[GHHF] Hindu Identity – Panacea for Social Ills and Human Extinction

[GHHF] Hindu Identity – Panacea for Social Ills and Human Extinction

(Condensed version of this message was presented at Bala Datta Annual Function held on May 8, 2011 at Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple, Frisco, TX)

"If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered over the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions of some of them which well deserve the attention even of those who have studied Plato and Kant, I should point to India." And if I were to ask myself from what literature we who have been nurtured almost exclusively on the thoughts of Greeks and Romans, and of the Semitic race, the Jewish, may draw the corrective which is most wanted in order to make our inner life more perfect, more comprehensive, more universal, in fact more truly human a life...again I should point to India…. 
I maintain that for everybody who cares for himself, for his ancestors, for his history, for his intellectual development, a study of Vedic literature is indispensable."
 Max Muller

            It is indeed a pleasure to see so many parents and children attend the annual Bala Datta Function to celebrate the glory and grandeur of our ancient yet modern religion, traditional yet scientific, and customary yet meaningful.

At the outset let me say that Hinduism is not a ‘religion,’ It is a way of life. The word Hinduism has only few hundred years of history. We should identify Hinduism in terms of ‘Dharma,’ ‘Vedanta Philosophy,’ Vedic culture, or ‘Sanatana Dharma, (the Perennial Philosophy’ as termed by Aldous Huxley) that has thousands of history.  According to Whitman, “Hindu traditions promote living with integrity, causing no harm, and progressing further on a spiritual path by living according to dharma, stage of life appropriate guidelines” (Whitman, 2007, p. 608). 

Do we need to identify with our faith (Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma)

            We all identify with some thing. We have our own identification. By mentioning your name, we come to know about your identity with respect to your name, your status, your family heritage, your family, your history, your job, and your affiliations with your friends etc. 

            Similarly our identification with our religion is equally important. You have been born into it, you have been raised in that atmosphere, you have been shaped by it, you have been molded by it, and you have developed a set of values, ethics, and moral compass.  Many people who grew up in this country identify themselves as Irish Americans, Jewish Americans, Polish Americans, Arab Americans, Greek Americans, Mexican Americans, African Americans, etc.

             There is nothing wrong in identifying yourself as Hindu Americans. We should be proud of being a Hindu whether you live in USA, India or some other country.  Why do we say that we have to be proud of being a Hindu? Because we never conquered a country, we never caused untold misery to any body, we never massacred any nation in the name of religion, we never looted the treasury of other country, we never plundered the religious institutions of the other faiths, we never wanted to plant the cross on another’s soil with deception and destruction, we never build our temples on the ruins of other religious institutions following the demolition of other institutions, and we never depleted the natural resources of other nations. In fact, we openly welcomed them with open arms never realizing that they will stab you in open daylight. We always respected others to practice their religion without realizing that their only and sole mission is to convert us into their religion, dominate us with deception and terror, conspire to destroy and root out our Hindu way of life from the face of this earth.  

            But Hinduism represents different kinds of values, beliefs, attitudes, mores, rituals, traditions, and practices which are different from other religions. These are the values that promote harmony, universal brotherhood, peaceful coexistence and the philosophy of ‘live let live.’ We believe that ahimsa, inclusiveness, and sanctity of life, are an integral part of our religion. We are pluralistic, non-interfering, contemplative and spark of the divine.

            In order to feel proud of being a Hindu, first we should know our hoary history of our way of life, the past glory of Vedic and Puranic culture and also the gloominess of the past 10 centuries of foreign rule that defaced our pride, robbed our confidence and stripped our knowledge from our scriptures and succeeded in doubting our own dharmic values.  Now it is time to reckon with the history. If we fail to learn the lessons of the past atrocities inflicted on our forefathers, and us we will make the same mistake our ancestors made. Read about Goa Inquisition, Hindu Kush Mountains, Destruction of 2000 Hindu Temples, killing of millions of people etc to find out what happened to us. Never again we should make similar mistakes.

            Many of us are not knowledgeable about our religion –scriptures, our worship services, our mantras etc. That should not be an excuse for all of us to criticize, bash and trash our religion. We as parents should never say that I do not know to our children. Our ignorance or lack knowledge should not push our children to look for alternatives outside. There is not a single thing under the sun that has not been explained, explored, discussed, dissected, analyzed and scrutinized by our rishis in our scriptures.  Let our ignorance be target for exploitation by other religions. Let us not sacrifice our children for exploitation by others. Let us take a firm stand to learn and impart our faith to our children.

            Let us also advocate that freedom of religion and expression is not freedom to convert people to other faiths based on incentives, allurements, bribes, exploitation, ignorance and manipulation.

            Hinduism is known for accommodation of different views – in fact in our own family we see one member worshipping Lord Hanuman, another Shiva, another Devi, and yet another Ayyappa Swami.

How do we develop Hindu Identity?

