DOCSLIB.ORG

Arsha Vidya Newsletter - October 2015 Vol

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Arsha Vidya Newsletter - October 2015 Vol Date of Publication : 28th of every month RNI NO: TNENG/2000/2250 REGISTERED REGN. NO. CB/122/2015-17 ArshaArsha VidyaVidya NewsletterNewsletter Rs. 15/- suzaôe crNt< sda sÂrNt< jnan! baexyNt< ÉvaÏ‚rNtm!, mQa<SwapyNt< guên! pUjyNt< dyanNdêp< mdacayRmIfe. Ahae saôm! ! Ahae saôm! ! Ahae gué> ! Ahae gué> ! 36 Arsha Vidya Newsletter - October 2015 Vol. 16 October 2015 Issue 10 Arsha Vidya Pitham Arsha Vidya Gurukulam Arsha Vidya Gurukulam Swami Dayananda Ashram Institute of Vedanta and Institute of Vedanta and Sanskrit Sri Gangadhareswar Trust Sanskrit Sruti Seva Trust Purani Jhadi, Rishikesh P.O. Box No.1059 Anaikatti P.O. Pin 249 201, Uttarakhanda Saylorsburg, PA, 18353, USA Coimbatore 641 108 Ph.0135-2431769 Tel: 570-992-2339 Tel. 0422-2657001, Fax: 0135 2430769 Fax: 570-992-7150 Fax 91-0422-2657002 Website: www.dayananda.org 570-992-9617 Web Site : "http://www.arshavidya.in" Email: [email protected] Web Site : "http://www.arshavidya.org" Email: [email protected] Books Dept. : "http://books.arshavidya.org" Board of Trustees: Chairman: Board of Directors: Board of Trustees: Swami Dayananda President: Paramount Trustee: Saraswati Swami Dayananda Saraswati Swami Dayananda Saraswati Managing Trustee: Vice Presidents: Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati Swami Suddhananda Chairman: Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati R. Santharam Trustees: Secretary: Swami Santatmananda Anand Gupta Trustees: Swami Jnanananda Treasurer: C. Soundar Raj Sri Rajni Kant Piyush and Avantika Shah P.R.Ramasubrahmaneya Rajhah Sri M.G. Srinivasan Asst. Secretary: Ravi Sam Sri M. Rajalingam Dr. Carol Whitfield Ravi Gupta M. Krishnan Directors: Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam Drs.N.Balasubramaniam (Bala) & 72, Bharat Nagar Secretary: Amaravathi Road, Nagpur Arul V. Sivaprasad Maharashtra 410 033 Ajay & Bharati Chanchani Phone: 91-0712-2523768 Dr.Urmila Gujarathi Emai: [email protected] Sharad & Lata Pimplaskar Dr.V.B. Prathikanti & Sakubai Board of Trustees Dr.Sundar Ramaswamy(Dhira) & Usha Paramount Trustee: Dr.L.Mohan & Vinita Rao Swami Dayananda Saraswati V.B.Somasundaram and Dr.Anasuya Arsha Vidya Bhagubhai and Janaki Tailor President Dr.Ashok Chhabra & Martha Doherty Newsletter Vijay and Pammi Kapoor Rajashree Shrikant Jichkar, In fearless voice may Secretary Associate Board of Directors: we proclaim Dr.Soma & Nagaveni Avva Madhav Babasaheb Solao, Dr.Ravindra Bathina The Rishi's message Dr.Mahesh & Maheswari Desai Trustees: from all house-tops Dr.Pramod & Lata Deshmukh Ramesh Bhaurao Girde Dr.T.A.Gopal & Lata Avinash Narayanprasad Pande Dr.Kamlesh & Smita Gosai And bring the men Madhav Chintaman Kinkhede Dr.Haren Joshi & Pratima Tolat of different claim Dr.Arun & Mangala Puranik Ramesh alias Nana Pandurang G.S. Raman & Gita Gawande To a fold of Love Dr.Bhagabat & Pushpalakshmi Sahu where oneness lasts! Rajendra Wamanrao Korde Rakesh Sharma ArshaArsha VidyaVidya NewsletterNewsletter -- OctoberApril 2015 2015 33 3 Guruvarashtakam . guévr;qœkm!. mumu]uùdyivraijtay Ao{fawRtÅvàbaexkay, di][amUitRêpÉUcray nmae dyanNdguévray . 1. Aa;RtÅvaepdezinrtay Aa;RklaiÉ}sMmanday , Aa;Riv*ak…làvxRkay nmae dyanNdguévray . 2. snatnxmRàvtRkay suiv}anvEraGyiv¢hay , zaNtay ivñjnviNdtay nmae dyanNdguévray . 3. Aparké[aisNxuêpay yitïeóay ivijteiNÔyay , xIray dInjnzr{yay nmae dyanNdguévray . 4. b÷jNmk«tpu{yl_yay iz:yvaTsLyaidgu[aeJJvlay , Aih<saidsÌ‚[pae;kay nmae dyanNdguévray . 5. $ñrinyitpray[ay ïuitsardaehivzarday , pray vaGÉU;[ÉUi;tay nmae dyanNdguévray . 6. —— Swamini Vidyananda Saraswati Arsha Parampara, Madurai 4 Arsha Vidya Newsletter - October 2015 Bhu Samadhi of Pujya Swamiji DIVINE MOMENTS : Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati came back from the hospital to Swami Dayananda Ashram, Rishikesh on September 23, 2015 around noon. All the Swamis, Swaminis, students and devotees did pranams to Pujya Swamiji. In a divine and peaceful atmosphere, Gajendra moksha, Gita 8th and 15th chapters, Vishnu sahasranama and Om Namashivayamaha mantra were chanted, by Swamiji’s disciples. As the chanting was on, it looked as though Pujya Swamiji was in meditation. Swamiji attained mahasamadhi at 10.17 p.m. It was Pujya Swamiji’s sankalpa, that he attained mahasamadhi in Purani Jhadi, Rishikesh on the banks of river Ganga. His