d'ehj dh vkokt+

d'ehj dh vkokt+

ubZ fnYyh ds ekoyadj vkWfMVksfj;e esa vk;ksftr ¼d'ehj dh vkokt+½ fopkj xks"Bh esa cksyrs gq, tEew&d'ehj dh iwoZ jkT;iky Jh txeksgu us vk;kstdksa dks c/kkbZ nh rFkk dgk fd Hkkjr ekrk ij Qwy p<+kus okys ,oa d'ehj dh lPph vkokt+ dks fu#Rlkfgr fd;k tk jgk gSA ;gka vkus okys yksx viuh tku gFksyh ij j[kdj vk, gSaA Nfujis{k ekuo vf/kdkjoknh cychj iqat & Hkkjrh; turk ikVhZ ds jkT; lHkk lnL; ,oa i=dkj cychj iqat us dgk fd vkt dh lHkk esa 17&18 ns'kksa ds çfrfuf/k d'ehj dh vlyh vkokt+ lqudj ckfd;ksa dks crkus vk, gSaA ikfdLrkuh dgrs gSa fd d'ehj ds fcuk ikfdLrku v/kwjk gS] gekjk dguk gS fd ikfdLrku ds fcuk fgUnqLrku v/kwjk gSA 63 lky ls yxkrkj tqYe py jgk gSA d'ehj vkt+kn fj;klr Fkh] egkjktk gfjflag FksA mUgksus 22 vDVwcj 1947 dks enn ekaxh ftlds ckn 27 vDVwcj dks fganqLrkuh QkSt ogka igqaphA usg: ;fn bl ekeys dks ;w,uvks esa ugha ys tkrs rks vkt d'ehj esa 'kkafr gksrhA d'ehj dks fganqLrku ls dksbZ vyx ugha dj ldrkA vkt ;gka xwatus okyh vkoktsa laln esa Hkh xwatsaxhA
oh-ds-xqIrk & dk;ZØe dh v/;{krk dj jgs mÙkjkapy ,oa >kj[k.M ds iwoZ eq[; U;k;k/kh'k Jh oh-ds- xqIrk us d'ehj ls vk, lHkh dk vfHkuanu fd;k vkSj dgk fd esa Hkh ehjiqj dk jgus okyk gw¡] gesa 'kj.kkFkhZ cudj ogka ls fudyuk iM+k] rc ds t[e vkt Hkh oSls gh gSaA 63 lky ckn Hkh d'ehj leL;k dk lek/kku ugha gqvk] leL;k vkSj my>rh tk jgh gSA irk ugha dkSu lh detksjh gS vkSj d'ehjh dc rd filrs jgsaxs \ bldk lek/kku tYn fudyuk pkfg,A
dej jCckuh & xqTtj ;qukbVsM dkSafly ds v/;{k Jh dej jCckuh us dgk fd jkT;iky jgrs gq, txeksgu th us vPNs dke fd,A leL;k dks c<+kus esa ehfM;k dh Hkh ftEesnkjh gS] iwjk tEew&d'ehj Hkkjr ds f[kykQ ugha gSA xqTtj&cDdjoky vkradoknh ugha gSa rFkk lHkh d'ehjh vkradoknh ugha gSaA udkjkRed ckrksa dks c<+kp<+kdj fn[kk;k tkrk gSA Hkkjr ds ç/kkuea=h] x`gea=h rFkk jkT; ds eq[;ea=h xSj ftEesnkj rFkk xyrc;kuh fnYyh esa cSBdj djrs gSaA gekjk leqnk; fgUnqLrku ftankckn djrk gS] ge ikfdLrku ds lkFk feyus okys ugha gSaA bLyke ds uke ij Bsdsnkjh can gksuh pkfg,A
bf'r;kd vgen okuh & MksMk fopkj eap ds v/;{k Jh okuh us Lo;a dks Hkkjr dk ckf'kank crk;kA pkan lwjt ij ?kj cukus dh dYiuk gks jgh gS og laHko gks ldrk gS ysfdu d'ehj dks Hkkjr ls vyx ugha fd;k tk ldrkA ge etcwr Hkkjr ds lkFk jgsaxsA tEew&d'ehj dk ekSyoh efLtnksa esa ce ysdj jgrk gSA iwjh nqfu;k esa eqlyeku lcls [kq'k fgUnqLrku esa gS vkSj lcls 'kkar leqnk; fgUnw gSA vCnqYyk ifjokj dh rhu ihf<+;ka eq[;ea=h cuh ftUgksaus leL;k dks c<+k;kA iRFkj QSadus ds fy, phu vkSj ikfdLrku ls eky vk jgk gSA eqYd dh f[kner djds eqlyeku ^dyke* cu ldrs gSaA
c'khj ukt+ & i=dkj Jh ukt+ us dgk fd vkius ges lquus ds fy, fnYyh cqyk;k bldh cgqr [kq'kh gSA ysfdu vkSj fxys&f'kdos gSaA Hkkjr blhfy, Hkkjr gSa fd fxykuh fnYyh esa cksy ldrk gS] ckr dj ldrk gSA 1990 ls yxkrkj yM+kbZ pyrh vk jgh gSA efgykvksa ls tqYe gq, gSa] fefyVsaVksa us eqfLyeksa ds Hkh ?kj tyk, gSa] d'ehj esa cgqr ls ;rhe[kkus py jgs gSaA Hkkjr dk uke ysus okyksa dks ogka ekjk tkrk gSA txeksgu esa iafMrksa dks ugha fudkyk] nq"çpkj djrs gSaA dU¶;wt+Uk c<+k gSA ges Q+[kz gS fd ge fgUnqLrkuh gSa vkSj jgsaxsA
Jherh [kkfynk csx+e & ikd vf/kxzfgr {ks= ds 'kj.kkfFkZ;ksa dh usrk Jherh [kkfynk csx+e us dgk fd 63 lkyksa esa igyh ckj d'ehfj;ksa dh vkokt+ lquh tk jgh gSA 1990 ls ge yxkrkj tqYe lg jgs gSaA gekjs ?kjksa dks ywVk x;k] cgus csok gqbZ] cPps pys x,] gekjh vLer ywVh xbZ vkSj ge mtkM+s x,A fnYyh ls x;k iSlk dgka x;k \ vkradokfn;ksa ds ikl x;kA d'ehj ls QkSt dks ugha gVkuk pkfg,A xjhcksa dks flD;ksfjVh nh tk,] vHkh vkrafd;ksa dks flD;ksfjVh nh tk jgh gSA lHkh d'ehjh vkradoknh ugha gSaA xjhch vkSj csjkstxkjh ds dkj.k yksxksa dks cgdk;k vkSj HkM+dk;k x;k gSA vCnqYyk ifjokj dks ijokg ugha gSA xjhcksa ls ckr ugha gksrhA vkt+knh dk y¶t dgka ls vk;k \ fdl ckr dh vktknh ugha gS \ eqTtQ+jkckn okys d'ehfj;ksa dks vkt+knh pkfg,A gekjs cPps vkSj ukStoku nj&nj dh Bksdjsa [kkrs gSaA dsUæ ,oa jkT; ljdkj enn ugha djrhA
f'kfjax lsEiy 'kewu yk & yík[k ds iwoZ fo/kk;d us cksyrs gq, dgk fd vkt+knh] Lok;Ùkrk dh ckrsa dgka ls vk;ha \ ^fel:y* py jgk gSA 88&89 esa fefyVsalh 'kq# gqbZA vf/kdkfj;ksa us [kwc deh'ku [kk;k] us'kuy dkaÝsal ds fy, dke djus okys ljdkjh deZpkfj;ksa dks inksUufr nh xbZA MseksØsfVd fel:y ,sls gqvkA gqdwer djrs gq, Lok;Ùkrk dh ckr djuk lekt dks /kks[kk nsuk vkSj xqejkg djuk gSA ikfdLrku esa feydj D;k feyus okyk gS ;g lHkh dks irk gSA yík[k tEew&d'ehj dk 70 çfr'kr fgLlk gSA yík[kh yksx muds lkFk ugha gSaA [kwu&[kjkck can gksuk pkfg,A fxykuh ds yksx canwd NksM+dj iRFkj ij vk x,A eq>s yxrk gS in;k=k ij vk,axs] vkSj Hkw[k gM+rky djsaxs rks vkSj vPNk gksxkA
Jh vkfjQ eksgEen [kku & dk;ZØe esa cksyrs gq, iwoZ dsUæh; ea=h us dgk fd eSusa d'ehfj;ksa ij gq, tYe dh nkLrka fnYyh esa dqN ifjfpr d'ehfj;ksa ls lquh gS vkSj mudh nkLrka lqudj eSa jks iM+kA vkradoknh lewg esa vkrs gSaA iqfylokys ns[krs jgrs gSaA igys eqtkfgnksa dks [kkuk f[kykus ds fy, dgk x;k] ckn esa viuh ,d csVh dh 'kknh eqtkfgn ls djus dks dgk x;kA eSa ekurk gw¡ d'ehfj;ksa dk nnZ lPpk gS vkSj muds lkFk cgqr T;knfr;ka gqbZ gSaA tehu ij tUur dks tgUuqe cuk fn;k x;k gSA igys d'ehfj;r dh ckr gksrh Fkh vkt vktknh dh gks jgh gSA d'ehfj;r vkSj vktknh dks fMQkbu dkSu djsxk \ fxykuh djsaxs D;k \ ;k uqan _f"k djsaxs \ tks ekurs Fks gj pht vkSj gj txg f'ko ekStwn gSa] dchj tSlh mudh 'kf[l;r FkhA mUgksaus vlgu'khyrk dks m[kkM+dj QSad fn;kA vkt vlu'khyrk vkSj uQjr fl[kkbZ tk jgh gSA uqan _f"k ds dkj.k gh vf/kdka'k d'ehfj;ksa us bLyke dcwy fd;kA os ekurs Fks fgUnw eqlyeku ,d gh gSa muesa dksbZ QdZ ugha gSA e'kgwj ys[kd dYg.k }kjk fyf[kr jktrjafx.kh esa jktkvksa ,oa çHkko'kkyh yksxksa }kjk dh tkus okyh lkft'kksa dk ftØ vkrk gS] ftlesa fy[kk gS fd 'kklu djus okys yksx foæksg vkSj cxkor cM+s ets ysdj djrs gSa] ftldh dher vke vkneh dks pqdkuh iM+rh gSA d'ehj esa vkt gksus okyh lkft'ksa ljgn ikj ls Hkh jph tk jgha gSaA eq>s le> esa ugha vkrk fd mUgsa dSlh vktknh pkfg,A blesa ljgn ikj ds lkFk fnYyh Hkh ftEesnkj gSA gekjs ns'k esa xqtjky ,oa eueksgu flag nks 'kj.kkFkhZ ç/kkuea=h cu x, vkSj ;gka ls ikfdLrku tkus okys eqlyekuksa dks vkt Hkh eqgkftj ekuk tkrk gS vkSj mUgsa eqgkftj dkSeh ewoesaV ikVhZ cukuh iM+rh gSA ge fdl Hkqykos esa gSa \ d'ehj çkWCye baMLVªh cu xbZ gS ftlds fy, jktuhfrd oxZ dk fudEekiu ftEesnkj gSA mej Qk#[k dh ijofj'k fdlus dh gS \ fnYYkh esa cSBs yksxksa dks pan [kkunku fn[kkbZ nsrs gSa vkSj ;s fpafgr ifjokj futh fgrksa dks lkeus j[kdj jktuhfr djrs gSaA
rst lkxj & tEew ds iqj[kw dSEi esa jgus okys d'ehjh iafMr Jh rst lkxj us dgk fd d'ehj esa cM+s&cM+s edkuksa esa jgus okys d'ehjh iafMrksa us edku] VSaV ds lkFk&lkFk jsaV esa jgus dk gky Hkh ns[k fy;k gSA yxHkx 50 gtkj ifjokj cs?kj gSaaA lfn;ksa ls d'ehjh jgs ge yksx vkt vius gh ns'k esa ekbxzsaV dgykrs gSa ;g cgqr nq[k dh ckr gS blhfy, leL;k dk lek/kku tYn fudyuk pkfg,A
