tail. 10

With this, the gold reserves in the exchequer were melting down rapidly. Rayalu not bothering about the consequences was incessantly involved in donating golden mangoes to the Brahmins. He never heeded to the pleas and warnings of the Chief Minister Thimmarusu in this regard. Thimmarusu was in confusion and did not know how to stop the King. He approached Ramalinga and urged for a solution to this in the interest of the kingdom and its people. Ramalinga assured Thimmarusu that he would check it at the earliest. “Go home and have a sound night sleep, Chief Minister. Everything will be alright by tomorrow evening” Ramalinga sent off Thimmarusu. Next morning, Ramalinga went near the long queues and watched what was happening. He then selected a yard close to the queues and sat there, ordering the queue maintenance persons to send each of the Brahmins to him before sending him to Rayalu for the golden mango. Everyone knew that Ramalinga was one of the close associates of the King. They thought that Ramalinga was doing so on the orders of the King and started sending the Brahmins first to Ramalinga before sending them into the palace. Ramalinga told every Brahmin that there was a slight amendment to the donation process. “The King Rayalu wished to donate the golden mangoes to those who bore a blister from him” Ramalinga explained.

Brahmins desirous of the gold first had a burn on their backs and went for the King’s gold. This went on until afternoon. In the later afternoon, one Brahmin pleaded Ramalinga to give him two burns and two golden mangoes. Ramalinga immediately fulfilled the Brahmins wish. Then the Brahmin approached Rayalu. As usual, Rayalu handed him one mango. The Brahmin immediately requested the King, “My Lord! I had two burns please give me two golden mangoes.” The King Rayalu did not understand what was happening. He enquired, “What burns?” Then the Brahmin narrated the entire story about Ramalinga and burns to RayJuly 2010

alu. The King shivering with anger called for Ramalinga and questioned him, “Ramalinga, what is happening. Why are you doing this brutality on these poor and innocent Brahmins?” Ramalinga very politely and innocently, as if nothing was amiss, explained. “My Dear King! I am an unlucky person. Recently my mother succumbed to a chronic disease. She wished all during her bed ridden period to cauterise her back so that she could become healthy and live longer.” Wiping the tears dropping on his cheeks, Ramalinga continued, “Probably she would have lived. Nevertheless, I did not heed to her 11

requests. She died with it on her lips. I thought of presenting it to the Brahmins, as I failed to fulfil my mother’s last wish. However, I being a poor man cannot invite such huge number of Brahmins. Anyway, all of these had come on your invitation and I am trying to fulfil my mother’s last wish in this manner. With all due respects to the King, I beg for pardon for my deeds, if I am wrong.” Rayalu analysed that Ramalinga was attempting to teach his a lesson. He then recalled Thimmarusu’s pleas about the drastically dropping gold reserves in the exchequer. Appreciating the presence of mind and loyalty, Rayalu immediately stopped the programme.

Tradition

Champakulam Boat Race and its tradition

V.N. Gopalakrishnan

he boat races in the backwaters of Kerala have become a symbol of social and cultural harmony for centuries. They form an important part of the tradition of folk arts and signify the excellent team spirit, integration and amity of the people. The boat races are occasions of great excitement and a reflection of a vibrant people. They teach how to live in harmony with the nature and are held during the harvest season. The season for boat races begins with the centuries-old Champakulam boat race on June 26. It is the most spectacular boat race in India and is being held on the course of the gracefully flowing Pamba River in Kerala on the Moolam Nakshathram in the month of Mithunam (June/July). The day is significant as the deity of Lord Krishna was installed at the famous Sree Krishnaswamy Temple at Ambalapuzha in Alleppey district on this day. In the afternoon, boats from nearby areas assemble and glide elegantly at the starting point of the race, which is later followed by a procession of the participating teams and cultural shows. By late afternoon, boats of various categories like the Chundan (snake boat),

Veppu, Iruttukuthi, Churulan and others would line up for their heats leading to the final race in each category. Large number of people of all age groups both local and visitors from far off places occupy the best possible of positions on the bank of the river to view the boat race. The snake boat race is often considered as the crucial test of stamina and the cynosure of all eyes. In the race, a boat is normally manned by four helmsmen, 25 singers and 100-125 oarsmen who row in unison to the fast rhythm of the Vanchippattu (song of the oarsmen). It is a marvellous sight as spectators gather in thousands to cheer oarsmen as they cut their way through the waters to a brilliant finish. Many of the boat races have curious legends and myths attached to their origin. The Champakulam Boat Race also has a century-old tradition and is believed to have started in 1545 A.D. According to legends, H.H. Pooradam Thirunal Devanarayanan, the Raja of Chempakasseri, a principality of Travancore kingdom built a temple at Ambalapuzha as per the suggestions of the royal astrologers. But just before the installation of the deity, he was 12

informed that the idol was inauspicious. Therefore, it was necessary to install a suitable idol immediately. Accordingly, the priests identified another idol of Lord Krishna, at the Karikulam temple in Kurichi, a neighbouring village. This idol was believed to have been given to Arjuna by Lord Krishna himself, and hence considered sacred. After getting the idol from the temple, the Rajaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entourage set forth for the return journey to Ambalapuzha by boat. While returning night set in, and as instructed by the Raja, they took shelter in a Christian household of Mappilassery Itty Thommen, a confidant of the Raja in the Champakulam village. He and his family received the men and the idol with honour. The following day, the Raja and his entourage turned up at the Mappilassery household, accompanied by a large crowd. Pujas were offered to the deity. Itty Thommen and his men also travelled to Ambalapuzha where the idol was consecrated and installed. On the way, the priests and the laity of the Champakulam Kalloorkadu Church, received the Raja and the idol. The Raja was pleased with the hospitality shown by his

Christian subjects and declared that a great water carnival would be held annually at Champakulam to commemorate the events. Thus the Champakulam Boat Race and related functions started which are continuing till today. In 1613 A.D. the old house where the idol was kept was demolished and a new one was built. The spot has been demarcated and used as a place of worship. In keeping with the Hindu practice, no menstruating women are allowed to enter the room. A special lamp made of rare metals known as Vazhakoombu Vilakku was gifted to the family, to be kept for burning as an eternal flame. The practice continues even today and the lamp is kept perpetually burning. Special privileges were conferred on the family and the representatives from the temple

along with other the Christian icons like the cross and statues of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary. The boat race will start only after the temple representatives are offered a sumptuous feast. For almost 500 years, this tradition has continued uninterrupted and re-enacted with the same enthusiasm even today! Other renowned boat races in Kerala are the Indira Gandhi Boat Race, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, the Aranmula Uthrittadi Vallamkali, the Payippad Jalotsavam and the Kumarakom Boat Race. Other renowned boat races in Kerala are the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Aranmula Uthrittadi Vallamkali, the Payippad Jalotsavam and the Rajiv Gandhi Boat Race. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race: It is the most famous of the boat races of Kerala held annually on the Pun-

frenzy. Aranmula Uthrittadi Vallamkali (Boat Race): It is one of the most popular events in Kerala and is held annually on the Pampa River near the Sree Parthasarathy Temple at Aranmula in the Pathanamthitta dist., as a part of Onam celebrations. People come in thousands on the banks of the River Pamba to watch the Palliyodams (snake boats). The boats do not race against each other and instead row in unison to the accompaniment of songs and reach their destination together. Payippad Jalotsavam: Payippad Jalotsavam (water festival) is held annually during August/September at Alappuzha and is one of the major boat races in Kerala. The swift “Chundanvalloms”(snake boats) are the highlights of the race. Rajiv Gandhi Trophy Boat

visit the house annually on Moolam day, with gifts and prasadam for the head of the family. This practice is known as the Moolakazhcha and it is believed that on Moolam Day, Lord Krishna resides at Mappilassery House and not at the Krishnaswamy Temple! The temple representatives enter the room, where the lamp is kept in a prominent place

namada Backwaters of Alappuzha district on the 2nd Saturday of August. The Nehru Trophy boat race is held to commemorate the visit of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India in 1952. This spectacular race features magnificent Chundans’. The lively and rhythmic boat songs or Vanchipattu draw the spectators to a state of

Race: It is held two weeks after the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is organized in memory of Rajiv Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of India at Pulinkunnu in Alleppey dist. (The author is a freelance journalist and Director, Indo-Gulf Consulting. He can be contacted on telegulf@gmail.com.)

July 2010

Vikramaditya

Vikramaditya Dr. C.N.N.Nair

he summarized story given above is based on the book ‘Tales of Vikramaditya’ translated into Malayalam by the celebrated lexicographer C. Madhavan Pillai. There is a very dramatic introduction of the story of Vikramaditya in its prologue. This is further based on the famous Sanskrit work ‘Bhoja Prabandham’. Muncha, the paternal uncle of Bhoja, prince of Dhara was shocked when some astrologers predicted that Bhoja would one day outshine all emperors of the country! Out of jealousy, he ordered the murder of the prince by treachery. The minister to whom this heinous task was assigned manipulated the situa-

tion and saved the prince but convinced the king that his order was executed. When asked what the last words of Bhoja were, the minister produced the following stanza written in his blood by Bhoja for his uncle’s eyes: ‘Maandhataa cha maheepati kritayugaalankaarabhooto gatah Saethuryaena mahodadhou virachithae qua sou dasasyaantakah? Anyaechaapi yudhishtira prabhrutayo yaata divam bhoopatae Naikaenaapi samam gata vasumathee Muncha, twayaa yaasyati!’ The meaning of the stanza is: ‘The celebrated emperor Mandhata of Kritayuga vanished; where 14

is king Rama now who built a bridge across the ocean? Other renowned emperors like Yudhishtira too passed away. But this earth did not accompany any of them. But, certainly, Muncha, it might accompany you when you die!’ Upon reading the stanza, the fickleness of temporal power dawned on Muncha and he was overcome with grief and repentance. He was ashamed of his guilty deed and wanted to genuinely undo the crime. When convinced of the purity of Muncha’s intention, the minister produced Bhoja and Muncha wholeheartedly welcomed him back. Bhoja succeeded Muncha and the city of Dhara – Dhaara Nagari – became famed for its prosperity. King Bhoja had no parallel! (Kshitithalae nahi Bhoja samo nrupah’) Once, king Bhoja and his entourage came across a farmer who was seen welcoming them when he positioned himself in a particular place and was seen abusing and calling them trespassers, when he was out of that spot. They contemplated on this seemingly contradictory but repeated behaviour and assumed that there might be something strange about that site. They bought the farm with the consent of the farmer who was adequately compensated, and under royal supervision began digging up the spot. Soon the tip of a golden crown began visible. Careful follow up revealed a magnificent gold throne of unusual and majestic artistry kept buried therein. It was transported to the durbar of Bhoja in Dharanagari and renovated in all its splendour. The throne had six-

teen steps leading to it and on either side of the step, there was a statuette of an elegant, gracious damsel with wings outstretched – Saalabhanjika. King Bhoja decided to ascend the throne on an auspicious moment and it was announced in the royal court. At the appointed time, the king with all attendants arrived to a tumultuous welcome of his subjects. As he put his right leg on the very first step of the throne, a Saalabhanjika on his right became alive and began laughing aloud in a mocking tone. Perplexed, the king asked it what was the meaning of the laughter. The Saalabhanjika replied that king Bhoja seemed to be unaware of the great import of the golden throne which was gifted to king Vikramaditya by Lord Indra himself. Calamity awaited him if he proceeded without knowing the marvellous facts surrounding the throne. When Bhoja said he was not aware but was curious to know about Vikramaditya’s greatness, the Saalabhanjika began telling the background described in the first segment of this article. The legend has it that, for the next sixteen days, each Saalabhan-

Our esteemed readers would have noticed the similarity of Vidyasagar story with that of Chandrasarma in the Patanjali article. What further intrigues the discerning reader is the problem of time, which is usual with all ancient legends and myths. Kalidaasa was one of the nine gems of the court of Vikramaditya who was none other than Bhoja of Dharanagari. Vararuchi was another of the ‘navaratna’s. However, Vararuchi, the elder brother of original Vikramaditya might have lived at least some centuries before Bhoja. The similarity between Vidyasagar and Chandra Sarma could give rise to the assumption that Chandrasarma’s son by the Brahmin wife could be ‘Vararuchi’! The Vararuchi whose wife gave birth to twelve children – of twelve clans in Kerala (‘Parayi Petta Panthirukum), of which we dealt with earlier, could not have lived earlier than 600 AD since at least one son – Uppukoottan- was considered a Muslim! But then these internal contradictions notwithstanding, we all heartily enjoy the story content lavishly preserved for posterity by our forefathers. jika extolled the virtues and adventures of king Vikramaditya till his passing away – in Arthurian style. On the last day, the sixteenth Saalabhanjika declared king Bhoja fit in all respects to occupy Vikramaditya throne and all of them flew away

from their pedestals. It seems logical to presume that Bhoja, upon ascension to this throne, also assumed the title of ‘Vikramaaditya’. The stories thus told by the Saalabhanjikas are collectively known as the ‘Tales of Vikramaditya’.

