Saturday, April 30, 2011

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

Friday, April 22, 2011

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

Visit  us online:
http://www.savetemples.org
http://www.globalhinduheritagefoundation.org

[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.

         For more information about Global Hindu Heritage Foundation, visit our website: savetemples.org

Global Hindu Heritage Foundation
Steering Committee

======================================================

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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[GHHF] TTD Employees attacked devotees; Recommendations on Unions, Salaries, Blackmailing, Assets, Acharyas, Volunteer Brigade, and Hospitals.


[GHHF] TTD Employees attacked devotees; Recommendations on Unions, Salaries, Blackmailing, Assets, Acharyas, Volunteer Brigade, and Hospitals.
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Sri I Y R Krishna Rao Garu:
Executive Officer, TTD
Tirupathi, AP India
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“I think when you see so many Hindu temples of the 10th Century or earlier time disfigured, defaced, you know that they were not just defaced for fun: that something terrible happened. I feel that the civilisation of that closed world was mortally wounded by those invasions. And I would like people, as it were, to be more reverential towards the past, to try to understand it; to preserve it; instead of living in its ruins. The old world is destroyed. That has to be understood. The ancient Hindu India was destroyed.”  V S Naipaul      
     
            The question is do we have to through another cycle of destruction, defacing and disfiguring of the Hindu Temples from the state governments in India in 21st Century?

Dear Sri Krishna Rao Garu:
It was nice talking to over the phone expressing our concerns on a number of issues pertaining to the TTD employee’s attacks on the devotees, the benefits of the employees, the employees’ indiscipline, training of volunteers, allocation of housing sites, and a number of similar matters. I also expressed our appreciation in implementing a number of measures to improve the facilities to meet the needs of the devotees. 
 
            Also, last year when you were visiting USA, one of our Board members Mr. Satya Nemana briefed you and other Board members about GHHF activities; it’s mission, and the need to repeal the Endowment Act.

            NOTE: What we have written is in the best interest of our Hindu religion and Hindu Temples. It is not against any one person or any person in the position. Whenever we refer to EO, we are talking in generic term only. It is not to offend any body. It is only to defend Hinduism from the clutches of government control and selfish individuals irrespective of their religious background. Please also know that no country in the world has taken over the religious institutions of the majority people. Why only in India?  Can we ever reconcile our consciousness with what is happening to our Temples?

             Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) is formed in USA in 2006 with a mission to regain the freedom of managing Hindu Temples by Hindus themselves; to challenge the illegal enactment of Endowment Act; to preserve the integrity of the wishes of the land donors; to prevent the Hindu Temples across the state to stop the sale /auction of the donated lands; to demand accountability, transparency and verifiability of all assets including the lands and jewelry; to demand that these Temples would not become pawns in the hands of politicians; to insist on the proper role of Acharyas and Swamiji’s in the functioning of the Hindu Temples; to advocate on providing adequate facilities to the devotees; to demand proper treatment of all the devotees by the Temple employees; to prevent the misuse of funds donated by the devotees; to educate the Hindus about the discrimination of the government in managing the Temples; to inform the Hindus as to how the government is denying their freedom to mange their own Temples while the same government is allowing the other religions to mange their institutions without any interference;  to inform Hindus about the use of Hindu and public funds by the government to the promotion of other religions; to take steps to prevent the regularization of encroached Temple lands, and  others.

            On behalf of GHHF, we want to address a number of issues either directly or indirectly affecting the functioning of TTD with regard to the following matters:

1) TTD EMPLOYEES ATTACKED DEVOTEES:
As you are aware that D. R. Narendra and Narra Munichandra went to Right To Information Office on February 24, 2011. Mohan Reddy, the TTD Employees Union Leaders along with a number of employees started abusing them, roughed them up and beat them without any provocation. They have used very abusive language as they beat them up. It appears that they were very angry with the High Court’s Stay Order prohibiting the distribution of Housing Sites by TTD. They were asking them to withdraw the case so that they would have their housing sites. If they do not withdraw, TTD employees threatened them by saying that they are going to take care of them. (Newspaper coverage on this incident is printed below for your information).

            It is sad, shocking, outrageous and deplorable to know that this kind of attack took place on this sacred place. Is this a place for such disgusting behavior, indiscipline and a gang style attack?  Do these employees possess any ethos and morals to respect the sacredness of this place? Do they know where they are working? Do they believe in Lord Venkateshwara? Do they believe in Hindu Gods? Are they Hindus? Are they practicing Hindus, mafia, atheist, Christians, Muslims, or Marxists who may have infiltrated TTD to defame it, loot it, abuse it and tarnish it’s image?

