In a landmark decision the Supreme court of India upheld the waiving of exemption from income taxes to nuns and priests of the Catholic church serving in educational institutions, thus bringing the practice from the British era to an end. The catholic clergy in all filed over 93 appeals seeking reversal.
https://www.ucanews.com/news/indian-court-ends-tax-exemption-for-catholic-priests-nuns/106944
Bravo! The Iranian woman did not strip in the university to amble around in semi nudity. The purpose or intent was to defy hijab that keeps women veiled. This is more of a symbolic act as we know. Why should women be struggling for something as basic and mundane as the fundamental right to personal preferences such as one’s attire?
I don’t believe in faith that subscribes the means and methods of living ways. If I am a vegetarian from birth, its not because it is enforced by any law or code in Hindu scriptures. My family made the voluntary choice generations back and I am okay with it. Freewill must prevail and individual’s freedom of expression is the hallmark of civilization.
Even bikinis can be carried over with dignity and need not have to be vulgar at all. The sense of honour and respect is in the eye of the beholder. Even the Arabs must be aware of the long arm of modern technology that can reach into their bedrooms and bathrooms exposing their women to all and sundry. No burqa can come to their rescue. The peeping Tom could be your next door neighbour, who knows. May the modesty be in your mind.
Anyway the Iranian girl practically wrote her own death sentence. But someone has to bell the cat right. And she did just that.
Kudos to the Chess player and three times rapid chess world champ Anna Muzychuk for refusing to play the tournament in Saudi Arabia because of the burqa dress code. Anna says she does not want to be chaperoned to the venue from her hotel by a male escort as per local laws as it may measure to her not being an equal to a man. A disgrace! Its time to pull out events from Saudi in that case where women sportspeople wouldn’t be treated with equal respect as the men.
This is spot on!
Diwali marks the homecoming of Ram to Ayodhya. It has nothing to do with Christianity or Islam. It will neither be allowed to be trivialized as mere festival of lights nor dubbed into jashn-e-roshan.
Happy & Prosperous Diwali! Happy new year Vikram Samvat 2081 !
Its time to stop refering to Diwali/Deepavali as the Festival of Lights. Even Hindus have fallen prey to the agenda of trivialization of Hindu festivals by Chrisitian conversion mafia. Diwali is a distinct HINDU RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL CELEBRATED AS COMMUNITY. In Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated on the 14th day of the moon which is Chaturdashi, and in the rest of India, Diwali is celebrated on Amavashya the new moon day. Diwali also marks the Hindu New Year when the NSE and BSE of India, the national stock exchanges, open for a couple of auspicious hours that we call ‘muhurat.’ All accounts and ledgers are opened in entire India on this day, at this specific hour of trading that we call Muhurat trading. Diwali is the day Ram came back to Ayodhya with Seetha after defeating Ravana of Sri Lanka. For the first time in 500 years therefore, Ayodhya is welcoming Ram back finally. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F13nrT03HBw
Lamps/diyas are lit as was the prevailing custom in the bygone eras. Lamps/Diyas we light in Hindu temples are oil lamps that are environment friendly. The wicks are cotton wicks. The fireworks used from Ramayana days to until a few decades before were organic and not toxic.
Diwali is typically preceded by Dhanteras (the Puja for Dhanwantri, the Hindu god for Health) and Lakshmi (Kubera) Puja (for Goddess of Wealth Lakshmi) in northern India. ‘Shubh’ ‘ ‘Labh’ is the byline. . Dhanteras is celebrated with gold and diamond shopping by prosperous Hindus. Diwali is the third day which is also marked by prayers and intense pujas. Fireworks meant the defeat of Narakasura by Lord Vishnu (in Tamil legends) and the victory of Ram over Ravana in rest of India. Hindus pray for health and prosperity during Diwali as Ram’s homecoming marks return of golden reign to the kingdom. Fireworks were for welcoming Ram back to Ayodhya. The tradition of lighting up fireworks in celebration of Ram’s return to Ayodhya continues for ages even if Ayodhya wore a gloomy look for five centuries after Babur the Mogul invader and marauder from present day Afghanistan, razed the holiest of Hindu shrines that was the birth place of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Now can you imagine such a fate to Mecca or Madina. Bharat (INdia) is the cradle of Hindu Dharma. The reclamation of Ayodhya is Ram’s will, not Narendra Modi’s. The fourth and final day of Diwali will be the Bhai Dooj, which is celebration of brother-sister relationship. Diwali is a 4-day celebration for Hindu community. At the least, it is 2 day celebration. Now all that is what is compacted and trivialized by the church as one single festival of lights.
We also have the sikularists of India and foreign media referring to Diwali as ‘festival of lights’ trying to trivialize Diwali and foment a disconnect between the festival and its religious aspect. Many fellow Hindus have also started referring to Diwali as ‘festival of lights’ instead of calling it Deepavali. Its time this trend stops.
Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, is already neutralized and made into a global festival. Nobody talks about the Holi puja. From Raksha bandhan to Navarathri and even Pongal/Sankrtanthi, every Hindu festival first is ritualistically observed at home before the community celebration kicks in. Without the worship of Sun God there can be NO PONGAL. So what are these Tamil Christians celebrating as ‘samathuva Pongal?’ You left Dharma for foreign faith, then why do you want to hang on with Hindu rituals?
Here is a blatant attempt to trivialize and if possible christianize Diwali:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/diwali-christian-reflecti_b_2119892
The church will stop at nothing to absorb Diwali as their own. Well, Ramayana will be a story as much as Jesus was conceived by IVF. The author must know that Hindus don’t sell Dharma door to door like Jesus Harpic or Jesus Stayfree. Dharma is self reflection never imposed or bribed or bought over.
Look what they have done to Yoga: Beer yoga, Goat yoga. Nothing is sacred for them.
Sincere, academic and profession oriented, hardworking, going home straight from work than hitting a liquor bar, going home to family everyday, disciplined, selfless, sacrificing, family oriented, CULTURED in true spirit – truly these are the characteristics of most Hindus. This i am saying after having lived abroad on and off for a quarter century, mixing with foreign cultures. Mainly Hindus don’t disturb others and let them be. That’s a great testimony we have here.
If India is poor, this land is lived in for 10000 years and seen the golden age for centuries. The streets we walk in are centuries old. The temples we visit are 2000 years plus ancient. Poor in only aspects important to the west. NEVER POOR when it comes to what really matters. More than our streets, our lives must be clean. More than the material wealth, our lives must be rich with culture and heritage passed down for millennia.
In Middle east where we are based, I was struck with a very severe viral fever when I ran a temperature of 108 F for a continuous 10 day period. I needed at least two IV injections. Even so, my temperature would be back within 2 hours. I don’t know where I picked up this virus early this year = whether from mall or from our walking in the parks. Later I was told that most of the residents had received a vaccination for this mysterious virus that I didn’t. Many were falling sick and some required hospitalization.
In this period I was asked to have ORS for regaining my lost strength, being a vegetarian. My problem is that I am borderline diabetic. I am not on any pill but I am not supposed to take direct sugar as much as possible = and that too something equal to glucose. I try to keep control by adopting lifestyle changes. Sugarfree ORS was not available over the counter or by order anywhere in Middle East. I was forced to have the ORS with sugar pumped in in generous millies ! The doctor who attended me told me that ORS sugarfree possibly was available in India. Market in India is vast that there is nothing that is not available. I made a mental note to get it during my next home visit.
I asked for sugarfree ORS in pharmacies but nobody had it including the Apollo. There I placed my order, just in case, because they normally source it from others if they don’t stock it. The pharmacist told me only the tetrapacks of 100 ml were available. ORS tetrapack sounded funny even if priced at 45 bucks one pack. Again, you cannot take liquids abroad beyond 1 liter by air. The tetrapacks came in handy whenever I came home from a harsh sun, chilled in my fridge.
During this visit I searched the Amazon and was surprised as well as shocked to note that a whole long list of sugarfree ORS is available as sachets to be dissolved in a glass of water – just the like the sugared ORS sachets I found in Doha. More than delighted. We don’t take the Glucon D kind of thing regularly but when we feel extremely week after travel etc., drained of our energies, this can come in handy.
I don’t regularly order food from Swiggy but their Instamart definitely benefits me. Even the quality of vegetables and fruits is good. Within 10 to 20 minutes maximum on order, I get the subji. We can order the veggies after turning on the gas stove! Living in a polluted metro like Chennai which is also dug up entirely for Metrorail expansion plans facing the wrath of the monsoons at the same time, Instamart is a godsend with quickest service time. For working couples, it can’t get better.
Ten to fifteen years back, I used to order kurtis (rarely) online from those like Jabong. My books were ordered from Flipkart. Flipkart sold out to Walmart. Myntra is owned by Flipkart. Jabong sold out to Myntra. Why should these desis sell out to Amazon and Walmart and bow out. They make a quick profit and then they make a beeline for exit. Big global brand thrive on REINVESTMENT, not on selling the business once you make a landfall. Ploughing back of profits into the trade is the business mantra that our Indian entrepreneurs fail to grasp.
Compared to Ola I have also felt that Uber has better discipline and working ethics. Learn what is best from others.
I have reached the age where comfort and service matter to me most for which I am willing to pay the right price. If the Indian service providers fall short of standards, it is their problem.