Jherh utek gsirqYyk & jkT;lHkk dh iwoZ milHkkifr Jherh utek gsirqYyk us dgk fd 1986 esa fefyVsalh ugha Fkh esa d'ehj dh dkaxzsl egklfpo ds ukrs ls çHkkjh FkhA eSusa ogk dh xjhch vkSj csjkstxkjh ns[kh gS ekrkvksa cguksa dh flykbZ vkSj d<+kbZ djrs djrs vka[kksa dh jks'kuh pyh xbZ rc Hkh d'ehfj;ksa us canwd ugha mBkbZA dkaxzsl usa Qk#[k vCnqYyk ds lkFk feydj pquko yM+k] mlls xM+cM+ 'kq# gqbZ vkSj gkykr fcxM+us 'kq# gq,A dsUæ ljdkj }kjk Hkstk x;k iSlk dqN yksxksa dh tsc esa tkrk gS vke d'ehjh ds fy, dqN ugha gksrkA eSa ekurh gw¡ fd vke d'ehjh fny dk lPpk gS vkSj esjh bPNk gS fd d'ehfj;ksa dh vkokt ns'k ds dksus&dksus esa igqaps rFkk leL;k dk tYnh lek/kku gksA
xqyke vyh & d'ehj dh leL;k dks eYVh Mkbesa'kuy rjhds ls ns[kuk pkfg,A d'ehj nqfu;k dh lcls csgrjhu tehu gS ftlds vk/ks ls T;knk Hkkx ij phu vkSj ikfdLrku us dCtk dj fy;k gSA ;g jktuhfrd ekeyk gSA tEew vkSj yík[k dk D;k gksxk \ eqëh Hkj yksxksa dk ekeyk gS tks bLyke [krjs esa gS dk ukjk yxkrs gSaA jktuhfrd bPNk'kfä esa deh dk ekeyk gS] ih-vks-ds- dk ekeyk gSA vHkh dsUæ ls Hkstk x;k 100 djksM+ #i;k eqYd ds nq'euksa ds dke vkus okyk gSA
eksgEen [kVkuk & ge cDdjoky xqTtj gh gSa ftUgksaus 48 esa dckbfy;ksa ds vkus dh lwpuk lsuk dks nh] phuh lsuk ds vkus dh lwpuk nh] dkjfxy ;q) ds le; lwpuk nhA HksM+&cdfj;ka gekjk lksuk gSA ge ges'kk fgUnqLrkuh jgsaxsA csjkstxkj ukStokuksa dh lekL;k lekIr gksuh pkfg,A
Qk#[k xkanjcyh & d'ehj ,d detksj LVsV gS tgka lcdqN fnYyh ls tkrk gSA csjkstxkjh dk elyk gS] lekt rkyhe ls eg:e gS] O;olk; ugha gS] çkbosV baMLVªh ugha gSA d'ehj esa igyh ckj ,u-Mh-,- ljdkj ds le; ^Qzh ,.M Qs;j* pquko gq,A fxykuh vkSj eljZr vkye dks fdlus iSnk fd;k \ fnYyh dks eq¶rh vkSj vCnqYyk ifjokj gh fn[krs gSaA 'kghn dwdk ijs us viuh tku dqckZu dh] muds lkfFk;ksa dks tsy Hkstk x;k ,oa eq[kcjh ds uke ij ekjk x;kA 'kklu esa vyxkooknh ,oa tek;r&,&bLykeh ds yksx cSBs gq, gSa] lqfo/kk,a vyxkookfn;ksa dks feyrh gSaA d'ehj ns'k ls fnu&çfrfnu nwj gks jgk gSA fgUnqLrku ftUnkckn djus okyksa dk lkekftd cfg"dkj gksrk gSA ljdkj ;klhu efyd ds b'kkjs ij pyrh gSA eq[;ea=h mej vCnqYyk dks ns'k dk x`gea=h] ç/kkuea=h vkSj dkaxzsl fMQsaM dj jgh gSA cki dqN dgrk gS csVk dqN dgrk gSA vHkh dsUæ ljdkj }kjk fu;qä rhu okrkZdkjksa dks dkSu tkurk gS \ iafMrksa ds fcuk d'ehj v/kwjk gSA
xqyke eksgEen pkSgku & ikfdLrku vf/kd`r d'ehj dks vktkn djkus dk elyk gSA d'ehj ns'k dk fny gS vkSj fny VwVuk ugha pkfg,A
'ks[k eksgEen lyhe & d'ehjh igkfM+;ksa ds usrk Jh lyhe us dgk fd jktksjh vkSj iqaN ds d'ehjh vktknh ekaxus okyksa ds lkFk ugha gSaA igkM+h yksx vktknh] Lok;Ùkrk] ^lsYQ :y* dks fjtsDV djrs gSaA igkfM+;ksa ds lkFk tEew&d'ehj ljdkj usa ges'kk ukbalkQh dh gSA ftlds fy, fnYyh okys Hkh ftEesnkj gSaA mej vCnqYyk fnYyh ljdkj dk fj'rsnkj gS D;k \ bl ij eqdíek nk;j dj tsy esa Mkyuk pkfg,A iqaN dh 22 rglhysa ikd vf/kd`r d'ehj esa gSa] gesa gekjk og fgLlk Hkh okil pkfg,A ljdkj }kjk fu;qä okrkZdkj ^QzkM* gSaA blds lkFk gh eSa ns'k ds ç/kkuea=h eueksgu flag ls dguk pkgrk gwa fd leL;k dk lek/kku ugha dj ldrs rks mUgsa xíh NksM+ nsuh pkfg,A
njd'kk vanzkch & varjkZ"Vªh; Lrj ij d'ehj dh ckr gksrh gSA bLyke ds vuqlkj vius oru vkSj viuh feêh ls eksgCcr ugha djus okyk dkfQj gksrk gS vkSj gekjh feêh fgUnqLrku dh feêh gSA d'ehj esa nks&pkj fxykuh gSa] eqëh&Hkj ng'krxnZ gSa] tks leL;k c<+k jgs gSaA lsuk ds jgrs gq, ljgnsa ikj dSls gksrh gSa \ lc iSls dk ekeyk gSA vkbZ-,l-vkbZ- us ikfdLrku dk cqjk gky dj fn;k vc Hkkjr dk iSlk Hkh ogka tk jgk gSA bLyke /keZ esa balkfu;r dk LFkku lcls Åij gSA fxykuh vkSj mej ,d gh FkSyh ds pês&cês gSa] ,d efLtn esa cksyrk gS] nwljk vlSacyh esa cksyrk gS vkSj rhljk vCnqYyk fnYyh esa cksyrk gSA eSa yky pkSd esa cksyrh gw¡ fd ge fgUnqLrkuh gSa vkSj eq>s yxrk gS fd ge lcdks feydj ;g ckr Jhuxj esa cksyuh pkfg,A
bUæs'k th & eSa la?k ds çpkjd ds ukrs 1983 ls 2000 rd tEew&d'ehj esa FkkA ogka ds cgqr ls xkaoksa esa esjk tkuk gqvkA yk'ksa ns[kha vkSj yksxksa dks jksrs&mtM+rs gq, ns[kkA ogka ?kweus ds nkSjku lEidZ esa lHkh nyksa ls tqM+s yksx vk,A vyxkookfn;ksa ds f[kykQ esjs oDrO; v[kckjksa esa Nirs jgrs FksA eSa lksprk Fkk fd eSa rks xkaoksa esa dHkh&dHkh tkrk gw¡ ysfdu ogka jgus okys rks 24 ?k.Vs canwdksa ds chp esa jgrs gSa vkSj eq>s yxrk Fkk fd [kqnk gS] [kqnk Fkk vkSj [kqnk jgsxkA xkao ds yksx eq>ls iwNrs Fks fd csVk gekjs nnZ dks dHkh fgUnqLrku lqusxkA ,fj;k] tkfr] etgc] nyksa ls Åij mBdj lHkh ls eSaus lEidZ fd;kA 'kCchj] 'kTtkn vkSj fxykuh ls Hkh feykA esjh igpku ,d ns'kHkä vkSj ekuooknh ds ukrs gS] blfy, eSa lqu ldrk Fkk vkSj lquk Hkh ldrk FkkA d'ehj dh vkokt fnYyh lqus blfy, bl dk;ZØe dh ;kstuk cuh] eq>ls yksxksa us iwNk fd dk;ZØe esa cM+s dkSu gksaxsa \ cM+s vkneh dh xyrh dh ltk lfn;ksa rd Hkqxruh iM+rh gSA usg:] d.kZflag vkSj th-,e- jktiqjh ds gLrk{kjksa ls 'ks[k vCnqYyk dks fxj¶rkj dj 22 lky tsy esa j[kk x;kA d'ehj fo/kkulHkk ds v/;{k jgs jktiqjh th eq>ls iwNrs Fks ^^geus fgUnqLrku ls oQknkjh fuHkkbZ ysfdu xíkj ge ij dcrd gkoh jgsaxs \** ;gka vkus okys d'ehfj;ksa dks /kefd;ka nh xbZaA fQj Hkh ;s yksx vk, gSa D;ksafd budk ,d liuk gS ;s oru ls eqgCcr vkSj dkSe ls oQknkjh j[krs gSaA vkt d'ehj esa xíkjksa dks ;kn j[kk tkrk gSA xíkjksa dks Hkwfy, vkSj oQknkjksa dks igpkfu,A lp dks dksbZ cny ugha ldrk] d'ehj Hkkjr dk gS vkSj Hkkjr dk jgsxkA gdhdr lnk gdhdr jgrh gSA 1945 esa ikfdLrku ugha Fkk] 1960 esa ckaXykns'k Hkh ugha Fkk vkSj blhfy, gesa gdhdr ds lkFk thus ls gh jkLrk fudysxkA d'ehj esa cM+h la[;k esa igkM+h] cDdjoky&xqTtj vkSj d'ehjh iafMr 'kghn gq, gSaA bUgksaus tqYe lgs vkSj dqckZfu;ka nha ysfdu fgUnqLrku ds fy, oQknkjh ugha NksM+hA budh cs[kkSaQh vkSj oQknkjh dks gesa lyke djuk pkfg,A vkt ,sfrgkfld fnol gS&ckYehfd t;afr gS vkSj dckbyh QkSt dks fudkyus dk fnu gSA vkt dk dk;ZØe çkjEHk gS vUr ugha gSA ge lc feydj d'ehj dks nkst[k ls fudkydj fQj ls LoxZ cuk,axsA
mijksä dk;ZØe esa yxHkx 150 d'ehjh cU/kq vk, ,oa bl dk;ZØe dh rS;kjh ds fy, vk;kstu laLFkkvksa ds yxHkx 60 dk;ZdrkZ rS;kfj;ksa esa yxs jgsA dy jkt?kkV ij /kjus dk dk;ZØe gS] mlds ckn Hkkjrh; turk ikVhZ ,oa dkaxzsl dk;kZy;ksa esa tkdj feyus ds dk;ZØe gSaA dk;ZØe ds vUr esa iwoZ lkaln ,oa tSu Vh-oh ds ekfyd MkW- ts-ds- tSu us lHkh vkxarqdksa dks /kU;okn Kkfir fd;kA
dk;ZØe ds vk;kstdksa esa QkWje QkWj bafVxzsVsV us'kuy flD;wfjVh] eqfLye jk"Vªoknh eap] fgeky; ifjokj] Hkkjrh; xzkeh.k ifj"kn] fnYyh LVMh xzqi] ,oa Hkkjrh; cqf)LV dypj ,lksfl,'ku] tEew&d'ehj fopkj eap ,oa tEew&d'ehj ihiYl Qksje vkfn laLFkk,a lfEefyr gSaA
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When marriage turns Ram into Ravan

When marriage turns Ram into Ravan

Kathmandu, Oct 13 (IANS) Twenty years ago, Ganesh Jha of India's Ayodhya town was known as Ram.

