Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 Dear Friends Can some please explain what a Fakir is? i received a letter fom a monk in India who describes himself as a Fakir. Thanking you for your kind response Gandhavadhu S. Africa group @ Rajah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 Namaste, Historically, the word became popular in India through the poetry of Rumi, Amir Khusro, and Kabir. Many of Kabir's poems form part of the Guru Granth Sahib, the scripture of the Sikh religion - founded by Guru Nanak. A fine collection of Kabir's poems in Hindi were translated by Tagore, and are on-line at : http://www.mssc.edu/projectsouthasia/literature/primarydocs/Kabir/OneH undredPoems.htm Regards, Sunder Ramakrishna, " Kendra Crossen Burroughs " <kcburroughs> wrote: > A faqir (Arabic) is the same as a darvish (Persian; English " dervish " ). It means > " poor " in the sense of spiritual poverty. It has been applied to Hindu religious > mendicants or wandering ascetics but is properly applied only to practitioners > of Sufism. > > > > _______ > > Get your free @ address at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2002 Report Share Posted February 27, 2002 Namaste, In the world of Political History, the word 'fakir' was made notorious by Winston Churchill when he described Gandhi as one! As the latter had a unique connection to South Africa, you may be specially interested in this: http://www.kamat.com/mmgandhi/churchill.htm " It is alarming and also nauseating to see Mr. Gandhi, a seditious middle temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir of a type well known in the east, striding half-naked up the steps of the viceregal palace, while he is still organizing and conducting a defiant campaign of civil disobedience, to parley on equal terms with the representative of the king-emperor. " -Winston Churchill 1930 For Gandhi, simplicity was the way of life. When the British invited Gandhi for peace talks, Gandhi saw no particular reason to change his attire, which was same as millions of his fellow countrymen. Gandhi met with Lord Irvin with the advantage of having won a moral victory. " I have caused a great deal for trouble for your government. But as men, we can set aside our differences for welfare of the nation " he said to the immaculately dressed viceroy, on occasion of which Churchill is said to have made his infamous comments. Churchill, who considered himself a true democrat constantly opposed granting freedom to India. In more ways than one, Gandhi was a much greater democrat, especially in believing in self-determination of people and the universal equality of mankind. Churchill was to be irritated further. The following year, Gandhi met face to face with Churchill during the Indian round table conference - " ...I have an alternative that is unpleasant to you " he told Churchill and his clan of imperialists. " India demands complete liberty and freedom...the same liberty that Englishmen enjoy... and I want India to become a partner in the Empire. I want to partner with the English people ... not merely for mutual benefit, but so that the great weight that is crushing the world to atoms may be lifted from its shoulders " . Winston Churchill loathed Gandhi. Gandhi loathed none. Regards, Sunder Ramakrishna, " Rajah " <rajah@x> wrote: > Dear Friends > > Can some please explain what a Fakir is? i received a > letter fom a monk in India who describes himself as a > Fakir. > > Thanking you for your kind response > Gandhavadhu > > S. Africa group @ Rajah > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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