SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 (PAGE 3) BOOK-REVIEW Swami Vivekananda and the Ramakrishna Mission An Anthology of Dogri Free Verse D K Pandita States. It grew out of classes held by Suman K Sharma n'…kunney bhejiyan/ku'tthuan bhejiyan/kee bhejiyan/ Vivekananda while on a visit to the Dogri Sanstha, a prime literary organisation committed men neen jaanda The world is changing in a fast pace United. globalization has reduced distance, chal- to promote Dogra culture and literature, has brought out a 'Dakiya' - Prof Lalit Magotra The Math and Mission has been Men phullen diyan/baankiyan b'haran dikkhiyaan n'/ lenges are increasingly becoming more engaged in serving humankind and has special number of its biannual journal, NAMEEN khirdiyan, hasdiyan/nachdiyan, pehlan paandiyan/ and more complex particularly after accomplished through a large number of CHETANA, curating 76 short and not so short poems of 15 Covid19 pandemic. Amidst all such chal- libraries, lectures, discourses and semi- prominent Dogri poets. jaadu jagaadiyan/phulli neen samaadiyan/ puyyian lenges, as a Nation, we need to ensure that nars, it publishes 22 journals in 15 lan- Poetry in these times of universal fear and anxiety about neen paundiyan… we are respected and valued as a great guages. Books on Vedanta, the message of Covid-19! But why not? This is the time. We have to defy 'Phull' - Shivnath nation in the eyes of other nations, India Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sarada the dark forces of disease and dejection with the beaming Migi chiriyan badiyan pasand n' being the youngest nation as per the Devi and Swami Vivekananda, spirituality 'Chiriyan' - Prof Shashi Pathaniya World population composition. The beacon of human spirit. Writes Prof 'Lalit Magotra in and world religions in almost all the major 'Paungar' - Dadi ne migi saumpiyan hiyan/pita hunde safe Children are most important and critical languages of India and in some of the to nation building as today's children will Jailey tugi lagge/Je/Tun andra m'ra karna ain/tah- diyan/kish tandan/Bachpune 'ch gey important languages of other countries Fotu-Frem - Promila Manhas be tomorrow's citizens. To develop the are published from the 18 publication cen- min apne jeene de rang-dhang/kayam rakheyan… What adds to the charm of the word-sounds in the country and its masse it is essential to tres across India. In English alone more In the moment you feel that you're dying inside know, follow and recall some great Indian than 1,000 titles are brought out. Even then maintain the style of your poems is how smoothly the con- people and their missions of life. Hundreds of titles have been brought out life…. tent flows in them from word to According to Swami Vivekananda, "A in almost all regional languages, including The anthology is special in one more word and line to line. Take a nation advances when EDUCATION is personality on East and West alike. Ramakrishna Mission (RKM) is a some tribal languages. There were nearly way. All the poems in it are in free verse stanza, for instance, from spread among the masses." 178 libraries containing more than Surinder Kumar Barsali's, 'Meri Swami Vivekananda, original name Hindu religious and spiritual organisation - which is relatively a late phenomenon which forms the core of a worldwide spiri- 22,94,489 books and 4587 newspapers in the Dogri poesy. We Duggar are Oh' - Narendranath Datta, born January 12, and periodicals. In the early 21st century 1863, Calcutta (Kolkata), Hindu spiritual tual movement known as the rightly proud of our khand-mitthi Dogri Fesbukk te vatsapp de Ramakrishna Movement or the Vedanta more than 20 branches were operating in n'heren ch'/kardi ye oh mere leader and reformer in India who attempt- the United States, and there were also cen- that lends itself charmingly to rhyme Movement. Apart from religious and spir- ney/gore hirkhe diyan ed to combine Indian spirituality with tres in Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, and rhythm of formal versification. Western material progress, maintaining itual teaching the organisation carries out gallan/chhappi-chhappi/chori- extensive educational and philanthropic Brazil, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, Noted author Shivnath, in 'History of that the two supplemented and comple- Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, the Dogri Literature', has listed some twen- chori mented one another. Swami Vivekananda work in India. Sri Ramakrishna Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, South ty genres of traditional versification, fit Or, the lines from Shashi was one of the main representatives of Paramahamsa, as a direct result of his own spiritual experiences with various reli- Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, and the for any conceivable occasion - be they Pathania's poem, 'Chiriyan' - Neo-Vedanta, a modern interpretation of United Kingdom. In India mission centres Par/koi bi chiri jislai/uddi-ey selected aspects of Hinduism in line with gious disciplines, including Christianity the sacred Bhetas in the glory of Mata and Islam, fully endorsed the Hindu tenet carry on various philanthropic activities, Vaishno Devi or Aaratis in praise of the bah'r jandi/taan/jaan te jeendi western esoteric traditions, especially