            

We have to be cognizant of the pressure other religions exert on our children and ourselves. We can only withstand that pressure with adequate knowledge about our religion. Let us all commit ourselves to learn some fundamentals of our faith and be refused to be exploited by other religions. Our strength is our knowledge in our scriptures.  Let us remember the words of Bhartihari written in Neeti Shatakam: “Knowledge is a special beauty of man. It is a hidden treasure. It gives one happiness, enjoyment and fame. It is the teacher of great teachers. It is one’s relative when he is in a strange place. It is the God divine. It is knowledge that is to be worshipped not money. One who is bereft of knowledge is a beast.”

            1) Learn about three pillars of Hindu religion that set us apart from the other religions – karma philosophy, reincarnation and concept of gurutattva. These pillars were established more than several thousand years ago. They are as relevant today as they were millenniums ago.

            2) Learn about our scriptures – Vedas, Upanishad, Puranas, Dharma Sastras, Itihasas (Ramayana and Mahabharata), Tantras etc. Start with reading the Puranas and slowly move to Upanishads and Vedas. The more you read, the more you want to read. Appreciation of the richness of our culture and depth of knowledge will overwhelm you.  

            3) Learn about the scientific nature of our religion. Every thing that is written and every thing that is practiced has scientific explanation. There is never conflict between our religion and science. In fact we welcome scientific research about our beliefs and practices.

 

            4) Let us learn about the width and depth of the subject matters that were described in our scriptures – mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, medicine, dentistry, music, metallurgy, philosophy, human anatomy, etc.

            5) Mantras are the cornerstones of our worship both at home and in the temples. Mere chanting or listening will pierce through your body and heart. They give peace of mind and happiness. Hundreds of universities in USA and other countries have done research on the efficacy of these mantras. Sanskrit is deva bhasha and let us learn to communicate in that language to yield better and faster results.

            6) Many of us keep saying that we do not know what they are chanting. Of course if we know the meaning we will appreciate more and our experiences will be different. Please know that even without knowing the meaning these Mantras, chanting and listening of Mantras will affect every part and particle of our body, and our chakras. Their effect on the mind and body are well documented. Research is well documented on this topic.

 

            7) Let us all learn to visit the Temples as often as possible. This is a Gods abode. You feel the vibrations and you feel the energy. The atmosphere is different. Let us maintain silence when we enter the Temple, meditate few minutes closing our eyes, and experience the connectivity between you and the divine. Only in silence, you receive something in.

            8) Let us all learn about the significance of the temple and shodashopachara puja.  All sixteen steps are meaningful and significant to approach the Divine. Let us use all our god given angas (parts of our body) to serve God in the Temple. They are all His? What better way to use them? 

            9) Let us take pride in our religion. Pride comes with knowledge. The more we know about our faith, the more we relish, the more we cherish, the more we admire, the more we appreciate and the more willing to share the glory.

            10) Let us not let other faiths define who we are and what our religion is all about. Let us not allow any one to falsify our religion, hijack our faith, distort our worship practices, and misrepresent out scriptures.

            11) Let us engage in practicing yoga and mediation – they are the stress busters, peace promoters, mind stabilizers, health boosters, body builders and energy stimulators. Let us build Peace Palaces, not Terror cells, quota quarters and exploitative citadels.

            12) Let us make sure that we all stand for mutual respect from all other faiths. Let us not keep saying that Hinduism is tolerant. When we say that we are tolerant, we are telling other religions that we will tolerate all your atrocities, all your exploitations, all your deceptions, all your distortions of our scriptures, all your brutal attacks on our places of worship, all your mass killing of our brothers, sisters and forefathers. Let us STOP saying that we are TOLERANT.

            13) Let us be assertive, confident and forward looking Hindus to make an imprint on the shores of each and every country we live in. We need to be the ambassadors of our faith. Never miss an opportunity to talk about our depth, richness, glory, grandeur, genius, beauty, and brilliance of our rishis, who have written all these scripture with unmatched intelligence and foresight. Let us go to different schools, different associations and different people with curiosity to talk about it.

            14) Let us also be reminded that all religions are NOT the same. Even a cursory reading of the scriptures of other religions would tell you that they want to dominate the world and destroy any thing that would not fit their goal. We, Hindus,  are all inclusive, while others are exclusive. They say if you do not believe in what I believe in, you are doomed. The do not subscribe to our philosophy of “Live, Let Live.”

            15) Finally, let us all resolve ourselves that we will learn about our religion, we will take pride in our scriptures, we will impart our knowledge to our children, we will practice it, we will preserve it and finally PROTECT our way of living that is freedom. Make sure that the extremists and jealous gods do not blow our house away.

            If we want to save the world from self-destruction and human annihilation, Hindus have a monumental task ahead of them. Once you know what Hinduism stands for, you can be a harbinger of peace on earth.

            Remember the assessment of the impending human predicament and the possible solution by Arnold J Toynbee:

            It is already becoming clear that a chapter, which had a Western beginning, will have to have an Indian ending if it is not to end in self-destruction of the human race. At this supremely dangerous moment in human history, the only way of salvation is the ancient Hindu way ….  So now we turn to India. This spiritual gift, that makes a man human, is still alive in Indian souls. Go on giving the world Indian examples of it. Nothing else can do so much to help mankind to save itself from destruction.

