Well, here is a scientific explanation..........just read on. The write-up definitely makes sense and is convincing.
There are hundreds of temples all over India in different size, shape and locations but not all of them are considered to be in the Vedic way. Generally,the temples are located in a place where earth's magnetic waves pass through. In simple terms, these temples are located strategically at a place where the positive energy is abundantly available from the magnetic wave distribution of north/ south pole thrust. Because of its location, where high magnetic values are available, the Main Idol is placed in the center, and also because they place a copper plate written with some Vedic scripts, which is buried, beneath the Main Idol's placement known as "Garbhagriha" or Moolasthan, the copper absorbs the earthsmagnetic waves and radiates to the surroundings. Thus a person who regularly visits a temple and makes clockwise pradakshina of the Main Idol's placement,automatically receives the beamed magnetic waves which gets absorbed by his body. This is very slow and a regular visit will make him absorb more energy,known as positive energy. In addition, the Sanctum Sanctorum is completely enclosed on three sides. The effect of all energies is very high here. The lamp that is lit radiates the heat and light energy. The ringing of the bells and the chanting of prayers gives sound energy. The fragrance from the flowers, the burning of camphor give out chemical energy. The effect of all these energies is activated by the positive energy that comes out of the idol. This is in addition to the north/south pole magnetic energy that is absorbed by the copper plate and utensils that are kept in the Moolasthan.The water used for the Pooja is mixed with Cardamom, Benzoine, Holy Basil (Tulsi), Clove, etc is the "Theertham". This water becomes more energized because it receives the positiveness of all these energies combined. When persons go to the temple for Deepaaraadhana, and when the doors open up, the positive energy gushes out on to the people who are there. The water that is sprinkled on to the people passes on the energy to all. That is the reason why, men are not allowed to wear shirts to the temple and ladies have to wear more ornaments because it is through these jewels (metal) that positive energy is absorbed in ladies. It is proved that Theertham is a very good blood purifier, as it is highly energized. In addition, temples offer holy water (about three spoons). This water is mainly a source of magneto therapy as they place the copper water vessel at the Garbhagriha. It also contains cardamom, clove, saffron, etc to add taste and Tulsi (holy Basil ) leaves are put into the water to increase its medicinal value! The clove essence protects one from tooth decay, the saffron & Tulsi leave essence protects one from common cold and cough, cardamom and benzol known as Pachha Karpuram , acts as mouth refreshing agents. This way, one's health also is protected, by regularly visiting Temples !
All Glories to God!
Thursday, February 02, 2012
The First Words on Gramophone.
I received this Message through an e-mail.
This is one more instance of our rich past every Indian should be proud of. Trust you enjoy reading this as much as I have.
First Words on Gramaphone.
Did you know this?
HMV Company had once published a pamphlet giving the history ofgramophone record. Gramophone was invented by Thomas Alva Edison in the 19th century. Edison, who had invented many other gadgets like electric light and the motion picture camera, had become a legend even in his own time.
When He invented the gramophone record, which could record human voice for posterity, he wanted to record the voice of an eminent scholar on his firstpiece. For that he chose Prof. Max Muller of Germany, another great personality of the 19th century. He wrote to Max Muller saying, "I want to meet you and record your voice. When should I come?"Max Muller who had great respect for Edison asked him to come on a suitable time when most of the scholars of the Europe would be gathering in England.
Accordingly, Edison took a ship and went to England. He was introduced to the audience. All cheered Edison's presence. Later at the request of Edison,Max Muller came on the stage and spoke in front of the instrument. Then Edison went back to his laboratory and by afternoon came back with a disc. He played the gramophone disc from his instrument. The audience was thrilled to hear the voice of Max Muller from the instrument. They were glad that voices of greatpersons like Max Muller could be stored for the benefit of posterity.
After several rounds of applause and congratulations to ThomasAlva Edison, Max Muller came to the stage and addressed the scholars and asked them, "You heard my original voice in the morning. Then you heard the same voice coming out from this instrument in the afternoon. Did you understand what I said in the morning or what you heard this afternoon?"
The audience fell silent because they could not understand the language in which Max Muller had spoken. It was `Greek and Latin' to them as they say. But had it been Greek or Latin, they would have definitely understood because they were from various parts of Europe. It was in a language which the European scholars had never heard.
Max Muller then explained what he had spoken. He said that the language he spoke was Sanskrit and it was the first sloka of Rig Veda, which says "AgniMeele Purohitam." This was the first recorded public version on the gramophone plate.
Why did Max Muller choose this? Addressing the audience he said, "Vedas are the oldest text of the human race. And Agni Meele Purohitam is the first verse of Rig Veda. In the most primordial time, when the people did not know how even to cover their bodies and lived by hunting and housed in caves, Indians had attained high civilization and they gave the world universal philosophies in the form of the Vedas."
Such is the illustrious legacy of our country!
When "Agni Meele Purohitam" was replayed the entire audience stood upin silence as a mark of respect for the ancient Hindu sages.
This verse means:
"Oh Agni, You who gleam in the darkness, To You we come day by day,with devotion and bearing homage. So be of easy access to us, Agni, as a father to his son, abide with us for our well being."
VANDE MAATHARAM!
All Glories to the Vedas & All the Rishees & all the great ones of our Mother India.
Jai Hindh!
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Realizing God
Here is a thought to understand the presence of God ! Let us pray and have His Bliss !
block quote
PLEASE READ BELOW MESSAGE BY PREMA PANDURANGAJI.
19 Dec 2010
KOCHI: Once a month, Prema Pandurang, the renowned preacher of
Hinduism, goes to the Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirupati. One day,
while she was standing in the queue, she noticed that the chairman of
the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam was sitting in the VIP enclosure
which is placed very near the Lord.
“I told myself, ‘You have to be a chairman to sit in that place,’”
says Premaji. “I am just a preacher.” Ten minutes after the chairman
left, suddenly a priest held Premaji’s hand, pulled her from the queue
and made her sit exactly where the chairman had sat! “It was a
miracle,” she says. “Lord Venkateswara had heard my thoughts. I tell
my devotees, ‘Send a SMS to the Lord and if you don’t get a reply, I
will give up preaching.’ The Lord is not like a telephone operator
busy with other lines. He is always there for you.”
At the temple, she says, one can experience powerful positive
vibrations which grip you. “You forget your wife, husband, children,
friends and relatives,” says Premaji. “You are moving towards the Lord
and you feel that He is pulling you towards Him. This is the
experience of everybody.” When asked for a proof of God’s existence,
Premaji says that once Mahatma Gandhi was questioned by a reporter
about whether he believed in God. When he replied in the affirmative,
the reporter asked, “Can you prove His existence?” The Mahatma
replied, “No, I cannot prove it. But to me, He is more present in this
room than you.”
Premaji smiles and continues. “Just ask God to give you evidence and
he will do so. But the thirst to know God should be there. Soon you
will see miracles taking place in your life.”
She recounts one such occurrence. On May 23, 1991, at Sriperumbadur,
two days after Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had been assassinated, a
Guruvayurappa temple was going to be inaugurated. The Namboodiri
priest had come all the way from Guruvayur to conduct the puja. To
begin the prayers he needed flowers. “I said, ‘Swamiji, where can I
get flowers now?’ There is a curfew in the city. All the shops are
closed. The army is patrolling the streets.” The priest said that he
could not begin without flowers.
Suddenly, Premaji’s close friend, Krishnakumar Warrier of Ayurveda
Pharmacy, said, “Why don’t you pray to the Lord?” Premaji followed
Krishnakumar’s advice and sat in front of an idol of Lord Krishna. She
told the Lord, “I am a very small person. This is the first temple I
have built. Is there not a single flower that I can offer to you?”
A few minutes later, when Premaji stepped out of the puja room, a
villager came up and said, “Amma, do you want flowers?” Two staff
members went with him in a jeep and returned with 500 lotuses. The
Namboodiri priest said, “I have not seen so many flowers in Guruvayur
itself.”
Premaji pauses and says, “How can you not believe in God? In my
speeches, I want people to realise that this mighty power is within us
and yet we are not making use of it. You are not able to access God
because you don’t desire it. You are running after worldly pleasures.
There is nothing wrong with that but always remember that these are
the gifts from God. People tend to focus on the gifts and not the
giver.”
Premaji gives an example. “A mother buys a doll for her child,” she
says. “The daughter is so busy hugging the doll that she has forgotten
to thank the mother for the gift. So please remember God at all
times.”
source:
http://expressbuzz.com/cities/kochi/%E2%80%98remember-god-at-all-times%E2%80%99/232654.html
block quote
PLEASE READ BELOW MESSAGE BY PREMA PANDURANGAJI.
19 Dec 2010
KOCHI: Once a month, Prema Pandurang, the renowned preacher of
Hinduism, goes to the Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirupati. One day,
while she was standing in the queue, she noticed that the chairman of
the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam was sitting in the VIP enclosure
which is placed very near the Lord.
