Sunday, October 31, 2010

PATHIK FROM PESHAWAR

PATHIK FROM PESHAWAR COURTED MARTYRDOM
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Vedic world knows him as Pundit Lekh Ram, Arya Musafir. Once he made up his mind that the Vedic Dharm was the first and the last word to guide human behaviour from A to Z, there was no going back on it. He was a man of determination and possessed perseverance. Once the goal was set, he left no stone unturned to reach there. He was a clear headed man who knew how to determine what the aim was and once the aim was set, maintenance of aim was no problem to him. There was no deviation from the aim and it had to be achieved, come what may. Of course, he had to tread on the toes of others but he did not mind it. If others did, he would say – I don’t care. Pt Lekh Ram had a many-faceted personality but the overriding element was principles, precepts and preaching of the Vedas based Dharma as propounded by Maharishi Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the great religious and social reformer of the 19th century India.
DEVELOPMENT OF LEKH RAM : MAN AND MISSION
Born in 1858 in Saidpur in district Jhelum, now in Pakistan, he inherited knowledge of languages and the unparalleled spirit of “Giving” and not Grabbing from the soil and tradition of the village. Just to quote one example, Lala Dewan Chand, the great Arya philanthropist and martyred freedom fighter, Khushiram Ji were also born and brought up in Saidpur. Pt Lekh ram was initially named as Lekh Raj but later in his writings he preferred the name Lekh Ram.
Pt Lekh Ram had had a taste of various sects of Hinduism and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev until he found his moorings in the teachings of the Vedic Dharm after he have had a number of meetings with Swami Dayanand Saraswati at Ajmer on 17 May 1881. Under a false notion, Lekh Ram Ji used to consider himself as Brahm but after a meaningful exchange of views with Swami Dayanand Saraswati, he became a votary of the Vedic Trinity. Now he knew that he was a Jeevatma and Parmatma as well as prakriti were separate and different entities.
This meeting between Rishivar and Punditji was of great significance to the Arya Samaj. The Arya Samaj got a committed writer of Life of Dayanand Saraswati, his life and thought based on interviews with people who had met the great reformer. Pundit Lekh Ram had started his mission of collection of authentic material to write the biography of Rishivar on 11 December 1888, five years after the Rishi’s untimely and sad demise. Pt Lekh Ram took great care that fact and fiction did not intermingle and finally gave the Arya Samaj a biography of its founder that is par excellence. It was a biography based on interviews recorded at the spot where events had taken place. Obviously, Pt Lekh Ram travelled a lot all over the place where Swami Dayanand had gone, lectured, written his memorable treatises and faced worldly problems generated by jealousy, superstitions and miscalculations.
In the scheme of collection of facts and holding interviews, Pt Lekh Ram did not ignore his mission of teaching and preaching tenets of the Vedic Dharm. He did a fine balancing act between writing of biography and delivering of Vedic sermons. The latter was done at his own cost lest the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, Lahore took it as an infringement of its financial guidelines. Pandit Ji chose to forego the Dakshina for the period he was not collecting facts for the biography and delivering sermons instead.
Another facet of Pandit Ji’s personality emerged during these extensive travels. He became a consummate writer of Travelogues in the Urdu language, possibly the first one. The essays on travel were published under the caption “Safarnama”. Sadly, not much has survived of that unique piece of literature. Here I am reminded of Lord Francis Bacon, the famous essayist of the English language, who wrote a line “Travel makes a man perfect”, and this perfection could be discerned in the travels and writings of Pt Lekh Ram.
Pt Lekh Ram had a close relationship with Peshawar, the capital city of the North-Western Frontier Province NWFP). He was posted there as a sergeant in the Police Dept but did not let his profession interfere with his Vedic Dharm. When things came to a pass, he preferred to resign from the government service rather than let the profession have better of him. As an Arya Samajist he did not let low cast men be looked down upon. Once when he was posted in a police station where the Station House Officer was a Muslim Pathan and an orderly was a Mazahabi Sikh (of low caste), he made it a point to shake hands with him to obliterate casteism. This used to happen much to the chagrin of the Thanedar Saheb who was a great believer in his high caste. Pandit Ji used to do Namaste to others as he believed in the Aryan way of greetings. However, soon the dept and the Vedic missionary parted ways when he hung up his police uniform for good. It may, however, be mentioned that while in the police service he published and edited a weekly named, Dharmopadesh. Later he was the editor of Arya Gazette that carved a niche in the world of journalism. While collecting material for Swami Ji’s biography, he published a timely weekly called Arya Vijay.
Pt Lekh Ram was always available to the new generation for advice and guidance. ‘TEHRIR AND TAQREER’, THAT IS WRITING AND DELIVERING SERMONS MUST NEVER CEASE – that was his counselling to all Arya Samajists. Indeed writing new articles or books meant an intensive study of the subject and thus the preachers who deliver the sermon will be knowledgeable. It should be an ongoing process in this Arya Samaj movement so that the mission of Swami Dayanand Saraswati touches new heights day after day.
Pt Lekh Ram Ji used to do self study and also some writing whenever he got time off the work as a Vedic missionary. One late evening as he was busy writing, oil in the lamp was exhausted. Shops were closed. So he walked along the railway line to the Kothi of Mahatma Munshi Ram as enough light was available in his Dewankhana. Thus he achieved the intended target of writing for that evening. Man with a mission knew how to achieve the aim surmounting problems, both major and minor.
Pt Lekh Ram was the moving spirit behind the Arya Samaj, Peshawar, now in Pakistan. He collected funds to have an impressive building erected as the epicentre of the Ved prachar activities. The impressive Arya Samaj bhawan had a pride of place among religious institutions of Peshawar.
The city of Pathans, both Hindus and Muslims, had influenced the dress code of Pundit Lekh Ram. He would wear a tight pyjama, a shirt, a waist coat and a turban tied in the typical frontier style. While talking of dress code, I must make a mention of an incident in Jullundur. Pt Lekh Ram was staying with Mahatma Munshi Ram and the latter had started wearing a Dhoti by then as a pracharak. One day Pt Lekh Ram told him “Lalaji, you are an energetic man and a tireless worker of the Arya Samaj. It is a loose-fitting wear of the slovenly easterners and does not befit us”. Mahatma Munshi Ram just laughed it away. The writer of these lines is fond of tying a Dhoti as a pracharak, be it a visit to the Rashtrapati Bhawan, a travel to Tibet or addressing a gathering of cadets. My Indian dress earned me a new name, “Dhoti Wale Brigadier Saheb”. I am with Mahatma Munshi Ram on this point and not with Pundit lekh Ram. No disrespect meant to him; I revere him.
Pt Lekh Ram was always there where he was needed most. Whenever he heard that a Hindu or a group of Hindus were about to convert to Islam or Christianity, he would rush to that spot to convince them not to cross over. More often than not he was successful in his mission. It is said that once he was going on a similar mission to a mofussil town but entrained in an express train that did not stop there, so Punditji just leaped out of the train as it slowed a little at the platform. Although he was hurt but he reached his destination on time and his mission of retaining a group of Hindus in the family fold was a great success. The veracity of this story stands confirmed by independent sources of the time.
CLASH WITH QADIANIS
A major part of Pt Lekh Ram’s time and energy was spent in countering the Ahmedias and their Head, Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadiani, who were always out to attack the Hindus in general and the Arya Samajists in particular. In retrospect one may say that the Ahmedias who clashed with the Hindus on behalf of the Muslims, were not considered to be true Muslims. In Pakistan the Ahmediyas are listed as non-Muslims. What a shame for the Mirza, who deputed a man to assassinate Pt lekh Ram, to be called a non-Muslim. The Ahmedias are hounded out by Sunnis all over the place. And it was one of them who lived with Pt Lekh Ram and dined with him expressing a wish to be converted a Vedic Dharmi. The drama was staged by that wretched fellow for a few days and one night he surreptitiously plunged his long knife into his abdomen. Pt Lekh Ram became a martyr in the cause of the Vedic Dharm on 6 March1897 at a young age of 39 years. The Mirza unashamedly owned having plotted this heinous crime of murder in cold blood.
Lahore was shocked. The Hindus and Sikha mourned Pt Lekh Ram’s assassination in thousands. The Arya Samajists of all shades displayed a rare sense of unity at the cremation ground in Lahore. Lakshmi Devi Ji, the widow of Pt lekh Ram who had the bliss of marital life for just four years, took a pledge to continue working for the cause that her husband had died for. She donated the entire money of his life insurance to the cause of the Vedic Dharm. She made this sacrifice notwithstanding the advice of many well wishers like Mahatma Munshi Ram to save some money for a rainy day. She was so inspired by the martyrdom and Vedic ideals of her late husband that she wished to donate every paisa that she had and did so. Later, at one of the convocation ceremonies of the Gurukul Kangri, Haridwar , venerable Lakshmi Devi Ji donated all her gold and jewellery for the flagship of the Vedic Shiksha. Her sacrifice and the martyrdom of her husband bore fruits in various activities of the Arya Samaj and the Gurukul. Of the money donated by her, a Foundation for education of brilliant but poor students was established. We are proud to narrate that the first beneficiary of this munificence was a young boy from Saharanpur who was transformed into an illustrious Vedic scholar. The world knows him as Pt Budh Dev Ji Vedalankar, later known as Swami Samarpananand Ji.
Swami Shraddhanand Ji, among others, had paid glowing tribute to the martyred Pt Lekh Ram thus: He was a DHARMVIR AND A KARMVIR. Indeed a fearless fighter for the cause of the Vedic Dharm. He was a true believer in Param Pita Parmatma and the Lord loved him.
Pundit Lekh Ram is a torch bearer removing darkness for others. His martyrdom inspired other Aryas to follow into his footsteps. Swami Shraddhanand, Mahashay Rajpal and many others of the Hyderabad satyagrah attained martyrdom for the cause of the Vedic Dharm. Indeed they walked fearlessly on the path of martyrdom for the Vedic Dharm paved by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati himself.
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Email : upvanom@yahoo.com sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

YOGESHWAR SHRI KRISHNA IS HUMANITY'S BEAU IDEAL

Shri Krishna - Our Beau Ideal


--By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM

When I relax and think of the most excellent man who walked on this earth, the profile of Shri Krishna flashes across my mind. He was indeed the most beautiful person that one can think of. He was and continues to be the Beau Ideal of millions of men and women in many a millennium. He lived and died for the fellow human beings. He shared the joys and sorrows of kings and commoners alike. He was born in Dwapar Yug, the mega unit of Time just preceding our Kaliyug. By and large we agree that it was 5,000 years ago that he was born in Mathura of pious parents who were put in prison by a close relative called Kansa, the then king. Thus Shri Krishna was born in captivity but he , by dint of merit, hard work and humane nature became a liberator of Mankind.