sankalpa fructified and he attained vidhehamukti in a peaceful, beautiful and In Meditative Posture dignified manner, amidst the holy chanting. PUBLIC HOMAGE : After that Pujya Swamiji’s sacred body was kept in the the lecture hall and the Gangadhareshwarar lecture hall in a glass cabin with ice slabs temple on the banks of river Ganga near the until the early morning of September 25, aswatha tree. A shivalinga was placed 2015. In a holy atmosphere of Vedic nearby. chanting, Swamis, Swaminis, students and ABHISEKA : As per yati aaradhana devotees, dignitaries paid their respects to shodasa-upacara puja was done to PujyaSwamiji. Common citizens and Swamiji’s sacred body and the Shivalinga children of Rishikesh stood in long simultaneously. The solemn ritual was serpentine queue even past midnight to performed by Swami Suddhananda assisted offer their homage. Pujya Swamiji has by Swami Brahmavidyananda, Swami touched the hearts of not only the Scholars Santatmananda and other Swamis, with the but the common man too. guidance of Jambhunata Ganapatikal. FINAL RITUALS : On September 25, 2015 Abiseka for Shivalinga and samprokshana around 8 a.m., Pujya Swamiji’s sacred body for Pujya Swamiji’s sacred body with was taken from the lecture hall in a ekaadasarudra chanted jal, Ganga jal procession with ringing of bell, blowing of and Gangadareswara abishekajal was done, conch and holy chants to a place between followed by other shodasa puja ArshaArsha VidyaVidya NewsletterNewsletter -- OctoberApril 2015 2015 5 5 Bhu samadhi ceremony Maha-samadhi - reverence to Guru Bhu-Samdhi Preparation Siva linga at adhishtanam Ritviks Chanting Shodasa Upacara Pooja 2 Maha-samadhi with Ganges at back-ground Adhishtanam 6 Arsha Vidya Newsletter - October 2015 vidhi, including astotra-archana. Swami ADHISHTANAM : Pujya Swamiji’s Paramarthananda led the chanting. Samadhi and the Siva linga are kept facing river Ganga in Swami Dayananda Asram, BHU SAMADHI : With holy chants and Rishikesh. In future a small shrine will be mangala dwani, Pujya Swamiji’s sacred built in that location and will be called as body facing river Ganga was lowered onto ‘adhishtanam‘. a platform inside a pit. The exact place of Swamiji’s sacred body was marked by THE WISDOM LIGHT IS ALIVE : extending a rod from inside the pit up to Although Pujya Swamiji is not amids us in the ground level. With the continuation of flesh and blood, but he continue to exist in chanting of mantras, vibuti (holy ash), the form of his teachings, and the legacy of turmeric and sandal were offered, first by disciple-teachers and through the various Swami Suddhananda and later by Sadhus institutions established by him. The and other devotees. The holy samadhi was teaching is not separate from the Teacher. filled up with sacks of salt, vibuti, sand, “All that is here is Isvara” is the main sandal, turmeric, cow dung and charcoal. teaching of Swamiji and hence this teaching The ceremony ended around 10.30 a.m. is also Ishwara. Swamiji is Ishwara. Report by N. Avinashilingam Pujya Swami Dayananda Sarawati The Editorial team is working on the significance of each word – Pujya , Swami, Daya-Ananda , and Saraswati . Besides deriving the respective word from its Sanskrit root - xatu - , its different meaning as per Sanskrit dictionary, its occurance in Upanishad and or Gita will also be cited. How these words fully describe Swamiji will be elaborated , including anecdotes etc., For example the word PujyaH means ‘most deserful for worshipping, venerable, adoring’ etc. Swamiji’s contribution to the whole humanity interms of not only unfolding the vision of Sastra but also in the propagation of Sanatanadharma, instituting various Social organisations etc are being highlighted which deserves for his adoration. Simialrly we are working on other words too. With regard to Swami and daya especially, we are sure there will be very many intimate experinces by individuals with Swamiji. If readers can share their experiences, we will be happy to add them in the forth-coming article appropriately. Please write, preferrably in Word format not exceeding half-page and send us to any of the following: By e-mail : [email protected] By post : Editor, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Anaikatti Post, Coimbatore 641 108 ArshaArsha VidyaVidya NewsletterNewsletter -- OctoberApril 2015 2015 7 7 Shodasi at Anaikatti Bandara Praaceena Aadheenams In memory of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a