Rudra wrote : I am surprised at your ostritch like worldview vis-a-vis China. If your three days in upper crust Beijing can whitewash China’s un-pardonable misdeamanors in your Head…
Dear Rudra, i beg to differ. This is my second trip to China and I find Chinese people on the streets far more aware and warm towards India than people in India towards them. We, I am afraid are victims of media and our own insecurities. The Chinese respect us more because Buddhism came from India. I am talking about students, artists, taxi drivers, intellectuals, film directors, actors, people who work in hotels, and even people in government. There is a new found respect for their own ancient culture in China too.
I am not of the same opinion as Brahmshastra either. I believe there is a misled arrogance in his views on Hinduism and what he calls a misplaced secularity . Our ancient culture was based on consciousness and humility. On nurturing. In searching and on yearning. Hinduism is a philosophy that does not deny other thoughts. Hinduism is based on the ultimate search for reality, beyond the five senses, the search for universal consciousness. And anyone that says that he or she ‘knows’ Hinduism without that search in humility is converting Hinduism into a dogma, a religion, a system, which it is never supposed to be. It accepts the power of ritual, but never accepts that ritual as anything but the search for the truth.
And he is wrong about everyone else being misguided and assuming that the rest of us have closed our minds to the past glory of the Indian culture. An addiction to past glory is also a form of defensive arrogance. ….
We must look at ourselves today. At who we are today, and how compassionate we are.
Even the British did not treat Indians as badly as we do today ourselves. if you do not belong to the privileged classes, you basically do not even have any fundamental rights. Our record of human rights in the rural areas is abysmal, where the caste system is one of the most abused and awful violation of human rights anywhere in the world. Gandhiji was right when he said that till the caste system was expunged from the Hindu system and our social system, India would remain a backward country. I do NOT talk about the caste system in itself – and there must have ben many valid reasons for it then – but of the abuse of it now. That is important.
Similarly I am willing to accept this of Islam too. It is not in Islam , but the the abuse of its basic tenets that cause terrorism.
If you look carefully at Manu’s laws in our scriptures, you will find much to be ashamed of too. That does not make Hinduism a fundamentalist philosophy. Just that over the years various elements become part of a religious system for reasons we do not know now. But they are repugnant in our context today. I do not believe any religion or system can remain atrophied. If it does not allow itself to be influenced by changing social conditions, it becomes dogmatic and anti – social. My film Bandit Queen started with the following statement from on of Manu’s recorded laws :
“Animals, Drums, Low Castes and Women deserve to be beaten”
The Censor Board asked me to remove that statement. I argued that I had merely taken a statement from the recorded laws of Manu to show how an ancient system is abused by statements in the past that have no relavence today. They researched it and agreed it, but said that the statement may cause law and order problems if allowed in a film.
I am not denying Tianamen Square or what happened in Tibet. But people in glass houses should think about throwing stones. Have you been to a mental asylum in India ? I have. Have you ever been involved in an Indian justice system in India trying to get justice for five years without getting a court date ? I have. Have you visited Indian prison ? I have. When I was doing a film on Mandela, I went to Robben Island to see where Mandela was kept by the extremely oppressive racist government. was amazed. Compared to an ordinary Indian prison in India, it was luxurious.
Do you hear anymore about the people of Bihar ? Do you know that very very little has been done for the people of Bihar affected by the floods – over 3 million of them ? And then I compare what people and the government of China did for the recent victims of the earthquake in Sichuan. It is treated as a national tragedy. Orphanages have sprung up everywhere. For months people of China stood in silence as an air raid siren sounded the exact time of the earthquake. The humanity and response shown in China for their people in this instance was overpowering, and we were almost inhuman in our response to the tragedy of the people of Bihar. Have you looked at the history of the Bhopal gas tragedy ? How we, our very own government completely exploited the hundreds of thousands of people that suffered in the explosions and continue to suffer ? Most of the (meagre) money that came in as compensation went into the pockets of politicians and others.
This does not make China a better government or people than us. But my view is that we must look at bettering ourselves, the wealth of our people, our government, our human rights. And not get defensive every time anyone praises a foreign government or people.
The world changes. We were colonized by the British and many atrocities were committed against. But the UK today is one of our main trading partners and for years we accepted foreign aid from the UK. We may have fought and lost a war with China, but must accept that we are dealing with a different China now. A China that is opening its arms and reaching out to the world asking to be part of it.
Brahmshastra hates everything Islamic, but probably does not pause to consider that the petrol he uses in the mode of transport of transport he uses comes from an Islamic country. In fact at a time when India was tethering in the brink of bankruptcy some years ago, Iraq came to its rescue and offered oil at concessional rates.