            Be a Proud Hindu, be a practicing Hindu, be a disciplined Hindu, be a protector of Hindus edifice, and be a promoter of Hindu way of Life.

Jai Hind

Prakasarao V Velagapudi, PhD

Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple

Global Hindu Heritage Foundation

601-918-7111

Global Hindu Heritage Foundation.

            Our mission is to preserve, practice, propagate and protect our heritage and abolish Endowment Act and free Temples from the government control. If we have to make an impact on our movement to bring changes to preserve our culture, we need you financial support. Your generous donations to continue our efforts to free Hindu Temples from government control, awaken the Hindus about the plight of Hindu Temples and the impending danger of illegal conversion techniques are essential. We are requesting all the individuals and organizations to support financially to continue our movement to free Hindu Temples from the government control and stop these conversions.

            Please DONATE. Your donations are appreciated to continue the work.

 NOTE: GHHF is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 ( c ) 3 of the Internal Revenue code.  

                    Our tax ID # 41-2258630

                   Please send your tax-deductible donations to:

                          Global Hindu Heritage Foundation,

                  14726 Harmony Lane, Frisco, Texas 75035

               You can go to savetemples.org and pay by PAYPAL

For more information                      

            Please visit our website: http://savetemples.org

Baba Ramdev, Man for Bharath, launches Satyagraha on June 4 2011, in New Delhi

Baba Ramdev, Man for Bharath, launches Satyagraha on June 4 2011, in New Delhi; participate in this mammoth effort; details will follow.


“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual giants are produced.” Swami Vivekananda

Baba Ramdev is that great spiritual giant of Bharath. He has taken the challenge to restore the Vedic way of life, bring honesty back into the every day life, insist openness in the government, demand truthfulness in the politicians and advocate Yoga for a fit nation.

S K Tijarawala, spokesperson for Baba Ramdev, said that Yoga Guru will launch in few days the next phase of nationwide people's movement 'Satyagraha against Corruption' in New Delhi on June 4, 2011 after completing his 'Bharat Swabhiman Yatra' which has started few months ago. Details will be announced at a later date.

Baba Ramdev wants address the following tasks

1) creating the institution of an independent, impartial and effective Lok Pal, 2) getting back black money stashed in tax heavens and

3) replace the British system of governance, taxation, education, law and order by 'swadeshi'.

He is brave, bold, courageous, daring, powerful, patriotic, passionate charismatic hero of Bharath. He is the man of the hour. He is the man for the country. He is the man to uphold the glory of Bharath. He is the man to represent the grandeur of the nation. He is the man whose heart throbs for weak, helpless and exploited. He is not afraid to take tough stands on the issues, stands firm on his principles, principled to the core, and passionate to improve the lot of the people of Bharath. He never minces his words, always clear in his statements, and unambiguous in his mission to bring pride back in the people by eradicating the corruption, bringing back the stashed money in foreign banks, retrieve the black money, and remove the corrupt politicians and business men.

It is not easy to introduce Swami Ramdev. He is multi-dimensional personality. Not only he wants to cure the physical ailments through yoga but he wants to cure the national ailments through honesty, morality and dharmic way of life. He is a Master Yogi. He brought revolution by making people across the globe aware of the benefits of Yoga. He expounds on the beneficial effects of yoga to live a healthier and happier life.

For nearly two decades he trekked the world to impress on the curative aspects of yoga. Over the last few years he has taken up the Himalayan task of rooting out corruption and clean the political system. With this mission, he is tirelessly traveling to every nook and corner of Bharath - village by village, city by city, state by state – addressing the need for improving the villages and the need for revitalization of economic base of the villages. Villages are the backbone of Bharath. Changes have to be brought from the village level to the state level and to the national level. Honesty has to start from there and slowly demand at the national level.

In his daily Yoga camps, he passionately talks about the benefits of yoga and how it can help relieve number of ailments such as cancer, blood pressure, diabetes, back problems, swine flu, obesity, heart problem, and numerous others. He advises people to lead a life free of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine.

Baba Ramdev is one of a kind. He openly talks about his mission, vision, dream and image for Bharat. He is determined to bring back the spiritual and moral glory that Bharat was known for. His spirituality and passion for Yoga equally matches his passion for Bharata Mata. He is a true son of Bharata Mata. His agony, anguish, pain and suffering to save Bharata Mata are remarkable, incredible, extraordinary and amazing. Babaji knows that there are scores and crores of people who share his views, his pain and grief. Bharata Mata is suffering from so many ailments – corruption, black money, conversion, temple mismanagement, appeasement, unscrupulous politicians, moral degradation, terrorism, poverty, hunger, injustice, naxalites, exploitation of farmers, etc.

