Aaratrika / August 2008 1 2 Aaratrika / August 2008 from the Editor
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aaratrika / august 2008 1 2 aaratrika / august 2008 From the editor... Debasmita Moulick Nair This year Moscow’s signature golden au- wherein earlier this year, while holiday- tumn is probably brighter with the gold, ing in the Whitsunday Islands, I met a which we just bagged in the Olympics. teen group of students who were aim- We are swelling with pride. Has the gold ing to visit our City of Joy for a month rush just begun? and work with a local NGO participat- ing in a school construction and other In our changing world, our puja has been community development projects. They changing too. Now from booking puro- believed in being useful even while trav- hits online, you can also organise a puja, elling where one gets involved in the life a dedication and even goat sacri ce sit- of the local people, their activities and ting just about anywhere in the world. environment along with usual sightsee- Dhaak, Dhaaki and Dhuno still abound ing. One of them had already been to alongwith dance contests for children the cattle fair in Sonepur participating in and popular rock being belted at all similar activities. I was struggling to re- hours. Thanks to Sansui Boogie Woogie, member where Sonepur is! The attempt the hottest growth area in cultural ac- is to bring the world closer and we wel- tivities seems to be dancing. Everybody come fun travel photos and thoughts. dances on dashami, yes yes even some As they say while visiting, take nothing deedimas and mashimas. but photographs, leave nothing but foot prints. I happened to be in India during Saras- The second section is a tribute to the wati puja this year, expecting loud music 21st century, ‘From friends of Aaratrika’ blaring from speakers and the usual cul- wherein all of us being global villag- tural programme in the evening. There ers would like you to meet people you was music but it was softer in a conscious might not have heard about, as well as e ort against sound pollution. My friend those you have - those who are striving in Salt Lake had organized a concert with for a better world, in uencing and in- all the children of her neighbourhood – spiring the way we live and the way we yes all, those from slums and children of will leave this world when we are gone. dhobis, domestic helpers, milkmen and newspaperwallah. Hoping Aaratrika brings a feel of that fresh lime squeeze and a smile. Our children with their wondrous inno- Talk to us! Share a cool discovery! Tell us whatever tickles you or ticks you o about us. o tickles or ticks you you us whatever Tell discovery! a cool us! Share to Talk cence motivate us the most. This year We wish you a greener and safer world. they came up with the irresistible idea of ‘Curious Hobbies’. Enjoy! Antorik Sharod Suveccha! Aaratrika is happy to have two new sec- tions this year. ‘Travel’ as we just left our summer holidays behind and also be- cause we at Aaratrika believe that good travel in a way, keeps the doctors away! This inspiration also came from wanting to make our holidays more meaningful, aaratrika / august 2008 3 VEDIC GROUND FOR THE WORSHIP OF MOTHER DURGA Swami Jyotirupananda Swami Jyotirupananda has been in Moscow since 1991 and has been with us since the second Durga puja. Our very rst puja was inaugurat- ed by Swami Lokeswarananda of the Ramakrishna Order, Belur Math, India. Swami Jyotirupananda is the founder of the Ramakrishna Math centre in Moscow a liated by its Headquarters Belur Math. What he likes most about Russia? Russian people. In vedic time sages of Taittiriya Upani- ing happiness. This happiness for which or body, senses and mind. All these are shad engaged themselves in relentless we are running for life after life is only undergoing change every moment. We, austerities to reach the deepest layer the shadow, so to say, of the eternal Bliss therefore, need something constant to of their mind in search of that mystery which is Brahman. hold on which can help us withstand which lies behind them and the uni- these changes and remain poised, so verse. Their pure mind, free from all oth- We worship divine Mother Durga. She is that our real nature Bliss that is God in er thoughts got the light of the ultimate another aspect of Brahman to us. Brah- us can manifest in its pristine glory. Our Reality. They were able to reach even be- man being formless and without attri- worship of Mother Durga is exactly