Shri Krishna was so sweet by nature, word and deed that not only humans but animals too loved him. All living beings longed to be near him. He embraced one and all as if they were his kith and kin.
This is what the Ved mantra enjoined on men and women :
Mitrasya Chakshusha sarvani bhutani samikshantam

Let us treat all living beings as our friends : that was the Vedic teaching and Shri Krishna followed it in letter and spirit. After all, he had received his education in the Gurukul Ashram of Rishi Sandipani and had graduated to worldly life therefrom. The legendary friendship with a poor Brahmin had a beginning there and Shri Krishna nourished it in later life too. As the King of Dwarka, in western India, he had accorded same honour and respect to poor Sudama as to a fellow king or a mighty warrior. Of course, the large hearted largesse was in evidence too. Indeed it was a fine example of life-long friendship, notwithstanding the colossal difference in social status. A friend in need was a friend in deed; so said Shri Krishna through his actions.

Among the animals the Cow was at the centre of attention throughout. He loved cows. He cared for cows. For cows he was just a cowherd. He played his flute for cows and they came flocking to him. It was a genuine love for cows; not for their milk but for their loving company. It was the same type of soul or Jeevatma that stood embodied for action or Karma. So, the companionship with cows was also philosophical. Shri Krishna showed the way as a leader of men in loving animals and his kith and kin followed suit. A fraternity of human beings and other living beings symbolized by the cow was born here. One has to know and experience the Vedic ethos to appreciate this bond of love. Indeed the strife-torn world needs this philosophy of life more today than ever before. Shri Krishna is , inter alia, known as Gopal, that is the preserver and protector of cows. Let us emulate him and enlist ourselves as neo-gopals to protect and preserve the progeny of Cow. The world economy and environment will improve and love, instead of hatred, will prevail, It will indeed be a precursor of Peace on Earth.
Among numerous biographies of Shri Krishna there are refrences to folklore portraying wrongly his amorous nature. Suffice it to say that the so-called playful love of Radha Ji and Shri Krishna is philosophised by some scholars as the affinity of Atman or soul with Parmatman or God. In the present script we are portraying Shri Krishna as a Maha-Purush or a great man. No man is or should be equated with the Almighty. Therefore, the philosophy of love referred to above is fallacious and fails the litmus test of the Vedas. At best, one can say that when Shri Krishna left Vrindavan for Mathura to do away with the diabolical influence of demons he was just at the threshold of becoming a teenager. Radha was a full-fledged housewife. There was no chance of even an infatuation, what to say of a calf-love. The umpteen number of love-lores are pure figments of poetic imagination that have done more harm than good to the otherwise unblemished character of the great man. Let us leave it at that.
Let us quote Maharishi Swami Dayanand Saraswati on Shri Krishna :

“ Shri Krishna’s story (history) as told in the Mahabharat is indeed par excellence.His qualities,thought and action, character and totality of personality rank in the class of the Enlightened Ones. There is no reference therein to show that he deviated from the Dharm Path from birth to death. “

The great Rishi has really summed up well what the personality of Shri Krishna was. Indeed it was the epic battle of Mahabharat and epoch-making events preceding it that bring out the best of Shri Krishna. He emerges as a Yogeshwar, one who had mastered the art and science of Yoga, the physical, mental and spiritual meeting points – convergence of diverse forces for greater good of the greater numbers. Leaving folklore of boyhood days aside, we proceed to events that bring out sterling qualities of character of Shri Krishna.
Yogeshwar Shri Krishna emerges as a great man who put society before self. Whatever he did was for the good of the common man. No selfishness at all. Going chronologically, King Kansa was his first major kill. After removing that tyrant and eliminating him from the scene, he did not usurp kingdom of the deceased. He, in his charitable style, put Kansa’s father, Ugrasen, on the throne. The common man was happy as a benevolent ruler was once again at the helm of affairs. Peace prevailed.

Shri Krishna made it a point to punish the wrong-doer. It did not matter if the man to be punished was a king or a commoner. It was immaterial if the sinner was his close relative. An example was made of his first cousin, Shishupal. Notwithstanding his royal status, Shishupal was killed by Shri Krishna in public for his acts and omissions amounting to crime against humanity.

Shri Krishna was a Peacenik. Never was he a war-monger. When Duryodhan, the leader of evil forces refused to give to the Pandavas what was their due, Shri Krishna volunteered to present himself at the Kaurav Court as a Messenger of Peace. He played well the role of a peace maker. He offered to convince the Pandavas of the futility of war provided the Kauravas gave them just five villages, instead of a kingdom, and let them live with honour and dignity. It was the evil-doer Duryodhan who threw a red herring and refused to give the Pandavas even land covered by a needle-point. The blind King Dhritrashtra, remained blind to national interest and promoted his son blindly. Thus the peace mission failed. The war was inevitable. Mahabharat was the answer to oppression of the forces of the Good by the forces of Evil.

Of course, before going into battle Shri Krishna tried the path of diplomacy too. He knew that once Maharathi Karna abandoned Kauravas and joined the Pandavas where he belonged, the battle would be over before it began. He persuaded Kunti to go to Karna and make a clean breast of the past that the latter was indeed her son conceived and begotten before marriage and had to be abandoned. Shri Krishna made a sincere effort to convince Karna to save the society by eschewing the path of violence paved by the Kauravas. However, it was just too little and too late. Karna chose to stick to the Kauravas, come rain come shine. Now, the writing was on the wall. War, war and war.

Kurukshetra is the chosen battleground for an epic battle that lasted eighteen days. It was Mahabharat. It left an indelible mark on the history of Bharat. Before the battle began , Arjun, the commander-in-chief of the Pandava army lost heart. The will to do battle was missing. He did not want to kill his kith and kin and the acharyas for a mundane kingdom. In fact, he was so non-plussed that he abandoned his bow and arrow and was not in a fit state of mind to command his army. Here Yogeshwar Shri Krishna played a major role as a motivator of men who were in a state of bewilderment. His teaching and psychological approach made Arjun sit up, take stock of the situation and resume the operational command. Not doing so would have made Arjun go down in history as a coward and as a shammer who shunned his duty. “ Do thy duty, reward is not thy concern, “ said Shri Krishna. He emphasized that it was the laid down duty of a Kshattriya(the man of the warrior class) to protect the Dharma or righteousness and eliminate the forces of evil. So, one has to fight with Determination and win- so said Shri Krishna. The message is as relevant to men and women to-day as it was to Arjun in the Mahabharat. At the end of the war, the Pandavas were victorious and the Kauravas were vanquished. Shri Krishna was the guiding spirit through it all.

Shri Krishna is addressed as a Yogeshwar because he preached and practiced Yoga. He advocated complete balance in life, be it in food or behaviour in society or in our Karma, that is action in pursuance of duty to self and society. The same balance is to be maintained in our meditation and God-realisation. Shri Krishna himself summed it beautifully in this seventeenth sloka of the sixth chapter of the Shrimadbhagwat Gita :
" Yuktaharviharasya yukta cheshtasya karmasu
Yukta swapnavabodhasya yogo bhavati dukhha."

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Tuesday, August 24, 2010

PAKISTAN FLOODED BUT AID DRIES UP

AUM
PAKISTAN DEVASTATED BUT AID DONORS DRY UP
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Cloud bursts, flash floods, towns and villages inundated with gushing waters of rivers bursting banks; men, women and children do not know where to go for shelter. Humans and animals, peacocks and snakes, tigers and lambs learn to coexist in rare dry patches of land for survival. The mighty Indus river had not known this fury before since when Alexander the Great had sailed downstream heading for home. Pakistan stands ruined but its feudal rulers care not. Wine and dining matter more for the elite unaffected by unprecedented floods.
“Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink, because it was contaminated with carcass of dead animals and human waste. Hundreds of humans and animals perished. The living and the dead received no help from the non-existent administration and both men and women spent their residual energy in cursing President Asif Ali Zardari who was tasting the choicest wine in France and enjoying the British hospitality in London. The Army led by General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani mustered men for relief work by taking them off the duty of training Taliban, their brothers-in-arms for a future attack on India, after securing a defence in depth in Afghanistan when the last American soldier left for home under orders of Obama the Muslim. One wonders whether Obama the President and Osama the terrorist were brothers in their previous birth.
APPEAL FOR AID
The common man’s perception all over the world is: God has punished Pakistanis for their Satanic acts and omissions. Osama bin-Laden is based in Pakistan and keeps on criss-crossing the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Many men who matter in the government of Pakistan are in the know of whereabouts of Osama the terrorist but they do not apprehend him, what to say of delivering him to America to face trial. It is the same man-cum-devil who had planned and executed the attack on twin towers of New York. His co-conspirators had planned and executed attacks on Mumbai in India, not forgetting bomb blasts on the Mumbai suburban trains where many hundred precious lives were lost. The blood of thousands of men, women and children killed in terrorist violence all over the world, is on their hands. Divine justice has been done and wicked Pakistanis punished. Let no man interfere with the Divine justice – that is the common perception.
Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations made an appeal to the international community to come forward and render aid on humanitarian grounds. Not many hands of human beings lifted to donate to the devils. Frankly speaking, Pakistan does not enjoy a good reputation in the comity of nations. Pakistan is seen as a factory producing Islamist terrorists who destroy the existing culture and civilisation to build mosques on the rubble. No wonder, students of history recall the barbarous acts of Islamic invaders in India, Central Asia, Europe and elsewhere. Temples, churches and synagogues were demolished, libraries were burnt, precious manuscripts were destroyed by these Islamist barbarians. The latest destruction was that of images of Buddha in Bamian in Afghanistan. Pakistan is seen as an inheritor of the philosophy of loot, rape, plunder and destruction of everything that is beautiful. Art to an Islamist terrorist is like the red rag to the bull in the Rodeo enclosure. If that be the case, and indeed it is so, then why donate your hard-earned money to nourish and nurture sons of Satan?
Pakistan is a failed state. Pakistan is a terrorist state. The floods that ravaged Pakistan came in the form of punishment for devilish deeds of Pakistanis. God has punished Pakistanis for their sins – this is the statement made by Mullahs and Maulvis of Pakistan who are well versed in the Islamic scriptures. I have not contributed anything to this kind of FATWA, an Islamic religious decree, except to arrange it at an appropriate place in this article. Whatever has been stated heretofore is a part of history that was recorded truthfully. Aren’t we all committed to the divine concept of telling the TRUTH. Let no man shy away from what the Lord has ordained.
PAKISTAN’S BETE NOIR
India is Pakistan’s bĂȘte noir. Pakistan has been acting on its cardinal principle and policy “Hate Hindu Hate India”. The rogue state forgets that there are more Muslims living and enjoying citizenship rights in India than in Pakistan. There was no reason for India to offer economic aid to flood-ravaged Pakistan. Giving aid to Pakistan is like supping with the Devil. Anyway, the Indian Prime Minister who was born in a village that is now in Pakistan, felt moved and offered five million US dollars as a humanitarian aid. But Pakistan, in its arrogance, just kept mum and neither accepted it nor rejected it. Thus Pakistan insulted India once again. It was not until the United States of America goaded Pakistan to accept the Indian aid that it did so willy-nilly.
The Indian citizens must urge the government of India strongly not to render anymore assistance to Pakistan after it showed its atrocious behaviour in just shelving the Indian aid offer for days. The Indian tax -payers money will be going down the drain if the weak Indian Prime Minister offers more aid to Pakistan. In fact his weakness is touted as his strong point and the main reason for his survival in the present office. Therefore, he continues this weak-kneed policy of begging Pakistan to accept the aid despite being rebuffed time and again. What a shame! The old man sees light at the end of the tunnel in the form of the Nobel Peace Prize. If Obama got it for doing nothing and just for being in the Oval office for merely eighteen days when the award was announced, our Man on Pakistan peace mission deserves a better deal as he has been in the chair for six years now and has been supplicating Pakistan all along out of turn. Is someone in Sweden listening?

