WINTER / HOLI / SHIVRATRI SPECIAL Canadian Hindu...

ISSN# 1920-9339

Canadian Hindu Link

WINTER / HOLI / SHIVRATRI SPECIAL

A Free Quarterly Journal Dedicated To Educating The New Generation Of Canadian Hindus

Volume 4 . Issue 1 Jan / Feb / Mar 2012

THIS ISSUE IS SPONSORED BY:Ace Financial Group, Floradale Medical Pharmacy, Dr. Naresh Sharma (Family Dentist), Heartlake Florist & Gifts, Mrs. Seema Makhija (Accounting Services), B.R. Auto Sales, Apollo Convention Centre, Mr. Dave Bhatia (Improbus Realty Corp.), Mr. Anil Sharma (Akal Financial Group), India Sajawat & Puja Hut, Lisa Samlal (Elle Esse Design Firm), Mr. Vishva & Mrs. Kamlesh Sharma, Avenue Optical, Mr. Pramod Anand (Homelife Woodbine), Mrs. Anjali Sharma, Joshi Law Office, Lakshmi Pujaa Centre, Routes - Car & Truck Rentals, Bill Sharma (Centrum Smart Mortgages Inc.), Paul Dhaliwal (Gill International Travel), Sheila Joshi (Sun Life Financial), Akal Optical, Neerja Sethi (Insurance Broker).

INSIDE THIS ISSUEFrom Editor’s Desk ....................3

Universal Deity Shri Ganesha ....4

Why I Am A Hindu: Gandhiji’s Explanation ...............................6

Mohandas K. Gandhi: Thoughts, Words, Deeds (Book Review) ....7

Mahashivaratri: Its Origin & Significance ...............................8

Mahashivrati In Kashmir ............9

Swami Vivekananda: The Universal Teacher ......................10

Holi: The Festival Of Colours ....12

Hindus Fighting Back Christian Conversion ................................14

Status Of Hindu Woman In Vedic Period ..............................15

Know Breath, Know Life. ...........18

The Lohri Festival. .....................19

Call For Religious Education. .....20

Hinduism Is God-Centred. Other Religions Are Prophet-Centred.. ...21

Remembering Freedom Fighters: Bal Gangadhar Tilak.. ..................22

Chhath Puja.. ...............................23

The Hindu Concept Of Heaven And Hell.. .....................................24

Intellectual Giants Of Ancient India.. ...........................................26

The Prophecies Of Indonesia.. ...28

A Dialogue on Hinduism ...........29

The Teertha-Yatra: The Pilgrimage 30

Reader’s Feedback.....................30

Happy Shivratri

CANADIAN HINDU LINK | VOLUME 4 . ISSUE 1


According to the Census Canada 2001, Over 297,000 Hindus live in Canada, of which 73 per cent are in Ontario. A large majority of Canadian Hindus are middle-class professionals and white-collar workers with tertiary education. Since most Hindu new Canadians speak English, and were exposed to modern, urban values and lifestyles back in India, they do not have many problems integrating with mainstream Canadians. But despite such advantages, they have not as yet made any significant mark on the political landscape of Canada.

However, in recent elections for the Ontario Legislative Assembly, Hindu Canadians made some headway in politics for the first time in this Province. According to an unconfirmed report, two Hindu Canadians were elected: Dipika Damerla (Cooksville, Mississauga) and Bas Balkisoon. (Toronto). Also, in the last Federal election, one NDP Hindu Member of Parliament, Rathika Setsabesian (Markham), was elected. What is more significant is that they were elected from the constituencies that had no large population of Hindus. It is also noteworthy that none of the three elected representatives is from India; they are all born outside India.

Many Hindus Canadians don’t feel connected to the political centres of Canada, and get little attention from politicians. Their absence from politics cannot be attributed to any one cause. The dozen or so prominent Hindus canvassed cited a variety of reasons: demographic disadvantage and a lack of unity and collective consciousness being the major ones.

Hindu immigrants have no reason to gravitate to any particular area where there may be a Hindu population. They feel secure and comfortable living in mainstream neighbourhoods. This demographic factor is not conducive to electing a Hindu candi-date, on the strength of a large group of Hindu voters in any one area. “There is no such thing as Hindu voting bloc. We don’t have ghetto mindset. Maybe, it works against us,” says Prabhat Kapur, a Brampton engineer and businessman.

Canadian Hindus are not a homogeneous community hailing from any one region one of India; they come from a variety of linguistic, cultural backgrounds, from various parts of India and also from other places like Fiji, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Guyana and Trinidad. The members of each sub- group follow a multitude of spiritual practices. In Canada, each group has established its own temple and cultural organization to meet the social and religious needs of its members. Their leaders are too self-absorbed in their own activities to liaise with other Hindu groups.

“Hindu organizations are a cluster of cultural islands with no bridges to connect them,” laments Kumar Agarwal, retired corporate executive and former chairman of Hindu Sabha

Temple. The nature of the Hindu religion itself may point to Hindus’ reluctance to become involved in Canadian politics.

Hinduism boasts a mind-boggling diversity. Without a hier-archy or central authority, Hindus find it difficult to develop a consensus or speak with one voice on any issue. Being an educated and well-informed community, they are highly individualistic; they think individually, not collectively. They support various political parties. Hindus resent being treated like a herd of sheep that can be shepherded in a particular direction.

Bhausaheb Ubale, the former Human Rights Commissioner of Ontario and Canada, attributes Hindus’ fierce individualism to the liberal, universal nature of their religion. “This is rooted in Hinduism. Each individual can worship or pray in his or her own way at home, without ever having to go to a temple. This individualistic approach is reflected in political behaviour as well. Individual thinking and action are the underpinning of Hindu behaviour.”

Hindus are very proud of their religion but they are not fanatics (at least, not the ones who immigrate to Canada). Their religion is not their identity. They would regard themselves first and foremost as Indians, Indo-Canadians or South Asians and then as Hindus.

Moreover, many Hindus from India do not consider politics an honourable profession. Referring to political corruption in India, one Hindu elder told me, “Politics is a dirty game played by dirty people using dirty tricks, for dirty aims.” Their Canadian-born children have become journalists, doctors, dentists, lawyers, engineers and accountants, but not politicians.

However, all of this does not mean Hindus are indifferent to politics. Hindu journalists, academics and bureaucrats in federal and provincial civil services do influence public policies. After initial struggle, the Hindu community in Canada has prospered, and is well integrated into the mainstream society. They are proud of their own successes and their children’s achievements in various professions. However, smugness and complacency can be dangerous for a tiny visible minority. Some in the community feel Hindus must cultivate a collective consciousness, and motivate their well-educated new generation to become politicians.

“Canadian Hindus have great potential in the political field; they must also apply their talents to this unknown, untapped and unexplored treasure of joy,” declares Jag Dhawan, a retired educator active with the Ontario PC party.

Ajit Adhopia Editor (asadhopia@hotmail)

From Editor’s Desk: HINDUS MAKE HEADWAY IN ONTARIO POLITICS


Hindus of the Sanatana Dharma faith worship Ganesha as the god of prosperity, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. His name is amongst the five presiding deities ranked for “panchyatna” puja – the other four being Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and Durga. There are different versions of Ganesha’s birth. Most Hindus believe that Parvati, Consort of Lord Shiva, moulded the form of a boy out of earth when she was going for a bath, bequeathing him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Lord Shiva returned to find his entrance being blocked by this little creature, he flew into a rage and struck off his head, which flew into a northward direction. Parvati was devastated with grief. In order to soothe her feelings, Lord Shiva sent out a team of his attendants to the north, to find a head. The attendants found an elephant that was fast asleep. They severed his head and brought it back to Lord Shiva, who at-tached it to the headless form and infused it with life. He then made him lord (pati) of his troops (gan), or Gan (troops) + Ish (lord). Hence the name Ganpati or Ganesh. To please his con-sort, Lord Shiva bestowed on Ganpati, the boon that his name would be invoked at the beginning of any new or auspicious venture planned by mankind.

Another legend has it that Parvati appealed to Lord Vishnu for a son by going on a fast for a year. When a son was born, all the gods got together to celebrate, and bless the child. Shani (Saturn), son of the Sun God Surya, kept his distance. Parvati demanded the reason. Shani said he did not want to harm the child by casting his

evil eye on him. Parvati scoffed at the idea and persuaded him otherwise. When Shani cast his eyes on the child, his head turned to ashes. Lord Vishnu instantly hurried out; the first baby he encountered was that of an elephant. He sev-ered his head, brought it back and attached it to the headless baby of Parvati.

There are those who give credence to the tale that Ganesha rumbled out of the laughter of Lord Shiva. He

was so handsome and attractive that Lord Shiva deemed it better to change him into

a pot-bellied child with the head of an elephant.

Ganesha is always depicted with the pot belly of a human being with the face of an

elephant with big ears and a trunk. The

body symbolizes delusion (maya) or earthly pleasures. The head portrays the soul which is the ulti-mate reality of

existence and the fountain of

wisdom. The trunk represents the cosmic

reality which is Om. The goad (axe) in the upper right hand is supposed to elimi-nate all obstacles in the path of humanity, veering them

towards a noble and righteous path. The noose in the upper left hand, represents

the hurdles that will be ensnared. The broken tusk in the lower left hand denotes sacrifice. The

rosary in the lower left hand is a symbol of continuous inspiration and knowledge. The delicacy or sweetmeat

(ladoo) in the trunk denotes a desire for everlasting pleasure and harmony of mind and soul. The large ears imply an ever ready willingness to give heed to those who are in distress. The snake around his waist portrays great energy, and the

HAPPY NEW YEAR, A JOYOUS HOLI & A BLESSED SHIVRATRI TO ALL OF OUR READERS, VOLUNTEERS AND SPONSORS.

Ajit Adhopia, Editor ([email protected] / 905.273.9563)

UNIVERSAL DEITY SHRI GANESHA By Aruna Duggal (Scarborough, Ontario)


mouse, which is one of the lowest creatures - that he favours to ride, an attribute of his humility.

Ganesha is worshipped by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists as Vinayaka and Vighneshwara – remover of sorrows and obstacles. All sects of Hindus begin their prayers with “Shri Ganeshaya namah.” Devotees of Ganesha chant the “Sahas-ranamah” (thousand names of Ganesha). Each name conveys a different aspect of the deity. Ganesha’s birthday is celebrated in the month of January/February (Magh) as Ganesha Jayanti. The festival of Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated for ten days, culminating in Ananta chaudas or the fourth day of the wax-ing of the moon in August. Worshippers of Ganesha termi-nate their puja by immersing his body in water. Lokmanya Tilak changed these family celebrations by making this day a great public event. Huge idols of Ganesha are now paraded in towns and villages followed by hundreds of devotees chanting his name, before they finally submerge his idol into a river. Unfortunately, people who start these customs do not rationalize their actions, and those who follow in blind faith do not give a thought to the outcome of their deeds. The idol of the deity that they worship, if not broken by the time it is thrown into the water, is eventually cast ashore in several fragments. It is further bulldozed into smithereens, and then trampled upon by the hundreds of pedestrians and animals who stroll along the shores of the rivers. Worshippers who need an idol to focus on when they pray, should at least show some respect for that idol which represents their god, and mete out a better fate for him.

Ganesha is attributed to dwell in the first chakra which is the principle manifestation on which the divine force rests. Believers are convinced that he abides in all living beings, propelling the force of life.

Ganesha is worshipped by all classes of people, especially leaders, merchants and travelers. His temples appear all over India, individually or as acolytes of other deities. He is worshipped as far as Malaya, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Indo-China, Java, Bali, Borneo, China, Japan and wherever these traders have settled. Ganesha is the Lord of beginnings and the remover of their obstacles and sorrows. No function is replete without his name.

“The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody! It will destroy you.”

“Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.”

“A man is great by deeds, not by birth.”

“Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.”