He is brave, bold, courageous, daring, powerful, patriotic, passionate charismatic hero of Bharath. He is the man of the hour. He is the man for the country. He is the man to uphold the glory of Bharath. He is the man to represent the grandeur of the nation. He is the man whose heart throbs for weak, helpless and exploited. He is not afraid to take tough stands on the issues, stands firm on his principles, principled to the core, passionate to improve the lot of the people of Bharath.

He has the guts, courage, nerve, and audacity to challenge the perennial problems in the government. He does not mince words. His approach is straightforward, clear, unmistakable and unambiguous. He is a man, nay a Swami, with a mission to protect and preserve the Vedic edifice; reestablish dharmic dynasty in Bharat.

Knowing that there is a lot to be done to improve the economic conditions of the poor people, to reestablish dharmic way of life, to bring back the pride and prestige of Bharat Mata, to improve the health of every citizen through yoga, and to inculcate the moral and ethical compass, he formed the political outfit, appropriately called Bharat SwaAbhiman. (Abhiman= self respect, pride). The name of the party implies that we have to respect ourselves, our efforts and our land, our Mata, that is Bharata Mata. Self-respect is virtue, it is sacred. Self-respect leads to self-awareness. Self-awareness leads to self-discipline. Self-discipline leads to self-policing. A self-policing lead to moral living which in turn leads to self respect. In my view this is the aim of this political outfit and that this is the hour of Bharata Mata.

He is not only interested in cleaning our bodies, but he is also interested in cleaning the democracy. They have to go hand in hand. A clean person would not live in filth and dirt.

Swami Ramdev warns that “If India is saved, then the whole world will be saved,"

It is reminiscent of Annie Besant who said that “Make no mistake, without Hinduism, India has no future. Hinduism is the soil in to which India's roots are stuck and torn out of that she will inevitably wither as a tree torn out from its place. And if Hindus do not maintain Hinduism who shall save it? If India's own children do not cling to her faith who shall guard it? India alone can save India and India and Hinduism are one.”

What does he think of his country? What the country means to him? What role he wants to play to bring back the glory of Bharat? He says

“My country is everything for me. This life is for the nation. This life is for God. This is the aim of my life. Duty towards my nation comes before my political duties or ascetic duties. The nation’s glory is my glory and any insult to my nation is an insult towards me. I will not allow my country’s glory, pride and honor to be tarnished. Even if I have to sacrifice everything, I will do so in order to make India the superpower of the world. I will bring back the lost glory of my country.”

And he goes on to say:

“Come! Come forward and be ready to sacrifice everything in fulfilling this pure and holy resolution.

Come! Let us all unite to build a new India together.”

What more do we need to hear from him? Join the movement to build NEW Bharat.

Below is the Dr. Bhisma Agnihotri’s message to participate in the movement.

Global Hindu Heritage Foundation

Steering Committee

601-918-7111

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Movement to Remove Corruption



India is at the cross roads. Despite the seeming economic prosperity, the systems in India are not working. Scams after scams are so rampant and mega monstrous that deadly immunity has gripped a section of India. To save India something has to be done to undo what has been going on. Fortunately, we have Baba Ramdev Ji who is providing spiritual and tireless direction to a divine movement in action to combat and destroy the Ravanas of corruption with the forward planning for systems change for a value based, spiritual and glorious India. Swami Ji is the life of save India Movement.



For more than five years, Swami Ji has been visiting every nook and corner of India, village to village, state to state, and educating the masses about the problems facing India. Swami Ji believes that the systems in India require change and it’s not possible unless the ground people, the masses join the movement and uproot the entrenched current systems, built on corruption or inefficiency and supported by powerful vested interests. For saving India, people have to wake up as a united force. The people have a spiritual, committed and inspirational YUG PURUSH in P.P. Ramdev Ji.


Bharat Swabhiman movement led by Baba Ram dev has now entered in a new phase. On June 4th 2011 a massive Satyagraha will be launched in New Delhi and other major cities of India. It may be a long drawn struggle. People of India origin residing in every part of the world feel the pain of India and they are anxious to help the Movement to save India of their dreams.


Bharat Swabhiman Overseas (BSO) along with Friends of India Society International is committed to support and promote the Movement. They call upon every N.R.I. individual and organization to join the Movement and help positive forces in India engaged in efforts to save India. Let us dedicate our resources, skills and contacts to provide support to the Movement.


The following immediate initial action plan is as suggested (It is a long struggle):

1. Persons already involved in this movement should contact other organizations and individuals to co-operate in this movement.