including medical service, educational Transcendentalism, New Thought and that all religions are paths to the same Deity, the Karakas and Bars sung to the vapas nayeen aundi/je aaee bi goal. In his lifetime there grew about him work, publications, and relief work. jandi/taan/fang tamboye de, Theosophy. His reinterpretation was, and In the 21 century when we dream of glory of martyrs, Bihais to celebrate the a small but devoted band of disciples, jakhmi, lahuluhan is, very successful, creating a new under- 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan', which birth of a child or the Loris to sooth standing and appreciation of Hinduism among whom the young Narendranath Content-wise, there are at Datta (who later took the name translates to 'self-reliant India' or 'self-suf- infants, the joyous Suhags and Ghoris of within and outside India, and was the ficient India', is a policy formulated by the weddings or even the elegiac least ten poems such as Ved principal reason for the enthusiastic Vivekananda) was outstanding and was chosen by Ramakrishna as his successor. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi Lohanis and Pallas to mourn a death. Rahi's 'O Krishan Mere Man' or reception of yoga, transcendental medita- for making India a bigger and more Prof Lalit Magotra's 'Shiv' which tion and other forms of Indian spiritual On 1 May 1897 in Calcutta, Vivekananda The advent of free verse is a reflection of founded the Ramakrishna Mission for important, the need has arisen to follow our hectic times. '… there is nothing derive their meaning and impact self-improvement in the West. the words of Swamiji, "A nation advances Swami Vivekananda always stressed social service. Its ideals are based on surprising in that,' observes Prof Veena mainly from religion and spiritu- Karma Yoga, These disciples were also the when education is spread among the mass- ality. Women poets, Prof Shashi the universal and humanistic side of the es." But, what was the education that he Gupta in her editorial to the volume, Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of nucleus of the Ramakrishna math 'the changing milieu has brought about transformation in Pathania, Vijaya Thakur, Promila Manhas, Rekha Thakur ("monastery") established at Belur, on the advocated? According to him "Education is Hinduism, as well as belief in service the manifestation of perfection already in the rhyming form of poetry as well.' Poetry in Dogri could and Chanchal Bhasin are vocal about gender issues. Prof rather than dogma, he attempted to infuse banks of the Ganges near Calcutta, and Shashi Pathania's, 'Chiriyan', is a highly evocative consecrated in 1898. The Sri Sarada Math, man and that what a man 'learns' is really not have been an exception. vigour into Hindu thought, placing less what he 'discovers' by taking the cover off The prefix 'free' may lead a lay person to believe that metaphor of the cruelty that girl child/woman has still to emphasis on the prevailing pacifism and begun in Calcutta in 1953. his own soul, which is a mine of infinite one has absolutely no code to follow in free verse. That face in the 21st century. Using the same figure of speech of presenting Hindu spirituality to the West. Ramakrishna Mission has been engaged in serving humankind without knowledge." Hence he said that our would be a misconceived notion. Free verse elicits more of chiri (sparrow), Promila Manhas recounts in 'Adhikaren di He was an activating force in the move- process of education i.e. teaching in the ment to promote Vedanta philosophy. In the distinction of caste, creed, colour, race, a poet's acumen than the formal versification. Bards creat- Guthali' how the contemporary woman, aware of her posi- nationality, gender or any other distinc- classrooms should be such that it helps the ing 'formal' verse had had their course charted out before tion, has clawed at her bag of rights which the society had 1893 he appeared in Chicago as a students to manifest their innate knowl- spokesman for Hinduism at the World's tion, in the fields of education, health, them - which constructions to follow and which ones to cunningly buried under Kanjivaram saris and gold trin- relief & rehabilitation etc. for more than a edge and power. He promoted a man-mak- Parliament of Religions and so captivated ing character-building education. He said, avoid. In contrast, even though a poet creating free verse kets. Ved Rahi's 'Jindariye', in just 14 well-chosen words, the assembly that a newspaper account century, since its inception as early as posits the eternal tangle of here and hereafter. 