Admirable RAJUjr

All who have known RAJU Jr ( also Dev, Devraj,Mahadevan,sometimes Iyer ) was a simple, passionate, kind hearted, hardworking, exceedingly charming go- getter, seriously concerned about others well being and still popularly acknowledged to be the funniest person around. He was able to effortlessly have everyone join him for a jolly good time. As many grieving people know about keeping a loved one's memory alive after passing away can be a difficult task, Raju jr passing away so early a decade ago was clearly unexpected causing unimaginable distress to the growing family and his loved ones.The one I fondly remember about  welcome reception which was extended to me and Hema at L A Airport ( Before the Immigration Check) with Garland and Bouquet escorted by immaculately attired airport staff. I and Hema were hardly in a state to react or utter a word of gratitude. I was sure that they had picked a wrong person for never was I close to being a public or social figure nor did anything spectacular during the flight to earn such an ovation; we were infact wondering about the grueling time we had to secure a visit visa from the American Consulate Mumbai office. Raju Jr was endowed with such a capacity and trust that people around him would gladly do a perfect job for him. The  voyage from Chatrapati Shivaji to Los Angeles was nothing short than the dream of Arabian Night folklore.Papered by inflight cabin crew, up gradation, gifts and parted with a bottle of champagne. This is how he used to shower his affection to one and all.
One of the most comforting quotes to me is one by Shakespeare " What wound ever did heal out of Degrees " Death is part of Life, the best we can do is share the grief. Raju Jr to us, admiringly,was like Christopher Columbus ; guided the younger aspirant of the family from one room tenement of Sion to the distant land of prospect and prosperity.
 Kalyaniji ( aunty to others and Ji  to me ) has carried the torch courageously and fulfilled the vision which Raju jr inspired- Kid Varun is now Dr Varun Iyer, Jr Eshan in University , herself a successful home maker, achieved singularly with strength and detemination. Anand, Vaidya, Jasmine and Archana have taken the mantle forward, Nischay cleared the first term of engineering from the Iowa State University, Nishant has a secured job.  We are strongly bonded having our roots fully entrenched at Balaji. " CHEERS RAJU JR  AND MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY" I am for this occasion uncorking the SINGLE MART GLENFIDDICH SCOTCH always remained your brand of present to me.

Best Wishes from Great Grand Mother to the youngest keyaa and Athreya.

A Tragedy
The scenes in the parliament and assembly reflects that we should at once acknowledge that these members are really not worth being angry with further it is more unprofitable to rate their opinion on any national issue at more than a straw value, never had the condition of our country been more critical than it is during the second ill started administration of Dr. Manmohan Singh its aims are mistaken that the spirit it proceeds towards their accomplishment is not the spirit of sincerity and whole heartedness while the methods it has chosen and the leaders in whom it trusts are not the right sort of person to be leaders that are at present; the blind led if not by the blind, at any rate by the one eyed much similar to the Second ill equipped British administration of India of Lord Curzon, it was pure mischief and solemn nonsense the nation was crippled and mutilated, where the whole nation was stirred to its depth in sorrow and resentment when Curzon on 16th Oct 1905 partitioned the then Great Bengal it was characterized catastrophic committed since the battle of Plassey not different from what Dr. Manmohan Singh piloted the bill yesterday for partion of the State of Andhra. Ironically it was the second term of office of Lord Curzon when he affected the great divide of Bengal

SECULARISM
I find leaders from west and northern region of our country excessively use the term “Secularism” as their main theme of public address and also highlight in their election manifesto the same sentiments; further expressed while debating on national TV with their political foes. I was therefore compelled to do some research on secularism following its liberal use in various forums and political arena, Oxford Dictionary defines secularism as “Not concerned with religious belief or not bound by religious rule”. Our nation is a secular state by its written constitution unlike in the West where secularism came mainly out of conflict between the Church and the State. It can be also defined as a general separation of state politics and administration from religious matters and therefore I can assume that the essential principle of secularism was to seek human improvement by material means. In my eagerness wanted to find out its interpretation during" Middle Ages". Hazrat Amir Khusran who stood unequalled for volume of his writing and the originality of his ideals a person of comprehensive ability observed in his prose works during 14th century of Delhi sultanate that the fundamental social and political principle of the Middle Ages was loyalty to Salt. It overrode all social, communal and religious considerations. The Hindu Raja’s Muslim servants followed him against Sultans, just as the Sultan’s Hindu servants followed him against Raja. Loyalty to the Salt (Namak halali) was synonymous with patriotism; disloyalty to the salt (Namak harami ) was crime Blacker than Treason. Irrational as the principle may seem it prevented communal friction and worked for peace. Conversely, for the ruler all his subjects stood on an equal footing. The out look of the age was essentially secular. Religion was a war-cry and “nothing more”.
Since independence our leaders have divided the society having introduced several caste based reservations, subsidies and claimed all under the banner of ‘SECLURISM’. The generation of initial independent india believed the rhetoric of secularism to be assured safety from religious domination but now the youth and citizen of the nation must realize that Secularism of 21st century India has to be redefined its much misused theme and insist its leaders of LOYALTY TO THE NATION “NAMAK HALALI AND NOT NAMAK HARAMI” the 14th century dictum; as a hallmark towards progress of our national development and culture.