“I told myself, ‘You have to be a chairman to sit in that place,’”
says Premaji. “I am just a preacher.” Ten minutes after the chairman
left, suddenly a priest held Premaji’s hand, pulled her from the queue
and made her sit exactly where the chairman had sat! “It was a
miracle,” she says. “Lord Venkateswara had heard my thoughts. I tell
my devotees, ‘Send a SMS to the Lord and if you don’t get a reply, I
will give up preaching.’ The Lord is not like a telephone operator
busy with other lines. He is always there for you.”
At the temple, she says, one can experience powerful positive
vibrations which grip you. “You forget your wife, husband, children,
friends and relatives,” says Premaji. “You are moving towards the Lord
and you feel that He is pulling you towards Him. This is the
experience of everybody.” When asked for a proof of God’s existence,
Premaji says that once Mahatma Gandhi was questioned by a reporter
about whether he believed in God. When he replied in the affirmative,
the reporter asked, “Can you prove His existence?” The Mahatma
replied, “No, I cannot prove it. But to me, He is more present in this
room than you.”
Premaji smiles and continues. “Just ask God to give you evidence and
he will do so. But the thirst to know God should be there. Soon you
will see miracles taking place in your life.”
She recounts one such occurrence. On May 23, 1991, at Sriperumbadur,
two days after Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had been assassinated, a
Guruvayurappa temple was going to be inaugurated. The Namboodiri
priest had come all the way from Guruvayur to conduct the puja. To
begin the prayers he needed flowers. “I said, ‘Swamiji, where can I
get flowers now?’ There is a curfew in the city. All the shops are
closed. The army is patrolling the streets.” The priest said that he
could not begin without flowers.
Suddenly, Premaji’s close friend, Krishnakumar Warrier of Ayurveda
Pharmacy, said, “Why don’t you pray to the Lord?” Premaji followed
Krishnakumar’s advice and sat in front of an idol of Lord Krishna. She
told the Lord, “I am a very small person. This is the first temple I
have built. Is there not a single flower that I can offer to you?”
A few minutes later, when Premaji stepped out of the puja room, a
villager came up and said, “Amma, do you want flowers?” Two staff
members went with him in a jeep and returned with 500 lotuses. The
Namboodiri priest said, “I have not seen so many flowers in Guruvayur
itself.”
Premaji pauses and says, “How can you not believe in God? In my
speeches, I want people to realise that this mighty power is within us
and yet we are not making use of it. You are not able to access God
because you don’t desire it. You are running after worldly pleasures.
There is nothing wrong with that but always remember that these are
the gifts from God. People tend to focus on the gifts and not the
giver.”
Premaji gives an example. “A mother buys a doll for her child,” she
says. “The daughter is so busy hugging the doll that she has forgotten
to thank the mother for the gift. So please remember God at all
times.”
source:
http://expressbuzz.com/cities/kochi/%E2%80%98remember-god-at-all-times%E2%80%99/232654.html
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Pretension Results in Pain
There is a famous quote that the *grass appears greener on the other side*.
So we always have a tendency to compare our position with others and to
imitate to be like them. But the reality is when we try to imitate others,
we would not be able to sustain the show also for a long time.
In this regard, we may find an interesting small story about a donkey and a dhobi. The
donkey had to carry loads of clothes every day for his master. He was very
bored with his tiresome daily routine and always thought that the animals
in the forest are very lucky as they were roaming freely all day and did
not have to do any hard work like him. He felt that among all the wild
animals, animals like lions and tigers are the most luckiest as every other
animal in the forest are afraid of them. He yearned to become a tiger. So
one night when the dhobi was fast asleep, he left for the forest. As soon
as he entered the forest, he started enjoying the chill breeze and was very
elated about his new life there. To his surprise he came across the skin of
a dead tiger. He considered himself very lucky and quickly got into that
skin. And now as he walked in the forest, even the smaller animals started
fleeing away from him, thinking that he is a tiger. Pleased by this
experience, the donkey decided to have some fun with the villagers and his
master as well. So he went back to the village and everyone, including the
dhobi started running away as soon as they saw him. The donkey felt
very happy and soon he reached the master's house. The place and
surroundings were very familiar to him and he felt 'at home'. Soon he saw
the fresh juicy grass in the garden and started relishing it. And out of
joy he started braying loudly. The dhobi realised that it was the sound of
his lost donkey and when he peeped out of his window, he was surprised to
see tiger eating grass. Not realising that he is being watched, the donkey
brayed again and then the dhobi started beating him with a stick and the
tiger skin fell-off and the donkey got exposed.
The moral of the story is that we should not artificially try to be what we
are not. Posing before others for cheap adoration and power is cheating.
Such pretension results in pain. So it is better to be ourselves than to
pretend. In Bhagavad Gita verse 3.6 Lord Krishna says,
*karmendriyaani samyamya / ya aaste manasaa smaran
indriyaarthaan vimudhaatma / mityaacarah sa ucyate*
"*One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense
objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.*"
This wonderful story is taken from the mailing list
All Glories to God!
Friday, January 06, 2012
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN
This is a very nice story!
I pray God not to give me such fault finding nature for ever. Let me blame myself for All my mistakes, & let me have the quality of appreciating others for even their smallest goodness.
All Glories to God!
Once a lady in a house saw her new neighbour hang the clothes for drying
through her window. She thought for herself that her neighbour is very
dirty and is not washing the clothes properly, as the hung clothes had
stain and dirt even after washing. She observed the same for months
together, and thus nick named her new neighbor as 'The Unclean lady'. Then
suddenly one fine day, she found the clothes of her neighbour sparkling
bright, and immediately reported the same to her husband. Her husband just
smiled at her. When the wife wanted to know the reason for his smile, he
simply replied, "It's only today that I have cleaned our glass windows
after a long time. So you are able to see through it clearly now."
Same is the case with us. We have so many dirt accumulated within us, and
instead of purifying ourselves first, we constantly try to find fault in
others.
I pray God not to give me such fault finding nature for ever. Let me blame myself for All my mistakes, & let me have the quality of appreciating others for even their smallest goodness.
All Glories to God!
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
For the visually challenged, internet opens up a new world
This Article has reference about me. This was published in Deccan Herald on Wednesday, Jan 4th, 2012, in Panorama
For the visually challenged, internet opens up a new world
L Subramani
For several persons with vision challenge, the internet is the gateway to a brave new world.
So, have they forgotten the raised dots, which Louis Braille -- whose 203rd birthday falls today, January 4 -- invented? Not really, but the computer has
opened up umpteen opportunities which did not exist before.
Every day, Vijayalakshmi (25) opens her personal computer with a reverence only accorded for ‘Thamburas’ and Harmoniums in her line of work. As the synthesized
voice of her screen reader rambles on at the background, she locates the icon she wanted on the desktop and presses the ‘enter’ key hard on it. With a
‘wooop’ sound, the world of Voice Over IP (VOIP), better known amongst the ardent net users as ‘Skype’ opens up.
Skype is worth the hype for several visually challenged persons like Vijayalakshmi, as it has become the lifeline –the way to use their expertise and earn
a livelihood. “I have been doing this for more than three years,” says Vijayalakshmi, the Bangalore-based Carnatic musician who uses Skype to teach nearly
a dozen students, most of whom are NRIs abroad.
“I can’t imagine living without Skype, or, for that matter, without the internet. Not only it turns out to be a wonderful medium for us to expand our professional
and business horizons, but it is also an amazing source of learning. YouTube, for instance, has so many videos (related to music) which I refer to learn.
As visually challenged, we may not be accessing the content in any other method or format.”
While students get in touch with her through Skype to receive their voice lessons, they transfer the fee to her account, sparing Vijayalakshmi the arduous
trips outside home or standing in the long queues to deposit her earnings.
Similarly, there are several thousands of persons with vision challenge who use the net to teach spoken English, creating web content and do medical transcription,
which would have made Louis Braille proud.
Ten years ago, internet was merely a tool for learning and exchanging emails. It had since evolved into a huge social medium that connects the blind with
several professional groups and provide them the best opportunity to earn exposing only their advantages. Many of the visually challenged have formed professional
and interest based groups in Facebook, while others have also taken advantage of Linkedin.
“In the last few years, web accessibility has become an important feature for any website,” said Akhilesh Malani, who works as an accessibility head for
an online start-up offering testing services.
Several tools
“We test for the website’s ability to function with several tools –like the screen reading software the blind use- to ensure they can be used by everyone
without feeling disadvantaged in any way. Thanks to the internet, I, as a visually challenged person, am able to pursue the rather difficult testing job
and continue to learn.”
It came as a scare for many of them, when the news emerged in August that government is targeting social networking platforms (Facebook, twitter and Skype)
to provide access to the user content. “(News of Skype being the target) came as a shock,” admits Maria Durrani, a visually challenged person from Mysore,
who does combined shows for a few online radio stations.
“We’re sure the government has several issues with social networking sites,” said Akhilesh. “things like terror threats, objectionable contents etc, were
on the papers even a few days ago. We’ve nothing against the government taking action against genuine offenders, but at a time when the options of finding
accessible websites (especially those developed for Indians) is pathetically less, banning open and free sites would spell doom for many of us who depend
on them for survival and sanity.”