A very close relative of mine settled in Germany told me on phone that German citizens are rather reluctant to donate money for the needy men and women in Pakistan. The image of Pakistan in Germany takes a beating for the rampant corruption in the rank and file of its government, be it local, provincial or central. Of course, the overriding factor of reluctance to donate is the picture of Pakistan as a terrorist state in the minds of average German citizens. Perhaps the scenario is not much different in other countries of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Americas and elsewhere. Indeed Pakistan has itself to blame for difficulty in finding donors to extend humanitarian aid to it. The media, both print and electronic is doing its bit in rousing the conscience of donors-to-be by showing images of destitute children and hungry expectant mothers in tatters. Nevertheless, it is the bearded, armed to teeth Islamist terrorists hell bent on destroying our cultures and civilizations who walk away with the cake in this competition of projecting the present picture of Pakistan. David is left far behind as Goliath rules the roost in Pakistan of today.
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

ARYA PILGRIM FROM PESHAWAR

AUM
ARYA PATHIK FROM PESHAWAR COURTED MARTYRDOM
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The Vedic world knows him as Pundit Lekh Ram, Arya Musafir. Once he made up his mind that the Vedic Dharm was the first and the last word to guide human behaviour from A to Z, there was no going back on it. He was a man of determination and possessed perseverance. Once the goal was set, he left no stone unturned to reach there. He was a clear headed man who knew how to determine what the aim was and once the aim was set, maintenance of aim was no problem to him. There was no deviation from the aim and it had to be achieved, come what may. Of course, he had to tread on the toes of others but he did not mind it. If others did, he would say – I don’t care. Pt Lekh Ram had a many-faceted personality but the overriding element was principles, precepts and preaching of the Vedas based Dharma as propounded by Maharishi Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the great religious and social reformer of the 19th century India.
DEVELOPMENT OF LEKH RAM : MAN AND MISSION
Born in 1858 in Saidpur in district Jhelum, now in Pakistan, he inherited knowledge of languages and the unparalleled spirit of “Giving” and not Grabbing from the soil and tradition of the village. Just to quote one example, Lala Dewan Chand, the great Arya philanthropist and martyred freedom fighter, Khushiram Ji were also born and brought up in Saidpur. Pt Lekh ram was initially named as Lekh Raj but later in his writings he preferred the name Lekh Ram.
Pt Lekh Ram had had a taste of various sects of Hinduism and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev until he found his moorings in the teachings of the Vedic Dharm after he have had a number of meetings with Swami Dayanand Saraswati at Ajmer on 17 May 1881. Under a false notion, Lekh Ram Ji used to consider himself as Brahm but after a meaningful exchange of views with Swami Dayanand Saraswati, he became a votary of the Vedic Trinity. Now he knew that he was a Jeevatma and Parmatma as well as prakriti were separate and different entities.
This meeting between Rishivar and Punditji was of great significance to the Arya Samaj. The Arya Samaj got a committed writer of Life of Dayanand Saraswati, his life and thought based on interviews with people who had met the great reformer. Pundit Lekh Ram had started his mission of collection of authentic material to write the biography of Rishivar on 11 December 1888, five years after the Rishi’s untimely and sad demise. Pt Lekh Ram took great care that fact and fiction did not intermingle and finally gave the Arya Samaj a biography of its founder that is par excellence. It was a biography based on interviews recorded at the spot where events had taken place. Obviously, Pt Lekh Ram travelled a lot all over the place where Swami Dayanand had gone, lectured, written his memorable treatises and faced worldly problems generated by jealousy, superstitions and miscalculations.
In the scheme of collection of facts and holding interviews, Pt Lekh Ram did not ignore his mission of teaching and preaching tenets of the Vedic Dharm. He did a fine balancing act between writing of biography and delivering of Vedic sermons. The latter was done at his own cost lest the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, Lahore took it as an infringement of its financial guidelines. Pandit Ji chose to forego the Dakshina for the period he was not collecting facts for the biography and delivering sermons instead.
Another facet of Pandit Ji’s personality emerged during these extensive travels. He became a consummate writer of Travelogues in the Urdu language, possibly the first one. The essays on travel were published under the caption “Safarnama”. Sadly, not much has survived of that unique piece of literature. Here I am reminded of Lord Francis Bacon, the famous essayist of the English language, who wrote a line “Travel makes a man perfect”, and this perfection could be discerned in the travels and writings of Pt Lekh Ram.
Pt Lekh Ram had a close relationship with Peshawar, the capital city of the North-Western Frontier Province NWFP). He was posted there as a sergeant in the Police Dept but did not let his profession interfere with his Vedic Dharm. When things came to a pass, he preferred to resign from the government service rather than let the profession have better of him. As an Arya Samajist he did not let low cast men be looked down upon. Once when he was posted in a police station where the Station House Officer was a Muslim Pathan and an orderly was a Mazahabi Sikh (of low caste), he made it a point to shake hands with him to obliterate casteism. This used to happen much to the chagrin of the Thanedar Saheb who was a great believer in his high caste. Pandit Ji used to do Namaste to others as he believed in the Aryan way of greetings. However, soon the dept and the Vedic missionary parted ways when he hung up his police uniform for good. It may, however, be mentioned that while in the police service he published and edited a weekly named, Dharmopadesh. Later he was the editor of Arya Gazette that carved a niche in the world of journalism. While collecting material for Swami Ji’s biography, he published a timely weekly called Arya Vijay.
Pt Lekh Ram was always available to the new generation for advice and guidance. ‘TEHRIR AND TAQREER’, THAT IS WRITING AND DELIVERING SERMONS MUST NEVER CEASE – that was his counselling to all Arya Samajists. Indeed writing new articles or books meant an intensive study of the subject and thus the preachers who deliver the sermon will be knowledgeable. It should be an ongoing process in this Arya Samaj movement so that the mission of Swami Dayanand Saraswati touches new heights day after day.
Pt Lekh Ram Ji used to do self study and also some writing whenever he got time off the work as a Vedic missionary. One late evening as he was busy writing, oil in the lamp was exhausted. Shops were closed. So he walked along the railway line to the Kothi of Mahatma Munshi Ram as enough light was available in his Dewankhana. Thus he achieved the intended target of writing for that evening. Man with a mission knew how to achieve the aim surmounting problems, both major and minor.
Pt Lekh Ram was the moving spirit behind the Arya Samaj, Peshawar, now in Pakistan. He collected funds to have an impressive building erected as the epicentre of the Ved prachar activities. The impressive Arya Samaj bhawan had a pride of place among religious institutions of Peshawar.
The city of Pathans, both Hindus and Muslims, had influenced the dress code of Pundit Lekh Ram. He would wear a tight pyjama, a shirt, a waist coat and a turban tied in the typical frontier style. While talking of dress code, I must make a mention of an incident in Jullundur. Pt Lekh Ram was staying with Mahatma Munshi Ram and the latter had started wearing a Dhoti by then as a pracharak. One day Pt Lekh Ram told him “Lalaji, you are an energetic man and a tireless worker of the Arya Samaj. It is a loose-fitting wear of the slovenly easterners and does not befit us”. Mahatma Munshi Ram just laughed it away. The writer of these lines is fond of tying a Dhoti as a pracharak, be it a visit to the Rashtrapati Bhawan, a travel to Tibet or addressing a gathering of cadets. My Indian dress earned me a new name, “Dhoti Wale Brigadier Saheb”. I am with Mahatma Munshi Ram on this point and not with Pundit lekh Ram. No disrespect meant to him; I revere him.
Pt Lekh Ram was always there where he was needed most. Whenever he heard that a Hindu or a group of Hindus were about to convert to Islam or Christianity, he would rush to that spot to convince them not to cross over. More often than not he was successful in his mission. It is said that once he was going on a similar mission to a mofussil town but entrained in an express train that did not stop there, so Punditji just leaped out of the train as it slowed a little at the platform. Although he was hurt but he reached his destination on time and his mission of retaining a group of Hindus in the family fold was a great success. The veracity of this story stands confirmed by independent sources of the time.
CLASH WITH QADIANIS
A major part of Pt Lekh Ram’s time and energy was spent in countering the Ahmedias and their Head, Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadiani, who were always out to attack the Hindus in general and the Arya Samajists in particular. In retrospect one may say that the Ahmedias who clashed with the Hindus on behalf of the Muslims, were not considered to be true Muslims. In Pakistan the Ahmediyas are listed as non-Muslims. What a shame for the Mirza, who deputed a man to assassinate Pt lekh Ram, to be called a non-Muslim. The Ahmedias are hounded out by Sunnis all over the place. And it was one of them who lived with Pt Lekh Ram and dined with him expressing a wish to be converted a Vedic Dharmi. The drama was staged by that wretched fellow for a few days and one night he surreptitiously plunged his long knife into his abdomen. Pt Lekh Ram became a martyr in the cause of the Vedic Dharm on 6 March1897 at a young age of 39 years. The Mirza unashamedly owned having plotted this heinous crime of murder in cold blood.
Lahore was shocked. The Hindus and Sikha mourned Pt Lekh Ram’s assassination in thousands. The Arya Samajists of all shades displayed a rare sense of unity at the cremation ground in Lahore. Lakshmi Devi Ji, the widow of Pt lekh Ram who had the bliss of marital life for just four years, took a pledge to continue working for the cause that her husband had died for. She donated the entire money of his life insurance to the cause of the Vedic Dharm. She made this sacrifice notwithstanding the advice of many well wishers like Mahatma Munshi Ram to save some money for a rainy day. She was so inspired by the martyrdom and Vedic ideals of her late husband that she wished to donate every paisa that she had and did so. Later, at one of the convocation ceremonies of the Gurukul Kangri, Haridwar , venerable Lakshmi Devi Ji donated all her gold and jewellery for the flagship of the Vedic Shiksha. Her sacrifice and the martyrdom of her husband bore fruits in various activities of the Arya Samaj and the Gurukul. Of the money donated by her, a Foundation for education of brilliant but poor students was established. We are proud to narrate that the first beneficiary of this munificence was a young boy from Saharanpur who was transformed into an illustrious Vedic scholar. The world knows him as Pt Budh Dev Ji Vedalankar, later known as Swami Samarpananand Ji.
Swami Shraddhanand Ji, among others, had paid glowing tribute to the martyred Pt Lekh Ram thus: He was a DHARMVIR AND A KARMVIR. Indeed a fearless fighter for the cause of the Vedic Dharm. He was a true believer in Param Pita Parmatma and the Lord loved him.
Pundit Lekh Ram is a torch bearer removing darkness for others. His martyrdom inspired other Aryas to follow into his footsteps. Swami Shraddhanand, Mahashay Rajpal and many others of the Hyderabad satyagrah attained martyrdom for the cause of the Vedic Dharm. Indeed they walked fearlessly on the path of martyrdom for the Vedic Dharm paved by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati himself.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, Noida – 201303. INDIA. Mobile : 0091-9811173590.
Email : upvanom@yahoo.com sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com
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Sunday, July 11, 2010

