Om Namah Shivaya

Om Namah Shivaya

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Mar 30, 2014

YOGA: IS YOGA AN INDIAN PRACTICE?

I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOGA IS INDIAN PRACTICE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Hindu Group Stirs a Debate Over Yoga’s Soul

Yoga is practiced by about 15 million people in the United States, for reasons almost as numerous — from the physical benefits mapped in brain scans to the less tangible rewards that New Age journals call spiritual centering. Religion, for the most part, has nothing to do with it. But a group of Indian-Americans has ignited a surprisingly fierce debate in the gentle world of yoga by mounting a campaign to acquaint Westerners with the faith that it says underlies every single yoga style followed in gyms, ashrams and spas: Hinduism.


The campaign, labeled “Take Back Yoga,” does not ask yoga devotees to become Hindu, or instructors to teach more about Hinduism. The small but increasingly influential group behind it, the Hindu American Foundation, suggests only that people become more aware of yoga’s debt to the faith’s ancient traditions.


Text from New York Times Report



WHAT DO I THINK...
I really feel sorry ,when popular Authors like Dr. Deepak Chopra and some religious historians, like Ms. Desmond believes that yoga originated in the Vedic culture of Indo-Europeans who settled in India in the third millennium B.C., long before the tradition now called Hinduism emerged. Sadly, Mr. Chopra did not stop at that and replied in a debate about the topic saying, "Hinduism was too “tribal” and “self-enclosed” to claim ownership of yoga".


First of all, the word ‘Hindu’ is a name given by foreigners, for the people who inhabited the territory around Indus River, originating from a word for the river ‘Sindhu’ of Indus Valley Civilization - 2500 BCE. Manu, who wrote Manu Smiriti, does not use the word ‘Hindu’, but gives a geographical definition of the people to whom his dharma applies. Now all Indians are popularly called as Hindus and India has accepted it constitutionally and now are known as Hindus, as many of the Elite class in Europe are proudly referred as Brahmins.

While, as quoted in the article, "Other historians trace the first written description of yoga to the Bhagavad Gita, the sacred Hindu scripture believed to have been written between the fifth and second centuries B.C." But ... 


A) THERE ARE PADMASANA (LOTUS SITTING POSTURE) SEALS FOUND FROM INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION - 2500 BCE
Pashupati seal, showing a seated and possiblyithyphallic figure,
surrounded by animals. Img Wikipedia

B) THE WORD YOGA HAS BEEN USED IN RIG VEDA (1500 BCE) IN ITS SPECIFIC MEANING OF JOINING TWO THINGS (I.E. YOGA)

C) THE WORD YOGA OCCURS IN PASSAGES OF THE EARLY UPANISHADS (500-400 BCE), KATHA UPANISHAD - 6.11-16 AND IN SHWETSHAVATARA UPANISHAD - 2.1-4, 10-13, 15  DESIGNATING A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE OF MEDITATION WITH BREATH CONTROL TO CONTROL THE MIND, SENSES, BODY AND SOUL TO THE MIND OF GOD IN ORDER TO OBTAIN AN IMMORTAL BODY HONED BY THE FIRE OF YOGIC PRACTICE.

D) PATANJALI'S YOGA SUTRA'S (150 BCE) IS BASIS OF ALL YOGA AS IT CATEGORICALLY PUTS THAT ASANAS (POSTURES) REQUIRED FOR MEDITATION AND BREATH CONTROL.... AND SAYS..

Yogas-citti-vritti-nirodhah
Yoga is the control of the (moral) character of thought

To read more about Yoga Sutra, please click here..

and many more such thoughts... from many more different texts...

There's no doubt that it's Indian practice and people like Mr. Bikram Choudhary can not go about taking patents on it the name of BIKRAM YOGA ... 