– Chanakaya

Vishal’s Gas & Fuel Ltd. Vishva Nath & Kamlesh Sharma

of St. Catherines, Ontario Wish You A

HAPPY NEW YEAR, HOLI & SHIVRATRI

And invite you to visit

Shiv Mandir 5284 Second Avenue,

Niagara Falls

For directions and details call

905-356-7575 OR 905-646-1166


An American [Christian] friend of Gandhiji who subscribed herself as a life long friend of India, once wrote this letter to Gandhiji and asked him,

Question: As Hinduism is one of the prominent religions of the East, and as you have made a study of Christianity and Hinduism, and on the basis of that study have announced that you are a Hindu, I beg leave to ask f you if you will do me the favor to give me your reasons for that choice. Hindus and Christians alike realize that man’s chief need is to know God and to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Believing that Christ was revelation of God, Christians of America have sent to India thousands of their sons and daughters to tell the people of India about Christ. Will you in return kindly give us your interpretation of Hinduism and make a comparison of Hinduism with the teach-ing of Christ? I will be deeply grateful for this favour.

Gandhiji’s Answer: I have ventured at several missionary

meetings to tell English and American mis-sionaries that, if they could have refrained from “telling India about Christ and had merely lived a life en-joined upon them by the Sermon on the Mont, India instead of suspecting them would have appreciated their living in the midst of her children and directly profited by their presence. Holding this view, I can tell American friends nothing about Hinduism by way of return. I do not believe in people telling others of their faith, especially with a view to conversion. Faith does not admit of telling. It has to be lived and then it becomes self-propagating.

Nor do I consider myself fit to interpret Hinduism except through my own life. And if I may not interpret Hinduism through my written word, I may not compare it with Christi-anity. The only thing it is possible for me, therefore, to do is to say, as briefly as I can, why I am a Hindu.

Believing as I do in the influence of heredity, being born in a Hindu family, I have remained a Hindu. I should reject it, if I found it inconsistent with my moral sense or my spiritual growth. On examination, I have found it to be the most tolerant of all religions known to me. Its freedom from dogma makes a forcible appeal to me inasmuch as it gives the votary the largest scope for self-expression. Not being an exclusive reli-

gion, it enables the followers of that faith not merely to respect all the other religions, but it also

enables them to admire and assimilate whatever may be good in the other

faiths. Non-violence is common to all religions but it has found

the highest expression and application in Hinduism

(I do not regard Jainism or Buddhism as separate from Hinduism). Hin-duism believes in the oneness not of merely all human life but in the oneness of all that lives. Its worship of the cow is,

in my opinion, its unique contribution to the evolution

of humanitarianism. It is a practical application of the belief

in the oneness and, therefore, sacredness of all life.

The great belief in transmigration is a direct consequence of that belief.

Finally, the discovery of the law of Varnashrama is magnificent result of the ceaseless search for truth. I must not burden this article with definitions of the essentials sketched here, except to say that the present ideas of cow worship and Varnashrama are a caricature of what, in my opinion, the originals are. The curious may see the definitions of cow worship and Varnashrama in the previous numbers of Young India. I hope to have to say on Varnash-rama in the near future. In this all too brief a sketch, I have mentioned what occur to me to be the outstanding features of Hinduism that keep me in its fold.

Source: This article first appeared in Gandhiji’s publication Young India on 20-10-1927. It is being reproduced here from his book Christian Missions: Their Place in India published by Na-vajivan Publishing House, Ahmadabad, India, with their consent.

WHY I AM A HINDU: GANDHIJI’S EXPLANATION By Dr. Dilip Charaborty (Brampton, Ontario)


A new book about Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma (the Great One) may appear blasé for some who have had the opportunity to read any of the many books written about this luminary spiritual and political leader from India. But this debut work of non-fiction, Mohandas K. Gandhi, Thoughts, Words, Deeds – His Source of Inspiration: Bhagavad Gita, written by prominent Guyanese-born Canadian Criminal and Immigration lawyer, Ramnarine Sahadeo, comes with a new visionary insight for peace, progress and prosperity into our vicious world of anger, hate, violence and a cornucopia of undesirables.

The book, in hardcover or paper-back, is just 159 pages and makes for easy reading by everyone. It is not for any escape, a religious text to be dubbed cynical by some; or to be dismissed with an expression. Nor is it a guided compendium of do’s and don’ts. It sketches the life of Gandhiji and brings to readers the important guiding principles and teachings of Hindu philosophy in the light of the Bhagavad Gita that were instrumental in the making of the Mahatma. Many have been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings. Many followed his guiding principles of non-violence, truth and love for one another. He strongly believed that through gentle actions, man can overcome violence, prejudice and power. In his own words he said to the world: “ An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.”

Where did Mahatma Gandhi get his inspiration from? Accord-ing to the author, Ramnarine Sahadeo, Gandhi was a lawyer who was inspired by Hindu philosophy as it is written in the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita is a primary chapter in the great Indian epic called the Mahabharata. And Gandhiji read and translated the Gita while he was in prison; he discovered the light of truth in this book as a source of universal ethics. The Gita changed Gandhiji and made him one of the greatest and most revered and honoured human beings that ever lived.

Ramnarine Sahadeo is himself a practicing Immigration and Criminal lawyer since 1980. His experiences with human

conditions go beyond the confines of the courtroom. His source of inspiration emanates from the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, his own family background in Guyana, South America, and the principles and practices of the great Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Events that impact one’s life have a tremendous effect on how the world is viewed

by him or her. One such event that impacted the author’s life took place on September 11, 2001. The bomb-ings of the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon by terrorists resulted in the loss of thousands of lives. And America is no longer the same. In fact, the whole world is no longer the same. And 9/11 as we come to know it as a horrendous event will always be remembered. Sahadeo asks us, in retrospect, to find hope in the Gita and Gandhi for harnessing peace and harmony among men.

Most events in history associated with 9/11 are illustrated by either war or violence (http://www.septem-ber11news.com/september11History.htm). However, there are two excep-tions of 9/11s that the author brings to the attention of readers. The first 9/11, 1893 relates to the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago where Swami Vivekananda made mention from the Bhagavad Gita that: “As the different streams having their sources in differ-ent paths which men take through dif-

ferent tendencies, various though they may appear, crooked or straight, all lead to thee.” (http://hinduism.about.com/ad/vivekanandaspeeches.htm) And the second 9/11, 1906 in Jo-hannesburg, South Africa where Mahatma Gandhi exploded with the modern non-violence movement, gathering over 3000 Transvaal Indians to find ways to oppose the Registra-tion Act. Satyagraha or non-violence became the weapon of the strong.

This book is in three parts. Part 1: takes the reader on a jour-ney to have a glimpse of the Mahatma and an outreach for the Gita; Part 2: enlightens the reader with a discussion on the Gita and the eighteen discourses as explained by Gandhi. Part 3: appendices and an Index. And the author can be found at the back of the book. The book is indeed an inspiration.

A Book ReviewMOHANDAS K. GANDHI: THOUGHTS, WORDS, DEEDS

By Leonard Dabydeen


The word Shivaratri, translated as The Night of Shiva, is made up of two words – Shiva, the regenerating aspect of God, and Ratri, which means night. It falls during the dark fort-night, Krishna Paksha, of Phalguna (February/March). It is the night festival observed by devotees of Shiva. They observe a 24-hour fast and keep a vigil overnight meditating, chant-ing, singing devotional songs and reading literature extolling the glory of Lord Shiva. The Lingam, the symbol of Shiva, is worshipped by offering Ganges water, curd, milk, fruits, flow-ers, bael leaves, honey and liquid butter (Ghee). The exact method of worshipping varies from one region to another.

Mythology Since Shivaratri is a very ancient festival, there are many

legends and stories about its origin and significance. Accord-ing to one mythological explanation, on this day, the devotees of Shiva celebrate the marriage of Shiva and his consort Parvati. It is also connected with a story of how a hunter, called Suswar, acquired the grace of Lord Shiva when he unintentionally worshipped him. The story goes that one day when Suswar was being chased by a hungry tiger; he climbed up a tree to save his life. The frightened hunter stayed up the tree all night as the tiger sat under the tree waiting for his meal to come down. Suswar, hungry and thirsty, started plucking and throwing down the leaves just to keep himself awake. It so happened that the leaves were falling on the top of a Shiva Lingam located under the tree. Lord Shiva was very pleased with his worship, though done unintentionally, and blessed him. In his next life, Suswar was reborn as a king named Chitrabhanu who observed Shivaratri with his people.

Arya Samaj Link Followers of the mod-ern Arya Samaj movement link Shivaratri with their founder,

Swami Dayanand, whose boyhood experience inspired him to seek the truth about God on this day. On the night of Shivaratri, when the boy Moolshankar (Swami Dayanand’s real name) stayed awake observing the fast, he noticed a rat climbing the Shiva Lingam and eating the offerings of food. He started wondering why people worshipped the God who could not even protect Himself from a rat. This question set Moolshankar on the course of searching for the true knowl-edge of God. His study, research and interpretation of the Vedas transformed him into Swami Dayanand.

Philosophical Significance According to many Hindus, Shivaratri has a deep philosophical significance, which lies in the literal meaning of the expres-sion Shivaratri, a combination of two words – Shiva and Ratri.

The word Shiva is composed of two syllables – Shi and va. Shi denotes ‘removal of sins’ and va means

‘release from worldly ties’. In other words, Shiva symbolically represents the fatherly aspect of the Omnipotent and Omnipresent God who helps us keep away from sinful acts, which will result in attaining Moksha, the release from the cycle of births and deaths. The word Ratri is also a combination of two syllables - Ra that means pain and miser-

ies, and tri connotes remover or destroyer. Symbolically, Ratri denotes the motherly

aspect of God, for a child forgets all the stresses and strains while he peacefully

sleeps in the lap of his mother. Thus, the festival of Shivaratri celebrates the union of the fatherly and motherly

aspects of God.

Regardless of its origin, Shivaratri reinforces Hindus’ faith in the

greatness and glory of God. The act of fasting allows them to empathise with those who

are suffering around the world. It also offers them

an opportnity to spend a night with their

family, which helps them to retain their

spiritual heritage.

MAHASHIVARATRI: ITS ORIGIN & SIGNIFICANCE

By Ajit Adhopia


‘Shivratri’ festival is most scrupulously observed by the Kash-miri Pandits, the ancient and original inhabitants of Kashmir. They make thorough preparations and collect eatables, fruits and sweets. The entertainment of the Shivratri festival extends to about three weeks in Kashmiri Pandit households. Each day or a group of days, has a special name and religious function which include social performances also. Some of the names are Akodah, Hurya Aatham, Dyara Daham, Vagarye Bah, Heracnia Truvah, Donya Mavas and Tila Aatham. On each day they have different functions.

The Mahashivratri festival is observed as Herath by Kash-miri Pandits and it celebrates the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Uma. Herath festival begins on the first day of Phalgun Krishna Paksha and ends on the Amavasi day in Phalgun. In between there are numerous auspicious days like Hur Ashtami. This year the main rituals of Maha Shivratri or Herath festival begins on March 1.

Walnuts, whose shape represents the universe, play an important part in Herath rituals. Walnuts are filled in earthen pots and it is then filled with water. The water is changed every day of the festivals.

A big earthen pot, two medium sized earthern pot, two small earthen pot, clay modeled to the shape of elephant trunk and seven bowls are used in the Herath ritual and they are known as ‘Watuk’. The watuk represents Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Sapta Rishis and other deities. Fasting is observed on the important puja day and it comes to an end at night. The rituals come to an end on the Amavasi day, which follows Shivratri. The puja items, flowers and pots are immersed in rivers. Walntus are distributed as Prasad.

Legends of Mahashivratri There are various interesting legends

related to the festival of Mahashi-varatri. According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of Lord Shi-va and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction. Another popular Shivratri legend stated in Linga Purana states that it was on Shivaratri that Lord Shiva

manifested himself in the form of a Linga. Hence the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivaratri - the grand night of Shiva.

Social Aspect Shivaratri provides a wonderful and meaningful get-together for all members of the family. Every member of the house-hold is normally in a festive mood. It is a day of prayer and meditation for the elders and one of fun and frolic for the youngsters, particularly children in their new colorful attires. During the Shivratri festival, all the family members, men, women and children play with cowries (sea shells).

Salaam

The day after Mahashivaratri Puja is called salaam, a Per-sian word for greeting. It is a day of fun and feasting, a sort of Thanksgiving Day when relations, friends and colleagues would exchange greetings. The poor would visit Hindu homes and take their share of Shivaratri presents in cash or kind or both as the case may be.

Hayrath Kharch On Shivaratri day, the head of the family offers pocket money to children and other junior members in the family, including the new brides, sons-in-law and the newly wed daughters,

called hayrath kharch. It is also sent to nearest rela-tions, including their new born and newly married

children.