2. Hold meetings or programs to educate, discuss and plan activities in this connection.

3. On Saturday June 4th programs should be organized in the different cities. Fasting at least for Saturday should be part of the program. It happens to be Rana Pratap Jayanti therefore inspirational and other relevant presentations can be organized. Details shall be discussed later.
We are in the process of finalizing some of the committees to streamline the efforts. Please let us know of your interests or skills. You may contact any of the coordinators for more information. You may also contact Shekhar Agrawal (+ 7134438228) email: shekharagrawal@gmail.com, Bharat Somal (+714-404-9597) email: Bharat.Somal@gmail.com and Vivek Sinha (+7322724250) email: sinhavi@yahoo.com

Best Regards,



Bhishma Agnihotri /toni dotson

Former Ambassador at Large of India

President FISI & BSO

Ph. No.+212-365-8613

e-mail: bkagnihotri@hotmail.com



The Friends of India Society of International (FISI)

FISI brings together friends of India worldwide in order to safeguard the India and people of Indian origin living outside India (Bharat). FISI was founded in 1975 to safeguard Indian democratic institutions and ideals in the aftermath of “emergency rule.” The reactivated FISI now is an international, non-denominational, and non-political association of the friends of India- drawn from among the Indian Diaspora and the public’s in which the Indian Diaspora resides- who will educate the wider public about India and the status of the Indian Diaspora.



The Bharat Swabhiman Overseas, Inc. (BSO)

BSO is inspired by the Bharat Swabhiman movement of Baba Ramdev Ji. It is also non-political, non-denominational and a not for profit US Corporation. It promotes, amongst others, individual, societal and global physical, mental, and spiritual health through Yoga, Pranayam and Vedic principles; Emphasizing personal and professional integrity in every walk of human endeavor; Encouraging unity and harmony amongst all human beings.



e-mail: bkagnihotri@hotmail.com

[GHHF & SIFC] International Conference on Corruption in New Delhi on April 1-2, 2011; Join the movement & save Bharath by rooting out corruption

[GHHF & SIFC] International Conference on Corruption in New Delhi on April 1-2, 2011; Join the movement & save Bharath by rooting out corruption

3/11/2011

Rig Veda HYMN XLII: 2-3

2. The evil, vicious wolf who threatens us, Pusan, chase him away from the path                         

3. The notorious highwayman, the robber who plots in ambush, drive him far away from the track                                                                                                                                                  

4. Trample with your feet the torch of the two-tongued slanderer, who ever he may be

(Sama Veda: Book II, Chapter 1; 1:9-10)

9. Agni, drive thou the wicked foe, the evil-hearted thief away,
Far, far, Lord of the brave! and give us easy paths!

10. O hero Agni, Lord of men, on hearing this new laud of mine
Burn down the Rakshasas, enchanters, with thy flame!

Corruption has become so rampant India that every segment of the society - politics, industry, commerce, business, religion, and media – is affected every individual. His ethos, his mores, his morals, his principles, his ethics, his outlook, his personality, his attitudes, his judgment is affected and compromised by the raging cancer called corruption. The cancer we know spreads only in the body of the individual, but this kind of cancer called corruption is viral, violent, and vicious slowly poisoning the whole country. In fact it has already engulfed the country and suffocating the very breath of the nation.

In Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamaha, talks about the responsibility of the governing body of the nation by saying that “the foundation for good governance is righteousness in public affairs. The king, his son—including relatives—his ministers, and the State employees who have taken the oath of their offices to uphold Dharma and to take care of the public needs, must not act unjustly or unethically because if they do so, they will not only destroy the moral basis of governance but will also turn the State into a hell” (Shanti Parva).

            This statement is as relevant today as it was during Mahabharata days. Now it is the responsibility of all Indians to take the country back to righteous way of conducting by demanding high morals from the politicians, transparency, accountability and honesty. Individual citizens should be the torchbearers to uphold high ideals of democracy by demanding service to the country is considered rare opportunity not an opportunity for looting the country, dividing the people, breaking up the country and denying the freedom to the citizens.

            We request your support for a major conference at New Delhi on April 1st and 2nd,  with international and nationals experts/activists for addressing the massive corruption in India .   India's corruption poses nothing less than an existential threat to nation.  

            While on one side India has 80% of India's 1.2 billion earn less than 2$ per day, one third of global poor live in India, every second child in India is malnourished, a mother has to chose to educate or send a child to work with grinding 17+% inflation, where majority of the country's people life has reduced to a life of daily struggle for existence and one third of India's districts are engulfed by Maoism that is direct threat to nation.

            However, on the other side it is estimated that 1.5 trillion dollars was stashed away in foreign havens by politicians, bureaucrats and industrialists.   If that money brought back to India, every one of the 1.2 billion people will get 1 lakh rupees each and wiped out India's poverty.   The corruption affects every single person,  it shows in poor infrastructure,  it shows in the money paid for any Government work done, it shows in the lawlessness and Goonda raj.   The heart breaking details of the magnitude of this threat are given below by Baba Ramadev at his speech during recent Delhi rally attended by more than 100,000 people.

            See the passionate video on corruption that got 120,000 hits in about 5 weeks (this is latest version):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giAqjxvyRLw

            Here is Baba Ramadev speaking to a crowd of 100,000 at New Delhi rally recently on what we are dealing with:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Sfmx8gcNY&feature=player_embedded

India is rising like many other countries against this scourge as seen in recent rallies at New Delhi attended by 100,000 people.  This conference on April 1st and 2nd at New Delhi is another step in that struggle  to bring together for first time the best international and national experts/activists  working on  corruption issues and find ways to work together to combat this issue.   