“UNIQUE 16th EDITION CAR RALLY”
The 240 km Mumbai - Lavasa “All Woman” car rally of 2000 female drivers, participated during the 6th Annual Event, which is now slated to be on the threshold of getting recognized in the Guinness World Record as the largest participation of females in a motor event universally. It is truly amazing, particularly, where licensed women drivers constitute just 14% of the total licenses issued in our country. 
The importance of this event should be judged from the observations concluded by the researchers at University of Michigan’s Transport Research Institute:- 
a) As on 2010 more than 105.7 million women were licensed to drive in United States compared with only 104.3 million men.
b) This trend has led to maintaining a steady sale in United States car market 
c) That changing gender demographics will have major implications on the extent and nature of vehicles demand, as females are more likely than males to purchase smaller safer and more efficient fuel vehicles and the statistics claim that the female car drivers have lower fatality rate per distance driven than males. Further a related report a study reveals that “Women Drivers in India and Bangladesh make “Dangerous Roads much SAFER”.
It is astonishing that the United States and even several developed Nations discouraged female driver’s participation in car rally till 1976 when the American National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing allowed female participation. 
Recently about a decade ago, in 2004 with the surge of female drivers the National Association for Stock of Car Auto Racing in United States founded a slogan “DRIVE FOR DIVERSITY”, a perfect and adequate symbol aptly applicable to the organizers of the 6th edition of Lavasa Women’s Drive has not only celebrated the spirit of woman hood but the participants displayed tremendous passion as they decorated their cars with innovative themes. 
The display of adventure, and competitive sports like car rally has now established that it is no longer a fact about “ BOYS HAVE CAR AND THE GIRLS THE DOLL” it will be more appropriate to acknowledge that The Girls would like CAR and DOLLS a blend evolving speed, control, art with tender care. While at present licensed women drivers constitute just 14% of the total licenses issued in our country, but it is expected to grow because of increasing hectic life style. The requirement to own or drive a vehicle has grown among women as working women in nuclear families need a safe independent and secure mode of transport for doing multiple jobs. The Lavasa women Drive Campaign has certainly affirmed that not only behind every successful man there is a contribution of women conversely there is spirit of a man in every woman literally. We notice this change for the benefit of our society that woman role is emerging in every sphere of activity from Politics ……. to Management to dare devil adventures. It is all encouraging, males have yet one more competitor to face in this predominately all male domain the “LONG DISTANCE CAR RALLY”.

BRAMHA TEMPLE AT PUSKAR

BRAHMA’S ONLY ABODE

“ PUSKAR”

BRAHMA considered to be the First God of the Hindu Trinity has just one popular Abode on earth in PUSKAR about 13 km from Ajmer in Rajasthan State. The temple structure dates to 14^th century but the original temple is believed to be 2000 years old, Sage Vishwa Mitra built it after performing Brahma Yagna and Sage Adi Shankara renovated this temple in 8^th century. According to several legends in Hindu mythology various causes supposed to have prevented Brahma from being ritualistically worshipped on earth like the other two Trinity SHIVA AND VISHNU. I have selected two ancient legends from many:-

Image and Legend:

Brahma the Hindu God of creation symbolizes that he is foundation of all knowledge required for the creation of the universe. The four arms represent the four directions that the Lord is omnipresent and omnipotent. The four faces of Lord Brahma represent the holy knowledge of the four Vedas (Riga, Yajur, Sama and Atharva)

Lord BRAHMA was very liberal and could be pleased when prayed to without much thought granted boons/favors to deadly demons from Hiranyakashipu to Ravana which made them singularly notorious in destroying the noble virtues on earth it then became necessary for Lord Vishnu to appear in various reincarnations to eliminate those demons. Lord Brahma was at one time as per the legend become the sole god of worship for the demons, as a result Brahma’s worship declined amongst religious devotees

The white beard conveys wisdom; he carries a rose and a book of vedas in the upper hand, a water pot in one lower hand and another lower hand to bestow grace. Brahma the God of creation and knowledge which encourages constant discussion and criticism including self doubt was not accepted for ritual worship, although Brahma is one of the Trinity but is found to exist more in scriptures than in homes and temples.