Shivaratri puja is also called Vatuk Puja. Vatuk is a Kashmiri word meaning ‘collection or an

assemblage of different objects’. Since the main puja on Shivaratri day involves collection of a large number of articles, it is being called by the name Vatuk.

They also worship Vatuk Bhairav, sup-posed to be Shiva’s most trusted

dwarpal (gate-keeper). In Kashmiri Pandit Community, it is custom-ary for the women-folk, the old and young alike, to visit their parental home and return to

their in-laws with some money in token of love which in Kashmiri language is

called “atagat” and fire-pot( kangri), considered to be a good omen on this occasion.

Source: All India Radio website

MAHASHIVRATI IN KASHMIR By R.K. Raina [ AIR, Jammu Correspondent]


Shri Jawaharlal Nehru once said that to know modern India, it was sufficient to know only two persons - Mahatma Gandhi, the body of India and Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore, its soul. To make the national fabric three-dimensional, I would like to add one more name to this list - the name of Swami Vivekananda, the spirit of India.

In ancient India ‘Education’ was given much importance and teachers were held in high esteem. Swami Vivekananda was a teacher par excellence. Thinkers around the world gave various definitions of education. But, in my mind, the defini-tion given by Swami Vivekananda is the best. Swami Viveka-nanda said, “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in a man.”

Swami Vivekananda was a complete teacher- the “Guru”. The word teacher has many synonyms- Teacher, Preacher, Mentor, Supervisor, Guide, etc. but the Sanskrit word “Guru” is the most significant. The word “Guru” is made up of two words- “Gu” and “Ru”. “Gu” means secret, hidden, concealed, mystic… and “Ru” means to throw light. Hence he who enlightens the dark alcoves of one’s life is the “Guru”-the teacher. When we greet someone we say, “Hi, Hello, Good Morning, Bon Jour, Salaam, Aadab etc. But the Sanskrit word “Namaskar” seems to be the most meaningful. In Vedic (Indian) culture, it is taught that one should not work for one’s benefit, but for the benefit of others. Simply put, we may say that I work “For you, and not for me.” In Sanskrit, it is written as “Tabah, na Mamah”. When repeatedly uttering the phrase “ Na Mamah”, the final “Ma” sound is dropped and the word “Namah” is ut-tered. From “Namah” we get “Naman”, “Namaskar” etc.

Swami Vivekananda was a Universal Teacher. He did not teach a few students inside a class room; he taught all of mankind. He did not teach one par-ticular subject; he taught the Religion of Man. He practiced what he preached and he preached what he practiced. He was a complete teacher. His system encompassed almost all aspects of education- physical, moral, intellectual and spiritual. He put em-phasis on building a strong body. He wanted people to be “with muscles of iron and nerves of steel. “His lectures electrified the audience. He was a charming talker, an erudite scholar

and fluent orator. His speech had the vastness of the sky, the depth of an ocean and the height of a mountain peak.

Swami Vivekananda realized that India, with her enormous potential was poor and miserable in the comity of nations, because Indians lacked scientific knowledge and modern education. Centuries old British rule crippled the Indian economy. The rulers flourished at the cost of the ruled. Foreign rulers were

responsible for the drainage of Indian wealth and pau-

perization of the country. As a result, Indians lost their self-esteem.

We all know what hurdles and hardships

Swami Vivekananda faced to get entry into the Chicago Parliament of World Religions.

When he reached Amer-ica, he had no invitation to at-

tend the Parliament as a Delegate to represent Hinduism. Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard

University was requested to give Swami

Vivekananda a creden-

tial. After listen-

ing

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA: THE UNIVERSAL TEACHER By Dr. Dilip Chakraborty (Brampton, ON)

“...But I am from a country where character makes a man.”


to the speech of Swami Vivekananda at Harvard, Prof. Wright is quoted as having said, “To ask for your credentials is like asking the sun to state its right to shine in the heaven”. Prof. Wright also wrote,” Vivekananda is more learned than all the scholars of America put together.”

We all know what poor opinion the world had of India at the time of the Chicago Parliament. India was supposed to be a land of snakes, beggars and snake-charmers. When Swami Vivekananda addressed the seven thousand strong audience as “My brothers and sisters of America,” everyone stood up and gave a standing ovation to him by continuously applaud-ing for two minutes. He touched the hearts of the audience as he greeted the youngest of nations, in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world, the Vedic order of

sanyasins, a religion which has taught the world, tolerance and universal acceptance. The unknown Hindu monk of yesterday became a celebrity of tomorrow. Dr. Barrows, the President of the Parliament said,” Hinduism was represented by Swami Vivekananda, the orange monk, who exercised the most wonderful influence over the audience. The New York critic wrote, “Vivekananda is an orator by divine right.” The New York Herald wrote, “Vivekananda is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions. After hear-ing him we feel how foolish it is to send missionaries to this learned nation. The American press reported that Vivekanan-da was the greatest figure and the most popular and influen-tial man in the Parliament.

It can be said about Swami Vivekananda, “Veni, vidi, vici,”…He came, he saw and he conquered. Swami Vivekananda single-handedly uplifted the stature of India in the comity of nations. In the truest sense, Swami Vivekananda was the Spiritual Father of India. According to Swami Vivekananda,

“Society does not go down because of the activities of crimi-nals, But because of the inactivity of the good people.”

One single incident is worth mentioning, which speaks volumes of the spirit of Swami Vivekananda. After the Parlia-ment of World Religions was over, the authorities told Swami Vivekananda that he was handsome, spirited and a wonder-ful orator, but his loose saffron attire (vest) was not suitable. They pleaded with him to accept a gift of a stitched suit from the committee as a token of love, respect and appreciation. Swami Vivekananda smilingly replied, “You hail from a coun-try where tailor makes a man. But I am from a country where character makes a man.”

Get a Head Start with RoutesYour Car Rental Needs at the Lowest Possible Price

Free Local Pick-Up * Business Rental ProgramsThe Best Value for Your Money

Routes Car & Truck Rentals is Committed to ServingIt’s Customer & Franchise Operators Equally

Join the Routes Franchise GroupSeveral Key Markets Are Available

Toll Free: 1-866-467-6883CORPORATE OFFICE

3687 Nashua Drive, Unit #5, Mississauga, ON L4V 1V5Ph.: 905-677-4848 Fax: 905-677-4111

Email: [email protected]: www.routescarrentals.com

“...But I am from a country where character makes a man.”


The Spring Festival of India, Holi - is a festival of colors. Celebrated in March or April according to the Hindu calen-dar (This year, Holi will be celebrated on March 20, 2011). It was meant to welcome the spring and win the blessings of God for good harvests and fertility of the land. As with all the Hindu festivals, there are many interesting legends at-tached to Holi, the most popular being that of Prince Prahlad, who was a devout follower of Lord Vishnu. It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali. Holi in India is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha. The exuberance and the festivity of the season are remarkable.

Unlike all the other festivals of India, Hindu Holi festival is one such festival where one can put down the social taboos and indulge in the intoxicating drinks and sweets prepared by using opium. It is a festival of romance often represented by the love-play of Radha and Krishna. Brij Holi is famous all over the world for its gaiety in spirit. Each year, young and old, men and women, all indulge themselves in the spirit of colors and for once forget the social taboos. There are mouthwatering delicacies to savor such as ‘Gujhias’ and ‘Papris’ and there are interesting traditions and customs of Holi that have their own regional variances. We will also talk about making natural and healthy colors and safety precau-tions that one must take to enjoy Holi.

Holi Rituals Though the festival is a completely enjoyable and a ‘happy go lucky’ kind of festival, it is the rituals of the festival that give a completely new definition to it. As the festival is being cel-ebrated here since time immemorial, the rituals are also being practiced since then. These rituals are the reflection of the eternal spirit of Holi celebrations. These rituals remind people of the eternal Holi messages and commemorate the culture and traditions that have been defined by our ancestors. These rituals are religiously followed every year with care and en-thusiasm throughout the country.

Customs & Tradition Days before the actual festival begins, people start preparing for various rituals and customs. The gathering of wooden logs at the intersection points of two roads (choraha) and the preparation of scrumptious snacks recipes at the home all form vital part of the Holi rituals, which we have discussed in detail below. Though the rituals may vary a little from place to place, over all spirit of the festival remains the same every where.

Holika Dahan Celebrations At the eve of Holi, the ritual of Holika Dahan takes place. It is actually the burning of the effigy of the devil sister of demon

King Hiranyakashyap who tried to kill the devotee of Lord Vishnu, Hiranyakashyap’s son Prahlad. This ritual marks the beginning of holi celebrations. This also symbolizes the vic-tory of good over evil and also the victory of a true devotee. It is also known as Holi Bonfire.

Play of Colours On the day of Holi, there is no ritual of Puja ceremony in the morning. However, the lot of enthusiasm and fun as very early in the morning the color play begins in the surround-ings. People enthusiastically drench each other into water and colors. Some people also use color filled balloons and spray-ers on the occasion to spray colors on others.

Matka Ceremony In Mathura and Vridavana as well as the area near them, there is a unique ceremony called Matka ceremony. Though this ceremony was earlier exclusive of the Braj area, thanks to Bollywood it has become a trend all over the country. In the Matka ceremony, a big earthen pot of butter milk is tied at an unreachable height and then boys form human pyramid to reach up to the pot and break it. The women of the society then make ropes out of their sari and hit these guys from the roof top so that they become unsuccessful in their attempt. Along with this goes simultaneous color play and teasing.

Holi Procession Holi Procession is taken out in most of the Indian states on the occasion of Holi. In this procession, guys who are badly drenched in colors roam around their colonies and stop to sing Holi songs at every house. They are then gifted Gujiya and Thandai at each door and the procession thus move forward to other places.

Holi around the world Celebrated on the Phalgun month of the Hindu calendar, the festival of colors - Holi- is the time to have unlimited fun with the loved ones. On the occasion, people in India smear color on each other’s face, splash water by using pichkaris and balloons, exchange wishes by hugging each other. Tilak is ap-plied on the forehead of everyone who visits the homes, dur-ing Holi. Mouth watering sweets such as ‘Gujia’ are relished on, while people take immense pleasure in drinking ‘thandai’ (a cold drink made with almonds, spices, chilled milk and sugar) mixed with bhang, bhang pakoras and vadas made of bhang.

Though Holi is purely an Indian festival, it is gradually appeal-ing to the international populace as well. The splendor and charisma of the festival is such that it is celebrated far beyond the boundaries of the country. The secular character of Holi is

HOLI: THE FESTIVAL OF COLOURS


established by the fact that people residing in different parts of the world soak themselves in the colors of Holi. Indians have spread to the different corners of the globe, contributing to the fact that Holi festival is celebrated widely. This festival knows no bars, no boundaries. The gusto, with which it is celebrated, is simply worth seeing.

The festival of Holi abroad provides people an opportunity to mingle with each other, thereby improving their ties and bonds. The Indians settled abroad are even more eager to celebrate the festival, as it reminds them of their motherland and their loved ones. Like India, they also exchange sweets and greet each other. The spirit of festivity binds them to their roots. A break from the hum drum of daily life, Holi provides an opportunity to soak them in the colors of harmony and re-juvenate the memories of the celebrations of the festival back home. Know more about celebrations of Holi festival around the world, through the following lines.

HOLI IN USA Holi festival is celebrated with ardor in the countries like USA. A sizeable population of Indians can be found in the USA, which tells us the reason why the festival is observed with such gaiety there. In USA, religious organizations and societies take the responsibility of organizing the festival. Musical programs and meets are conducted to fill the air with the spirit of India. New York is completely dabbled by the colorful waters. Holi is marked by parades and attended by Indians, rejoicing, playing with colors in the midst.

HOLI IN UK In UK, the revelry of Holi is seen profoundly at places with a large congregation of Indians. The British city of Leicester is particularly known for its love for celebrating Indian festivals. The enthusiasm reaches its peak on the occasion of Holi. The joyous festival is marked with social gatherings and exchange of sweets. People enjoy the day by smearing colors on each other and playing with water, just as it is done back home, in India. People apply tilak on each other’s forehead to welcome and hug each other to wish.

