THOUGHTS: Demonitization of Vedic Currency - PART I

“Violence is as Hindu as curry” - Wendy Doniger writes in her book “On Hinduism” page 136 in context with her description of classical Hindu India as, and I quote…

“Classical Hindu India was violent in politics (she forgets to mention that India was the only country which never waged war towards any other country in its history), in its religious practice (and she gives examples like animal sacrifice, ascetic self torture, fire walking, swinging from hooks in the flesh in the back… and so forth but she conveniently forgets to say that her examples are as ritualistic practice not a common social custom of Indian masses), in its criminal law (she again conveniently forgets that the last seven to eight  hundreds years, India was occupied by Moghuls and British people so can not be said that its Indian Law - though I have other examples like Winston Churchill deliberate massacre of millions due to his apathy as millions died due to starvation because of him) but I just couldn't stop laughing when she says that perhaps at the very heart of it (Hindu Violence) is climate, with its un-durable heat and unpredictable monsoon…

Though I have other issues with her, including her sad interpretations of Vedic Scriptures, I will go on to other examples how our ancient Vedic currency is being short changed by supposedly great intellectuals. 

Nirad C Choudhuri - a Bengali Intellectual and author of best selling book ‘Autobiography of an Unknown Indian (1951), who in his dedication of the book says…

“Because all that was good and living within us (Indians)

was made, shaped and quickened

by the same British Rule.”

                                             

But British and western Intellectuals were not the only one who demonetised Vedic Currency, there were the likes of Shaykh Bhavan in Moghul Court (a Brahmin, converted to Islam and because of his back ground, was consulted in cases of Sanskrit interpretations), proclaimed that the Atharva Veda allowed Hindus to eat beef in some cases and permitted burial of the dead instead of cremation.

Shashi Tharoor @ Hindu Lit Festival 2017 Chennai

However the British were more organised in demonetising the Vedic Currency. Few weeks ago, I met Shashi Tharoor at Hindu Lit Festival, where he specifically claimed (and I agree with him absolutely), that they not only colonized India but also colonized Indian mind.  The Manu Smiriti was written 2000 years back but the Native Indians never gave it any importance in terms of the social life but British systemized it.  Through their law commissions, numerous censuses every ten years from 1871 or so and educational doctrine. As Shashi Tharoor explains in his book “An Era of Darkness”, where he quotes Nicholas B Dirk from his seminal book  ‘Castes of Mind”…

“In fact caste was just one category among many others, one way of organizing and representing identity.”

In India, at the time, no one was really bothered about the Smriti, written by Sant Manu centuries ago. It was never considered as an important aspect of their day to day life, but British Raj ensured that the poor Indian colonised people are boxed into one of those categories. And, as they pushed forward their education system, which as Macaulay pointed out. "should be a channel to produce clerks to serve the British masters" began with missionary zeal. British Raj ensured that the Indian mind was far more colonized than the India as a country. Unfortunately somehow it still continues to produce such slaves to his / her masters voice…

And that’s exactly what worries me more. The present day Westerners / Indian Guru’s who are writing so called best sellers because it is camouflaged as an ancient Indian mythology and scriptures. But more often than not, these are full of wrong translations and ‘Mythya-logy’, which provides a vast breeding ground for a disconnect with the young Indian minds off the beauty and reality of rich Indian heritage and culture… I am sure that if they do read it some times, they will find amazing source of inspiration like Manjul Bhargava, Fields Medalist (Considered to be a Nobel Prize in Mathematics) who got inspired by a shloka given by his grand Father in Jaipur, to write his PhD Thesis.

I also hope that this ongoing demonetization of Vedic Currency is curtailed through concerted efforts of people who have are watching this wrong turn of tide. 

Well my fight against the tide goes on and I continue to appeal to youngsters to connect with our ancient heritage and culture, some time through my posts, workshops and occasionally with my books like "Songs of the Mist" sharing the Bhagwat Gita essence, 'sugar coated with a fictional love story of heart break and pain' (as Deccan Chronicle pointed out in its write up about me and my book sometime back) and get inspired. 

Even if you are not able to understand the deep philosophy of Indian thinking, written in those ancient scriptures, please do read them to have a first hand experience of the logic and language on your own as the beauty of the language alone will be a source of inspiration to change your lives. 

And to those few of my friends, who are fighting for this cause, wish you all the best and hope that you are able to inspire the young generation to at least give our heritage a chance instead of being disillusioned by the Mythya-logy.

