Purushottama Maasa: Bharatiya Year Has 354 Days
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P.O.BOX 5728 SRT NAGAR, NEW DELHI 110055 (BHARAT); Email : [email protected] No. Sm1504/2072 (For Private Circulation Only) Ashadha Krishna 13, Vik. Samvat 2072.Yugabda 5117 Tel: 91-11- 23684445; Fax: 91-11-23517722 16 May 2015 1. FESTIVALS: Purushottama Maasa: PM said that we were conscious of the suffering Bharatiya year has 354 days in 12 lunar months of that the recent earthquake has caused in Nepal – around 29.5 days. Gregorian calendar has 12 the land of Buddha's birth. But he added that this months of around 365.25 days. To bring is also an opportunity for everyone to follow Lord consistency in both the lunar and solar systems, Buddha's message of "karuna" (compassion), and there is a system of an extra month every three to wipe the tears of those suffering in Nepal. years, called Adhik or Purushottam Maasa in He said that the importance given to the "Sangh" Bharatiya calendar. In Vikrami samvat 2072, there highlights how Lord Buddha sensed the is an extra Aashadha month which is importance of uniting people towards a noble Purushottama masa this year. It will start on cause. He said Lord Buddha's teaching of "Atta Aashaadha Amavasya corresponding to 17 th June Deepo Bhavah" – "Be your own light" – was one and will end on Shraavana Krishna Paksha of the greatest management lessons ever, chatudashi, i.e., on 15 th July. During this period contained in just three words. He recalled his visits people perform various types of religious rituals to Buddhist temples recently in Japan and Sri such as fast, recitation of religious scriptures, Lanka, and also in China when he was Chief mantras, prayers, performing various types of Minister of Gujarat. He said some people called pujas and havans. It is believed that persons Buddha "the light of the east," and added that in performing good deeds/satkarma in this month his opinion, this was an underestimation, and conquer their indriyas/senses and they totally Buddha was in fact a source of inspiration for the come out of punar janam and also their miseries entire universe. are eradicated. Marriages, entry into new house The Union Minister of State for Culture Mahesh etc., are not performed in this month. Sharma, the Union Minister of State for Home 2. WITHOUT BUDDHA, 21ST CENTURY Kiren Rijiju, and the Ven. Lama Lobzang, CANNOT BECOME ASIA’S CENTURY - Secretary General, International Buddhist MODI: International Buddha Poornima Diwas Confederation, were also present on the occasion. Celebration on May 4 in New Delhi was graced by 3. EDUCATION NOT JUST TO EARN, BUT several Buddhist Monks, followers, ambassadors TO PERFORM DHARMA — MOHAN and other dignitaries alongwith Pradhan Mantri BHAGWAT: “For a person, education is not a Narendra Modi. path for earning bread, it is to make a person Pradhan Mantri said Bhagwan Buddha's timeless Vishwambhar, a person who performs and protects message of love and compassion could help rid the the values of dharma throughout his life. This world of the problems of war and violence. PM should be the purpose of education,” said RSS added that whole of the world had acknowledged Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat at that the 21st century would be Asia's century, and Channenahalli near Bengaluru on April 30. He added that Buddha's teachings would be the was addressing a gathering after performing inspiration and guiding spirit for Asia, as it bhoomipujan for a new hostel building of Janaseva showed the world the path to relief from problems Vidyakendra. Shri Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of of conflict and hatred. Adichunchanagiri Math said apart from focusing 1 on making a building taller, we should also focus doubt choose democracy and belief in democratic upon raising the personality of an individual. values,” he added. 4. NAMASTE RUSSIA FESTIVAL During the two-hour-long interview on May 2, INAUGURATED BY RASHTRAPATIJI: Modi also allayed fears of minorities under his Rashtrapati Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated a government, saying he would take responsibility festival of Bharatiya Culture in Russia ‘Namaste to ensure their “complete and total protection”. Russia’in Moscow on 10 th May. 6. BRITAIN NEEDS TO TAKE Speaking on the occasion, the President said INSPIRATION FROM HINDUISM - DAVID “Indian culture and its heritage of art, music and CAMERON: In his third visit to the cinema have enjoyed love and appreciation across Swaminarayan temple at Neasden, the British Russia over centuries. In India too, there is Prime Minister, David Camron said, "I go around enormous warmth and regard for Russian culture the country, I see our iconic buildings and statues as showcased in its ballet, literature and traditions. Stonehenge, the Angel of the North, Big Ben and Russia’s