The 40-year-old is one of the major actors at the Saket Adarsha Ramlila Mandal (SARM) in India's Uttar Pradesh state that, like hundreds of other mandals or drama groups in India, tours the subcontinent and even abroad during the festival season of Dussehra.


Its repertoire consists primarily of the Ramlila, the adoption of the Ramayan, the epic tale of the war between Prince Ram and demon king Ravan, that is also a symbol of the universal battle between good and evil.


Jha, who joined the troupe when he was 10, soon rose to play the role of Ram when he was a young boy and then, the stripling prince.


However, when his family got him married at the age of 20, Jha had to bid farewell to the role of Ram, who's also one of the most popular Hindu icons.


Since then, he has been playing the role of Ravan, who abducts Ram's wife Sita and as a consequence, loses his kingdom, life and dynasty after a protracted and savage war marked by espionage and treachery.


'We Ramlila artistes are not like film actors,' says Rabindra Das, SARM's director, who travelled to southern Nepal with 24 other members to perform in the border towns. 'We enact the Ramlila in accordance with Hindu religious principles.'


Since Ram is considered to have been an incarnation of Hindu god Vishnu, tradition dictates that the actor playing him in Ramlila has to be celibate. So once the actor gets married, the role passes on to another unmarried actor.


SARM says its actors are especially groomed. In the morning, young actors are schooled in the old Gurukul style, being taught the scriptures and traditional knowledge. In the afternoon, they are initiated into the art of enacting religious and divine plays.


Once a band of wandering minstrels, Ramlila artistes have come up today. Jha gets a monthly salary of Rs.25,000, the actor told Kantipur daily. A show costs about Rs.5 lakh, what with the addition of elaborate lights, a sound system and special effects.


Also, it is an elaborate act, usually spilling over into three weeks. However, this time the performance has been shortened to 12 days, starting at 8 p.m. and continuing till midnight.


Nepalgunj, the border town in Nepal where the troupe is performing this Dussehra, has a large Muslim population.


When the curtain goes up at the Tandon Rice Mill grounds, where a makeshift theatre has been constructed, Muslims watch the show together with Hindus just as they celebrate the festival together with Hindus.


Nepal, though once the only Hindu kingdom in the world where conversions were a punishable offence, has a history of living in harmony with different religious communities and the Ramlila dialogues reverberate through the town via loudspeakers.


Shyam Sundar Kanodia, chairman of the local Ramlila committee, says the town has been inviting troupes from India to perform the tale for 143 years without any break.


It is an impressively long tradition. SARM itself has been performing in Nepal since the last 30 years, unhindered by political tension between the two neighbouring countries or conflict in India, especially in Ayodhya, which in the past saw one of the worst scenes of sectarian violence, killing over 2000.




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COL. ORG. UPA’S INITIATIVE ON J&K IS A MIXED BAG

COL. ORG. UPA’S INITIATIVE ON J&K IS A MIXED BAG
SECESSIONISTS ARE INDULGING IN TREASON

28.9.2010

By Shyam Khosla

No one interested in peace and normalcy in Kashmir valley would oppose dialogue with alienated sections of the society to understand their “genuine grievances” and to regain their trust. However, talking to citizens that are victims of circumstances created by others, including countries inimical to India, is one thing and blinking before secessionists whose agenda is to dismember the country is quite another. That is why antics of Sitaram Yachuri (CPM), Gurudas Gupta (CPI) and Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP) have outraged the nation. They went beyond their mandate to call upon separatist leaders who had rejected with contempt the Government invitation to meet the high level Parliamentary delegation that recently spent three days in J&K. Instead of marginalizing Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik, who are playing the Pakistani game by inciting violence and spreading venom against the nation, these delegates provided them with yet another opportunity to get international publicity for their treacherous demands by agreeing to talk to separatists in full media glare. There was no dialogue between these peaceniks and secessionists. The former just listened to the anti-India outbursts of Geelanis that must have gladdened the hearts of their Pakistani masters.

If the purpose of sending the Parliamentary delegation was to understand the anger and misery of ordinary citizens, including the Kashmiri Hindus who had been forced to live as refugees in their own country and of the people of Jammu and Ladakh, it was defeated. What the nation and the world heard were not the “legitimate” grievances of the entire population but the outlandish cry for “azadi” and demonization of our army. The self-styled flag-bearers of "secularism”, inadvertently or otherwise, brought the international focus back on these traitors. Were the peaceniks unaware of the motives of the secessionists? More than two years ago, on August 25, 2008 to be exact, Geelani expounded his “plans for Kashmir” in an interview to senior journalist, Asha Khosa of Rediffmail.com. He said, “I have a three point target, first to impose Islamic Nizam (jurisprudence) in J&K. Islam should govern our political thought, socio economic plans, culture and the ongoing movement. The creed of socialism and secularism should not touch our lives and we must totally be governed by Koran and Sunnat (precedents from Prophet Muhammad’s life)”. Demand for “azadi” is a camouflage. Their not-so-hidden agenda is Islamization of J&K through terrorism, subversion, mob violence and media manipulation.

In Jammu the delegation faced protests from BJP, Kashmiri Pandits and refugees from West Pakistan and PoK over the denial of adequate opportunity to put across their views. There was visible anger and frustration among the people over certain delegates finding time to visit the residences of separatist leaders but had little time to listen to the grievances of the citizens of the region that want total integration of the state with the rest of India. A senior member of the delegation, Arun Jaitley, has this to say, “The neglected regions of Jammu and Ladakh nurture a profound sense of discrimination. They feel that in terms of sharing of political power and economic resources they are the discriminated regions. Their emotions and arguments were hugely persuasive”. However, the package announced by the Government after the delegation’s return from J&K doesn’t reflect people of Jammu’s “hugely persuasive sentiments and arguments”.

The 8-point package announced by Home Minister P Chidambram is a mixed bag. The decision to open schools and colleges in the valley and providing RS 100 crore as additional assistance for infrastructure in educational institutions are welcome steps. The announcement to set up special task forces to look into the development needs of Jammu and Ladakh regions creates flicker of hope among the people. These regions had long been discriminated against. Concrete action on this front would go a long way to remove their half-a-century old grievances. The initiative to set up a group of interlocutors under the leadership of an eminent person to begin the process of sustained dialogue with all sections of the society can deliver if the interlocutors chosen for the job are credible persons. Among the names doing the rounds in political circles are that of Sitaram Yachuri and Digvijay Singh. Both are totally unacceptable. Picking either of them for the sensitive task of engaging the people of J&K for restoring normalcy and ending discrimination against Jammu and Ladakh would be counter-productive.

One of the major concessions to mainstream parties in Kashmir is the decision to review notifications declaring certain areas as “disturbed”. It is a delicate matter that won’t brook any hasty decision as it would also involve re-deployment of security forces. The Unified Command, of which the security forces are a part, would meet soon to take decisions on several sensitive issues like reducing the number of bunkers and checkpoints in disturbed cities like Srinagar. Since the separatists have already issued yet another calendar of protests that also involve stone pelting as a weapon to provoke the police and security forces to react, the Unified Command, one hope, would take a considered view of the ground realities even while taking measures that would help restore normalcy in the valley. That there is no mention of any move to dilute or withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act is a saving grace keeping in view the fact that several state parties, including National Conference, had been forcefully demanding dilution/withdrawal of the Act. BJP is perhaps the only party that was opposed to any dilution of the law. The armed forces have repeatedly made it clear that it would be extremely difficult for them to counter terrorists and insurgents in the absence of such a law.

One of the most outrageous initiatives is to release all youth arrested for stone pelting during the last three months. Agreed, that the police do sometime take into custody innocent bystanders while the mischief mongers escape after attacking the police and security forces. There is no harm in releasing those that are found innocent after verifying that they were not part of the organized gangs of trouble makers. The harsh reality is that boys don’t always resort to throwing rocks at the police because of any provocation from the later. Most of them are organized and paid workers of the separatists who act as per instructions from their paymasters. This was again proved last week when they pelted stones at buses carrying students to their educational institutions in defiance of Geelani’s call for boycott of schools and colleges. Release of all of them, therefore, would be disastrous. More preposterous is the move to grant ex-gratia RS five lakh to the family of each of those killed during disturbances since June 11. Cases of collator damage like that of the young boy Matoo who lost his life because a teargas shell hit him as he was returning from a tution class are exceptions. The authorities need to be liberal and humane in dealing with such cases. But to compensate families of those who were actively involved in attacking the security forces amounts to encouraging more violence. The Union Government’s approach to the problem is confused and halting. Let the Government understand the ground reality. While common people in J&K are fed up with long spells of cross-border terrorism, insurgency and mob violence and want peace to be restored, the separatists are bent upon prolonging the agony. They will have to be dealt with a heavy hand and Article 370 that breeds separatism will have to go if the state is to live in peace and lead to prosperity.

Ends

BJP leaders meet PM, demand recall of K’taka Guv

New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday over the role of Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj in the ongoing political crisis in the state.

BJP's senior most leader LK Advani along with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu met the Prime Minister at 7 Race Course Road and sought the recall of Bhardwaj.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Arun Jaitley said, “Today we met the Prime Minister in the leadership of Advaniji. We have submitted a detailed memorandum. The talks were only regarding the Governor of Karnataka. We have demanded that he should be recalled immediately.”

“We have also told him that the Governor is not politically impartial. He has failed to politically detach himself from his past. The Raj Bhavan in Banglaore has been converted into an epicentre for horsetrading to destabilise the government,” Jaitley said in an open attack on Bhardwaj.


The 28-month old BJP government in Karnataka – first for the party south of the Vindhyas - has been in the thick of a crisis since 11 of its legislators, along with five Independents, rebelled against the leadership of Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.

The Chief Minister won a confidence motion in the state Assembly by voice vote amid chaotic scenes Monday, prompting the Governor to recommend President's Rule in the state.

Yesterday, the Governor gave Yeddyurappa a 'fresh opportunity' to prove majority in the house Thursday.

Jaitley said that the power to advise the Assembly or the government can never be contrary to the Constitution. The Governor’s advice that the Speaker should not act as per the 10th schedule – disqualifying the rebels under the Anti-defection Law - is against the Constitution, he pointed out.

“As per the Assembly register the BJP was in majority and the vote was passed by a voice vote,” Jaitley said in defence of the controversial Vote of Confidence that was won by the Yeddyurappa government on October 11.

Taking his point forward Jaitley also pointed out that the Governor had, soon after the voice vote, made the recommendation for President’s Rule and then within 24-hours changed his stand and called for a fresh vote of confidence on October 14.


“Constitutional functionaries are expected to act in dignity and restraint, they don’t act on impulse. The nation has not been told why he changed his stand within 24 hours. Neither his action nor his language is in consonance with a constitutional functionary,” he said.



Meanwhile, the Independent MLAs who were disqualified by the Speaker ahead of the trust vote on October 11, have moved the High Court today seeking special voting powers, so as to make them eligible to take part in the Vote of Confidence scheduled for tomorrow.

The High Court had, yesterday, after hearing the case challenging the disqualification of the MLAs by the Speaker had posted the matter for October 18.



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Krushak Morcha stages protest in Cuttack over revamp of land acquisition laws

Krushak Morcha stages protest in Cuttack over revamp of land acquisition laws
CUTTACK(visakeo)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Krushak Morcha of Cuttack district on Monday staged a protest meeting here in front of the district Collectorate and submitted a memorandum to the Collector that was addressed to the President of India.

As part of its country-wide programme, hundreds of party workers under the leadership of city BJP chief Asit Bose came in a rally and staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate before submitting the memorandum to the Collector.

The memorandum calls for massive revamp of archaic land acquisition laws that had been in force for over hundred years now. “The present land acquisitions for industrial purposes are being done as per the Act of 1894 promulgated by the Britishers,” said Bose.

