The Sadhu kind enuf to pose for me

The clock tower on the Banks of Ganges!

We stayed in a hotel called “Aarthi Darshan” which is just across this tower. The hotel is a pathetic one in terms of cleaniness or service, but then its location waives all its disadvantages. From the balcony of this place, we can have a look at the Ganges all thru the day!

Another disadvantage of the hotel was “Monkey Trouble”, as the balcony has no grills we never know when it will come and sit next to us to give us company! ))

The “Aarthi” for Ganges takes place twice in a day Morning around 6am and evening @ 6pm!! This is a spiritually enlightening experience just to attend the Aarthi.. The community prayer blaring in the loud speakers and the Aarthi itself against the back drop of the vibrant river – is peaceful thingy!!

We have to keep our wallets careful as the place is crowded during the Aarthi session. Also beware of the Sadhus who aim at minting money.

After the aarthi session, my sister and I went on a walk along the Bazzar. It was a delightful experience!

The agarbhathi stand that my sister brought for her!

Mouth watering Pedas!

All kinds of accesories! I couldnt resist and hence bought a copper ring!
Copper is supposed to be good for the skin!!

My niece is a shoe freak!! She is just 2 and half and she wants matching slippers for every dress that she wears!
But with beautiful slippers like this, why not pamper her, so we picked one for her

Designer Dress for adorning God and Goddess @ home!

Cute Krishna!

)) How is it??

More sweets!!

Diwali is queen of festivals
diwali is celebrated as homecoming Of
Lord Rama to Ayodhya
The people of ayodhya decorated the whole city with diyas
Diwali can be dangerous to Nature
A safer Diwali
Take care of sick and little children
Look into many deprived
Many old people in old homes
Lord Rama went to excile for fourteen years
To fulfill the promise of his father
Many children sent their parents to excile
Bring them back from such excile with vow not to sent back again
It will be great diwali celebration and gift for them
Visit an orphanage with your children to celebrate diwali
so that your children know to share humanity
And it will be great celebration for children
who live in orphanages
Visit the people who are alone in this world
And share diwali celebration
Use mud diyas to go back to nature .
In my house I celebrate diwali with simplicity
Prayers and gifts to people who work for me
And share my recipes with them as my family members.

http://aroona.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/10/diwali-festival-of-lights-sulekha-com.htm

The basic difference between the Islamic system and the Capitalist system with regard to the distribution of wealth is that Capitalism allows interest,while Islam forbids it. Now, it would be proper to have a cursory glance at another aspect of the problem too – what are the consequences that follow from the interdiction placed upon interest?In fact, the prohibition of interest has very far-reaching, beneficial, and profound effects on the whole system of the production of wealth itself.We shall summarily indicate the effects which Islamic injunctions do have on the system of the distribution of wealth.A very simple consequence of the prohibition of interest is that it produces a balance and uniformity in the distribution of wealth.The necessary characteristic of the economy based on interest is that the profit of one of the parties (i.e., Capital) is assured in a fixed form under all circumstances, but, contrarily, the profit of the other party (i.e. Labor) remains uncertain and doubtful.Big commercial enterprises, no matter how profitable they become, can never be considered immune from risk. In fact, while the “risks”
of big business have been decreased because the means of production are available in an adequate measure, they have at the same time been increased by certain external factors. The bigger is the enterprise, the greater these risks are. So, under the Capitalist economy, the balance of the distribution of wealth becomes very unsteady. Sometimes the debtor has to bear severe loss, while the creditor goes
on minting money. Sometimes, on the other hand, the entrepreneur earns a huge profit, while the man who has provided the capital gets only an insignificant share from it.Contrary to it, since Islam prohibits interest, it would in practice allow only two forms of investing capital in the modern world-”Partnership” and “Cooperation”. Both these forms are completely free from this injustice and imbalance in the distribution of wealth.Under these two forms of investment, if there is a loss, it has to be borne by both the parties, and if there is a profit, both have a proportionate share in it. This mode of investment to a great extent serves as an effective check on the concentration of wealth, which is the greatest evil of the Capitalist economy. Wealth, instead of becoming accumulated in the hands of a few, is so distributed
over a very large number of individuals in the society that no injustice is done to anyone. Under the Capitalist system, economy being based on interest, Capitalists come not only to own the greater part of national wealth, but also to control the whole market and to run it in their own selfish interest. As a result of this, the system of “the supply of commodities” and that of “prices” can no longer function in a natural manner, but becomes artificial in so nefarious a way that no sphere of life, from economy, manners and morals to politics, can escape its evil influences.By prohibiting interest, Islam has struck at the very root of these evils. Under the Islamic system, every one who invests his money has a share in the enterprise and its policy, bears the responsibility of profit and loss both, and thus he is no longer allowed to have his own way in business.

Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity;
for He loveth not creatures ungrateful and wicked.
(Al-Baqarah:276)

O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and give up what remains of your demand for usury,
if ye are indeed believers. (Al-Baqarah:278)

O ye who believe! devour not Usury, doubled and multiplied;
but fear Allah; that ye may (really) prosper. (Al-Imran:130)

If ye do it not, take notice of war from Allah and His Messenger:
but if ye turn back, ye shall have your capital sums;
deal not unjustly, and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly. (Al-Baqarah:279)

A Doubt and its Clarification

It is necessary to clarify a doubt that may arise here. In discussing the evils of the economy based on interest,we have said that it produces an imbalance in the distribution of wealth, and that one of the two parties in a businessenterprise is necessarily affected by it. Some people are quite likely to raise the objection that the man who suffers a loss in a transaction based on interest, suffers it through his own choice – if he deliberately exposes himself to such risk,why should the law of the Shari’ah interfere with his right to do so?

Even a little reflection would easily solve this problem. A slight acquaintance with the Islâmic way of life should be sufficient to bring out the principle that, according to Islâm, the mutual consent of two parties does not always justify a certain transaction. If a man is willing to get murdered by another man, this fact would not absolve the murderer of his crime. Even in the case of fornication,which the West in its shortsightedness considers to be a private affair of the individual, mutual consent of the two parties cannot absolve the criminals. The question of the distribution of wealth and economic welfare goes much beyond this. We have already explained, with due quotations from the Holy Qur’ân, that wealth is in principle the property of Allâh Himself, and that the ownership He has bestowed upon man is, far from being
unconditional and unbridled, subject to certain principles laid down by Allâh Himself. That is the reason Islâm does not allow the mutual consent of the parties concerned to be treated as a justification for a transaction which Islâm regards as intrinsically unjust or which can prove to be detrimental to the collective welfare of society. This is the raison d’être behind the strong prohibition, in the tradition of the Holy Prophet ( ), of (buying grain from the caravans coming from the country-side before they reach a town), of (buying goods brought from the country-side through a middle man in the days of famine), of (exchanging grain that is yet in the ears for grain that has already been harvested), of (exchanging fruits
on a tree for plucked fruits), and of (taking a fixed amount of grain from the harvest of a land given on lease), inspite of their being based on the mutual agreement of the parties involved. Hence, the mere fact that the parties involved have agreed upon it, cannot serve as a valid justification for a transaction based on interest.

In the early days of Islâm, the objection which people bred in the pre-Islâmic ways generally raised against the prohibition of interest was this:
“Trade is exactly like interest.” (2:275)
The Holy Qur’ân refutes this argument in a concise phrase:

“And Allâh has permitted trade, and forbidden interest.” (2:275) It is worth noticing here that, in refuting this objection, Allâh the Exalted has not enunciated any principle or purpose of the prohibition of interest, but has, so to say, simply indicated that since Allâh has declared trade lawful and interest unlawful, one shall have to abide by this commandment, whether one understands its raison d’être or not. Instead of elucidating the justifying principles in this place, the Holy Qur’ân has adopted the mode of
authority, which cuts off the very root of all objections to the prohibition of interest. In short, the prohibition of interest by Islâm is the wisest solution of the problem which, on the one hand, eliminates many evils of the Capitalist economy, and, on the other, leaves no need for the adoption of the tyrannical and unnatural economic system of Socialism. This is the middle way which alone can save the modern world from the two extremes of license and servitude, and lead it towards a balanced and equitable economic system.