            OUR REQUEST:  a) TTD should investigate the incident and identify all the employees who participated in the attack against Narendra and Munichandra. It is the responsibility of TTD to take appropriate actions against the culprits, which may include suspension, imposition of fines and dismissal.

            b) Please know that failure to investigate and take appropriate action by TTD would encourage them to continue to harass the devotees, social activists, the benefactors, donors and well wishers of the Temples. They will continue to do the same thing knowing that TTD cannot take any action against them.  To prevent this climate of attacking and ignoring the directives of TTD, your office and Specified Authority should take immediate steps against the attackers.

            c) Failure to investigate and take appropriate action by TTD will be considered as an organization that has no guts, no courage, no guidelines, no moral authority, and no legal authority. TTD will be considered as an ineffective organization yielding to the heavy handedness of the employees. 

            d) Does TTD has the authority to take appropriate action or not against these abusers? If it has the authority, why it is taking this long to take appropriate action against the attackers.

2) UNIONS:
No Hindu Temple should allow the unionization of it’s employees. They need to be told that it is the donor’s money that sustains their livelihood. It is not a commercial, industrial and government operation to allow unionization of the employees. They are working at the most sacred place on the planet earth. They are at the mercy of the devotee’s faith in and donations to the Lord. Working at TTD should be considered a rare privilege and good karma in this life. Any misuse of their responsibility to serve the Lord is against the tenets of Hindu ethos.

            a) TTD should ban the unionization forthwith and the continuation of their employment should be based on their performance and devotees input.

            b) TTD should develop a scheme to impart and socialize the service-oriented mentality based on our scriptures and the consequences thereof.

            c) TTD should find out how many of the employees are Hinds, Christian, Muslims, Atheists, or Marxists. Do they believe in Hindu Gods or they are there only to exploit and defame the Balaji Temple?

3) BLACKMIAILING:
            GHHF and other organizations have been looking at the circumstances that have created the unions and their unchecked power over the TTD and similar Hindu Temples. It is known fact that the state government appoints Executive Officer (EO) and Board members for a period of two years. These are the people in many cases with no experience in the management of these Temples. The Board members are totally partisan politicians who have no interest in serving the Temple and have every selfish interest in pleasing the Chief Minister (whether he be Christian or Muslim) and making money through schemes such as ticket scams. It has become on the job training for many appointees. By the time they understand the workings of TTD, they are replaced with another set of Officer and Board members.

            Knowing fully well that the EO and Board members will be here for only two years, the UNIONS are taking advantage by blackmailing them demanding unreasonable salary increases, benefits and compensations. The Union will threaten with their perennial, powerful weapon called STRIKE if TTD would not meet their demands. Fresh on the job, no EO would like to see the employees go on strike; consequently he will yield to the demands of employees. The scale is always tilted toward weight of UNIONS year after year with no end in sight and with no fixed salary scales.

            a) What plans do you have to counter the blackmail menace? What would be your recommendations to the government as to how the salary issues be handled?

            b) What is the role of the devotees and activist organizations in setting the salary scales and other benefits?

4) SALARIES AND BENEFITS.

            In addition to the salaries the employees receive along with annual increases, health benefits are paid for the family, education expenses for the children are paid (even if they go to private schools), marriage expenses of the children are paid, and employees are paid for their clothes, shoes, glasses etc.

            QUESTIONS:  a) How comparable the salaries and benefits of the TTD employees with other government officials? Do you have any information on this matter?

            b) Can you also provide us with all the benefits the TTD employees receive for the perusal of the devotees?

5) ASSETS:

As many devotees know that TTD has properties spanning across different states.

            a) A comprehensive list of Temple assets including lands, real estate property, jewelry etc., encroached lands, pending cases in the courts shall be made available every year for the review by the devotees. Immediate steps should be taken vacate lands occupied by employees or third parties.

            b) Houses built by the employees on Temple property shall be recovered. These houses may be rented to the eligible employees at market value.

            c) Action must be taken against the employees who build or attempted to build houses in spite of the court order prohibiting them.

6) ACHARYAS, SWAMIJI AND PEETADHIPATHIS: 

The Gurus, Acharyas, Swamiji’s and Peethadhipatis of various Ashrams and Mattas are essence of Hinduism. They are the upholders of dharmic way of life instilling spirituality in and guiding their devotees to participate in selfless service to the community.  
           
a) TTD invited the Acharyas to Dharmic Sadassu to be held in Tirupathi three times and cancelled all three times. As an Executive Officer, can you explain the circumstances under which you cancelled the Acharya Sabha meetings? What kind of political pressure was put on TTD to cancel it? The EO and the Board should be concerned with the propagation and preservation of Hinduism rather than buckling under pressure. AS Hindus EO and Board members should stand up for righteousness not unrighteousness. You all should not be pawns in the hands of Hindu-biters.