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July 2010

Revolving Door

The first press conference in my life K.D. Skandan Anything first in life is dear, evergreen and closest to heart to everyone. In my life also I had many occasions to experience and witness many such very firsts in life. I want to describe about my first press conference in my life. Naval Tata, during my nearly 30 years’ association with him, had always given me encouragement and exposure and never treated me as his ‘mere Secretary’. On the occasion of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Employers’ Federation of India which was held in the premises of the Cochin chamber of Commerce & Industry in 1980, the Chamber had arranged a Press Meet at which I was also asked to be present by Naval Tata. Some of the Press reporters found it difficult to express themselves fluently in English but they were able to understand the language and I was asked to stand-by and translate their questions and views to Tata from Malayalam to English, if it was needed. Since Tata had a dinner engagement that evening and as he was getting late, he apologised to them and but told them that if they had any more questions to be asked, they should ask me! In fact, he told them “if you have any more questions “shoot“ them at my Secretary, Skandan – he is the son of your soil and was a comrade too “. I had not done this before and, though pleasantly surprised at Naval Tata’s gesture, I was very scared to face

them. Since I generally knew Naval Tata’s views on the subject of industrial relations, I believe I was somehow able to answer them to their satisfaction. Following were the questions and the answers given by me in my first press conference: Your boss said that you are a “son of the soil” and also you were a Comrade too. Is that true? Yes, I was a sympathizer of the undivided Communist Party of India till the party split into two in

extreme left to right? Yes. So, what are your views on capitalism vs. communism? Communism preaches “Rob Peter to pay Paul “. It is easy to distribute wealth but it is difficult to create it. Capitalism says you first create something and distribute. Tata Group created the Swatantra Party? No, it was some of his colleagues like late Sir Homi Mody, who were close to Rajaji, with other industri-

1964 but continued my sympathy with the CPM whereas most of my friends who were with me went to CPI. After the party split and the fact I was working as a Secretary to an industrialist, I thought it would not be appropriate for me to have a divided loyalty. So, there was a change: from

alists and businessmen, founded the Swatantra Party. There were also common friends like late Mr M R Masani and Prof. N G Ranga. Reports say that when the first Bonus Commission’s suggested a compulsory minimum bonus of 81/3 %, your boss opposed it. What do you want to say?

ply to all questions satisfactorily. I was very happy. However, after the Press Conference, I overheard some of the reporters referring me as, “His Master’s Voice”! I smiled. The difference between the Press Meet then and now. I never addressed a Press Meet since then. That was my first experience. Nevertheless, I could join Naval Tata in all the subsequent Press Conferences. There are remarkable differences between the Press people of

Left: Naval Tata, right: K.D. Skandan

Anything first in life is dear, evergreen and closest to heart to everyone. In my life also I had many occasions to experience and witness many such very firsts in life. The writer narrates about his first press conference attended with Naval Tata, father of present Tata Business Empire’s Chief Ratan Tata. There are remarkable differences between the Press people of 1980s and the present Press people. In 1980s both sides were knowledgeable while asking questions, replying and counter question and answers. The dignity, mutual-respect, discipline were excellent but it is diminished now. Yes, he objected because the Bonus Commission had defined “bonus as a share in profit “. And when a company makes a loss, where is the profit to share? Therefore, how can you ask loss making companies to pay a minimum bonus of 8-1/3 %? Finally, there were reports that when your boss after he filed his nomination papers to contest the South Bombay Parliamentary constituency in 1971 and stood as an independent candidate, Mrs Indira Gandhi told him that she would have offered him a Congress ticket from a safe constituency. Was that true? Yes but since had already filed his nomination and the Congress July 2010

had already announced its candidate, she said it was too late. However, she wished him success. The Congress candidate who finally won the election was Dr N N Kailas. Mr Naval Tata lost by a mere margin of 20,000 votes, whereas other industrialists like Birlas and others lost by big margins. 1971 Parliamentary election was the first one after the Indian National Congress split into two: Congress (O) and Congress (I) – and it was an Indira wave! A final question. You are a son of the soil and which place you belong to? Irinjalakuda. My first press conference went off smoothly and I trust I could re17

1980s and the present Press people. In 1980s both sides were knowledgeable while asking questions, replying and counter question and answers. The dignity, mutual-respect, discipline were excellent but it is diminished now. Representatives from the media at that time could be convinced but not now they refuse to be convinced, though they know they are wrong. Both sides were sincere, honest to some extent, and used to have a very good rapport. They were not probing into issues like today. In olden days journalists were not keen to make sensational news but today the media and the readers want only sensational news.

Health

oronary heart disease is characterized by the narrowing of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. The consequences of coronary heart disease include stable angina (intermittent, but predictable chest pain), unstable angina (angina that is new in onset, occurs at rest, or has a worsening pattern), heart attack (myocardial infarction). There are several treatment options for people with coronary heart disease who have stable angina. These options are classified as • Medical treatment (drugs and lifestyle modifications) • Interventional treatment (angioplasty also known as PTCA, with

angina. In some patients, these interventions may also delay or stop the progression of the disease and thereby prolong life.

Medical Treatment

Medical treatment for coronary heart disease includes drugs called antianginal drugs, which alleviate symptoms and support heart function. It also includes lifestyle modifications. Medical treatment is usually considered first for all people with coronary heart disease, although certain individual factors may make interventional treatment a better initial choice (see below).

Antianginal drugs

There are currently three major classes of antianginal drugs:

for people who have two or more anginal episodes per week. If these initial drugs do not control angina, calcium channel blockers may be added to the treatment plan. However, the choice among these classes of drugs and the choice of specific drugs within these classes are made on an individual basis. See Medical Management for CAD for details of the drugs available.

Other drugs and aspirin

Depending upon the severity of heart disease, people with stable angina may also be treated with other drugs, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, cholesterol lowering drugs, drugs to lower blood pressure, and diuret-

What is coronary heart disease? or without a stent) • Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Because coronary heart disease is typically a chronic disease requiring long-term treatment, it is very important to learn as much as you can about this disease and about the benefits and risks of the various treatment options. This section essentially deals with non-surgical treatment options like medical management and interventional treatment like angioplasty (PTCA). Write-up about surgical option is available elsewhere.

Goals of Treatment

All of the medical and interventional treatments for people with coronary heart disease have the same goals: to decrease the effects of the disease on quality of life and to alleviate symptoms such as

Dr. Praveen Shah

ics. Aspirin may decrease the risk of heart attack and other serious complications in some people with stable angina, and doctors usually recommend taking aspirin daily.

Lifestyle modifications

• Nitrates • Beta blockers • Calcium channel blockers For initial treatment, doctors may recommend nitrates for people who have one or fewer anginal episodes per week and beta blockers 18

Certain lifestyle modifications are often recommended for people with stable angina, including cessation of smoking, the gradual institution of a regular aerobic exercise program, modification of activities that precipitate angina (such as minimizing exposure to the cold, avoiding heavy meals, and eliminating very vigorous exercise), modification of diet and reduction in amount of fats and cholesterol eaten, weight reduction, stress reduction, and behavioral modification. Treatment of risk factors for coronary heart disease Risk factors for coronary heart

disease include smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood lipids such as cholesterol. Doctors usually try to reduce these risk factors in all people with coronary heart disease, regardless of whether they receive medical or interventional treatment. This is usually accomplished with a combination of the lifestyle modifications, as described above, and medications.

Benefits of medical treatment

Medical treatment with antianginal drugs can effectively reduce the frequency and severity of anginal episodes and improve a person’s ability to exercise. In many patients, medical therapy eliminates or delays the need for revascularization (ie, surgery or angioplasty). Two of the drugs commonly used to treat angina (beta blockers and aspirin) may actually reduce the risk of additional heart attacks and of death from cardiac causes in people who have previously suffered a heart attack.

Risks of medical treatment

The primary risks of medical treatment are related to the side effects from the drugs. Your doctor can provide you with detailed information about the possible side effects of specific drugs. However, most people experience tolerable or no side effects when taking drugs commonly used to treat angina. In those who do experience them, side-effects can sometimes be lessened by decreasing the drug dose, changing the timing of drug adJuly 2010

ministration, switching to a different drug within the same class of antianginal drugs, or by switching to an entirely different class of antianginal drugs. These changes should all be made under your doctor’s supervision. Candidates for interventional treatment A number of invasive techniques are available for treating coronary artery disease. The two standard surgical procedures are coronary artery bypass grafting (commonly called bypass) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (commonly called angioplasty) . Studies have generally reported similar effectiveness in the two procedures, although one or the other may be preferable for specific patients. Advantages with Angioplasty. Angioplasty has the following advantages for most patients: • It is less invasive than bypass. • It is initially less expensive. (Although the postoperative need for more medications and the high risk for repeat procedures to reopen the artery reduce the longterm difference in cost between the two procedures.) Advantages of Bypass. Bypass is usually the appropriate procedure, however, in patients with the following conditions: • Three or more blocked arteries. • A left main artery narrowed by 50% or more. • A very long diseased portion of the artery. • Diabetes. (In fact, some experts believe angioplasty should rarely, if ever, be used for these patients.) • The elderly. (Although angioplasty rates are improving in this group, and in one study such patients had a long-term survival rate equal to others.) 19

Considerations for Women

Women have higher mortality rates than men after surgery no matter what procedure, perhaps because they tend to be older and sicker when they have a heart operation. One study of bypass patients, however, indicated that simply being female was a risk factor for higher mortality regardless of age or health status. Patients considering surgery should discuss all options and risks with their physician. No surgical procedure cures coronary artery disease, and patients must continue to rigorously maintain a healthy life-style and continue any necessary medications. In general interventional treatment may be recommended over medical therapy for two groups of people with stable angina: • People who have persistent and intolerable symptoms despite adequate medical treatment • People who have specific patterns of arterial narrowing and a high risk of heart attack and death People who have extensive coronary heart disease, including a large number of narrowed coronary arteries or narrowing of the left main coronary artery and poor pumping function of their left ventricle (lower heart chamber), tend to live longer when they receive coronary artery bypass surgery than when they receive medical treatment.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) involves passing a tiny, deflated balloon through the arterial system usually through an artery in the leg(Transfemoral) or in the wrist (Transradial) to the narrowed coronary artery. The balloon is then inflated, causing the walls of the balloon to dilate (expand) the narrowed artery, thereby restoring blood flow to the heart muscle. A stent (an ex-

Health pandable tube usually made of wire mesh) is often placed to prevent the narrowing from recurring. The usefulness of angioplasty depends upon the pattern and extent of arterial narrowing. Angioplasty is often recommended over bypass surgery when arterial narrowing is mild or moderate and when only one or two coronary arteries are narrowed. It is more effective in patients who do not have diabetes; people with diabetes appear to have greater benefit from bypass surgery, especially if they have two or three vessels involved.

Limitations

more risks in older people. For example, the risk of dying from bypass surgery is about 3.3 times greater for people who are 80 years of age or older than for people who are 50 years of age. On the other hand, older people often stand to gain the most from bypass surgery—in older patients (>75 years of age), bypass surgery has a greater life-prolonging benefit relative to medical treatment. Therefore, advancing age does not necessarily rule out angioplasty or bypass surgery as treat-

reduce the rate of restenosis. Another reason for recurrent symptoms is the inability to dilate all narrowed vessels. Some vessels that are very small, have a total occlusion, or have a very calcified lesion cannot be adequately dilated. FACTORS AFFECTING THE CHOICE BETWEEN MEDICAL TREATMENT AND INTERVENTIONAL TREATMENT Several factors can help determine whether medical treatment or interventional treatment is a better choice. You should discuss all of these factors with your doctor before choosing between the treatment options.

ment options.

Although angioplasty restores blood flow and relieves symptoms in over 90 percent of patients, there is a substantial rate of recurrent symptoms at six months, usually due to recurrent narrowing (restenosis) of the artery, which may occur in up to 30 percent of patients. Restenosis that causes recurrent symptoms is usually treated by repeat angioplasty. The placement of a stent at the time of the angioplasty can also

Benefits

Angioplasty can effectively relieve angina and improve a person’s ability to exercise. However, relative to medical treatment, angioplasty does not reduce the risk of heart attack or death in most people over time. Complications — Since angioplasty does not require surgery, complications are relatively infrequent and hospital stay and convalescence are usually brief. The most frequent complications are related to the insertion of catheters in the leg and include pain and bleeding at the puncture site. A small tear (dissection) of the coronary artery due to the catheter may occur in up to 50 percent of patients. However, the tear is usually small and heals by itself, but, if it is large, may cause the artery to become abruptly occluded, which occurs in about 4 percent of patients. This is treated by repeat angioplasty and the insertion of a stent; rarely is there the need for urgent bypass surgery. Approximately 1 percent of patients may have a heart attack as the result of angioplasty. In most cases, patients are able to walk on the day following the angioplasty and can resume their normal activities, including returning to work, within a week. However, you should discuss this with your doctor.

Age

Interventional treatments have 20

Severity of angina

People who have severe angina tend to derive more benefit from interventional treatment than from medical treatment.

Presence of advanced heart disease

Coronary heart disease may lead to poor pumping function of the left ventricle, (the heart chamber that pumps blood around the body), called low EF and it may even lead to a serious condition called congestive heart failure. People with these advanced types of heart disease may benefit more from interventional treatment, primarily bypass surgery, than from medical treatment. In fact, interventional

treatment may even reverse abnormal function of the left ventricle in some cases. Still, interventional procedures are also associated with greater risks in people with advanced heart disease. Pattern of narrowing of coronary arteries Interventional treatment is usually more beneficial than medical treatment when the coronary arteries are severely narrowed, when many coronary arteries are narrowed, and when the left main coronary artery (the artery that supplies blood to the left side of the heart) is narrowed. These early patterns of arterial narrowing often predict how severe heart damage would be if a heart attack occurs. People who have at least three narrowed coronary arteries are usually advised to select interventional treatment, most often bypass surgery. People who have two narrowed coronary arteries may be advised to select interventional treatment. People who have only one narrowed coronary artery are often advised to select medical treatment, unless this treatment fails

July 2010

to control angina; if angina persists with medical treatment, angioplasty is often recommended.