UNCONGENIAL CLIMATE SUITS UNSOCIALS

AUM
UNCONGENIAL CLIMATE SUITS UNSOCIALS
By Chitranjan Sawant
I heard of the uncongenial climate in the officers’ mess over a drink. It was named Open Officers Mess because wives, girl friends, an acquaintance for just one-night stand, or even one on Hi and Bye terms were permitted to come with an officer escort and enjoy privileges provided by the facility on payment. Quite a congenial climate that suited one and all. The facility was on the premises of a US Army establishment where officers and their spouses from many countries assembled to undergo some training or the other made available by the Department of Defence of the United States of America. The broad nomenclature was the Military Aid Programme under which America extended its influence globally. It worked well. Never mind if some aid receivers were the worst critics of policies of Uncle Sam.
VIETNAM WAR
The phrase uncongenial climate came up in the conversation every now and then when the Vietnam War was discussed. The war was in full swing. Notwithstanding its unpopularity with average Americans, the United States got sucked in more and more as the days passed. The arm-chair politicians clamoured and said “Bring the Boys Home” but the policy makers from the White House to the Pentagon to the Department of States did not know how to handle it. Airports handling MATS (Military Air Transport Service) flights bustled with activities as plane loads of officers and GIs flew out to land at the Saigon airport (now Ho Chi Minh City) in Vietnam. Wives and girl friends who came to see off the departing personnel painted their lips and cheeks red with lipstick wearing lips. After all, they were leaving from places of congenial climate to jungles and hills of uncongenial climate.
The service personnel drew uncongenial climate allowance that was increased from time to time. It was not the wild life, nor the snakes, nor the leeches nor the scorpions that bothered the servicemen so much as the Vietcong or the rebel guerrillas who popped up from nowhere and wreaked havoc on the US Army convoy. The US convoys also passed through hostile civil population areas who pelted stones on personnel and disappeared in lanes nearby. The unsocial elements who sided with the enemy made the climate most uncongenial.
Fragging was a by-product of a war that was as good as lost. Once the top generals and policy planners lose a war in their minds, the soldiers lose it on the ground in no time. All ranks become irritable by nature and sometimes simple arguments turn into violent fist-fights. The more of such incidents occur, the more chances of total defeat are there. These incidents reflect low morale leading to an abject surrender to an enemy that is ill armed but has high morale. No amount of uncongenial allowance will turn tables on the winning enemy. Fragging, that is soldiers killing fellow soldiers, especially own officers were in evidence in Vietnam. It was a result of crisis in command. There were too many top brass giving orders and too few junior ranks to implement orders in areas of uncongenial climate. It is surmised that the US Army lost the Vietnam War because it was killed by the weight of its own brass, read incompetent senior officers who knew not how to handle battle weary GIs. Thus fratricide became the order of the day. Americans lost the Vietnam War and the global climate continued to be uncongenial – that is now military history to be read by up and coming tacticians and strategists all over the world.
HOME COMING WAS SWEET
On fulfilment of my mission I returned home in India from the Continental United States. Home sweet Home is not just a cliché. It is indeed soul -touching. I experienced it. What, however, bothered me was the uncongenial climate in different parts of our lovely Bharat. Many a pessimist made matters worse by speculating that the Republic of India was perhaps breaking up because of lack of decisive leadership. Our so-called leaders at the centre were too weak-kneed to withstand the international pressure in the form of Taliban terrorism, Maoist-Naxals, and restive Kashmiri Muslims prodded by Pakistan. The spate of fake currency pumped in by Pakistan to destabilise India made the climate more uncongenial.
Home-coming that was initially sweet was gradually turning into bitter-bite. Let us take stock of situation in our Kashmir first. Once what Firdaus, the renowned Persian poet had written about the Iranian city, Isfahan and the Moghul Emperors had it engraved in their famous garden in Srinagar, Kashmir. It says “O Firdaus, if there is a Heaven on Earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.”Unfortunately, the golden climate of Kashmir has turned into uncongenial climate of Kashmir. The street urchins turned into stone-pelting mobs have made the city unliveable. The unsocial elements have put a fear psychosis into minds of tourists who now shun Kashmir. The political leaders at the State level and also at the Central government level bungled time and again. Trillions of US dollars equivalent Indian rupees poured into the Kashmir valley went into the pockets of a few families. The common man was led astray by Maulvis and Mullahs in the pay of Pakistan and, therefore, preached sedition. Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir sat with the anti-India crowd who burnt the national flag and separatist Huriyat leaders connived with the Islamist forces in driving out the Hindus from Kashmir valley to Jammu, Delhi and other places forcing them to live a life of refugees in their own country.
STONE PELTING SPECIALISTS
The telephone intercepts of separatist Kashmiri leaders on the pay-roll of Pakistan, were made available to the Media. It clearly shows that they not only organise stone-pelting youth but also pay them as per their performance. There are stone-pelting specialists who charge more money from the Pakistani agents for fomenting trouble in the valley. It is horrendous but true that these separatist leaders also stage-manage killing of commoners by the security forces to foment trouble. Even when village women die of natural causes, the Huriyat leaders make the death as resultant from rape and torture by the security forces. Riots were stage-managed by the pro-Pakistan elements and the cause was shown as rape of Kashmiri women by the security forces. When the doctors said that there was no evidence of rape, the rabble rousers changed it to attempted rape. Even the moderate leaders among separatists knew that the charges were trumped up. However, in the interest of Pakistan Kashmiri separatists let the attempted rape charge continue to agitate minds of masses. Thus it is crystal clear that Pakistan promotes dirty tricks and violence in Kashmir to destabilise India.
NAXALS NOT HOME GROWN
Any political outfit claiming to be India-based would not target passenger trains to kill innocent passengers for no fault of theirs. The police constables being killed in ambush laid by Naxals are poor people. And Naxals profess to protect poor people.
The Naxalite movement has bases in forests, villages and among poor and exploited tribal people. It is partly negligence of governments at various levels to ignore such a massive problem for such a long time. Moreover, there is no coordination between the Central government and the State governments. Thus there is no strategy to tackle the Naxalite problem and the situation is going from bad to worse. The Prime Minister acknowledges Naxalite violence as the biggest threat to the Internal Security but just stops there. No tangible major step has been taken to punish the law breakers and simultaneously wean away the exploited men and women from the violent core group.
NATION ABOVE ALL
All political parties and all governments must put the Nation Above All. If the Government of India fails to hang a criminal sentenced to death by the Supreme Court because the political party in power erroneously jettisons national interest for petty politics of vote bank, take it from me the country is doomed. With a view to saving the sinking ship of the State, all concerned must have only one aim to achieve – Making our country strong and people prosperous. So say NATION ABOVE ALL.
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Email : upvanom@yahoo.com sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com

Friday, May 21, 2010

CHINESE TEACHERS IN AMERICA

AUM
CHINESE TEACHERS GET CULTURAL SHOCKS IN AMERICA
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Zhong Yue, a 27 year old Chinese teacher enters her classroom in a school in Lawton, Oklahoma, USA to teach the American students Chinese language. Some students are chewing gum, others are just in a relaxing mode; half sitting and half lying in their seats. No one gets up to honour the teacher. Zhong Yue is shocked at this behaviour of her students.
The student advisor explained to her later that it is considered normal behaviour in that part of the world. The Chinese teacher found it in contrast to the student behaviour back home in China. There the moment students see a teacher enter a classroom, they jump to attention. Not doing so in America did not mean showing any disrespect to a teacher by the students, the headmaster explained later.
TEACHING – LEARNING PROCESS
Zhong Yue found her American students intelligent and quick on the uptake. They were keen on learning the new language, especially the script comprising characters that represented ideas. There are no alphabets in Chinese script unlike English. The American students found the script and the tonal spoken language rather difficult to learn. But the patience and perseverance of the Chinese teacher and the desire of students to learn a new language worked like a spoonful of sugar that makes the bitter medicine go down in a delightful way. Their combined efforts produced results and in the periodical tests no one submitted a blank answer sheet. Three cheers to the teacher and the taught, so said the academic head of the secondary wing of languages.
The class was going on smoothly day after day and week after week. There was a storm in the tea cup of the oriental teacher. As she was writing the Chinese characters on the black board, there was a minor commotion in the class. A teenage student entered with a new born baby in her lap and showed her to the class with a sense of pride. Students welcomed the new arrival in the lap of an unwed teenage mother and celebrated with a loud clapping. Our Zhong Yue was in for a bigger cultural shock. How could this happen, she mused. In China it is just unthinkable. The social set up would never allow it, she surmised. America is America and China is China, so she figured. Rudyard Kipling the imperialistic English poet had written more than a century ago “East is East, West is West; the Twain shall never meet.”The young Chinese teacher, still a spinster, consoled herself that her job is teaching the Chinese language to Americans and not to meddle with their social system.
Zhong Yue was not alone in receiving cultural shocks in America. Other Chinese teachers spread out over the length and breadth of the United States were in for similar cultural shocks. Wiser counsels prevailed and they continued with their assignments taking new life in a philosophical way. Confucius, Buddha and Tao came to their help and rescued them.
Both the Chinese and American governments are keen that the Chinese language, now called the PĂștung Hua or the common man’s language, be taught to the American students all over the country. This will be helpful in the ever growing volume of trade and commerce between the two countries. To achieve the aim, as many as 325 native Chinese teachers from mainland China have been seconded to various secondary schools in America. The Chinese government pays its teachers US dollars 13,000 each whereas the US government pays US dollars 500 each plus free furnished accommodation and transport facility where required. On an exchange programme the United States has deployed as many as 2000 educational administrators in China to advise the local administration on nuances of modern management.
CHINESE RELISH AMERICAN BURGER
By and by the Chinese teachers are taking to American burger like fish takes to water. It does not mean that they have forgotten the taste of noodles. No, not at all. The Chinese food in America called Chop Suey has noodles as the base on which a garnishing of pork is relished. By the way, both the American people and the Chinese people love to eat pork. This may be one of the reasons why the Islamic world is not comfortable in their company except when their cash comes handy. Pork takes a back seat in the Middle-East psyche then.
The Chinese teachers enjoy working five days a week and join the faculty for fun in the weekends. This gives them an opportunity to sharpen their knowledge of English and master the American accent too. In an informal exchange of ideas with their counterparts, the Chinese teachers informally register their abhorrence of the American student lifestyle. Drinking and dating and a freedom to have sex is beyond the imagination of the guest Chinese teachers.
The Chinese educationists are of the opinion that the student community should have only one thing uppermost in their minds and it is STUDY. Nothing in life should be permitted to detract a student from achieving his or her primary aim. Smoking, drinking, dating and indulging in teenage pre-marital sex make students deviate from their chosen path. So, it would be advisable to shun such mundane pleasures that pave the way to hell. When confronted with the age-old saying “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, the retort was that all play and no work makes Jack a worthless boy. After a free and frank exchange of views a middle road was found. A little of fun thrown into a busy academic schedule will not lead the students astray. Of course, sports will provide a healthy outlet and that must be encouraged at all levels.”A healthy mind in a healthy body” is the panacea of all ills at this impressionable age.
The teaching of the PĂștung Hua is going on at its normal pace and a promise of positive results is on the academic horizon.