Despite admitting the vital role internet has come to play in their lives, the visually challenged also acknowledge the special place Braille scripts have
in their lives. “I know Braille, though I don’t use it much,” said Vijayalakshmi.
“We’re still curious about the history of Braille, the way it was invented (when young Louis became blind and created the first raised dots from a similar
set of military scripts used in French army). There’s always the inspiration in it, like how people look at the old typewriters and tele printers.”
“It’s the equivalent of writing long hand,” Maria pointed out. “We may not use it much, but we still find it useful in situations where we can’t use computers
or electronic gadgets.”
Like many habits and practices that evolve with generational changes, use of Braille seem to have reduced amongst the younger generation of visually challenged
who are used to working with computers and other electronic gadgets.
“Braille has its most prolific users amongst the 30 and 40 somethings,” said Dr Rajdeep Manwani, a professor with Bagwan Mahaveer Jain College in the city.
“Braille has certainly been adored by one and all (amongst the visually challenged community) for its simplicity and availability, but when it comes to
its application, it must be said that the younger generation prefer electronic gadgets for the dotted scripts. The fact that modern gadgets give them parity
with others –as computers are used by the visually challenged the same way as the able-bodied peers save for the screen reader—certainly influence their
decision.”
Here is the link:
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/216568/for-visually-challenged-internet-opens.html
All glories to God!
For the visually challenged, internet opens up a new world
L Subramani
For several persons with vision challenge, the internet is the gateway to a brave new world.
So, have they forgotten the raised dots, which Louis Braille -- whose 203rd birthday falls today, January 4 -- invented? Not really, but the computer has
opened up umpteen opportunities which did not exist before.
Every day, Vijayalakshmi (25) opens her personal computer with a reverence only accorded for ‘Thamburas’ and Harmoniums in her line of work. As the synthesized
voice of her screen reader rambles on at the background, she locates the icon she wanted on the desktop and presses the ‘enter’ key hard on it. With a
‘wooop’ sound, the world of Voice Over IP (VOIP), better known amongst the ardent net users as ‘Skype’ opens up.
Skype is worth the hype for several visually challenged persons like Vijayalakshmi, as it has become the lifeline –the way to use their expertise and earn
a livelihood. “I have been doing this for more than three years,” says Vijayalakshmi, the Bangalore-based Carnatic musician who uses Skype to teach nearly
a dozen students, most of whom are NRIs abroad.
“I can’t imagine living without Skype, or, for that matter, without the internet. Not only it turns out to be a wonderful medium for us to expand our professional
and business horizons, but it is also an amazing source of learning. YouTube, for instance, has so many videos (related to music) which I refer to learn.
As visually challenged, we may not be accessing the content in any other method or format.”
While students get in touch with her through Skype to receive their voice lessons, they transfer the fee to her account, sparing Vijayalakshmi the arduous
trips outside home or standing in the long queues to deposit her earnings.
Similarly, there are several thousands of persons with vision challenge who use the net to teach spoken English, creating web content and do medical transcription,
which would have made Louis Braille proud.
Ten years ago, internet was merely a tool for learning and exchanging emails. It had since evolved into a huge social medium that connects the blind with
several professional groups and provide them the best opportunity to earn exposing only their advantages. Many of the visually challenged have formed professional
and interest based groups in Facebook, while others have also taken advantage of Linkedin.
“In the last few years, web accessibility has become an important feature for any website,” said Akhilesh Malani, who works as an accessibility head for
an online start-up offering testing services.
Several tools
“We test for the website’s ability to function with several tools –like the screen reading software the blind use- to ensure they can be used by everyone
without feeling disadvantaged in any way. Thanks to the internet, I, as a visually challenged person, am able to pursue the rather difficult testing job
and continue to learn.”
It came as a scare for many of them, when the news emerged in August that government is targeting social networking platforms (Facebook, twitter and Skype)
to provide access to the user content. “(News of Skype being the target) came as a shock,” admits Maria Durrani, a visually challenged person from Mysore,
who does combined shows for a few online radio stations.
“We’re sure the government has several issues with social networking sites,” said Akhilesh. “things like terror threats, objectionable contents etc, were
on the papers even a few days ago. We’ve nothing against the government taking action against genuine offenders, but at a time when the options of finding
accessible websites (especially those developed for Indians) is pathetically less, banning open and free sites would spell doom for many of us who depend
on them for survival and sanity.”
Despite admitting the vital role internet has come to play in their lives, the visually challenged also acknowledge the special place Braille scripts have
in their lives. “I know Braille, though I don’t use it much,” said Vijayalakshmi.
“We’re still curious about the history of Braille, the way it was invented (when young Louis became blind and created the first raised dots from a similar
set of military scripts used in French army). There’s always the inspiration in it, like how people look at the old typewriters and tele printers.”
“It’s the equivalent of writing long hand,” Maria pointed out. “We may not use it much, but we still find it useful in situations where we can’t use computers
or electronic gadgets.”
Like many habits and practices that evolve with generational changes, use of Braille seem to have reduced amongst the younger generation of visually challenged
who are used to working with computers and other electronic gadgets.
“Braille has its most prolific users amongst the 30 and 40 somethings,” said Dr Rajdeep Manwani, a professor with Bagwan Mahaveer Jain College in the city.
“Braille has certainly been adored by one and all (amongst the visually challenged community) for its simplicity and availability, but when it comes to
its application, it must be said that the younger generation prefer electronic gadgets for the dotted scripts. The fact that modern gadgets give them parity
with others –as computers are used by the visually challenged the same way as the able-bodied peers save for the screen reader—certainly influence their
decision.”
Here is the link:
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/216568/for-visually-challenged-internet-opens.html
All glories to God!
Sunday, January 01, 2012
THE COMPLETE VANDEMAATARAM
During the first week of August 2011, I received a call from Aksharam (Bangalore office of Samskritha bhaarathi in Girinagar), to sing Vandamaatharam on the day of ‘Bhaaratha maatha pooja’, which was on August 13th 2011.
Surprisingly, they wanted me to sing the complete version of the song, which I wasn’t aware of. From the schooldays, we were taught to sing up to “shubhra jyotsnaam…” paragraph. But, I explored on the net & found 4 more paragraphs apart from the 3 I already knew.
Then I learnt it in full & sang on the event in the raga Desh & Eka tala. That was a very great & unique learning experience for me.
Below is the complete lyrics & meaning of Vande Maatharam.
Vande maataraM
sujalaaM suphalaaM malayaja shiitalaaM
SasyashyaamalaaM maataram ||
Shubhrajyotsnaa pulakitayaaminiiM
pullakusumita drumadala shobhiniiM
suhaasiniiM sumadhura bhaashhiNiiM
sukhadaaM varadaaM maataraM ||
Koti koti kantha kalakalaninaada karaale
koti koti bhujairdhRutha kharakaravaale
kepale maa tumee apale
bahubaladhaariNiiM namaami taariNiiM
ripudalavaariNiiM maataraM ||
Tumi vidyaa tumi dharma
tumi hR^idi tumi marma
tvaM hi praaNaaH shariire
Baahute tumi maa shakti
hR^idaye tumi maa bhakti
tomaara i pratimaa gaDi
mandire mandire ||
TvaM hi durgaa dashapraharaNadhaariNii
kamalaa kamaladala vihaariNii
vaaNii vidyaadaayinii namaami tvaaM
Namaami kamalaaM amalaaM atulaaM
SujalaaM suphalaaM maataraM ||
ShyaamalaaM saralaaM susmitaaM bhuushhitaaM
DharaNiiM bharaNiiM maataraM |"
Translation by Shree Aurobindo
Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.
Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.
Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Though who savest, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foeman drove
Back from plain and Sea
And shook herself free.
Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nervs the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.
Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleems,
Dark of hue O candid-fair
In thy soul, with jewelled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Lovilest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!
Jai Hindh!
All Glories to God!
Surprisingly, they wanted me to sing the complete version of the song, which I wasn’t aware of. From the schooldays, we were taught to sing up to “shubhra jyotsnaam…” paragraph. But, I explored on the net & found 4 more paragraphs apart from the 3 I already knew.
Then I learnt it in full & sang on the event in the raga Desh & Eka tala. That was a very great & unique learning experience for me.
Below is the complete lyrics & meaning of Vande Maatharam.
Vande maataraM
sujalaaM suphalaaM malayaja shiitalaaM
SasyashyaamalaaM maataram ||
Shubhrajyotsnaa pulakitayaaminiiM
pullakusumita drumadala shobhiniiM
suhaasiniiM sumadhura bhaashhiNiiM
sukhadaaM varadaaM maataraM ||
Koti koti kantha kalakalaninaada karaale
koti koti bhujairdhRutha kharakaravaale
kepale maa tumee apale
bahubaladhaariNiiM namaami taariNiiM
ripudalavaariNiiM maataraM ||
Tumi vidyaa tumi dharma
tumi hR^idi tumi marma
tvaM hi praaNaaH shariire
Baahute tumi maa shakti
hR^idaye tumi maa bhakti
tomaara i pratimaa gaDi
mandire mandire ||
TvaM hi durgaa dashapraharaNadhaariNii
kamalaa kamaladala vihaariNii
vaaNii vidyaadaayinii namaami tvaaM
Namaami kamalaaM amalaaM atulaaM
SujalaaM suphalaaM maataraM ||
ShyaamalaaM saralaaM susmitaaM bhuushhitaaM
DharaNiiM bharaNiiM maataraM |"
Translation by Shree Aurobindo
Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.
Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.
Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Though who savest, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foeman drove
Back from plain and Sea
And shook herself free.
Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nervs the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.
Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleems,
Dark of hue O candid-fair
In thy soul, with jewelled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Lovilest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!
Jai Hindh!
All Glories to God!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
A SPIRITUAL INVESTMENT
Making financial investments is a crucial requirement nowadays for everyone
considering the unsteady economic conditions now. We try to invest our
money in bank, in the form of saving certificates, insurance or pension
policies. Insurance policies are meant to provide financial assistance to
our families after we die/after policy maturity. Also we invest in
houses/real estate so that our dependants can enjoy these assets even after
we leave this world/ make use of the asset for their living. But
unfortunately, there is no investment/insurance scheme offered by banks or
insurance companies, which will accompany us after we die. The scriptures
point out the spiritual investment we can make in this connection and this
investment will protect us even after death.
In the Mahabharata, Vidura instructs Dhrtarashtra about handing over the
kingdom back to the Pandavas. Their conversation lasted for an entire night
and this is popularly known as Vidura Niti. In this section, Mahatma Vidura
explains how one should perform activities in this world in the following
sloka in Mahabharata Udyoga Parva.
*divasenaiva tat kuryaad yena raatrau sukham vaset
ashta maasena tat kuryaad yena varshaah sukham vaset
purve vayasi tat kuryaad yena vriddhasukham vaset
yaavat jivena tat kuryaad yena pretya sukham vaset
*
"*Do those activities during the day, which will make you to pass the night
in happiness; and do those activities during eight months of the year,
which will enable you to pass the rainy season happily. Do those activities
during youth which will ensure a happy old age; and do those activities
during your life in this world, which will enable you to achieve eternal
life after death*."
There is an interesting story in this regard. A beggar entered into a
foreign country (island) where he was resting under a tree. The people of
the island were looking for a person to be their king. The priests in the
island arranged for an elephant in the temple to carry a garland and
whoever is garlanded by the elephant would be the king. The elephant chose
the beggar and garlanded him and he became the king. He was quiet happy to
see the opulent palaces with all arrangements for nice arrangements and
everyone at his beck and call. At that time an old man came to him and
said, "See young man, the rule of this island is that you can be the king
here only for 5 years. After this, the people will send you to an unmanned
island which is far from here. This same fate happened to all kings who
were selected before you. So all of the enjoyment you have here is
temporary." The king became shocked and enquired,"What happened to those
kings who were sent to that island?". The old man replied, "There is lot of
wild animals in that island. So they might have killed them. Same will be
your fate after 5 years." The king was scared and asked the old man what to
do. The old man said, "Please rule the kingdom to the best of your ability
and at the same time start doing developments in that island where you will
be sent after 5 years. In these 5 years the people will listen to you and
carry out whatever you say. Please utilize it. Ensure that the island is a
perfect place to live by that time. I instructed the same thing to the
previous kings. No one listened to me and they wailed away the 5 years
enjoying the kingly life. At least you don’t repeat that mistake." The king
took this instruction seriously and he first sent a batch of soldiers to
clear out the forest area and fence it. Then in the second year he sent
workers to the island to construct a beautiful township with all
facilities. Then in the next year he sent farmers to create fields and
growing crops. In the next year he sent a good number of people to live
there. In this way he was making constant developments in the unmanned
island. As expected, the people expelled the king and send him to the
unmanned island. But by this time, the island was a beautiful township and
many people were waiting to receive him. The king just landed their and
started his new life happily thanks to the old man's advice.
In this story we can see that the king utilized his temporary tenure very
wisely under the guidance of the old man. In the same way after attaining
the human form of life, one should make this spiritual investment under the
guidance of the pure devotees of the Lord, since the human body with all
the senses and faculty of advanced intelligence is very suitable for God
realization. When they're in good working condition if we engage them in
devotional service, we can accrue permanent spiritual assets which can take
us back to the Lord's eternal abode. Sometimes, the investment we make in
financial market may not give us the expected result. The stock market may
crash or the money we get from our investments may be lost in medical
treatment if we get a terminal disease. However there is no loss or
diminution of investment in this spiritual endeavor as the Lord personally
takes care of our spiritual advancement as stated in the Bhagavad Gita
(2.40).
*nehaabhikrama nasho’sti / pratyavaayo na vidyate
svalpam apyasya dharmasya / traayate mahato bhayaat
*
"*In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement
on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear*."
"SARVAM SHRI KRISHNAARPANAMASTHU"!
considering the unsteady economic conditions now. We try to invest our
money in bank, in the form of saving certificates, insurance or pension
policies. Insurance policies are meant to provide financial assistance to
our families after we die/after policy maturity. Also we invest in
houses/real estate so that our dependants can enjoy these assets even after
we leave this world/ make use of the asset for their living. But
unfortunately, there is no investment/insurance scheme offered by banks or
insurance companies, which will accompany us after we die. The scriptures
point out the spiritual investment we can make in this connection and this
investment will protect us even after death.
In the Mahabharata, Vidura instructs Dhrtarashtra about handing over the
kingdom back to the Pandavas. Their conversation lasted for an entire night
and this is popularly known as Vidura Niti. In this section, Mahatma Vidura
explains how one should perform activities in this world in the following
sloka in Mahabharata Udyoga Parva.
*divasenaiva tat kuryaad yena raatrau sukham vaset
ashta maasena tat kuryaad yena varshaah sukham vaset
purve vayasi tat kuryaad yena vriddhasukham vaset
yaavat jivena tat kuryaad yena pretya sukham vaset
*
"*Do those activities during the day, which will make you to pass the night
in happiness; and do those activities during eight months of the year,
which will enable you to pass the rainy season happily. Do those activities
during youth which will ensure a happy old age; and do those activities
during your life in this world, which will enable you to achieve eternal
life after death*."
There is an interesting story in this regard. A beggar entered into a
foreign country (island) where he was resting under a tree. The people of
the island were looking for a person to be their king. The priests in the
island arranged for an elephant in the temple to carry a garland and
whoever is garlanded by the elephant would be the king. The elephant chose
the beggar and garlanded him and he became the king. He was quiet happy to
see the opulent palaces with all arrangements for nice arrangements and
everyone at his beck and call. At that time an old man came to him and
said, "See young man, the rule of this island is that you can be the king
here only for 5 years. After this, the people will send you to an unmanned
island which is far from here. This same fate happened to all kings who
were selected before you. So all of the enjoyment you have here is
temporary." The king became shocked and enquired,"What happened to those
kings who were sent to that island?". The old man replied, "There is lot of
wild animals in that island. So they might have killed them. Same will be
your fate after 5 years." The king was scared and asked the old man what to
do. The old man said, "Please rule the kingdom to the best of your ability
and at the same time start doing developments in that island where you will
be sent after 5 years. In these 5 years the people will listen to you and
carry out whatever you say. Please utilize it. Ensure that the island is a
perfect place to live by that time. I instructed the same thing to the
previous kings. No one listened to me and they wailed away the 5 years
enjoying the kingly life. At least you don’t repeat that mistake." The king
took this instruction seriously and he first sent a batch of soldiers to
clear out the forest area and fence it. Then in the second year he sent
workers to the island to construct a beautiful township with all
facilities. Then in the next year he sent farmers to create fields and
growing crops. In the next year he sent a good number of people to live
there. In this way he was making constant developments in the unmanned
island. As expected, the people expelled the king and send him to the
unmanned island. But by this time, the island was a beautiful township and
many people were waiting to receive him. The king just landed their and
started his new life happily thanks to the old man's advice.
In this story we can see that the king utilized his temporary tenure very
wisely under the guidance of the old man. In the same way after attaining
the human form of life, one should make this spiritual investment under the
guidance of the pure devotees of the Lord, since the human body with all
the senses and faculty of advanced intelligence is very suitable for God
realization. When they're in good working condition if we engage them in
devotional service, we can accrue permanent spiritual assets which can take
us back to the Lord's eternal abode. Sometimes, the investment we make in
financial market may not give us the expected result. The stock market may
crash or the money we get from our investments may be lost in medical
treatment if we get a terminal disease. However there is no loss or
diminution of investment in this spiritual endeavor as the Lord personally
takes care of our spiritual advancement as stated in the Bhagavad Gita
(2.40).
*nehaabhikrama nasho’sti / pratyavaayo na vidyate
svalpam apyasya dharmasya / traayate mahato bhayaat
*
"*In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement
on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear*."
"SARVAM SHRI KRISHNAARPANAMASTHU"!
Saturday, October 08, 2011
My Second Paper Presentation
ROLE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN ENHANCING KANNADA THEATRE EXPERIENCE
This is the title of my paper presented in the National Conference held in Bangalore University on 7th April 2011 about Theatre and Social Movement in Karnataka
Here is the ABSTRACT:
Theater is considered as part of religion & entertainment in any human culture from the very ancient times. It includes all other fine art forms like music & dance. So it always gives a wholesome experience to its audience.