In being open lies the future of our planet and our world. There is no one single answer to some very complex questions. I was born in Lahore. I have a special affinity towards the people of Lahore. But I am angry at Pakistan’s involvement in terror attacks on India. I am Hindu but yet feel the pain of partition. Like Gandhiji, I too wish that partition had never happened, and that millions had not died. On either side. I lost one my best friends who was also born in Lahore, who was shot down over Lahore during one of the Wars with Pakistan on a mission with the Indian Air force. One never knows, but his plane probably crashed in the land near where he was born in. This world is complex.
Shekhar ..stop talking like Arundhati Roy..
anyway ..There are three groups in India, who are obsessed with friendship with Pakistan. One is the oldies born in that part before partition and who are nostalgic about the Lahore havelis, halwas and mujras. The second is the Bollywood and other assorted groups, who look at it as a big market. The Dawood gang has financed enough of these useful idiots. The third is the candle light holding bleeding heart liberals (BHLs) who cannot imagine India doing well without its younger brother taken care of. ..
I know you may not like to be in the first group..but it seems you are..and talking about Chinese people as you said ‘are not so aggresive to Indians’..yes you are very right they are not, but also that they do not have right or a voice to change the Communist party plans..
Shekharji,
I dont know much about the history of China (I will surely read up on it now) but I agree with you one one thing.
Change is the only constant in this world and the ONLY way forward is to embrace it and walk with it. Else you get left behind and out-dated. This applies to individual, community, religion, countries and mankind in general.
Changes are sure as seasons and twice as quick, the only way to cope is to embrace it.
Regards
Rashmi
PS: Can you publish Sonya’s new book list (if any) soon pls? Thx.
Yea why not spread wings still further and say Middleeast, subcontinent and far east Asia.
The point is do we want to see what is good in the other or what is not so good.
No one and no relationship is perfect.We work on it to make it work mutually.
Funny we all know it and still I write as if I am pioneerring something.Is the World coming to an end. Is the fear of the next iceage starting this century real.
its the sense of touch..(in any form)
and being a sensitive being You get that in many ways or anyways.
Any real city/country you walk, you know?
You brush past people.
People bump into you.
In todays metropolitan life nobody touches you.
We are all behind this metal and glass.
I think we(now) miss that touch so much
that we crash into each other(on these blogs)
just so we can feel something.
** opening lines, somewhat relevant to this blog entry, taken from the film CRASH
I agree with you completely Shekhar. As an Indian christian, and so a complete minority in this country, I usually am so much in awe of the Hindu religion that does not deny other thoughts. It is so unfortunate that now we live as Bob Dylan says ‘in times that are a changin’. About Pakistan, China and India – well I too have sentimental ideas about our relationships with them and will continue to have them – whatever Shikar calls such people!
Well put Mr. Kapur.
Interesting …
&
Chinese Mann theater playing “YES Man”
It was fun, inspiration and the walk back to the heritage hotel across the street. Noticing pattern on the street, buzz during day and peace at 1 in the night. It was surpise to see Karan Johar in Hollywood.
X-Mas is the time of year, giving is the feeling and a joy with people. Two of my Hollywood friends were delighted to receive “Sarkar Raj” “Bhoothnath” and “Bruce Lee complete Set”… Hollywood had been asking for awhile when will I bring the Indian stars stay in this hotel, walk on the red carpet and showcase the Indian Movie in Hollywood at Chinese Mann theater.
Not sure if I agree with everything but the write up is brilliant in terms of content. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and it will keep me busy thinking over the long weekends to come 🙂
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas! 🙂
To the ‘ancient wise’ Rudras and Bramastras of this world. A few questions-
– Why are you in denial of the present? If you are destined to witness this decadence (lower strata ruling the world) why don’t you see the ones who inhabit that world are destined to play their parts? Their parts are only as important or unimportant as yours.
– Why does not ancient Hindu wisdom tell you that your enemy does not reside in China, Pakistan or any other state. He is in you, he is you, your mind. Why don’t you see how you too are slaves of your mind, its prejudices, which are not bigger or smaller than the ones in Shekhar’s or anyone else’s.
– Why does your Hindu wisdom not tell you – what is now is how it was ever meant to be? That your incessant rhetoric to clamor for change to ‘ancient’ wisdom is nothing more than another form of baggage. Advaita only asks you loose any such baggage and emotions that come it.
– Why do you think the world as it is now, is incapable of seeing the obvious or is less equipped to heal itself? Does the ‘supreme’ whose manifestation it is , now need help ?