The French orientalist Louis Massignon has said something very pertinent on this point:

“In the conflict between Capitalism and Socialism, only that culture can be assured of a secure and bright future which not only prohibits interest but also makes people abide by this prohibition.”

http://indian200809.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/10/the-differences-between-the-capitalist-system-the.htm

Allah Forbade Interest

Allah says in the Qur’an:

Translation: Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the Evil one by his touch Hath driven to madness.
That is because they say: “Trade is like usury,” but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. [Surah Baqarah, 2:275]

A few verses later, Allah says:

Translation: O you who believe! Observe your duty to Allah, and give up what remains (due to you) from usury, if you are really believers.
And if you do not, then take notice of war from Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent, you shall have your capital (without interest).
Deal not unjustly (by asking more than your capital), and you shall not be dealt with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital). [Surah Baqarah, 2:278-279]

Unfair and Unjust

Abdullah, who takes a $10,000 loan and then he goes out of business. He now has to pay interest on his loan even though he has lost all the funds.
In 5 years he might still be suffering and paying back the loans. At 7% interest, he will end up paying $20,000 in total if he still has the loans in 10 years.

A more fair deal would be that the business person who makes a deal that he will lend brother Ahmed $10,000 loan and he will be a partial owner of the business.If Ahmed makes a huge profit, the business person will also get 25% of it, which will be much more than the measly 7% he could have got as interest,
and Allah will bless it as well, whereas Allah has cursed the one who takes interest and pays it.

World-Scale Corruption

The international monetary fund (IMF) and World Bank, which gives interest loans to countries – for example Bangladesh might receive an interest loan,and the interest will be so much that they will never be able to pay back the loan.In fact, they may eventually forgive the interest on the loan, or they may not. If they do not, the country sometimes has to sell “cash crops”(goods which cannot be used by the country itself, but can only be sold for money, such as coffee for example – say rather than rice, which can be eaten by the local population)in order to simply maintain the loan. When I say maintain, I mean to keep it at the same amount, and just pay the interest.

Family Corruption

Families where the father loses his job and resort to riba, may end up maxing out their credit cards, and may end up paying hundreds of dollars in interest every month.This is equivalent to burning that cash, because, literally, it is wasted. Why do you think the banks are so rich, anyway? Because suckers like me and you fall for the itand upon us as well is the anger of Allah! This large loans at a 18% interest rate become very difficult to pay back. In fact, at the credit card rate, you will end up paying double the amount
if you paid the minimum balance and paid it all in 4 years. An example of this is if you bought a laptop for $2000, and you paid off your full credit card in 4 years, you will have spent $4000 on this laptop.

Alternatives

Place your trust in Allah, and ask him to help you find a way out.

If you have student loans, get rid of the entire amount before you graduate, by asking around for interest free loans from your friends and family members(you can do the same thing even if you’re working). Even if you feel bad/embarrassed to ask for money, remember that the interest you took is extremely sinful
and that its better for you to ask so that you can get out of it.

Is Riba Interest?

Often, riba will be translated as usury, no interest. Some times people will claim that interest is halal, but only in excessive amounts does it become usury.This is only their vain desires. Bring your proof if you are truthful.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The gold for the gold, the silver for the silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley,date for date, salt for salt, similar for the like, and hand in hand. So whoever adds or seeks to add, then he has used riba. The recipient and the giver of the transaction are the same.” (Reported by Muslim, #1584)

Once Bilal (رضالله عنه) brought Barni (i.e. a kind of dates) to the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) and the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) asked him,”From where have you brought these?” Bilal (رضالله عنه) replied, “I had some inferior type of dates and exchanged two Sas of it for one Sa of Barni dates in order to give it to the Prophet; to eat.” Thereupon the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said, “Beware! Beware! This is definitely Riba (usury)! This is definitely Riba(Usury)! Don’t do so, but if you want to buy (a superior kind of dates) sell the inferior dates for money and then buy the superior kind of dates with that money.”