Who is attending the Conference
This conference will be attended by:

            * Baba Ramadev, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, 

            * retired Supreme Court Justices such as Justice Verma, Govindachalla,

            * Sri Govindacharya ji, 

            * Sri Ram Jethmalini ji,

            * Arvind Kejriwal and many experts/activists World Bank Governance,

            * EURODAD,

            *UNOCD (United Nations Organization),

            *Tax Justice Network, 

            * OECD and

            several organizations addressing corruption and stashed havens will be attending.

We request you to support this conference:

The conference budget is about $30,000K. You can help:

            I) By  making donations at our website (by Paypal or credit card) at http://SaveIndiaFromCorruption.org  or

            2) Send a check payable to 'GHHF'  and mail to Prakasa Rao,

                                    14726 Harmony Lane,

                                    Frisco, TX 75035.  

Global Hindu Heritage Foundation &

Save India From Corrption

Steering Committee

601-918-7111
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

BABA RAMADEV'S HEART BREAKING SPEECH AT NEW DELHI RALLY

        

    1. Rs. 400 lakh crore black money in our economy – Our economy has a huge amount of black money. Rs. 300 lakh crore being stashed away in tax havens and Rs.100 lakh crore being in internal circulation. The government is not doing anything to stop this or to get back the money stashed in swiss banks. This is a massive amount which means that every family in this country would get Rs. 2.5 lakh. Each jila can get Rs. 50,000-60,000 crore for development. Each village would get Rs. 100 crore. It could take our country ahead of many developed nations overnight.

            2. Rs. 10,000 lakh crore national resources at risk – Our country has 89 types of minerals and the known reserves of these 89 minerals are worth Rs. 10,000 lakh crorewhich is at a huge risk. The Government has granted licenses to only 200 companies whereas in reality more than 1 lakh people are mining the resources and illegally generating wealth and black money. If this is not stopped our country could lose a massive amount of natural resources reserves.

In this natural resource reserve we have iron reserves worth Rs. 550 lakh crore and coal reserves worth Rs.950 lakh crore which are being deppleted at a very fast pace by illegal miners.

            3. Huge money in circulation – We have Rs. 10 lakh crore of money in circulation which is more than 15% of our GDP. What is so much money doing in our economy ? This is nothing but to facilitate the black money economy. In US, UK, Canada there is a money circulation of only 3% of the GDP. Hence if the money circulation in our country is Rs.10 lakh crore then our GDP should be approximately Rs. 330 lakh crore instead of Rs.60 lakh crore. So where is the rest of the GDP ? The answer is black money and the location is Swiss Banks.

            4. Massive amount of high denomination notes in the economy – In this money circulation of Rs. 10 lakh crore 30% of the money is in Rs.1000 denomination. What is such a massive amount of high denomination note doing in the circulation when 80% of our country gets only Rs.20 to spend per day ? The amount of Rs.1000 notes in the circulation was 1.8% in 2001 which has been cunningly raised to a massive figure of 30% for no logical reason in a period of just 10 years. This is doing nothing but helping in easy transporation of black money in form of cash. Hence the government should recall all high denomination notes instantly.

            5. Corruption eating national spending – The government has made budgets worth Rs.200 lakh crore in the past. This is a huge sum of money. But can we see anything ? Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had said that only 10%-15% of the money spent on the nation reaches the people, the rest is engulfed by corruption. Then why is the government not doing anything against it ?

            6. Huge amount of scams – The 2G spectrum scam alone is worth Rs. 1.76 lakh crore. That is equivalent to 25% of the annual budget of our country. And what is the government doing ? NOTHING.

            7. No punishment for the corrupt – There is not punishment for the corrupt in our country. The government is only claiming to punish the corrupt but WHERE IS THE PUNISHMENT ? The maximum a corrupt person gets is a imprisonment of 2-3 months or if its a huge corruption case then upto 3 years. But even then no one is actually caught because of the corruption in the judicial system and the massive amounts of cases pending in the courts.

            8. British Laws still being followed – According to the constitution of India if a person like Binayak Sen speaks against the Government its considered to be National Betrayal and the person is imprisoned. This law was made by the Britishers to suppress any form of voice against the British government but sadly this law continues to reside in the constitution of India. If the Government is corrupt you cannot raise a voice against them, it will be treated as national betrayal. Voice against the governemnt is betrayal but actions of corruption agaisnt the nation is NOT national betrayal. If you speak against the nation you are safe. If you speak against corrupt government you will be imprisoned. This is what the Constituion of India says.

            9. Government turning into property dealers – Huge scame of immoral land acquisitions are going on everywhere. in U.P. 2 km wide fertile lands are being acquired for building a road for Rs.20 lakhs and are being sold at the rate of Rs. 5 crore by the government. What is the government doing ? Buying land from farmers and turning it into waste be feeding it with harsh chemicals and selling it to people for such massive profits ? Why has the government turned into property dealers ?