Presence of peripheral vascular disease

Peripheral vascular disease refers to narrowing of arteries in parts of the body other than the heart. For example, arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs or to the brain may be narrowed. Studies suggest that people with peripheral vascular disease have greater risks from angioplasty and bypass surgery, and medical treatment may therefore be a better choice. PRIMARY STENTING IN ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION In acute myocardial infarction, successful restoration of the blood flow in the affected artery by either clot bursting drugs or primary angioplasty, can result in preservation of left ventricular function. The clinical efficacy of primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for acute myocardial infarction is limited by the risks of early restenosis. A number of reports have shown that stenting is of

benefit in an acute MI setting when combined with PTCA. Initial trials suggested that that primary stenting in acute myocardial infarction was more effective than PTCA, resulting in a higher rate of successful reperfusion, a lower rate of acute closure, better postprocedural diameter stenosis, and a lower restenosis rate. Direct stenting, without predilation, reduces procedural time, radiation exposure, and costs. In patients with an acute myocardial infarction, direct stenting may also reduce embolization of plaque constituents, lowering the incidence of the no reflow phenomenon, thereby increasing myocardial perfusion and salvage. Although primary stenting improves the short-term outcome of patients, there is growing evidence that the main benefit of stenting is freedom from long-term recurrence of restenosis and myocardial infarction and a reduction in target lesion revascularization. Primary stenting is an effective therapy for some patients with an acute myocardial infarction who have a left main coronary artery

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Whiteline Journal

Notes for Contributors Here are some guidelines for authors who may wish to make submissions to the Whiteline Journal. Contributors are requested to follow WLJ’s style while preparing their articles. It will help immensely for faster processing and error-free editing if writers follow the recommended style. Special Articles WLJ welcomes original articles and research papers in any of the topics related to art, culture, literature, spirituality and life style. • Articles must be no more than 2,500 words, including notes and references. Longer articles will not be processed. • Contributions should be sent preferably by email attachment in MS Word format. Images welcomed in jpeg or other formats. Reference sources must be acknowledged properly. • Contributions should not have been simultaneously submitted for publication to another journal or newspaper. If the contribution has appeared earlier in a different version, we would appreciate a copy of this along with the submitted paper. • Graphs and charts need to be prepared in MS Office (Word/ Excel) and are preferable to material prepared in jpeg or other formats. • For a short period, WLJ will discontinue publishing poems. Therefore contributors are requested not to send in poems till December, 2010. • Receipt of articles will be immediately acknowledged by email/post. • Every effort will be taken to complete early processing of the contributions we receive. We receive more than 20 articles every week and adequate time has to be provided for internal reading and external refereeing. It can therefore take up to two months for a final decision on whether the paper is accepted for publication. No telephonic or email enquires will be entertained in connection with the contributions submitted. Any recommendation or pressurisation from any corner whether directly or indirectly to publish your contribution will eventually spoil your chances to get published your contributions in the WLJ. It might be caused to permanently exclude you. • Articles accepted for publication can take up to three to six months from date of acceptance to appear in the WLJ. Every effort will, however, be made to ensure early publication. Articles with immediate relevance for policy would be considered for early publication. Please note that this is a matter of editorial judgment.

Address for communication: Editor-in-Charge, Whiteline Journal English Office 5, Sarvodaya Garden, Off. Gamdevi Mandir, Pandurangawadi, Dombivli East -421201, Maharashtra Email: whitelineeditorial@gmail.com 22

Personality Development

Knowing you is more important

Adv. Prakash Nair B.Sc, LL.B, M.B.A

he more we know about werself and express our authentic self, the more meaning, joy and fulfillment we will have in our life. If we want personal growth and change in our outer world - a new or better relationship, a more fulfilling career, more money etc. then we need to attend to our inner world. Be more of who we are and we will automatically do and have more. How can we be more of who we are? How can we make positive headway in our personal growth and spiritual growth? Order this workbook & support emails today and we’ll show how to uncover our true identity Human Being is the only animal who can act as per their thinking and respond accordingly. Man is blessed with wisdom unlike other animals. Human Capital is the most important material available for any Organization to cash on, irrespective of the fact that whether it’s a service organization or manufacturing outfit. Human Resources has attained it’s importance and became the most vital part of any set up now. Her we can discuss the important factors which will better help us to know ourselves to act accordingly in circumstances which will guide every one for their career prospects. Basically character and reputation are the prominent factors which are decisive. Every individual is having the behavior & character of their own. Nurturing & inculcating good July 2010

habits and there by character is the duty of the individual himself and the society at large. There’s a saying “A Saint can become a Rascal in a fraction of time, but a Rascal can never become Saint”. Here it denotes that our basic character is having a bearing on all our actions. Believe in the supreme worth of individuals and their right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. We have to keep in mind always that every right implies a responsibility and every gain implies an obligation. Career is something which wants to build on in our life. A career does not mean that mak23

ing money, name or fame. Career makes man better in his personal life. Selecting career is as important as wer selection of drinking water. A career which does not suit wer taste will never help us in achieving wer goals. Proper guidance in selecting career is important in the current world scenario. The following components make a strong foundation for success in the new generation. Before we can make a career choice we have to learn about werself. Wer values, interests, and skills, in combination with certain personality traits, will make some careers especially suitable for us and some particularly inappro-

Personality Development priate. We can use self assessment tools to gather this information and, subsequently, to generate a list of occupations that are deemed appropriate. In our society there are some myths about the career selection and exploration which are linked to hobbies and sticking to a particular career etc. Knowledge is power. It becomes power when we use this. All great leaders have used their knowledge for the better transformation of the society and for the upliftment of the downtrodden and deprived. There should be the capability to see entire world or society as a whole. The term “Vasudhaiva Kudumbakam” has relevance here. There are two types of people, takers and givers. Takers will eat well and givers will sleep well. Of course we want to sleep well. We have to decide that whether we should be remembered for any contribution to the society or we should be known as disgruntled and pervert. Motivation is an important aspect in the making of our character and living. Motivation is a key element to success. Internal motivation comes from attitude and drive. Attitude is contagious which cane be transmitted from one to other, and hence to the entire society. Motivation is encouragement, empowerment, to inject a feeling that can literally change someone’s’ life. It comes from a desire for success. It’s for an excitement in life. There are two types of motivations. External motivation comes thought money, recognition etc. Internal motivation comes from self such as attitude, pride and belief. A belief that I can do is most important. Motivation is not a thing which can be done artificially. It’s 50% common sense and remaining 50% inspiration. Foundations for success are ethics, conscience, integrity and loyalty. Ethics is a set of values by which the commissions and omissions are driven. Our values come to our aid

Career is something which wants to build on in our life. A career does not mean that making money, name or fame. Career makes man better in his personal life. Selecting career is as important as wer selection of drinking water. A career which does not suit wer taste will never help us in achieving wer goals. Proper guidance in selecting career is important in the current world scenario. when we are exposed to real life. Character is not something which we are born with. It has been nurtured through our habits. Wisdom and integrity together give us courage and strength to live a useful life. Here useful life means a life which is worthwhile for the society. Spirit to win is an attitude which should be inculcated in the new generation. Ancient Indian wisdom believes that the most qualifying aspect of success lies in four tenets of life. Artha (wealth,social security), kama (fulfillment of desire), dharma( principles)and moksha (salvation). Wealth or artha means earthly possessions and material gains. People usually work hard to procure such standards of success, and yet, find themselves wanting more. Desires condemned the world over, 24

is motivating force behind all action that manifests as success. High moral credo or dharma is a life based on principles. However the crowning glory to successful life is moksha or freedom from all desires. Artha, kama, dharma and moksha patterns a rite of passage for an adult life. According to Indian thought, success depends upon the smooth transition of an individual through each of these passages. However, the culture factor definitely influences the success expectation among a people. Leadership is another quality which can change the whole life. A leader should be an ideal practitioner. When we believe that we are responsible to the society our perspective will change. We should be leaders not misleaders. Leaders do things in a different way; they are not doing anything new. Misleaders ruin the society for petty gains. A true leader never makes followers, instead he cerates leaders of his type. Making friends in plenty quantity is not a big thing at all, but making a true friend who stands by we in troubles is most important. True leaders should be swamis; instead of taking care of himself he takes care of his people. Current day political leaders have no place in the minds of people because they do nothing which creates legacy. They create legacy for their own successors. The present day politicians are taken by fear, anger, jealousy, hatred, revenge, ego, superstition etc. In the world politics, we can see all autocratic & compulsive administrations have fallen some day or the other. That’s where democracy as we experience in US and India prevail even after centuries and centuries. The collapse of iron shield administrations & dictator’s regimes teach us that freedom is as important as breathing air. A good leader accepts the right or wrong of any commission or omission. Leaders accept the win in a humble manner and they are ready to percolate that.

In failures they are ready to take up the responsibilities. Great Leaders think of the society as a whole not of an individual or a particular sect. To reach Heaven we have to die first. This saying has an important meaning that the sacrifice is not a loss in any way. The quality of sacrifice has to be inculcated in the new generation for the betterment of society. There’s no gain without pain. There is no alternative to hard work through which only we can scale new heights. Stephen Covey says that planning is more important than execution. Taking more time to identify important and not urgent tasks is more important. Unfortunately now the mankind is after unimportant things which happen to be urgent then and there. The failure of all operations in it’s essence and values is because of this lack of planning. Living with honour is an important thing. Money making has become a sign of honor in these days. Money is only a medium of exchange. Honor has it’s own definitions. Values provide meaningful guidance to the society. Life without values is unworthy. As Gandhiji has said my life is message, every one Justice is another important aspect in a successful life. We should ensure that justice is given to each and every situations and circumstances. Justice should be implemented every where as much as possible, Justice delayed is justice denied. In the current context of the world scenario, justice has become a word we can see in books only. should have our own stamp of good values in what ever sphere we involve. That’s where the importance of means in achieving goals. Means are as important as the Goals. Character, courage, competence are the main thing s required for honorable living. These factors should be centrifuged with clarity and confidence as well. Upsurge of groupism & lack of compassion is grasping all July 2010

organizations day by day. The retention of employees inducted on merit is much lesser than that of the employees entered through back door. This is a dilemma the corporate world is facing. In fact man cannot keep himself away from the nepotism and correction, being its human touch in that. In victories we should be calm and in failures we should not panic as well. Humility is the main feature of all world leaders. Behavior has an important role in the molding of an individual and thus a society. Leaving a legacy has become imperative as every action of ours

Motivation is an important aspect in the making of our character and living. Motivation is a key element to success. Internal motivation comes from attitude and drive. Attitude is contagious which cane be transmitted from one to other, and hence to the entire society. Motivation is encouragement, empowerment, to inject a feeling that can literally change someone’s’ life. It comes from a desire for success. It’s for an excitement in life. There are two types of motivations. External motivation comes thought money, recognition etc. 25

should lead the society in the right direction. Every step, action, gesture of ours should have a positive attribute towards the society in general. I know this is difficult in the present materialistic life. Principles should guide us in our way through. To handle real life situations, we should study the importance of reasons over passion. Becoming passionate without reasons will serve no purpose. Above all everything is depending upon mental attitude. This we can see the difference in Indian culture and the culture in some African countries and some theocratic states across the world. India despite of having thousands of languages, religions, casts, customs, traditions, rituals and ideologies is still stands united from Kashmir to Arunachal and from Kerala to Kashmir. All depends upon attitude. To control our emotion we have to control our tongue in both ways, such as in the perspective of taste as well as the words we use. True Leaders are giving one thing or the other thing to the society. Having eyesight without a vision is equal to having no eye. Here comes the difference between Politicians and Statesman. Statesman think about the next generation meanwhile the politician thinks about next elections. So a statesman’s role is important for the country. This is the need of the hour. All depends upon the attitude, a positive attitude. All our promises should be turned into commitments. Excuse is the enemies of leadership qualities. There is huge difference in the attitude of a Leaders and followers. Gandhiji and Swami Vivekanand are amongst the true leaders India has produced. The blue-print for success include a strong vision, an attitude to support that, knowledge, spirit to win, motivation, integrity, leadership qualities, empathy, compassion, leaving a legacy etc.

Ramayana

Ramayana and its relevance in Modern Life

Part I

Swami Dayananda What is Ramayana?