HOLI IN SOUTH AFRICA The Indians settled in South Africa have made it a point to keep the tradition of celebrating Holi alive in South Africa, the southernmost country of the continent of Africa. The Indi-ans in South Africa play with colors, on the occasion of Holi. They sing songs, which is one of the prominent parts of the celebrations. People exchange gifts and greet each other. The evenings are spent in meeting friends and acquaintance living in different parts of the country.

Note: This article is reproduced here from the website www.iloveindia.com, complied and edited by Ajit Adhopia

SPECIAL RATES FOR ANYONE LICENSED AND INSURED OVER 6 YEARS

OVER 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE ONTARIO INSURANCE BUSINESS

GREAT PACKAGE DISCOUNTS

Registered Insurance Broker of Ontario,

contracted with over 15 companies


For long, Bharat has been the special target of church world-wide. To church, the Hindus represent the greatest stumbling block in grand design to establish Christ’s kingdom on earth. The poor, illiterate and mild Vanvasi Hindus are an obvious target in this nefarious design. For years, under the garb of social service, the church has been spreading its tentacles in far-flung, Vanvasi regions of the country. The converted Vanvasis become alienated from their customs and traditions. They also get uprooted from their cultural milieu. Conversion to Christianity is invariably associated with separatism and terrorism as is evident in North-East Bharat. There are several areas in our country which have become hotbeds of Christian missionary activities.

The Dangs district in Gujarat is one such area. The word Dang is a corruption of Dandakaranya, the legendary forest where Sri Ram and Lakshman spent some time while in exile. It is in this region that Shabari Mata, the immortal devotee of Sri Ram met her Lord and lovingly offered Him sweet berries which she had tasted herself. The spot where this meeting took place is located on Chamak hill in this region. There is a temple of Shabari Mata at this site. The picturesque Pampa Sarovar (lake) is located in this region. Situated on the border of Gujarat and Maha-rashtra, this district is pre-dominantly inhabited by Vanvasi Hindus. The district has 352 villages; the district headquarter is Ahwa. The town of Navapur in Maharashtra is close to the Dangs district of Gujarat.

It is pertinent to note that the first church was established in Dangs district in 1904. Since then, conversions to Christian-ity had been progressing at an alarming rate. In the period 1991-2001, the Christian population grew by a massive 400 per cent! The process of self-alienation and separatism which inevitably accompanies conversion had become visible in Dangs. Makeshift, illegal churches had mushroomed in cow-sheds and residential areas. These churches were unregistered and illegal. Such was the terrorism of Christian activists that it had become unsafe for Hindus to move out of their houses after dusk. It was in the midst of such hostile conditions that a Hindu swami descended upon Dangs.

Arrival of Swami Aseemanand A Bengali by birth, Swami Aseemanand has spent several years in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. His innovative and bold methods in arousing the latent feeling of Hindutva amongst the Vanvasis made him a byword in the field of

Hindu awakening. Little wonder than that Christian zealots made many murderous attempts on his life. Deeply con-cerned by the Christianisation of Dangs, Swamiji resolved to stay in Dangs and foil the designs of Christian missionaries. It was in August 1997 that this saffron-clad sannyasi set foot in Dangs. All that he carried with him in this unfamiliar and hos-tile terrain were around 500 lockets of Hanuman and an un-shakeable resolve! He would knock the door of each house and would ask the inmates one question, “Are you Hindu or Christian?” At the house of one such Hindu, Swamiji asked

him, “May I spend the night in your house?” The Hindu gladly welcomed Swamiji. Swamiji kept his luggage,

distributed the Hanuman lockets to the children and asked them to bring their Hindu friends in the evening for a Ram katha. That night, Dang witnessed the first ever Dharma Sabha. Sensing danger, Christian missionaries asked Swamiji, “What brings you here?” The Swami posed them the same question. We have come here to

serve the people replied the Christian missionar-ies. “I have come here to drive away those who

have come here to serve,” retorted the Swami. That was the beginning of the Hindu awakening in the Dangs.

Hindu awakening in the Dangs In 1998, 25000 Christians embraced the religion of their forefathers in just two months. The submissive Hindu who had been hitherto terrorised by the Christian missionaries began to assert himself. Hindu jaage, Christi bhaage became a popular slogan of the Vanvasis of Dangs. From 1998-2004, a total of 55 Vishal Hindu Sammelans were organised. These were attended by a total of four lakh Hindus. As Hindus objected to conversion activities of Christian missionaries, clashes broke out.

The so-called mainstream media used this pretext to tarnish the Hindus. In December 2004, press reporters from 40 countries descended upon the Dangs and spread a misinfor-mation campaign. As a result, the court restrained the Hindus from conducting any public ceremony around Christmas in future. Meanwhile, the tide of Hindu awakening only swelled. Today, Christian conversion activities have come to a halt not only in Dangs but also in the surrounding twelve districts.

In 2002, Hindu activists approached the famed Ramayana kathakar Sri Morari Bapu and requested him, “You mesmerise thousands with Ram Katha. We request you to organise Ram Katha in Dangs wher Sri Ram Himself spent some time”. Sri Morari Bapu readily agreed. The tremendous response overwhelmed Sri Morari Bapu. In the course of his speech,

HINDUS FIGHTING BACK CHRISTIAN CONVERSION By Manohar Kamath


he spontaneously expressed the desire that a formal kumbh be organised at the spot where Shabari Mata had met Sri Ram. Sri Morari Bapu’s desire was taken up as an order to be implemented. Thus was born the idea of Shabari Kumbh.

Scale of the Shabari Kumbh Organising a kumbh in a remote, heavily forested area was a nightmare as far as logistics was concerned. It required steely resolve, meticulous planning and precision to make the pro-gramme a grand success. The 352 villages in Dangs district had no electricity, or roads; the town of Ahwa is a good 35 km from the proposed site of the kumbh. There are no medi-cal facilities or eateries in the vicinity. But the famed organi-sational might of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other like-mind-ed organisations was in full gear. Realising the importance of such a venture to the state of Gujarat, the state government of Shri Narendra Modi extended full co-operation. Planning started atleast one and a half years ago. A 200-250 hectare site was chosen for the kumbh. The state government un-dertook construction of roads on a war footing. All the 352 villages of Dangs got electrification. A total of 22 check dams were built on the river that feeds the Pampa Sarovar where the holy bath was to take place. A total of 20 lakh Vanva-sis resided in an area of 80 km around Dangs. A survey of 5000 villages in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh was completed in the initial phase. Around 30-35 lakh Vanvasis were contacted in this massive exercise. An estimated six lakh Hindus attended the kumbh; of these, around two lakh stayed for all three days. To arrange for their lodging, 40 townships each with a capacity of 5000 people, were erected. Each township had 100 workers to look after various arrangements such as security, food, medical aid etc. Thus a total of 4000 workers were required to look after the arrangements in the townships; an additional 2000 workers were involved in other arrangemets.

About 388 Vanvasi janajatis and 137 urban jatis who were currently facing missionary onslaughts were represented at the kumbh. Further, dharmacharyas from all over the country including 800 Vanvasi saints attended the kumbh and took part in the deliberations.

Each participant was given a locket of his ishtadevata. Around 20 lakh lockets, 5 lakh Hanuman Chalisa and 5 lakh bhagwa dhwaj were distributed.

The success of this campaign like the one led by Swami Laxmanananda in Kandhamal enraged the anti-Hindu forces. The UPA is in the forefront of this conspiracy. Now a saintly person is falsely charged with terror links in an attempt to discredit him and destroy their work.

Source: www.Organiser.org. 14/12/2010. This article was for-warded to us by one of the readers of the Canadian Hindu Link.

STATUS OF HINDU WOMAN IN VEDIC PERIOD In ancient India, women occupied a very important position, in fact a superior position to men. It is a culture whose only words for strength and power are feminine – ”Shakti’’ means “power’’ and “strength.’’ All male power comes from the feminine. Literary evidence suggests that kings and towns were destroyed because a single woman was wronged by the state. For example, Valmiki’s Ramayana teaches us that Ravana and his entire clan was wiped out because he abducted Sita. Veda Vyasa’s Mahabharatha teaches us that all the Kauravas were killed because they humiliated Draupadi in public. Elango Adigal’s Sillapathigaram teaches us Madurai, the capital of the Pandyas was burnt because Pandyan Nedunchezhiyan mistakenly killed her husband on theft charges.

In Vedic times women and men were equal as far as education and religion were concerned. Women participated in the public sacrifices alongside men. One text mentions a female rishi Visvara. Some Vedic hymns, are attributed to women such as Apala, the daughter of Atri, Ghosa, the daughter of Kaksivant or Indrani, the wife of Indra. Apparently in early Vedic times women also received the sacred thread and could study the Vedas. The Haritasmrti mentions a class of women called brahmavadinis who remained unmarried and spent their lives in study and ritual. Panini’s distinction between arcarya (a lady teacher) and acaryani (a teacher’s wife), and upadhyaya (a woman preceptor) and upadhyayani ( a preceptor’s wife) indicates that women at that time could not only be students but also teachers of sacred lore. He men-tions the names of several noteworthy women scholars of the past such as Kathi, Kalapi, and Bahvici. The Upanishads refer to several women philosophers, who disputed with their male colleagues such as Vacaknavi, who challenged Yajnavalkya. The Rig Veda also refers to women engaged in warfare. One queen Bispala is mentioned, and even as late a witness as Megasthenes (fifth century B.C. E.) mentions heavily armed women guards protecting Chandragupta’s palace.

Louis Jaccoliot, the celebrated French author of the Bible in India: Hindoo Origin of Hebrew and Christian Revelation said:

“India of the Vedas entertained a respect for women amount-ing to worship; a fact which we seem little to suspect in Europe when we accuse the extreme East of having denied the dignity of woman, and of having only made her an instrument of pleasure and of passive obedience.” He also said: “What! here is a civilization, which you cannot deny to be older than your own, which places the woman on a level with the man and gives her an equal place in the family and in society.”


One of the acharyas of Ayurveda has said, “Rase sidhe karishyami nirdaridryam idam jagath” which means, “I am giving this knowledge of Ayurveda to take away suffering from the world’’. So, the approach of Ayurveda towards life is wholistic.

Life has four characteristics; it exists, evolves, expresses and extinguishes. For this, it depends on five elements: earth, water, air, ether and fire. To make it easier to understand we can bring in the five senses and its objects: sight, smell, taste, sound and touch. The study of life is Ayurveda (‘Ved’ means to know, ‘Ayur’ is life).

According to Ayurveda, life or existence is not a rigid com-partment, but a harmonious flow. Even these five elements of which the whole universe is made of, are not tight compart-ments of defined objects. They flow into one another. Each one of the elements contains the other four.

The subtlest in us is space, which the mind is made up of, and the gross is the earth element, which our bones and marrows, and the skin and the structure is made of. This is further divided into three Doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. It is a way to understand the physiol-ogy, its characteristics and its reflection on the mind.

When an illness arises, it comes first in the thought form, the subtlest aspect, then the sound form, and then the light form, that is, in the aura. It is only then that the illness manifests in the body. Simple symptoms arise in the fluid form, which can be irradicated, and then it manifests in the most gross form, where it needs medication.

In treatments such as aromatherapy, an illness can be cured just through fragrance. It is mostly focused on the preventive aspect. The holistic approach of Ayurveda includes exercise, breath-ing and meditation. It is very interesting to notice the relationship between breath and the differ-ent Doshas in the body, namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These three Doshas affect certain parts of the body more than the other parts.

For example, Vata Dosha is predominant in the lower part of the body – stomach, intestine, etc. Diseases like gastric problems and joint aches are

caused due to the Vata imbalance.Kapha dosha is predominant in the middle part of the body. Cough is mainly a result of Kapha imbalance. (Perhaps the word cough has come from the sanskrit word Kapha). And Pitta, affects the upper part of the body ie, the head. Short temper is a sign of Pitta.

Yoga, or breathing techniques like Sudarshan Kriya (The Art Of Living Healing Breath Technique) and the three-stage pranayama (channeling Prana or life force to different parts of the body) have an effect on these three Doshas.

Among different pranayama and other breathing techniques, there are specific breathing exercises for the lower, middle and the upper parts of the body which help bring balance to the respective areas.

How do we bring good health to our system? First, by attending to the ether element – the mind.