__
Shashi
 नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
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Patanjali's Yoga Sutra

UP, CLOSE AND PERSONAL: Experience a slice of life... At Pizza Corner

HOW TO MAKE A PIZZA...
The  final out put...
Thanks to a good friend from Chennai Blogger's Club, Bragadeesh, I was invited to Pizza Corner at Virugambakkam outlet, to actually make a pizza and eat it too. along with many other delicious dishes and loads of drinks... and I did ended up making Panjabi Curry Masala with lots of Jalepeno's, Mushroom and Olives, which I always thought the chef's always held back their hands while sprinkling them on the Pizza Bread. Thanks are also due to Deepa Pillai from Bangalore, who organised an event around giving a Pizza making experience to most of the Chennai bloggers... So here is a learning and hope the guys at Pizza Corner learn a thing or two.

But first of all.. What is a pizza?
The modern pizza was invented in Naples, Italy, and the dish has since become popular in many parts of the world.  Many varieties of pizza exist worldwide, along with several dish variants based upon pizza. In 2009, upon Italy's request, Neapolitan pizza was safeguarded in the European Union as a Traditional Specialty Guaranteed dish. The word pizza originates from the Latin verb pìnsere ("to press") and from the Greek pitta (derived from ancient Greek pēktos, πηκτός, meaning "solid" or "clotted"). A popular urban legend holds that the archetypal pizza, 
My Punjabi Masala Pizza,
the recipe is confidential

Pizza Margherita, was invented in 1889, when the Royal Palace of Capodimonte commissioned the Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito to create a pizza in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita. Pizza migrated to America with the Italians. After World War II many returning soldiers who were stationed in Italy created a high demand for the pizza they encountered and tasted in Italy.

In India…
Another Try out..
Pizza is an emerging fast food in Indian urban areas. American pizza chains Domino's Pizza and Pizza Hut opened their first outlets in India in 1996. Domestic pizza brands include Smokin' Joes and Pizza Corner. Indian pizzas are generally spicier and more veggie-oriented than those in other countries. For instance, oregano spice packs are included with a typical pizza order in India instead of Parmesan cheese.

The Norwegians eat most pizza in the world according to a survey by ACNielsen 2004, 5,4 kg/year per capita. 50 million frozen pizzas were sold that year, with consumption being 22,000 tons of frozen pizza, 15,000 tons of home-baked and 13,000 tons of restaurant-made pizzas.

OK, we have heard about the negatives about Pizza, here is something positive…
My Punjabi Masala Pizza
Ready to eat...

European nutrition research on the eating habits of people with cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, throat or colon showed those who ate pizza at least once a week had less chance of developing cancer. Dr Silvano Gallus, of the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmaceutical Research in Milan, attributed it to lycopene, an antioxidant chemical in tomatoes, which is thought to offer some protection against cancer…

Text Curtsy: Wikipedia, click here to read more…

PIZZA CORNER INDIA
Pizza Corner was established in 1996 by Global Franchise Architects India Pvt Ltd. (GFA). This winning idea is one among the several supported by GFA, a builder of specialty retail Quick Service Restaurants since 1996. Its current portfolio consists of four self-created, unique, distinctive brands: Pizza Corner, Cream and Fudge, Donut Baker and Coffee World. We believe in creating the “WOW” experience in every guest by serving an innovative range of delicious, high quality, mouthwatering pizzas in a fun, friendly, and comfortable environment.
Pizza Corner

Enough History and back ground, now let’s go and make one Pizza…
Deepa Pillai - Our Host of the day
Well, first of all, let me say that it was such a nice idea from Pizza Corner to invite common people like us to experience their "Slice of Life" and it made our day.

To begin with, I was not able to find the place as my mind’s GPS has latched on to someone’s suggestion from The Chennai Blogger’s Club that it’s just behind Koyambedu Veg Market and I went around in circles till the time I called Deepa, our host from Bangalore, who expertly got me at the outlet within 15 minutes. As I reached there, the Blogger’s gang was already in full flow of their creative output… I was asked to wear the hair cap, before I entered the Cooking area, which was always out of bounds for me as a customer… The Pizza corner team was all there, explaining, guiding and demonstrating on the way to making a lovely pizza. So here are some of the images, how it all went.. hope you will enjoy the experience too…


The Process...