We are probably sitting in the penultimate decade if we dont put collective human lifestyle on a new environment friendly pathway in the next decade comprehensively.
The collective human mind will have to be deprogrammed from the vocabulary of the 20th Century-Developed-undeveloped;Rich-Poor;North -South;East-West ;Good-evil etc.
The real war of this century is the war to delete the brainwashing of the last 25 years of a solo capitalist wave all over the world.The funny thing is even if after creating Frankenstein the creator knew he’d made a mistake it didn’t matter ’cause now Frankenstein was what mattered.
I wish 2010-2020 decade is a decade of environmental care,softening/cosying up of international relations and public health rather than the blind GDP race.
The economy especially Indian will be serviced in a year or two and then will probably fly on auto mode.
Maybe we could see a young and effective Ramadoss holding more responsible positions this next decade with an almost absolute break from 20th Century politicos.
***
Shekhar, why aren’t your films working.Are you too much of a one man army.No succession plans.No one to keep the essential cosmopolitan Indian Filmmaker’s light burning after you sort of hang your boots.
I dont know if this sublime anger is justified.I do believe in destiny well so do you.But is vanity getting over the better of you or have you got into the quixotic thinking that you are changing the world with a few people reading this blog or a few interviews or articles here and there in the media.
Destiny has chosen you and given you recognition all over the world .How are you using it.
How many such Indians do we have on Earth.Maybe a you,a Shashi Tharoor,a Swaraj Paul, a Laxmi Mittal- I cant think of another name.
Films have the most condensed affect on masses.Its simply not entertainment at that level.Its like God talking to Peoples.
All that about IItians writing scripts and stuff: Here is an Electrical Engineer from Thapar Inst. of Eng. and Tech. writing all over your blog for years now begging you to mentor him and you simply choose to ignore him.
Filmmaking at that level is not about getting a producer,a cast ,crew permissions locations and shooting marketing and distributing.I am sure you understand-Its the Soul I stand for.
All those technicals Film schools and studios all over the world can arrange even internationally but the Soul is mended by God.
Shekhar think about it.The rest is all understandable.Do you want me to reinvent the wheel you once invented or would you pass on the batton.
The world is complex.
It was always, and it still is.
may GOD help as many of US see ITS UNITY as well as the BEAUTY in the SIMPLICITY of ITS COMPLEXITY.
Coming to the channel of free flow that comes thru me i remember sharing with You the seed of creating a film on Budhdha in the present earthal context which can be called as KRISHNA THE BUDHDHA. Would like to talk to You over it whenever its the ripe time/season of our life.
O! lemme know:)
Very Very moving write up Shekhar.Some one started a shop and over the centuries generations turned these shops into various cults, without questioning…blindly. While this kind of practice continues,which is called radical by the modern world, Which is without any knowledge of contemporary needs then how can we dream about a world, which will not be a complex one.
I believe that the constitution of any country can be the biggest holly book for that particular region if we all be “radical” about that. But these shops are too small and we don’t respect them.
Shekhar,
My posts were not directed at you personally, but some of the others here who are on a constant prowl to label any mention of Hindutva as some sort of a hateful communal agenda. I visit your blog because I read some of your posts at Dr.Chopra’s blog, and there was something quite real about them.
I have vauntingly iterated this here, but let me reassure you that my praise for Hinduism is because it is enroute to delivering its promise to me. So it is not just defensive arrogance you see. You may have probably not read all my posts here for you to have come to the conclusion that i am some hateful bigot. You have to use some relative discrimination when comparing Hinduism with other religions. My conclusions are quite simple:
– The revelationary religions are the actual roots of hate in this society. Crusades, inquistions, jihads, terrorism, forced conversions..need i say more.
– Basically, these religions were formulated as mind-control mechanisms before and during dark ages for war mongering. The rulers corrupted the original teachings, and built mental idols of external God forms, copyrighted them, and put the fear of those Gods into its victims. That fear also translated into violent propagation and emotional suppression. Please research more on the history of the Vatican and early Islam.
Have you any idea how Islam was birthed? What religion do you think the muslims were before they became muslim? Do you know that it is a hidden secret that there is a Shiva Linga in Mecca where these throngs go to pray. A large part of the middle east was a Vedic->Buddhist civilization. Sufism is a link between Hinduism and Islam. How do you think Rumi attained self-realization? The later fanatic Islam was born to counter the violent Christian crusades.
Now, where do you think Christianity came from? Constantine, a war monger, organized it as a religion to drive people into war. The original teachings of Christ are long lost and the common Bible of today is a corrupted cryptic version aimed at converting through extreme fear and morality while promoting a diet and lifestyle which is contrary to ascension. Hence the repressed mess.