The archaic law needs to be drastically changed for the benefit of the farmers.
“Large patches of agricultural land are now giving space for industrial units and the poor farmers who own the land are cheated with paltry compensation,” Bose alleged.

The memorandum has also come down heavily on faulty agricultural policy of the country which has resulted in lakhs of farmers committing suicide. Subsidies on agriculture are being slashed, the market price of farm produce are not encouraging for which farmers are now quitting agriculture and looking for other avenues to eke out a living, the memorandum said among other things.

Guru Gangadhar Pradhan dead

Guru Gangadhar Pradhan dead

BHUBANESWAR,: Eminent Odissi dance exponent Guru Gangadhar Pradhan passed away here on Monday. was 62 and is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son. He was admitted to Apollo hospitals on October 2 after complaining of chest pain and breathlessness. underwent angioplasty but suffered a brain haemorrhage four days later. He was rendered comatose and the end came at 3.40 am. Born on 10 July, 1948 to a farmer’s family in Parikul village in Puri district, Gangadhar began his career as a Gotipua dancer at the tender age of six at the Balunkeswar temple in Dimirisena village. he later studied Odissi at Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya in Bhubaneswar under great masters like Pankaj charan Das, Deba Prasad Das and Minati Mishra. He also came under the tutelage of legendary Kelucharan Mohapatra and acclaimed scholar Dhirendra Nath Patnaik. Groomed as one of the finest dancers, teachers and choreographers, young Gangadhar also excelled as an excellent mardal player being trained by stalwarts like Singhari Shyam Sundar Kar and Guru Banamali Moharana. He was a constant companion of late legendary globe trotter danseuse Sanjukta Panigrahi as her percussionist. Guru Gangadhar founded orissa Dance Academy in 1975 in Bhubaneswar and Konark Natya Mandap in 1985 at Konark where he established his gurukul and hosted his annual Konark Dance and Music Festival that celebrated its silver jubilee this year. He also launched the annual Dhauli dance festival nine years ago. A Padma Shri, he was conferred the coveted Sangeet Natak Akademi Award besides the Honorary Doctorate from Utkal University. also was the former president of Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi. His mortal remains were consigned to flames on Konark Natya Mandap premises after being taken in a procession in Konark. Culture Minister Debi Prasad Mishra and Commissioner-cum-Secretary S K Sarangi paid their homage on behalf of the State Government.

BJP high command, K'taka cadre to meet pres in Delhi

BJP high command, K'taka cadre to meet pres in Delhi

PTI | New Delhi

After the controversial trust vote in Karnataka Assembly, the action is set to shift to the capital with Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa scheduled to arrive here on Tuesday with his supporting MLAs to meet the President in a bid to prove that he commands majority.

Sources said Yeddyurappa is likely to arrive in the capital with his MLAs in the afternoon. However, with President Pratibha Patil away in Pune, he may have to wait till the evening to meet her.

"Today all BJP MLAs and MPs (from Karnataka) are going to Delhi under the leadership of Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and L K Advani. We are going to meet the President of India and we are going to explain everything to the President, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister," Yeddyurappa told reporters at the Bangalore airport before leaving for Delhi.

With Speaker K G Bopaiah disqualifying 11 rebel party MLAs and five independents, the strength of the Karnataka Assembly has been reduced to 208. As such the BJP government claims the support of 106 members, two above the halfway mark.

The Karnataka BJP unit as well as some Central leaders of the party have been demanding the recall of Governor H R Bhardwaj. Yeddyurrappa is likely to press this demand when he meets the President, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the BJP core group is scheduled to meet under the chairmanship of the party president at Advani's residence to discuss the situation in Karnataka and decide the future course of action.

M Venkaiah Naidu, who is part of the core group and is handling the crisis in Karnataka, will brief senior leaders on the current situation.

The Union Cabinet is scheduled to meet this evening where the Karnataka issue is likely to come up for discussion.

After the trust vote yesterday, the Governor had sent his report to the Centre calling the events and the vote in the Assembly as "unconstitutional" and "farce" and recommended that the state should be brought under President's rule.

The Union Home Ministry has expressed concern over developments in Karnataka, especially the "abuse" of the anti-defection law by the Speaker.

Home Ministry sources said there was no no question of disqualifying Independents under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution or for that matter the dissident BJP MLAs even before the vote.

The Karnataka High Court will today hear a petition moved by the 16 MLAs challenging their disqualification.

Karnataka Governor asks CM to prove majority again

Karnataka Governor says CM's trust vote a "farce"
CNN-IBN
Posted on Oct 12, 2010 at 13:00 | Updated Oct 12, 2010 at 15:28

Share Bangalore: Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Tuesday said the trust vote win of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa was a "farce" and offered him another chance to prove his majority in the state Assembly on October 14.


However, an unhappy Bharatiya Janata Party has asked for Bhardwaj’s removal, accusing him of misusing the Raj Bhavan to destabilize the Karnataka government.


Asking Yeddyurappa to “uphold principles of Constitutional propriety,” the Governor sent a letter to the Chief Minister on Tuesday saying that he has not proved the majority. In his letter, Bhardwaj is said to have offered Yeddyurappa another chance "in interest of fairness".






“I wanted the CM to follow certain procedures, he never communicated,” Bhardwaj said. “I am deeply hurt by the way the CM spoke at a press conference yesterday,” he said.


Terming the BJP government in Karnataka as corrupt, Bhardwaj said it was “disappointing and frustrating to see what has been happening in the state for the last one and half year” during his term as a Governor.

He said the situation in the state was “very disturbing.”


But the BJP is not buying this sudden U-turn. The Governor launched a personal attack on the BJP on Tuesday, calling the BJP government in Karnataka corrupt and indisciplined.


Meanwhile, the Karnataka CM, who is in Delhi, said he was surprised to hear of the Governor’s offer.


"I am prepared to give you another opportunity to hold a fresh vote to support your contention by October 14 at 11:00 AM," Bhardwaj said during a press conference here.


Bhardwaj had sent a letter to Yeddyurappa asking him to "demonstratively and constitutionally" prove his majority on the floor of the House.


The Governor said he found that the trust vote taken on Monday was a "farce" as there was no clear mention of the number of votes cast in favour and against the motion of confidence moved by the Chief Minister.


"The Speaker simply said that the motion was carried by a voice vote," he said, adding there cannot be a voice vote in such a crucial matter.


Bhardwaj said that the presence of a large number of uniformed police and unauthorised personnel in the Assembly had vitiated the atmosphere in the House.


Asked about his report to the Centre recommending the imposition of President's Rule in the state, Bhardwaj merely said it is based on the proceedings in the House on Monday.


He also observed that this was not the first time that the Yeddyurappa government was in trouble and pointed that the Reddy brothers had "hijacked" 50 MLAs on an earlier occasion.


"The Chief Minister was in tears ... I had sympathy for him. I have fully cooperated with the Chief Minister on all matters," he said, rejecting Yeddyurappa's charge that he was not fair to his government.


Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley accused the Governor of creating the crisis in Karnataka.


“It is unprecedented that the Governor writes a letter to the Speaker directing him not to exercise his power under anti-defection law,” Jaitley said.


“The central government should recall the Governor immediately,” he said.


The Governor's missive came as the Karnataka High Court resumed hearing on the petition filed by 16 disqualified BJP MLAs challenging Speaker K G Bopaiah's action Monday.


Opposition parties criticised the Speaker's action saying there was no division of votes and claimed that there were more MLAs opposed to the government than those supporting it.


Criticising the role played by the Governor, senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said Bhardwaj is trying to destabilise the Karnataka government instead of ensuring stability in the state.


He said: "We'll discuss about how the Congress is trying to destabilise the government in Karnataka using the help of the Governor. We will look into the role of the Governor, about how our MLAs were tempted and the ruckus in the House. All this looks like a pre-written script written in Delhi which has been executed in Karnataka by the Governor's office."


However, Union Law Minister Verappa Moily dismissed the charges, saying: "In our democracy anyone can can talk to anyone. But these are all allegations that are highly politically motivated and a desperate attempt by the BJP to cover their own lapses.

Guj polls BJP ahead in all six municipal corporations

The BJP registered thumping victories in all six municipal corporations. The saffron party has won the Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar municipal corporation elections.



In Rajkot BJP managed to bag 34 seats while Opposition Congress just won two seats. In Jamnagar, 25 BJP candidates have been declared elected while 11 Congress candidates managed to win the civic body elections.



In Bhavnagar, BJP bagged 41 seats while Congress got 10 seats while in Vadodara, 27 BJP candidates won the election while three seats went in favour of Congress.



In Ahmedabad, BJP managed to capture 48 seats while 15 Congress candidates elected.



However, BJP’s Muslim candidate AI Syeed faced defeat in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation election. Syeed is retired IAS official.



In Surat, BJP won 32 seats while Congress got just 4 seats.


The final voter turnout in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections was 44.08%, slightly higher than the average voting of 43.68% in six municipal corporations that went to polls on Sunday, according to figures released by state election commission (SEC).

SEC officials said that 15,60,025 out of 35,39,424 registered voters in Ahmedabad, i.e. 44.08% voters, cast their votes in the polling held on Sunday. The voters included 8,56,473 males and 7,03,552 females. The counting of votes will commence on Tuesday morning, while final results are expected before noon.

In Surat, out of 24,20,000 registered voters, 10,24,184 voters exercised their right to vote in the polls, resulting in voter turnout of 42.32%. The number of male voters in Surat was 6,03,529, while that of female voters was significantly lower at 4,20,655.

The election to 25 wards of Vadodara Municipal Corporation witnessed 44.46% voter turnout, as 5,06,982 voters out of 11,40,362 voters cast their votes. The number of male and female voters was 2,77,509 and 2,29,473 respectively. In Rajkot, 3,15,809 voters out of 7,65,291 registered voters cast their votes in yesterday's civic body elections, a turnout of 41.27%. 1,74,259 male voters and 1,41,280 female voters cast their votes in the polls.

The final voter turnout in Jamnagar Municipal Corporation elections was 50.35%, the highest among all corporations. Out of 3,35,493 registered voters, 1,69,157 voters, including 92,185 males and 76,972 females, cast their votes. In Bhavnagar, the voter turnout was 45.25% as 1,67,877 out of 3,71,035 voters exercised their right to vote. The number of male voters was 92,102, while female voters numbered 75,775.

According to SEC, 37,44,034 voters out of 85,72,055 registered voters in all the six municipal corporations cast their votes, resulting in average turnout of 43.68%.