Monday, May 10, 2010

DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENT OF CHINESE NAVY

Dramatic development of Chinese Navy

Just 50 years ago China was a developing nation. Now China is challenging America economically and may be even militarily.

CJ: Chitranjan Sawant Sat, Apr 24, 2010 17:13:21 IST
Views: 1797 Comments: 2Rate: 4.27 / 11 votes
ONCE UPON a time the British educators taught every school-going child “Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves; Britons were never slaves” and we all held the British rulers in India in awe. The military scenario of the world, however, underwent a sea change after the Second World War.

The Sun set on the British Empire as had never happened before in the previous centuries. The United States of America became the dominant sea power and its warships patrolled the Pacific unhindered. The yellow race of China held the whites of America in awe. China was embroiled in its own civil war and the People’s Liberation Army that emerged victorious under the leadership of Chairman Mao Dzdong was basically a land force.

GLOBAL IMPACT OF CHINA

A short statured man named Deng Hsiao-ping who had been sidelined by the giant among men, Mao Dzdong finally emerged from the wings and occupied the centre stage. He changed the economic map of China by his pragmatic philosophy of life, society and economy. He was a middle roader in political philosophy and did not toe the political line of Marx or Mao’s Thought.

He advocated the theory that a cat is a cat as long as it catches mice and how does it matter if it is black and white. Thus the Chinese people got their own version of communism where owning a house or an automobile was not a taboo. Private farming and individual owned factories brought wealth to the individual owners and boosted the national economy beyond recognition. The general rule is that whatever goes up is bound to come down. The Chinese economy was an exception. The ten per cent growth made the world sit up and take stock of the situation.

Napoleon and his saying were recalled all over Europe. He had predicted : China is a sleeping giant. When it wakes up the world will be sorry , or said words to that effect.

The booming economy made China take stock of the global military situation. Again Mao’s maxim was recalled “Power comes out of the barrel of a gun. It is the party that controls the gun”. So the Chinese bought big guns from wherever they could. They manufactured big guns too.

China made more Kalashnikovs than what the inventor in Russia could have ever imagined. Modern fighter jets and war vessels were either bought off the shelf or manufactured in China. The soldiers, sailors, airmen and arms factory workers were encouraged by citing the example of the Chinese forebears who made the Great China Wall, the only man-made object seen from outer space. Mobilisation of Man power is an art and the Chinese leaders, both civil and military, are consummate artists.


The PLA had a good land army and its modernisation was undertaken. The PLA Air Force was given fast and hard hitting fighter jets and the pilots were trained meticulously. The PLA Navy was the Achilles heel and the traditional weakness had to be rectified. Once a dowager Empress withdrew a huge sum from her own treasury to build a strong navy to fight against the oppressive British intruders but built a ship like palace in a big lake where she spent her summers playing Ma-jong.

The rag-tag Chinese Navy was no match to the professional British Navy and there are no prizes for announcing the result of the naval engagements. Now the Chinese leadership is determined not to let history repeat itself.

NEW MINDSET

The Chinese nation was encouraged to have a new mindset-Rule China, China rule the waves. The youth was given incentive to join the Navy and see the world. So world class war ships were purchased to keep the Red Star flagfly on the high seas. Naturally the initial stage saw a coast-hugging Navy but no one was disheartened.

Efforts, patience and perseverance paid rich dividends. The booming Chinese economy did not let the policy planners fall short of cash to buy the latest armaments. The site was fixed on the underwater warfare to scare the potential enemy away from the Chinese territorial waters. With the growth of a coast-hugging Navy into a blue water Navy going into deep oceans, the Chinese admirals developed self-confidence. They ventured up to the Middle-East with the purpose of defending their economic interests and merchant ships laden with the Chinese goods.

FAR SEA DEFENCE

Leaving the South China Sea and venturing in to the Pacific Ocean required new strategy. The new name of the game was FAR SEA DEFENCE. After all China was in the process of emerging as a world economic power. Its goods were marketed all over the world. The merchant ships had to be protected by the Chinese Navy across the Malacca Straits right up to the Gulf of Aden.

An extended Economic Zone in the Pacific Ocean brought China and the United States of America face to face on high seas where situation could develop into an explosive one and anything could happen. China let it be known to the world that it would brook no interference by another sea power in the South China Sea, come what may.

The most concerned nation following the development of the Chinese Navy is America. It is not alarmed, though. Nevertheless, the American admirals commanding fleets of the US Navy have taken note of the dramatic development of the Chinese Navy.

The Americans had been maintaining their superiority so far all over the high seas and oceans and they had no plans to play a second fiddle. Admiral Robert Willard, leader of the US Pacific Command testified before the Congressional Committee on Defence and said “the recent Chinese Navy developments are pretty dramatic”.

The higher echelons of command have let it be known to the world that the Chinese Navy intends to display an aircraft carrier group in not too distant future. The authorities in Beijing have made enquiries in Moscow about buying Navy fighter jets for it proposed aircraft carrier. By the way, the Chinese Navy does not have even one at present whereas the US Navy has 13 of them.

SUBMARINE FLEET


The Chinese modernisation plan of its Navy and building a sophisticated submarine fleet will curb the freedom of action of the US Navy in the Pacific Ocean. The Yalong Bay in the South of the Hainan boasts of an underground submarine base. The Chinese Navy is proud of it and looks upon its submarine fleet as the Defender of the Nation as well as the dissipater of the enemy fleet.

It is understood that the Chinese Navy has 60 plus submarines poised to aim, shoot and kill a man of war of an enemy country. Generally speaking, the military strategists were of the opinion that China was 20 years behind America in armaments, guns, fighter jets and war ships. However, it is the considered opinion of the up-to-date strategists and planners that China is fast catching up. The warning bell has already rung and it is for the US Navy to take note of the growing prowess of the Chinese Navy.

Taking stock of the battle ships of the two powers who are likely to be adversaries in future, one finds that America has 286 of them whereas China has 260 vessels of which 75 are most modern. One should not forget the strength of a nation’s war fleet is built around an aircraft carrier group where America rules the roost but China draws a blank. America has 3700 naval aircraft but China is still looking around to buy some.

Let us take a look at the budgeted military spending of the two countries. The Chinese military budget for 2010 is 78 billion dollars of which a little over one-third would be earmarked for the Navy, now a privileged service. The expenditure may go up to105 to 110 billion dollars. On the other hand the military budget of USA is 548.9 billion dollars. America indeed is far ahead. The quality of its weapon system is much superior to the Chinese armaments.

USA provides a defence umbrella to many countries of South Asia and South-East Asia. They are a little scared of the growing strength of the Chinese Navy. There is an urge to America by the free Asian nations to maintain its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and keep the war vessels flying the Red Star flags under surveillance and military check.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Introducing my book RAMBLING ROSES

Introducing
RAMBLING ROSES
Should you have an ardent desire to People around you and their philosophy of life, you may please get hold of a book entitled RAMBLING ROSES. The essays and articles that the book contains are as varied and widespread as the Rambling Roses. On going through the book’s intellectual bill of fare, the reader will be a happier human being.
Rambling Roses will take the reader out on a walking tour; physical, mental and spiritual. Going through the pages of the book, a reader meets devout Vedic Pundits like Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati and gets acquainted with his life, time and ideas. His magnum opus, Satyarth Prakash or The Light of Truth is introduced to a reader of this book in a delightful way. Having met the world famous Sanyasi – Reformer who had never crossed the shores of Bharat, a reader is pleasantly surprised to meet Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany and the most powerful woman to walk on planet Earth today.
Back to Vedas and back to Saurashtra of today. Gandhidham is the name of the place and Jeevan Prabhat is the name of the venture of Arya Samaj to save tiny-tots and adolescents orphaned in the earthquake a decade ago. Self reliant and exuding self confidence are the boys and girls whose personalities have been shaped and moulded by men and women who know how to develop human resource. A reader is soon face to face with the eminent martyrs of the Arya world who died so that the future generations live a life of dignity and always hold their heads high.
Are you interested in Pranayam? Read an account of the interview given by Swami Ram Dev Ji to the author of Rambling Roses, Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM for the Aastha channel. Swami Ji also introduced his new high hobby horse, Bharat Swabhiman through which he hopes to ennoble politicians and make Bharat Mahan in true sense of the word.
Let patriotism flow in our veins with blood and the new generation of our countrymen catch this great phenomenon by singing in unison our national song, Vande Mataram. The chapter devoted to Vande Mataram inspires young and old alike and the song is accepted as a gospel truth with the sanctity of a Ved mantra. The family is the basic unit where values of life are inculcated and imbibed. So, nubile boys and girls must get married and remain married so that they procreate; look after the progeny and carry forward the Vedic Dharm.
China may be an enigma; Husain may be dishonouring the Hindu deities by disrobing them through his notorious brush but do not let your spirit sag. If it happens, there is a piece of advice tendered to lift the Spirit through Yajnas and chanting of Ved mantras.
Islamist terrorism has been dealt with too. The author deals with the neighbouring countries as they affect our life style. A topic may appear to be of passing interest initially but turns out to be of perennial interest eventually. The events that shape and chisel our personalities have not been ignored.
That’s the way it is in the RAMBLING ROSES.