If your mind is bogged with too many impressions and thoughts,

and it is draining you of your resistance power, that is where it is

preparing your body for some illness. If the mind is clear, calm, meditative,

and pleasant, the resistance in the body would increase. Because it would not al-

low an illness to come into the body.

The first remedy is calming the mind, coming from the subtlest aspect of creation,

the ether. And then comes the air element, the breathing. Aromatherapy, etc comes in this

category. Next is the light element; here comes the colour therapy. Before an illness manifests in the body you

can see that in the aura of a person. And by energising our system with the prana or life energy one can clear the aura and prevent the illness.

That is what yoga does. The purpose of yoga is, ‘‘stopping the sorrow before it arises’’. To burn the seed of sorrow before it sprouts. And then comes the water element.

Fasting with water or purifying the system with water can bring a lot of balance in the system. And the final recourse is different medicinal herbs, medicines, and surgery. All this comes when everything else fails or when we neglect these other steps.

Our breath holds a lot of secrets because, for every emotion in the mind, there is a corresponding rhythm in the breath. And each rhythm affects certain parts of the body, physi-cally. You only need to observe it to feel it. For instance, we

KNOW BREATH, KNOW LIFE.


feel a sense of expansion when we are happy and a sense of contraction when miserable. Though we feel that happiness or misery and the sensation, we fail to notice the connection.

Knowledge is knowing that which expands. What is that? This knowledge, this enquiry is the study of consciousness, is the study of life, that is the study of prana, the study of Ayurveda. Have you ever counted how many times you breathe in a minute? Breathing is the first act of life and it’s the last act of life. In between, the whole life we are breathing in and out, but not attending to the breath. Ninety percent of the impuri-ties in the body go out through the breath because we are breathing twenty-four hours a day. However, we are using only thirty percent of our lung capacity. We are not breathing enough.

See, the mind is like a kite and the breath, a thread. For the mind to go high the breath needs to be longer. You don’t have to take Prozac if you can attend to the breath.

In one minute we breathe nearly sixteen to seventeen times. If you are upset it may go up to twenty, if you are extremely tense and angry, it could total twenty-five per minute. Ten if you are very calm and happy, two to three breaths if you are in meditation. Deep meditation can reduce the number of breaths you take.

If you observe an infant, you will be amazed at how balanced they breathe. They breathe from all the three sections of the body. As they breathe in their belly comes out, as they breathe out their belly moves in. But the more nervous and tense you are, you will do the reverse. When you breathe out your tummy will come out and when you breathe in, it goes in.

These things, you don’t have to go to a school or learn from anybody if you have the sharpness of mind. But our mind is so preoccupied with so many things, so many judgements, so many opinions, and so many impressions in the mind so we are unable to observe, perceive the refined things in nature.

So we need to study. The yoga asanas are something which everyone has done as a child. Have you seen a six month old baby lying on its back with its legs up. And it kicks its legs and head also up, almost like what you do with the ab (abdominal) machine. Then it goes on its back and does the ‘cobra’ posture in yoga. And if you observe a sleeping child, its thumb and the index finger slightly touch, a formation which is the ‘Chin mudra’.

Or go to a zoo and observe the monkeys. Even they do many of the asanas to keep themselves healthy. So these are the things that coordinate body, breath, mind and spirit. And Ayurveda attends to this holistic approach. There are so many points in the body which correspond with different sensations but these are reflections of something which is beyond all this. What is that something? That is the source of life.

THE LOHRI FESTIVALThe origin of the Lohri can be traced back to the tale of Dulla Bhatti. By the end of the first week of January, small groups of boys ring the doorbell of houses and start chanting the Lohri songs related to Dulla Bhatti. In turn, the people give them popcorn, peanuts, crystal sugar, sesame seeds (til) or gur as well as money. Turning them back empty-handed is regarded inauspicious.

Lohri marks the end of winter on the last day of Paush, and beginning of Magha (around January 12 and 13), when the sun changes its course. It is as-sociated with the worship of the sun and fire and is observed by all communities with different names, as Lohri is an exclusively Punjabi festival. The ques-tions like When it began and why it is lost in the mists of antiquity.

The origin of Lohri is related to the central character of most Lohri songs is Dulla Bhatti, a Muslim high-way robber who lived in Punjab during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Besides robbing the rich, he rescued Hindu girls being forcibly taken to be sold in slave market of the Middle East. He arranged their mar-riages to Hindu boys with Hindu rituals and pro-vided them with dowries. Understandably, though a bandit, he became a folk hero of all Punjabis, Hin-dus, Muslims and Sikhs. Therefore, every other Lohri song has words to express gratitude to Dulla Bhatti.

Some believe that Lohri has derived its name from Loi, the wife of Sant Kabir, for in rural Punjab Lohri is pronounced as Lohi. Others believe that Lohri comes from the word ‘loh’, a thick iron sheet tawa used for baking chapattis for community feasts. An-other legend says that Holika and Lohri were sisters. While the former perished in the Holi fire, the latter survived. Eating of til (sesame seeds) and rorhi (jag-gery) is considered essential on this day. Perhaps the words til and rorhi merged to become tilorhi, which eventually was shortened to Lohri.

Ceremonies that go with the festival of Lohri usually comprises of making a small image of the Lohri god-dess with gobar (cattle dung), decorating it, kindling a fire beneath it and chanting its praises. The final ceremony is to light a large bonfire at sunset, toss sesame seeds, gur, sugar-candy and rewaries in it, sit round it, sing and dance until the fire dies out. People take dying embers of the fire to their homes. In Punjabi village homes, fire is kept going round the clock by use of cow-dung cakes.

Source: Website www.lohrifestival.org/origin-of-lohri.html- edited version


Religiosity has been put on the back burner in India. The ad-herents of Hinduism are treated as pariahs the moment they talk of ancient India, Indian heritage, culture, the Vedas and India’s contribution to global civilization during the last two millennia, if not even earlier. India is in an unusual situation; the majority of the population fear being labeled “commu-nal,” that is, against one religion or another. They may be so labeled by those who follow a post-independence interpre-tation of secularism in which religion is to be avoided. But those leaders of India’s original freedom struggle who lived to see this interpretation of secularism have urged us to consider religion, especially in education.

One of the sharpest minds in contemporary history, C. Ra-jagopalachari, warned in the late 60s: “Mass education, in the sense herein explained, which is to result not only in knowl-edge and mental preference of the good but in the capacity and readiness to work and suffer for it, cannot, so far as I see, be organized except on a religious base; religious in the broadest sense. To misunderstand the ‘secularity’ to which people think we are pledged and to treat religion as untouch-able is one of the many unfortunate follies our government has fallen into. It is not impossible, or even very difficult, to deal with and include religion in a nationwide effort to make men truly religious, each in the way shown by his or her own religion and add to it a spirit of understanding and respect for other people’s religion and way of life.”

Raja Ji’s contemporary Maulana Abul Kalam Azad expressed similar views in 1948: “Our present difficulties, unlike those of Europe, are not creation of materialistic zealots but of reli-gious fanatics. If we want to overcome them, the solution lies not in rejecting religious instruction in elementary stages but in imparting sound and healthy religious education under our direct supervision so that misguided credulism may not affect the children in their plastic stage.”

Maulana had examined the consequences of divorcing religions from education in the following terms: “What will be the consequence if the government undertakes to impart purely secular education? Naturally, people will try to provide religious education to their children through private sources. How these private sources are working today or are likely to work in future is already known to you. I know something about it and can say that, not only in villages but even in cit-ies, the imparting of religious education is entrusted to teach-ers who are literate but not educated.”

Hinduism accepts Divinity in every creation, every human being included. It cannot be unfair to any person of a dif-ferent faith. Consequently, secularism is an inbuilt part of Hinduism in the sense that it implores everyone to remain true to his own faith and at the same time support others in being true to theirs. There could hardly be an approach more conducive to creating a cohesive world order that survives on mutual respect and creates conditions for living and working together, the prime requirement of our times.

The judiciary has also realized the role of religions in incul-cating moral and ethical values in children and citizens. In a 2002 judgment, the Supreme Court stated, “Children must be made aware of [the] basics of all the religions of the people of India. They should know the commonalities and learn to respect differences wherever these exist.” This in no way violates the spirit of secularism as enshrined in India’s consti-tution. The extent of mutuality amongst religions is a measure of the maturity of people and communities. Hinduism con-tinuously reaffirms that learning is a process that continues until life proceeds on the other journey.

Professor J.S. Rajput is the former chairperson of the National Council for Teacher Education and former director of NCERT. Email: [email protected]

CALL FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:Secularism In Education Means Teaching About All Religions,

Not Being Silent On The Subject By Dr. J.S. Rajput

GOOD NEWS FOR OUR READERS

Subscribe And Get Your Copy By Mail

This quarterly magazine is available free from temples in the 416 and 905 area.

However if you are unable to obtain a copy, the Canadian Hindu Link magazine is available online at:

www.canadianhindulink.com

If you prefer to read a hard copy, you can now receive yours in the mail regularly

for a low annual subscription fee of $10/year.

Please Make Cheque Paybale To: InderLekh Publications,

2546 Pollard Drive, Mississauga, ON L5C 3H1


Hinduism cannot be described as an organized religion. It is not founded by any individual. Hinduism is God-centred and therefore one can call Hinduism as founded by God, because the answer to the question ‘Who is behind the eter-nal principles and who makes them work?’ will have to be ‘Cosmic power, Divine power, God’

Swami Vivekananda wrote: There are these eternal principles, which stand upon their own foundations without depending on any reasoning, even much less on the authority of sages however great, of Incar-nations however brilliant they may have been. We may re-mark that as this is the unique position in India, our claim is that the Vedanta only can be the universal religion, that it is already the existing universal religion in the world, because it teaches principles and not persons.

[The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, III,

Topic ‘The Sages of India’]

Swami Vivekananda wrote: If you want to be religious, enter not the gate of any or-ganised religion. They do a hundred times more evil than good, because they stop the growth of each one’s individual development.... Religion is only between you and your God, and no third person must come between you. Think what these organised religions have done! What Nepoleon was more terrible than those religious persecutions? If you and I organise, we begin to hate every person . It is better not to love, if loving only means hating others. That is no love. That is hell! If loving your own people means hating everybody else, it is the quintessence of selfishness and brutality, and the effect is that it will make you brutes.

[The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume I, Topic ‘The Gita III]

Swami Vivekananda wrote: Truth is of two kinds: (1) that which is cognisable by the five ordinary senses of man, and by reasonings based thereon; (2) that which is cognisable by the subtle, super-sensuous power of Yoga. Knowledge acquired by the first means is called science; and knowledge acquired by the second is called the Vedas.

The whole body of super sensuous truths, having no beginning or end, and called by the name of Vedas, is ever existent.

The Creator Himself is creating, preserving and destroying the universe with the help of these truths.

The person in whom this super-sensuous power is manifest-ed is called a Rishi, and the super-sensuous truths, which he realises by this power, are called the Vedas.

This Rishihood, this power of super-sensuous perception of the Vedas, is real religion. And so long as this does not develop in the life of an initiate, so long is religion a mere empty word to him, and it is to be understood that he has not taken yet the first step in religion.

The authority of the Vedas extends to all ages, climes and persons; that is to say, their application is not confined to any particular place, time and persons.The Vedas are the only exponent of the universal religion.

HINDUISM IS GOD-CENTRED. OTHER RELIGIONS ARE PROPHET-CENTRED.


Bal Gangadhar Tilak is considered as the Father of Indian National Movement and one of the chief architects of mod-ern India. He was popularly called Lokmanya (Beloved of the people) and was a social reformer, freedom fighter and a scholar of Indian history, Sanskrit, Hinduism, Mathematics and Astronomy. He founded the Deccan Education Society to impart quality education to India’s youth and was the first intellectual leader to understand the importance of mass sup-port. Gandhiji called him ‘the Maker of Modern India’ and Jawaharlal Nehru described him as ‘the Father of the Indian Revolution.’ However, the British described him as ‘The Fa-ther of Indian Unrest.’

