DEC-21-BOUDHIK YOJANA
Dec-05-2021 Samachar Sameeksha: Kashi Vishwanath Corridor
The Kashi Corridor is a beautification project that seeks to decongest the space between the banks of river Ganga and the Kashi Vishwanath temple, and create a large complex of facilities for pilgrims and visitors in the area.
Aimed at ensuring easy access from the river to the temple, this project plans to create a temple complex by reclaiming the space around the Vishwanath temple and redesigning it. Ever since the foundation stone was laid, a lot of videos have surfaced on the social media about ‘temples emerging’.
The project covers an area of around 40,000 square metres and is aimed at creating a complex space that will facilitate seamless movement of pilgrims from the river Ganga, following a holy dip, straight to the temple.
This would be an all-inclusive temple complex that will accommodate and upgrade certain existing structures like a heritage library, but more importantly, create a well-planned temple campus that not just gives one the view of the Ganga right from the temple but also makes provisions for rest rooms;
A tourist information centre; storehouse for wood for the ritualistic burning of pyre at the Manikarnika ghat; a yatri suvidha kendra with facilities like washrooms, feeding rooms, lockers for tourists; a large performance space for artists; a cultural centre, a cafe; a multipurpose hall, a vedic kendra, the Varanasi gallery, emporiums and offices, guesthouses, yagnashalas for rituals, and a newly-built museum.
This is not the first time though that plans have been made to decongest this timeless temple city. Many previous governments, although wished to, didn’t will it. The project was swept under the carpet for executing it would entail rubbing a lot of ‘locals’ up the wrong way and ‘hurting public sentiment’.
Temples were ‘discovered’ and the task to free them from the shoddy multi-storey structures that had doubled up as shops, chat stalls, lodges and cafes began.
Almost two years and a pandemic later, there was yet another round of tales of how the ‘Hindu’ heritage of the land was being trampled upon, disregarded, discarded and ‘dharmic malls’ being built on its debris.
Kashi Vidwat Parishad Mahamantri R N Dwivedi clarified that no idols have gone missing and all those that were found in the process of clearing the site for the corridor project have been kept safe until they can be reinstalled at the Kashi corridor gallery.
Mecca can host around 5 lakh people in its premises, the Vatican can host upto 1 lakh people. But there is no Hindu shrine that can accommodate 50,000 to 1 lakh people at one point of time. This corridor projects will facilitate this
The Gangeshwar Mahadev temple, closest to the temple superstructure, was among the first to be discovered and marked the beginning of reclaiming of a divine space and rewriting of a historic narrative.
The masons chip away at the hopeless cement and iron that had been loaded onto what now the self-proclaimed custodians of Hinduism call the ancient “heritage of the land that will vanish when the project is completed”. All around the “temples that were being discovered” stood tasteless buildings that would have started off either as small structures and gone on to become multi-storey ones.
The entire prangan has changed and feels sublime as the baleshwar pink stone dwars with intricate ornamental carvings now form a strong boundary of 72 metres by 72 metres for the central shrine on all four sides. The makrana marbled floor now makes for a pristine white surrounding to the mandir, access to which is being facilitated through three different Yatri Suvidha Kendras where pilgrims will be required to deposit all their electronics and other belongings.
From the viewing gallery atop the gate, where begins the arena of the corridor project, one can stand and see the Ganga flowing at one end and the Vishwanath shrine on the other.
References: 1) https://swarajyamag.com/culture/kashi-liberating-vishwanath-temple-from-the-recent-past-that-imprisoned-its-eternal-presence
Dec 12-2021 Boudhik: Character- Personal and National
In our tradition, character has always occupied an important place. Character has two aspects-personal and national. These days people say that if a person is performing well in public field why should we look at his personal character?
However our culture has always held high the purity of personal character. Right from ancient seers to personalities of modern times, all of those who are standard bearers of our philosophy and culture have been wholly pure- their thought, word and deed in tune with highest truths. But such is not the example set by workers in the public field these days.
Purity of ‘Means’
Our culture says the ‘means’-the individual- for achieving the ideal of social good must be chaste and holy. However modern ideas and ideologies think “end justifies the mean”. Hence we see the degeneration of man going on at a terrific pace all over the world.
But we revere Bhagwan Ram and Shivaji Maharaj as much as for their glorious national achievement as for their pure, unimpeachable personal character. When the choice becomes inevitable we have tolerated not justified some failings in personal character when it came in way of social interest. Bad means can never yield good results in the long run.
Potential Danger
If a person is loose in character and given to vices, he can be a source of danger to the nation as well. During First World War, Allied commanders were fond of ‘Mata Hari’ a beautiful singer and dancer, who stayed even in their tents at battlefield. It was eventually found out that she was a spy of Germans and had revealed lot of secrets to them. If the Generals had kept a high standard of personal character and not been enticed by her, they would have saved their countries from a lot of trouble.
