Guest guest Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 I wish to bring to the kind attention of all my fellow devotees of Shri Guruvayur Appan the following news item for your immediate positive response. ****** Ref. Times of India Mumbai; Dec 16, 2006; Section: Times Nation; page 12. Bhubaneswar: A day after Dalits entered a Jagannath temple at Keredagada breaking a 300-year-old ban, angry upper caste people on Friday hit back by calling a bandh in the village located in Orissa's Kendrapada district. As an easy calm prevailed in the village, temple priests expressed their displeasure over the Dalits' entry into the shrine built by the rulers of Kanika. They shut the temple doors, stopped performing rituals and sought to " purify " the shrine. … Some of the priests and upper caste people reportedly wanted to perform `mahasnana', a ritual bath of the deities at the temple. Keeping all this in mind, the government sent an additional platoon of armed police personnel to Keredagada. … " The Dalits chose to stay at home, fearing violence,'' said Sangram Mallick, leader of the Ambedkar Lohia Vichar Manch that led the Dalits' campaign for the right to enter the temple. ******* How could we remain mute spectators to these atrocities being perpetuated to these Hindus, on the basis of caste discrimination, by the (responsible) Hindus in the name of God and `the 300 year old practice " ? Change is a sign of life. People or Institutions not prepared to welcome timely, desirable changes will simply decay. The very fact that the tradition is " 300 year old " itself calls for a review to assess its current social and religious validity. Before expressing my opinion on other platforms and media I would like to seek the opinion of my esteemed fellow `Guruvayur Appan Devotees' in this matter. With warm regards, NB Nair, nbnair2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Swami Saranam: My respected fellow devotees, First of all let me express my gratitude to my fellow devotees for their spending some valuable time to explain things frankly, in simple terms. I had been carefully studying these letters on the topic, viz. of Shri Krishna Prasad (3 letters), Shri KB Gopalakrisha (2 letters), Shri Premkumar, Shri PS Vinod and Shri Rajaram Venkataramani. Though I can't agree with some points expressed in some of these letters, in general, I was immensely benefited from them all. I am sure the case may be the same with at least a few more devotees, like me, who are not well versed in our mythology and culture, though they are yet to express it in our forum. I am sure most of you would have read the news reports that followed in the case of Orissa Temple Disputes with Dalits. However, I am copying below the latest news item on the same. I think we failed to learn any positive lesson in the past 75 years, since the most damaging step that Dr Ambedkar was forced to take. I humbly request all the fellow devotees to come forward and raise their voice/ express their opinion. Friends, let me repeat what Krishna Prasadji is exhorting through a quotation in his signature: (As Poojya Gurudev said it) " Open your eyes. Burst your shell. Spread your wings and fly! " With Regards, NB Nair, nbnair2000 PS. The TOI News Item is copied below for your ready ref. please. Times of Inida Delhi; Dec 21, 2006; Front Page Orissa Dalits to convert to Buddhism TIMES NEWS NETWORK Bhubaneswar: Disillusioned by protests of upper-caste residents of a coastal Orissa village over their entry to a 300-year-old Jagannath temple, nearly 3,000 Dalits in Orissa's Kendrapada district have decided to embrace Buddhism shortly. ``We will file affidavits en masse before the district collector on January 3, 2007, seeking to embrace Buddhism. We need to do this according to the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act. We will formally convert to Buddhism a month after filing the affidavits,'' Republican Youth and Students' Front president Ashok Mallick said. TEMPLE ROW Dalit leaders slam saffron brigade for Kendrapada fiasco (page 11) Bhubaneswar: 3,000 Dalits Kendrapada have decided to embrace Buddhism because of the high-handedness of the upper castes and priests. Priests struck work last week and upper caste residents of the seaside hamlet of Keradagada chanted slogans seeking purification of the temple after Dalits entered the temple with police protection on December 14. Next day, angry priests had shut down the shrine and upper caste residents of the village of 1,400 families observed a bandh. The protests were in violation of a Orissa High Court order allowing all Hindus to enter the temple. District collector Kashinath Sahoo said, " I am not aware of the Dalits' plan to embrace Buddhism. We have been protecting their right to enter the temple as per the court order. " Orissa Mukti Morcha (Kendrapada) president Bhajamana Behera said the community would not ``confront orthodox upper caste people who are opposing Dalits's entry into the temple''. ``The administration's decision to replace the nine holes with an iron grill is an insult to Dalits and violates the court order. It is a shame that Dalits are allowed to have darshan only through the nine holes,'' said Behera. Earlier, Dalits were allowed darshan only through nine peepholes on the outer wall of the shrine built by the rulers of Kanika. Behera also criticised the state government for not taking any action against those opposing Dalit entry in the temple. He recalled how the head priest of the