Dhan - of the Hindu for the Hindu

The History - so we learn from, and dont repeat it.

In ancient, pre-abrahamic India, the village revolved around the temple. The temple was the bank, school, gym, guesthouse, gaushala, social security program, garib kalyan anna yojana, nana-nani park, centers for art, clubhouse and community center. It was managed via a well oiled system that served successfully for centuries. But most significantly, it was the pillar that kept the community together. <add 2-3 lines on Balutedar system of MH>. <Describe how No migration to cities => low crime, no beggars>. 

Lord Macaulay sums it up pretty well. "I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber."

The Madras Regulation VII of 1817 changed all that. The East India Company took control of the prosperous temples of South India and shipped all their wealth to Britan (I tried, but cant get myself to call it "Great").  Anywho, that crumbled the carefully constructed and perfected, social fabric. Bringing poverty, illiteracy, hunger and great famines to the doorstep of Sujalam Suphalam Bharat. Even after the transfer of power on Aug 15th 1947, the fate of Hindu temples remains the same, while mosques and gurudwaras were ultimately unshackled. 

Present day...

I watched intently, the proceedings of the Dharm Sansad at Mahakumbh, Prayagraj. Our Dharm Gurus all advocated freedom of our temples. It is a voice that Modiji cannot ignore. We know from the last 11 years that Modiji times his shots better than Virat Kohli. Every big decision he has endorsed - be it abbrogation of Article 370 or the Ram Mandir or Surgical strikes or even the controversial , demonetization <Need input - CRUD this list???> - is meticulously planned. मोदीजी पूरी फील्डिंग लगाके ही पिच पर पधारते हैं. So this could take time, how much? Your guess is as good as mine. 

We Indians have a tendency to outsource all our responsibilities to Modiji. So how about we take an early run-up and prepare ourselves for the changes to come?

Imagine this...

What if the community voluntarily donates(via UPI) to a central entity? Lets call it a Mandir Trust. This is run by a committee that includes accountants. They publish quarterly balance sheet of the Trust. 

So the Trust funds are used for upkeep of the Mandir. 

All rituals and utsavs are celebrated traditionally. The premises is beautified with flowers and fruits used for the rituals. A hall is built in front of the garbh gruh for the community to assemble and join in celebrations. The elders in the community gather in the evenings. The funds are used to procure a table, a harmonium, 

 

It can be done and here's the evidence...

There is a small Datta Mandir close to where I live. The managing committee discourages random donations. They plan projects around the temple and only accept crowdfunding upto the budget required for the project. 

<Add pics of project, budget, timeline>

<question to the lawyer reading this - any legal implications? I don’t want to disclose any PI info that will create trouble >

Thank you!

...for hearing me out. Let me know your thoughts. Tell me of any similar initiatives you have seen or participated in. Would love to hear your stories and successes. 

But most importantly, remember that if our Mandirs are to be liberated, only Modiji/BJP have the intent and resolve to actualize it. So have faith, patience and do do your bit in your community and on election days. 

Feminism killed the feminine

As a woman enters the workforce, she is compared with her male counterparts. She can be a man in a man’s world. But she is not built to take on stress like a man. In the race, she ignores her health, especially her reproductive health. Marriage and childbirth is deferred to give career precedence. And when they finally decide to have a child, she is not mentally and physically equipped, this adds more stress further complicating the processes. 

 She gives up her fertility to earn money and then spends the money to regain her fertility. 

 When the child is born, she is the primary care giver and expected to return to work too. This discourages her from even considering a second or third child. Are the falling TFRs really a surprise?

 We women need to reject feminism and accept that we are not meant to do what men can do. We are meant to do what men cannot. That is our life's purpose and the whole family must understand and support her, nurture her. 

Reexamine our expectations from her and her expectations from herself.

Summer at San Francisco

Mohammad Afzal's family plead to Prez seeking clemency...

Heard on IBNLIVE:

"On her son's chat with the President, Tabassum said Ghalib wants to be a doctor and if his father was alive, he could realise his ambition.

Meanwhile, counsel Nandita Haksar said after Afzal's son Ghalib learnt about his father being hanged, he came home, tied a rope to the fan and tried to hang himself saying he wanted to know how much his father would be hurt if he was hanged."

Why is our media so incompetent? There are so many questions that should have been asked. This story screams "I am incomplete". I wish I could ask Tabassum whether she has any consideration for the children of the security personnel killed in the Parliament attack. Dont they have ambitions? Dont they wish to be doctors/engineers and scientists? Can these Desh Drohis fall any lower? The Prez has a special regard for children as builders of tomorrow's India. It makes my blood boil to see these shameless traitors attempting to use this for their anti-national purpose.

If the evil Afzal really wants clemency, he should beg before the mothers, wives and children of the slain jawans. He should accept that his so called Jihad was a huge misake and apologise for his crimes. He should become a government informer. If he wants to escape death, he should first prove that he is an Indian at heart.

I was impressed by the comprehensive anti-terrorism action plan outlined by the Prez in his speech on the eve of the Independence day. He has now been presented with an opportunity to walk the talk. The country is waiting Mr. Prez, to find out whether the National Campaign to Eradicate Terrorism (NCET) has substance or is it just another acronym...

Jai Hind!!!

9/11

It was the 5th anniversary of the attacks. I remember watching on TV, the gruesome images of the twin towers belching endless columns of smoke. A few months ago, when I first visited Ground Zero, I realised the magnitude of the damage. Most of the debris was cleared, of course, but there was a gaping hole in the ground where the majestic towers once stood. Looking almost out of place among the sky scrapers of downtown Manhattan.

Yesterday, as I sat on a bench at Exchange Place (NJ), gazing at the Manhattan skyline across the Hudson, I wondered what it must be like before 9/11/2001. The towers were almost twice as tall as the surrounding buildings, they say. As the golden glow cast by the descending sun over the city turned crimson, I decided to leave. I guess it will never be the same again. Neither for the people who lost part of their lives there nor for people like me who were not directly affected, but wished it had never happenned.

Later that night, I saw a faint indigo glow spread in my room. I swept the blinds away and saw before me, two powerful beams of light emerging from Ground zero, piercing the still night air and racing towards the heavens, to the abode of the 9/11 martyrs. May their souls rest in peace...

The call

It was a crazy week and the day was even worse. I was juggling too many things and my ToDo list was only increasing. I was seriously contemplating setting an out-of-office on Outlook and voicemail and walking out that door.

Until...my mobile rang. Now that was the last thing I wanted. It showed a friend's number so I took it. There dint seem to be anyone on the other side. And then I heard the sweet voice. I did not understand a word she said in her baby language. But she made me smile on a day like that. Thanks Naomi - you made my day. Naomi is Trilok and Kanchan's daughter, and a little over a year old
:)