– Have you read Paramhansa Yogananda’s books?
There is a growing belief that Jesus was in India and Tibet during his “lost years” learning Buddhism. His original teachings included vegetarianism and reincarnation among many other borrowed aspects of Hinduism. It is also said that he was driven out by Brahmins because he created trouble preaching equality.
– I’m sure you agree that ultimately one has to go inside and find God there. Which religion do you think puts a constant emphasis on that? Correct, Hinduism is the only religion that constantly tries to drive the flow of the mind inward where the real, secular, united, formless, boundless Self or God is. This is the moral of almost all Hindu teachings. Through its numerous shastras, it gives the most comprehensive insight into the functioning of the universe and its inhabitants. You may have also failed to observe that Unity Consciousness is very high among Indians.
It cannot be mentioned enough that the authentic Hindu ways are the most benevolent, grounded, harmonious, healthy, nourishing and environmentally-friendly ways of living.
– So, the promotion of ancient authentic Hindutva in India is the prime basis of my arguments in this domain. We cannot just say Hinduism is inclusive of all thoughts and let fanatic lower-level ideologies take over the psyche of India. The price of passivity will be quite high. There are many practical aspects of Hindu lifestyles that need to be taken into account as well. And I think there are still many elements in the BJP et al who honestly align with this.
– And i think most moderate muslims understand this as well..because moderate muslims are really not muslims at all..can you please define what muslim is? If you want to pray 4 times a day, give up alcohol and all that..is it exclusive of Hindutva? It becomes exclusive only when you call others kafir/infidels for not believing in a copyrighted God and getting fanatic about it..it’s a play of ego. I do not have to believe in Ganapati or Vishnu..and still be a Hindu, because it is all inclusive..in fact, the highest teachings of Hinduism take you into nothingness or shunyata. This is the main point that pseudo-secularists do not get.
– And do you know the sole cause for the rise in world-wide respect for India over the last decade? Hinduism and its by-products..it is literally blowing people’s minds away. you fail to realise the growing awareness outside of India’s boundaries..
– China has a potential for such greatness if their leadership is swapped with the ancient Buddhist/Shaolin oriented one. Hong-kong is much better. But as China is today, it is probably more responsible for world-wide terrorism than Pakistan. Do you find comfort in completely ignoring Burma, Tibet, Taiwan, North Korea, Sudan.Darfur, etc. where the Chinese are violently propagating their communist agenda and bloody quest for this superpower ratrace? The people on the street really do not matter because they have no say with their leaders.
You seem to ignore the fact that this Dragon and Elephant dancing will be quite short-lived once the Dragon breathes out fire.
– But having said this, this world is indeed complex and inclusive, and everything that happens in it is part of the program.
And I fully agree with your views on the disastrous state of Indian infrastructure. You also have to understand that a large part of it is a direct consequence of the Mughal and British invasions which left India in a state of complete mess. So it doesn’t do justice to compare with China, etc.
However, it has created a single country which is a fertile ground for reinventing Hindutva in sync with modernization to create a sophisticated society unparalleled in the world. But this is too high level thinking for the common Indian as of now. Hopefully, great leaders can rise and trigger such a process.
Shekhar Jee, you answered each and every nonsense of idiots and bigots in this blog with logic and full dignity. Brahmastras of this world, shame on you…shame on your bigoted little thoughts…shame on your intelligence…shame on your cursed life
You are lucky you coward that while sitting in a dinghy room somewhere you write all this childish, but provocative, comments..if you had the courage to be in open, I would have personally dealt with you by my bare hands and Shekhar jee wouldnt have to worry about spending his precious time explaining things in the most kind manner to fools such as you..
Hello Sir,
I had been watching you since the “Udaan” & “Digjam” days. I was a school student at that time. “Mr. India” is part of my childhood. According to me, you have the most dignified presence on the screen.Whenever I think about you, I somehow feel that you & Mr. Steven Spielberg are the same. Till date, I saw “Masoom” 3 times at
different stages of my life and it is amazing that my understanding of the film has been completely different each time I saw, which goes on to prove that you communicate with people at different levels at the same time.
I came to know about your blog recently. The content on your blog is highly enriching.
I thank you for responding to Rudra. It is all about ‘Point of View’. It is about having a panoramic vision from the place where we stand and understanding others’ intrepretation of that same surrounding.
It is a sad feeling that a beautiful brain is not reaching the masses of this Sub-continent. Is it because of the dirty stinking brains associated, unfortunately with our film Industry? I do not know the reason. However, I strongly believe that my Spielberg is a strong fighter and will surprise everybody.