__

Shashi 

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Om Namah Shivaya

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 Bigamy - An Evolutionary Process      Aghoris: Believer with Reza Aslan - CNN                  

The Purpose - Language has the power to change you...!

As I started speaking in public forums, after my first book Songs of the Mist's publication, I realise how hard it is to speak from the podium. I never had a problem talking to my team members across office table and in annual meetings, where the gathering used to be large as well, but you were quite sure that you will be received well as after all they are colleagues. But believe me, talking to people who have just come to listen to you, leaving their far more important work at home or office. They do expect you to give them something to think, make it worth their while as you come up on stage.... 

Haiku Workshop in Delhi University

I have had heard many public speakers, politicians, business and religious leaders speaking from stage and some of them impressed me. Over a period of time, I realised that most of the speakers were there for a purpose. They had something to talk about, to share, to make people understand where they are coming from. Behind each great performance there was a purpose, a thought or an idea that needed to be conveyed to the audience and it took me some time to realise that the reason, I published the book for, is essentially my purpose to talk about, share with young generation. And that's when I started speaking without the accompanying hesitation that comes with public speaking. Now I had a reason to get my message across.

Chief Guest Address at Tata's High Range School in Munnar

The Message: The Language alone will change you...

As I was finishing my book, I had dwelled deeper within our ancient scriptures, specially Bhagwat Gita, as its essence 'Karma Yoga' was the underlying flow of the lives my protagonists like Ashutosh, Ayan, Anishka etc. More and more people, specially youngsters I talked to more I realised that they are not reading these books. In our childhood, Amar Chitra Katha, Pancha Tantra, Chanda Mama, Stories of Mahabharata, Ramayana, Jatak Katha's were the stable diet of growing up. Now with the advent of smart phone, What's App groups, Texting, Memes etc. these stories were taking a back seat and reading was becoming confined to small little screens of smart phones. 

Click here to read an excerpt

So I wrote a love story, where through all the heart break and pain. The Deccan Chronicle headlined when talking about my book as "Bitter Pill with Sugar Coating", which is exactly how I shared the essence of Bhagwat Gita for the young generation. And I continue to talk to the young generation about the need to go back to our ancient Heritage and culture and read those amazing work of arts and literature as I believe that even if the deep thought process hidden behind seemingly obscure ancient language does not make any sense to them at this stage of life, the language alone has the power to make a difference in their lives. So I keep talking about it in almost all my workshops, presentation and lectures. 

Writing Workshop at High Range School - Munnar

Slowly I started conducting workshops in Chennai, Delhi University as well as in schools like Tata's High Range school in Munnar Kerala. With just one purpose, to inspire young generation to reach out to these books, Bible, Koran or Bhagwat Gita and get benefitted from it.

But over the period of almost a year after my book was published, I have realised another important aspect of language... 

It changes you as well...

The brain is like, to give you a mordern example, is CPU of the human form. And it works on two operating software - The Logic and the Language. So for me, writing and its essence, the language has the power to slowly work on 'within' and make you perform better. The more you practice, the more perfectly the software works. For me, it creates an awareness as in meditation.  I keep telling my audience, students that Haiku writing has become a kind of Mantra Chanting practice for me over the years. 

As I keep working on inspiring some aspiring authors in these school and colleges, I am learning as well. The young generation provides me with the spark that is essential to keep my ageing mind to break free from the shackles of time as well. Seeing those young, enthusiastic and confident youngsters, interacting with them opens up grey folds of my brain and look at the world differently. As I cajole and push them across to write good works of fiction which will stand the test of times, I am pushing my limits too. Each day, I have a blank sheet of paper that needs my reverence and respects in well formed thoughts and ideas and new awareness. As I grapple with words in my mind, the blank spaces needs and demands the most precise and aesthetically formed words following each other in a sentence, concise paragraphs and fully fleshed out characters in the most realistic back ground and that my friend is a meditation. It has changed me over the year and I am sure it will change you as well. 

At Delhi College of Arts & Commerce

__

Shashi 

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Om Namah Shivaya

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Writing Fiction                              

Chennai Colors: Dr. Chithra Madhavan and 9 tips on writing about Temple Architecture and Heritage buildings

Chennai Colors V: A series about amazing and creative people of Chennai.