historic Kala Ram Temple in Nashik (Maharashtra) apologised to Dalits last year for his grandfather's decision not to allow B R Ambedkar and his 15,000 supporters to visit the shrine on March 3, 1930. Ambedkar and his followers converted to Buddhism in 1956. " But the priests and upper caste people from Keradagada have not learnt any lesson from this incident, " said Mallick. Dalit leaders also criticised Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, RSS and other Hindu organisations for their " silence " over the Keredagada issue. Swami Saranam! guruvayur , " Krishna Prasad " <rkrishp99 wrote: > > Hari OM! > > Hello Vinodji, > > I understand your views. and that is 100 % true too. > > See all these rituals are because of ignorance alone the only way out is > study our scriptures properly.. I am sure you might be aware like we should > learn Bhagavatham and other puranas only after learning Upanishads and > Geetha > The Prasthanatrayam. Puranas are written for the lay man to understand > things > but now every one seems to be aware of things so we will under stand the > puranas > more when we learn the Prasthanathrayam first and then the puranas(the > stories with > moral values!) > > See the flute, and the Radha Krishna and stuff are made by our great > Grandfathers > to make aware of the new generation about our culture at least because of > fear > people will follow the religion! at that time. > > But in this age of technology and space... for everything the much developed > intellect > questions only thing we should be able to answer our new generation with the > correct knowledge. > > seeing your mail I am remembering a story which Swami Dayanada Saraswathi of > Arsha vidya gurukulam > narrated in one of his lectures. > > There was a great saint. who does all the yagnas and tapas and poojas > everyday. so he is naturally having > lot of Disciples... there was a cat which disturbs the rituals every day. so > the saint use to tie the cat before > the rituals so that it won't disturb the poojas and yagnas. this continued.. > for years. so his disciples are aware > of this.. and no one asked questions to the sage. One day the sage become > Brahmaleen. (Samadhi). > > So the next close disciple of the saint took over as the head of the > spiritual organisation. So the first thing > he did was he remembered like the Guru used to tie a cat. He bought a big > fat cat for this purpose and before > the rituals it was tied with lot of flower garlands in its neck and made the > cat as a diety too! > > The above was exactly happened in the Krishna and the flute.. and the Radha > and Krishna case as you stated in your email Hindu dharma is not at all > complex .. people make it complex... without studying.. everyone want > to become pandit, nowhere in our puranas it is said about Krishna and the > flute right side left side etc..and the Durga pooja stuff. > > And I highly adore and respect Swami Vivekanada..... and we should be aware > in what context Swamiji said > the we should not be frogs in well. and where he said this. He also said > that " Kerala is a Branthalayam " mental asylum seeing this kind of caste > discrimination and the blind belief! > > No one is criticising other religions here Vinodji.. we are only making > aware of our own community of other religion's agenda the CONVERSION which > is the highest violence that is all. > > With Love & OM! > > Krishna Prasad > > > > On 12/19/06, PS, Vinod K (GE Infra, Energy) <vinod.ps wrote: > > > > !! Sri Rama Jayam !! > > > > Dear Krishnaprasad ji, > > > > The topic looks higly focussed but the roots are hard to find. In India, a > > huge portion of temple customs are usually driven by the regional-specific > > culture (not finding a big time-line in history) & not from the actuals of > > Vedic theory. Frequently, one may find Vedic principles evident at the > > surface levels only. The way the deity is worshipped in a temple gives the > > best idea of the thinking-tendency of the mass people. Let us start with an > > example from our home - Believe me, there is a good percentage of devotees > > who consider inauspicious to worship Radha with Krishna (especially the > > followers of idol-based worshipping) & I have met some of them personally. > > They fear about the possibility of family sufferings down the line (which is > > reasonably based on the understanding about the pains taken by Radha for > > Krishna). Hopefully, they have not exactly understood the true message from > > 'Bhagavattam'. The same goes with 'Murali' at the hands of Krishna. These > > practices have become very personal to the faith of a devotee & gets > > passed-on to the newer generations. Nobody can challenge these practices - > > irrespective of the fact they appear correct or incorrect !! > > > > Another example would be 'Durga pooja' as celebrated by natives of Bengal > > and of Kerala. Surprisingly, even today cattle offerings are made to > > Durga/Kali during Navaratri which strictly deviates from the belief of a > > hindu keralite. But they form a part of the same 'Hindu Dharma'. This could > > puzzle our minds about the correctness of belief in Hindu Dharma and > > ofcourse no body has a clear-cut answer. > > > > The whole point behind quoting these examples is to help others understand > > the complexity of existing hindu beliefs which cannot be traced to it's > > origin. If that is possible, only then we could reconstruct our temple > > beliefs to its correct purpose. But is there a way out ? I would say 'yes' > > and it comes from the message of Vivekananda during the " World Religious > > conference " at Chicago. " Let's stop criticising other religions and find a > > way to attain religious harmony " . Let us not be a " Frog in the well " . > > > > Welcome your suggestions and comments. > > > > Hare Krishna > > Hare Rama > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > ** guruvayur [guruvayur ] *On > > Behalf Of *Krishna Prasad > > *Sent:* Monday, December 18, 2006 8:57 PM > > *To:* guruvayur > > *Subject:* Re: [Guruvayur/Guruvayoor] Is it Hindu Dharma? > > > > > > > > Hari OM! > > > > Dear Nairji, > > > > Some of the temples in India have this rules of castewise discrimination. > > we cannot say > > anything about it. It is a religious issue totally. Dalits cannot > > forcefully enter any temple > > which is traditionally following the rules strictly.. there are some rules > > in Tantric tradition > > like people who have Tamasic habits or taking non-veg food, smoking, > > drinking etc should > > not enter certain places, during Tantric Prathividhis. So most of the > > ancient temples are > > followed by cetain rules.based on this traditions. After sometime we may > > say also we need > > to change Srimad Bhagawad Geetha as per to suite the modern times!.. > > > > Still we cannot say other caste people should enter Guruvayur because > > certain rules written by Sri Adi Shankaracharya and the Tantris of temple so > > we cannot change that part as we are changing the rules of Government. This > > is not a political issue at all. > > > > Even at Guruvayur after " Kshetra Pravesana Vilambaram " only Dalits and > > other so called " lower castes " > > among Hindus could enter the Temple. > > > > We need to stop Conversion activities of Christians in India instead > > first. We need all the religions > > all the cultures equally important to co-exist. We should not allow any > > particular religion > > to wipe out our ancient cultures. this only my opinion. never against any > > caste or religion. > > Why can't we start a movemnet for a strong Anti-Conversion Bill in India? > > > > With Love & OM! > > > > Krishna Prasad > > > > > > On 12/17/06, nbnair2000 <nbnair2000 wrote: > > > > > > I wish to bring to the kind attention of all my fellow devotees of > > > Shri Guruvayur Appan the following news item for your immediate > > > positive response. > > > ****** > > > Ref. Times of India Mumbai; Dec 16, 2006; Section: Times Nation; page > > > 12. > > > > > > Bhubaneswar: A day after Dalits entered a Jagannath temple at > > > Keredagada breaking a 300-year-old ban, angry upper caste people on > > > Friday hit back by calling a bandh in the village located in Orissa's > > > Kendrapada district. > > > > > > As an easy calm prevailed in the village, temple priests expressed > > > their displeasure over the Dalits' entry into the shrine built by the > > > rulers of Kanika. They shut the temple doors, stopped performing > > > rituals and sought to " purify " the shrine. … > > > > > > Some of the priests and upper caste people reportedly wanted to > > > perform `mahasnana', a ritual bath of the deities at the temple. > > > > > > Keeping all this in mind, the government sent an additional > > > platoon of armed police personnel to Keredagada. … > > > > > > " The Dalits chose to stay at home, fearing violence,'' said > > > Sangram Mallick, leader of the Ambedkar Lohia Vichar Manch that led > > > the Dalits' campaign for the right to enter the temple. > > > ******* > > > How could we remain mute spectators to these atrocities being > > > perpetuated to these Hindus, on the basis of caste discrimination, by > > > the (responsible) Hindus in the name of God and `the 300 year old > > > practice " ? > > > Change is a sign of life. People or Institutions not prepared to > > > welcome timely, desirable changes will simply decay. The very fact > > > that the tradition is " 300 year old " itself calls for a review to > > > assess its current social and religious validity. > > > > > > Before expressing my opinion on other platforms and media I would like > > > to seek the opinion of my esteemed fellow `Guruvayur Appan Devotees' > > > in this matter. > > > With warm regards, > > > NB Nair, nbnair2000 <nbnair2000%40> > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > dotcompals: www.dotcompals.in > > .Org domain Names for just 2.5 USD > > > > > > Krishna Prasad > > > > Dare to give up the comfort of the 'known' and venture into the 'unknown' > > The more we know, the more we will come to realize what we do not know. > > If we want to achieve our true potential and live life to the fullest. > > > > As Poojya Gurudev said it, > > > > " Open your eyes. Burst your shell. > > Spread your wings and fly! " > > > > Swami Chinmayananda > > Hate not the sinner - hate the sin; and always hate the sin even with an > > excess of hatred. " > > > > > > > > > > -- > dotcompals: www.dotcompals.in > .Org domain Names for just 2.5 USD > > > Krishna Prasad > > Dare to give up the comfort of the 'known' and venture into the 'unknown' > The more we know, the more we will come to realize what we do not know. > If we want to achieve our true potential and live life to the fullest. > > As Poojya Gurudev said it, > > " Open your eyes. Burst your shell. > Spread your wings and fly! " > > Swami Chinmayananda > Hate not the sinner - hate the sin; and always hate the sin even with an > excess of hatred. " > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.