As we all know, in the current scenario, modern technology is a part & parcel of every aspect of human life. In a similar way, in theater art, right from the conception of a script to staging a play, technology can be used effectively to give the audience the best theater experience.
Technology can be used in any & every aspect of theater production. For instance, in lighting arrangements, sound effects, costumes, etc.
If we study the history of the evolution of theater, we can observe that in each & every age the use of technology is present. But as the age advances, the ways & means & scope of using the technology also advances.
In this paper I would like to enumerate about some of the latest technological advancement & the possibility & scope of using them in enhancing the theater experience in relation to Kannada theatre, both present & in future
The complete paper as presented:
Ellarigu namaskara
Distinguished gathering, it is my pleasure to present a paper titled, THE ROLE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN ENHANCING KANNADA THEATRE EXPERIENCE
History of Theatre
Theatre had its origin in the earliest part of human history, and the first form of theatre can be found in the development of dance culture. Dances were originally performed in commemoration of major events, celebrations and religious ceremonies. In the beginning, they were very informal affairs with little practice, but dancing as rituals evolved into a very sophisticated form of artistry by the 3000 BCE Era.
As dancing became more sophisticated with time, they were performed at every level, especially before major events such as war, seasonal changes & religious celebrations. As rituals evolved further into sophisticated displays, that took on themes and styles, the first development of drama took place. This type of evolution can be seen in Persians’ and Asians’ early civilizations.
Another major development is story-telling through theatre. As dances took on more sophistication, they took on story-lines, complicated plots and a common theme that is carried in the dance. The emerging concept of stories through dance was very important because it led to the creation of theatre. This type of dance culture evolved slowly into a new type of theatre during the Greek era, and this era saw the rise of theatre, not as a religious experience, but rather as an art form.
The biggest change in the addition of style and theme that led to the development of plays, was the use of spoken words or dialogues along with song and dance.
Formal Greek theatre is renowned for its style, themes and physical constructions. Every element of modern theatre can be traced to Greek theatre. The development of style and a system for organizing plays along scenes and acts was very important in Greek theatre, and is still something that persists in modern theatre. Finally, the Greeks were also known for their actual physical construction of theatre areas. Unlike the previous era where rituals were performed at religious centers and in preparation for battles, the Greeks created amphitheaters within every city where they would hold yearly plays and contests. Amphitheaters were large central stages that are surrounded by raised stairs for seating. They became the popular form of theatre construction for the next thousand years.
Using technology in theatre is not a new concept. Man always had a tendency even during early civilization to use whatever available in those times to quench his thirst of novelty in the art creation. For instance, when early men and women used to assemble for recreation, they used the highest technology of that time, that is fire, as an aid in their storytelling activities. Perhaps they used fire to illuminate and give life to the images of animals they drew on the cave walls.
The Ancient Greeks used various forms of stagecraft in their dramas, most notably the Deus ex Machina or "god from the machine" in which an actor portraying a god would be lowered to the stage by means of a crane in order to resolve a conflict in the plot. In Medieval Mystery plays, gunpowder was used to represent the devil, even to the point of rigging an actor's costume so that fire would shoot out of his bodily orifices
By the 16th Century, Italian set designers had developed the use of flat scenery to depict various backgrounds. Within the next century, Opera became popular in part because the use of technology turned what had been an upper class/intellectual art form into a popular spectacle. There were instances in some plays where when one scene is changed, a house rotated out of the way and a donkey cart with a live donkey rode across the stage.
In the 18th Century, it became possible to have a sky moving across the ceiling of a theatre. Mirror effects were used, for example to project the image of a ghost onstage.
From these stages, we have arrived at the current computer era, wherein, with the widespread use of computers, theatre has adopted a new technology.
Some of the latest advancements:
1. Digital Theatre :
Recently, the concept of "Digital Theatre" has emerged & it is defined as "the coexistence of "live" performers and digital media, in the same unbroken space, with a co-present audience."
Strictly, Digital theatre is a hybrid art form, and it aids to a great extent in reaching communication and visualization in a finer form through its inherited richness.
Digital Theatre is generally seen as having narrative content to differentiate it from Performing Art, which seeks to provoke the user into exploring an artistic statement.
Digital media is not defined through the presence of one type of technology hardware or software configuration, but by its characteristics of being flexible, mutable, easily adapted, and able to be processed in real-time. It is the ability to change not only sound and light, but also images, video, animation, and other content into triggered, manipulated, and reconstituted data which is relayed or transmitted in relation to other impulses which defines the essential nature of the digital format. Digital information has the quality of pure computational potential, which can be seen as parallel to the potential of human imagination.
2. Desktop Theatre
This includes web-based role-playing, games and collaborative storytelling.
3. VR Theatre and Computer Theatre
Both are parts of Digital theatre & involve specific types of computer media, live performers, story/words, and limited levels of interactivity.
4. Cyberformance
This can be included within this definition of Digital theatre, where it includes a proximal audience & can be created and presented entirely online, for a distributed online audience who participate via internet-connected computers anywhere in the world. It can be presented to a proximal audience (such as in a physical theatre or gallery venue) with some or all of the performers appearing via the internet; or it can be a hybrid of the two approaches, with both remote and proximal audiences or performers.
5. Virtual Theatre
These are digital performances or media events, which are created and presented on computers utilizing intelligent agents or synthetic characters, called avatars. Often these are interactive computer programs or online conversations. Without human actors, or group audiences, these are computer multimedia interfaces allowing a user to play at the roles of theatre rather than being in theatre. It can be further defined as a project which aims to provide a multimedia environment in which user can play all of the creative roles associated with producing and performing plays and stories in an improvisational theatre company.
These technologies can be used in innumerable ways to enhance the theatre experience.
Firstly, sound effects.
The computer generated sound effects are very realistic & they can be programmed to sounds like rain fall, birds chirping etc according to the situation. Natural sounds, man made sounds or any type of sounds can easily be recorded to be played during the play which is very helpful in portraying the scenes quite naturally.
Possibly the first use of recorded sound in the theatre was a phonograph playing a baby’s cry in a London theatre in 1890.
Background music & songs are also composed using analogue & digital media very cost-effectively. These days, there are several tools available on the internet like musical softwares, already composed music for the background scores, & these can be used very effectively for the best theatre experience. We can find more advancements taking place in the sound amplification devices like speakers and microphones, providing the artistes, ample scope to express themselves more effectively without much strain on the stage.
Technology is involved even in lighting, projection, stage design etc which are very vital for a theatre performance.
Successful experiments are also conducted in using animations on the stage, which provide greater scope for the directors in creating stage plays.
Complicated scenes, difficult costumes are all possible on the stage through technology.
With all these, we may say that theatrical entertainment does not have to be either purist involving only “live” actors on stage, or be consumed by the dominant televisual mass media, but can gain from the strength of both these aspects.
Technology in the theatre or anywhere else is never just a matter of hardware. It also involves ‘human brains & hands - the human processes that shape its use. In the classical Greek sense, ‘techne’ denotes the application of craft skill for particular purpose. Aristotle makes it sound like an attitude, a mix of know-how and can-do.
The combination of the effective usage of technology & the creative genius of man always go hand in hand in enhancing the theatre experience.
Futuristic scope
We may find all the jobs related to theatre performances like lighting control, sound operation and scenic automation linked into a single department & the design engineers would take charge of the show via the wireless local area network operating within the theatre.
Mics & speakers would be more powerful, smaller in size & more effective in eliminating unwanted sounds by the introduction of smaller and electronically superior RF technology
Many foresee the explosive growth of the Internet as part of the future. There would be server-based sound effects libraries, from which any sound can be extracted via the internet in realtime, during the performance.
These are just a few samples to understand what modern technology can offer to enhance the theatre experience. Effective usage of these would definitely raise our Kannada theatre to international standards.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. NAMASKARA.
This was a great experience as this was the first time my Respected Guide Dr. S.N. Susheela came to attend my presentation, & also The Chairman of our Performing Arts department of Bangalore University was the chief guest for our conference hall. All their appreciations & blessings were a great source of encouragement to me. Thanks to all of them.
All Glories to God.
This is the title of my paper presented in the National Conference held in Bangalore University on 7th April 2011 about Theatre and Social Movement in Karnataka
Here is the ABSTRACT:
Theater is considered as part of religion & entertainment in any human culture from the very ancient times. It includes all other fine art forms like music & dance. So it always gives a wholesome experience to its audience.
As we all know, in the current scenario, modern technology is a part & parcel of every aspect of human life. In a similar way, in theater art, right from the conception of a script to staging a play, technology can be used effectively to give the audience the best theater experience.
Technology can be used in any & every aspect of theater production. For instance, in lighting arrangements, sound effects, costumes, etc.
If we study the history of the evolution of theater, we can observe that in each & every age the use of technology is present. But as the age advances, the ways & means & scope of using the technology also advances.