            10. Operation of Swiss and Italy Banks – Why are 8 Italy banks and 4 Swiss Banks like UBS being allowed to operating here ? When no common man has accounts in these banks why are these banks being permitted to operate in our country when its a known fact that these banks come from tax havens ? The answer is obvious. They are allowed here to facilitate easy transfer of black money to tax havens from our country.

            11. Demoralization of the youth – 450+ government schemes are running and gloryfying just 1 family. No schemes are named on krantikaris like Bhagat Singh or Chandrashekhar Azad. People who sing songs get national awards like Padmashree which is fine. But people who have died for our country do not get anything. This is a cunning conspiracy to not allow development of nationalistic and independent idealogies in the students and youth. Huge money is spent just to glorify 1 family as if they are the only people who work for our country.

See the link below. Please forward to your friends. Let the whole world know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Sfmx8gcNY&feature=related

Mahatma Gandhi said: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

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[GHHF] Island Bali shuts down for introspection and Silence; Amazing Story; Will India ever learn the principles of Silence and Sacredness?

[GHHF] Island Bali shuts down for introspection and Silence; Amazing Story; Will India ever learn the principles of Silence and Sacredness?

 3/8/2011

 "Sitting in silence is the holy ablution. Sitting in silence is the japa. Sitting in silence is the worship. Sitting in silence is the highest. Read silently to yourself about the experience that all is Brahman. In a moment, all the punya, merit, which would result from a million asvamedha, horse sacrifices, can be obtained" (Ribhu Gita 16.42 and 33.29).

            This is an amazing story that all Hindus can take pride, follow the example of Bali by going back to the nature and practicing the glory of our rich cultural tradition, the grandeur of introspection and the magnitude of silence.

            It is a shame that India the birth place of Sanatana Dharma, storehouse of Upanishadic literature, mother of all cultures, home of enlightened saints and Rishis, embodiment of Vedic culture, resident of the philosophy of ahimsa, and advocator of the unflinching freedom is distancing itself from the roots of it’s culture, estranging itself from the universal values, espousing narrow mindedness by thwarting Hindu morals and ethics, questioning the existence of Lord Rama, belittling the Hindu Spiritual leaders, denigrating the Hindu Gods, curtailing the freedom of Hindus to manage their own Temples, openly looting the Hindu Temple bounty and supporting other religions with the looted money from Hindus.  

            It is equally shame to adopt the so called secular constitution without ever defining the word “secular” with the aim of destroying the Hindu way of life and pushing the onslaught of other religions on Bharath. Hindus have to openly challenge the anti Hindu fervor with equal determination to defend and protect. If we fail to exercise our god given freedom to defend our Sanatana Dharma, the history will repeat itself – the brutality of Mughal period of the last eight centuries.  Will India ever learn the lessons of the past? Will it allow their citizens to experience the continued, unabated terrorist attacks, bombings, mutilations, killings, Jihads and destruction?

            Hindus have to take back their country, the way Bali has taken back following the bombings in 2002 and 2005. The Island of Bali had enough of it.  Read what they have done on March 6, 2011

Bali, Island of the Gods

            Hindu religion is the source of Bali’s traditional customs, rituals and festivals in everyday life. More than about 92 percent of the people of Bali are Hindus. Vibrant Hindu culture is witnessed in every aspect of life.  Everyday you can find a ceremony conducted or festival celebrated. The Balinese take part in ceremonial rituals from birth to death – almost all 16 samskaras prescribed in Hindu scriptures are practiced.

Religion as it is practiced in Bali is a composite belief system that embraces not only theology, philosophy, and mythology, but ancestor worship, animism and magic. It pervades nearly every aspect of traditional life. Bali is known as the “Island of a Thousand Puras”, or “Island of the Gods” with as many as 20,000 puras (temples) and shrines.

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Introspective Silence Befalls Bali, but Only for a Day

Balinese security guards, called pecalang, helped enforce silence in Kuta on Saturday.

Kuta Journal

Kemal Jufri for The New York Times

By NORIMITSU ONISHI; Published: March 6, 2011

KUTA, Indonesia — The resort island of Bali fell quiet over the weekend as the authorities shut down its airport and seaports, and switched off all radio and television transmissions. Its streets, normally jammed with tourists, were deserted as security guards patrolled the island, ensuring that locals and foreigners alike stayed indoors, and even exhorting them to turn off their lights.

Kuta, a rowdy Bali beach resort, lost its usual din.

The authorities closed down Bali not to stamp down on political unrest, but to mark the annual Day of Silence, a Balinese Hindu holiday called Nyepi that ushers in the New Year. For a full 24 hours starting at 6 a.m. Saturday, Balinese Hindus were urged to remain silent and engage in introspection. Bali, which first became known as a destination among hippies from the West a couple of generations ago, tuned in and dropped out, at least for the day.