'Jitto da 1897 by Swami Vivekananda. The twin "We want that education by which charac- may not have to go searching for an apt rhyming scheme or described him as "an orator by divine right organizations, Ramakrishna Math and ter is formed, strength of mind is bother about the number of matras in a line, she is entire- Namaan Daand' is late Chhatrapal's take on the long- and undoubtedly the greatest figure at the Ramakrishna Mission, are international increased, the intellect is expanded, and by ly on her own in the unchartered sea of letters to achieve standing one- upmanship between Jammu and Kashmir. Parliament." Thereafter he lectured organizations with 142 branch centres in which one can stand on one's own feet." her goal. The ultimate test of her success is whether her Arvind's 'Paihli Kavita' is a nostalgic paean to an 18-year throughout the United States and India and 47 branches outside India. In Now how much our classrooms, the seat of England, making converts to the Vedanta creation has the lilt of a poem, or it reads like any other old's first expression of love. And do you think any anthol- the educational field, the twin organiza- learning of our education system, is deliv- movement. piece of prosaic prose. Secondly, a good free verse is ogy of Dogri poetry would be complete without an element tions run 1 university (with 4 'off-campus' ering on these goals of education? Is our On his return to India with a small expected to have the integrity and the pithiness of content of humour in it? Barsali's 'Shayar Sukhram 'Dukhi'' - cari- Faculty Centres), 12 colleges (including 1 education system only focused on liveli- group of Western disciples in 1897, that is hallmark of any literary composition. cature of a would-be poet - Prof Shivdev Manhas' Sanskrit college), 510 schools of different hood education or universal education all- Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna grades, 2 schools of languages, 4 polytech- inclusive? Many advocate that everything The anthology under review is replete with the verses 'Sahabgiri' - satirical depiction on a bureaucrat - and Pavan Mission at the monastery of Belur Math nics, 6 junior technical and industrial is in place to get a good education. Parents that have the spontaneity and unlaboured music of the Varma's satire of 'Barsgand', while holding a mirror to the near Calcutta (now Kolkata). Self-perfec- schools, 86 vocational training centres, 98 say I have put my child in the best school of gurgle of rivulets, the resonance of clanging kitchen pots society, won't fail to tickle the readers' funny bone. tion and service were his ideals, and the hostels, 7 orphanages, 2 centres for the the town. But then, why there is so much and the jingle of anklets - The editorial team of Prof Lalit Magotra, Prof Veena order continued to stress them. He adapt- disabled, 1 school of Vedic education, and unrest with children today at the occur- Bhav mera ik barsati nale de anhgar/meri akkheen ch' Gupta and Prof Shashi Pathania has done a commendable ed and made relevant to the 20th century 130 non-formal education centres and rence of least challenges in their lives? bageya ha/hatth kambeya ha/kish likheya ha/kish mis- job in putting together the NAMEEN CHETNA's special the very highest ideals of the Vedantic reli- more centres in progressive stage. The Marks and money are becoming the yard- gion, and, although he lived only two years sheya ha… number on Dogri free verse; though insertion of thumbnail Vedanta Society of the City of New York, sticks to measure success of a learned per- 'Pehli Kavita' - Arvind sketches of the contributors would have been a value addi- into that century, on July 4, 1902, he died incorporated in 1898, is the oldest branch son. Where is the gap?. near Calcutta, but he left the mark of his Kavitan -/Havaa ch' uddardiyan/barang chitthiyan tion to the volume. of the Ramakrishna Mission in the United (feedback [email protected]) PERSONALITY ‘Power Woman' of Kashmir "My mother tongue is my passion Irfan Tramboo that, in turn, had a positive change on her Despite responsibilities, she has been behaviour. "I had become strong, inside- religiously following her workout and Rajeshwar Singh 'Raju' What I wish to mention here out," she said. is that during the ongoing Rendering the age-old taboo to a thousand other related exercises which have led her DOGRI is his mother tongue. On December 27, 2020, in '4th to become the only female powerlifter of tenure of Darshan Darshi, it's a pieces, 27 year old Saima Ubayd from Writing in mother tongue gives him Kashmir Powerlifting, Benchpress & Kashmir. fact that Sahitya Akademi has inner satisfaction. He has a passion for Srinagar has become the first woman Deadlift Championship for Men & "I could feel a strange energy in me reached even to remotest of DOGRI. He is Darshan Darshi. Darshan Women', Saima secured a gold medal by while I worked on myself and this has areas thus exploring all possi- from Kashmir to have tried her skillset Darshi is pen name of D.K. Vaid, a pro- lifting a weight of 255kgs which is so far been a journey that took me to the power- bilities to highlight the talent in powerlifting and securing a gold unheard of. lifting with the support and cooperation lific writer of English and Dogri. Born in Bhaddu in District Kathua of UT of J & there. As is quite often said that medal while taking along her grit and The competition was organized by of my husband," she said. mother Dogri lives in the heart 'Kashmir Powerlifting Association' (KPA) K completed his initial schooling from DETERMINATION of inhabitants of far away vil- commitment as lifelong companions. under the banner of 'All J&K Powerlifting his native place, graduated from Gandhi After her delivery, she developed lages, then reaching those Association.' In achieving this, Saima said spinal complications after which doctors Memorial Science College Jammu and The challenging journey which wit- hearts should be the mission of nessed its pinnacle, so far as emerging as that her husband