The Ramayana, written over 2,000 years ago, never fails to capture our mind and spirit with its stunning stories and moral lessons. According to Hindu tradition, Rama is an Avatara, an incarnation of Vishnu or God, Born to King Dasaratha & Queen Kausalya, Rama embodies human virtue. The Ramayana narrates the epic battle to wipe out Evil and restore peace on earth. The main purpose of his incarnation is to demonstrate the ideal human life on earth. Its profound influence on Hinduism and Indian culture is everlasting. As old as the tale it is, the message it carries resounds with relevance. ‘Chandamama’s Ramayana – The Epic Journey’ is based on Tamil Kamba Ramayanam, written by Kamban during the ninth century. Why should we read the Ramayana today? The Ramayana is a store house of knowledge. One has to transform such knowledge to wisdom by applying the principles and core values in one’s life. Reading and re-reading the Ramayana can be a rewarding experience for people of all ages at all times. If we can make our children to read The Ramayana, it has a profound impact on their mind, The Ramayana describes the epic battle to wipe out Evil. It not only teaches us dharma, it also sheds light on the human predicament and the choices that lie before us. It teaches us that problems are inevitable in one’s

life, but if one is filled with wisdom and devotion one can overcome any problem. How will the child be interested in reading The Ramayana? Chandamama’s Ramayana is the Story of Lord Rama, and is presented in a multimedia style that appeals to both young and old. It covers his birth, his life and teachings. This is the first Ramayana to come out in comic format as a single book, it has Bold, colourful illustrations with simple narrative style, and it also includes several little known 26

episodes from the epic within the larger framework. Values Contained in Rama’s Story Embodiments of Love! Life is like a game of chess; not merely that, it is like a battlefield. The story of Rama teaches us the threefold Dharma (code of conduct) pertaining to the individual, the family and the society. You have to make every effort to understand the duties of the individual, the family and the society. Rama is the ocean of compassion. He is love personified. It is

possible to understand His divinity only through the path of love. Love is the undercurrent of human life. Man will be able to manifest his innate divinity only when he develops love within. The modern society needs to follow the Dharma that is contained in the epic Ramayana. What is the reason? Today, the son is not paying heed to his father’s advice and the parents are not concerned about the future of the son. Devotion to the Guru should be the aim of the students. But, the students are not having regard for their teachers and the teachers are not imparting anything good to them. In such a situation, everyone needs to follow the ideals of the Ramayana. The Ramayana speaks of the true identity of the individual, the real significance of the family and the sanctity of the society. The Ramayana teaches the importance of human values. Today corruption is rampant in all fields such as business, education and politics. Under these circumstances, the principles of the Ramayana are very important. It explains in detail the relationship that should exist between brothers, the father and the son, the preceptor and the disciple. All of us live on the same earth. The same sky is above all of us. We breathe the same air and drink the same water. Ignoring this underlying principle of unity man visualizes multiplicity, which is a big mistake. The Ramayana centres on the principle of unity in diversity. Today as man has lost the ability to see unity in diversity, he is immersed in restlessness. What we need today is to see unity in diversity and the divinity behind this unity. Put Ramayana’s Teaching into Practice The relationship that existed between the brothers of Rama is an ideal to the rest of the humanity. They lived in unity in spite of troubles and turmoil. Mother Kaikeyi wanted her son Bharata to ascend the throne of Ayodhya, but Bharata July 2010

never had any such desire. He went to Chitrakoota Mountain, fell at the feet of Rama and prayed, He, being the eldest, should take over the kingdom of Ayodhya. But, Rama did not yield to his request. Quoting the Vedic dictum Mathru Devo Bhava, Pithru Devo Bhava. He exhorted Bharata to obey the command of the father and fulfil the desire of his mother by becoming the king of Ayodhya. Rama promised him that He would render all help and support. That is why even today people extol Rama as Sathyavakparipalaka (one who adheres to truthful speech). Today many people read the holy Ramayana, but few understand its essence. They spend their time in acquiring bookish knowledge and superficial knowledge, but fail to have practical knowledge. There are many people who can explain the teachings of Ramayana in a beautiful way, but how many of them obey the command of their fathers in their daily life? Not many! What is the use of reading various texts, if we do not put into practice the message contained in them? Can anyone enjoy the taste of various delicious items such as Mysore Pak, Gulab Jamoon, Jilebi, etc., by merely repeating their names? No. One can

enjoy the taste only when one eats them. Mere textual information is of no use. But, man today is interested only in information, and not transformation. Intellect will blossom only when there is transformation. Therefore, man should cultivate Daiva Preeti, Papa Bheeti and 27

Sangha Neeti (love for God, fear of sin and morality in society). Though Rama and Ravana were equally well versed in all forms of knowledge, sage Valmiki extolled Rama as Divine and condemned Ravana as a foolish one. What is the reason? Ravana did not translate into action the knowledge he had acquired and on the contrary he used it for wicked purposes. On the other hand, Rama translated all his knowledge into action and gave joy to one and all. Sarvaloka Hithe Ratah (Rama was engaged in the welfare of all). Sarvajnanopasampannah (He was the master of all forms of knowledge). Sarvasamudhita Gunaihi (He was the embodiment of all good qualities). These are the three aspects that manifested Rama’s divinity. Whoever has these three aspects is essentially divine. In fact, everyone is divine. But because of attachment to the body, man is not able to understand his divine nature. Man can experience and enjoy divinity only by treading along the path of love. Love is God; God is love. So, live in love. The Best Sadhana: Love Everybody The cause for man’s suffering is that he has constricted his love to himself and his family. He should develop the broad feeling that all are his brothers and sisters. Expansion of love is life; contraction of love is death. All are the children of God. All are sparks of the Divine. Lord Krishna declared in the Bhagavad Gita: Mamaivamso Jeevaloke Jeevabhutha Sanathana (the eternal Atma in all bodies is a part of My Being). So, man should have the broad feeling to identify himself with everybody. Humanity can never progress without broad feelings. When there is such an easy path to divinity, why do you trouble yourself by undertaking rigorous spiritual practices such as Japa, Thapa and Yoga? Divinity cannot be attained by all these austerities. How easy it is to love everybody!

Ramayana Love all and think of divinity. Moses used to think of Jesus all the time. As a result, his face shone with divine effulgence. He resembled Jesus so much that people used to mistake him for Jesus. Ratnakara, a robber, on being advised by Narada started chanting the name of Rama incessantly, as a result of which the radiance of Rama was seen on his countenance and he became sage Valmiki. Rama is Lokadatha (the giver of the world) and Valmiki became Slokadatha (composer of the holy hymns). There is no difference between the giver and the composer. The Vedas declare: Brahmavid

Brahmaiva Bhavathi (the knower of Brahman becomes Brahman himself). So, you should always think good, do good, talk good and hear good. Only then you can become good. A true human being is one who is good. A wicked person can never be called a human being. There are four qualities in man the divine, demonic, animal and human. What is the divine quality in man? Sarvaloka Hithe Ratah. (engaged in the welfare of everybody). That is the divine nature. What is the human quality? Always undertake meritorious deeds (Punya). Never indulge in sin (Papa). Paropakara

Punyaaya Paapaaya Parapeedanam (rendering help to others is merit, harming others is sin). Help ever, Hurt never. What constitutes the animal quality in man? Jnanena Sunya Pasubhir Samana (devoid of wisdom man is equivalent to an animal). The purpose of human life does not lie in merely eating, drinking, sleeping and indulging in materialistic comforts. Even animals indulge in such activities. But unlike many animals do not possess the evil qualities of amassing, robbing and stealing. Today man is human only in form, but not in behaviour. To be concluded

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Luck

t is often felt by the friends or relatives of a diseased, as to, the life of their dear could have been saved; perhaps, provided he were made a minister as per his long wish, should have prevented from going there to visit someone on that ill-fated day etc., as if it could have been much easier to have put him up as a minister or could they have prevented him from a particular trip to some where etc. Whichever would be suitable to apply-than letting him die. These sort of mental postmortems always take place for many, while the postmortem of their mortal remains being done and even after that, for long time! This kind of condolences-murmurings while mourning the dead by people far, near-n-dear, make one feel it funny enough to imagine as if all the ‘miss-haps’ in this world could be averted, perhaps; lest, at least, had there been any omen or so! But the fact is just the opposite enough to conclude that the kind of imaginations do not hold any water and it is, iff at all, by the luck that often osme escape; the perils and obstacles in life or for that matter the undue sufferings etc. by being chosen for the right lines and hence remaining with all the goodness of life, lifelong! Choosing the right path is not assured always. If luck is in favor, one would be chosen towards the thing line; rather than it being ones own choice! After all, what is luck? What contributes to be lucky? How one turns lucky? Lets explore for a few among the different factors to be lucky: Could one be lucky if he/she is financially wealthy? Not for sure! Because, to be financially wealthy could contribute more, if not much more tension to erode ones luck. Also to be financially a pauper ........ means lacking luck. Hence money doesn’t play much big a role towards luck. But most of the people, especially in the wake of massive commercialization of the world, would argue that money is the main July 2010

Luck Sreenivas .R. Chirayath

criteria in regard of a lucky life! But a life-realized person would never agree on that! One could have all sorts of materialistic pleasures by him/herself being financially wealthy. But this doesn’t guarantee one to remain lucky. This is only a make-believe proof in the eyes of the others that the people who are financially able to afford such pleasure of luxury are obviously lucky! A cosmetic surgery could turn ones bleak featured face into a beautiful one! But neither could one erase the ravages of the sacred heart nor could the psychological mayhem that might have been inflicted by any tragedy or so! 29

So, the above-shown examples are enough to show cause that money-wealth doesn’t have much to do any good in regard of its relation with luck. Hence neither mere looks could mean any real luck or lack of that nor any luxury or so! Where else and by what could one envisage real and sustaining luck? Pat comes the reply! It’s very easy to be lucky! But how? It has been proved that the wealth of money is not a guarantor to the path of luck! It has also been proved that the wealth of beauty is not a sign of luck! Neither could the best of physical health be counted as a real reason for good luck! The answer is very easy as I said a few lines earlier and that is nothing else but PEACE! Because luck can’t sustain in an atmosphere of tension, terror and turmoil. It requires peace. In the absence of peace nothing really good can stand long. A thing that lacks peace is soul-suspended if not soul-eroded or soul -destructed even. Peace is the real criterion for mental salvation and that is divine and evershining. Those who succeed to secure it are the really lucky beings. How to attain peace to be really lucky? Never to be greedy, never to hurt or cause pain to any living being; physically or mentally, not to be an utopian, not to overestimate or underestimate any thing, not to overeat, not to overdo or underdo any thing, not to punish anybody for the sake of hurting and wounding rather that to try to correct and track on the right lines, not to be overhappy, not to be over sad, causing psychological imbalance thereby hurting self peace as well as putting the others of you to feel pity of you, leaving them lose their own peace too etc. and in short, for all these goodness on should try his/her level best to keep the mind in utmost patronage to the sacred heart.

Letters

Wonderful and welcoming changes in Whiteline Journal abhimani’ Ramakrishna Pilla falls on 26th September, 2010. A good article on the life of ‘Swadesabhimani’ Ramakrishna Pilla may be published in WJ which would be a fitting tribute to the soul. C.K. Damodaran Pandalam 689501.

Excellent Editorial

am getting Whiteline Journal magazine regularly. It is praiseworthy that some wonderful changes have taken place in WJ magazine. The changes are welcoming. You avoided Sudoko and some unwanted stuff. I congratulate for the new layout, new font style, pagination and presentation. New writers, new scholarly and authentic articles have changed the outlook of the magazine and the quality has gone up to higher standards. The issue of May 2010 appeared in a different way. The cover story which described the literary work on the famous Malayalam poet Sahityaratnam and Sreekrishnaratnam Krishnan Parapally written by Sasidharan Nair was highly attractive. You have chosen various subjects such as literature, spirituality, myths and music etc to cater the needs of the various sections of the readers. Your best efforts are reflected in all of those articles to make Whiteline a very good family magazine and of course, it will stand tall among other magazines. I congratulate and wish you all the best. Mathew Abraham L.I.C. Colony, Borivli (W)

Scholarly and thoughtprovoking articles

ost of the articles published in the Whiteline Journal are highly scholarly and thought-provoking. I have a request. A few pages may be allotted for stories and current topics etc. The centenary of the deportation of the great newspaper editor, ‘Swades-

irst, let me congratulate you for the good production standards of Whiteline Journal. The quality and variety of the contents are commendable. The June issue editorial on ‘Print Media in India’ is excellent. Let me add that the first newspaper in the world was the ‘Peking Gazette’ of China started in A.D. 618. Regarding Bengal Gazette, it is worth mentioning that James Augustine Hickey was the first editor in India who had to undergo a jail sentence for his free and fearless attitude. R.S. Pillai, Kollam. Tel: 0474 2768378

Editor-in-Charge replies:

The editorial was on ‘Print Media in India’ and not about the print media of the world. Hence I did not mention about other newspapers in the world. The correct name is James Augustus Hickey and not James Augustine Hickey. He was a highly eccentric Irishman who founded in 1779, in Calcutta, Hickey’s Bengal Gazette or The Calcutta General Advertiser, which was the first English language newspaper, and indeed the first printed newspaper published in the Indian subcontinent. It was a weekly newspaper. It was neither an Indian newspaper nor a newspaper related to Indians. It has only the historical importance. WJ will publish a feature later about the eccentric James Augustus Hickey and his 30

Hiceky’s Bengal Gazette or The Calcutta General Advertise. After reading his idiosyncrasy you judge him.

June issue with more colour pages

he WJ June 2010 issue with several colour pages, wonderful cover story on Prof. P.K. Ravindranath: The Veteran Journalist Writer, three poems by Niranam Karunakaran, Life, and Nurani Hariharan, Love, and Sreekumar Kariyad (translated by Binu Karunakaran), Snake or Koel, K.D. Skandan’s article Ratan Tata and Nelco in its bad days, Dr. V.M.R. Nair’s article, What is good parenting?, Carnatic Music Series articles, particularly the articles by M.N. Rajendran and Revathi Sridharan, was a real treat. Congratulations. I could understand many things about Prof. P.K. Ravindranath after reading the cover story by Sasidharan Nair. Similarly my knowledge in Carnatic Music is almost zero. The new Carnatic Music Series published in WJ is very useful and helping people like me with no knowledge about music to understand Carnatic Music In a better perspective. My daughter, who has a one and half year old kid, liked Dr. V.M.R. Nair’s good parenting article very much. Thanks for reproducing the beautiful and legible handwriting of the present 3.5 lack crore market cap Tata Business Empire Chairman Ratan Tata’s letter. What a great man he is! I salute the nobility and honesty of Ratan Tata. WJ’s new style, page presentation, contents page and layout are wonderful. Please keep it up. Congratulations again and wishing you all the best. Dr. V.S. Nair Poojappura, Thiruvanathapuram

Random Musings

SIR EVEREST AND THE GREAT PEAK Concluding part

n June of 1830, George Everest returned to India, this time as India’s first Surveyor General, in addition to his post as superintendent of the Great Trigonometrical Survey. During the first year he spent little time on field work, as he organized general mapping surveys. Everest’s first work on the Arc was to create a baseline near Dehra Dun using the Colby compensating bars. The 39,183.783 foot baseline was meticulously surveyed, using every precaution to safeguard its accuracy. He then connected the Dehra Dun baseline to the Sironj baseline, a distance of over 400 miles, using a triangulation gridiron. This was across a vast plain, which necessitated the construction of masonry towers, designed by Everest, most of them 50 feet high. The great theodolite was then hoisted to the top, and Everest performed and recorded the observations. By day, heliotropes were placed on distant points, reflecting bright flashes of sunlight towards the survey towers. On days when refraction became a problem, observations were taken at night, using an Indian version of the reverberatory lamp which could be seen for thirty miles, and sometimes by using cylindrical blue lights whose visible range could exceed fifty miles. Transportation was interesting; a typical foray included 4 elephants for the tigerwary principals, 30 horses for the military officers, and 42 camels for supplies and equipment. The 700 or so laborers traveled on foot. Progress was steady; by May of 1836 half of the gap between Sironj and Dehra Dun had been completed, and the rest was completed the following season. Everest next turned his attention to astronomical observations throughout the arc of meridian, especially at Kalianpur (24 degrees 07’). Unfortunately, ill health prevented him from completing this task, so it was Andrew Waugh who stepped in to finish the job, including re-measuring the July 2010

Bidar baseline with the Colby compensating bars. The subsequent error of closure between the observed and computed length of the Bidar base, after 425 miles and 85 triangles from Sironj, was 0.36 feet in a line length of 41,578 feet. By 1841, twenty-three years had passed from the time Everest had first begun work on the Great Arc. It would take him two more years to complete the computations, and compile the results before he retired and returned to England. In 1848, he was awarded high honors by the Royal Astronomical Society. In making the presentation, Sir John Herschel said: ‘The Great Meridianal Arc of India is a trophy of which any nation, or any government of the world would have reason to be proud, and will be one of the most enduring monuments of their power and enlightened regard for the progress of human knowledge.”