Monday, April 5, 2010

ENEMY OF HUMANITY

ENEMY OF HUMANITY
By Chitranjan Sawant
When we heard of two suicidal bomb blasts on the Moscow metro, our hearts went out to the families that had lost their loved ones. Some Indians who had lost their bread winners in the Islamist terror attacks in Mumbai, India on 26/11 knew how lives of the bereaved would stall for now..Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, USA said that the terrorist was our common enemy. She says that no alibi will be able to justify committing such heinous crimes against the humanity as was done by the Chechen Islamist terrorists. The Caucasus Black Widow organisation took part in perpetrating these acts of terror. The Black Widows comprise wives of those men who were killed by the Russian security agencies sometime or the other in an effort to root out Islamist terrorism from the soil of Russia. On the death of their husbands at the hands of the security forces, the widows vowed to continue the acts of terror against the State and its agencies, including innocent civilians. A few members of the Black Widow terrorist outfit are just teenagers and have yet to taste the rosier side of life. They are, however, possessed by a sinister desire for revenge.
PECULIAR PROBLEM
SOME ANALYSTS SAID THAT THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION FACED PECULIAR PROBLEMS OF THE ISLAMIST TERRORISM. THE MUSLIM STATES OF CAUCASUS LIKE INGUSHETIA, DAGESTAN AND CHECHENIA were and are very much a part of the Russian Federation and have also been centrally funded from Moscow. The analysts found it rather strange that the State was funding some Muslim educational institutions and the latter were indirectly funding the Muslim terrorists. Since a situation like this does not exist in the UK or the USA, the Russian rule known as the toughest and most discipline promoting could not put the Islamist terrorist on leash - it sounded so strange. Of course, since the time President Putin and later Prime Minister Putin assumed power, acts of terrorism had shown a marked decline. But 2010 has seen a resurgence of Islamist terrorism and the scene is rather disquieting. When the apartment buildings in Moscow and two other Metropolitan cities were under terrorist attack and the siege of the Beslan School had shaken the young and old alike, strict handling of the situation and new strategy to let Muslim executives of the states in Caucasus handle terror, had indeed shown remarkable results.
However, a passing phase of a relaxation in security handling saw the twin blasts on the Moscow metro, one in Dagestan and now a blowing of rail track in a remote region. No wonder, Prime Minister Putin has vowed to scrap the terrorists from the deep sewage and punish them. His strong arm method may show immediate results but for a long-time peace, economic and administrative measures will have to be taken as spelt out by the President of Russia, himself a protege of Putin.
INDIA SUFFERING TOO
Russia is not alone in facing a difficult situation of Islamist terror that some claim is funded by the Russian government indirectly. The central government of Russia is responsible for running the government schools in the Muslim minority areas wherein secular education is imparted. It is, however, feared that a part of the money meant for education is quietly siphoned off to the Islamist terrorists by the lower level officials in the Muslim states because the officials are deeply sympathetic to the Islamist movement for independence of Muslim areas and terror is just an extension of the policy of liberation from the Russian domination. An analyst will safely surmise that in this respect India and Russia are sailing in the same boat.
The state of Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim dominated area. It was ruled by a Hindu Maharajah before independence of India. All rulers were given the prerogative by the British paramount power to either join India or Pakistan or remain independent. Shree Maharajah Sir Hari Singh Ji willy-nilly chose to accede to India and signed the instrument of accession. Legally speaking, it was final and irrevocable. Nonetheless, pt Jawaharlal Nehru, under the advice of the then Governor General, Lord Luis Mountbatten said that in due course of time there would be a referendum to ascertain the will of the people on the issue of joining India or Pakistan. This was a Himalayan blunder committed by the most impractical politician divorced from pragmatism. India suffered as Mullahs preached Hate Hindu theory in mosques every Friday and in madarsas daily. The money of Indian tax payers, predominantly Hindus, was sent to J&K for development ostensibly but was pocketed by a few families, not excluding pro-Pakistanis. The terrorists had their share of the Indian money through extortion. Thus like in Russia, in India too the government funded terrorism through an indirect route. How unfortunate!
NEW LORDS NEW LAWS
Plebiscite was a dead word in due course of time. There were free and fair elections in J&K many times. However, no government was serious in checking, what to say of rooting out, Islamist terrorism from the state. The Hindu minority was unceremoniously bundled out of the valley of Kashmir. Hindus of Kashmir became refugees in their own land. Successive governments in New Delhi played the Muslim appeasement card to get their votes en block. Some right wing Hindu nationalists also formed the government at the centre but there was no qualitative change in the state of Islamist terror in J&K. Muslim pilgrims proceeding on Hajj continued receiving the Hindu tax payers money as subsidy, never mind who was in power in New Delhi. Appeasing the minorities, irrespective of their loyalty to friend or foe, was the order of the day. Flying the flag of Muslim minorities became quite fashionable among journalists of the English press in India. With the result, the Islamist terrorists in various shapes and sizes got an unexpected boost. Our country, India that is Bharat suffered most. The political, economic and military situation remains unchanged in the second decade of the 21st century.
Terrorism in India has many forms. The one prospering now in the rural Bihar, Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh is called Naxalism. It is an offshoot of Maoism. The Nepal Maoists, who have tasted blood and power, encourage armed conflicts all over India, especially in the corridor just mentioned above. The central government of India acknowledges the potential danger of Naxalism to the unity of India and yet the centre and states play ping-pong on the issue of fighting against the Naxals. The central police jawans are dying in surprise sweeps of Naxals day in and day out. I do know that efforts are being made to tackle the serious problem. But it is too little and too late. Every Home Minister wants to raise a new police force or put his new strategy into experimental use. Never mind if the poor police jawan becomes the cannon fodder.
WIN OVER THE ENEMY
I do not and shall not subscribe to the view that if you cannot fight against the enemy, join the enemy. No Never. Nevertheless, we can win over the enemy to our side, to our philosophy of life. Remember the great wizard of Statecraft, Acharya Chanakya, also known as Kautilya because of his policies that were Kutil or wily and hence he was called KAUTILYA. He even employed VISH KANYAS TO ELIMINATE ENEMIES OF THE State. The terrorists, howsoever indoctrinated they may be, can be bought by the State. It is said that every individual has his price, Just Pay and win him or her over to your side.
All said and done, all our men and women must be given lessons in patriotism. They should love Bharat much more than their own loved ones. The litmus test can be done in field alone in the face of the terrorist, our biggest enemy. If an Indian, whatever his vocation may be, passes the test of Patriotism, he need pass no other test in this life.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29 NOIDA – 201303 INDIA. Mobile 0091-9811173590.
Email – upvanom@yahoo.com or sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Spy agents Balance war & PEACE


GET MARRIED REMAIN MARRIED

AUM
TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH
Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Yudhishthir,the Pandava prince was the only one who could not memorize the lesson,
“Satyam Vada, Dharamam Char”, tell the truth and act righteously. He pleaded that there was no point in learning by rote unless one acted on the teachings. How right was he. In the present day world, one may say that the TRUTH is the first casualty both in war and peace. What do we do? Should we abandon the age-old principle of Dharma, take to untruth, make money and enjoy life as per the principle of Charwaak. Live life kingsize even if you go into debt, care not for the principle of Karma and karmphal because the body will be consigned to flames on death and who knows if there is a rebirth. He found followers because he advocated the Preya marg, alife of pleasure now; never mind the pain later.
Living-in is a symptom of the pain inflicted on the society by the Preya marg today. A young man and a young woman share an apartment, share a bed and all that goes with it without getting married. Begetting a child is out of the question. Too much of a bother in bringing up a child. Just have fun and forget the rest. After me the deluge, so says the shirker. Of course, changing partners or having same sex partners is not a taboo to them. Is it a healthy practice? Will it give health and happiness? Who cares. The guardians of the society have to care, though. Otherwise there will be no difference in the lifestyle of humans and animals. Humans contract venereal diseases unlike animals. Humans get depression but animals don’t. A life breeding promiscuity promotes dreaded diseases like AIDS. Indeed, the Epicurean philosophy of life will endanger the human life itself. Where do we go from here?
Get married and remain married – that is the answer. A misogamist may howl and balk at the suggestion of marriage but an average human being will definitely find solace and comfort in the institution of marriage. In a civilised society no husband will live in fear of his pretty wife being snatched away by a muscleman. The institution of law and administration of justice will come to his rescue in an emergent situation. Barring an exception here or there, the institution of marriage gives peace of mind to members of the family in particular and the society in general. Of course, leaders of the society should be constantly on the look out for mischief mongers and make marriage an acceptable solution to the doubting Thomases.
Swami Dayanand Saraswati, a great religious and social reformer of the 19th century India writes a chapter on marriage and the Grihastha ashram in his treatise,Satyarth Prakash. With all the emphasis at his command he exhorts young men and women to get married and beget children for self and society. Living in for sexual pleasure and changing partners in bed invariably leads to mental, physical and sexual diseases that cause untold sufferings. The social order may ,in the process, get destroyed. How true the assessment was. Aren’t many communities in Africa being obliterated by the dreaded AIDS ? Many a time the dead outnumber the living and no healthy human being is available to perform the last rites and the burial. Let the humanity wake up to this naked truth, sit up and mend its ways of sexual behaviour.
Swaymvara, wherethe girl chooses her husband-to-be, is rated high as a Vedic Vivah. Non-interference by parents or elders of the community has the social sanction. In today’s world, boys and girls of cities make their own decisions on the choice of partners but the rural areas have yet to see light of the day. Perhaps the more people are educated the more of them may exercise the right to choose life partners. A happy married life will indeed minimise the number of broken homes, spread of sexual diseases and violence by juveniles of broken homes. Broken homes related problems need to be addressed to as soon as possible lest the present social order crumbles. A happy and healthy married life may provide answers to myriad problems listed heretofore.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA-201303. Mobile : 9811173590

Saturday, February 13, 2010

NATO INCHING TOWARDS VICTORY IN AFGHANISTAN

AUM
The NATO forces have launched a massive offensive this morning on the Taliban who were cosying in Helmand province of Afghanistan.
The defeat of the Taliban is on the card.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