Thank You.
Yours Sincerely,
Krishna.
antibrahmshastra, could u please refrain from being so personal ? I ask that of everyone – All points of view are welcome as long as they are open for argument, other wise I shall be forced to edit comments and I am against that, use the weapons of intelligence please, not rhetoric, shekhar
hey prem:)
hi buddy it seems the manifesting season(and the reason) for our crash has also not yet come!! a few happenings(like this one too, ie. crashing side by side here on this blog) would trigger it so that we finally make it happen to happen on its own.
good to see U,
justanother premprajna from TIET:)
[Correct, Hinduism is the only religion that constantly tries to drive the flow of the mind inward where the real, secular, united, formless, boundless Self or God is] – brahmastra
Why does it do so? Because it knows that without seeing the later first, all one’s perceptions would be of the mind and thus as much false. Based on this its great sages gave a truism “You perceive only what you are.” If you are a fanatic you will perceive fanatics outside, if you are stupid you will see stupids outside, if you are a terrorist you will see terrorists outside and so on.
But once you have seen the later within yourself, that is, seen secular, united, boundless Self or God, which all in a way represent Perfect One or Perfect One’s Perfect Evolutionary Scheme of Things of the Universe, then naturally you will see that same Perfect One or ‘His’ Perfect Scheme of things outside. You may yet have to perform some duties in terms of duality, you may yet even have to fight an ‘other’ to further the same Perfect Scheme of things, yet these will not be because of some baggage of the past or future in your mind or which really constitutes your mind but because an immediate situation/flow prompts you to it. It is to act spontaneously or flow with the flow in other words. A sage too can fight while flowing with the flow but the difference from others will be that he will have not even an iota of hate towards the other with whom he is fighting, nor he will use any derogatory word unbecoming of the other’s same Great Self.
Harb
@ brahmastra (This is just a suggestion, when someone has views as potent as yours, it helps to post in your own name. Anonymous posters with extreme views are usually viewed as trolls on all serious forums)
You wrote :
“Have you any idea how Islam was birthed? What religion do you think the muslims were before they became muslim? Do you know that it is a hidden secret that there is a Shiva Linga in Mecca where these throngs go to pray. A large part of the middle east was a Vedic->Buddhist civilization. Sufism is a link between Hinduism and Islam. .
”
That is an interesting claim. Could you provide us some links and references for your source of information? I assume to are basing these arguments on well-researched academic information. I would be particularly interested to know of how your learned of the ‘hidden secret’ about the shivling in Mecca.
Warm Regards,
Ritu
This is slightly unrelated, but, there is another interesting phenomenon that I have encountered on many online fora. That is this extreme hatred for Arundhati Roy. Anything from her mouth is summarily dismissed. I am not saying that I stand by everything she opines, yet I am willing to keep the mind open because there is a truth in a lot she says.
The interesting thing is that I have rarely come across a convincing reason for a person to hate Arundhati Roy. I sometimes think there is a misogynist streak that calls for that kind of reaction. One of my fellow blogger friends tried to explain himself but unfortunately he falls prey to the same thing he accuses her of – a single dimensioned world-view.
In that context I was quite amused to see Shikhar accuse Shekhar of talking like Arundhati Roy. Really, that is not as bad as it is made out to be!
hi Shekhar..I just read what Ritu wrote ..so I thought I would write back..there are these groupies(ha)who have become crazy rationalist or pernickety judges about how wrong this country is ..they want justice for just about every sane or insane voice that comes out..last time Arundhati went to declare Kashmir’s independece on her judgement..I don’t know if this is India’s great quality of having just about every thought in this planet conflicting with many other thoughts..I know India have enriched great thoughts for humanity and will forever..but also that some are dangerous to itself, (not Arundhati’s thoughs)but still Arundhati spits venom time to time..she can’t store it so she spits it..
Deepak Ravindra,
Lets look at what you are saying in the context of China. See what has happend there. The ancient buddhist culture was wiped out over time by the power-hungry monarchy, thousands of monasteries and artifacts were burnt along with the monks. And it still continues to date in Tibet. Agreed, this is part of a bigger picture. But it seems to be a growing reality in India as well. Do you want India to be under a communist+islamic ideology..because that is exactly what the enemy is planning. While you are complacent in your white-collar job, contemplating your next cell phone and weekly temple visits, there are a growing number of anti-hindu, anti-indian cells in and around the borders trying to build cracks in the society.
There is terrorism lurking in your backyard..tomorrow it could be one of your favourite hangouts or someone close to you.
The philosophy you preach is quite sound, but you do not understand it fully.