In this paper I would like to enumerate about some of the latest technological advancement & the possibility & scope of using them in enhancing the theater experience in relation to Kannada theatre, both present & in future
The complete paper as presented:
Ellarigu namaskara
Distinguished gathering, it is my pleasure to present a paper titled, THE ROLE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN ENHANCING KANNADA THEATRE EXPERIENCE
History of Theatre
Theatre had its origin in the earliest part of human history, and the first form of theatre can be found in the development of dance culture. Dances were originally performed in commemoration of major events, celebrations and religious ceremonies. In the beginning, they were very informal affairs with little practice, but dancing as rituals evolved into a very sophisticated form of artistry by the 3000 BCE Era.
As dancing became more sophisticated with time, they were performed at every level, especially before major events such as war, seasonal changes & religious celebrations. As rituals evolved further into sophisticated displays, that took on themes and styles, the first development of drama took place. This type of evolution can be seen in Persians’ and Asians’ early civilizations.
Another major development is story-telling through theatre. As dances took on more sophistication, they took on story-lines, complicated plots and a common theme that is carried in the dance. The emerging concept of stories through dance was very important because it led to the creation of theatre. This type of dance culture evolved slowly into a new type of theatre during the Greek era, and this era saw the rise of theatre, not as a religious experience, but rather as an art form.
The biggest change in the addition of style and theme that led to the development of plays, was the use of spoken words or dialogues along with song and dance.
Formal Greek theatre is renowned for its style, themes and physical constructions. Every element of modern theatre can be traced to Greek theatre. The development of style and a system for organizing plays along scenes and acts was very important in Greek theatre, and is still something that persists in modern theatre. Finally, the Greeks were also known for their actual physical construction of theatre areas. Unlike the previous era where rituals were performed at religious centers and in preparation for battles, the Greeks created amphitheaters within every city where they would hold yearly plays and contests. Amphitheaters were large central stages that are surrounded by raised stairs for seating. They became the popular form of theatre construction for the next thousand years.
Using technology in theatre is not a new concept. Man always had a tendency even during early civilization to use whatever available in those times to quench his thirst of novelty in the art creation. For instance, when early men and women used to assemble for recreation, they used the highest technology of that time, that is fire, as an aid in their storytelling activities. Perhaps they used fire to illuminate and give life to the images of animals they drew on the cave walls.
The Ancient Greeks used various forms of stagecraft in their dramas, most notably the Deus ex Machina or "god from the machine" in which an actor portraying a god would be lowered to the stage by means of a crane in order to resolve a conflict in the plot. In Medieval Mystery plays, gunpowder was used to represent the devil, even to the point of rigging an actor's costume so that fire would shoot out of his bodily orifices
By the 16th Century, Italian set designers had developed the use of flat scenery to depict various backgrounds. Within the next century, Opera became popular in part because the use of technology turned what had been an upper class/intellectual art form into a popular spectacle. There were instances in some plays where when one scene is changed, a house rotated out of the way and a donkey cart with a live donkey rode across the stage.
In the 18th Century, it became possible to have a sky moving across the ceiling of a theatre. Mirror effects were used, for example to project the image of a ghost onstage.
From these stages, we have arrived at the current computer era, wherein, with the widespread use of computers, theatre has adopted a new technology.
Some of the latest advancements:
1. Digital Theatre :
Recently, the concept of "Digital Theatre" has emerged & it is defined as "the coexistence of "live" performers and digital media, in the same unbroken space, with a co-present audience."
Strictly, Digital theatre is a hybrid art form, and it aids to a great extent in reaching communication and visualization in a finer form through its inherited richness.
Digital Theatre is generally seen as having narrative content to differentiate it from Performing Art, which seeks to provoke the user into exploring an artistic statement.
Digital media is not defined through the presence of one type of technology hardware or software configuration, but by its characteristics of being flexible, mutable, easily adapted, and able to be processed in real-time. It is the ability to change not only sound and light, but also images, video, animation, and other content into triggered, manipulated, and reconstituted data which is relayed or transmitted in relation to other impulses which defines the essential nature of the digital format. Digital information has the quality of pure computational potential, which can be seen as parallel to the potential of human imagination.
2. Desktop Theatre
This includes web-based role-playing, games and collaborative storytelling.
3. VR Theatre and Computer Theatre
Both are parts of Digital theatre & involve specific types of computer media, live performers, story/words, and limited levels of interactivity.
4. Cyberformance
This can be included within this definition of Digital theatre, where it includes a proximal audience & can be created and presented entirely online, for a distributed online audience who participate via internet-connected computers anywhere in the world. It can be presented to a proximal audience (such as in a physical theatre or gallery venue) with some or all of the performers appearing via the internet; or it can be a hybrid of the two approaches, with both remote and proximal audiences or performers.
5. Virtual Theatre
These are digital performances or media events, which are created and presented on computers utilizing intelligent agents or synthetic characters, called avatars. Often these are interactive computer programs or online conversations. Without human actors, or group audiences, these are computer multimedia interfaces allowing a user to play at the roles of theatre rather than being in theatre. It can be further defined as a project which aims to provide a multimedia environment in which user can play all of the creative roles associated with producing and performing plays and stories in an improvisational theatre company.
These technologies can be used in innumerable ways to enhance the theatre experience.
Firstly, sound effects.
The computer generated sound effects are very realistic & they can be programmed to sounds like rain fall, birds chirping etc according to the situation. Natural sounds, man made sounds or any type of sounds can easily be recorded to be played during the play which is very helpful in portraying the scenes quite naturally.
Possibly the first use of recorded sound in the theatre was a phonograph playing a baby’s cry in a London theatre in 1890.
Background music & songs are also composed using analogue & digital media very cost-effectively. These days, there are several tools available on the internet like musical softwares, already composed music for the background scores, & these can be used very effectively for the best theatre experience. We can find more advancements taking place in the sound amplification devices like speakers and microphones, providing the artistes, ample scope to express themselves more effectively without much strain on the stage.
Technology is involved even in lighting, projection, stage design etc which are very vital for a theatre performance.
Successful experiments are also conducted in using animations on the stage, which provide greater scope for the directors in creating stage plays.
Complicated scenes, difficult costumes are all possible on the stage through technology.
With all these, we may say that theatrical entertainment does not have to be either purist involving only “live” actors on stage, or be consumed by the dominant televisual mass media, but can gain from the strength of both these aspects.
Technology in the theatre or anywhere else is never just a matter of hardware. It also involves ‘human brains & hands - the human processes that shape its use. In the classical Greek sense, ‘techne’ denotes the application of craft skill for particular purpose. Aristotle makes it sound like an attitude, a mix of know-how and can-do.
The combination of the effective usage of technology & the creative genius of man always go hand in hand in enhancing the theatre experience.
Futuristic scope
We may find all the jobs related to theatre performances like lighting control, sound operation and scenic automation linked into a single department & the design engineers would take charge of the show via the wireless local area network operating within the theatre.
Mics & speakers would be more powerful, smaller in size & more effective in eliminating unwanted sounds by the introduction of smaller and electronically superior RF technology
Many foresee the explosive growth of the Internet as part of the future. There would be server-based sound effects libraries, from which any sound can be extracted via the internet in realtime, during the performance.
These are just a few samples to understand what modern technology can offer to enhance the theatre experience. Effective usage of these would definitely raise our Kannada theatre to international standards.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. NAMASKARA.
This was a great experience as this was the first time my Respected Guide Dr. S.N. Susheela came to attend my presentation, & also The Chairman of our Performing Arts department of Bangalore University was the chief guest for our conference hall. All their appreciations & blessings were a great source of encouragement to me. Thanks to all of them.
All Glories to God.
Saturday, October 01, 2011
A GLASS OF MILK ...
This is one of my favorite stories
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.
He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly, and then asked,
How much do I owe you?"
You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."
He said ... "Then I thank you from my heart."
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Many year's later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called
in specialists to study her rare disease.
Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.
Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.
He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won.
Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was
sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught
her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ...
"Paid in full with one glass of milk"
(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You,
God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands."
There's a saying which goes something like this: Bread cast on the water comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love
at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place - And, after all, isn't that what life
is all about?
All Glories to God!
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.
He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly, and then asked,
How much do I owe you?"
You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."
He said ... "Then I thank you from my heart."
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Many year's later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called
in specialists to study her rare disease.
Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.
Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.
He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won.
Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was
sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught
her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ...
"Paid in full with one glass of milk"
(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You,
God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands."
There's a saying which goes something like this: Bread cast on the water comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love
at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place - And, after all, isn't that what life
is all about?
All Glories to God!
The Triple filter
Every day, we always hear some one or the other gossiping about others, without even trying to think whether it is of any use to either themselves or to the society. I was always looking for some way to overcome this gossip menace I had to face in my day-to-day life & the below story gives all the solution. Read on...
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high
esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you
know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd
like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my
friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're
going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test.
The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you
are about to tell me is true?" (Sathyam?)
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."
"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or
not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what
you are about to tell me about my friend something good?" (Priyam?)
"No, on the contrary..."
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him,
but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though,
because there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness. Is what you
want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?" (Hitham?)
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither
true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high
esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you
know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd
like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my
friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're
going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test.