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born on July 23, 1856 in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra as the son of Gangadhar Ramachandra Tilak, a Chitpavan Brahmin and a Sanskrit scholar. Tilak was a brilliant student and got education from some of the well-known teachers in Pune. He married Satyabhama, a 10-year-old girl while he was doing his matriculation. After passing the matriculation examination, he joined the Deccan College and took graduation with a first class in mathematics. After graduation, he began teaching mathematics at Fergusson College in Pune. Subsequently, he took a degree in law as well. Tilak became a strong critic of the Western educa-tion system and along with Agarkar and Vishnushastry Chiplunkar; he founded the Deccan Education Society in 1884 to impart quality educa-tion. He was also responsible for the establishment of hun-dreds of schools.

Tilak interest in journalism prompted him to start two publica-tions, Kesari and Mahratta, the former a Marathi weekly and the latter an English weekly. He used fiery language to arouse the people and highlighted the plight of Indians through these publications. In 1896, when the entire nation was gripped by the famine and plague, Tilak criticised the government’s irresponsibility and published reports fearlessly.

Tilak joined the Indian National Congress in 1890 and exhorted banning of child marriage and welcomed widow remarriage. He took the leadership in propagating Sarvajanik Ganesh festival in 1893 and Shivaji Jayanti in 1895 which pro-vided a platform for leaders to inspire masses. By introducing Hindu religious symbolism and by invoking popular traditions of the Maratha struggle against Muslim rule, he made the nationalist movement more popular.

Tilak was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment in 1897 for one and a half years for instigating people to rise against the gov-ernment. He was the first freedom fighter in India to get po-litical imprisonment under the British. Intellectuals in England and orientalists like Max Muller convinced the Government that the trial was unfair. The trial and sentence earned him the title Lokamanya and after his release, he launched the Swadeshi Movement. Meanwhile, Congress was split into two camps-Moderates led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Extrem-ists led by Tilak. Tilak was supported by Bipin Chandra Pal in Bengal and Lala Lajpat Rai in Punjab who were referred to as the Lal-Bal-Pal triumvirate. Extremists were in favour of

self-rule while the Moderates thought that time were not ripe for the same. In 1907, the Congress Party

was split into Garam Dal (‘Hot Faction’) and Naram Dal (‘Soft Faction’) during the Surat convention.

Taking advantage of the split in the national-ist forces, the government again prosecuted

Tilak on a charge of sedition and deported to Mandalay, Burma to serve a sentence of six years’ imprisonment. In the jail, Tilak wrote

his magnum opus, the Srimad Bhagavadgita Rahasya, an original exposition on Bhagavad

Gita. He wrote many books on Indian culture, history and Hinduism like The Orion or Researches into the antiquities of the Vedas in which he used astronomy

to establish that the Vedic people were present in India at least as early as the 4th millennium B.C. and the Artic Home in the Vedas. His other published works include The Hindu philosophy of life, ethics and religion; Vedic chronology and Vedanga Jyotisha; Letters of Lokamanya Tilak and Selected documents of Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1880-1920).

After his release on June 8, 1914, Tilak tried to bring the two factions of Congress together but his efforts did not succeed. He also helped found the All India Home Rule League with Annie Besant and Mohammad Ali Jinnah with the inspiring slogan “Swarajya is my birthright and I will have it.” In 1916, he concluded the Lucknow Pact with Mohammed Ali Jinnah which provided for Hindu-Muslim unity in the struggle for independence. As President of the Indian Home Rule League, Tilak visited England in 1918. He realized that the Labour Party was a growing force in British politics, and he estab-lished relationships with its leaders. Coincidentally, it was a Labour government that granted independence to India!

REMEMBERING FREEDOM FIGHTERS:BAL GANGADHAR TILAK By V.N. Gopalakrishnan (Mumbai, India)


When Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, partitioned Bengal in 1905, Tilak strongly opposed it and advocated a boycott of British goods. The following year, he set forth a programme of passive resistance. These forms of political action initiated by Tilak were later adopted by Gandhiji in his program of non-violent non-cooperation with the British. During the Amritsar Session of the Congress in 1919 he advised the delegates to follow policy of ‘responsive co-operation’ in carrying out the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms which introduced a certain degree of Indian participation in regional government.

Tilak was the first Congress leader to suggest that Hindi, writ-ten in the Devanagari script, should be accepted as the sole national language of India, a policy that was later endorsed by Gandhiji. Tilak was so disappointed by the brutal incident of Jalianwala Bagh massacre that his health started declining. Despite his illness, Tilak issued a call to the Indians to protest against the massacre. However, his health did not permit him to lead the movement and on August 1, 1920, a day before Gandhiji launched his first non-co-operation movement, Tilak breathed his last.

Source: Author is a freelance journalist and a social activist. He can be contacted on [email protected].

CHHATH PUJA

Chhath (also called Dala Chhath) is an ancient Hindu Festival dedicated to the Sun God, known as Surya. It is a festival ob-served most elaborately in Bihar and Jharkhand on the sixth day of the lunar month after Diwali every year, hence another name for Chhath is Surya Shashti, usually a 4 day long cel-ebration. In modern times it is also prevalent in areas where migrants from Bihar and Jharkhand have a presence. Thus it is celebrated in all regions and major urban centers in India.

Chhath is a way to be grateful to the Sun for giving the bounties of life on earth and for the fulfillment of wishes of believers. It is a festival of reverence to the solar deity, the only festival in the world where devotees offer salutations to the setting sun. Sun worship in Hinduism is believed to help cure a variety of

diseases, including and helps ensure the longevity and pros-perity of family members, friends and elders.

The Four Days Of Chhath Puja: Day 1: Nahay Khay (Literally, Bathe And Eat) On the first day of Chhath Puja, the devotees take a dip, preferably in the river Ganga and carry home the holy water of Ganga to prepare the offerings. The house and surround-ings are scrupulously cleaned. The ladies observing the Vrata (a.k.a. Vratins) allow themselves only one meal on this day.

Day 2: Kharna (The Day Before Chhath) On Panchami (5th day), the day before Chhath, the Vratins observe a fast for the whole day, which ends in the evening a little after sunset. Just after the worship of Sun, the offerings of Rasiao-kheer (rice delicacy), puris (deep-fried puffs of wheat flour) and bananas are distributed among family and friends. The next 36 hours, the Vratins go on a fast without water.

Day 3: Chhath Sanjhiya Arghya (Evening offerings) The day is spent preparing the prasad (offerings) at home. On the eve of this day, the entire household accompanies the Vratins to a riverbank, pond or a common large water body to make the offerings (Arghya) to the setting sun. It is during this phase of Chhath Puja that the devotees offer prayers to the just setting sun. The occasion is almost a carnival. Besides the Vratins, there are friends and family, and numerous participants and onlookers, all willing to help and receive the blessings of the worshipper.

The folk songs sung on the evening of Chhath reflect the culture, social structure, mythology and history of Bihar and Jharkhand. The three main linguistic regions of Bihar (the Maithili, the Magadhi, and the Bhojpuri), and all the various dialects associated with these, have different folk songs; but have an underlying unity in their dedication to Chhath.

Day 4: Paarun (the day after Chhath) Bihaniya Arghya (next morning offerings): On the final day of Chhath Puja, the devotees, along with family and friends, go to the riverbank before sunrise, in order to make the offerings (Arghya) to the rising sun. The festival ends with the break-ing of the fast by the Vratins and friends visiting the houses of the devotees to receive the prashad. The chhath has so much importance that even millionaire beg for prasad at the Chhath ghat. This symbolizes that all persons are beggar in front of the Almighty.

Why Salutations To The Setting Sun? Chhath is the only time when the setting sun as opposed to its rising is celebrated for its glory because according to the theory of reincarnation deeply rooted in Hinduism, the cycle of birth starts with death.


Basically there are two views of heaven and hell according to the Hindu scholars. One point of view suggests that there is no such place as hell or heaven, where you go after you die. Both heaven and hell are on this earth while you are living. Based on your past karmas you create your own hell and heaven in this life. If you are leading a miserable life, you are in hell. If you have all the amenities of life and have achieved inner peace, you are in heaven.

Another point of view refers to the Vedas, Upanishads, the Bhagvad Gita and the Puranas (see my article on the Immensity of Hindu Scriptures in October and November) suggest that heaven or hell is situated somewhere up there. The king of gods, Indra reigns in heaven and the Lord of death Yama rules hell.

What’s Heaven Like? Swami Shivananda of

Rishikesh, India described

heaven based on the Puranas:

“The heaven of the Hin-dus is a place where the departed souls go to reap the fruits of their virtuous deeds. They remain there for some time till the fruits of their virtuous actions are exhausted. Then they come back to this world. They eat in heaven the divine feasts of the Shining Ones or the Devas. They move in celestial cars. Indra is the Lord of heaven or Svarga. Vari-ous kinds of Devas (gods) dwell here. Celestial damsels like Urvasi, Rambha dance here. The Gandharvas sing. There is no disease here. There is no trouble of hunger and thirst. The inhabitants are endowed with a brilliant subtle body. They are adorned with shining garments. Heaven is a thought-world, a realm of intense ideations. Whatever one wishes, he gets it at once, by immediate materialization. So it is a happier world than the earth-plane.”

What’s Hell Like? Again based on the Puranas and other Hindu Scriptures, Swami Shivananda wrote: “Hindu Puranas have been very clear on the question of heaven and hell. Writers of law-books or Smritis (see my article on the Immensity of Hindu Scriptures in October and November issues), like Yajnavalkya and Vishnu, have given serious description of the various hells and the various pleasures of heaven. Yogi Yajnavalkya mentions 21 hells in his law book, viz., Raurava, Kumbhipaka, Maharaurava, Tamisra,

Andha Tamisra, etc. The author of Vishnu Smriti also has written the same thing. A hell is a region of sharp, severe, intense pain. The evil-doers suffer for a period. Bad action is worked out in that state and then the evil-doers come back to earth-plane. They get another chance.

The Ruler of Hell is Lord Yama. He is assisted by Chitragupta. Hell is a particular locality which is walled off from the surrounding regions of space by the messen-gers of Yama. Sinners get a thick body called ‘Yatana-Deha’ when they are punished. The punishment in hell is not remembered by the soul when it is reborn. The punishment in hell is re-formatory and educative. The permanent educative

effect remains in conscience. The innate fear which some souls feel at the sight of temptation of sin is due to the finer development of conscience in the furnace of hell-fire. This is the permanent gain acquired by the soul. The soul is reborn with keener conscience after being purified by hell-fire. He can make better use of his faculties in the next birth.”

Fundamental Difference Although the above descriptions of heaven and hell very much resemble like their descriptions in the western religions, there

THE HINDU CONCEPT OF HEAVEN AND HELL By Gyan Rajhans P. Eng.


is one fundamental difference: Hindu heaven or hell is not a final dwelling place for an individual soul as stated in the western religions. After the term of good or bad deeds are over, even the most pious or the most evil person is turned out of heaven or hell as the case may be to once again par-ticipate in the cycle of reincarnation until he or she reaches moksha or liberation from the endless chain of deaths and rebirths.

Attainment of Heaven and Hell Although several Hindu scriptures refer to the gateways to heaven and hell by good and bad deeds, I will quote here only the Bhagvad Gita that I have studied for the last 26 years while presenting my Gita discourses in Bhajanawali (www.bhajanawali.com).

GITA, 6:41 says: “The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.”

In the above shloka “the planets of the pious living entities” means heaven where doers of meritorious deeds go. But that heaven is not eternal. When the merit capital which took that person there is exhausted, the person comes back to the human world, and is reborn in a pure and prosperous family. Thus, he or she starts the life’s journey once again, where he or she had left off. Nothing of what he or she has done is lost.

GITA, 14:14 says: “When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages.”

What the above shloka implies is that there are different kinds of planets for different kinds of living entities. Those who die in the mode of goodness are elevated to the planets where great sages and great devotees live.

GITA, 16:16 says: “Thus perplexed by various anxieties and bound by a net-work of illusions, they become too strongly attached to sense enjoyment and fall down into hell.” and

GITA, 16:21 says: “There are three gates leading to this hell – lust, anger and greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul.”

What the above shlokas are saying is that if a man or woman wants to avoid hell, he or she must try to give up lust, anger and greed, which can kill the self to such an extent that there will be no possibility of liberation from this material entanglement.