As Harb as rightly put it, Inaction in action is quite different from plain inaction. we can atleast start with this awareness.
Dear Shekhar,
I agree completely with you. We all need to see things in a holistic manner rather than focussing on narrow concerns. The future of humanity is at stake now.
Regards
Dev
Shekhar Jee, with all humility I accept my stupidity once again.I feel so bad that somebody of your stature has to request people like me to behave themselves. I assure you I will never get personal with anybody on this forum anymore.
But, I only want to say that I got personal with one person only and that too after he repeatedly insulted and got personal with anybody who challenged his views. You have to read his various comments to see what Iam talking about. Almost in his every comment, he started off by saying to different commentors things like “idiots like you” ” pseudo secular ppl like you” and countless such things..wasnt that personal? Just because nobody was saying anything to him and you also never admonished him before this, I just tried to balance things out. But I agree I still have no right to get personal with anybody on your serious blog. I have no problem with his views on Hinduism or anything as long as he argues with civility..but the moment somebody challenges his views, even if politely, he gets personal. I think he should be wise enough now to start behaving appropriately after you specifically wrote a post for people like him. But, if he still doesnt mend his ways, you have to only take care of him. Iam not going to spend any energy or time on such people after this.
Sorry once again Sir.
Allright bramastra, to argue this within the realm of maya,
You are asking of people to see the enemy in the face. You’ve given the enemy different labels – Islamic, communist etc over various responses. You are asking of the average Indian to ‘awaken’ from a slumber and see there is a duty – they owe to their heritage and rich lineage. You want them to realise it and develop that zealous protective instinct to guard it from any further attack, decay and loss from collective memory.You fear we are not possessive enough already of our temples,scriptures and knowledge.
Hold on – isn’t this the language the madrasa’s which are ‘supposed’ to be churning out Islamic fanatics speaking?
I am sure you realise your responses and comments feed into the collective pysche of the ‘fanatic’ and ‘extremist’ here . They ride the wave of hatred and exclusivity while professing a higher end goal. In an highly complex world with short attention span as ours, people’s perception bubble spots a rabid and fanatic instinct quickly and rejects such elements. If your intention is to get atleast some people to drop their veils of ignorance and look at the truth as you know,you are fighting an increasingly lonely battle, don’t you think?
I do not for one moment suggest inaction or passivity. I agree completely with Harb, when he very well explains how even a sage can take up arms in all ‘awareness’ knowing how he needs to play that role. He will however do it without ‘hatred’. His language will be of true action aligned with true self and not of extremism stemming from a misplaced sense of superiority in his knowledge, lineage and heritage.
You deserved to be part of pakistan at time of partition. You should be happy what India gave you and your people.Talk something in hand rather than unknown theories like brahmasastras.
There are a lot of things, we need to learn from China…………
Deepak Ravindra
Lord Rama, when in a state of deep dilemma in his early years, was thought the doctrine of advaita by Sage Vasishtha (Yoga Vasishtha) through which he attained the supreme union into the non-dual Self. He continued his ordained path as a King and did as was necessary including waging wars. Just a random piece of knowledge. This infatuation with a deluded sense of non-violence and dualistic peace-making has crippled India. It is almost as if India is in the state as Arjuna was in Kurukshetra at the beginning of the battle, and Krishna had to intervene and charge him in. Similiarly, India needs to fight both within and without.
Your first para is correct. Then you fragment into absurdity. How could you possibly compare what i am saying with madrasas? Assume some balanced perspective. The propagation of authentic Vedic ways is congruous, and not contradictory, to the propagation of peace and brotherhood. I understand that this may be a very idealistic stand, but unless you address the root problem at a collective level – religion – you will not find a proper solution for the mess in India. Hindutva, if implemented right without the caste system, is the only solution which can address all the issues.
….
Dear Shekhar,
It is a revelation to see your response to my rather pointed remarks on your views of China – In a way I am intellectually thrilled to see that you’ve been pricked – I think completely understand why and where you were pricked and hence piqued .
As kindred souls on a search for truth and expressionism , we cannot afford to be lost in a single dimensional world view – leave that to lesser mortals , and I do hold you to a higher standard , Shekhar.
An analysis of not just the secular , material , philosophic views , but the history of actions intents and a spiritual insight into the karmic revolutions in this planet will give us a better insight into such matters.That is what will clarify to our own intellects what is truly at stake.
And what is at stake , Shekhar is the future of this planet – and we cannot secure the planet unless we understand its spiritual dimension. ‘Mind over Body’ – implies we have to make every effort as enlightened ( comparitively ie) people to course-correct the mind of the world.