The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you
are about to tell me is true?" (Sathyam?)
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."
"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or
not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what
you are about to tell me about my friend something good?" (Priyam?)
"No, on the contrary..."
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him,
but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though,
because there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness. Is what you
want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?" (Hitham?)
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither
true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Some of My Favorite definitions
CIGARETTE:
A pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at one end and a fool at the other!
LECTURE:
An art of transmitting Information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of students without passing through the minds of either
CONFERENCE:
The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present
COMPROMISE:
The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece
TEARS:
The hydraulic force by which masculine will power is defeated by feminine water-power!
CONFERENCE ROOM:
A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on
ECSTASY:
A feeling when you feel you are going to feel a feeling you have never felt before
CLASSIC:
A book which people praise, but never read
SMILE:
A curve that can set a lot of things straight!
EXPERIENCE:
The name men give to their Mistakes
DIPLOMAT:
A person who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip
OPTIMIST:
A person who while falling from EIFFEL TOWER says in midway "SEE I AM NOT INJURED YET!"
MISER:
A person who lives poor so that he can die RICH!
BOSS:
Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early
POLITICIAN:
One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence Later
DOCTOR:
A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you by his bills!
A pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at one end and a fool at the other!
LECTURE:
An art of transmitting Information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of students without passing through the minds of either
CONFERENCE:
The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present
COMPROMISE:
The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece
TEARS:
The hydraulic force by which masculine will power is defeated by feminine water-power!
CONFERENCE ROOM:
A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on
ECSTASY:
A feeling when you feel you are going to feel a feeling you have never felt before
CLASSIC:
A book which people praise, but never read
SMILE:
A curve that can set a lot of things straight!
EXPERIENCE:
The name men give to their Mistakes
DIPLOMAT:
A person who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip
OPTIMIST:
A person who while falling from EIFFEL TOWER says in midway "SEE I AM NOT INJURED YET!"
MISER:
A person who lives poor so that he can die RICH!
BOSS:
Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early
POLITICIAN:
One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence Later
DOCTOR:
A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you by his bills!
Our India's Second Freedom Struggle
We fought and got freedom from the British 65 years back and now is the time to fight against a greater force called CORRUPTION and gain Freedom from it.
Come on..., Let's fight ! Come on, let's support the cause with some knoledge about it. Because, "Knoledge is Power...".
10 things to know about Anna Hazare 'n Jan Lok Pal Bill.. !
1. Who is Anna Hazare?
An ex-army man. Fought 1965 Indo-Pak War
2. What's so special about him?
He built a village, Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahamad Nagar district, Maharashtra
3. So what?
This village is a self-sustained model village. Energy is produced in the village itself from solar power, biofuel and wind mills.
In 1975, it used to be a poverty clad village. Now it is one of the richest village in India. It has become a model for self-sustained, eco-friendly &
harmonic village.
4. Ok,...?
This man, Anna Hazare was awarded Padma Bhushan and is a known figure for his social activities.
5. Really, what is he fighting for?
He is supporting a cause, the amendment of a law to curb corruption in India.
6. How that can be possible?
He is advocating for a Bil, The Jan Lokpal Bill (The Citizen Ombudsman Bill), that will form an autonomous authority who will make politicians (ministers),
beurocrats (IAS/IPS) accountable for their deeds.
8. It's an entirely new thing right..?
In 1972, the bill was proposed by then Law minister Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Since then it has been neglected by the politicians and some are trying to change
the bill to suit their theft (corruption).
7. Oh.. He is going on a hunger strike for that whole thing of passing a Bill ! How can that be possible in such a short span of time?
The first thing he is asking for is: the government should come forward and announce that the bill is going to be passed.
Next, they make a joint committee to DRAFT the JAN LOKPAL BILL. 50% government participation and 50% public participation. Because you cant trust the government
entirely for making such a bill which does not suit them.
8. Fine, What will happen when this bill is passed?
A LokPal will be appointed at the centre. He will have an autonomous charge, say like the Election Commission of India. In each and every state, Lokayukta
will be appointed. The job is to bring all alleged party to trial in case of corruptions within 1 year. Within 2 years, the guilty will be punished. Not
like, Bofors scam or Bhopal Gas Tragedy case, that has been going for last 25 years without any result.
9. Is he alone? Who else is there in the fight with Anna Hazare?
Baba Ramdev, Ex. IPS Kiran Bedi, Social Activist Swami Agnivesh, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and many more.
Prominent personalities like Aamir Khan is supporting his cause.
10. Ok, got it. What can I do?
At least we can spread the message. How?
Putting status message, links, video, changing profile pics.
At least we can support Anna Hazare and the cause for uprooting corruption from India.
At least we can hope that his Hunger Strike does not go in vain.
At least we can pray for his good health.
Bharath Maatha kee Jai!
Anna Hazare Kee Jai!
Come on..., Let's fight ! Come on, let's support the cause with some knoledge about it. Because, "Knoledge is Power...".
10 things to know about Anna Hazare 'n Jan Lok Pal Bill.. !
1. Who is Anna Hazare?
An ex-army man. Fought 1965 Indo-Pak War
2. What's so special about him?
He built a village, Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahamad Nagar district, Maharashtra
3. So what?
This village is a self-sustained model village. Energy is produced in the village itself from solar power, biofuel and wind mills.
In 1975, it used to be a poverty clad village. Now it is one of the richest village in India. It has become a model for self-sustained, eco-friendly &
harmonic village.
4. Ok,...?
This man, Anna Hazare was awarded Padma Bhushan and is a known figure for his social activities.
5. Really, what is he fighting for?
He is supporting a cause, the amendment of a law to curb corruption in India.
6. How that can be possible?
He is advocating for a Bil, The Jan Lokpal Bill (The Citizen Ombudsman Bill), that will form an autonomous authority who will make politicians (ministers),
beurocrats (IAS/IPS) accountable for their deeds.
8. It's an entirely new thing right..?
In 1972, the bill was proposed by then Law minister Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Since then it has been neglected by the politicians and some are trying to change
the bill to suit their theft (corruption).
7. Oh.. He is going on a hunger strike for that whole thing of passing a Bill ! How can that be possible in such a short span of time?
The first thing he is asking for is: the government should come forward and announce that the bill is going to be passed.
Next, they make a joint committee to DRAFT the JAN LOKPAL BILL. 50% government participation and 50% public participation. Because you cant trust the government
entirely for making such a bill which does not suit them.
8. Fine, What will happen when this bill is passed?
A LokPal will be appointed at the centre. He will have an autonomous charge, say like the Election Commission of India. In each and every state, Lokayukta
will be appointed. The job is to bring all alleged party to trial in case of corruptions within 1 year. Within 2 years, the guilty will be punished. Not
like, Bofors scam or Bhopal Gas Tragedy case, that has been going for last 25 years without any result.
9. Is he alone? Who else is there in the fight with Anna Hazare?
Baba Ramdev, Ex. IPS Kiran Bedi, Social Activist Swami Agnivesh, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and many more.
Prominent personalities like Aamir Khan is supporting his cause.
10. Ok, got it. What can I do?
At least we can spread the message. How?
Putting status message, links, video, changing profile pics.
At least we can support Anna Hazare and the cause for uprooting corruption from India.
At least we can hope that his Hunger Strike does not go in vain.
At least we can pray for his good health.
Bharath Maatha kee Jai!
Anna Hazare Kee Jai!
Monday, April 11, 2011
TEJO MAHALAYA
No one has ever challenged it except Prof. P. N. Oak, who believes the
whole world has been duped. In his book Taj Mahal: The True Story, Oak says
the Taj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz's tomb but an ancient Hindu temple palace of
Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalaya ) . In the course of his research,
Oak discovered that the Shiva temple palace was usurped by Shah Jahan from
then Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. In his own court chronicle,
Badshahnama, Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra
was taken from Jai Singh for Mumtaz's burial . The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur
still retains in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for
surrendering the Taj building. Using captured temples and mansions, as a
burial place for dead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers.
For example, Humayun,Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried
in such mansions. Oak's inquiries began with the name of Taj Mahal. He says
the term " Mahal " has never been used for a building in any Muslim countries
from Afghanisthan to Algeria . "The unusual explanation that the term Taj
Mahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal was illogical in atleast two respects.
Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani," he writes.
Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters 'Mum' from a woman's
name to derive the remainder as the name for the building."Taj Mahal, he
claims, is a corrupt version of Tejo Mahalaya, or Lord Shiva's Palace . Oak
also says the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale cre ated
by
court sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists. Not a
single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story.
Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting the Taj Mahal predates
Shah Jahan's era, and was a temple dedicated to Shiva, worshipped by
Rajputs of Agra city. For example, Prof. Marvin Miller of New York took a
few samples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed
that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan. European traveler Johan
Albert Mandelslo,who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's
death), describes the life of the city in his memoirs. But he makes no
reference to the Taj Mahal being built. The writings of Peter Mundy, an
English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest the
Taj was a noteworthy building well before Shah Jahan's time.