Tata’s used to be grotesque car 15-20 years back. But both Tata and Mahindra upgraded themselves and they are the fastest selling India=made sedans and suvs in India today that are also being exported. Their steel and safety features have earned them 5 star rating.
https://www.acko.com/car-guide/safest-cars-in-india/
At least 5 of the top 10 safest cars in India are now India made.
I also notice that Amazon sources its supplies from numerous small sellers and traders. India Mart is there as well but here, you have to bulk-order. India Mart is mostly for wholesalers. Amazon allows for lowest unit of order.
Would rather put my faith and trust on Amazon and Walmart than on Ambani and Adani!
Ratan Tata is no more. A son of India like none other. A visionary who took India forward step by step. His global conglomerate employs millions across the world. The legacy he leaves behind is immense and matchless. A huge fan of Tata both for his ETHICAL business ways and for the humanitarian he was. Men like these are born once in a millennium. After looking at the likes of Elon Musk etc., you reckon why men like Tata matter more for not just India but for the entire universe. An aspect called decency: that sets apart Tata from crude others. We have also had the Ramdev kind of so-called spiritual entrepreneurs. We have witnessed in recent past the rise and fall of the Patanjali Ayurved he founded as a practising yogi! Tata to me was also a yogi, only not in saffron robes. Men like Ratan Tata won’t have a punar janam (rebirth) but if he must, may he be reborn in Bharat/India again and again. Thank you so much Tata ji for what you gave back our ancient motherland. Words cannot describe what I feel from the bottom of heart, for you. Go in peace. But bless Bharat from wherever you are. A life so well lived in public service. Patriotism can take different shades. Like Tata’s for instance. What a selfless life! Business tycoons need not have to be always as brash as the Ambanis and as selfish as the Adanis who are profit motivated and nothing more. Industrial corporations need not have be as ruthless. Somewhere there can be a middle ground. There are those like the Tata group who still engage in ethical businesses who are the reason Bharat is still ticking. My heart feels heavy losing you Ratan ji even if I am aware, all of us have to come to this day sometime. Losing you is like losing a precious diamond. A real Ratan. There is not an area of economy that you have not touched. Its news to me that Tata even brought out the first CBS India cassette recording Nazia and Zoheb Hassan from across the border bringing them international fame. You brought respectability to this country, acquiring foreign manufacturing industries and firms. From TCS (Tata consultancy service (IT company)) and Air India to star hotels to Tata manufactured sedans with Tata buying out international brands like Jaguar of UK and Tetley tea, to Tata steel (that acquired Corus steel) to Tata telecom – and even those like Tata tea, Tanishq (designer jewelry brand) and Westside (fashion and accessories), you have carved a niche for yourself (Tata brand) in (gold) standard in the business world. You leave behind big shoes hard to fill. You are inspiration Ratan ji for generations of Indians. The biggest take away from you for all of us is that, you can keep your ethics and still make it a viable trade; you can engage in selfless public service and still run industrial corporations and manufacturing industries. You can transform societies if you have the will.
The 45th World Chess Olympiad was underway in Budapest, Hungary that was watched avidly by chess lovers around the world. India today created a world record winning twin golds for both men and women category emerging at the top of the table.
Wow what a moment for India! Extremely proud of the young guys who made our dreams come true! Hearty congratulations to both the teams and especially the local Chennai boy Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi who are both under world top 5. India easily outclassed Russia, China and the USA. One more Chennai boy Pragnaanandaa and Gukesh are both under 20 years. Prag’s sister Vaishali Rameshbabu is a member of the women’s contingent. Siblings on world record to have a ranking below world top 20. Me a mere follower of Chess developments here, nothing more 😀 The wins highlight the soft power that is India that conquers the world with holistic means such as Yoga, Meditation, Chess, Spirituality, Classical art forms along with world’s best and No.1 nutritious and yummy cuisine!
We have to keep in gratitude the chess academies of India that made this feat possible in the first place with their right grooming. Diamonds do need polishing with cutting edge technology.
One of the possibly worst blasphemous crimes in Indian history was committed in Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthana temples. The temple prasadham Tirupathi Laddoo which is GI tagged for its unique recipe, allegedly is made with fish oil/beef tallow. The use of low grade ghee for ingredient is to blame. The news has vexed millions of devout Hindus who are vegetarian from birth. Even meat eating Hindus do not touch beef. The non vegetarian Hindus also don’t visit temples on consuming meat. Temple prasad and house menu on auspicious days of the week like friday and saturday and also for festive occasions such as family weddings, Diwali, Pongal, special pujas and even for death anniversaries etc., see all Hindus turning vegetarian. Food is an extremely sensitive issue for Hindus. I don’t even eat foreign chocolates because they contain gelatin. Eat the vegetarian cheese. And avoid croissants because they are brushed with egg white. Plane food is another complex problem for us vegetarians. As veganism grains grounds around the world, we are able to breathe a little easier these days. We get at least the garden salad wherever we go. Otherwise, world is a very tough place for vegetarians to survive outside India which is an overwhelmingly vegetarian country.