(The facts about Usury: Why Islam is Against Lending Money at Interest)

Moral: Acceptance of Usury discourages people from doing good to one another and lend out of good will. A society which encourages interest on lending will require needy people to pay back more than he borrowed, which quite often is a source of huge burden.

Social: If interest is allowed, the rich (who are most likely to be lender) will exploit the poor (borrower).
As a result, the rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer. This generates envy and hatred among the poor toward the rich, resulting in social disorders, conflicts and at times breeds revolutions & movements.

To understand these economic, moral and social effects we Indians don’t have to look further than Vidarbha and the plight of farmers there which in recent time has received much publicity for unfortunate circumstances. And Vidarbha is a part of much larger problem area.

Between 2001 and 2006, over 14000 farmers have committed suicide in various regions including Vidarbha and Telangana. In almost each of these suicide cases the only recurring reason is debt-trap.

Jaideep Hardikar in his report Loan after Loan notes:

A farming family holding 27 acres in Vidarbha has become a marginal landholder in a span of few years,
and a vicious cycle of usurious debt robbed their lands and hopes. There are hundreds of others in the lurch similarly.

These farmers who very often had to borrow from money-lenders at 60-120% interest, to sow seed, and toil every day from sunrise to sunset and if-and-only-if the harvest is good or saved from natural torments will they be able to pay out the interest and some principal. But seldom it happens as willed and for years after years they are still trying to come out of debt. And for many the only way out of these miseries was through death. Suicide is not an easy route as some would think. It is an end for those who see all hopes vanished. It is also thus no surprise that Vidarhba and Telangana are demanding separate States.

Thus, in a society which permits interest, the strong benefit from the suffering of the weak, resulting in conflicts, social-disorders, and revolutions.

http://indian200809.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/10/why-islam-is-against-lending-money-at-interest.htm

It has become daily news that a religous place is getting attacked. But our people have very short memory. This sort of attack is happening for centuries all over the world. Because a person when he becomes a leader in a religion wants to control of power over the world. He wants the number of people to be increased day by day. He tells the people that their his followers are worshippers and theist and others are satan and atheist. The problem arises from this bad fundementalism.

Pope John Paul II came to Delhi and told that Christianity should spread in Asia. This is totally wrong. In Asia, particulary India, there is no need to import a Philisophy for good attitude. But Pope John Paul II belives only in numbers. He should have asked first Americans and Europeans to follow teachings of Bible properly and then should ask Asian. He also tried to invade India Culturally. But it would not happen. The English failed to do politically during their period.

Basically we have not understood religion properly and it is also no need to understand fully. What is required is that we should our duty properly and dutifully which is attained to it. We need not confuse ourself.

We have to understand only Karma theory. If we come to know our karma, we need know anything else in the world.

Thanks

http://subbu-mouli.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/10/religion-a-great-business.htm

The majority of Indians are Hindus. A sizable percentage of the Indian population is also non Hindu, which would include, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Zoroastrians, Jewish.

Hinduism has had disagreements with nearly every faith listed, at some point in India’s history. Struggle between faiths is nothing new. Before the current anti-Islamic and anti- Christian tirade, we have had anti-Sikh sentiment running high not very long ago. Hindu faith has been in conflict with Buddhism and Jainism, religions which Hindus zealots believe are clones of Hinduism.

A modern state evolves from changes in the thought processes of its people. Every human society evolves the same way. Religion which forms a large part of society, however, resists this change. All religions dictate a strict code of conduct, and a Spartan philosophy to life. Religions in their dogmatic approach for control, fall prey to their own fear, and stop evolving. I wonder how, a saffron clad blood thirsty madman who butchers children is any different from another madman who is clad in green, or yet another one clad in a different color, or speaks another tongue or calls upon a different God. Madmen are madmen period. Sometimes I wonder if we have not trivialised God in our tribulations over religion.

It is saddening that we the privileged few, who are educated, have access to the internet which enables us to broaden our horizons and enables us see other points of view should be spewing such venom on another human being. “An eye for an eye”, doesn’t work, it dehumanizes us and turns us into the same animals who bomb victims in a hospital.