Part of that effort is to see truth clearly even as our senses are being befooled and bombarded with snare after snare of pleasantries that violent and totally material philosophies of this world present to us to camoflouge their real identity and purpose.
There is after all more to us , human beings and this living planet – than just ‘economic’ , ‘secular’ or ‘material’ well being.
@ Brahmastra
A reminder for you to address my questions at comment #20. Waiting for the academic reference to your claims.
Ritu,
http://www.hinduism.co.za/kaabaa.htm
Just something off hand. You may also look up any ancient map of India.
Mecca is derived from Makkeshwar or Mahakala. King Vikramaditya civilized that land of primitive desert nomads and tribals by sending Vedic scholars and establishing Hindu dharma and rituals. There were many Hindu idols in Mecca which were destroyed by the founders of Islam. Every effort has been made by the Saudis to destroy any surviving idols, buildings or artifacts from pre-islamic times. This is no secret. The truth is veiled up with utmost ruthlessness in Saudi. They live in utmost fear of being exposed. And we do know about the Bamiyan Buddhas from recent times.
Excerpt from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-destruction-of-mecca-saudi-hardliners-are-wiping-out-their-own-heritage-501647.html
Historic Mecca, the cradle of Islam, is being buried in an unprecedented onslaught by religious zealots.
Almost all of the rich and multi-layered history of the holy city is gone. The Washington-based Gulf Institute estimates that 95 per cent of millennium-old buildings have been demolished in the past two decades.
Now the actual birthplace of the Prophet Mohamed is facing the bulldozers, with the connivance of Saudi religious authorities whose hardline interpretation of Islam is compelling them to wipe out their own heritage.
It is the same oil-rich orthodoxy that pumped money into the Taliban as they prepared to detonate the Bamiyan buddhas in 2000. And the same doctrine – violently opposed to all forms of idolatry – that this week decreed that the Saudis’ own king be buried in an unmarked desert grave.
A Saudi architect, Sami Angawi, who is an acknowledged specialist on the region’s Islamic architecture, told The Independent that the final farewell to Mecca is imminent: “What we are witnessing are the last days of Mecca and Medina.”
According to Dr Angawi – who has dedicated his life to preserving Islam’s two holiest cities – as few as 20 structures are left that date back to the lifetime of the Prophet 1,400 years ago and those that remain could be bulldozed at any time. “This is the end of history in Mecca and Medina and the end of their future,” said Dr Angawi…
The motive behind the destruction is the Wahhabists’ fanatical fear that places of historical and religious interest could give rise to idolatry or polytheism, the worship of multiple and potentially equal gods…
Ritu,
I had compiled a post with some links for you..but seems it never made it through the editorial process 😉 I will try to repost later.
brahmasatra,
I agree. I am glad to see at least one soul of clarified intellect in this forum as brahmastra.
It takes a while for people of the McAulean mould to break free from years of conditioned education and political correctness – which is a pun in itself , since there is nothing correct about it and mostly consists of preaching non-violence to the non-violent vedic peoples, and not having the guts nor the courage to stand up to the violent philosophies.
We do need many ‘brahmastras’ to dispel the ignorance on this planet ( pun intended).
Deepak Ravindra,
Here are my answers to the questions you had for souls like me representing ‘ancient wisdom’:
1) You show that you have good English, but your questions lack basic intelligence. Your first question makes absolutely no sense. All that I have written is about realism and the need for educated Indians to be realists rather than wooly headed McAulean idealists.
2) You neither seem to know a scrap about ancient Hindu wisdom , and the little you know seems to be a set of misconceptions. There are duties that we all have to do In the vedic view , our duties extend to the spiritual realms, entire planet , entire life , society around us , and to ourselves. Hinduism is all about seeing the divine within . you definitely seem to be an enemy of your higher good and definietely an enemy of good sense and true Indian interest . I dont know what you are trying to say about prejudices. You have read my posts on this forum of the last couple years to know my message .
3) Another hilarious expression of your stupidity.You hashow your complete lack of understanding of Advaita or indeed any Vedanta. I am actually surprised at your confidence in writing in this manner. Now for your education there is always a need to clear the path in every generation- the path is the path of truth and of course we need a change from untruth to truth as a continuum. You sound like a Buddhist in your fatalism , but you quote Hinduism and that is deeply offensive !
4) Again , another asinine assumption in your fertile head – your imagination needs a positive spin , and for that , youll need a few chisel blows from life , but if you are intelligent enough to understand , ill help you along the world will heal herself , but the world is a living entity , a sacred space for all living beings to grow spiritually. And in times when the stupid forces ( like yourself ) and more evil versions take over the neutral space , the world does need help ! that is why we have the universal soul manifesting age after age as avatars in lord krishnas words to protect the virtuous , to destroy the wicked .