Prof. Oak points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies
that support the belief of the Taj Mahal being a typical Hindu temple
rather than a mausoleum. Many rooms in the Taj Mahal have remained sealed
since Shah Jahan's time and are still inaccessible to the public . Oak
asserts they contain a headless statue of Lord Shiva and other objects
commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples.
Fearing political backlash, Indira Gandhi's government tried to have Prof. Oak's book withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the
first edition dire consequences .
There is only one way to discredit or
validate Oak's research.
The current government should open the sealed rooms of the Taj Mahal under
U.N. supervision, and let international experts investigate.
Do circulate this to all you know and let them know about this reality.....
Jai Hindh!
SATYAMEVA JAYATHE!
whole world has been duped. In his book Taj Mahal: The True Story, Oak says
the Taj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz's tomb but an ancient Hindu temple palace of
Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalaya ) . In the course of his research,
Oak discovered that the Shiva temple palace was usurped by Shah Jahan from
then Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. In his own court chronicle,
Badshahnama, Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra
was taken from Jai Singh for Mumtaz's burial . The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur
still retains in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for
surrendering the Taj building. Using captured temples and mansions, as a
burial place for dead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers.
For example, Humayun,Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried
in such mansions. Oak's inquiries began with the name of Taj Mahal. He says
the term " Mahal " has never been used for a building in any Muslim countries
from Afghanisthan to Algeria . "The unusual explanation that the term Taj
Mahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal was illogical in atleast two respects.
Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani," he writes.
Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters 'Mum' from a woman's
name to derive the remainder as the name for the building."Taj Mahal, he
claims, is a corrupt version of Tejo Mahalaya, or Lord Shiva's Palace . Oak
also says the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale cre ated
by
court sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists. Not a
single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story.
Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting the Taj Mahal predates
Shah Jahan's era, and was a temple dedicated to Shiva, worshipped by
Rajputs of Agra city. For example, Prof. Marvin Miller of New York took a
few samples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed
that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan. European traveler Johan
Albert Mandelslo,who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's
death), describes the life of the city in his memoirs. But he makes no
reference to the Taj Mahal being built. The writings of Peter Mundy, an
English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest the
Taj was a noteworthy building well before Shah Jahan's time.
Prof. Oak points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies
that support the belief of the Taj Mahal being a typical Hindu temple
rather than a mausoleum. Many rooms in the Taj Mahal have remained sealed
since Shah Jahan's time and are still inaccessible to the public . Oak
asserts they contain a headless statue of Lord Shiva and other objects
commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples.
Fearing political backlash, Indira Gandhi's government tried to have Prof. Oak's book withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the
first edition dire consequences .
There is only one way to discredit or
validate Oak's research.
The current government should open the sealed rooms of the Taj Mahal under
U.N. supervision, and let international experts investigate.
Do circulate this to all you know and let them know about this reality.....
Jai Hindh!
SATYAMEVA JAYATHE!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Patience is The Best Policy
Once there was a sweeper in a well known temple and he was very sincere and devoted.
Every time he saw thousands of devotees coming to take darshan of the Lord,
he thought that the Lord is standing all the time and giving darshan and He must be feeling very tired.
So one day very innocently he asked the Lord whether he can take the place of the Lord for a day
so that the Lord can have some relief and rest.
The Deity of Temple replied, "I do not mind taking a break.
I will transform you like Myself, but you must do one thing.
you must just stand here like Me, smile at everyone and just give benedictions.
Do not interfere with anything and do not say anything.
Remember you are the deity and you just have faith that I have a master plan for everything.
" The sweeper agreed to this.
The next day the sweeper took the position of the deity and a rich man came and prayed to the Lord.
He offered a nice donation and prayed that his business should be prosperous.
While going, the rich man inadvertently left his wallet full of money right there.
Now the sweeper in the form of deity could not call him and
so he decided to control himself and keep quiet.
Just then a poor man came and he put one coin in the Hundi and
said that it was all he could afford and he prayed to the Lord
that he should continue to be engaged in the Lord's service.
He also said that his family was in dire need of some basic needs
but he left it to the good hands of the Lord to give some solution.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the wallet left by the rich man.
The poor man thanked the Lord for His kindness and took the wallet very innocently.
The sweeper in the form of the Deity could not say anything and he had to just keep smiling.
At that point a sailor walked in. He prayed for his safe journey as he was going on a long trip.
Just then the rich man came with the police and said that somebody has stolen his wallet
and seeing the sailor there, he asked the police to arrest him thinking that he might have taken it.
Now the sweeper in the form of Deity wanted to say that the sailor is not the thief but he could
not say so and he became greatly frustrated.
The sailor looked at the Lord and asked why he, an innocent person, is being punished.
The rich man looked at the Lord and thanked Him for finding the thief.
The sweeper in the deity form could no more tolerate and he thought that
even if the real Lord had been here, he would have definitely interfered
and hence he started speaking and said that the sailor is not the thief but
it was the poor man who took away the wallet. The rich man was very thankful as also the sailor.
In the night, the real Lord came and He asked the sweeper how the day was.
The sweeper said, "I thought it would be easy, but now I know that Your days are not easy,
but I did one good thing." Then he explained the whole episode to the Lord.
The Lord became very upset on hearing this whereas the sweeper thought
the Lord would appreciate him for the good deed done.
The Lord asked, "Why did you not just stick to the plan?
You had no faith in Me. Do you think that I do not understand the hearts of all those who come here?
All the donation which the rich man gave was all stolen money and it is only a fraction of what he
really has and he wants Me to reciprocate unlimitedly.
The single coin offered by the poor man was the last coin he was having and he gave it to Me out of faith.
The sailor might not have done anything wrong,
but if the sailor were to go in the ship that night he was about to die
because of bad weather and instead if he is arrested he would be in the jail
and he would have been saved from a greater calamity.
The wallet should go to the poor man because he will use it in My service.
I was going to reduce the rich man's karma also by doing this and save the sailor also.
But you cancelled everything because you thought you know My plan and you made your own plans."
Moral:
God has plans and justice for everyone....
We just have to have patience!!!!!
All Glories to God!
Every time he saw thousands of devotees coming to take darshan of the Lord,
he thought that the Lord is standing all the time and giving darshan and He must be feeling very tired.
So one day very innocently he asked the Lord whether he can take the place of the Lord for a day
so that the Lord can have some relief and rest.
The Deity of Temple replied, "I do not mind taking a break.
I will transform you like Myself, but you must do one thing.
you must just stand here like Me, smile at everyone and just give benedictions.
Do not interfere with anything and do not say anything.
Remember you are the deity and you just have faith that I have a master plan for everything.
" The sweeper agreed to this.
The next day the sweeper took the position of the deity and a rich man came and prayed to the Lord.
He offered a nice donation and prayed that his business should be prosperous.
While going, the rich man inadvertently left his wallet full of money right there.
Now the sweeper in the form of deity could not call him and
so he decided to control himself and keep quiet.
Just then a poor man came and he put one coin in the Hundi and
said that it was all he could afford and he prayed to the Lord
that he should continue to be engaged in the Lord's service.
He also said that his family was in dire need of some basic needs
but he left it to the good hands of the Lord to give some solution.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the wallet left by the rich man.
The poor man thanked the Lord for His kindness and took the wallet very innocently.
The sweeper in the form of the Deity could not say anything and he had to just keep smiling.
At that point a sailor walked in. He prayed for his safe journey as he was going on a long trip.
Just then the rich man came with the police and said that somebody has stolen his wallet
and seeing the sailor there, he asked the police to arrest him thinking that he might have taken it.
Now the sweeper in the form of Deity wanted to say that the sailor is not the thief but he could
not say so and he became greatly frustrated.
The sailor looked at the Lord and asked why he, an innocent person, is being punished.
The rich man looked at the Lord and thanked Him for finding the thief.
The sweeper in the deity form could no more tolerate and he thought that
even if the real Lord had been here, he would have definitely interfered
and hence he started speaking and said that the sailor is not the thief but
it was the poor man who took away the wallet. The rich man was very thankful as also the sailor.
In the night, the real Lord came and He asked the sweeper how the day was.
The sweeper said, "I thought it would be easy, but now I know that Your days are not easy,
but I did one good thing." Then he explained the whole episode to the Lord.
The Lord became very upset on hearing this whereas the sweeper thought
the Lord would appreciate him for the good deed done.
The Lord asked, "Why did you not just stick to the plan?
You had no faith in Me. Do you think that I do not understand the hearts of all those who come here?
All the donation which the rich man gave was all stolen money and it is only a fraction of what he
really has and he wants Me to reciprocate unlimitedly.
The single coin offered by the poor man was the last coin he was having and he gave it to Me out of faith.
The sailor might not have done anything wrong,
but if the sailor were to go in the ship that night he was about to die
because of bad weather and instead if he is arrested he would be in the jail
and he would have been saved from a greater calamity.
The wallet should go to the poor man because he will use it in My service.
I was going to reduce the rich man's karma also by doing this and save the sailor also.
But you cancelled everything because you thought you know My plan and you made your own plans."
Moral:
God has plans and justice for everyone....
We just have to have patience!!!!!
All Glories to God!
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