Minutes of Meeting - VMS Bangalore

[Guest guest]

Dear Elders and Friends,

 

Thank you for an overwhelming response to attend the

first informal meeting of VMS Bangalore chapter. VMS

Bangalore is also very grateful to Sri. Vasu Murthy

and appreciates his efforts to take initiatives and

organizing this meeting. As a last minute surprise,

Sri Vishwesha Theetharu’s attendance and blessings

combined with a melodious concert from Sheshagiridas

were indeed good omens to a wonderful beginning!

 

Minutes of this meeting (in brief)

 

Place: Sri Rama Mandira, N.R. Colony, Bangalore

February 19th, 2005 (Magha Shuddha Ekadashi)

Time: 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM

Attendees: Apart from the VMS U.S. visitors, other

guests and families, there were more than 50 members

who were registered. For the concert there were close

to 250 people.

 

• The program was started with Veda Ghosha from Sri

Raghavendra Rachuri and invocation from Mrs.

Sathyaraj.

• His Holiness Sri Vishwesha thirtharu blessed the

gathering. He insisted to maintain strong contact with

Poorna Prajna Vidyapeeta and update him on all the

developments within VMS Bangalore. His holiness also

offered the services of Vidya peeta’s professors such

as Sri Haridaas Bhat, Sri Prahaladahar, etc. He also

took the contact information for VMS (Contac

information of Sri Ramachandra Budihal and Sri Vasu

Murthy were provided) and asked the contacts to meet

him after 25th of this month when he returns back to

Bangalore.

• Murthy Navarathna and Sri Vasu Murthy briefly talked

about the background of VMS in the United States and

about current activities of different VMS chapters.

• Participating Members were asked to introduce

themselves, their knowledge about VMS and expectations

from VMS. The following is a list of opinions on,

knowledge about and expectations from VMS as expressed

by the members:

 

a) VMS should identify and help publish simple and

rare works in the Madhva Philosphy. Suggested works

include Sri Vishnu Thirharu's works on Bhagavatha,

some of the Daasa Sahithya works composed by those

dasarus who are not as popular Daasa Chathushtayaru.

b) One of the key reasons that unites and drives VMS

and other similar groups outside India is the quest

for Shastric Knowledge, Poojas, Aradhanas, etc., which

are typically uncommon on a foreign soil. The country

infrastructure and ease of transportation overseas

also helps (to those who make use of it & #61514; ) in

keeping the group together and moving forward. In

contrast, as there are huge opportunities within their

local communities of Bangalore the same (i.e., quest

for shastric Knowlede, Aradhanas, etc.,) can not be a

driving factor for VMS Bangalore. Also, the

transportation inconvenience is another hindering

factor. Therefore, there is a need to identify common

goals that can attract and unite the VMS members in

Bangalore and help this organization grow.

c) Sri Ramachandra Budihal explained various

achievements of some of the projects like Mahabharatha

research foundation, Manuscript digitization projects,

etc. Many of these projects have obtained the

recognition of Government of India and are enjoying

various grants from the government.

d) Sri Sathyaraj advised the group that the need for

hour is to save and protect roots of Madhva Community,

especially in light of Kanaka Gopura episode, which is

posing a real danger for Madhvas. What should be done

by every Madhva to ensure his/her voice is heard in

the society and how this should be done? One of the

suggestions that came after the meting is to have some

kind of general website which makes constant

announcements of Madhva related breaking news,

opinions of seers and other scholars in a real time.

e) Although some of the members expressed uniformity

among Madhvas is a need to remain united, quite a few

disagreed and believed that we should stand above

those differences and remain united like a secular

India. It is almost impossible to change the

samprddayas (traditions) due to sentimental and other

values. Unity under any circumstance should be our

slogan.

f) Although some members felt that some of the

Swamijis of different Madhva MaThas should be more

vocal in media, especially when it comes to situations

like Kanaka Gopura incident, few felt that Swamijis

should not be dragged into politics and public /social

events. They believed it is the duty of Grihastas to

fight for these with blessings from Swamijis.

g) In the current world it is not uncommon for most

parent s to opt for a modern education for their

children than a shastric education. Also, due to a

lack of shastric knowledge among parents themselves,

it is very difficult to educate a Madhva child with

the basics of Madhva philosophy. In light of this, the

publication of right books to aid at least self or

home education should also be an important goal of

VMS. Sri Raghavendra Rachuri shared his plans to write

(after his graduation this year) simple “Made Easy

Series” for different classes/ages of people. These

books would cover simple, but powerful topics like

Vishnu, Lakshmi, etc.,. These books will be like a

regular text book with exercises, etc. This will be in

English to address a larger population.

h) Sri Bemati Venkateshachar, a scholar and lecturer

from Poorna Prajna Vidya Peeta has embarked on mega

project to publish a 9000 page book called “Sri Sudha

Sourabaha”. This is by far the biggest publication on

Sriman Nyaya Sudha with reviews, inputs and analysis

from literally every Madhva swamiji and more than a

dozen well known scholars. Sri Venkateshachar has

courageously taken up this Rs. 25 lack project with

help from a lot of people and communities. However, he

is still running short of Rs. 10 Lakhs to complete hi

s work. His advice to fellow Madhvas is “if you do

want to donate to this mega project please donate it

affectionately and as a seva (service) to Lord

Vedavyasaru, Madhvachayaru and Jayathirtharu. Please

do not take trouble to donate.” There was a proposal

to conduct a fund raising concert to help this project

and this may be the first project VMS Bangalore may

take up. This book is scheduled to be released in

Bangalore on May 1st.

i) All the VMS members (especially the IT folks)

should share the job openings and opportunities with

fellow members in their respective companies.

j) There are many small Madhva associations /youth

organizations in and around Bangalore. VMS should some

how bring all these under one umbrella and provide a

forum to connect them. This suggestion came after the

meeting.

k) There should be some mechanism to maintain a strong

communication between various VMS chapters outside

India and VMS Bangalore for mutual benefits.

 

Immediate Action Items

 

a) Create a moderated VMS Bangalore specific list on

or some other forum and invite all the

registered members to accept membership - Murthy

Navarathna to identify a moderator and a list owner.

b) Identify members and create a small volunteer group

to drive action items and coordinate VMS activities.

Include a couple of VMS Directors in the U.S. as

advisors - Murthy Navarathna to identify a volunteer

to own and moderate this list.

c) Create a database of all members, with their

skills. - TBD

d) Some of the members do not have e-mail access. Find

a channel to communicate with such members. – TBD.

e) Make plans for a fund raising concert for Sri Sudha

Sourabaha project and propose – Sri Ramachandra

Budihal

f) Follow up with Sri Vishwesha Thirtharu – Sri

Ramachandra Budihal

g) Raising funds for VMS, Bangalore activities – TBD

h) Registering VMS Bangalore as a non profit

organization – Sri Ramachandra Budihal to explore

i)Initiate discussions on arranging satsangas/shastra

paata, jagarane, mettilotsava, etc. - TBD

 

If I have missed any of the items discussed or action

items please feel free to post it. If there are any

volunteers to take up any of the action items kindly

let me know. If any one has pictures please post it to

the list.

 

Namaskara,

Murthy

 

 

 

 

 

 

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