Christening the Peak:

It is not known whether or not George Everest ever laid his eyes on the great mountain peak that bears his name, but his triangulation network was extended and used to locate the summit by Andrew Waugh, Sir. Everest’s successor as the Surveyor General in India. Waugh’s admiration of Sir. Everest’s achievements led to the naming of “Peak XV” in the Himalayas. After its discovery by his team, Andrew Waugh, wrote: “...here is a mountain most probably the highest in the world without any local name that I can discover...”. So he proposed “…...to perpetuate the memory of that illustrious master of geographical research...Everest.” Mount Everest had long been considered unclimbable by some and the ultimate climbing challenge by others. Soaring in height to 29,035 feet (8,850 m), the famous mountain lies in the Himalayas, along the border of Nepal and Tibet, China. After 31

K. R. Narayanan

years of dreaming about it and seven weeks of climbing, a New Zealander Edmund Hillary and a Nepalese Tenzing Norgay reached the top of Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world at 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953.

Scaling the Heights:

Sir. Hillary on Mount Everest As Sir Edmund Hillary (1919-2008) and Sherpa Tensing Norgay (1914 – 1986) reached the summit of Mt. Everest, Hillary reached out to shake Norgay’s hand, but Norgay gave him a hug in return. The two men enjoyed only 15 minutes at the top of the world because of their low air supply but they could get time to take photographs, and placing a food offering ( by Norgay), and looking for any sign that the missing climbers from 1924 had been there before them . They did not find any signs to that effect.

Hillary and Tensing

When their 15 minutes was up, Hillary and Norgay began making their way back down the mountain. Both Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay brought the dreams of the first Surveyor General of India into realization when they reached the highest peak of the world on the eventful day of 1953.

Straight from the heart

tasks ahead. A few however continue languishing in the comforts of their luxurious beds oblivious to the world outside, a dogged stupor they would never want to shrug off, a condition one could safely call ‘an inertia of aspirations’. The milk-booths opening ….. and closing, giving one an inkling

of the bustling operation there; the bakers pedaling around announcing their presence to colonies yet in slumber; the newspaper-boys throwing, or should I say looping, papers and magazines onto doorsteps and into balconies in perfect geometrical precision; ladies with fresh vegetables making a beeline

THE MORNING RAGA Pachu Menon

Dear readers, I really don’t know how many of you have been ‘chronic walkers’ all through your life. I choose a medical-vernacular here for the simple reason that the habit of walking, whether it is at the break of dawn or late in the evening, has never been a voluntary routine. Fitness freaks may argue otherwise, but then I would consider the mania for transforming oneself into a muscular hulk and showing off steely sinews, bulging biceps and a six-pack abdomen only as a passing fad of the youth. Morning walks are primarily therapeutic prescriptions doled out by the doctors to maintain ones ‘pathological parameters’ - or at least that is what I presume it is. A rise in the fasting blood sugar level, changes in the lipid profile or an erratic blood pressure reading is a ready prognosis for recommending a morning-walk. The practice of utilizing even the curative measures according to one’s convenience has evolved the system of converting the morning stint into an activity that may be undertaken at an agreeable time - otherwise there is nothing called an ‘evening walk’. The inclination to treat these ‘sessions’ merely as recuperative exercises is what makes me comment that getting addicted to walking has never been a ‘willing venture’. One needn’t be an ex-service personnel to indulge in early morning forays. The gulp of fresh air, the atmosphere yet to be polluted by the first whiffs of the diesel fume exhausts of motorized vehicles; when the avian friends are not afraid to make swooping sorties into thickets and bushes – this time of the day is God’s own world in full bloom! A time to be in perfect harmony with nature, we will find that a morning walk is all this …… and more! So read on …

for the first bus to town, already packed with office-goers, students and a host of others – a common enough sight anywhere in the wee hours of the day. In this tumult it is not unusual to spot the roads dotted with people, young and old, ambling about or sauntering. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but nothing like a brisk early morning walk, they say, to rejuvenate one for the whole day! One can’t however remain without stating that for some the enjoyment comes from having this habit firmly ingrained in their morning chores as a matter of routine, while quite a few, one fine day, find the routine thrust upon them as a matter of compulsion. Gyms and health clubs may have caught the fancy of the present lot, but an hour’s stint in the open, filling one’s lungs with fresh air, feeling the tarmac slide below the legs, is an experience by itself. The animated chirpings of the birds, the changing hues of the sky, the greenery or the withering vegetation, as the season varies, presenting a

panorama of sorts, keeps one spellbound. For some though these appreciations are a forced expression, an indication of their insensitivity. I am not here to elaborate the virtues of the morning stroll; generations of medicos and fitness experts have waxed eloquent about the high merits in inculcating this practice – and continue to do so. It is just that I take an arcane pleasure in watching people, observing them try their meanest best to shed those layers of blubber adorning their anatomical larders, aiming to stay fighting fit. The wave of a hand in recognition, an occasional nod of the head and the recurrent exchange of pleasantries with passers-by mark some as regulars in the ‘circuit’. And then there are a few couples who love carrying their ‘pillow talks’ further from ‘last night’, animated discussions on family matters keeping them engrossed the whole distance. Evidently, they look to savour the July 2010

much needed privacy afforded on these lonely trots. Corpulent figures huffing-and puffing their way around looking for a niche to ease their tiring bodies onto is another common feature on these stretches. It would appear that such people are more intent on others appreciating their efforts at containing their obesity. Fitness-freaks jogging and engaged in calisthenics, some using the bulwarks of bridges for exercising, do make heads turn around. Then there are those who can only be seen out during holidays and vacations. No harm in that considering that there are many who love to ‘enforce’ the office culture into their morning jaunt schedule as well – every holiday compulsorily a rest day from the rigours of the fitness regime! Flaunting track-suits in various shades, there is a special ‘species’ that can be seen doing everything but moving about and exerting 33

themselves. Going around in groups of twos or threes, they appear more intent on idle gossips. The strange dress-sense that makes one substitute night-suits for the trekking ensemble and the penchant for wearing ill-fitting attire that causes suffocation more than anything else necessitates people being reminded that they are not taking part in a fancy-dress parade, but are working out, toning their muscles and burning off those extra calories. But at times it becomes apparent that these ‘footslogging affairs at dawn’ is best restricted to the confines of one’s house. The Canine-family, the stray breed that is, looking to extend their boundaries beyond acceptable limits is seemingly adamant on denying the human race the right to thoroughfare. Need it be said how alarming it is to have the fear of an imminent attack from packs of these hounds forcing one permanently indoors!

Vedanta

Vedanta’s Contribution to World Thought M. Gopalakrishna

edanta’s contributions to world religious thought may be said to be the following: upholding spiritual democracy, promoting spiritual humanism, and providing a basis for world unity. Vedanta advocates spiritual democracy. While each of the other systems presents only one ideal and path to its followers, Vedanta offers an infinite variety of ideals and paths to choose from in order to reach the same ultimate goal. An ancient Sanskrit verse says that the Supreme Brahman assumes many forms for the welfare of the seekers. Lacking in this freedom, religion becomes authoritarian and oppressive, insisting upon unthinking obedience to rigid traditions and dogmas and unquestioning belief in ceremonials and creeds. Such religion relies more on assent to given propositions than on certainty of conviction based on personal experience. Democracy is considered the best form of government because all the members freely participate in its process and take responsibility for governing. in the same way, religious freedom ensures spiritual individuality, critical enquiry, honest doubts, choice of the path, and verification of truth through personal experience. The ideas of “exclusive salvation,” “a jealous God,” “chosen people,” and “the only way” are

repugnant to Vedanta. The second major contribution of Vedanta is spiritual humanism, as opposed to secular humanism. Secular humanism without a spiritual basis soon degenerates into enlightened self-interest. It seeks to make our life rich and meaningful without defining life’s goal and purpose. Mere morality without spirituality is neither sure of itself nor self-sufficient. Vedanta, on the other hand, presents spiritual humanism, which is not so much doing good to others as it is rendering loving service to God, seeing His presence in all. Spiritual humanism embraces the whole of humanity, irrespective of race, culture, country, religion or social affiliation. The third major contribution of Vedanta is its ideal for enduring world unity. World unity based on political considerations, economic interest, cultural ties, or humanitarian principles is never enduring. The bonds of such unity are too fragile to withstand the stresses and strains of social diversities. They are too often bonds of convenience and not of spiritual solidarity. Social diversity without spiritual unity always proves to be explosive and dangerous to society. Unity of the world-body, in order to be real, must be organic, and this requires a World-Soul. As 34

the presence of the soul makes the human body with its various limbs into an organic unity, so also only a World-Soul that is capable of embracing countless diversities of culture, creed, religion, and human experience and aspirations can make the unity of the world-body organic and enduring. Such a World-Soul, in order to be universal, must be the Soul of all beings - human, superhuman, and subhuman - beyond all names, forms, and epithets. Vedanta provides that World-Soul, designating it as the all-pervading Self which is the Common Self of both the macrocosm and the microcosm. The unity of this Self includes not only humans but every form of life - animals, plants, etc. Superficial critics often perceive this unity as anthropomorphism. But science has proved life is as much present in the galaxy as in a tiny plant, an animal, or a human being, only its manifestation varies. The fabric of life in the universe is organically woven. No one can move one atom of the universe without moving the whole universe with it. No one can be truly happy by keeping the rest of the world unhappy. No one can live in peace on a island of prosperity surrounded by a sea of poverty and suffering. Vedanta gives a spiritual inter-

pretation of the Ultimate Reality, the meaning of creation, and the human individual, as opposed to mechanical and psychological interpretations. Its view of the cosmos is one of organic wholeness that includes all beings and things. It presents an immortality that is attainable and a salvation that is verifiable. It extols a way of life which is holistic and realistic. It avoids the extremes of pseudo-mysticism and occultism on the one hand, and reason for reasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sake on the other. Vedanta asserts that spirituality is the core dimension of both the macrocosm and the microcosm. To deny this core or to neglect it is the surest and shortest way to self-destruction. Vedanta considers all human problems as symptoms of a deep-rooted malady that is alienation from our true self, our spiritual dimension. Any lasting remedy must be spiritual, and

not just humanistic, political, or social. Present day secular culture has broken the unity of existence. It has replaced the cosmic law of cooperation and interdependence with the low of competition and the struggle for survival. It has ignored the old Socratic aphorism that knowledge is virtue and replaced it with its own: knowledge is power. This has set in motion a chain reaction of alienation - alienation from Reality, alienation from nature, and alienation from our true self. Vedanta seeks to give us back our spiritual connection with everybody and everything. Vedanta is the very soul of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spiritual wisdom. It is the message of the Upanishads, the voice of the Bhagavad Gita, and the song of all its prophets and Godmen, past and present. The conclusions of Vedanta are no idle speculations, but guidelines of life that have

been tested and verified through countless spiritual experiments and adventures. Vedanta has saved India again and again in her times of spiritual crisis. Deviation from the wisdom of Vedanta always brought her spiritual decline, moral chaos, and material degradation, and recovery came by invoking the spirit of Vedanta.

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Carnatic Music Series

Carnatic Music means

Indian Music Part III

M.N. Rajendran

The traditional education system prevailed in India was destroyed by the British. Similarly, according to the convenience and ease the British changed the traditional and original name of the places, Indian rituals and systems. They anglicized the spelling of Karnataka as Carnatic and thus changed the name Karnataka music as Carnatic music. Without knowing it right or wrong, we Indians just followed what the British once said unknowingly and still blindly following them. At some point of time we have to correct the mistakes made by the British and use the correct name. Therefore, I appeal to all music lovers and patriotic Indians hereafter to use the traditional and correct spelling as Karnataka music. Karnataka music known as Karnﾄ》aka sangﾄｫtam in Indian languages is the classical music that originated in Karnataka. We cannot change over night the known old usage of Carnatic Music suddenly to Karnataka Music. So we will use both phrases frequently in this series. Whilteline Journal is glad to run a series on Karnataka music. Editor-in-Charge

Form of modern notation Melody

nlike Western music, Carnatic music is notated almost exclusively in tonic solfa notation using either a Roman or Indic script to represent the solfa names. Past attempts to use the staff notation have mostly failed. Indian music

makes use of hundreds of ragas, many more than the church modes in western music. It becomes difficult to write Carnatic music using the staff notation without the use of too many accidentals. Furthermore, the staff notation requires that the song be played in a certain key. The 36

notions of key and absolute pitch are deeply rooted in western music, whereas the Carnatic notation does not specify the key and prefers to use scale degrees (relative pitch) to denote notes. The singer is free to choose actual pitch of the tonic note. In the more precise forms of

Carnatic notation, there are symbols placed above the notes indicating how the notes should be played or sung; however, informally this practice is not followed. To show the length of a note, several devices are used. If the duration of note is to be doubled, the letter is either capitalized (if using Roman script) or lengthened by a diacritic (in Indian languages). For a duration of three, the letter is capitalized (or diacriticized) and followed by a comma. For a length of four, the letter is capitalized (or diacriticized) and then followed by a semicolon. In this way any duration can be indicated using a series of semicolons and commas. However, a simpler notation has evolved which does not use semicolons and capitalization, but rather indicates all extensions of notes using a corresponding number of commas. Thus, Sā quadrupled in length would be denoted as “S,,,”.