The Gang...

Well the poster's don't lie... at Pizza Corner.

And we all had great fun, making our own pizza...

__
Shashi
 नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
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Swami Yatidharmanada

Mar 14, 2014

1ST EDITION OF 2014 - Shadow Dancing With Mind

WELCOME TO THE FIRST EDITION OF SHADOW DANCING WITH MIND OF THE YEAR 2014

After a long gap I am bringing my usual edition of the blog, where I collate all the posts that I have had written previously. I hope you will enjoy this one...

Last month I had a chance to meet one of the most famous writer from Chennai, Timeri N Murari, through our Sans Serif Book Club, where we had invited him to interact and share his personal thoughts on the books that he has written. This post is about the book which chronicles his travel to Mount Kailash, Heavenly abode of Lord Shiva, “Limping To The Center of The World” – AN AMAZING BOOK


I usually don’t read hard core fiction. Murder Plots are the last on my list of fun but when, I did a little bit of research, felt little relieved that there must be something more than blood and gore. The book seemed to be one of the biggest – selling Japanese thrillers ever and the inspiration for a cult film. And yes it took me by surprise and really enjoyed reading it. It was a good book, perfectly portraying the mind of a genius mathematician Ishigami and his college mate and kind of competitor, Physics Professor Yukawa in the back drop of the accidental murder of Togashi, ex Husband of the heroine Yasuko.


The three keys to become a published author…

There are many reasons; creative people of Chennai eagerly wait for the Hindu Lit For Life Festival that started happening annually since 2010. Some of them, are there to get their 'fix' of 15 seconds of fame by standing up and giving their piece of ‘Gyan’, instead of asking questions, or proudly claiming to be better than those on the stage and some are out right blatant, promoting their blog or whatever they do, crying hoarse that no one is listening to their pearls of wisdom. But thankfully they are less in numbers and are contained by the sheer power of brilliance that Nirmala Lakshman and Hindu Team, brings forward on the stage.



WANDERLUST:

Rishikesh, one of the most serene and spiritual places of the world, has always filled my heart with peace and tranquility. This time, as there was International Yoga Festival, (1st to 7th March, 2014) Dev Bhoomi (Land of Gods) has a different color and atmosphere. As my younger brother has come from Singapore, so he thought of joining me from Delhi… So here are some of my impressions from the trip... through some of the pictures that I took there…


ANOTHER SOURCE OF SPIRITUAL ENERGY, FOUND IN HIMALAYA'S LAP....
Hidden in the thousands of valleys, surrounded by tall, serene and mysterious Himalayan peaks, one always find some secluded spot, where all the nature focuses its energy of creations to manifest the power of supreme consciousness, in physical things, which the mankind can feel if not see... And one such place, I came to be in last November, is Tadkeshwar Temple.


When you are in wilderness, and come across a signboard like the one below, that has a Tiger's fierce face and reads "This Is My Kingdom", be very very careful. It was an interesting journey last November on the trail of wild Tigers and here are some of my images from the adventure.... Come lets get lost in the Kingdom of Wild Tigers....

Though I have had attended all of the Indi Blogger meets in Chennai, it was my first Indiblogger meet in Delhi on 28th March. Sky scanner Indiblogger meet became all the more important to me, as I have had the opportunity to present to a large group of bloggers, the idea of Indi Blogger for Social Action (IBSA).


STILL LIFE:

After 7 years of making of the Shiva's Temple, based on the South Indian Temple Architecture - by the sthapati's (The builders of Temples based on Vedic Rituals and style) of Famous Madurai Minakshi Temple  at one of my friend Karuna's village, it was a pleasure to be there once again.... And this time it was to be socially responsible, as Karuna says... and we arranged Sangat Pangat event on the lines of the Famous Acharya Kishore Kunal, where we planned to have food with villagers without thinking about Caste and creed... and I loved it.