Human emotion of pain, fear and happiness are experienced universally by every human being, irrespective of religious belief. India has had peoples of various belief systems all along its very ancient history. We the current citizens of this wonderful country, cannot afford to stake claim on it based on any ism. Very citizen who is an Indian has an equal right to this country. Faith, language, region, color or any other imagined or perceived difference does not make any one group or individual superior to the other. Our country has accommodated so much over the eons, who are we to now cut this magnificent country and its people to accommodate our homophobic ideas?

Every religion prophecies a different path to salvation., for once lets look at the ends and not the means…
If salvation is what we are looking for how does it matter how we reach it….

http://natarajanvee.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/09/religion-terror.htm

As the very embodiment of divine beauty and loveliness.

The king was so deeply infatuated with her graceful form

That he then and there requested her to be his wife for which

He offered her his kingdom, wealth and his very life, though

He did not even know who she was and whence she came.

She replied “Oh king, I shall be your wife; but there are

Some inviolable conditions: Neither you nor anyone else

Shall ask me who I am and whence I come. You shall not

Question any action of mine, good or bad, nor become angry

With me for any reason. You shall not also say anything

To displease me. If any of these conditions are violated

I shall leave you. Do you agree?” The king agreed. They

Lived as husband and wife in great happiness, and even

Forgot the passage of time. Ganga gave birth to many

Children. She carried each newborn child to the Ganges,

Cast it into the river and returned to the king with a smile!

Santanu was no doubt, horrified by her fiendish behavior but

He could not utter a word for fear of breaking the promise

And losing her. When the eighth newborn child was about

To be thrown into the river, the king lost control, burst out

In anger and restrained her. She told the king “O king, you

Have broken your promise. Your heart is now set on the

Child and you don’t need my presence any more. So, I go.

But before going I must tell you why I behaved as I did.

The eight Vasus were once cursed by sage Vasishta to be

Born as human beings and moved by their request and

Prayer, I had to agree to be their mother. I bore them to you.

For the service rendered by you to the Vasus, you have

Earned great merit. I shall not kill this child. But I shall

Bring it up for a time and then return it to you as a gift.

Saying thus, Ganga disappeared with the child. It was

This child who was later to became famous as Bhishma,

(Also as Devavrata), in the great epic of Mahabharata.

­­­­­­­­­­­­___________________________

Note: Vasus are a class of eight vedic deities.

http://kvakutty.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/09/birth-of-bhishma-story-from-mahabharata.htm

http://miawood.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/09/avert-your-eyes-if-you-must-religious-post.htm

Shurpakarna, Lambodara,Dhumra varna, Ekdanta

The enlightened soul of Upanishads and Vedanta

Let me pray and pledge

To spread and seek knowledge

From the worlds greatest epic,

That truth wins, every dawn and dusk

Which you wrote with your broken tusk.

When kartikeya rode on the peacock

Travelling the universe in a flick

You with intelligence and trick

Encircled your parents thrice

Spell-bound the scholars and the wise

Neither hymns, gospels nor the verses

Could challenge your brainpower in the universe

Vakratunda, vinayaka, Vignaharta, Vigneshwara

Through mischief taught Kubera

Never to vigorously ride

On the horse of never ending pride

Your body is a message to mankind

For thousand of devotees to find

Carry the strength of an elephant

But never to harm even and ant

Be calm and humble

For wealth and power do crumble

O Ganesha, Gananayak, Ganaraj, Ganapathy

In this hi tech world of communication

Please do not ignore this telepathy

O Gauriputra, O mighty son of Parvati

From desires and greed set me free

Let through your conch, virtue flow

Passing through my mind and blow

Into the thousand heart and soul

And like lamp each face glow

With love, peace and fun

With radiance of a million sun,

May your blessing shower on us,

O Gajamukh, Gajaraj, Gajabadan, Gajannan !