“Have a quiet time! Enjoy the silent day!” Wayan Sutama, 51, a traditional security guard called a pecalang, called out to a group of potentially unquiet Australians gathered on a terrace overlooking the beach here. With a half-wary smile, he flashed them a thumbs-up.

In Kuta, a rowdy beach resort on the southern tip of the island, only roosters and pigeons, usually drowned out by the din, could be heard Saturday. The pecalang peered down side streets in search of transgressors but found only other pecalang looking back, or the occasional stray cat.

As the last redoubt of Hinduism in Indonesia, the nation with the world’s largest Muslim population, the island of Bali has been attracting increasing numbers of outsiders in recent years, thanks to its booming tourism industry. While Hollywood romanticized Bali in the recent movie “Eat Pray Love,” Indonesians, mostly Muslims from the islands of Java and Sumatra, have been gravitating here looking for jobs. The tension between local tradition and outside forces is perhaps at its most intense in Kuta, where Islamic extremists bombed a nightclub in 2002, killing 202 people, and bombed three restaurants in 2005, killing more than 20 people.

In reaction, officials in Bali have been reinforcing local customs, especially those of Nyepi. Three years ago, they began sealing off Bali from the rest of Indonesia for 24 hours after tour organizers were caught smuggling in tourists on the Day of Silence as part of “Nyepi packages.” At the same time, the authorities banned radio and television and, last year, extended the ban to all satellite transmissions.

“The lesson from the Bali bombings was to return to our traditions and not be too influenced by outsiders,” Mr. Sutama said Saturday. He and another pecalang, Nengah Renda, 51, spoke as they faced a memorial for the bombing victims on Kuta’s main commercial strip; behind them, a lingerie shop called 69Slam featured an image of a woman with a man on all fours attached to a dog leash.

The day before, in one of the many local temples squeezed between shops in Kuta, the residents of a neighborhood called Pande Mas had been putting the final touches on their ogoh-ogohs, effigies 20 feet tall representing evil spirits that would be burned later. “After chasing away the evil spirits, we have Nyepi to purify our minds, to reflect on what we did in the past year and to engage in introspection,” said Made Mastra, 52, the neighborhood chief. “Then we will be clean to enter the new year.”

Neighborhood boys, who can often be seen rubbing shoulders on Kuta’s streets with Australian, Asian and European tourists, were required to make their own ogoh-ogohs. On Saturday, a group of boys, led by Wayan Putra Setiaman, 14, said they would obediently stay home, not daring to step outside lest they be caught by the pecalang.

They would not be allowed to use their television sets.

“But we can send SMSs to our friends as long as we’re quiet?” he said, zeroing in on a subject under debate among the pecalang.

How about video games?

“Yes,” he said.

“No!” said another boy, Wayan Wima Putra, 10, said, tapping the older boy across the chest.

“No,” the older boy corrected himself, explaining that videogames connected to television sets were forbidden but that portable ones were O.K.

Even as Bali has reinforced its traditions, some outsiders said it had lost a bit of its legendary openness. Ucok, 41, the manager of a tattoo shop who moved to Bali from Sumatra 15 years ago, said he and other Muslims felt a little “discrimination.”

“Since the bombing, the locals are more suspicious toward Muslims,” Ucok said, adding that outsiders would nonetheless keep coming here. “Bali is like sugar. Ants come to it.”

Made Darsana, 59, the deputy chief of one of Kuta’s three subdistricts, said outsiders were occupying an increasingly larger share of the population.

On Saturday, Mr. Darsana and a dozen pecalang were taking a break from their patrol at a temple where they quietly shared fried rice. Mr. Darsana, who spoke English with an unmistakably American accent, said he learned English about 40 years ago from an American Indian named Joe. Joe was among the hippies who discovered Bali, back when Kuta had perhaps a single guesthouse, Mr. Darsana said. “Life isn’t about material things, about tall buildings,” he said. “It’s about being one with the world. That’s the core teaching of Hinduism. I didn’t know this when I was younger. You learn these things as you live. Been there, done that.”

With development and the influx of outsiders, Bali’s environment has been irreparably damaged, he said. Outsiders now owned almost all the major businesses in Kuta.

“It’s sad,” Mr. Darsana said. “We now have only our culture.”

His smile and constant cheerfulness, though, belied his expression of loss. Despite the Day of Silence, Mr. Darsana grew increasingly loquacious as he reminisced about his hippie youth — hanging out with Joe, mastering the surfboard as well as the bong, taking a three-day drive all the way to Jakarta. “And my girlfriend was in the back,” he added, to roars of approval from the subdistrict chief as the other pecalang nearby immediately chided him in unison, “Shhhh!”

Sheepishly, Mr. Darsana mentioned that, at night, he himself would make sure that his neighbors turned off any electric lights or candles. “It’s going to be like Kuta in the 1960s,” he said. After a long pause and perhaps some memories left unmentioned, he added. “Been there, done that.”

A version of this article appeared in print on March 7, 2011, on page A10 of the New York edition.

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