From the very beginning, Light house's have fascinated me and when there was a talk of visiting Chennai Light house as it has been recently opened for public at our Chennai Bloggers Club, I was ready to join with my handy camera..



Hope you will enjoy this edition... look forward to your comments and visit to the next Edition... please click on the “Join this Site” button on the right hand side top corner to follow my posts on this blog... I will be grateful.

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Shashi
 नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
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30th Edition                                                                                             32nd Edition

Mar 9, 2014

WANDERLUST: On the Banks of Holy River Ganges - Rishikesh

Rishikesh, one of the most serene and spiritual places of the world, has always filled my heart with peace and tranquility. This time, as there was International Yoga Festival, (1st to 7th March, 2014) Dev Bhoomi (Land of Gods) has a different color and atmosphere. As my younger brother has come from Singapore, so he thought of joining me from Delhi… So here are some of my impressions from the trip... through some of the pictures that I took there…

But before that let me tell you something more about Rishikesh...

RISHIKESH: BRIEF HISTORY
A very large statue of Shiva adorns
the famous Haridwar Ghat
Rishikesh has been a part of the legendary 'Kedarkhand' (the present day Garhwal). Legends state that Lord Rama did penance here for killing Ravana, the demon king of Lanka; and Lakshmana, his younger brother, crossed the river Ganges, at a point, where the present 'Lakshman Jhula' (लक्ष्मण झूला) bridge stands today, using a jute rope bridge. The 'Kedar Khand' of Skanda Purana, also mentions the existence of Indrakund at this very point. The jute-rope bridge was replaced by iron-rope suspension bridge in 1889, and after it was washed away in the 1924 floods, it was replaced by the present stronger bridge. Another similar suspension bridge Ram Jhula was built in 1986 at nearby Shivanand Nagar.

The sacred river Ganges flows through Rishikesh. It is here that the river leaves the Shivalik mountains in the Himalayas and flows out into the plains of northern India. Several temples, ancient as well as new, can be found along the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh. Shatrughan Temple, Bharat Mandir, Laxman Temple are the ancient temples established by Adi Sancharacharya. Shatrughan Temple is located near Ram Jhula and Laxman Mandir is near to Laxman Jhula (Laxman Bridge).

As with Haridwar about an hour south, Rishikesh is considered by Hindus to be a holy city and is vegetarian by law.
Text Curtsy: Wikipedia

NOW COME, WALK WITH US… TO THE SPIRITUAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

To see some more journeys over the years to this amazing place… click on the following links..


As is customary, every auspicious thing starts with beetal leaf
concotion, known as Paan...

And we reached Haridwar, almost 250 KMs away, in time for a bath
and lovely lunch at 150 years old Chotiwala... 

My brother feels pleased about the place...

And then we moved on to Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh, 21 KMs away from
Haridwar...

Triveni Ghat is probably the most calm place for the ritual bath...in
Holy River Ganges...

Where you find large variety of exotic birds having a go at it too...

And the most iconic image from Bhagwat Gita, brought to life...

And the guest from across the world, converged for International Yoga
Festival, checking their own pictures, against another iconic back drop

The Ram Jhula, near my favorite place of stay - the Guru Nivas of
Sivananda Ashram, which has been my residence over the years..

And the stone, where I used to meditate early in the mornings, called
my younger brother to offer some flowers to Holy River Ganges..

And some of the documentary makers from International Yoga Festival
capturing life of the resident yogi...

Well that triggered our own time for a pose...

And I got take one of mine too...at the stone in the middle of the Holy
River Ganges..

And the soft sunset ... 

 Hope you enjoyed the walk with me, and finally leaving you with a beautiful song from a yogi, on the banks of the holy Rivers Ganges at Triveni Ghat... singing about "The Mad Fakir, who is drunk on Ganja (Opium)" ...of Devotion, singing songs of Lord Shiva...




__
Shashi
नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
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Limping to the Center of the World - Mount Kailash
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