Some have weakness for flattery. If anyone showers praise upon them they become elated and will do anything desired by them. This weakness is there in many our great personalities today and many cunning men make use of this.
Gentlemanliness
We see around us a number of persons with good national character. Doctorji used to say humorously of such persons “See, what a thorough gentleman! He goes to office punctually, returns home in evening, chats with his wife and children, eats and sleeps. He never interferes in lives of others”. Doctorji would then chastise such ‘gentlemanliness’ that made the individual impervious to joy and sorrow of his neighbors and submit meekly to the insults and humiliations heaped on his society.
Even in the past there had been many pious and well meaning persons in our land, still we had to face disasters continuously over last thousand years. The real reason was that we lacked in national character-the essential counterpart of personal character. We are not solitary individuals but are indivisible parts of the whole society.
The perverted example of personal character and dharma is deep-rooted to produce a whole race of traitors down the centuries. Mirza Raje Jaysingh was the backbone of power of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. He was a man of learning, ardent worshipper of Shiva, and endowed with many remarkable qualities. He did a vrata of ‘Koti-Linga’ to destroy Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji Maharaj appealed him for Swadesh and Swadharma but he was content with his devotion to God and loyalty to Emperor. Even today we find politicians who are devout Hindus, worship daily, respect holy men but support Jihadis, Missionaries or Communists for power.
National Aspect
It is essential that personal goodness and purity of character be made active and dynamic in the national cause. It must express itself in the form of complete dedication to the nation which does not expect anything in return, be it name or fame or any gain whatsoever. Today this spirit of sacrifice and dedication has all but disappeared. These days even worship of God is carried on in same fashion. All our scriptures and holy men have derided this. Worship is for the sake of worship, for the very joy of it.
In Vanparva of Mahabharata, Draupadi questions Yudhishthira that why he always takes name of God when he has not given him anything in return. He has lost his kingdom and is wandering in jungles. Yudhishthira replies “Look at Himalayas, it is so peaceful and majestic. Do we not love it ? Is it because we expect anything from it? We love it because of its solemn grandeur. So it is with God who is infinitely more grand”.
Power of Devotion
Devotion is not business, it is sheer self-surrender. It is all one-way traffic, we only give. It is only persons of such absolute dedication who can raise the nation to glorious highs from heap of ruins. Khando Ballal was one of the courtiers of Sambhaji Maharaj. His father had conspired against Sambhaji Maharaj and hence he was executed. But Khando Ballal silently gulped this humiliation. He saw Sambhaji Maharaj as rallying point of Hindu forces against Aurangzeb who was at doorsteps of Swarajya. He tried to save Sambhaji Maharaj when he was captured by Aurangzeb. When time came for saving Chatrapati Rajaram from Mughals, he happily gave away all his property and put his life in peril.
It is a result of such sacrifices not merely one’s life but all that one holds near and dear that entire course of history changes. Such is real national character. Let us develop it in our lives by constant endeavor. With our hearts overflowing with pure love for the whole of society, with no trace of selfishness or expectation for our self, let us serve the nation. Let us aspire and strive for such an unwavering and unreserved spirit of devotion- a devotion which rises above ordinary plane of intellect and ego.
Reference: 1) Bunch of Thoughts: Character-Personal and National
Dec 19-2021 Charcha: COP26 Glasgow
Negotiators from nearly 200 countries have accepted a new climate agreement after the COP26 summit in Glasgow concluded its extra time plenary on Saturday with a deal, which recognises India's intervention for the world to "phase down" rather than "phase out" fossil fuels.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, head of the Indian delegation at the Glasgow conference, said that the world needs to awaken to the reality that the current climate crisis has been precipitated by unsustainable lifestyles and wasteful consumption patterns in the developed countries.
The minister, who has been maintaining a blog 'COP 26 Diary', wrote that India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has proactively taken the lead in creating the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the One Sun, One World, One Sun Grid initiatives as examples of international collaboration to combat climate change.
India has been criticized by several countries for the change promoted by it to phase down, rather than phase out coal power, the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions. The developed countries meanwhile have not yet phased out coal which they have been using for almost ~ 200 years. Industrial civilization started on coal and has powered West along with oil and gas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the pledge, the first time India has set a net zero target, at the Glasgow summit.Net zero, or becoming carbon neutral, means not adding to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. China has announced plans for carbon neutrality by 2060, while the US and EU aim to hit net zero by 2050.
India is the world's fourth biggest emitter of carbon dioxide after China, the US and the EU. India emitted 1.9 tonnes of CO2 per head of population in 2019, compared with 15.5 tonnes for the US and 12.5 tonnes for Russia that year.