shodasi (16th day ceremony) was organized at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Anaikatti on October 8, 2015. On this occasion Heads/ representatives of Thiruvavaduthurai Aadheenam, Thirupananthal Kasi Mutt, Dharmapuram Bandara Aadheenam, Koviloor Mutt, Perur Mutt, Siravai Mutt, Kamakshipuram Aadheenam, Sencheri Thirunavukarasu Nandavana Mutt, Mayilam Ponammpuram Aadheenam, Mounaguru Mutt Chidambaram, Sri Appar Swamigal Mutt, Pillayar Petham, Arunai Annamalayar Thiru Mutt, Sri Vaarahi Mantralayam, Sri Agastyar Asramam, Sri Vageesa Mutt Avinashi and Sri Lalithambikai Peetam attended and blessed the devotees. Oduvars Hymns from Thirumurai were rendered by On Oct 9, 2015, 35 oduvars from Thirumurai eminent oduvars. Puja and dakshina were Seva Maiyam, Tamil Nadu chanted offered to the 16 sadhus followed by Thirumurai from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in bhandara (lunch) memory of Pujya Swamiji. Report by N. Avinashilingam 8 Arsha Vidya
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Sri Shivabalayogi Text Formatted
    SRI SHIVABALAYOGI by Prof. S. K. Ramachandra Rao FIRST EDITION – 1968 (Publishing Rights Reserved) Price Re. 1=00 Printed by G. Srinivasan, Proprietor Orient Power Press. 54, Lal Bagh Road, Bangalore -27 Table of Contents Foreword........................................................................................................................................................1 THE LIFE ......................................................................................................................................................2 Early Life...............................................................................................................................................2 Poverty...................................................................................................................................................3 The Touch..............................................................................................................................................4 Tapoleela..............................................................................................................................................11 Dhyanayogi..........................................................................................................................................12 IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE YOGI’S LIFE........................................................................................14 THE TAPOLEELA .....................................................................................................................................15
    [Show full text]
  • Name of the Element: Durga Puja in West Bengal
    IGNCA INVENTORY ON THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE Edited and Maintained by Prof. Molly Kaushal Janapada Sampada Division IGNCA Name of the element: Durga Puja in West Bengal. Community: Bengalis of all religious denominations residing in the state of West Bengal. Region: Durga Puja is celebrated not only in West Bengal but in other regions such as Bihar (Biharis), Odisha (Oriyas) and Assam (Ahomiyas) as well as in other states of India where Bengali community reside. Bengali migrants residing in Europe, America and Australia also celebrate this festival. Brief Description: Durga Puja is the most important socio-cultural and religious event in the Bengali festival calendar, celebrated in autumn. The festival is to propitiate the Goddess Durga for her blessings as also celebrate her victory over the demon Mahishasur. It is also believed that Lord Rama had worshipped the goddess Durga to seek divine blessings before undertaking the battle against Ravana. Durga Puja is a ten-day festival, usually in October, which starts from Mahalaya, the inaugural day of the event. Mahalaya is celebrated by Agomoni or songs of welcome. Festivities start five days later with the observance of Shashti, Shaptami, Ashtami, and Nabami. An elaborate community bhog or food-offerings to the Goddess, is prepared and then partaken by congregations on each day of the festivities. On the tenth day, or Bijoya Dashami, the goddess is borne away to the sounds of the dhak, or traditional drum for immersion in nearby rivers or water bodies. The puja mandap or the main altar is essentially a platform inside a makeshift bamboo structure called a pandal.