Thousand years of Brihadeeswarar Temple

Thousand years of Brihadeeswarar Temple
V. Shanmuganathan

One thousand years ago, the great emperor of Chola dynasty, Raja
Raja-I built a majestic temple for Lord Shiva in Thanjavur (Tanjore),
Tamil Nadu. Called Peruvuidayar Kovil, or Brihadeeswarar Temple, or
sometimes Rajarajeswaram it is on rolls of UNESCO heritage sites as
part of the circuit called “Great Living Chola Temples”. The Tamil
Nadu government recently organized a grand function, spanning over
five days, to celebrate the millennium of its consecration. A
scintillating Bharatnatyam recital by 1,000 artistes, led by eminent
danseuse Padma Subrahmanyam, took the cream of the cake. A host of
events including exhibitions, cultural shows, seminars and
deliberations were also organized to mark the occasion.
Tamil Nadu remains as the wonderful resort of classical India whether
it temple architecture, dance, vocal or instrumental music. It hosts
the oldest living temples in India, which remained unaffected by
iconoclasm of Turks, Mughals and Bahmani invaders. Temples in ancient
India were not merely centres of religion, but also art, culture,
literature and vocational training. The Brihadeeswarar Temple stands
as a reminder to our great culture, art, architecture, religion and
language. It is also a symbol of the great wealth and prowess of Chola
dynasty, which expanded its empire on Indian Ocean.
The construction of this ‘Big Temple’ begun in 1003 AD and was
completed in six years before being consecrated in 1010 AD. The unique
archaeological feature of the temple is its Vimana (temple tower)
standing 216 feet tall. The summit stone weighing about eighty tons
was dragged on to the top through a slope path from a distant Village,
called ‘Sarapallam’. It rises over the sanctum, on a square base about
a hundred feet, dominates the whole structure. Its shadow never falls
on the ground.
The valiant king Raja Raja-I, who reigned between 985 and 1014 AD, was
renowned for land and naval conquests. He found peace at the feet of
Lord Shiva. The construction of Brihadeeshwara temple coincides with a
visible shift in his policies from military expansion to internal
administration. But here is a lesson for us. Neither he, nor his
illustrious son Rajendra I (who built the famous Shiva temple at
Gangaikonda Cholapuram similar in design to Brihadeeshwara temple)
neglected external and internal security unlike some people, who
weakened the martial spirit of India through.
The distinct feature of Brihadeeshwara temple is magnificent monolith
Nandi bull, the mount of Lord Shiva, facing the temple tower. The
shrine of goddess Brihanayaki, Ganapati, Subrmanya, Dakshinamurty,
Nataraja are finely carved. The corridor surrounding the sanctum is a
treasure chest of Chola painting and sculpture. The walls of this
cave-like corridor were plastered with lime and used as a large canvas
for the paintings.
The paintings, which have survived time and a seventeenth century
coat of paint, are very beautiful in detail and colour and accuracy.
The story of Sundaramurthy Nayanar reaching Kailash on a white
elephant is depicted on another wall. Karuvur Thevar, the Guru of Raja
Raja is portrayed in an impressive manner. While the sculptures of
Shiva in this corridor are imposing and colossal, the series of eighty
one dance poses are superb illustrations of the Natya Sastra.
There is an interesting and popular story about the deep personal
interest that the King evinced in the construction of the temple. It
is said that one day, when the chief sculptor was deeply absorbed in
chiseling the huge Nandi, King Raja Raja Chola went and stood by his
side. The sculptor, thinking that it was his boy attendent standing by
his side ordered him to prepare a pan (betel leaf with araca nut and
lime). The king calmly obliged, folded a couple of betel leaves and
handed it over to the sculptor who received it without seeing the
hands that supplied them. Chewing the pan in his mouth, the sculptor
started uttering words of praise, appreciating the king who planned
this unique monument. Later he asked his attendant to bring the
spitton near him. The king silently obeyed. When the sculptor raised
his head after spitting the chewed betel leaves, he was terribly
shocked to see the great Raja Raja Chola standing in front of him
Immediately he touched the feet of the king with tears and made an
apology to the emperor, in a voice choked with emotion. The king, with
a smiling face, lifted him up and consoled him by telling that it was
a rare privilege for him to serve the sculptor whose hands chiseled
the sculptures of the magnificent temple. Raja Raja Chola, though a
worshiper of Shiva, at the same time, was tolerant to other religions.
He endowed and built temple of Maha Vishnu. He granted a village to
the Buiddhist Vihara at Nagappattinam.
The Brihadeeswara temple was not act of royal fancy. It is iconic of
the glory of Tamil Saiva Siddhanta. Amongst two principal schools of
Bhakti cult prevalent in South India, Saivism has a larger following.
In Tamil districts of Sri Lanka Saivism holds unchallenged sway. In
Saiva Siddhanta Shiva is believed to exercise the functions of
creation, protection, destruction, prevention from lapses is the
result of enjoyment of one’s action and beneficent action. These
functions He is said to discharge with a view to release the
struggling souls from the bondage of karma, and present unto them the
ultimate knowledge of Shiva. The goal of individual souls is to
realize that it is made of Shiva-Tatva (element of Shiva), and though
not merging in Shiva, remain at its feet like beloved child. The icon
of Lord Nataraja is most symbolic of Saiva Siddhanta. Temple worship
is an indispensable part of Saiva Siddhanta. That might explain why
Tamils have an image of orthodox and scrupulous temple goers.
Raja Raja Chola’s period was one of height of Saivism. This had been
made possible by the surge of Shiva devotion brought by Nayanar saints
in previous centuries. The heart melting hymns (Devaram) to Lord Shiva
by Sambandar, Appar and Sundaramurthy as well as Manikkavasagar in the
9th century who wrote Tiruvasagam. They, in reality, were the pioneers
of Bhakti movement that later swept across other parts of India in the
medieval age.
He was an extra ordinarily powerful king and a grand monrch of
southern India. His army crossed the ocean by ships and conquered many
islands. His was a versatile personality. It is a matter of pride that
Tanjore temple attracted the appreciation of UNESCO for its art and
architecture. Brihadeeswara Temple, is the shining Jewel in the crown
of Bharatmata. Nodout, it is, Tamilnadu’s contribution to the pride of
India. Let us all celebrate this one thousand years architectural
wonder.

anta Narayan Mela held at Bhadrak

Ananta Narayan Mela held at Bhadrak
BHADRAK

Lord Ananta Narayan’s mega Mela ended in a high festive fervour here. It is being observed each year for the last one hundred years at Asthala village, mid of the town here. The Ananta Narayan Temple was founded by late Surendra Chandra Nayak, a Gopabandhu Award recipient. Now, the temple is being managed by his wife Harapriya Nayak.

A huge crowd thronged the Mela. Bhajan Sandhya was performed by noted Odia devotional song artist Arabinda Muduli and his troupe and many other eminent singers.

Power Minister Antanu Sabyasachi Nayak graced it as the chief guest. Among others, former Revenue Minister Manomahan Samal, Dhamnagar MLA Rajendra Das, former MLA Naren Palai and ZP president Jagannath Swain also attended the function. For smooth management of law and order, SP Jay Narayan Pankaj and Town PS IIC Manoj Rout rendered their services.

Agyan Mala Puja held at Jeypore

Agyan Mala Puja held at Jeypore

The Sadosho Dussehra Puja started at Jeypore on Mulashtami and to celebrate the grand Dussehra Mahotsav, Puja Committee chairman and local MLA Rabi Narayana Nanda performed the puja at Maa Bhagabati temple here.

He received the Agyan Mala from Goddess Maa Bhagabati and handed over it to Paresh Rath and KC Sahu to invite all the Lathis of different Shakti Pithas of undivided Koraput district to attend the historical Jeypore Dussehra Mahotsav.

The symbol of deities called Lathis of Maa Bhairabi, Maa Pendraghariani, Maa Moulimma, Maa Bhandar Gharini, Maa Budhi Thakurani including about 75 Lathis will congregate during the current Dussehra Mahotsav, informed Nanda.

A documentary film will also be produced during the Dussehra Mahotsav and all the Lathidharis and Sevayats will be honoured with Sirapa (headgear), Nanda said.

On Mahastami, all the Lathis from different rural areas will reach Jeypore and on Bijaya Dashami attend the procession called Bijaya Patuara along with the Pratima Biman of Goddess Bhagabati and Kalika Devi.

Later, Maa Basantai Patuara will join the Bijaya Patuara and the Patuara will reach at the Dussehra Ground to perform the traditional Aparajita Puja on the early hours of Ekadashi.

Bijaya Bhramani Yatra will start from October 8 to15, Chaturthi Kalparamva will start on Panchami and Sasthi Puja will be held on 11and 12 and Saptami Puja with Nishardha Ashtami Dwidana Kalparamva Bali Puja on 13, informed Devottar Officer and Tehsildar Maheswar Nayak.

From 14 to 22, Mahashtami Puja, Nabami Sandhi Puja, Bishram Puja, Purnahuti, Dussehra Aparajita Puja, Devi Yatra and Santi Puja called Kothasitalani respectively are being slated, Nayak further informed.

During the performance of Agyanmala Puja before Goddess Bhagabati, among others, Puja Committee members Bharat Pattnaik, Ramakant Roul, Durga Mishra, Ramanath Mishra, PA ITDA Mukund Kisan and Tehsildar M Nayak along with representatives of different media were present.

Ayodhya: Hindu Mahasabha files caveat in Supreme Court

Ayodhya: Hindu Mahasabha files caveat in Supreme Court
PTI


Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to pre-empt any ex-parte order on the Ayodhya title dispute.

In the caveat, the Hindu Mahasabha has asked the court not to pass order on any appeal against the September 30 Allahabad High Court verdict without hearing it.

The organisation has filed the caveat through its national president Swami Chakrapani.

General secretary of Hindu Mahasabha Indira Tiwari said a petition is also likely to be filed making it clear that it was not in favour of any compromise on the issue and wants a legal solution to the whole dispute.

“We want only legal solution. We are against any type of compromise as we are in favour of constructing a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya,” she said.

She said the Hindu Mahasabha would like to achieve its objective through the cooperation of all those who were party to the suit in the High Court.

BJP Government to remain in power in Karnataka

BJP Government to remain in power in Karnataka
By Staff Reporter
Published: October 11 2010 Amid scenes of pandemonium, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa won a vote of confidence in the Assembly under a cloud after the Speaker disqualified 16 MLAs, including 11 of BJP, hours before the trial of strength.

BJP Government won the vote of confidence in Assembly today
The BJP government in Karnataka survived its toughest challenge on Monday as Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa won a trust vote in the Assembly after the Speaker disqualified 16 rebel MLAs. Karnataka Speaker K G Bopaiah disqualified 11 BJP and five Independent MLAs from the Karnataka Assembly under anti-defection Act in response to Yeddyurappa's petition.

The JDS president HD Kumaraswami termed the trust vote unconstitutional and said he, along with 118 MLAs, are going to approcah the Governor. "Yedyurappa has lost his majority in the House. He has misused the Speaker's chair. It shows their inability to prove their majority," Said Kumaraswami

D V Shiva Kumar, KPCC working president, said: "The House was not conducted, the policemen were inside the House. Within a minute the Speaker left. We will go with all the MLAs for the headcount in front of the Governor." Meanwhile, the Union Home ministry has expressed serious concern over the Karnataka situation and has taken serious note of it. Prima facie, the ministry sources feel the tenth schedule of the Constitution has been abused.

The Assembly secretary had issued an order banning the entry of the disqualified MLAs into the Assembly. He has instructed the police to not allow them inside. The notice has been pasted on all three entry points of the Assembly. There was chaos inside and outside the Karnataka Assembly ahead of the trust vote as some rebel MLAs tried to force their entry into the House. They also staged a dharna outside the Assembly.

Yeddyurappa was forced to face a trust vote and prove his majority after rebel MLAs, including 14 BJP members, withdrew support, reducing the party's strength to less than half in the 224 strong House. Admitting that there was trouble within the party, senior BJP leader Nirmala Seetaraman said “now we should highlight how the Congress adopted all means to disrupt the democratic set up.”

“There were unbelievable scenes inside the assembly, the police walked into the Assembly that has never happened,” Congress MLA Krishna Byregowda said. “We are demanding a vote, if the government had majority then the Speaker should have allowed division of vote. The Police Commissioner walked inside the Assembly. The marshalls should be handling the matter. Its unbelievable,” he said.


http://www.mybangalore.com/article/1010/bjp-government-to-remain-in-power-in-karnataka.html

Congress, JD(S) have kidnapped Karnataka MLAs: BJP

PANAJI: Eleven of the rebel Karnataka legislators staying at a five-star resort in Goa have been "forcefully kidnapped" by the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader alleged on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters outside the resort, BJP leader Ramesh Katti claimed that senior Goa police officials were used to physically shift the legislators out of a hotel, with the help of hired goons. Katti, a BJP parliamentarian from Karnataka, with other BJP leaders, was trying to lure five BJP and six Independents MLAs back to the BJP fold.

"In all, thirteen MLAs, who include seven BJP MLAs and six Independents, have been kidnapped by the Congress and the JD(S) using goons and police machinery," Katti said. Only two legislators, including Renuka Acharya, managed to evade the "kidnapping attempts", he added.

"Talks were going well till afternoon. Suddenly police officers came with several goons and physically lifted our MLAs. The Goa police were literally protecting the goons who were manhandling the MLAs," Katti said.