ENJOY SEX IN MIDDLE AGE

AUM.
LAND OF LIBIDO
By Chitranjan Sawant
Losing interest in sex is not uncommon among the middle aged men and women. And yet healthy couples are concerned that they are losing interest in sex. Sex has been so much around human beings right from childhood, through adolescence to youth and manhood or womanhood that a healthy human being does not want to lose it. Loss of interest in sex by either partner at a time when one should be sexually active is mourned like the loss of a loved one. Sex indeed is more than a loved one. It is an inseparable part of your body, mind and soul.
SEXUAL BIRTH
An inquisitive child of five asked his father how he was born. The father did not wish to initiate him into niceties of sex so early and took recourse to the traditional "stork brought you home" story. The child persisted and asked about the mode of birth of his father and grandfather and on hearing a repeat of the stork story quipped "Father, dear father! do you mean to say that there has been no sexual birth in this family for three generations?". The child knew all about what the birds and bees do and just wished to have a confirmation from his father. He was so fond of his parents that he would slip into their bed unannounced at midnight and at times cause disruption while a sexual act was just developing.
Indeed kids do intrude into parental domain and cause a minor disruption in the land of the libido. So, children should be given an opportunity to tire themselves physically and mentally at play so that they have a sound sleep the moment they hit their own beds and do not make forays into parental bedroom. This freedom from intrusion into bedroom will help the middle-aged couple develop desire in the land of the libido and finally have full satisfaction in sex in own bed.
Right from day one when marriage is consummated to the time when menopause sets in, women experience that elusive bliss called Orgasm lesser number of times than is desirable. The male partner does ejaculate every time he copulates but it may be or may not be Orgasm. For him an ejaculation after sex is more like a sleeping pill than what his female partner wishes it to be. Possibly this is one of the reasons that the female partner is not ever ready to have sex when there is nothing else to do. The female, more often than not, takes it as an exercise in futility while the male partner uses it as a sleeping pill. Thus the couple is bereft of bliss of sex and the land of the libido gradually turns into a desert.
CHANGE THE STYLE
One lives and learns. Not experiencing Orgasm over a long period may give rise to Depression in life and may cause a total lack of interest in life itself. There cannot be two opinions that this is a dangerous development. It must be nipped in the bud.
It is the same husband, it is the same wife, it is the same bedroom and it is the same bed and the timing of copulation is just about the same. It is like that day in and day out. Repetitive actions induce monotony and sleep. Monotony is a declared enemy of generating active interest in life.If there is no interest in the proceedings of the day or night, how can there be an active interest in sexual intercourse? It will just be a drab and monotonous activity that the couple is going through just for the heck of it. They have sex because they have nothing better to do. Indeed this kind of life in bed will soon be as dry as dust. The sexual act has to be juicy physically and mentally. The sexual organs should secrete, the body should encourage the relevant parts involved in sex to secrete juices and the mind should enjoy it. This juicy experience will keep monotony at bay. This experience can be had if the couple changes the style but not the spouse.
It has been mentioned that repetitive action is to be avoided. Likewise, repetitive conversation should also be avoided. In any case, while having sex with wife, a husband must not narrate with interest his sexual experiences with other women in the past. This kind of talk is the greatest killer of sexual desire in the female partner presently in bed and must be banished from the land of the libido.No man and no woman wishes that another lover's sexual escapades be mentioned while the present lovers are making an endeavour to reach the climax in sex.
A good exercise in the evening followed by a hot water bath and a light but nutritive dinner a couple of hours before retiring to bed indeed help in putting the couple in the right mood to coupulate. To derive the maximum pleasure from sex, the stomach should neither be full nor empty. Just enough food in the digestive system to keep the blood sugar at the right level so that interest in activity is not only generated but also kept alive and active to reach the point of climax eventually.
SEX FOR PROCREATION
The Vedic injunction is for both husband and wife to have a good sexual intercourse with the pious intention of promoting procreation , that is giving birth to a son or a daughter. If one has the means to feed, clothe and educate more than two or three children, the Vedic Dharm puts no restriction on the number. It is up to parents to decide on the number of children they wish to have. The husband and wife continue loving each other for longer duration if they spend more time together chatting, comparing notes and planning future of progeny. More time together also arouses sexual interest in each other and encourages them to have sex. Thus they know the way to love both in bed and out of bed and do not have to consult a doctor or a sexologist. Life proceeds forward amicably and sex continues to be the cementing factor. Land of Libido will ever be fertile and green and there will never be a danger of it turning into a desert.
UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA -201303 INDIA. Mobile – 0091-9811173590.
Email : upvanom@yahoo.com

WINDFALL FOR PAKISTAN

AUM.WINDFALL FOR PAKISTANBy Chitranjan Sawant.When the tiger walks away after feeding on the kill, jackals walk in for a feast on the carcas. Having shown the Islamist terrorists their place in battle, the NATO forces, mainly the American forces,may walk away from the scene of action. It is Pakistan that will creep in and fill the vacuum. Pakistan will not rule Afghanistan directly. They will put in place a proxy rule through the Islamist terrorist group but will always call the shots on policy and strategic matters.FINAL DECISION AWAITEDPresident Obama had indicated that he was acceding to the request of US General in the Field for a surge but there is more to his policy than this surge. It will be Surge, Dominate and Quit.There have been afterthoughts too, especially on the issue of Quitting Afghanistan. The US Generals in the field are not in favour of quitting yet. The Afghan National Army being trained by the US Army is not yet fully prepared to take over the onerous duties in battle field. They need to go on serious and difficult battle missions along with the NATO forces and taste enemy blood. The Afghans may be good fighters but they have to undergo the Battle Innoculation Test when live bullets are being fired by both the enemy and own troops with the intention to kill. It is not a friendly fire but a real fire-fight where the bullet knows who to hit, when to pierce and what part of the body to bleed. It may be bleeding to death.Once the Afghan National Army is prepared to take over the Security duty of the country, the NATO will be too happy to go home.Pakistan may seem to be a fence sitter as of now but in teality they are an active player on the centre stage. It is in the national interest of Pakistan that the NATO forces leave Afghanistan and Pakistan fill the vacuum thus created. They had done so when the Soviet army had left Afghanistan after facing an ignoble military situation. Americans know that Pakistan has not been a faithful friend. They are worshippers of the rising sun and just don't care for the setting sun. Ostensibly Pakistan would pose to be a bosom friend of America's and a faithful ally through thick and thin. Pakistan is a wolf in a lamb's clothing and would pounce upon anyone and make a kill if it suits its interests. Not only this, Pakistan will keep on professing friendship with the United States and the Taliban simultaneously. Pakistan knows and has practised many a time how to run with the hare and hunt with the hound at the same time.American students of history will guide their policy makers that after the Soviet Army quit Afghanistan and left its Afghan friends in the wilderness, the Islamist forces tortured them , maimed them and eventually killed them. let history not repeat itself. Should it happen again, the new generation Afghans will never trust Americans and Europeans , come what may.Pakistan should not be allowed to play a mediatory role as and when Peace would be negotiated between the Afghan National Army and the civil administration and the good Taliban backed by Pakistan. The NATO would be in no position to advise or intervene effectively. They may be at the negotiating table as a toothless tiger in a man-made jungle. If the Americans visualise that situation, they would not like to quit Afghanistan unless their staunch Afghan ally and the Afghan National Army are strong enough to cut Islamist terrorists to size.Be that as it may, the time is not ripe for the NATO to quit for another 3 to 5 years. Another assessment may be made then and a sound decision made as per circumstances prevailing at that point of time.Email: upvanom@yahoo.com

Sunday, January 31, 2010

KNOW THE NEIGHBOUR

AUM.
CHINA AN ENIGMA
By Chitranjan Sawant
Do you know China? Do I know China? It is kind of hard to answer the question.One may have read the history and geography of China but that knowledge is bookish.The real knowledge about the land and the people comes from visiting the land and interacting with the people.There are not many men and women on planet Earth who can claim this privilege.
UPS AND DOWNS
China has had meteoric rise in the last few decades of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century. China is an economic super power and dictates terms to Europe and America.In the late 19th and early 20th centuries China was down in the dumps both economically and militarily. The political corruption of rulers in Beijing had led the country on the down hill road.As many as eight powers of the world, seven European powers and one Asian power, Imperial Japan, had ridden roughshod over Imperial China and divided her into economic zones where each of the eight ruled the roost. Politically speaking, some Chinese territory was conquered by or ceded to these arrogant powers. Hong Kong became British to its finger tips.It was not until 1997 that Hong Kong reverted to the lap of the motherland, China. By then China was a Communist country and was on road to becoming a world power in her own rights. The British could not have continued their sway and suzerainty over the island even if they wished to. Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and future King of the United Kingdom personally went to Hong Kong to preside over the transfer ceremony and see the Red Star of China replace the Union Jack of the British. The writing was on the wall and the British were quick to read and react.
Privately the Chinese strategists recalled with glee that it was the British Governor of Hong Kong who opened the case of the transfer of the island to the motherland; otherwise the Chinese were in no hurry to lose their sleep over it. An enigmatic statement indeed.
HOW'S THE WEATHER
When you say "Good morning", the Chinese gentleman is in no hurry to declare it a good morning too. The Chinese gentleman will look at the sky, look at the man breaking ice in conversation and assess the situation before returning the complimentary greetings. This is the characteristic of the entire Chinese nation.A thorough assessment of the situation and the environment must be done before speaking a word. The speech must follow thinking. Deliberation accompanied by a debate may lead to a conclusion and ultimate communication. It will thus be seen that deliberation precedes communication and it is a basic Chinese characteristic from time immemorial. The foreigners feel that the Chinese government delays action or communication to the European powers and Americans. The Chinese people on their part are extra cautious in dealing with the foreigners. Once bitten Twice Shy - an ancient adage is followed by the Chinese people in letter and spirit.
FOREIGN DEVIL
YANG QUEIDZ -this Chinese phrase meaning Foreign Devil is used for all whites visiting China. What to say of the Emperor of China, even the common court officials and ordinary man in the street did not trust the foreigners and refused to have any social interaction with them. In an official interaction, a few words, if any, were spoken. Even ambassadors extra-ordinary and plenipotentiary were dismissed from the Imperial court after an audience in as short a period as was possible. Suffice it to say that the historical mistrust that the Chinese government and people have for western powers persists.
The present hardline statement or the harsh tone of political reaction of Beijing on the proposed sale of sophisticated military hardware by America to Taiwan should be read in the historical backdrop.
PRESENT SCENARIO
The revolt like situation in Sinkiang in western China or in Tibet has made the Beijing officials a bit nervous. Consequently they have become hard liners in diplomacy and forsaken elasticity. The Chinese adopt a diplomatic position, pursue it and ensure that the Chinese will is not weakened. The other day 25 or so Uighur Muslims of Syin Jiang sought asylum in Cambodia to escape the Chinese law and punishment. The Chinese government brought tremendous pressure on the Cambodian government and had those Muslims repatriated to China to face trial for involvement in the riots in Urumqi. The Chinese saw their will done, notwithstanding the western diplomatic pressure to annul repatriation of Uighur Muslims to China. Apparently, this Chinese success in the diplomatic domain became a possibility because China is now a major player on the world stage. China adopting a strident tone in world affairs is a direct result of her becoming a super power economically, politically and militarily. China has left her neighbours miles behind in this race and achieved the desired goal with sincere planning, meticulous execution and non-deviation from the goal. Now even the sky is not the limit. China is now a global power and has the will to do what it wishes to.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