Source: This article first appeared in the February 2007 issue of the South Asian Outlook with the consent of the author


ARYABHATT (476 CE) Master Astronomer And Mathematician Born in 476 CE in Kusumpur ( Bihar ), Aryabhatt’s intellectual brilliance remapped the boundaries of mathematics and astronomy. In 499 CE, at the age of 23, he wrote a text on astronomy and an unparallel treatise on mathematics called “Aryabhatiyam.” He formulated the process of calculating the motion of planets and the time of eclipses. Aryabhatt was the first to proclaim that the earth is round, it rotates on its axis, orbits the sun and is suspended in space - 1000 years be-fore Copernicus published his heliocentric theory. He is also acknowledged for calculating p (Pi) to four decimal places: 3.1416 and the sine table in trigonometry. Centuries later, in 825 CE, the Arab mathematician, Mohammed Ibna Musa credited the value of Pi to the Indians, “This value has been given by the Hindus.” And above all, his most spectacular contribution was the concept of zero without which modern computer technology would have been non-existent. Aryab-hatt was a colossus in the field of mathematics.

BHASKARACHARYA II (1114-1183 CE) Genius In Algebra Born in the obscure village of Vijjadit (Jalgaon) in Maharastra, Bhaskaracharya’ s work in Algebra, Arithmetic and Geom-etry catapulted him to fame and immortality. His renowned mathematical works called “Lilavati” and “Bijaganita” are considered to be unparalled and a memorial to his profound intelligence. Its translation in several languages of the world bear testimony to its eminence. In his treatise “Siddhant Shi-romani“ writes on planetary positions, eclipses, cosmography, mathematical techniques and astronomical equipment. In the “Surya Siddhant“ he makes a note on the force of grav-ity: “Objects fall on earth due to a force of attraction by the earth. Therefore, the earth, planets, constellations, moon, and sun are held in orbit due to this attraction.” Bhaskaracharya was the first to discover gravity, 500 years before Sir Isaac Newton . He was the champion among mathematicians of ancient and medieval India. His works fired the imagination of Persian and European scholars, who through research on his works earned fame and popularity.

ACHARYA KANAD (600 BCE) Founder Of Atomic Theory As the founder of “ Vaisheshik Darshan “- one of six principal philosophies of India - Acharya Kanad was a genius in phi-losophy. He is believed to have been born in Prabhas Kshetra near Dwarika in Gujarat . He was the pioneer expounder of realism, law of causation and the atomic theory. He has clas-sified all the objects of creation into nine elements, namely:

earth, water, light, wind, ether, time, space, mind and soul. He says, “Every object of creation is made of atoms which in turn connect with each other to form molecules.” His state-ment ushered in the Atomic Theory for the first time ever in the world, nearly 2500 years before John Dalton . Kanad has also described the dimension and motion of atoms and their chemical reactions with each other. The eminent historian, T.N. Colebrook , has said, “Compared to the scientists of Europe , Kanad and other Indian scientists were the global masters of this field.”

NAGARJUNA (100 CE) Wizard Of Chemical Science He was an extraordinary wizard of science born in the non-descript village of Baluka in Madhya Pradesh . His dedicated research for twelve years produced maiden discoveries and inventions in the faculties of chemistry and metallurgy. Textual masterpieces like “ Ras Ratnakar ,” “Rashrudaya” and “Rasendramangal” are his renowned contributions to the sci-ence of chemistry. Where the medieval alchemists of England failed, Nagarjuna had discovered the alchemy of transmut-ing base metals into gold. As the author of medical books like “Arogyamanjari” and “Yogasar,” he also made significant contributions to the field of curative medicine. Because of his profound scholarliness and versatile knowledge, he was appointed as Chancellor of the famous University of Nalanda. Nagarjuna’s milestone discoveries impress and astonish the scientists of today.

ACHARYA CHARAK (600 BCE) Father Of Medicine Acharya Charak has been crowned as the Father of Medicine. His renowned work, the “ Charak Samhita “, is considered as an encyclopedia of Ayurveda. His principles, diagoneses, and cures retain their potency and truth even after a couple of millennia. When the science of anatomy was confused with different theories in Europe , Acharya Charak revealed through his innate genius and enquiries the facts on human anatomy, embryology, pharmacology, blood circulation and diseases like diabetes, tuberculosis, heart disease, etc. In the “ Charak Samhita “ he has described the medicinal qualities and functions of 100,000 herbal plants. He has emphasized the influence of diet and activity on mind and body. He has proved the correlation of spirituality and physical health contributed greatly to diagnostic and curative sciences. He has also prescribed and ethical charter for medical practitio-ners two centuries prior to the Hippocratic oath. Through his genius and intuition, Acharya Charak made landmark contri-butions to Ayurvedal. He forever remains etched in the annals of history as one of the greatest and noblest of rishi-scientists.

INTELLECTUAL GIANTS OF ANCIENT INDIA


ACHARYA SUSHRUT (600 BCE) Father Of Plastic Surgery A genius who has been glowingly recognized in the annals of medical science. Born to sage Vishwamitra, Acharya Sudhrut details the first ever surgery procedures in “ Sushrut Samhita ,” a unique encyclopedia of surgery. He is venerated as the father of plastic surgery and the science of anesthesia. When surgery was in its infancy in Europe , Sushrut was perform-ing Rhinoplasty (restoration of a damaged nose) and other challenging operations. In the “ Sushrut Samhita ,” he pre-scribes treatment for twelve types of fractures and six types of dislocations. His details on human embryology are simply amazing. Sushrut used 125 types of surgical instruments in-cluding scalpels, lancets, needles, Cathers and rectal specu-lums; mostly designed from the jaws of animals and birds. He has also described a number of stitching methods; the use of horse’s hair as thread and fibers of bark. In the “ Sushrut Samhita ,” and fibers of bark. In the “ Sushrut Samhita ,” he details 300 types of operations. The ancient Indians were the pioneers in amputation, caesarian and cranial surgeries. Acharya Sushrut was a giant in the arena of medical science.

VARAHAMIHIR (499-587 CE) Eminent Astrologer And Astronomer Renowned astrologer and astronomer who was honored with a special decoration and status as one of the nine gems in the court of King Vikramaditya in Avanti ( Ujjain ). Varahami-hir’ s book “panchsiddhant” holds a prominent place in the realm of astronomy. He notes that the moon and planets are lustrous not because of their own light but due to sunlight. In the “Bruhad Samhita“ and “Bruhad Jatak,” he has revealed his discoveries in the domains of geography, constellation, science, botany and animal science. In his treatise on botani-cal science, Varamihir presents cures for various diseases afflicting plants and trees. The rishi-scientist survives through his unique contributions to the science of astrology and astronomy.

ACHARYA PATANJALI (200 BCE) Father Of Yoga The Science of Yoga is one of several unique contributions of India to the world. It seeks to discover and realize the ulti-mate Reality through yogic practices. Acharya Patanjali , the founder, hailed from the district of Gonda (Ganara) in Uttar Pradesh . He prescribed the control of prana (life breath) as the means to control the body, mind and soul. This subse-quently rewards one with good health and inner happiness. Acharya Patanjali ‘s 84 yogic postures effectively enhance the efficiency of the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, digestive and endocrine systems and many other organs of the body. Yoga has eight limbs where Acharya Patanjali shows the attainment of the ultimate bliss of God in samadhi through

the disciplines of: yam, niyam, asan, pranayam, pratyahar, dhyan and dharna. The Science of Yoga has gained popular-ity because of its scientific approach and benefits. Yoga also holds the honored place as one of six philosophies in the Indian philosophical system. Acharya Patanjali will forever be remembered and revered as a pioneer in the science of self-discipline, happiness and self-realization.

ACHARYA BHARADWAJ (800 BCE) Pioneer Of Aviation Technology Acharya Bharadwaj had a hermitage in the holy city of Prayag and was an ordent apostle of Ayurveda and mechanical sci-ences. He authored the “ Yantra Sarvasva “ which includes astonishing and outstanding discoveries in aviation science, space science and flying machines. He has described three categories of flying machines: 1.) One that flies on earth from one place to another. 2.) One that travels from one planet to another. 3.) And One that travels from one universe to another. His designs and descriptions have impressed and amazed aviation engineers of today. His brilliance in aviation technology is further reflected through techniques described by him:

1) Profound Secret: The technique to make a flying machine invisible through the application of sunlight and wind force.

2) Living Secret: The technique to make an invisible space machine visible through the application of electrical force.

3) Secret of Eavesdropping: The technique to listen to a conversation in another plane.

4) Visual Secrets: The technique to see what’s happening inside another plane.

Through his innovative and brilliant discoveries, Acharya Bharadwaj has been recognized as the pioneer of aviation technology.

ACHARYA KAPIL (3000 BCE) Father Of Cosmology Celebrated as the founder of Sankhya philosophy, Acharya Kapil is believed to have been born in 3000 BCE to the illus-trious sage Kardam and Devhuti. He gifted the world with the Sankhya School of Thought. His pioneering work threw light on the nature and principles of the ultimate Soul (Purusha), primal matter (Prakruti) and creation. His concept of transfor-mation of energy and profound commentaries on atma, non-atma and the subtle elements of the cosmos places him in an elite class of master achievers - incomparable to the discover-ies of other cosmologists. On his assertion that Prakruti, with the inspiration of Purusha, is the mother of cosmic creation and all energies, he contributed a new chapter in the science of cosmology. Because of his extrasensory observations and revelations on the secrets of creation, he is recognized and saluted as the Father of Cosmology.


Until the end of the 15th century, Hinduism was the predomi-nant religion in the islands of Java and Sumatra. Hinduism is said to have spread to these islands as early as the first century AD. The Tarumanagara inscriptions of the 4th century AD are the earliest evidence of Hindu influence in Java. Hinduism flourished in these Indonesian islands until the ar-rival of Islam in the 14th century. Indonesia is today the most populous Muslim-majority nation, with 86.1% Muslims (2000 census) and 3% Hindus. However, there is a self-conscious Hindu revival movement emerging from the Javanese society with constant reference to the famous Javanese prophecies of Sabdapalon and Jayabhaya.

It is interesting to note that the Indian Sanskrit epic, Ramayana, makes mention of these islands. After the abduction of Sita from the Panchavati forest, Rama and Lakshmana go in search of her. They meet Hanuman and Sugreeva near the vicinity of the mountain Rishyamukha. Rama helps Sugreeva by killing his elder brother Vali and making him the king of Kishkinda. In return of Rama’s help, Sugreeva and the Vanaras agree to find Sita. Sugreeva orders Niila, his commander to assemble the troops. He orders Vinata, a mighty vanara warrior to search the Eastern side for Sita. While doing so he describes the islands of South East Asia.

In Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, chapter 40 verses 30, 31 and 32, the islands of Java and Sumatra are said to have been described by Sugreeva:

yatnavanto yava dviipam sapta raajya upashobhitam | suvarNa ruupyakam dviipam suvarNa aakara maNDitam || 4-40-30

yava dviipam atikramya shishiro naama parvataH | divam spR ishati shR ingeNa deva daanava sevitaH || 4-40-31

eteSaam giri durgeSu prapaateSu vaneSu ca | maargadhvam sahitaa sarve raama patniim yashasviniim || 4-40-32

“You strive hard in the island of Yava, which will be splendor-ous with seven kingdoms, like that even in Golden and Silver islands that are enwreathed with gold-mines, in and around Yava islands. On crossing over Yava Island, there is a moun-tain named Shishira, which touches heaven with its peak, and which gods and demons adore. You shall collectively rake through all the impassable mountains, waterfalls, and forests

in these islands for the glorious wife of Rama.”

The islands of Yava mentioned in the above verses are said to be the modern day Java islands. The Golden and Silver islands refer to Sumatra which was earlier known as Swarnadwīpa (Island of Gold). The seven kingdoms may refer to the Indo-nesian archipelago. This clearly indicates the knowledge of geography of regions beyond the Bharata khand by the an-cient Hindus. This also suggests that people of ancient Bharat have travelled to these lands and back.

Before the arrival of Hinduism in the early first century AD, the native people of Indonesian Archipelago are said

to have been practicing an indigenous belief system common to Austronesian people. The indigenous spiritual concepts were fused with Hinduism which evolved into

Javanese Hinduism. Many of the ancient Indonesian kingdoms followed Hinduism.

The most famous are the Mataram, Kediri and Singhasari kingdoms. The archipelagic empire of Majapahit which ruled between 1293 and

1500 was the most powerful last major empire in Indonesian history.