The MP also said that ministers of the Goa government, including home minister Ravi Naik and public works department minister Churchill Alemao, had been using the state government machinery to intimidate the legislators.

"The JD(S) and the Congress are using huge amounts of money... Rs 25 crore is being offered to each MLA to vote for the no-confidence motion," Katti alleged.

Earlier, BJP leaders claimed that most major issues raised by the dissenting Karnataka legislators had been resolved. North Goa BJP MP Shripad Naik said that things were optimistic for the party.

On Thursday, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, who camped in the five-star resort and was holding talks with the rebels, expressed confidence that the BS Yeddyurappa government would not last Monday's trust vote. "Just wait till then. You will realise. All the dissenting MLAs are together and they are united," Kumaraswamy told reporters, before heading for Bangalore Thursday afternoon.

The JD(S) leader, who reached Goa Thursday, refused to reply to questions on whether the JD(S) would be supporting a Congress-led government in Karnataka in the near future.



http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Congress-JDS-have-kidnapped-Karnataka-MLAs-BJP/articleshow/6719982.cms

ABHM, Nirmohi Akhara disagree on out-of-court settlement

With the Nirmohi Akhara agreeing to explore possibilities of an amicable solution to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has decided to distance itself from the Akhara.

“I was scheduled to meet Mahant of Nirmohi Akhara Bhaskar Das this morning, but cancelled that programme as it has joined the talks for an out-of-court settlement of the dispute,” Kamlesh Tiwari state president of ABHM, a party in Ayodhya title suits, said.

“We are of the view that the entire site belongs to the Hindu community and we will not accept any division of their land,” he added.

Mr. Tiwari said the Mahasabha will challenge the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Supreme Court by the end of this month.

The ABHM had earlier announced its support to the Akhara and filed a joint appeal in the apex court.

“We will file an appeal in the apex court for complete ownership of the disputed land in Ayodhya to Nirmohi Akhara.

The Mahasabha will also plead that the Akhara should be given the right to perform puja at the makeshift temple,” Mr. Tiwari had said.

The statement came after a delegation of ABHM had met Mahant of Nirmohi Akhara Bhaskar Das and had a detailed discussion with him.

“If required we will file a joint appeal with the Akhara,” Mr. Tiwari had said.

Keywords: Ayodhya verdict, ABHM, Nirmohi Akhara, out-of-court settlement

Ram Janmabhoomi belongs only to Lord Rama!

Ram Janmabhoomi belongs only to Lord Rama!

Pravinbhai Togadia

Punjab Kesari

Dated 2-10-10

Hindus have believed for ages that determined faith has tremendous
power! God does take the test of devotion of devotees up to certain
period. Hindus in India and all over the world have clearly passed this
difficult divine test!

It's sad that in this Kaliyug many doubts were raised regarding Lord
Ram and his birthplace Ayodhya that was established many ages ago when
Islam was not even born. Some 450 years ago an aggressor called
Babar constructed a structure on the sacred land of Ayodhya and today
his heirs and their secular friends are striving hard not to construct a
temple on the sacred land - the very birthplace of Shri Rama.

Over four lakh Hindus that include people like Kothari brothers have
sacrificed their lives for the construction of grand temple there. The
conviction of Hindus has borne fruit today. The sacrifice of lakhs of
Hindus has proved useful. The Prayag High Court (some people call it
Allahabad) has granted not only the right of Lord Ram Lalla on the
sacred land but also accepted the sacredness of the land and right of
Hindus over it.

The verdict reads: The very place of the birth is the litigant in this
case. The land is also an idol. The divinity of this land is like fire,
wind and Kedarnath. The land has been personalized in the form of divine
power which has been worshipped as the birth place of Ram Lalla for
years. This divine power can be available at everywhere and at all
times. This divine power can be awakened in any form or shape as per
individual wish or it can be formless or shapeless.

According to the high court the meaning of 'divine' in plain words is:
the place can be god. Hindus have always believed that land is mother,
land is goddess, no matter whether an idol exists at the place or not.
E.g. Holy place of Prayag where the place of worship keeps on changing
as per the confluence, Man Sarovar, other holy places, kundas, many
trees like banyan and peepal, many goddesses like Gomata, sometimes,
even if an idol has not survived at the place but a place worship
continues, like a place where Bindumadhav Mandir at Kashi existed or
many other places like these could be regarded as sacred and divine.
This verdict has returned to lord Ram his own birthplace. Then it is the
responsibility of all Hindus like us and governments to realize the
dream of constructing a grand and beautiful temple at the sight.

The case that continued over 60 years brought forward many witnesses,
dug out columns of old temple and idols which were buried while
converting a Ram temple into Babri Masjid and has given this land to Ram
Lalla. But has the exile of Rama ended today? This could have happened,
had all countrymen of India respected Hindu convictions.

When Shah Bano case was on, the very people who dumped the decision of
the Supreme Court in a cold storage and formed a law just contrary to
it, arguing 'faith is supreme to law', today when justice has gone to
Ram Lalla are shouting that country is run by law and not by faith. That
means when it's a question of Islam then faith is supreme to law but and
when it is matter concerning Hindus then not faith but law is topmost!

In this legal case Ram Lalla has got its own birthplace but still the
verbal abuse continues! If so much injustice is shown towards lord
Rama, the very essence of law, truth, highest form of justice, whose
picture is listed in the book of constitution among the national heroes
of the country, in spite of favourable verdict from the high court then
does Satyameva Jayate have any value in this country?

The writ petition filed by Ismail Faruqi (writ 208/1993) in the Supreme
Court had challenged the possession of the land by the government on Ram
Janmabhoomi (for Ismail on Babri Masjid). That time the bench consisting
of five judges had given a verdict that if it is revealed that a temple
existed under that structure, or some Hindu ruins are discovered there,
then that place will be given to the Hindus and not to Muslims. The
archeological department carried out excavations on the basis and they
discovered ruins of grand temple like columns, idols, kalash and havan
kundas at the site. That time the honourable president of India had also
referred that the land should be handed over to Hindus if Hindu ruins
were discovered there. The government had mentioned in the statements in
the court that time that the land should be given to Hindus if Hindu
ruins were discovered below the structure. After all this when the court
has given the verdict that the place is the birthplace of Shri Ram and
has allowed to construct a temple of Ram, actions like ---abusing faith
of Hindus in media (admiring Muslim faith). The statement by our
honourable home minister "Three months are there, then this verdict is
not operational'' regarding high court verdict as insignificant,
statement by Shahi Imam insulting Lord Ram in media like "It's not a
verdict but a compromise", and media playing the same tune and
boycotting the organizations who fought from the side of Ram Lalla under
the fear from the government---are corrupt and immature. Lord Ram has
obtained his birthplace after years of wait. It is apt that we unitedly
should adorn the birthplace by constructing a grand temple there.
Devotion has a great power! Hindus have realized this in Kaliyug at
least once! It will be realized again and again because after all it is
a matter of devotion towards Lord Ram!

(The writer is renowned Cancer Surgeon and International General
Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad)

Baba Ramdev to visit State in January

Baba Ramdev to visit State in January

DHENKANAL

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev during his 18-day-long countrywide Swabhiman Yatra, will visit 18 districts of Odisha in January. A preparatory meeting was held at the Surya Mandap here on Monday for successful implementation of yoga camps.

State president Sudhanshu Adhikari said, Baba will leave for Chhattisgarh after visiting Balasore, Bhadrak, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Dhenkanal, Angul, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda districts.

He will visit Kalahandi and Koraput during his next visit on March 7, 8 and 9. Baba will reach Dhenkanal on January 20 night and conduct his yoga camp at the stadium here next morning.

The preparatory meeting was attended by former Minister Nabin Chandra Narayan Das, Patanjali Yoga Samiti State Mahila president Meenaskhi Mishra, Nibedita Rath and Kapil Bhai Yung.


http://www.dailypioneer.com/288211/Baba-Ramdev-to-visit-State-in-January.html

Trial in nun rape case put off to Nov 2

Trial in nun rape case put off to Nov 2

The Cuttack district session’s court, now holding trial in Kandhamal nun rape case, adjourned the hearing of the sensational matter to November 2 and 3 as the fifth phase of deposition by the witnesses ended here on Wednesday.

The trial court on the day recorded statements of only two witnesses as Baliguda Catholic church nun, the complainant in the case failed to appear once again.

Issuing summons to the nun for the sixth time in a row, the trial court adjourned the matter to be heard next in November.


http://www.dailypioneer.com/288201/Trial-in-nun-rape-case-put-off-to-Nov-2.html

Rahul equates RSS to SIMI, stokes anger

Rahul equates RSS to SIMI, stokes anger
October 07, 2010 9:01:16 PM

Pioneer News Service | New Delhi/Bhopal

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday triggered a political controversy by equating Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with banned terrorist outfit Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), a statement which immediately attracted strong criticism from not only the Sangh Parivar but also yoga guru Swami Ramdev.

“I know only that both SIMI and the RSS are fanatical and hold fundamentalist views,” he said at a Press conference in Bhopal. When pointed out that the radical SIMI was a proscribed outfit, which was not the case with RSS, the Nagpur-headquartered right-wing group, Rahul stated that this did not matter much for him.

The RSS and the BJP were quick in denouncing Rahul, saying that “he has lost his mental balance” and “he should brush up his knowledge before making meaningless statements”. BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters, “Only a sick mind can do it (compare RSS to SIMI). He seems to have lost his mental balance.”

Some BJP leaders pointed out that Rahul used the same language on Wednesday as has been used by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh for several years now. “It was also not a coincidence that Rahul chose to target RSS in Madhya Pradesh, the former CM’s home State,” they said.

BJP’s youth wing chief and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur pointed out that the Congress Government at the Centre had decided to continue the ban on SIMI. “We appeal to Rahul to stop playing vote bank politics and dedicate himself to nation building, taking lessons from the RSS. We appeal to the BJYM activists to strongly oppose the statement and organise protests everywhere in the country,” Thakur said.

The RSS also hit out at the Congress leader, saying he needed to learn more about the country before making such “meaningless” statements. “He should brush up his knowledge before making meaningless statements. He should know the difference between RSS and banned outfits and know the history of Congress party, which has been accused of fundamentalism in the last six decades,” RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said. “Rahul has a long way to go in politics, He should have better knowledge of India. He should learn more before making such statements,” he added.

The Parivar also got support from yoga guru Swami Ramdev, who said that such a comparison between the RSS and SIMI was deplorable. “In all these year, I have hardly seen any hardline element in the top leadership of the RSS, from Guruji to Mohan Bhagwat. Such a comparison is condemnable,” Ramdev told reporters.

Defending Rahul, Digvijay Singh said RSS was a “master in spreading rumours”. He added, “What Rahul Gandhi has said is correct. The RSS has no answer to what he has said. The Congress does not have to learn history and culture from RSS. They are known masters in spreading rumours.”

Replying to Madhav’s charge, Singh said, “Ram Madhav should read history. The BJP called Jinnah secular while the Congress always fought against his Muslim League. The RSS supported the British during the freedom struggle while we fought against them.”

He said that while the Congress had been fighting fanatic ideology irrespective of whether it concerned Hindus or Muslims, a number of persons belonging to Bajrang Dal, VHP and Abhinav Bharat had been found involved in terror incidents. He also dared the RSS to deny their association with it. “It is time the RSS introspected what people associated with it are doing,” Singh added.

The former Chief Minister also reacted strongly to the remarks of BJP spokesperson Prakash Javedkar that Rahul Gandhi seems to have lost his mental balance. “He (Javedkar) should first get his mental check-up done,” the AICC leader said.

Janardan Dwivedi, another AICC general secretary and chairman of the Congress media department, said, “What Rahul said was a political comment. We believe any comment by any organisation or individual politically opposed to one should be replied to in a civilised manner. We don’t believe in making such personal comments.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.dailypioneer.com/288246/Rahul-equates-RSS-to-SIMI-stokes-anger.html

Karnataka crisis: Yeddyurappa axes two more ministers

Karnataka crisis: Yeddyurappa axes two more ministers
October 07, 2010 8:58:14 PM

PTI | Mangalore


Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, whose government is facing a serious crisis following rebellion by a section of BJP MLAs, today sacked two more dissident ministers.