Gerasim Lebedev, who was arguably the I'll tell you what - Neasden Mandir is one of them first European Indologist, pioneered the Bengali - one of our great British landmarks. The first theatre 220 years ago in Kolkata.” traditional Hindu temple built in Europe wasn't in The President said with the support of the Russian Germany, or France, or Spain. It was here in Ministry of Culture, ‘Namaste Russia’ will reach Britain - right here in Neasden - and I'm so proud various regions of Russia over the next six of that. I think of everything that went into months. He said that he was delighted to learn that creating it the 3,000 tonnes of Bulgarian the logo for ‘Namaste Russia’ is designed by a limestone, the 1,200 tonnes of Italian marble, the young Russian from the Russian town of 1500 sculptors in Bharat, the countless hours of Krasnoyarsk, who succeeded in an open volunteering by young and old. It really was a competition with both Bharatiyas and Russians. labour of love - and it really is a thing of beauty, a 5. DEMOCRACY IS IN OUR DNA: “Bharat by marvel," Cameron said. its very nature is a democracy. It is not just as per 7. PIOs ELECTED TO UK PARLIAMENT: A our Constitution that we are a democratic country; record number of 10 Bharatiya-origin candidates it is in our DNA… I firmly believe that for us, including Keith Vaz, Priti Patel and Infosys co- democracy and belief in democratic values are a founder Narayana Murthy’s son-in-law were on matter of faith… So, if you were to ask me May 8 elected to the British Parliament.There whether you need dictatorship to run Bharat, no, were a total of 59 Bharatiya-origin candidates in you do not. ..Whether you need a powerful person the fray from the Tories (17), Labour (14), Liberal who believes in concentrating power at one place, Democrats (14), Green Party (4), United Kingdom no you do not. If anything is required to take India Independence Party (3), Independents (2) and one forward, it is an innate belief in democracy and each from the smaller parties like All People’s democratic values. I think that is what is needed Party, Christian Movement for Great Britain, and that is what we have,” Pradhan Mantri National Liberal Party, Socialist Labour Party and Narendra Modi said in an nterview to Time Young People’s Party. Prime Minister David magazine. Cameron has chosen Bharatiya-origin MP Priti “If you were to ask me at a personal level to Patel as the new Employment Minister. Patel, who choose between democratic values on the one was re-elected from Witham in Essex with a big hand, and wealth, power, prosperity and fame on majority replaces another female MP in the the other hand, I will very easily and without any Cabinet, Esther McVey, who lost in the polls. 2 8. CIVILISATIONAL CONNECTIONS: and worshipped the Mahabodhi tree in Modi’s Buddhist pitch is not just diplomatic PR Anuradhapura. In China, later this month, he is While other empires were built by kings and expected to visit the Great Wild Goose pagoda, soldiers who conquered vast swathes of territory, dedicated to famous Buddhist pilgrim Huen the Indian civilisational empire, it can be said, has Tsang. been raised by saints and seers who found a place On the domestic front, the speech marks a rare in our souls. Unfortunately, in the recent past, outreach to the Buddhist community which, India has failed to acknowledge, leave alone though tiny, is still about eight million-strong. develop, those spiritual ties of yore with its friends Moreover, after centuries of decline, Buddhism is and neighbours. This is partly the result of the on the rise in the land of its birth, primarily due to misguided policy perspectives of some post- the migration of Tibetan Buddhists and the Independence leaders, who confused secularism conversion of Hindu Dalits. Also, the Prime with irreligiosity, (if not willfully undermined it Minister's focus on Lord Buddha as a social through minority appeasement), and also partly the reformer was a message to his domestic result of the public's own detachment from its constituencies. It is too soon to predict with civilisational history. It is against this backdrop certainty but the Buddha Poornima speech could that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's heartfelt be an important indicator of how the Modi address on Buddha Poornima, highlighting Lord Government, often derided as a Hindu- Buddha's relevance in the contemporary world, majoritarian force, hopes to shape the debate on must be viewed. religion and secularism, nationalism and identity. This is the first time in recent memory that Indeed, it is to be hoped that through more such Buddha Poornima has been celebrated on such a measures, the Modi Government will take its massive scale by the Government with a message historic mandate to a different level and refurbish for audiences abroad and at home.