            b) Is there a hatred toward our spiritual leaders to the extent you do not even invite them to inaugurate major festivals, to start a new project, to conduct bhumi Pujas, to inaugurate religious buildings etc. The contempt for Hinduism and its spiritual leaders is shocking and mindboggling. TTD is inviting all kind of unscrupulous politicians including Christians and treat them with full religious protocol accorded only to spiritually elevated souls. It is a shame that being a Hindus, EOs and Board members are participating in the adulteration of sacredness of the Temples and mitigating the importance of Hindu religion.

            c) Why do these Officials allow the government to impose nonreligious guidelines on the most scared place? Can’t these Officials act as Hindus and challenge the government interference? If Hindus in these positions cannot take a stand against the irreligious policies, who will do it?  Do any of them realize that they are sowing the seeds of destruction of their religion and their Hindu Temples?

            d) Is there any reason why our religious leaders are not consulted, invited, and honored on a regular basis?   

7) VOLUNTEER BRIGADE.

There will be thousands and thousands of bhaktas across the globe, who would be delighted to do volunteer services at TTD and other Temples. This would be an enormous savings to the Temples treasury. Further more they will do their job with full faith with no expectations. They will be looking forward to this rare privilege to serve their beloved Gods and Goddesses. Many Ashram across India operate their functions and activities with volunteers expecting no salaries.

            a) TTD should initiate a Volunteer Brigade, invite them and train them so that they can be placed in different departments. In fact you should have a continuous flow of these brigade members trained to take up the seva as and when needed.

            b) TTD should place a minimum number of these Brigade members in different departments so that they can take over the responsibilities when needed. They will also serve as a check for any corrupt practices and inefficiency.

            c) Whenever the Union threatens to strike, TTD authority should deploy the Volunteer brigade immediately with minimum disruption. With this force behind him, the EO’s hands will be strengthened and he would not be a target of blackmail if he knows that he has the back up to replace the striking employees.

8) Hospitals
            TTD is donating large sums of money to four hospitals that serve the greater Tirupathi metropolitan area such as SVIMS, SVRR Government Hospital, BIRRD Hospital, and TTD Central Hospital.  TTD appears to have no control over the use of these funds. These funds are not designated for any specific task. Consequently, these funds are used for general purpose.

            First of all, the hospitals are not religious organizations. But for serving the public, we should not be too much concerned or critical about donating these funds. However, it would be prudent to donate these funds for specific purposes such as latest equipment for testing purposes.

            OUR CONCERN:  GHHF, Hindu Devalaya Parirakshana Samiti and Tirumala Tirupathi Samrakshana Samithi came to know through our own friends and family members, whenever a patient due to accident goes to one these for hospitals for treatment, they are invariably asked to go to the nearby Christian Hospital. These Hindu patients are charged more money than the Christian patients and on top of it these patients unwillingly become victims of proselytization about their God.

            1)  TTD should look into donating to one hospital to make it a full pledged hospital with all the required latest equipment so that no patient will be turned away because of inadequate facilities. TTD should not be a party to push Hindu patients to the claws of Christians.

            2) TTD should investigate as to the needs of the latest equipment with nearby Christian Hospital and equip one of the hospital with all the facilities
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            3) TTD should appoint a committee to find out how many patients were turned away from these four hospitals  and the reasons for their referral.

Donations
We need your assistance to continue our mission of preserving our heritage and abolishing 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

Global Hindu Heritage Foundation USA
V. V. Parkas Rao PhD; President
Steering Committee;  601-918-7111

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TTD staff ‘attack' social activists
The Hindu, February 25, 2011; Special Correspondent
TIRUPATI: Hindu Devalayala Parirakshana Samithi and its president, Kamala Kumara Swamy, have strongly condemned the alleged attack by the TTD staff union functionaries on the president of the Tirumala-Tirupati Samrakshana Samithi, D.R. Narendra, and a local social activist and former TUDA member Narra Munichandra.
They were said to have been roughed up on Thursday even as they were in the TTD Office to collect some information under the Right to Information Act.
The union members were reportedly furious over the duo's writ petition based on which the High Court had restrained the TTD management from using the lands donated to it by philanthropists for purposes other than meeting the requirements of its temples and the visiting pilgrims.
This eventually forced the TTD from dropping its proposal to use the said lands for allocation of house plots to its staff.
Mr. Swamy has in a statement said that the attack on persons who were selflessly working for the cause of the TTD, its properties and the multitudes of the pilgrims visiting the TTD temples would send wrong signals about the organisation as a whole.


Visit  us online:
http://www.savetemples.org
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