HI,
If someone wants to offer some stories for your movies , then would you like to go through that?
Regards
Gyan saxena
Lokhandwala,Andheri(W).
Mumbai.
Mobile : 9987990038
Mr. Kapur: You are famous, creative and successful as a film maker, but politically, you are naive and confused. Putting you in the same league as Arundhati Roy is quite apt.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Alessandra
http://www.craigslistpostingonline.info
In too late…still
Kapur saab, thanks for some really great work. But this is where I must say goodbye to you….Always bad to loose ones own countrymen.
Dear brahmastras – I have not seen and studied the muslims historians, you could be right, I have read at some place that some muslim historian (probably Mohammad Bin Qasims historian) also mentioned that the ancestors of Indians used to visit Mecca. Probably the traders from Kerala or elsewhere in India. Anyways Mittanis are a reality. I too read a lot of Commie propogated History and only thanks to the technology of Net have I been able to look beyond. I am sure I on the right path right now though still very slow. But tell me something dont you see the faint light at the end. Surely the Samskaras of our ancients will be of some help to our own vivek. I am hopeful, I have seen the light.
Wow! How the hell did I miss this section of the blog!
Now that even the allahabad high court said that the disputed site is indeed the birth place of Maryada Purushottam, does this pseudo-celeb propaganda even matter?!
Problems cannot be solved on the same level of awareness which created them – Einstein
A friend sent this quote to me, when I first read it; I could not understand it. I kept pondering my brains out for days but nothing came to me – Last night while watching a debate on European Muslims, it struck me and I would like to believe that I know what Einstein meant now.
Here is how it happened…
I came across a debate on youtube titled “Europe is failing its Muslims” organized by BBC between two very famous scholars – Tariq Ramadan and Douglas Murray – I was hoping to get some valuable insight – but I was very much disappointed. The debate had ended before it even started.
Muslim Scholar Tariq Ramadan (Born & Raised in Sweden) is asked to step on podium to highlight his agenda – He makes introductory remarks, points out the problems Muslims are facing in West and concludes “Europe has failed its Muslims”.
Now, The British Scholar, Douglas Murray steps on podium talks about the violence and terrorism imposed on west by Islam, and ends his conversation by saying “Europe has not failed its Muslims, Its Muslims who has failed Europe”
This is when it struck me… I did more research found a few more relevant debates. But the results were same – HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT.
After listening to a few more scholars on various other topics – I came to realize that most of them have gained wisdom through their knowledge, which gives them slightly different and broader understanding of the worldly issues than an ordinary man (Someone with no or lesser knowledge). They have the knowledge, they have the wisdom, they even have broader understanding of the issues and problems, BUT what almost all of them are missing is HIGHER LEVEL OF AWARENESS. Intellectually they are slightly at the higher end of the pyramid (due to their knowledge). But when it comes to dealing with personal prejudices they are at the same level as any other human being, which is at the bottom ends of the pyramid. (People like Buddha, Einstein, Gandhi, Tao and Lao are an exception)
Now coming back to debate “Europe is failing its Muslims “both the scholars were very sharp and well informed. They had raised some really good questions too. But sadly, they both had one-sided view, their research and view point were partial and biased. They were victim of their own prejudices, so were the audience. Which did not help anyone, instead had drawn more lines.
Only if they had higher level of awareness, they would have been able to understand each other. Only then, instead of quoting “Muslims have failed Europe” or “Europe has failed its Muslims. They would have concluded; “We have failed each other” and that would have been an interesting debate.
Their knowledge and partial wisdom did entertained audience. It also won them appreciation and applauses… but the missing element of AWARENESS, higher, than at which the whole problem was created, failed to engage audience in a meaningful and constructive debate.
We live in a society that is too complex and too dependent on knowledge to guarantee us a social acceptance. Sadly, Knowledge can be perceived in either ways, each of us can create our own version of reality depending on what we want to believe, or how big one’s ego is.
Same thing is happening in our part of the world. When it comes to problems between Pakistan & India, Hiduisam & Islam, our partial and biased understanding mixed with personal prejudices blind folds our intelligence, which keeps the light of awareness from reaching us
Gandhi Jee once said; if you want to change the world Change yourself first (Be the change you want to see in the world)… what did he meant by it? What change he had suggested? How does he want us to change?…. Could it be a change of perception?
Abdul Munim
A 29 years old Pakistani by birth, Muslim by religion, Chinese by profession (Studied & working in China)… And a proud Indian by ethnicity.
Abdulmunim518@gmail.com