    [Show full text]
  • Durga Pujas of Contemporary Kolkata∗
    Modern Asian Studies: page 1 of 39 C Cambridge University Press 2017 doi:10.1017/S0026749X16000913 REVIEW ARTICLE Goddess in the City: Durga pujas of contemporary Kolkata∗ MANAS RAY Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, India Email: [email protected] Tapati Guha-Thakurta, In the Name of the Goddess: The Durga Pujas of Contemporary Kolkata (Primus Books, Delhi, 2015). The goddess can be recognized by her step. Virgil, The Aeneid,I,405. Introduction Durga puja, or the worship of goddess Durga, is the single most important festival in Bengal’s rich and diverse religious calendar. It is not just that her temples are strewn all over this part of the world. In fact, goddess Kali, with whom she shares a complementary history, is easily more popular in this regard. But as a one-off festivity, Durga puja outstrips anything that happens in Bengali life in terms of pomp, glamour, and popularity. And with huge diasporic populations spread across the world, she is now also a squarely international phenomenon, with her puja being celebrated wherever there are even a score or so of Hindu Bengali families in one place. This is one Bengali festival that has people participating across religions and languages. In that ∗ Acknowledgements: Apart from the two anonymous reviewers who made meticulous suggestions, I would like to thank the following: Sandhya Devesan Nambiar, Richa Gupta, Piya Srinivasan, Kamalika Mukherjee, Ian Hunter, John Frow, Peter Fitzpatrick, Sumanta Banjerjee, Uday Kumar, Regina Ganter, and Sharmila Ray. Thanks are also due to Friso Maecker, director, and Sharmistha Sarkar, programme officer, of the Goethe Institute/Max Mueller Bhavan, Kolkata, for arranging a conversation on the book between Tapati Guha-Thakurta and myself in September 2015.
    [Show full text]
  • Mahisamardhini in Indian Art
    TRADITIONAL ART Mahisamardhini in Indian Art Amit Guha Independent Scholar Abstract This paper considers the evolving iconography of the Devi in Mahisamardhini form, especially in Bengal where the annual Durga Puja is increasingly marked by experimentation in artistic forms of both the idol and her surrounding ornamentation. This recent evolution is placed in the context of historical origins and evolution of the deity and her iconography is traced since her 5th century origins. Introduction The Devi stands astride her simha Figure 1. Modern Durga Image in Kolkata (lion) vahana and holds a spear to slay Mahisasura, who has just emerged from his buffalo disguise. In her other hands she holds the various astras (weapons) that the gods have lent her to fight the asuras (demons). This is perhaps the most popular and enduring of the various forms of Devi, the Great Goddess of Hindus. Durga as Mahisamardhini (slayer of Mahisasura) is an ancient deity. An important 5th century Sanskrit text, the Devimahatmya, contains the story of Durga in great detail including her various forms, exploits, and her iconography. By the 8th century, the Mahisamardhini cult was known throughout the subcontinent as evidenced by architectural remains from Afghanistan to Tamil Nadu. Today, she is still popular throughout India but particularly loved and revered in Bengal in an annual four-day autumn festival, the Durga Puja. Here, Durga while retaining her war-like iconography, is depicted in a more benign form, and seen by worshippers as a daughter visiting her parents for a few days. Thus, she is surrounded by her children, Ganesa, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Karthik, who have joined her on their own vahanas, in this final moment of triumph over the asura.