played a vital role told her to avoid working out and other has also studied at Shimla. He is a for- related activities as per her routine, mer civil servant having served at pres- every responsible one who is a lone female powerlifter in Kashmir, accountable to entrusted job. basically started with Saima's problem however, did not budge and carried tigious positions before retiring as It's commendable that mother of gaining excessive weight which then on with her pursuit of fitness with Director School Education. At present led her to a fitness centre several years the support of her husband. Darshan Darshi is convener of Dogri tongue in the remotest areas is ago. Today, they both are helping peo- Advisory Board of National Academy of being given all due respect and But it did not help despite trying ple achieve their desired goals out of Letters, Sahitya Akedemi, New Delhi. reorganization now that fulfills everything, not until her fiancee-Ubayd a workout and are making them reap He is of the opinion that if he is hold- the motive behind such initia- Hafiz who himself is a fitness trainer the fruits of their toil day in a day ing an important position then it tives. and a powerlifter-made an entry into out. becomes his moral duty to be sincere in He asserts that his mission is her life and started illuminating her way For Saima, she has been trained his approach. As Convener Dogri regularly to English dailies and maga- to see mother tongue Dogri at its peak. of achieving the perfection apart from by her husband to train the females Advisory Board he makes it a point that zines. His much acclaimed collection of He exhorts youths to contribute for shaping her body outline. that are thronging the fitness cen- he should reach to last nook and corner poems in Dogri language being entitled preserving and boosting Dogri with "KORE KAKAL KORIYAN KALIYAN" He not only helped Saima lose her tres. "Having a good trainer is a must to provide platform to the aspiring tal- their creative inputs. He wishes that excess weight, but also made her go an and if you do not have one then the won him Sahitya Academy award in ent which gives him a feel of content- parents speak and encourage their chil- extra mile. It was as if he was destined efforts are not going to pay you ment. 2006. His collection of poetry in Dogri to play both the decisive roles in her life: dren to speak in mother tongue which much. My husband while training It's a fact that favouritism and nepo- being entitled "SANJHAN CHANKAN the role of being a fitness trainer as well me told me that whatever I am is a must for survival of our Dogri. He tism has been prevailing in art arena DUWARI DUWARI" was also well as a loving husband. teaching you, teach that to my other admits that a number of mother since ages. It is the main reason that art acclaimed by literature lovers. His There was a time when Saima-who sisters as well as there are some tongues all over the world are at the could not flourish to that extent as was Dogri novel "GAAS OPRA DHARAT loves to add the name of her husband at female trainers out there lack knowl- verge of extinction. Although our Dogri anticipated. By establishing many acad- BEGANI" a critically acclaimed contri- the end of hers-was growing hopeless edge," she said. has not reached to that stage but we emies with a pious mission of helping bution to Dogri literature established about having kids after marriage. It was SUPPORTING PILLARS him as a novelist with a difference who should be concerned and save it from when she was not engaged to Ubayd and the artists or activists it was thought Saima gives a thumb rule to the knows the art of portraying characters meeting the same fate like other moth- had almost given up on conceiving that art will get boost and our ancient husbands out there and tells them facing the hardships of reality thus er tongues. someday. that they should treat their wives as culture, traditions and local languages Even the doctors she had consulted will find a helping hand to be brought touching the nerve of readers and Honestly speaking, we have to be best friends and should provide haunt their memories with bold real- honest towards self. We should realize told her that she would never be able to them with a sense of support. out of the crisis owing to various factors have a kid given the reason that she was including her in-laws. "These people in ism therein. His collection of essays that we will survive with our identity my life have always been supportive, par- "If your wife has a talent, help her in predominantly invasion of western cul- overweight due to which she had devel- written in English being entitled" MUS- only if our mother tongue survives ticularly my husband, if he would not achieving her goals. She is your best ture. But the lackluster approach shown oped multiple issues. She was turning by responsible persons holding key INGS FROM MY ATTIC" and translat- which is the root of our culture and tra- have been there, it would not have been friend. Do not be a hurdle rather be sup- ed in to Dogri under the title "CHETEN hopeless with every tablet she gulped positions for promoting art just demor- ditions. One can't even imagine surviv- down to cure her illness, but things did possible for me," she said. portive. Get her into the gym so that she DE