Some Artists

One of the earliest and prominent composers in South India was the saint, and wandering divine singer of yore Purandara Dasa (1480-1564). Purandara Dasa is believed to have composed 475,000 songs in Kannada and was a source of inspiration to the later composers like Tyagaraja. He also invented the tala system of Carnatic music. Owing to his contribution to the Carnatic Music he is referred to as the Father of Carnatic Music or Karnataka Sangeetha Pitamaha.

The great composers

Thyagaraja (1759?-1847), Muthuswami Dikshitar (1776-1827) and Syama Sastri (1762-1827) are regarded as the trinity of Carnatic music. Prominent composers July 2010

prior to the trinity include Vyasaraja, Purandaradasa, and Kanakadasa. Other prominent singers are Annamacharya,Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi, whose exact lifespan is not known, Swathi Thirunal, Narayana Teertha, Mysore Sadashiva Rao, Patnam Subramania Iyer, Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar, Mysore Vasudevacharya, Muthaiah Bhagavathar and Papanasam Sivan, to name a few.

Modern vocalists

Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna and DK Pattammal are some of the art’s greatest living (as of 2006) performers. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, a doyen of Carnatic music, who had taught three generations of acclaimed musicians, and who was often acclaimed as the second Pitamaha of Carnatic music, passed away on October 31, 2003. M.S. Subbulakshmi, who enthralled audiences across language barriers, is usually credited with popularizing the Carnatic tradition outside South India. She passed away on December 11, 2004. Legendary singer belonging to the Dhanammal school of music T. Brinda was known for her gamaka laden interpretations of core Carnatic ragams and also her vast repertoire. She was awarded 37

the Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1976. The pre-Independence era had doyens like Alathur Venkatesa Iyer, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar and Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, G.N. Balasubramaniam were quite popular post-Independence alongside the named veterans in the field. Another great singer who made his own mark with soulful rendering was M D Ramanathan and K.J. Yesudas. Contemporary vocalists include Madurai T.N.Seshagopalan, T.V. Sankaranarayanan, Sarojini Sundaresan, Sudha Ragunathan, Sanjay Subrahmanyan, Rose Muralikrishnan, Priya sisters (Haripriya and Shanmukhapriya), Kiranavali Vidyasankar, Gayathri Girish, Aruna Sairam, Ranfagni and Galati, R. Vedavalli, and Bombay Jayashree. (For a full list, see this page. Large festivals of Carnatic music always include performances by such people. To date, there is only one Westerner who became a Carnatic musician of some popularity. His name is Jon B Higgins (“Higgins Bhagavatar”).

Carnatic Music Series

A Covet to keep-up classicism in Music New-fangled and synthetic music styles make most of the film music these days and the very concept of music has become so faint under the modern shield that such a transgression from divine music to the now-music has passed by, almost unobserved. Music, to the new generation is what comes in movies. Film music has become a yardstick to which other musical forms are matched up to. Ragas are identified not with their names or their association to a familiar kriti but their similarity with a filmi number. Foreword

“Nabhi-Hruth-Khanta-Rasananaasaadhula-entho-shobhillu-saptaswara” - preached our musical Guru Saint Thyagaraja meaning “Praise the divine forms of musical notes which radiate in the navel (“naabhi”), heart (“hruth”), neck (“kanTha”), tongue (“rasana”) and nose (“naasaadhula”) of the human body.” -Those were the days when music was regarded divine; music was then meant to be expressed by soul and fulfilled through heart. Today we are in the “synth” musical era. Do we call it a breakthrough or disgrace?

Film music model

Charity begins at home, so does the taste or choice of music. Not to

attest - Film Music is bad and anything else is good! Carnatic Songs like Manasa sancharare, Bhagyada lakshmi baramma, Brochevaarevarura have been popularized through films and are a great hit of their times. Many oeuvres that have shown up in movies though not fullcore classical, have been extremely soulful, melodious like “Surmay38

Revathi Sridharan Revathi is a practicing vocalist, a student of senior musician Vid. D. V. Nagarajan, Blore. Alongside a few Carnatic stage performances her certification on “Music Therapy” from “Nada Centre for Music Therapy (Regd)”, Chennai, has added to her augmented Musical interest. She has to her credit a book authored and launched recently, titled “A peek into Prahladha Bhakthi Vijaya” which provides a construal and analysis of “Prahladha Bhakthi Vijaya”, an ingenious musical play by Saint Sri Thyagaraja. Revathi is a frequent blogger and a Contributor to few noted Carnatic Music websites - carnaticindia. com, kamalakeertana.org etc. On the professional front, she is a software Engineer working for a reputed MNC. Revathi hails from Bangalore.

ee Ankhiyon Mein”(Sadma) and oodles more. What Carnatic music enthusiasts are frenzy about are the jarring music, contemptible lyrics, tuneless pieces, prose-like libretto, and the synth-music - all that make up most of the movie music this day. This brand of music is swaying now to a degree that we have forgotten the very roots of music – “Classical music”. It is a sincere wish that the term remains familiar atleast. By “Classical music”, what is referred to - is the mainstream music rooted in the tradition; not being predisposed to any one kind - South Indian classical (Carnatic), Western classical, Hindustani or Jazz. New-fangled and synthetic music styles make most of the film music these days and the very concept of music has become so faint under the modern shield that such a transgression from divine music to the now-music has passed by, almost unobserved. Music, to the new generation is what comes in movies. Film music has become a yardstick to which other musical forms are matched up to. Ragas are identified not with their names or their association to a familiar kriti but their similarity with a filmi number. Does a musical piece get qualified only if it finds place in a movie or is coupled to a video album? It’s a drift these days that film actors compose and sing their own songs. They shall be unconditionally accepted if they are genuinely multitalented .Does it appear so? Do we not just accept some because they are more acknowledged through the media than the less-known commendable musicians?

sions? The music of these days is more oriented towards celebrity. Anything that captivates the audience is music today – Does this music slope classically? Does it sound lyrically acceptable? Is it soulful? Is it emotionally strapping? Is it technically MUSIC? - Are these areas attended to? Film music need not be all the time classical music. It would be a sweeping statement to say film music should share ideas of language, emotionality, structure and format with concert music. It isn’t quite possible incessantly, for music in films is more context-based.

Music- an art of articulation

The meaning a musical piece attempts to convey is undeniably a personal expression of the composer’s artistic intent; Music composing through synthesizers has made composers’ life easy; but does this music emote the expected expresJuly 2010

The rationale behind bringing together the two topics – classical music and films is to make use of the charisma of films to popularize classical music under their banner. Classical music is definitely an art which has survived centuries and doesn’t need films to come for its rescue; but there is unquestionably a distinction between just surviving and being widely understood, accepted and acknowledged.

Music and Film industry

These days, watching films has become a passionate chore, so it would be easier to promote and grant a fine exposure to classical music if it can be accommodated in films. It is to be accepted that classical music demands musically tuned minds; let us, at the least, get a chance to tune the minds. It wouldn’t be as easy a meal to digest as some simple lyrical forms that we see in most movies. But what we need is a means to reach people and educate them what real music is all about. Once they get a grab and perceptive, they will start asking for more. Don’t we find searing item numbers in every movie these days? No serious film maker can resist them. Every filmmaker slivers-in an item number, even if doesn’t fit in the flow of the film and this has become a whim in the film industry .When we can situate item numbers well in movies,

Carnatic Music Series without much discontinuity - you don’t think about something when you no longer see it.... To top it, if such movies can be cast with public favored hero-ins and heroes, they cannot miss being monster hits; Telugu movie “Annamayya” featuring Sneha and Nagarjun is a must mention in this context. On repeatedly creating such movies, people with no or little taste of classicism will start appreciating and advocating such ventures. Acceptance is the end product of any repeated act; believing in optimism!

On a concluding note

why do we fail proffering a place for classical numbers? We have seen trends changing over years musical trends, choreography tones and filmmaking styles. Film music is aired on TV channels and always gets its share of audiences’ response. Can’t we make use of this changing trend to introduce classical music in a phased manner? It may take time to get acknowledged though. Of classical music and musicians We have had examples of Classical musicians playing excerpts from film music including our violin maestro Kunnakudi Vaidhyanathan. Why not we chase this approach; introduce one classical piece in every film. Classical music will then be more revealed; Nonfilm music makers/composers also will get the needed recognition. It is a pity that Classical music artists receive very little appreciation and reward as against their Film counterparts. A playback singer who would have sung 5 songs in films would be more well-known than a classical artiste even after performing hundreds of stage concerts. Classical artists revel in the admiration of the crowd when their concert is on. And once the applause dies

down, the curtains are lowered and the reality many classical musicians face is a struggle to make a living. Doesn’t our culture demand us to encourage and reward the worthy, deserving Musical talents and help maintain our Classical music, the music of our roots? Lessons from the past and the way forward Movie Shankarabharanam led to the revival of Indian classical music in cinemas. The movie opens with the tag-line “Sisurvetti pasurvetti, vetti gana rasam phanihi” meaning Music is enjoyed equally by babies, animals and even snakes. The making of the movie was with an expectation that the audience would appreciate the effort in reaching out to them the essence of Indian classical music. The success of this film was paramount that it triggered a sequence of other music-based south Indian movies like Thyagayya ,Meghasandesam, aanandabhairavi, sindhu-bhairavi, Saagara Sangamam, Sruthi Layalu, Swarna Kamalam, Swathi Kiranam. The trend can continue. People across ages will accept classical music and such movies even in these days of pop-music provided the moviemakers feature such class-movies 40

Many musicians these days can create imperative music. They can create exhilaration and enhance the film sequence. It is not mere excitement but the soulful stirring that frames true music. Soulful music awakens the heart. Such music cannot be composed by lifeless computers, synthesizers. Good music making is a long-winded struggle that not many can easily master. We are evolving…But what are we doing in the name of evolution? There’s certainly a case for us being more intelligent. Today’s music is quick music - written with computer skills, composed through synthesizers in contrast to the long-schooled, theory-footed, experience-driven music learnt over years of training. A deep consideration can reflect that any form of art is trickier than we think. At the end, the truth, of course, is people respond differently to different music. Nobody would cry their tears out listening to a so-called item number. But, when classical musicians come out calling with a Raga at its depth, whether the emotion they induce is joy or pain, one can be rest assured to not just get a taste of it, but experience the emotions blossoming hundred-fold. It will do good if this article is read as an ingenuous crave to preserve classicism in Music than a blue murder.

Personality

Prof P.K. Ravindranath: The Writer

Professor P.K. Ravindranath is epitome of simplicity, dignity, genuineness, beauty, experience, knowledge, authenticity and truth. As a writer he has several accolades like translator, original writer, editor, foreword writer, catalyst and instrumental to write a particular book by another person or persons and reviewer. I want to reproduce two book reviews by veteran journalist and writer M.V. Kamath to shed more light on Prof. P.K. Ravindranath’s writings. First book is News Media Management and the second one Iyer Weddings – Sasidharan Nair.

ews Media Management by P.K. Ravindranath is a slim but highly educative volume, which deals with subjects like newspaper circulation, marketing, management, resources, etc. that hardly, if ever, get any attention. Ravindranath is just the right man for dealing with the subject, with over 50 years’ experience in journalism as a correspondent, subeditor, freelance writer, political July 2010

analyst and teacher of journalism. He has worked for the Free Press Journal, The Times of India, the National Herald and Mathrubhoomi and has already to his credit three books on journalism, one of them on Press Laws and Ethics. Ravindranath seldom beats about the bush. He insists that the first responsibility of a newspaper is to earn a profit “in order to be able to print the truth.” As he puts 41

it, “The richer it is, the more it can afford to print the truth.” His argument is that the more a newspaper is dependent upon its sources of revenue, the lesser it is able to print the truth that its conscience dictates. That is a general statement. Rich newspapers do not necessarily always tell the truth, as alas, most readers know from experience. And poorer newspapers are not also necessarily given to telling lies.