    [Show full text]
  • Commemorating the World Yoga Convention 2013
    Year 3 Issue 2 March 2014 YOGA Membership postage: Rs. 100 Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, Bihar, India Commemorating the World Yoga Convention 2013 Hari Om YOGA is compiled, composed and pub lished by the sannyasin disciples of Swami Satyananda Saraswati for the benefit of all people who seek health, happiness and enlightenment. It contains in- formation about the activities of Bihar School of Yoga, Bihar Yoga Bharati, Yoga Publications Trust and Yoga Research Fellowship. Editor: Swami Shaktimitrananda Saraswati Assistant Editor: Swami Yogatirth- GUIDELINES FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE ananda Saraswati YOGA is a monthly magazine. Late Secret of Success subscriptions include issues from January to December. The practice of yoga should be gradual and Published by Bihar School of Yoga, step by step. Extremes are to be avoided. Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger, Bihar Common sense is an essential part of yoga – 811201. and so is boldness. Fickle-mindedness will Printed at Thomson Press India not advance you on the path of yoga. Ltd., Haryana – 121007 Oscillation will retard progress and result © Bihar School of Yoga 2014 in stagnation. Membership is held on a yearly basis. Please send your requests Reflect gradually and choose a method, stick for application and all correspond- to it and persevere with it continuously. This ence to: faith is absolutely necessary. A person who Bihar School of Yoga digs a well must dig on and on in the same Ganga Darshan place, only then will he reach the water. Fort, Munger, 811 201 Bihar, India The same is valid in yoga: one teacher, one path, one method, one master, one idea - A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be sent along with enquiries to en- and one-pointed faith and devotion.
    [Show full text]
  • Durga Puja Pandals of Kolkata 2016: the Heritage and the Design
    International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 8, No. 6, June 2018 Durga Puja Pandals of Kolkata 2016: The Heritage and the Design Tripti Singh There is one theme all over which is to worship mother Abstract—Durga Puja [1] also known as Sharadotsav or nature, through modern traditions have sub-themes. These Durgotsava is an annual festival of West Bengal, India, where sub-themes which are different in each Durga Puja pandals artists, designers and architects use innovative themes to throughout the region. They display theme based artistically decorate unique pandals to impress the visitors each year. It depicted sculptures of an idol of Maa Durga [7]. Puja involves planning and tedious hard work to give it virtual form. It was interesting that Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is the organisers put a lot of time, thinking and a lot of means on capital of India's West Bengal state has an area of 185 km², these themed pandals. These pandals are works of art in more than 4500 pandals [2] were erected in that area during their own right. The creativity stun, attract attention and the five - day of Durga Puja was from October 7 until October praise of viewers.The artistic achievements are to attract the 11, 2016. visitor. There are also token of appreciation through prizes Each year there are unique themes which comprise art and of a different category to be won by the designer. design techniques at the single place, time and event. Pandals are distinctive from each other, also they deliver a meaningful message to the society.
    [Show full text]
  • CONCEIVING the GODDESS an Old Woman Drawing a Picture of Durga-Mahishasuramardini on a Village Wall, Gujrat State, India
    CONCEIVING THE GODDESS An old woman drawing a picture of Durga-Mahishasuramardini on a village wall, Gujrat State, India. Photo courtesy Jyoti Bhatt, Vadodara, India. CONCEIVING THE GODDESS TRANSFORMATION AND APPROPRIATION IN INDIC RELIGIONS Edited by Jayant Bhalchandra Bapat and Ian Mabbett Conceiving the Goddess: Transformation and Appropriation in Indic Religions © Copyright 2017 Copyright of this collection in its entirety belongs to the editors, Jayant Bhalchandra Bapat and Ian Mabbett. Copyright of the individual chapters belongs to the respective authors. All rights reserved. Apart from any uses permitted by Australia’s Copyright Act 1968, no part of this book may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the copyright owners. Inquiries should be directed to the publisher. Monash University Publishing Matheson Library and Information Services Building, 40 Exhibition Walk Monash University Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia www.publishing.monash.edu Monash University Publishing brings to the world publications which advance the best traditions of humane and enlightened thought. Monash University Publishing titles pass through a rigorous process of independent peer review. www.publishing.monash.edu/books/cg-9781925377309.html Design: Les Thomas. Cover image: The Goddess Sonjai at Wai, Maharashtra State, India. Photograph: Jayant Bhalchandra Bapat. ISBN: 9781925377309 (paperback) ISBN: 9781925377316 (PDF) ISBN: 9781925377606 (ePub) The Monash Asia Series Conceiving the Goddess: Transformation and Appropriation in Indic Religions is published as part of the Monash Asia Series. The Monash Asia Series comprises works that make a significant contribution to our understanding of one or more Asian nations or regions. The individual works that make up this multi-disciplinary series are selected on the basis of their contemporary relevance.