Dr. Chithra Madhavan - A Leading heritage historian and Authority on Temple Architecture & Heritage from Chennai adds to the colors of Chennai by revealing ancient sculptures and uncovering amazing stories found hidden in the sanctum sanatoriums of popular as well as lost Indian heritage sites.

 

Dr. Chithra Madhavan (Picture Curtsy FB)

For years, I have been attending Dr. Chithra Madhavan’s lectures due to my passion for spirituality and architecture. Recently, in the popular series ‘Writing about Arts’ curated by Apparao Gallery, Dr. Chitra Madhavan explained how to look at ancient sites and write. It was an eye opener for dozens of enthusiast like me as well as journalists and writers / bloggers, who attended the lecture. I must congratulate the Sharan Apparao of Apparao Gallery, who has conceptualised the lecture series, for consistently brining out amazing 'Chennai Outreach' programs with great speakers like Dr. Chithra Madhavan.

In this post of the series -Chennai Colors, I am featuring Dr. Chithra Madhavan, who by her sheer passion and expertise in detailing the history of temple architecture and heritage, constitutes the beautiful and rich shades of Chennai. I am happy that there are influencers like her, who have the safety and security of our ancient heritage and culture foremost in their mind. There are many online lectures of her talking about the same, so here in this post I am focusing on her capacity as a trainer/speaker, imparting essential knowledge and tools to appreciate the beauty and the rich history behind our ancient Temples. But before I take you through the number of points that she made in the learning session, here is a brief introduction about her.

Dr. Chithra Madhavan and Sharan Apparao at Hindu Lit Festival

Dr. Chithra Madhavan has a Ph.D. in Ancient History and Archaeology from the University of Mysore. She is the recipient of two Post-Doctoral Fellowships, author of seven books and several research articles. She frequently delivers public lectures on temple architecture, sculpture and inscriptions and leads heritage walks in Chennai. Chithra is guest-faculty at several institutions including Kalakshetra Foundation.

Now lets get back to her lecture on “Writing about Temple Architecture and Heritage” as Dr. Chithra Madhavan started with the basic things. 

1) In any kind of report about any specific place, art, dance or Music, the first thing is to keep audience in mind.

2) Read some background on the temple and structure etc. so that you will be able to relate to the things that you are seeing and know the historical back ground.  

3) And the last thing to remember in writing a book or an article, never write in hurry

4) If you are visiting a temple and want to write about its rich heritage and exquisite sculptures, start with the main deity as temples are essentially about God. Notice the specific deviations from the usual practice like the black mark on the forehead of Ranganatha, in Sri Ranganatha Temple, which is Kasthuri hence it is also called Kasthuri Ranganatha. A very important thing to remember is that you write what you notice immediately, preferably within the temple as you will not be able to remember everything later. Dr. Madhavan said that this important thing she learned the hard way. She remembers calling the temple priest after the visit, trying to find that one particular thing that she had noticed in the temple and it was a hard task to find that out again.

Madurai Meenakshi East Gopuram @ Shashi 2002

5) Dr. Chithra Madhavan cautioned against writing anything about a temple, architectural heritage sites etc. without visiting the place you are going to write about. Please don’t Google for information. If you need some background information on the subject you are writing, please check the libraries. She suggested that, ‘In case of Temple architecture and heritage,’ Theosophical society is the best library in Chennai.

6) Capture the flavor of the place, talk to the local people and ask them about the temple or the place. They can give you a humane story or interesting anecdotes. All sculptures are reflection of times.

7) Notice the detailing of the sculptures, structures that is the beauty of Indian Temples. While visiting Museums, read the plaque under the sculpture to know where it comes from. It will give you more understanding of its story and history.

8) Know the traditions of the temple. In every temple there’s a unique ritual. Find the same for flavor e.g. Pancha Vadya, Nalayira Divya Prabandham. Every temple has its Religious, Historical and Architectural perspective.

Finally after 2 hours of engrossing talk with beautiful pictures and lovely presentation, she went on to talk about something that has been very close to her heart i.e. upkeep of the heritage sites and its gradual destruction in name of progress and renovation.

9) She requested all of us to notice and write about the damages, shabby restoration efforts or renovations of such rich places that are treasure house of our culture and tradition.

Leaving you with a wonderful talk Dr. Chithra Madhavan gave at TEDx IIM Shilong..

Hope you have enjoyed this series of Chennai Colors...

__

Shashi 

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Om Namah Shivaya

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