India had "clearly put the ball in the court of the developed world" by announcing 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil electricity capacity, half of energy from renewables, a reduction of emissions by one billion tonnes and emissions intensity of the GDP by 45% by 2030 according to Arunabha Ghosh, Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a leading climate think tank.
This is real climate action. Now India demands $1tn (£722bn) in climate finance as soon as possible and will monitor not just climate action but also climate finance.
The agreement has won applause for keeping alive the hope of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius, but many of the delegations said they wished they had come away with more.
The agreement aims to limit global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The deal, however, is very weak on several fronts, including climate finance and loss and damage.
Countries, as part of the agreement, have also agreed to meet next year to discuss further carbon cuts so that the goal to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius can be reached.
Dec-26-2021 Katha: Balasaheb Deshpande
Early Life
His complete name was Ramakant Keshav Deshpande. He was born on 26th December 1913 in Amaravati – Maharastra. After completing his degree in law he started his career as a lawyer. During his youth he was involved in the activities of Ramakrishna Mission. Then he joined as a Government officer in rationing department. He had to quit the job as he could not tolerate the corruption and the nexus between the govt. officials and the traders. Finally he took up the law profession again. The Quit India movement attracted him towards Freedom Struggle.
Missionary problem
Soon after independence CM Ravi Shankar Shukla of Madhya Pradesh visited Raipur and nearby tribal regions. He was greeted with black flags and slogans raised by tribals for him to “Go back”. It came as a shock to him and he was hurt that just after independence people who are freed are rejecting their own government. When a fact finding mission was sent, it was discovered that due to rampant conversion activities by missionaries, tribals had revolted against the government.
As per the wishes of Thakkar Bapa a great Gandhian, Balasaheb took up the govt. job again as the regional co-coordinator of backward castes welfare division in Jashpur. Balasaheb did a commendable work in the field of tribal education during this tenure. He established schools and medical facilities in remote tribal areas and saved them from clutches of missionaries and ushered overall development.
Disillusionment and meeting with Pa Pu Guruji
After the death of Thakkar Bappa in 1950 the link between Tribes and Govt. got cut off. Balasaheb got punishment transfer to Chandrapur district of Maharastra as a reward for his tribal service!. He resigned from the service and decided to move to Jashpur to carry out the unfinished agenda of tribal awakening. He met Pa Pu Guruji in Nagpur for further guidance. Guruji inspired him to start an organization for upliftment of tribals based on the idea of ‘seva’. He started a boys hostel in Jashpur in a building given by the King of Jashpur Sri Vidya Bhushan Singh.
The saga of Tribal awakening begins with these students hostel 13 tribal boys on the foundation day of Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram on 26th December 1952. VKA started working among every tribe it could reach. VKA transformed in to an All India organization, spreading its educational, social, cultural, economic and other multi-dimensional activities during his life time. Realizing his failing health he nominated Sri Jagadev Ram Uraon as the President of VKA. Balasheb’s life ended on 21st April 1995 but his life mission continues to serve the brothers and sisters living in remote forests of our nation.
Encouraged with the success of various projects for the welfare of Janjatis over the period, from 1978, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram extended its work in every state of India having Janjati population.
Among all the volunteers of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, nearly half are from Janjatis. Apart from these, several students, working persons, professionals, retired persons etc dedicate working for various projects for the Janjatis in the field of education, health, agriculture, economic development, to protect the constitutional rights, sports, spiritual and cultural congregations (Shraddha Jagaran) etc.
Work area
Bharat is a land of unique cultural heritage having diversified nature. It is also a land of hundreds of Janjatis or ‘Vanvasis’. The Vanavasis find a mention in all ancient scriptures/literatures of our nation. In Ramayana, there are several references like Shabari, Baali, Sugreev etc while Mahabharata have references of Eklavya, Barbarik, Ghatotkacha etc. There were many Vanavasis who had actively participated in the freedom struggle like Birsa Munda in Ranchi region (Jharkhand State), Kanhoji Bhangare in Maharashtra, Talakkal Chandu in Kerala, Vishoi in Orissa, Tirot Sing in Meghalaya, Santhal leaders in Bihar (Siddo, Kanoo, and Tilka Manjhi), Rani Gaidinliu and Shahid Jadonang of Manipur, Punja Bhil of Rajasthan. Many more are unsung Heroes from among Janjatis who took part in Indian Freedom Movement.
Janjatis in our country comprise approximately 10% of total population, spread practically in all the States & Union Territories, except Haryana, Punjab and Delhi.
The peculiarities which set the Vanvasis, apart from other citizens are their dresses, traditional adornments, their dialect, folklore and customs, their life style, traditions, their deities, etc. They have remained backward economically and socially. A Stigma and criminality is unfortunately attached with this section of society since generations by some sections of city dwellers in country. It is the need of the hour for society to respect Vanvasis and their rich culture.
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