    [Show full text]
  • Heterotopic Assemblages Within Religious Structures: Ganesh Utsav and the Streets of Mumbai
    Open Cultural Studies 2019; 3: 96-106 Research Article Swapna Gopinath* Heterotopic Assemblages within Religious Structures: Ganesh Utsav and the Streets of Mumbai https://doi.org/10.1515/culture-2019-0009 Received April 30, 2018; accepted January 4, 2019 Abstract: Indian urban public spaces have witnessed massive transformation post liberalization and globalization. In 2017, city spaces offer novel experiences and unravel new political dynamics in tune with the paradigm shifts in socio-political, economic and cultural domains. The city was shaped by the colonial and later modernizing forces, is being foregrounded in the postmodern, postcolonial discourses, and its public spaces therefore emerge as significant components in the social developments as witnessed in the new millennium. Ganesh Utsav in Mumbai is closely linked to India’s history of political struggle against British colonialism. There has been a phenomenal growth in its popularity and visibility, as a festival for ten days, encapsulating the whole city, transforming its identity as a financial capital of the country to a multiple layered carnival ground, with processions and festivities involving the majority of its population. Post globalization and neoliberalisation, the festival has transformed itself, assumed an identity uniquely political along with the rise of the right wing to power. My paper will be an attempt to critically evaluate this festival and the paraphernalia of sacredness that encapsulates the city space for ten days every year. While the spatial identity of religious practices is fascinating to observe, the ten-day festival of Ganesh Utsav builds a fabric of the sacred and profane across the city. The theoretical tool used in this study is Foucault’s heterotopias and Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of assemblage.
    [Show full text]
  • Ambiances , Varia When Durga Strikes
    Ambiances Environnement sensible, architecture et espace urbain Varia | 2018 When Durga Strikes. The Affective Space of Kolkata’s Holy Festival Quand Durga débarque. L’espace affectif du Festival Sacré de Kolkata. Federico De Matteis Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/ambiances/1467 DOI: 10.4000/ambiances.1467 ISSN: 2266-839X Publisher: Direction Générale des Patrimoines - DAPA - MCC, UMR 1563 - Ambiances Architectures Urbanités (AAU) Electronic reference Federico De Matteis, « When Durga Strikes. The Affective Space of Kolkata’s Holy Festival », Ambiances [Online], Varia, Online since 18 November 2018, connection on 21 April 2019. URL : http:// journals.openedition.org/ambiances/1467 ; DOI : 10.4000/ambiances.1467 This text was automatically generated on 21 April 2019. Ambiances is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. When Durga Strikes. The Affective Space of Kolkata’s Holy Festival 1 When Durga Strikes. The Affective Space of Kolkata’s Holy Festival Quand Durga débarque. L’espace affectif du Festival Sacré de Kolkata. Federico De Matteis 1 Each year, during the Hindu month of ashvin, between September and October, cities in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent are literally taken over by Durga puja, the solemn celebration of the Goddess Durga. It is a nine-night festival of particular significance to Bengali people, an occasion for religious worship, but also for annual family reunions, traditionally intended for the return of married women to their ancestral home. During the first nine nights of waxing new moon of the month, many Indian cities are deeply transformed: the celebrations are not performed in temples, but in temporary ritual sites (pujalaya) sheltered within lightweight marquees built with bamboo and cloth (pandal).