ALARM BELL HAS RUNG FOR OBAMA

AUM.
ALARM BELL HAS RUNG FOR OBAMA
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
President Barack Obama will not take the result of the election for a senate seat from Massachusets lightly.it is a cause for concern for him and the Democrats. The GOP has wrested the senate seat held by the Democrats for almost half a century. No less a person than Ted Kennedy, a scion of the Kennedy family had represented his home state. Moreover, President Obama had campaigned himself for the lady of his party but did not cut much ice. I am sitting half a world away from the scene of action and someone may say what can you judge as an outsider. Pray, my judgement will be impartial and unbiased, if you like. I am an India from India who have had the privilege of living and learning Chinese in America almost half a century ago. I promise you I shall be fair and friendly in my assessment.
CANDIDATES MATTERED NOT
I shall not blame the lady who lost. It was not her fault. I shall not unduly praise the man who won. He is no great shake.In fact he was a little known big built man who had to convince the voters that he was serious about the election and hoped to win. Frankly speaking no one was prepared to bet his money on his win at the hustings. Developing a hind sight the lady says that she knows where the faultline was. perhaps it was beyond them to repair it.
Although it was an election for a senate seat from Massachusets, national issues came into play. The common man as a voter played a decisive role in the election. let us take the fact as real and not as fiction that the number of independent voters, not aligned to any party, was a large one. They were in a position to swing the result one way or the other. And they did.
OBAMA PLAYED A ROLE
President Barack Obama was a player in this game. He played well but lost. He did not lose as an individual. He lost as a policy maker. Obama, in my opinion as an independent observer, bites more than what he can chew. Indigestion is bound to be a symptom of allied ailments to follow. Never mind if the Surgeon General is in attendance 24x7. Allow me to use a double negative in a negative sense like our African-Americans do. The Surgeon General can't do nothing. it is a case of too little and too late.
You know it. I know it. Accuse me of emphasising the obvious and yet I shall do it.
The Health Care was the undoing of Obama in the present senate seat show.An average American voter is angry. He wants no Health Care bill. The new fangled hobby horse of old Obama is too high to ride. It is extra-ordinarily expensive. It will mean collecting a Trillion dollars from the tax payers. Over taxation - no one wants it. Who will be the beneficiaries of the new fangled scheme. Possibly illegal immigrants from Latin America, carribean, Hispanics and Black men and women whose citizenship is in grave doubt. Ask the American citizens "why should I and my family pay for the health care of men and women who are not even American citizens?"The voters are angry. Their anger has been reflected in the ballot paper that has been counted. it is an alarm bell for President Obama. Is he listening?
Of late there has been an extra-ordinary emphasis on the Civil Rights movement. The venerable black leader, Martin Luther King,Jr has been brought in focus. "We shall Overcome"was sung here, there and everywhere. Fine. No one should find fault with that. It is a part of history.
let us fathom the white man's psyche. America is his country too. America has an African-American as the President. He is the President of the United States of America that is inhabited by both the Whites and the Blacks. Tilting the balance one way or the other may be deterimental to the interest of the nation and the country. Therefore, President Obama should not only be doing things for the entire natiion but appear to be doing so. Let the vegetables from the White House kitchen garden be given away to both the Whites and the blacks.
The African-American citizens perhaps expect too much in too short a prriod of time from the first ever black President of the United States. Brakes have to be applied. The earlier the better.
PROMISES TO KEEP
President Barack Obama has been in the White House for just a year. Are we expecting too much from him? Indeed that is the case. HOWEVER, HE TOO MADE TOO MANY PROMISES. Will he be able to live up to people's expectations? Time alone will tell. Let another 365 days pass.
Admittedly obama is not the same cheerful man that he was before he crossed the threshold of the White House. He may appear to be calm outwardly but he gets worked up when he is in the living quarters. He needs support of his people. But he will have to work harder for this.
President Barack Obama had promised to bring the boys home from theatres of war. He could not keep his word. Indeed that would have meant handing over Afghanistan to the Taliban on a silver platter. He is a war-time commander in chief too. More later

Saturday, January 16, 2010

BE FRIENDS IN MATRIMONIAL LIFE

AUM
BE FRIENDS IN MATRIMONIAL LIFE
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Counter-attacking the nagging counsel of the plaintiff who wanted every answer in just one word- yes or no, the defendant put a question to him “Have you stopped beating your wife?” An answer in any form would have branded the counsel as a wife-beater. The counsel was silenced and he beat a retreat. Jokes apart, beating a wife is an admission of matrimonial discord, besides being a social stigma. It is a criminal offence too. With a view to encouraging a homogenous home in a homogenous society, creating a perfect understanding between a husband and his wife should be the aim of social activists.
Japan is a peaceful country. The matrimonial life of most of the corporate executives is, however, not peaceful. On way back home from the office, most of the executives stop at the pub for a drink and boiled pork. By the time they totter out of pub to head for home, the thought uppermost in mind is the imminent shower of harsh and abusive words of an otherwise docile wife. It is not the middle age that has made the difference. It is the law enacted by the Diet or parliament recently that entitles a wife to 50 per cent of the pension of the retiring husband, should they go through a legal divorce successfully. The cases of divorce among the retiring executives are on the rise. The number of nubile damsels tying the nuptial knot is on the decline. Girls of new generation do not want to go through trials and tribulations of a marital life like their mothers. Boys have no such reservations. The oriental homes are still dominated by husbands, irrespective of the divorce law. It continues to be a man’s world.
MARRIAGES IN INDIA
The Vedic Vivah is a sacrament and not a contract as it is in some other religions. When the Hindu Marriage Act came into force in 1955, it changed the concepts relating to divorce that was non-existent earlier. It gave women more freedom and put financial pressure on the husband like payment of maintenance charges to the wife during pendency of a divorce suit. While grant of a divorce on grounds of mutual consent became easier, in other cases suits lingered on for a decade or more and still divorce was nowhere in sight. The divorce petitions broke homes before they could be heard as a legal case. Verbal bickering increased and broke social peace. Some eminent judges, jurists and legal luminaries thought that the Hindu society was better off without the relevant provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act 1955.
Some socialites fond of fun and frolic used provisions of the said act to pressurise their rich but oldish hubbies to dole out more money and more money to the fun-loving wife who enjoyed the close company of younger men with facilities bought with husband’s money. Since the word “divorce”or a suit for divorce tarnishes the image of a respectable family in society, husbands continued to be blackmailed by the sadistic behaviour of their estranged wife. Perhaps the legislature could not visualise this sorry state of affairs otherwise it could have made legal escape routes for the exploited husbands. The law has made a mockery of marriage. It would be a good idea to collect and collate cases of misuse of such provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act and put legal pressure on the central legislature to amend the law suitably.
Is a marriage compatible or incompatible? Has a Hindu marriage broken down beyond redemption? There are instances where a marriage exists just in name and the erstwhile husband and wife have nothing to do with each other physically, mentally and spiritually. Yet the mutual consent for divorce is not there. Perhaps one party or the other has taken recourse to harassment of the spouse and derives sadistic pleasure. Courts of law say that “breakdown of a marriage beyond redemption” is no ground for divorce as the law makers did not make a provision for this broken marriage as a ground for grant of divorce. It is sad. The court does not go beyond this except in some rarest of the rare case where it did grant divorce saying that both the husband and wife have gone beyond the point of no return in their aggressive animosity towards each other. In such cases the courts also say that the grant of divorce in such rarest of the rare case would not be cited as a precedent. Rather unfortunate.
The remedy obviously lies with the legislature. However, it has not yet chosen to act. The long wait is perhaps for a Law Commission to take cognizance of such hardships caused by the relevant act. Another way out is to mobilise public opinion in such a massive way that the like-minded MPs choose to effect relevant amendments or just scrap the Act itself. It will depend on which way the wind blows at a given time. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the Hindu Marriage Act has caused legal and social hardships to a sizeable section of the Hindu society. By the way, the term Hindu in law includes Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, Arya Samajists and so on. Thus the segment of society affected by non-provision of easy remedial measures to get out of a failed marriage is quite a large one.
KEEP OUT OF HARM’S WAY
The best way to keep out of harm’s way is to make the marriage compatible, come what may. Is it a like building castle in the air? No, not at all. Live like a good husband, live like a good wife and take care of each other to avoid a blockage or a breakdown in marriage. Let the ideas flow both ways. COMMUNICATION OR SAMVAD is a maha- mantra or a mega recipe that every married couple must learn by heart. If one of the two partners sulks and avoids the company of the other partner, that is the point when a sagacious elder in the family should step in for proper counselling. Many a time it is seen that as an individual both the husband and the wife are good. And yet they fail to reach an understanding on issues that divide them. Sometimes it boils down to matters mundane like what should be cooking in the kitchen and when. This ticklish issue may be resolved by the couple directly by what is called the principle of “give and take.”Both have to accommodate each other. When there is a lack of accommodation, there is a lack of understanding, a senior lady member of the family may intervene and sort out the matter.
The major problem arises when a third person steps in and gets emotionally involved with one of the two partners. To begin with, one should not allow such a situation to develop. In case it has developed, the most intelligent way of overcoming it is to banish the outsider who is disrupting the matrimonial life. It is easier said than done but not impossible to attain. Indeed, help of a professional counsellor who is not attached to either party must be sought and obtained. An effective marriage counsellor may succeed in putting the matrimonial life back on rails. It is a possibility. Just try it. Once the life ambles back to a near normalcy, please ensure that the element of suspicion does not creep in surreptitiously. Suspicion in the post-rapprochement period is a distinct possibility and a special on-guard is required to avoid a repeat performance of the sulking couple.
A couple leading a healthy marital life is strongly advised to beget as many children as they can conveniently afford to bring up and educate. Children are a cementing factor in the matrimonial relationship. Sometimes children play the role of mediators in a nuptial tiff successfully. Therefore, every couple must bear sons and daughters for the sake of saving their own marriage. In the long run, children will be a positive factor in promoting peace and prosperity in the family. They will keep their parents out of harm’s way. Love in this case too is a two-way traffic. Allow the traffic an uninterrupted flow on the road of life. Let the life run smoothly by assembling the extended family at the dining table for at least one meal to be eaten together. Let the elders listen to the children first and then give a piece of advice, if required. Thus children will find communication with elders quite convenient and there will be a free flow of ideas. With a view to facilitating communication in an uninterrupted manner for marital peace and family accord, Listen first, talk thereafter, says a Veda mantra “SHREUNIYAM SHARADAH SHATAM – PRABRAVAM SHARADAH SHATAM”.
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