King Brawijaya V of the Majapahit Empire is said to have converted to Islam in 1478 thus ending the Hindu empire. He is said to have

been cursed by his priest Sabdapalon for con-verting to Islam. Sabdapalon promised to come

back after 500 years, at the time of political corruption and natural disaster to bring back the Javanese Hinduism. The first modern Hindu temples are said to have been completed on these islands during 1978 (Pura Agung Blambangan temple). Mass conversions, back to Hinduism, have also said to have occurred in the region during this time and the eruption of Mt. Semeru, around this time, are taken as signs of the proph-ecy of Sabdapalon being completed.

Another prophecy, well-known throughout Java and Indo-nesia, is the Ramalan (or Jangka) Jayabaya. Ratu Joyaboyo (Jayabhaya) was the king of Widarba (a thousand cities) who is noted for the prophecy where he said “The Javanese would be ruled by whites for 3 centuries and by yellow dwarfs for the life span of a maize plant prior to the return of the Ratu Adil: whose name must contain at least one syllable of the Javanese Noto Negoro.” When Japan occupied Java and the surrounding islands during the Second World War in 1942, the Indonesians are said to have come out in the streets dancing, welcoming the Japanese as a sign of the Jayabhaya prophecy. Later, when Japan granted independence to Indo-

THE PROPHECIES OF INDONESIA By Akshay Suresh

STATUE OF GARUDA


nesia in 1945, most of the Javanese believed the Jayabhaya prophecy had been realized.

Many Javanese appear to have retained aspects of their indig-enous and Hindu traditions through the centuries of Islamic influence, under the banner of ‘Javanist religion’ or a non-orthodox ‘Javanese Islam’. The emergence of a self-conscious Hindu revival movement these days within Javanese com-munity is a sign of significant development. Hindu symbols are still in use in Indonesia. The state intelligence agency of Republic of Indonesia has a Garuda as their symbol and the official airline of Indonesia is called Garuda Indonesia.

Source: Akshay Suresh is a graduate student at George Wash-ington University, studying electrical engineering. His interests include reading articles on religions and cultures, and collecting stamps, coins and antiques. This article is being republished here with the consent of the Tattva magazine publisher Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh’s Hindu YUVA [USA]

Banteay Srei Temple: The fight between Vali and Sugreeva

Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A DIALOGUE ON HINDUISM By ED. Viswanathan

What is the language in which Hindu scriptures are written? Sanskrit. It is an ancient language like Latin.

Is Hinduism confusing and contradictory? Absolutely not. To a person who reads the Hindu scriptures haphazardly, Hindu scriptures may seem to be confusing and contradictory. However, to someone who has researched the scriptures, Hinduism stands as an embodiment of truth. Since Hinduism is a slowly developed thought process, in it you can you can see the co-existence of primitive religion as well as a very advanced religion. Hinduism allows literally hundreds of contradictory thoughts to coexist within it.

Is Hinduism a religion like Christianity? No. It is more of a way of life than a specific religion. In Hinduism you can find all religions of the world.: Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Sikhism arose as a combination of Islam and Hinduism.

What is the most important aspect of Hinduism? Since there are very many important aspects of Hindu-ism, it is very difficult to say that one aspect is better than others. Still, personally I feel “Being Truthful to oneself” is the most important aspect of Hinduism.

Do you have to believe in Hinduism to study it? Not at all. You can study Hinduism just like you study mathematics, physics or chemistry. You don’t even have to believe in a personal or impersonal God. Just have an open mind to look into different aspects and be ready to explore new realms thought. That is all what’s required of anyone who wants to study Hinduism.

What attracts you to Hinduism? “Utmost freedom of Thought” ....That is what attracts me to Hinduism. You can argue on any aspect of Hin-duism and you don’t accept anything until you are fully convinced about the truth behind it. Again, Hinduism has no monopoly of ideas.

What are the Hindu Scriptures? The Hindu scriptures can be broadly classified into two groups: Sruti (that what is heard) and the other is Smiriti (that what is remembered). Both of these groups are further divided into the following subdividions:

CON’T ON PAGE 30


READER’S FEEDBACKYour journal, Canadian Hindu Link, provides a way of com-munication with Canadian Hindus who have insufficient background on the Hindu way of life, as well as Hindus like me who need to provide authentic information to Canadians, who like Hinduism in a format, giving its overview, without going into too many details.

I would like to say that of all the articles worthy of mention in meeting the above criteria, I found the article (Volume 3: ISSUE 4) on “Vedas and their relevance to the present age” by Prem Sabhlok, very informative.

According to Atharva Veda, Vedic knowledge is revealed to all humanity describing the laws pertaining to social, moral and physical order that one needs, to follow, to assist the Supreme reality in maintaining His Grand creation and design of things

Hinduism spread to Persia, the Indian sub continent, South East Asia, and as far as Greece in the west. It is worth consid-ering how much farther this would have spread and whether any part of the world would have been left untouched had the modern telecommunication methods been available. The fact is that Vedic knowledge was universally accepted by people of different backgrounds. It teaches basic truths which touch everybody’s life at all times past, present or future East or West, North or South. The article emphasizes the need to revive the Vedas in the present age to deal with issues of social life, scientific research and human welfare

Dr. Bhanu Gangadhar Rayaprol Thornhill, Ontario

We have read three issues of the Hindu Canadian Link of 2011. I congratulate you and the editorial advisers for publish-ing this quarterly periodical. No amount of words are enough to appreciate and praise the articles appearing in the Cana-dian Hindu Link that are very informative about the history of Hindu religion.

This demands time and respect for our religion for which, edi-torial advisers, and volunteers are willing to invest. Not only yourself, but your wives also deserve praise.

We pray to the Masters of the Universe to bless you all, and wish that the circulation of the Canadian Hindu Link spread across North America.

P.S.Patel & Rashmikant Patel. Burlington, Ont (Formerly from Tanzania)

Your feedback is truly valuable and as such, we encourage more readers to send us their comments, thoughts and/or feedback. Look forward to hearing from you.

THE TEERTHA-YATRA: THE PILGRIMAGE By Ajit Adhopia

The Sanskrit word Teertha means sacred abode and Ya-tra means journey. The entire face of India is dotted with thousands of ancient temples and shrines of historical and religious significance. The most famous are the four major religious places, one in each direction: Jag-annath Puri in the East (in the State of Orissa), Dwarika in the West (in the State of Gujarat), Badrinath in the North (in the State of Himachal Pradesh), and Ramesh-waram in the South (in the State of Tamil Nadu).

Traditional Hindus in India, instead of going to holiday resorts, travel to the above listed places to pray and make offerings. When visiting India, Hindu Canadians also go on pilgrimages with their Canadian-born children. Besides being a spiritual journey, there are also educa-tional and social benefits of pilgrimage. Both children and adults learn the history of their traditions. Milling around and rubbing shoulders with people who share the same religious traditions and beliefs, although of diverse geographical or socio-economic background, generates a sense of unity, fraternity and broadens one’s horizons. The tradition of going on a pilgrimage also helps Hindus remain attached to their religion.

Whether there are any spiritual merits in undertakinga Teertha Yatra is a matter of faith and opinion. Priests who promote the Puranic brand of Hinduism, of course, will tell you that it earns you Punya (good deeds) while the followers of Vedic Dharma would disagree. However, it cannot be denied that it does have some social benefits as outlined above.

CON’T FROM PAGE 29

SRUTI: Four Vedas - Rig Veda; Sam Veda; Yajur Veda; Atharva Veda, and Samhita; Brahmanas; Aranyakas & Upnishadas.

SMRITI: Social Laws - Manu Smriti, Gautam Smriti: Yajnavalkya Smriti; Vedangas - Dharma Sutra, Astronomy, Astrology, Grammar, Rituals; Darsanas - Schools of thought: nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya Yoga, Mimamsa, Vedanta, Advaita, Dvaita.

ITIHASAS: Ramayana & Mahabharata.

PURANAS: 20 Story books; each dedicated to a specific deity, Avatara and manifestation of God.

UPAVEDAS: Material addes to Vedas - Ayurveda added to Atharva Veda.

TANTRAS: Mantras, Yantras, Mandalas, Cosmograms, Mudras, Kundalini Power, Sexo-Yogic Exercises.


DISCLAIMER THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PUBLICATION ARE THOSE OF THE WRITERS

AND NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF MANAGEMENT OF THE CANADIAN HINDU LINK JOURNAL.

Canadian Hindu Link VOLUNTEER TEAM

AcknowledgementsWe acknowledge the selfless service (Nishkam Sewa)

rendered by these volunteers who made it possible for this issue of the Canadian Hindu Link to reach you.

Publisher.......................... Inderlekh Publication

Editor ............................... Ajit Adhopia

Editorial Advisors ............ Prabhat Kapur Kumar Agarwal Dr. Nitin Deckha

Youth Advisor .................. Falitaa Chhabra

Graphic Designer ............ Lisa Samlal (Elle Esse Design Firm)

Website Master ................ Ram Sharma

Web Design Consultant ... Raghu Sharma

Address: 2546 Pollard Drive Mississauga, ON L5C 3H1

Tel. & Fax: 905.273.9563

E-mail: [email protected]

Aruna Duggal: Copy Editing

Sunny Sharma: Copy Editing

Om Sawhney: Copy Editing

Sarina Sharma: Copy Editing

Sunanda Mongia: Copy Editing

Lisa Samlal: Page Layout / Graphic Design

Chitra Murli: Distribution - Scarborough & Markham

Roy Persaud: Distribution - Scarborough

Manmohan Anand: Distribution - Halton Region & Hamilton

Rajesh Gupta: Distribution - Cabridge & Guelph

Harkesh Saini: Distribution - Brampton

Dave Bhatia: Distribution - Brampton

Wishing you a Diwali filled

with joy and a New Year

blessed with Prosperity!

Canadian Hindu Link is a quarterly, non-profit educational publication. Our Mission is to educate Canadian Hindu parents and youths, born or raised in Canada, to help them retain and transmit their spiritual & cultural heritage and traditional values to a new generation. This will also help them cope with the challenges and strains of the fast pace life in the post-modern world.

Our objective is also to promote the proper understanding of Hinduism and its values to mainstream society. We wish to foster harmony and peace in multicultural Canada through inter-faith dialogue.

We propose to achieve the above objectives by initiating and organizing the following activities:

• To publish and distribute journals, books, pamphlets and other educational literature. • To produce videos, films and other types of media to create awareness. • To organize, sponsor and convene workshops, conferences and other public functions to promote Hindu Dharma and cultural heritage. • To foster unity among various sects and spiritual movements within Hinduism. • To organize fundraising projects and activities in order to finance our activities in Canada.

CANADIAN HINDU LINK MISSION STATEMENT


Floradale Medical Pharmacy L I V E S T R O N G , L I V E H E A L T H Y

Compounding Pharmacy Free Home Delivery

We Waive $2.00 Co-Payment All Drug Plans Accepted

Amit Shah, Pharmacist 2444 Hurontario Street, Mississauga, ON L5B 2V1

(South of Dundas @ Floradale)

Tel.: 905-279-1773 | Fax: 905-279-1725

Starting a new business Buying a business Expanding your business Looking for changeA

RE

YOU ?

For A Free Consultation Contact SEEMA MAKHIJA, MBA, CGA 905-232-8510Manual and Computerized Accounting Financial Statements Software Training and Accounting System Set-Up Personal and Corporate Tax Returns and Planning Business Plans and Cash Flows GST, PST, WSIB and Payroll Returns Business Registrations and Incorporation Business Loans and Consulting Financial Planning and Investments

18+ Years of Canadian Experience

20 Kingsbridge Garden Circle, Suite 2007 Mississauga, ON L5R 3K7 (Northwest Corner of 403 & Hwy. 10)

Ph.: 905-232-8510 Fax: 905-232-8410

FAMILY DENTIST

DR. N.C. SHARMA, Dental Surgeon DR. RAM GOYAL, Family Dentist

DR. KIRIN ARORA, Family Dentist DR. J. NARULA, Family Dentist

DR. M. GREWAL, Family Dentist

416-222-5718 1100 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 211, Toronto ON, M2K 2W1

FAX: 416-222-9777

WINTER / HOLI / SHIVRATRI SPECIAL Canadian Hindu...

Documents

Transcript of WINTER / HOLI / SHIVRATRI SPECIAL Canadian Hindu...