Talking to reporters here, Yeddyurappa said he had recommended to Governor H R Bharadwaj to drop minister for Municipal Administration Balachandra Jarakihole and Minister for Fisheries Anand Asnotikar from the Ministry.

With this, the number of dissident ministers dropped from the ministry since yesterday after 19 MLAs withdrew support to his Government, has risen to six.

Yesterday, the Chief Minister had axed four ministers.

However, Yeddyurappa chose not to drop dissident Excise Minister M P Renukacharya, who is spearheading the dissident group.

Later, Yeddyurappa left for Kannur district in Kerala to offer prayers at the Rajarajeshwari temple.

In another development, the BJP high command has deputed senior leader Venkaiah Naidu to defuse the crisis and save the tottering first-ever BJP Government in the South.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/288284/Karnataka-crisis-Yeddyurappa-axes-two-more-ministers.html

Rajnath Gave UN General Assembly Speech in Hindi

Madam Chairperson,

I will deliver my statement in Hindi. Not only Hindi is our national language, but is also one of the five most spoken languages and is the nearest sister of ‘Sanskrit’- one of the oldest spoken languages of the world whose literature has given ‘Vasudhev Kutumbkam’ i.e. the entire world is one family. I am just following the tradition of my leader and former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was the first Indian Foreign Minister to give speech in Hindi at UN in 1978.

I hope that UN will also make Hindi as one of its official languages in near future in order to acknowledge the aspirations of largest democracy of the world in true sense.

Let me take this opportunity to congratulate you on your election as Chairperson of this Committee and also congratulate the members of the Bureau on their election. I assure you of my delegation’s full cooperation and support in all your efforts.

I thank the Secretary General for his annual report on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism which contains important and valuable information about the measures taken by States at the national level as well as by the UN system and other international organizations for the prevention and suppression of international terrorism.

We also would like to thank Ambassador Rohan Perera and the Facilitator of the Working Group, Ms. Maria Telalian, for their untiring efforts in resolving the outstanding issues.

Madam Chairperson,

India attaches highest importance to the agenda item relating to “Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism” presently under consideration before this Committee. Terrorism is a crime against humanity. It is the most vicious amongst international crimes. It affects us all equally. It is a scourge that open democratic societies have to contend with and the challenge is to maintain our openness, safeguard individual rights, and at the same time, give no quarter to terrorists. The international community therefore needs to marshal all its efforts and resources to combat this scourge.

As you are aware, India has been a victim of terrorism for decades. The people of India continue to pay a heavy price in our fight against terrorism. The haunting memories of horrific terrorist attacks in Mumbai in the year 2008, which was planned and executed from across the border, and witnessed by the whole world on television, are still alive. We are determined to confront these challenges unshakably and decisively.

Madam Chairperson,

We align with the statement made by Iran on behalf of NAM. No cause could ever justify the indiscriminate killing of innocent peoples. Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for whatever purposes, wherever, by whomever, against whomever committed, are in any circumstances unjustifiable, whatever the considerations or factors that may be invoked to justify them.

The Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism adopted by UNGA Resolution 49/60 condemns international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The Declaration also unequivocally condemns all acts, methods and practices of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, whenever and by whoever committed. States are also obliged to refrain from organizing, acquiescing in or encouraging activities within their territories directed towards the commission of such acts. States are also obliged to ensure that their territories are not used for terrorist installations or training camps or for the preparation or organization of terrorist acts intended to be committed against other States or their citizens. If this happens, then the UNGA or the Security Council must take strong action.

Madam Chairperson,

Terrorism poses a grave threat to all States and all societies. It undermines peace, democracy and freedom thus endangering the very foundations of the continued existence of democratic societies. Terrorism is a global threat and requires a coordinated and concerted global response to combat it. In this context in addition to the urgent need to conclude and adopt the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, we support the recent second review of the Global Counter Terrorism Strategy and the institutionalization of the CTITF.

Madam Chairperson,

At the National level we have taken many steps to strengthen international cooperation in combating terrorism. Apart from strengthening our strategic and operational framework to combat terrorism effectively, we have also amended and strengthened our national legislation entitled Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 by integrating in it a mechanism for the effective enforcement of the measures adopted by the 1267 Committee against designated individuals and entities. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act incorporates provisions that deal with all aspects of terrorism including incitement. The Act also criminalizes raising of funds for terrorist activities, holding of proceeds of terrorism, harbouring of terrorists, unauthorized possession of any bomb, dynamite or hazardous explosive substance or other lethal weapon or substance capable of mass destruction or biological or chemical substance of warfare.

We have concluded bilateral treaties with many countries in the areas of combating terrorism, organized crime, money laundering, terrorist financing and illicit drug trafficking. We also have in place treaties on extradition and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters to further strengthen and enhance international cooperation efforts in this regard. These treaties facilitate transfer of fugitive offenders and suspected terrorists to stand trial in the State in which the offence is committed and in their effective prosecution. These treaties also facilitate exchange of operational information and development of joint programs among concerned States.

At the international level, India has become party to 13 sectoral conventions on terrorism that have been adopted under the auspices of the United Nations. In relation to a specific activity, these conventions remain fundamental tools in the fight against terrorism. India has also become an active member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). We have always fulfilled our obligations under international and regional conventions and relevant Security Council resolutions on international terrorism.

Madam Chairperson,

Now coming to the draft Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism, I am happy to note that the Ad-Hoc Committee that met in April this year witnessed some forward momentum as some delegations have shown better understanding and flexibility. Reflecting on the general sense of the debate that time, the Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee also advised delegations, and subsequently made a personal appeal to the Legal Advisers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to come prepared to take necessary decisions and move forward.

During the General Debate in the 65th Session of the General Assembly last month, many States have reiterated their support for the successful and early adoption of the draft CCIT. The Secretary General’s report on the review of the Global Counter Terrorism Strategy is very important. The Secretary General very aptly pointed out in paragraph 139 of his report that “the comprehensiveness of implementing the Strategy will not be complete without the conclusion of the comprehensive convention on international terrorism. As committed in the Strategy, Member States should make every effort to reach an agreement on the text and conclude the convention in order to unite behind the global counter-terrorism efforts. The recent Security Council Presidential statement also encourages Member States to make every effort to conclude the negotiations of the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

Madam Chairperson
All these appeals and expectations expressed at various levels only remind us that we have already lost invaluable time in taking a concrete decision on this important issue and that the international community cannot afford to wait any longer at a time when there is the most urgent need to show solidarity and collective global action against international terrorism and to send a clear message that terrorism cannot be tolerated in any form or manifestation for whatever cause.

Madam Chairperson
The negotiations over the years have by and large got a near full text of the proposed Convention with general agreement. There remain just a few outstanding issues in Article 18. We look forward to the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee to guide us in agreeing to a full text that can be recommended by us for adoption in this Session itself. We would also strongly urge delegations to show flexibility and reach a common understanding on the text so that we can move forward and fulfill the expectations of the Secretary General, the Security Council, and of the international community as a whole.

I have full confidence that we will eventually succeed in our struggle against terrorism. There is a need to address terrorism not only at the governmental or political levels but also at the intellectual level. The mindset of attaining goals through violent means will have to be changed. Towards this end, there is a need to raise awareness in the society about the thoughts of eminent personalities like Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi. With our thousands of years of tradition of harmonizing divergent streams of thoughts, culture of non-violence and non-aggression, India could make significant contribution in the fight against terrorism not only at the political level but also at the intellectual level.
Thank you, Madam Chairperson.
***

BJP activists protest over Rahul's remarks

BJP activists protest over Rahul's remarks


Outraged by Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi's remarks against the RSS, BJP activists today raised slogans and tried to burn an effigy of
the leader. At a press conference in Bhopal yesterday, Rahul Gandhi described the RSS as "fanatical", saying it was no different from banned terror outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and said that both hold "fundamentalist" views.

Led by local BJP leader Ashok Kamsal, the activists tried to take out a demonstration but were dispersed by police.

Meanwhile, ABVP and Congress activists clashed in Luxor area near Roorkee over the same issue.

The incident took place when the ABVP activists burnt an effigy of Gandhi shouted slogans against him at Balawala Tiraha area, and a group of Congress workers reached the spot and tried to stop them from doing so, police said.

In the scuffle, some youths received minor injuries. Later, police intervened and controlled the situation.

ABVP members lodged an FIR against some Congress workers in this connection. They said they were peacefully protesting against Gandhi's controversial remarks against RSS when they were beaten up by Congress workers.

Investigations have begun in this connection, police said, adding that no arrest has been made so far.

BJP-JD(U) seat-sharing finalised in Bihar


Seat sharing with the BJP for the Assembly elections in Bihar has been finalised with the saffron party to contest 102 of the 243 seats and the JD(U) 141, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Thursday while dismissing reports of differences between the two allies.

“We are very old allies ... all old arrangements on campaigning, seat-sharing or any other issue will continue,” the Chief Minister said.

On reported differences between the JD(U) and BJP over the seat-sharing, Mr. Kumar said “there is nothing like that.”

Stating that senior BJP leader L.K. Advani will campaign in the State, Mr. Kumar said he had held a meeting with his deputy S.K. Modi and Health Minister N.K. Yadav, both from the BJP, on leaders of the two parties campaigning in most constituencies.

The Digha assembly seat was now with the JD(U).

Mr. Kumar, who would start his ‘Janadesh Yatra’ to seek a fresh mandate for another term, said “I have plans to cover most of the constituencies during the first five phases of elections.”


http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article818203.ece

Verdict nails ‘secular’ lies

Verdict nails ‘secular’ lies
October 07, 2010 9:28:20 PM

S Gurumurthy

Justice Sudhir Agarwal's judgement, running into 5,200 pages, makes two important points: A temple existed at the disputed site in Ayodhya and it was destroyed to build the Babri mosque. This puts to rest the assertion by ‘secular’ historians that temples were never destroyed by invaders from the west to subjugate the people of this land

The best part of the Ayodhya verdict is the judgement of Justice Sudhir Agarwal. Though a huge affair running to over 5,200 pages, his is one of the most organised and best-written judgements. One has to look at only the index he has provided in Volume 21 of the judgement to get to what one wants — whether it is to know what the decision was on any of the issues, or to search for any documentary evidence or oral testimony used or any case law considered. Any reasonably skilled reader of legal document may use the index as the key to unravel the judgement in a couple of days, which might otherwise take a fortnight.

It must have taken Justice Agarwal long periods of stress and labour to produce such wonderful judicial document. And more, to maintain confidentiality, he must have done lot of the work himself. Also for writing the main judgement, he has analysed minutely all the evidence, documentary, oral and technical, himself; so that the other judgements just supplement his where there is agreement. But for his huge effort, it would be extremely difficult to unravel the Ayodhya verdict. If Justice SU Khan could write his “very short” judgement it is thanks to Justice Agarwal writing a very long one.

The Ayodhya verdict is not just a legal affair. It discusses, frankly but with sensitivity, the Hindu-Muslim interface based on historical facts. It also touches upon history, archaeology, sociology, religion and related disciplines. A reading of the verdict will reveal its reach and depth. So, the nation must be grateful to the judges, particularly Justice Agarwal, for their stupendous work. The criticality of Justice Agarwal’s judgement, in the overall Ayodhya verdict, is manifest in that, virtually that what he has said has turned out to be the final verdict. It is because, with Justice Dharam Veer Sharma and Justice Khan taking almost divergent positions, to the extent Justice Agarwal agreed with either of them on any issue, his views became the final view on that issue. Just see the effect of his view on the most sensitive issue in the Ayodhya case, namely: Was a pre-existing Hindu temple destroyed to make way for the mosque?