So imagine having the temple prasad contaminated with fish oil/beef fat. This may be a possibility because the laddoo making is outsourced by the temple. Unscrupulous elements could be making a backdoor entry here to spoil things for Hindus. Already non Hindus are employed in TTD temples which goes against Dharma. Will churches and mosques ever employ Hindus to keep accounts and manage their affairs. Rajashekar Reddy and now his son Jagan Reddy are known for taking missionary activities to the nook and corner of Andhra Pradesh. Rajashekhar Reddy’s copter crashed right on Nallamala hills when he was still the CM. Crypto christians using Hindu names is very common crime in India : just like how Seetharam Yechuri the communist who passed away recently hoodwinking the masses of this country got his christian burial.
There are no written laws in Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism). There needn’t be one. We Hindus adhere to strict code of conduct when it comes to our faith and temples. Women with menses do not enter the temples for 5 days and even our Pujas at home remain closed at this time. Birth/death in the family bars us from having puja at home or going to temples for fixed no. of days. We don’t go to temples without showering (cleansing). Even meat eating Hindus do not visit temples after consuming meat.
Lab tests reveal the presence of animal fat in the temple prasad Laddoos. Tirumala temple is world famous for the laddoos alone apart from being the world’s third richest after Shri Padmanabha temple, Thirvananthapuram (Kerala, India) and Vatican.
We have none to blame in this case, not even the Pakistanis. But we have in our midst our own brown christian and muslim agents working against the native Hindus and against Indian interests = who will do whatever it takes to convert this country into one more wretched Latin American missionary mafia country or pariah of the Arabs playing stooge to the middle eastern countries. Being Hindu by character and DENYING CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM negating them totally is India’s biggest problem which is now the world concern.
As for Hindus, it is time we too as a community and culture move away from Sarguna way of worship to Nirguna where we don’t have to involve ourselves with matters not concerning our inherent faith. Hindu Dharma is getting increasingly steeped in rituals with the substance getting lost in the process. The discipline both physical and mental and the decorum are for a higher purpose. Every single practising Hindu must remember this ultimate truth. We are seekers who are here with temporary costumes: both memory (birth life and relations) and body being the set of clothes we don on for one of our earthly sojourns. Our Atman alone is ours to take back with us with the essence of this lifetime added to us in the form of Karma. We are going to shed our memory and the body both. We are going to get a fresh pair of clothes in our next birth by way of a new memory and new body. So let us leave trivial matters to where they belong. Of course the laddoo matter is very sensitive. Its outrageous that someone could willingly inflict such a psychological damage on a massive population. The perpetrators of such a heinous crime must not go unpunished. In fact we need to treat this criminal offence as war on India. Yet it is wise to leave things at that and move on. May the custodians of law take up the matter. Everything else is immaterial, only the saaraansh of our bhakthi/faith counts. The more we focus on superficial matters, the more we shall lose track of our original goal and purpose in life. Our journey must not get stuck at a point with matters such as this laddoo for instance. These are hurdles in our path, nothing more. If Dharma has to die, then the world will come to a complete standstill. Dharma more than anything, is the much needed balance. With that self assurance, don’t look back but move up your spiritual life.
When 26 year old Anna Sebastian Peraiyil, a chartered accountant working for EY India, succumbed to work stress, it shed light on the prevailing toxic work culture we have in India. Not long ago, Infosys chairman Shri Narayana Murthy went on record saying that Indian youth must be ready to work for 70 hours a week. The founder of Infosys which became the first INdian MNC to be listed in Nasdaq is under fire ever since he made his controversial statement. There can’t be a better time to rethink the work-life balance that is precariously titled so far as careers with Indian corporates are concerned. Anna worked for over 12-15 hours a day including during weekends. She complained of a chest congestion and died within minutes on her way to hospital in an ambulance. Overworked and underpaid being the destiny of hundreds of thousands of young men and women, currently we have the most disillusioned generation in the history of the country who have lost the light in their eyes with early burnout syndrome. We have the younger people opting out of marriage and parenthood and putting material welfare ahead of personal life. Work stress and nonstop chasing of deadlines have driven the IT engineers especially towards dope culture which is an open secret. Social and economic development at what cost? Ambitious young Indians are dropping dead like never before to heart attack and cardiac arrest thanks to the toxic work culture that is the prevailing norm. We have PG medical interns and IITians committing suicide unable to cope up with burgeoning stress. It is time to streamline not only the corporate work culture in India but also take a second look at the grueling routine of interns and freshers in other fields of employment, with effective government policies put in place.
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