The Free Press Journal at one time could hardly afford to pay its staffers their regular salaries. But that did not present it from taking on the might of the British Government. As a matter of fact, News Media Management is about the only book of its kind which makes some effort at informing the student what journalism in its wider—economic and financial—aspects is all about. An all-too-brief chapter deals with some successful news media like Rajasthan Patrika and Eenadu. One wishes Ravindranath had dealt with the latest phenomenon in journalism, namely, increasing emphasis on entertainment in contrast to providing information and education. Has that got anything to do with bigger circulation and readership? According to the author, “Despite the growth in circulations and thereby income, Hindi newspapers have shown little concern for fairness and accuracy in reporting or in comments.” Unfortunately much the same can be said of quite a few newspapers in other languages as well, including English. For all that, News Media Management should have its place in the bookshelves of every journalism school. Even lay readers, one can be assured, would find this a highly informative work. Journalism is as much management as is writing copy for the readers’ consumption. What can one say of a coffee table book on Iyer weddings that is so superbly produced, so meticulously written, so beautifully illustrated and so thoroughly researched and has the unqualified blessings of the Shankaracharyas of Sringeri and Kanchi, except to proclaim that it is priceless? P.K. Ravindranath, its author who is a distinguished journalist, happened to attend the wedding of an Iyer friend?s daughter and even while watching the Vedic rituals began to wonder whether the bride and the groom had any understand-

ing of what was being chanted in Sanskrit. It occurred to Ravindranath that a good translation into English of the mantras along with a detailed description of all the rituals involved would be an invaluable service to all young people, Iyer or non-Iyers, whose knowledge of Sanskrit is scant, if not non-existent. Iyers are Tamilians though they may be spread in Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Karnataka as are the Iyengars, for instance, many of whom speak Telugu as their mother tongue. But whether they are Tamilians or Andhrites, Brahmin weddings, as indeed weddings of practically all Brahmin communities, are conducted in Sanskrit and all too often neither the bride nor the groom has any idea what the mantras signify. The Arya Samaj wedding ceremonies are by and large exceptional in the sense that a conscious effort is made by the priest officiating to explain the meaning of the mantras chanted in Sanskrit in Hindi. It occurred to Ravindranath that a good translation into English of the mantras along with a detailed description of all the rituals involved would be an invaluable service to all young people, Iyer or non-Iyers, whose knowledge of Sanskrit is 42

scant, if not non-existent. He went about his task in a systematic way, enlisting the support and assistance of scholars. By and large Iyer rituals are not vastly different from rituals observed by other Brahmin communities, even if as a community, Iyers are more tradition-bound and reportedly more conservative. Iyer samskaras (sacraments), too, are Vedic in origin. Ravindranath mentions some forty samskaras but the focus is primarily on wedding rituals. The search for a suitable bride groom for a young girl of marriageable age starts with checking the horoscopes of prospective grooms with that of the likely bride. Noted is the fact that the horoscopes have to match in as many as ten counts though a rating of six out of ten factors is taken as utthama poruttham (highest compatibility). Upto five is madhyama porutham medium compatibility but acceptable. If western societies wonder how ?arranged? marriages take place, Ravindranath gives a full description of the ?methodology?, which, to the less sophisticated, may seem odd if not hilarious. But once a formal agreement is arrived at between the bride and groom’s party, an engagement ceremony is conducted, a marriage date is finalised and this is where the book suddenly blossoms into a work of great beauty. Vivid descriptions follow of the brat, the janavasam, the vaaku nischayam, the vritam and kappu kettal, the ankurarpanam, the Kaashi yatra, the maalai matral, oonjal attam, the vara pooja, kanya daanam, madhu parka daanam, devatha prarthana, kanya samskaram, koora pudavai, mangalyadharanam, panigrahanam, sapthapathi, pradhana homam, laaja homam, jayaathi homam, griha pravesham, arundhati nakshatram, ending with mangala aarathi. If all this sounds too elaborate, why, one may ask, should one get married at all? The joy is in the ob-

Personality servance of proper vidhis and niyamas and Rabindranath has gone to great extent in describing each ritual and its full meaning. All marriage rites are meant to perpetuate the family and strengthen social bonds and the more elaborate they are, the more affirmative they become. As Ravindranath puts it: ?The concept of one-man-onewoman is stressed as the ideal marriage. When family ties are strengthened, social ties become strong and when social ties are strengthened, the nation becomes strong.? Once a formal agreement is arrived at between the bride and groom’s party, an engagement ceremony is conducted, a marriage date is finalised and this is where the book suddenly blossoms into a work of great beauty. Vivid descriptions follow of the baraat, the janavasam, the vaaku nischayam, the vritam and kappu kettal. A day before the wedding, a tastefully decorated pandal would have been erected with two plaintain trees adorning the entrance connoting evergreen plenty and prosperity. Marigold and other flowers and festoons of mango leaves necessarily have to adorn the pandal and the music of nadaswaram add a divine touch to all proceedings. Kolam and rangoli design adorn the doorsteps, matching the mood of the occasion and signifying a hearty welcome to the guests, who, as they enter, are sprinkled with rose water. Women are offered jasmine flowers to mark soubhagyam (bliss). By and large the ceremonies at an Iyer wedding are close to those observed by other Brahmin communities. Time was when a wedding was a twelve day affair, but progressively (or should one say retrogressively) over the decades they have turned into first nine, then seven, five, three and finally one day affairs, losing much of the wonderment of Vedic times. Today’s Iyers, too, have adapted certain north Indian customs such as organising a July 2010

It occurred to Ravindranath that a good translation into English of the mantras along with a detailed description of all the rituals involved would be an invaluable service to all young people, Iyer or non-Iyers, whose knowledge of Sanskrit is scant, if not non-existent. sangeet or musical evening though, while in the Punjab, the ceremonies include sehra, mehendi, tappe, jugni and boliya, the south Indians have yet to develop their equivalents though there is no reason why they should. What is so special about this book is not just the text, detailed and decorous as it is, but the accompanying pictures which are in their own way very evocative and above all, truly illustrative. Nothing is missed. Every picture and there are several scores of them, has its

own significance and speaks volumes of the nature and content of the ritual portrayed. All pictures are naturally in colour and are printed against a golden background, giving them a three-dimensional look. One does not know whom to congratulate: the photographer or the printer or the designer. The pictures, of course, are sequential and none is out of place. The printing is out of this world. It is not that Ravindranath merely records a ritual in picture and in words. He explains their significance. When, for instance, the bride’s father chants: Kanyam kanaka sampannan, kanakabharana bhooshitam....an explanation is offered thus? The bride?s father gives her hand to the groom with gold, as water is poured over it. This signifies the transfer of his responsibilities to the groom. It is also meant to purify the relationship. The gold goes with a prayer that it may multiply their wealth. With this, the girl’s gotra is changed to that of her husband. This is the most important part of the marriage ritual and is considered the greatest daanam (gift).? This is a book of tremendous value and one to be cherished. It will be valued not only by Iyers but by people of all communities and castes for what it means to get married in an ancient Brahmin society. Ancient customs may be timeconsuming and they certainly make great demands on the purse of the father of the bride. But that does not detract from the significance of rituals that have a traditions of perhaps five thousand years if not more. Rabindranath deserves high praise for recording them for posterity. News Media Management by P.K. Ravindranath, English Edition Publishers, Mumbai, 85 pp, Rs 95.00 Iyer Weddings by P.K. Ravindranath; Amit Productions, Bombay; English Edition; pp 156; Rs 2,600.00

Carnatic Book Review Music Series INDIA’S HISTORY BEHIND HISTORY

[Author: Purushotham Chon, pages 400, price: Rs 250]

INDIA’S HISTORY BEHIND HISTORY Purushotham Chon

The book “INDIA’S HISTORY BEHIND HISTORY” by Purushotham Chon is an extensive study, and revelation, tracing the `real’ history and geography of ancient India, back to 7000 years. “For those who innocently think that they know ALL about India and its past, this book is going to be a total surprise”, asserts Chon. “Our history is moulded in religious myths which have only a few grains of truth”, says the author. Rev. Bishop Caldwell had recorded: “It is strange that Hindus though showed keen interest in philosophy, poetry, social laws, mathematics, architecture etc, have never written down their own history. Their history is yet to be written.” “This is that long-awaited history”, avers the author who had done hard research for 25 years on the subject, covering Vedas, Shastras, and over 200 books on comparative religions and histories of all other nations that had some link with in India in the forgotten centuries. The author asks: “Do you know who these Assuras (demons/devils) are? The original sons of this soil. Assura literally means believer in Ishwar and follower of true Sanatana Dharma as envisaged by that ancient saint and erudite scholar, Lord Shiva. As priests and dakshina (priestly fee) were disallowed by Lord Shiva, the migrated Deva priests from Iran (Persia) lost their income from rituals and therefore,

they secretly introduced a ritualistic religion in India torpedoing everything Indian and changing truths to untruths. Thus, the sad history of India is that villains became demigods and the righteous dumped as demons and lower castes. In this process, all our real history `disappeared’.” He states, Prophet Zoroaster of Persia established his religion after writing Zend Avesta in four books. Here in India, the devas did exactly the same after writing four scriptures, viz. Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. The great German scholar Max Muller points out many similarities in the Zend Avesta of Iran and the Vedas of India. The devas are shown as mean exploiters of common people in Persia while here in India, they are equivalent to Gods. Assura is noble in Persia, but in India, they are quite uncivilized barbarians. K. Rajan The caste system of India was theoretically copied from Iran. Vohu Mana or Bahman is the most noble of the sections there. The word `brahman’ is the Sanskritised form of `bahman’. Similarly, from Kshatra Virya the word Kshatria arose. Vis in Persia became Vysia. Yasna 19.16 of Prophet Zoroaster says that priest, charioteer, farmer and those who do arts & crafts are the four castes of Persia. Persian history shows that the deva priests were foreigners. Parshu Rama was a demi-god of Persia, Syria and along the Mediterranean coast and never known in India before the arrival of Devas. Similarly, Indra is a great hero and God in India while he is a demon and a hated magician in Persia. Yama, the God of Death in Indian mythology, was a revered king of Persia, a historical figure. Thus begins the re-appreciation of our mythology and the social system. The author states that Religion 44

of Righteousness, also known as Ishwar Religion, is the oldest organized religion of the world born in the prehistoric period of ancient India. Lord Shiva himself was the first Pope (called Kazi-Vra-Zivo) with a horizontal cross in right hand as his symbol of papal authority. The presiding deity, however, was Ishwar and the representative symbol was a conical Pillar made out of beaten clay - a foot high, square in shape and tapering as it goes up. Lord Shiva changed the guiding canons of this religion and called it Sanatana Dharma. Religious festival in honour of this ancient faith now exists only in Kerala by the name “Onam”. Egypt had a grand ON temple, established 6300 years ago by the Anu people of India, with a 70 feet tall Pillar and a cross on top of it. There are about 1500 such pillars in France alone even today although they are not worshipped now with the advent of Christianity. The new religions and priestly crafts that emerged in subsequent periods have wiped out the Religion of Righteousness/the Sanatana Dharma from our midst. The Sanatana Dharma, reminiscent of the modern Big Bang theory of the origin and evolution of the cosmos, explains in a scientific way how God was born. The whole universe was in total darkness at the beginning of time. There were no stars, sun or moon nor there existed any matter or air - totally void and formless. After millions of years, slowly, the central region of this huge cosmic void condensed `from the non-existent to the existent’. This condensed central mass began to heat itself gradually from within… In course of time, this central mass started pulsating feebly. In ancient texts, it was called as the `breathing of the breathless’. In course of time, it became a huge column of Blazing Energy. Ancient saints called this huge flame of energy as the Primal Seed or Soul of the Universe. Theologically, it

was called Ishwar, Sadashiv, Jagat Isha, Param Aatma. Para Shakti, Supreme Soul, Supreme Intelligence and Allah. [The author adds that the word meaning of Allah and Ishwar has been “Ever Burning”. It is the “Blazing Fire” at the middle of the Central Axis of the whole universe around which it rotates.] In the Chapter “Lord Shiva, A Great Reformer”, he states that cross was originally the symbol of Lord Shiva and cites the instance of Mandapeshwar cave temple which was converted into a church by the Portuguese as a cross had been found therein. Similarly, cross was found from the excavations of the Indus Valley and archeologists kept it in the museum as “unidentified object”. Many such ancient cross have been found below the foundations of time old temples of India. The rulers of South India, the Cheraman Perumals had worn it around the neck. George Mark Moraes in his book “History of Christianity in India” observes: “Let not the piety of the Catholic Christian be offended at the preceding assertion that the cross was one of the most usual symbols among the hieroglyphics of Egypt and India….” He has exhaustively dealt with the falsification of and interpolations into the religious texts. To cite an example, “A Chinese traveler Ching has recorded that Rig Veda had a full one lakh hymns written in Baliga language. In his treatise `Charana Vyuha’, Ching has recorded that Rig Veda contained 10,580 suktas, but the existing Rig Veda has only 1028.” What happened to the original? In a chapter “Russia – Fatherland of Indians”, the author traces the roots of migration and upholds that the Indian mythology which, in fact, is the Russian mythology as well, has its beginning from the southern Urals. He however hastens to add that the legends cited in the chapter are about the ancestors of people now living in India and July 2010

not of the Russians. “Ancient India has been divided into nine parts – Bharat, Hymavat, Harivarsha, Ilavrata, Sweta, Hyranyaka, Bhadrasava, Ketumala, Iravata or Kuru. Out of these, only Bharat and part of Ilvrata lie within the present geographical limits of India and the rest are in Central Asia.” The marvelous Indus Valley Civilisation was excavated in 1922 by the orders of the then Director General of Archeology of India, Sir John Marshall. The destroyers of Indus Valley Civilisation were Aryans and Rig Veda praises this as heroic act! When all the irrigation canals were breached by them, the 5000 year old capital of India, the Patala (Hyderabad in present Pakistan) was submerged in deep water. The Russian archeologists excavated around the south of Ural rock belt and in a city called Arkain near the confluence of Karaganka and Utyganka rivers; a lost civilisation equal to the Indus Valley findings was discovered. The unearthing of Vijayanagara Empire is of equal importance. On the migration of Aryans, the author states: “In general, all the Aryans who came to India at various periods were all Indianised. They accepted the religious beliefs and social customs of India. All of them married women of this country and merged with the habits of this soil.” The chapter on the “Origins of Indian People” will convince you that the North Indians and the so called “Dravidians” are cousins born from one and the same Family Tree of Indians. After tracing the history of vamshas/ethnic groups like Sehra/Saura/Chera/Serai, Naga, Ikshavagu, Kutta/Khatti, Kurma/ Nanda/Bhils/Survarna, Saha/Sakhe, Gond, etc, he concludes that about 80 per cent of Indians in any part of the country hail from one and the same Family Tree. The book has a section dealing with the ancient history of Kerala: “Echoes of Kerala History”. Among other fascinating details, it 45

has a story on why Emperor Ashoka did not invade Kerala and instead, he extended all assistance to it! He also disputes the theory of St. Thomas’s arrival in Kerala and maintains that he was killed in Mazdai (North Iran). In the concluding chapter, the author observes that the free thinkers like the Charvaka school, the Upanishad writers, Dayanand Saraswati, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and many others tried to erase the antisocial side of Hinduism. He envisions the revival of a good religion like the Sanatana Dharma. Thus, be it the geography of old India, the Vedas and Shastras, the Manusmriti., the vamshas/kuls/ gothras, the avatars, the totems of religions, the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata or the excavated Indus Valley and the Vijayanagara civilisations the author has a different story and interpretation to give, which makes the book interesting. The author buttresses his assertions on an array of facts ferreted out of earlier researches. The evidences adduced are at times repetitive and it could do with some editing. He has candidly indicated wherever his own inferences or conjectures are employed. The author being a Malayali, many of his observations and findings have a Kerala perspective. In a way, it cannot be helped, as the strip of land called Kerala today inherits close links with world history of ancient times. The book deserves detailed study and is worthy of debate among historians and researchers, especially Indologists. More importantly, it leaves many a vital lead for researchers. The septuagenarian author deserves wholesome compliments for this mammoth work. The Malayalam version of the book, which was released earlier, is running into its third edition. Purushotham Chon, based in Mumbai, can be contacted on telephone No.25546320.