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Importance of Lord Ganesha can be known very easily, for you will never find a single temple without a Ganesha idol , a prayer without lord Ganeshas name in the beginning and add to it, ‘Grah pravesh’ ( house warming ) without

Prayer to Ganapathy is impossible.

In southern part of India, a child never goes to school, till a ritual to pray Ganapati and followed by Saraswati (Goddesses of learning) is performed.

Lord Ganapathy is the representative of good luck or the ‘luck factor’ which we mortals needs for our wishes and actions to bear fruits.

Though there are several mythological stories connected to Lord Ganesh, I would like summarize and inform a few required for my poem.

Ekdanta – the name means ‘one with a single tusk’

Lord Ganesh lost his tusk for several reasons –

1. He fought a battle with Parshuram (an incarnation of Mahavishnu)

2. Chandra (moon –god) was cursed by Lord Ganesha for teasing and

In anger he broke his tusk and threw it on the moon, which they say resulted

In waxing and waning.

3. When the great sage Vyasa wanted someone to write the greatest epic Mahabarathta non stop and with due understanding of the story, Lord Brahma the creator of the universe suggested Ganeshas name.

When Ganapati started writing the greatest epic with the pen-stick, the tip of the stick broke, and then he broke his tusk to continue writing without breaking the sequence and kept his promise to sage Vyasa.

4. Once Kuber (treasurer of heaven) in his pride to flaunt the wealth he owns invited all the gods and goddesses for a meal. Young Ganesha was also invited. It’s said that

All the guest had filled up the stomach and walked happy rejoicing, but Ganesha demand for the more and more food left Kubera with nothing as, later Ganesha started eating up everything that Kuber offered the plate , utensils and then ready to eat up his wealth and finally the host himself . Poor Kuber had to find shelter in kailasa.

Thus Ganesha emptied up kuber’s pride!

5. Once Narada the sage entered kailasa with a mango (different fruits and food products are found to be mentioned) and there he found two tiny claimers for the gift,

Ganapathy and his elder brother Kartikeya

Narada kept a condition that the one, who could travel the universe three times and reach first deserves the gift.

Kartikeya jumped on his vehicle (peacock) and started moving

When he had covered two times and ready for the third time, Ganapathy got up and encircled around his parents thrice

Narada gave the mango to Ganapathy without any argument
Thus Lord Ganesha is the master of all logic and reasons

ASHTAVINAYAK TEMPLES

This is a set of eight Ganesha temples in situated in various districts of Maharshtra state in India. The word ‘ashta’ means eight and Vinayak is one of the names of Lord Ganesha

The journey of these temples can be completed in two days and comfortably in three days

These Ganesh idols are believed to be ‘Swayambu’ i.e. arise by accident or with a purpose as mentioned in Hindu mythology.

Though this journey can start from any of the points the most comfortable one which I found to be was as follows

Starting from Kalyan or Panvel district

1. Pali ( Shri Ballaleshwar )
2. Mahad ( Shri Varad vinayak )
3. Theur ( Shri Chintamani )
4. Morgav ( Shri Mayureshwar )
5. Siddhetek ( Shri Siddhi vinayak)
6. Ranjan gav ( Shri Maha ganapathy)
7. Ozhar ( Shri Vigneshwar )
8. Lenyadri ( Shri Girijatmaj)

Please note – the names of the villages, and in bracket, names of the Ganesh idols in various forms.

dear friends ……….I arranged this pics from the net in a sequence ……..so that ………there are many who DO NOT understand in words …………..our festivals , our culture , our tradition is important ………but equally, it is our responsibility to save the world , save the sacredness of our planet……………….
So let us change for better stop using themocol, plastic, clay and let us use decomposable items such as papers and cardbords , colors which are eco friendly …………….on this ganesh festivals let us avoid noise pollution and maha arti………..
let us pray that all such destructive set of people attain ’satbuddhi’.

GANAPATI BAPPA MORYA !

http://ajitnambiar.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/09/ganpati-bappa-morya.htm

The Darbar Sahib in all its glory

A view of the other buildings in the temple complex

Devotees thronging to get into the inner sanctorum

http://uropinion.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/09/darbar-sahib-darshan.htm