CHABARE CHA" speaks a lot about MARRIAGE can remain fit and healthy as she also alized the artists and writers. ing when the roots are uprooted. Let us not change. Darshi is of the view that in every different moments of life that do haunt Not until she got engaged to Ubayd In 2018, when Saima was 25 years old, deserves to feel energetic and healthy," our memories and decide our role in make our roots grounded firmly to she got married to Ubayd. She still was field we find hypocrats. But it doesn't Hafiz in the year 2017. As she came in she said. society. His works have been translated ensure our survival. haunted by the diagnosis of the doctors mean that there is dearth of genuine contact with her future husband, he start- She believes that there is no difference into other languages also. The literary personalities having a that she would never be able to conceive, persons who wish to contribute from ed giving her diet charts and plans to be between a boy and a girl and that the par- Darshi believes that until your cre- passion for mother tongue are always followed religiously. Saima obediently but she did not know that it has all ents should do away with such an the core of heart and justify whatever an inspiration for others. Let us hope changed. She was perhaps unaware of the positions they are in. Only 'self' has to ative works inspire others, there is no acted upon his advice and began to work approach and should let them do whatev- that the positive vibes received derived fact that while there has been a change in be left aside and focus should be on one fun for being creative. As an innovative out all over again. To her utter surprise, er they want. person you are bound to shoulder from Darshan Darshi will help a long this time, it had started to make differ- her built-up, there also has been a consid- "There is no difference between a boy line mantra that if you are holding a erable change within her. responsibilities towards society and way in infusing concern for Dogri in ence. and a girl. Girls have proven that they are responsible post then you are account- "My husband kept telling me that entire world. otherwise passionate young generation "Until then, it was all useless; he came talented and have proven their mettle in able for betterment so that you should everything is going to be perfect, he is and In addition to being an eminent upon whose shoulders rests the future in my life and the matter of the fact being every field. Parents should encourage not be cursed later on for having was my go-to person. He gave me hope writer, he takes keen interest in social of our culture and for which mother that he was himself a fitness trainer, I them and should let them remain fit," exploited your position. Honesty paves and the results were astounding," she said services also. He never lets an opportu- tongue Dogri is an integral part. narrated the situation to him and in reply, Saima said. way for materializing the dreams into To her utter joy, she had conceived nity to slip away where he may con- Let us not detach this vital part from he told me that everything will work out As of now, she is working as a trainer reality. After all creative works inspire just adhere to the diet charts, and it did, I despite what doctors told her, and later the creative persons to see big dreams tribute for a noble cause. It's worth our soul and feel proud for being a had a baby girl named Aizah who is 15 and is training female folks at one of a fit- lost 5kgs of my weight in the first month," and those responsible to take care of mentioning that in the Higher Dogra. months old now. ness centres in Srinagar which she she told Excelsior. their passion should guarantee that the Secondary School Bhaddu where he has Otherwise the history will remember Saima, originally from Indira Nagar intends to carry on and about the power- ACHIEVEMENT dreams should never die a premature studied, he has started scholarships in us as: In days, months and years that fol- got married to Ubayd and both of them lifting, she says that she has been given a the name of his parents for students of currently live in Dalgate. She has done her platform and she is intending to excel in death. Rather dreams should become a Once upon a time there was a place lowed, there was no looking back for reality. 11th & 12th class. He is life time mem- called Duggar Pradesh. Saima, not until December last year when Bachelors in Home Science from Govt times to come. As a creative writer of English and ber of Samaj kalyan Kendra also. He is The inhabitants of that place were she stood face to face to the male power- College for Women, Srinagar. She, howev- For Saima, nothing is impossible if also a motivational speaker. It's always lifters and secured her well-deserved er, after marriage, could not continue her one remains steadfast and aims at achiev- Dogri, Darshi has contributed a lot as a called Dogras. poet, novelist, essayist and critic. As a a delight to listen to him in literary and And their mother tongue 'was' position. By then, she had started feeling studies because of several responsibilities ing set goals, and that is the advice she social gatherings. a change in her all-over physique and that ultimately came onto her. offers to the younger generation. columnist, he has been contributing DOGRI.