Bhagavatam

An Introduction to Srimad Bhagavatam Swami Keertananda Saraswathi

his book relates the story of the Lord and His Incarnations since the earliest records of the Vedic history. It is verily the Krishna-Bible of the Hindu-universe. The Bhâgavad Gîtâ compares to it like the sermon on the mountain by Lord Jesus to the full Bible. It has 18.000 verses and consists of 12 books also called cantos. These books tell the complete history of the vedic culture with the essence of all its classical stories called purânas and includes the cream of the vedic knowledge compiled from all the literatures as well as the story of the life of Lord Krishna in full (canto 10). It tells about His birth, His youth, all His

wonderful proofs of His divine nature and the superhuman feats of defeating all kind of demons up to the great Mahâbhârat war at Kurukshetra. It is a brilliant story that has been brought to the West by Swami Bhaktivedânta Prabhupâda, a Catania Vaishnava, a bhakti (devotional) monk of Lord Vishnu [the name for the transcendental form of Lord Krishna] who undertook the daring task of enlightening the materialist westerners as well as the advanced philosophers and theologians, in order to help them to overcome the perils and loneliness of impersonalism and the philosophy of emptiness. 46

COVER STORY Europe as in America. The purpose of the translation is first of all to make this glorious text available for a wider audience over the Internet. Since the Bible, the Koran and numerous other Holy texts are readily available, the author meant that this book could not stay behind on the shelf of his own bookcase as a token of material possessiveness. Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost, and certainly this type of knowledge which stresses the yoga of non-possessiveness and devotion as one of its main values could not be left out. The version of Prabhupâda Swami is very extensive covering some 2400 pages of plain fine printed text including his commentaries. And that was only the first ten cantos. The remaining two cantos were posthumously published by his pupils in the full of his spirit. Thus the author was faced with two daring challenges: one was to make a readable running narrative of the book - that had been dissected to the single word - and second to put it into a language that would befit the 21s t century with all its modern and postmodern experience and digital progress to the world order without losing anything of its original verses. Thus another

July 2010

verse to verse as-it-is translation came about in which Prabupâda’s words were retranslated and set to the understanding and realization I myself acquired. This realization came directly from the disciplic line of succession of the vaishnava line of âcâryas (teachers) as well as from a realization of the total field of Indian philosophy of enlightenment and yoga discipline as was brought to the West by also non-vaishnava gurus and maintained by their pupils. Therefore the author has to express his gratitude to all these great heroes who dared to face the adamantine of western philosophy with all its doubts, concreticism and skepticism. Especially the pupils of Prabhupâda, members of the renounced order (sannyâsîs) who instructed the author in the independence and maturity of the philosophy of the bhakti-yogî’s of Lord Caitanya need to be mentioned. The author was already initiated in India by a non-vaishnav guru and been given the name of Swami Anand Aadhar (“teacher of the foundation of happiness”). That name the Krishna community con47

verted into Anand Aadhar Prabhu (master of the foundation of happiness) without further ceremonies of vaishnav’initiation (apart from a basic training). Anand Aadhar is a withdrawn devotee, a so called vânaprashta, who does his devotional service independently in the silence and modesty of his own local adaptations of the philosophy. Normally the word for word translations of Prabhupâda have been taken as they were given in the translations of Prabhupâda, be it that here and there some words, because of their multiple meanings have lead to slightly different translations. E.g. the word loka means as well planet as place as world. Between square brackets [ ] sometimes a little comment and extra info is given to accommodate the reader when the original text is drawing from a more experienced approach. The original running text of Prabhupâda is linked up at each verse so that it is possible to retrace what the author has done with the text. This is according the scientific tradition of the Vaishnava-community. For the tenth Canto more verse-to-verse loyal translations of a former pupil of Prabhupâda.

Celebration

Whiteline Vartha

celebrated annual day

Kayes

A report on the annual day celebrations of Whiteline Vartha, the first Malayalam tabloid newspaper from outside Kerala

he younger publication of Whiteline group Whiteline Vartha, the first Malayalam tabloid newspaper from outside Kerala, celebrated its first annual day with much splendour and enthusiasm on 13th June at a function held at Savitribai Phule Auditorium in Dombivli, Mumbai, with packed house of around 1000 invitees from all walks of life. Mumbai or suburbs in recent times never witnessed such a grand function with the cream of Malayali population assembled on a Sunday morning. Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Academy Chairman and popular cinestar from south Mukesh was the chief guest. Other guests of honour included Mukeshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother Vijayakumari, Nache Mayuri fame popular cine-television actress and dancer Sudha Chandran, her father and cine-television actor K.D. Chandran, actor Suresh Menon and singer Sreekumar. In traditional Kerala style the chief guest and

guests of honour were welcomed from the gate to the auditorium with Chendamelam and Thalappoli. The function was a unique one with the participation of motherson and father-daughter assembling on a stage to receive the felicita-

performances of a single drama, Ningalenne Communistakki. The presence of the living legend Nache Mayuri fame Sudha Chandran and her celebrity father K.D. Chandran made the function more colourful. Another important feature of

Mukesh launching Whiteline Vartha Pune edition. Rajan Nair and M.V. Parameswaran receiving the paper. Standing next to Mukesh Whiteline Journal editor C. Vimalkumar and Whiteline Vartha Chief editor Premlal

tion of Whiteline Vartha. The chief guest Mukesh is a leading star in Malayalam film world and theatre. His mother Vijayakumari performed over 10,000 theatre stages in various plays and over 6,000 48

the function was felicitating prominent Malayalam theatre personalities from Mumbai who hitherto had not received any major awards or felicitation for their conscientious contribution to Mumbai Malayalam

Smt. Vijayakumari receiving Whiteline Vartha lifetime achievement award from C. Vimalkumar

Mukesh receiving Whiteline Vartha lifetime achievement award from late Suresh Kondoth’s daughter Kum. Veena Vani.

tha’s Pune edition was launched by Mukesh by presenting copies of the weekly newspaper to trade union leader Rajan Nair and social worker M.V. Parameswaran of Pune.

theatre. They were Viswanathan Palloor, Pavithran Kannapuram, Nanappan Manjapra and C.K.K. Poduval.

Suresh Menon receiving award from Soman Nair

C.K.K. Poduval receiving award from Mukesh K.D. Chandran receiving award from Mukesh

Pavithran Kannapuram receiving award from Vijayakumari

M.G. Stephen receiving award from Mukesh

Mumbai Malayali’s own singer Premkumar, NCP Vice President and social worker N.K. Bhupesh Babu and prominent business entrepreneur M.G. Stephen were felicitated and trophies were given away by Jwala editor Gopi Nair, Dance master Guru Deepak Majumdar and Mukesh respectively. On this occasion Whiteline Var-

Bhupesh Babu receiving award from Deepak Majumdar

Premkumar receiving award from U.N. Gopi Nair (Jwala Editor)

Viswanathan Palloor receiving award from Mukesh

July 2010

Sudha Chandran receiving award from Mukesh

Nanappan Manjapra receiving award from Vijayakumari

Singer Sreekumar receiving award from E.P. Vasu

Philosophy

The name Philosophy T he philosophy is concerned with the understanding of the life and the universe. It is aimed at comprehending the nature of existence. Philosophy is a human endeavor that leads to the Ultimate Truth. The English word ‘philosophy’ has its root in the Greek term – ‘philo–sophia’. The term ‘philo’ refers to ‘love’ and ‘sophia’ refers to human reason. The Greek terms can be literally translated in English as “love of reason” or “love of human judgment and discrimination.” From the Indian viewpoint, the word ‘philosophy’ suggests “observing and surveying” the existence. In Sanskrit, the philosophy is referred to as ‘darshana’. The Sanskrit word ‘darshana’ has its root in the word ‘drs’ that means ‘to see’, ‘to look’ or ‘to view’. “Seeing” or “viewing” the reality and the facts of experience forms the basis of philosophy. Senses, mind and even consciousness are involved in this ‘seeing’. “Seeing” also encompasses “contemplation”. Seeing is not simply a sensory activity. ‘Seeing’ may primarily be a perceptual observation. But it may also concern the conceptual knowledge or an intuitional flash. Thus ‘darshana’ suggests vision. In other words, ‘darshana’ is a whole view revealed to the inner self, what we term as the soul or the spirit or the inner being. Philosophy or ‘darshana’ is concerned with the vision of ‘truth and reality’. In Sanskrit, the ‘philosophy’ is also referred to as ‘tatva’. The Sanskrit word ‘tatva’ is concerned with ‘the nature of reality.’ In India, the philosophy is not restricted to the intellectual pursuit. According to Indian view, the word ‘philosophy’ is concerned with ‘the revelation of the nature of reality’ or ‘the vision of Ultimate Truth and Real.

Indian Philosophy

The Indian philosophy has its roots in the Vedic period. The great Rishis, settled in the peaceful, invigorating environment of the forests, meditated over the fundamental questions of existence: What is the world? If it’s a creation, what are its constituents? Who is the creator? What is life? What is ‘truth’?

What is ‘the nature of reality’? What was revealed to them was expressed in hymns. With the passage of time, the systematized collection of these hymns constituted the Vedas and the Upanishads. Indian philosophy distinctly exhibits a spiritual bent. The essence of religion is not dogmatic in India. Here, religion develops as philosophy progressively scales higher planes. Some of the fundamentals expressed in the Indian philosophy and the Western philosophy may be similar. However, Indian philosophy differs from the Western philosophy on several counts. While the Western philosophy deals with metaphysics,

epistemology, psychology, ethics etc. separately, Indian philosophy takes a comprehensive view of all these topics. For an Indian philosopher, philosophy is something beyond an intellectual pursuit. The Indian philosopher exemplifies philosophy in his life. His intelligence, knowledge and wisdom are reflected in his life. This is why his life positively influences the life of masses. The Indian philosophy uniquely describes four purusharthas of life.

Purusharthas:

The four basic ends (purusharthas) of human

Dr. A.K.N. Nair

life, as recognized by the Indian tradition, are as follows:

artha, kama, dharma and moksha.

(1) Artha: The Sanskrit word artha means ‘that which one seeks.’ Whatever activity and physical material a man needs to support life can be considered as artha. Artha, in a broad sense, covers man’s professional activities, job, business, wealth, property and all such earthly material helpful in maintaining his life. (2) Kama: Man seeks pleasure in various activities and material objects. Pursuit of happiness and pleasure is a basic, natural instinct in man. Man derives pleasures from relationships and material objects like food, drink etc. This is kama. Man largely accumulates artha for kama. But artha and kama should be closely linked with the dharma. They should be directed towards dharma. (3) Dharma: ‘That which sustains’ is dharma. The word dharma stems from the Sanskrit root ‘dhr’ meaning ‘to sustain’ or ‘to support’. Dharma sustains or maintains life. Dharma supports the society. Man lives in the society with fellow-men and various life forms. Dharma lays down duties and obligations expected of man. An individual and the society, for their conduct and actions, get guidance from dharma. Man has obligation to his own self, to the fellow-men and to the society, in fact, to the whole environment of the world. All the mutual obligations of these inter-relationships are spelt out by dharma. (4) Moksha: Moksha means liberation or total freedom. The Sanskrit word moksha is derived from the root ‘muk’. This root means ‘to emancipate’ or ‘to release’ or ‘to free’. Indian tradition considers moksha as the ultimate goal of life. The sufferings of man are due to avidya, his original ignorance about self. He has been oblivious of his true identity. He attaches himself to worldly objects. Tempted and pressed by everlasting lust and insurmountable desires, he remains bonded to the mundane objects. When knowledge (vidya) dawns on him, he overcomes the dualities of the world and identifies himself as the infinite, eternal Being. Having been completely free from all attachments, expectations and desires, the liberated soul attains moksha.

Published by C. Vimal Kumar for Sar Multimedia Pvt. Ltd., 7 Prem Bhavan, 2nd Floor, 234/236, Narshi Natha Street, Masjid Bunder, Mumbai - 400009, printed by him at Meenakshi Printers & Designers, 5, Sarvodaya Garden, Off. Manpada Road, Dombivli East - 421201. Editor : C. Vimal Kumar