    [Show full text]
  • Final Report Evaluation Study of Tribal/Folk Arts and Culture in West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhatisgrah and Bihar
    Final Report Evaluation Study of Tribal/Folk Arts and Culture in West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhatisgrah and Bihar Submitted to SER Division Planning Commission Govt. of India New Delhi Submitted by Gramin Vikas Seva Sanshtha Dist. 24 Parganas (North), West Bengal 700129 INDIA Executive Summary: India is marked by its rich traditional heritage of Tribal/Folk Arts and Culture. Since the days of remote past, the diversified art & cultural forms generated by the tribal and rural people of India, have continued to evince their creative magnificence. Apart from their outstanding brilliance from the perspective of aesthetics , the tribal/folk art and culture forms have played an instrumental role in reinforcing national integrity, crystallizing social solidarity, fortifying communal harmony, intensifying value-system and promoting the elements of humanism among the people of the country. However with the passage of time and advent of globalization, we have witnessed the emergence of a synthetic homogeneous macro-culture. Under the influence of such a voracious all-pervasive macro-culture the diversified heterogeneous tribal/folk culture of our country are suffering from attrition and erosion. Thus the stupendous socio-cultural exclusivity of the multifarious communities at the different nooks and corners of our country are getting endangered. Under such circumstances, the study–group Gramin Vikash Seva Sanstha formulated a project proposal on “Evaluation Study of Tribal/Folk Arts and Culture in West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhatisgrah
    [Show full text]
  • Commemorating the World Yoga Convention 2013
    Year 3 Issue 1 January–February 2014 YOGA Membership postage: Rs. 100 Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, Bihar, India Commemorating the World Yoga Convention 2013 Hari Om YOGA is compiled, composed and pub lished by the sannyasin disciples of Swami Satyananda Saraswati for the benefit of all people who seek health, happiness and enlightenment. It contains in- formation about the activities of Bihar School of Yoga, Bihar Yoga Bharati, Yoga Publications Trust and Yoga Research Fellowship. Editor: Swami Shaktimitrananda Saraswati Assistant Editor: Swami Yogatirth- GUIDELINES FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE ananda Saraswati YOGA is a monthly magazine. Late Do what you know to be good subscriptions include issues from January to December. How many of you practise all the good Published y b Bihar School of Yoga, things that you already know to be good? Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger, Bihar If only one person began to practise what – 811201. he o knows t be good, and give up what Printed at Thomson Press India he knows to be bad, God would send Ltd., Haryana – 121007 further guidance; and if a guru in physical © Bihar School of Yoga 2014 forms i necessary, God will send him that Membership is held on a yearly guru. basis. Please send your requests for application and all correspond- Shed hypocrisy and have sincerity. If ence to: you are insincere and just curious, if you Bihar School of Yoga do not mean what you say, and do not Ganga Darshan practise what you profess, then even God Fort, Munger, 811 201 Bihar, India cannot help you. However, if you want to turn over a new leaf in life and make - A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be sent along with enquiries to en- progressn i spiritual life, no one can stop sure a response to your request you, not the whole world put together.
    [Show full text]
  • Experiences of a Pilgrim Soul
    EXPERIENCES OF A PILGRIM SOUL Experiences Of A Pilgrim Soul Kavi Yogi Mahrshi Dr Shuddhananda Bharathi (Auto Biography) Published BY Shuddhananda Library, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai 600 041. Ph: 97911 77741 Copy Right : @Shuddhananda Yoga Samaj(Regd), Shuddhananda Nagar, Sivaganga - 630 551 EXPERIENCES OF A PILGRIM SOUL EXPERIENCES OF A PILGRIM SOUL PART I 1. TO FELLOW PILGRIMS We are all Pilgrims of Eternity coming from an unknown past, living in a multicol- oured universe and passing into a mystic future. Whence we come and where we go, we know not: but we come and go playing our role in this evolutionary drama of Existence! Who exists, why, how and who started this cosmic play and what is its goal? – every intelligent man and woman must find out an answer to these age–long inquiries. Through the dark inferno, burning purgatory and pleasing paradise of this mounting Divina Commedia, a rhythmic heartbeat keeps time to a mystic song whose refrain is, “I am Aum”. Who is this ‘I’—that is the first person in us, and the baffling personality in the second and the third persons? That universal ‘I’ in the individual, is the Pilgrim Soul here. Fellow Pilgrims, pray walk with him as he talks with you. These are random footprints left on the sands of Time by the patient Pilgrim whose plodding steps met with grim trials in the ups and downs of human destiny. Hard was his lonely journey, long his search in the tangled woodlands of cosmic life and high was the aim of his inner aspiration guided and fulfilled by a Pure Almighty Grace–Light.
    [Show full text]