The priest have to follow a strict religious practice who must represent parashar gotra (lineage), only ascetics can perform the puja to the deity Lord Brahma. All offering just few selected flowers by pilgrims are given that too from the outer hall of the temple through a priest who is a sanyasi not married. Only once a year on Kartik poornima (Oct-Nov), a religious festival is held in Brahma’s honor.

Historical Reason:

Despite the fact that Brahma is one of the Trimurthis he has just one abode on earth (apart from Bharmlok in Haven) at Puskar, puranas reasons that Brahma cult existed in pre-vedic Hinduism and was superseded by Shiva-Vishnu cult later, and the combination of the God and his shakti has made the Brahma concept redundant.

Our pundit/priest (a mediatory agent between human and deities) chanted out mantras for peace of the departed soul, was a married Brahman made us offer a basket to the Lord Brahma which had offering of sweet, fruits, fabric, flowers and separate settled cash amount which I later realized was contrary to the religious traditions originally framed by our Seers to seek the blessing from the First Lord of Hindu Trinity. 

DARBAR SHAHIB

I and Hema were at Hari Mandir Sahib also known as Darbar Shahib the Golden Temple recently, the view majestic incredibly stunning and exceedingly beautiful the temple Dome is glided with 750 kg of pure Gold, the 2 storey temple located in the centre of the Amritsar city having marble walkway, surrounded with large pool of water “AMRIT SAROVAR” housing the sacred ADI GRANTH Holy Scripture. One of the most remarkable features of the Guru Granth Sahib is that it contains the writing of persons belonging to different communities, caste, faith for instance Kabir the Muslim weaver/poet, Surdas (blind poet) Namdev from Maharashtra, Saint Ravidass the shoe maker, Bhagat  Sadhana the butcher, Dhanna cultivator from Rajasthan these holy men cover a period of six centuries from 12^th to 17^th century, all have equal status as the hymns of the Guru. The main hymn the JAPJI, the Guru Manter was written by Guru Nanak. The Gurus considered worship through music the best means of attaining a state of bliss. There are basically three prominent methods to recite Granth Sahib, one on a special occasion to be recited nonstop from cover to cover by a string of readers in 48 hrs which is known as AKHAND PATH, another SAPTAHAK PATH daily reading to be completed in 7 days and the third SEHAJ PATH easy reading can be completed at any length of period beyond 7 days. The main theme of the Sikh region which I understood from my friend Jasbir Singh Matta are:-

a)      To relieve subjects particularly Hindus from the caste system, to worship non idolatrous God, free from meaningless form of rituals. Nanak said if God is a stone I will worship a mountain. The easiest way to find peace was by meditation and singing the hymns (Kirtans)   

b)      Spiritual life does not demand one to be ascetic by fasting or denial of food; and believed that any person discharging his obligation to his family and society had a good chance of attaining salvation.

Since God is infinite he could not die to be reincarnated nor could he assume human form which is subject to decay and death. God, Nanak believed was NIRANKAR (formless) hence could not be defined.

Darbar Sahib, feeds upto 1,00,000 people per day from the free kitchen run by volunteers and this has been going on for 450 years. Women have complete equality and can aspire to be the head of their religion.

Sikhism is very simple for the masses to understand the first 5 Gurus and the Guru Granth was propounded by men who were too modest to claim kinship with God, compared to Vedas, Upniashids and Puranas the masses knew little because of sanskritisation the learning of which was exclusively with Brahmin, Saints and Teachers; and the other five Gurus had to put up resistance against onslaught of Islam which led to martyrs in Arjun, Tegh Bhadur and sons of Guru Gobind and thousands of baptized khalsa

Sikhism has a semblance to Hinduism and some of Islam the Granth carries simple spiritual message for the masses to understand which perhaps is not so among the various world religion.