Even though he agrees that a massive broken Hindu structure was found under the mosque, Justice Khan does not agree that any Hindu structure was demolished to build the disputed mosque. But Justice Sharma is firm that a Hindu temple was indeed demolished to build the mosque. Justice Agarwal analyses the evidence over some 900 pages and after holding that a Hindu temple predated the mosque at the spot, he says, on evidence, that “it can safely be said that the erstwhile structure was a Hindu temple and it was demolished, whereafter the disputed structure was raised”. This makes it the court’s view. But, having held that a Hindu temple existed before the mosque was constructed, Justice Agarwal was not keen to pursue the demolition issue. But he does. Why? Read on.

He was compelled to do so by the lies of the experts relied on by the Muslim parties. Prefacing that, for the purposes of the case, it was “sufficient” to stop at finding “that the mosque had been raised” on a pre-existing “massive temple”, Justice Agarwal writes, “It would not have been necessary to tell positively that there existed a massive temple structure, which was demolished and thereafter the disputed structure was raised.” He then explains why then did he do that thus: The statement of so many experts appearing on behalf of the plaintiffs (Sunni Waqf Board) asserting that “temples in past were never demolished by the then Muslim Rulers or invaders from Persia etc, is so blatant a lie” that he was “reluctant to ignore it without referring to some well known historical” accounts of the demolition of Hindu temples, some “written by Muslim writers themselves”. After that only, considering the massive evidence about destruction of temples, including at Ayodhya, Justice Agarwal concluded that a Hindu temple was indeed destroyed to build the mosque. Yet the visual media had kept on insisting throughout September 30 that the court had indeed held that “no temple was destroyed to build the mosque”.

The critical evidence that became one of the most contentious issues between the Hindu parties and the Muslims parties in the court was the Archaeological Survey of India Report which established that a massive structure “indicative of the remains which are distinctive features” of “the temples of north India” exsited under the mosque. The first point to note was that the ASI was brought by the High Court on its own in 2002, not by any party or the Government. The ASI did the GPRS survey and excavation under the High Court’s orders and under supervision by two judicial officers appointed by the court, in the presence of the counsel for the parties.

But the most disgusting part of this critical exercise, the importance of which to the case is brilliantly captured by Justice Agarwal, was the way the Muslim parties attacked the ASI work in the court, including on the ground that the BJP was ruling then, and that the ASI team did not include sufficient number of Muslims in the excavation work. This led to the court chiding them for suffixing experts with “Muslim”, “Hindu” or “Christian”. But now, after the verdict, the secularists are attacking the High Court for relying on the ASI’s report almost in the same language in which the Muslim parties had attacked the ASI prior to the verdict!


http://www.dailypioneer.com/287874/Verdict-nails-%E2%80%98secular%E2%80%99-lies.html

Political fallout of verdict

Political fallout of verdict

Neerja ChowdhuryFirst Published :
05 Oct 2010 11:51:00
PM ISTLast Updated : 06 Oct 2010 12:39:12 AM IST

A journalist (Muslim) friend took some colleagues — as it turned out they were Hindus — to meet Muslim leaders to ascertain their reactions to the Ayodhya judgment last week. The Muslim leaders made all the right noises in a non-committal sort of way. Afterwards they told the Muslim journalist not to bring people of the other community to them for their reactions, for they did not want to speak openly in front of them.


While there is disappointment in the Muslim community over the Allahabad Court’s three-way division of the disputed site at Ayodhya, unlike in the past, the Muslim reaction this time remains more underground than overground. They are not expressing themselves as forthrightly as they have done in the past. Partly there is confusion in their ranks about the implications of the verdict. Many also feel that if they protest openly, it might lead to riots and this will only provoke a counter-reaction and make them more suspect in the eyes of the Hindus.

There are those who want to let bygones be bygones and for the community to get on with their lives. There are others who feel the community has again been denied justice under the law — as it was in December 1992 when the Babri Masjid was demolished. They feel let down by the judiciary, seen by many as the last resort.

Many fear that the verdict could have implications for not just the mosques in Kashi and Mathura, but thousands of other shrines. It is easy enough to place idols, build a local movement around it, and then argue that it is ‘a matter of faith’.

They are also apprehensive that, with the court having legitimised it as the birthplace of Ram, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad would now mount pressure on them to surrender their one-third piece of land for building a ‘grand’ temple there, and this started with both the Sangh chief and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad making such a plea within minutes of the judgment. While the Hindu leaders urged the Muslims to help them build a grand temple there by ‘consensus’, there were no offers by Hindus to help the Muslims build a mosque on the land given to them.

Their anger is directed at the Congress — its leaders ‘welcomed’ the judgment as opposed to ‘accepting’ it — and this is the subtext of the signal that has gone to the community.

They argue that when the idols were placed in the mosque for the first time on the night of December 22 1949, it was under a Congress government in power. When the locks were opened at the disputed structure, at the instance of a Faizabad district judge on February 1 1986, then too the Congress was in power, and the move was seen as a balancing attempt to curry favour with the Hindus who had been annoyed by the Shah Bano judgment and the Muslim Women’s Bill. The shilanyas for the temple took place in November 1989, on the eve of the general elections, and it gave the movement for a temple an impetus, when Rajiv Gandhi was in power. When the demolition took place on December 1992, the government of P V Narasimha Rao was in the saddle and he did nothing to stop the destruction of the structure.

And now, on September 30 came the judgment which dismissed the title claimed by the Sunni Waqf Board on the basis of the widely held belief that the place constituted the birthplace of Ram, even though the whole world had seen the mosque being demolished.

Not unaware of this sentiment, the Congress has swung into damage control mode. The ‘steering committee’ of the yet to be reconstituted Congress Working Committee has decided to examine the possible ‘fallout’. Efforts have been stepped up to try and find a negotiated settlement, the idea being to defuse the situation. The Union home minister’s words that the Babri Masjid demolition remained a criminal act — and the cases to pin responsibility are going on — was also an attempt to delink it from the title suits and thereby assuage the Muslim anger.

It is early days to assess the political fallout of the judgment. Is this a time bomb ticking away for the Congress? Admittedly, the Congress is neither a litigant in the case nor an adjudicator. But the trouble is that politics is often more about perceptions than about reality.

The forthcoming elections in Bihar will be the first straw to indicate which way the wind is blowing, for Muslims have a decisive presence in about 30 seats in the state. If they turn to the RJD in large numbers, it would polarise the situation further between Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar, who was otherwise seen as the frontrunner. Ram Vilas Paswan has openly criticised the verdict. So has Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Depending on the way the situation pans out in the coming days, it could also have a bearing on the Left’s fortunes in West Bengal which has a sizeable Muslim population. Muslim dissatisfaction with the Congress could pose a headache for Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee and alter political parameters in the state where the Left parties are fighting with their backs to the wall for the state polls next year. Muslim anger could also have its fallout in Assam, where state elections are due in 2011.

On the face of it, Congress leaders are not unduly worried. They argue, privately, that the judgment, which went beyond a ‘dry’ legal verdict, was the best in the given circumstances, the argument being that, hypothetically speaking, had it favoured the other side and Ram Lalla had to be removed from the spot, the BJP would have gone on the rampage and it would have rendered the Muslims more vulnerable. It would have given an opportunity to groups like the Samajwadi Party to polarise the situation on Hindu-Muslim lines, as they did in the past, setting the clock back by 20 years. The Congress managers hope that after the initial anger, this acceptance will sink into the community.

The Muslims giving vent to their displeasure through the ballot is one thing. More serious is the possibility of young Muslims taking to violence to express their anger. This is a matter of concern also to the senior Congress leadership, no matter what their public rhetoric. It was after the 1992 demolition — and the 2002 Gujarat riots — that the SIMI-type of activities increased and local sleeper cells came to the fore leading to terror attacks all over the country when earlier these had been confined to the country’s peripheries.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the Congress will have to take remedial steps to win back the confidence of the Muslims who had been gravitating back to the party after a gap of three decades. But this cannot happen by glossing over the issues that have been thrown up by the verdict and are agitating the community, nor by putting a lid on them. It is a free play of contending ideas which acts as safety valve in a democracy and exercised the checks and balances that are needed in difficult situations.

neerja_chowdhury@yahoo.com


http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/columnists/political-fallout-of-verdict/212666.html

Operation Hamala kicks off on State coast

Operation Hamala kicks off on State coast
Kendrapada

The Indian Navy, Coast Guard along with all the stakeholders on Tuesday embarked upon a two-day-long innovative mock exercise Operation Hamala on encompassing possible infiltration of terrorists both by land and sea in the State’s coast.

The State with a 482 km long coastline is vulnerable to unabated infiltration of Bangladeshi immigrants round the year.

The security exercise aims at assessing preparedness of coastal security structure of the State. The State agencies would get opportunity to utilise the skills of reacting to emergency situations, Coast Guard Commandant Saroj Sahu, the officer In-charge of State Costal Security Operation Centre.

Commandoes of Indian Navy and Coast Guard, besides State police, Marine Police, intelligence, Central Industrial Security Force, port officials, Customs, Fisheries Department and fishermen jointly took part in this exercise, said official sources.

The officials were divided into two groups, while one group were in the attackers, the others were the defenders. State security agencies like police, Marine police customs and the coastal people were in the defender team members.

Navy deployed three ships INS Nirvika, INS Sabitri, INS Bibhuti and Coast Guard deployed three ships Braja, Chanda Bibi and Sarojini Naidu apart from four aircrafts, sophisticated boats of marine police stations , boats were locked in mock fights in the sea under coastal security exercise.

Indian Navy sources informed that during this exercise, which would continue till Wednesday, mock infiltration bid by terrorists from seaward sneaking into the mainland would be simulated to realise the requiring reaction from the stake holders of the coastal security agencies on real time.

The sources said security was stepped up at all coastal districts in the State and in the cities as part of the drill. Police personnel were mobilised as part of the exercise which would help the police assess their strengths and weaknesses while dealing with emergency situations. Apart from mounting a strict surveillance on all vital installations, Quick Reaction Teams, patrol vehicles and manpower were strategically guarding important places. Gun-totting policemen were seen deployed all along the 482-km-long coastline in Odisha.

The coastal districts of Odisha are more prone to attacks from the sea as they house some important defence establishments of the country and world-class monuments like Jagannath and Konark temples. The defence units include Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) and Military Engineering Services (MES) at Chandipur, Air Defence College at Gopalpur and Defence Radar Centres at Dhamra, Mahakalapada, Chandrabhaga and Gopalpur besides ports

After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Indian Navy and the Indian Coastguard have joined hands to step up coastal security through constant patrolling of the territorial waters.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/287963/Operation-Hamala-kicks-off-on-State-coast.html

Nun rape case trial adjourned to Wednesday

Nun rape case trial adjourned to Wednesday
CUTTACK-

The fifth phase of hearing in the sensational Kandhamal nun rape case that was scheduled to begin on Tuesday was adjourned to Wednesday, when the nun and two other witnesses did not turn up before the Cuttack district session’s judge. While the nun in a miscellaneous petition informed the court that she was indisposed for personal problems, the witnesses who had been summoned also made separate pleas mentioning about the reasons for not being present in the court. Judge BK Mishra allowing all the pleas adjourned the case to be heard next on Wednesday.

Yeddy sacks dissident ministers, asked to prove majority

Yeddy sacks dissident ministers, asked to prove majority
PTI | Bangalore


Faced with a serious rebellion threatening the stability of the first-ever BJP government in the south, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today sacked four dissident ministers and accused the opposition Congress and JDS of attempting to topple his government.

On a day of swift developments, Yeddyurappa recommended to Governor H R Bhardwaj to drop from the Cabinet -- Shivaraj Thangadagi, Venkataramanappa, P M Narendraswamy and D Sudhakar.

The sacked ministers were independents who had lent crucial support to Yeddyurappa when the BJP failed to get majority in the May 2008 Assembly polls.

Yeddyurappa said two-three senior ministers would be asked to quit to pave way for induction of five or six new faces into his Cabinet shortly.

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http://www.dailypioneer.com/288058/Yeddy-sacks-dissident-ministers-asked-to-prove-majority.html