to yond mind and came face to face with bute we with our mind and senses can hold on to that constant Bliss in us in Supreme Reality. They taught their dis- not make any kind of relation with It. We order to cross the strife and struggle in ciples: Seek to know that from which all need form and attribute with the help of life. beings here are born; having been born, which we can reach that goal. As Brah- by which they remain alive; and into man by the power of Its Maya could ap- which, on departing, they enter. That is pear as the universe with all beings so Brahman. also It has the power to appear as Du- They termed Brahman, the Supreme Re- rga in the form of divine Mother for the ality thus: Bliss is Brahman, for certainly devotees. In Taittiriya Aranyaka a prayer all beings here are, indeed, born from goes like this: I take refuge to Goddess Bliss; having been born they remain Durga, re-complexioned, ,giver of the alive by Bliss; and on departing, they en- result of Karma and Scorcherer of en- ter into Bliss. emies. I salute you, the saviour leading As this realm of Brahman is beyond us across the ocean of world. mind it is formless, in nite and without Goddess Durga is the Universal Energy, any attribute. It is Existence, Conscious- all pervading but can appear before ness and Bliss absolute. Instead of call- the devotees in the form of Mother. Her ing the Reality as One, it is better to call image with ten hands holding various it as Non-dual. Reaching the state be- weapons signi es various types of energy yond mind and merging into the Real- working in all directions of this universe. ity the sages experienced this Non-dual This universal energy being material it is identity. considered as her body and She Herself For us who have not reached that state is the spirit which can be compared as this in nite Brahman is our nal goal of soul in the body. Sri Ramakrishna truly life. Actually, we are every moment mov- said, Brahman and Shakti (Energy) are ing towards that goal whether we know identical, when active we call Her Shakti it or not. In the Bhagavad Gita, chapter and when inactive we call it Brahman. fourth, eleventh sloka Sri Krishna said, “ O Partha, men walk in my path in all ways.” It is natural for every living being seek- Human life is nothing but this move- ing happiness all the time. But this hap- ment towards the same goal through piness cannot remain constant when various experiences of life after life seek- we are gravitating on external objects 4 aaratrika / august 2008 aaratrika / august 2008 5 Sri Sri Durga Mahapuja from 5 to 9 October 2008 Mahasashti 5 October Sunday Puja starts at 18:00 Mahasaptami 6 October Monday Puja starts at 9:20 Pushpanjali at 11:30 Bhog & Arati at 11:50 Evening Arati 18:00 Mahaastami 7 October Tuesday Puja starts at 9:20 Pushpanjali at 11:30 Bhog & Arati at 11:50 Evening Arati at 18:30 Sandhi puja at 22:00 Mahanavami 8 October Wednesday Puja starts at 9:20 Pushpanjali at 11:30 Bhog & Arati at 11:50 Evening Arati at 18:30 Vijaya Dashami 9 October Thursday Puja from 10:00 to 11:00 Shindur Khela 11:00 to 12.00 Immersion 12:00 to 12:30 Shanti jal 12:30 Sri Sri Lakshmipuja October Puja starts at 19:00 6 aaratrika / august 2008 aaratrika / august 2008 7 From Friends of Aaratrika... Ustad Amjad Ali Khan with Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan (right) Photo Courtesy: Suvo Das The following is an excerpt from Ustadji’s postulation in Indian Express 7 September, 2008 Some power, some force has guided my whole life and actions. I have seen it over and over again. There was never a moment of ’Durga Puja is the season doubt about it as for us God plays the most important role. This was always the way in of joy and good cheer. our family. My father was quite religious, he had such faith in God. He always said, just We wish you all in Moscow practice and surrender to God and one day you will achieve your goal in life. So in our a very happy puja and pray family, two plus two never was necessarily four. Two plus two was a big question mark. for worldwide peace and It could be zero, it could be the in nite. It was therefore never about planning things and prosperity. May God bless life, but about trying to obey God. And while trying to feel that superpower, that divine force, it is important not to be led you and your family always.’ by priests of any kind. Priests are not neces- sarily the wisest people in the world. They get a salary, they are paid by religious insti- tutions.