Daily News Online
   

Thursday, 24 May 2012

Home

 | SHARE MARKET  | EXCHANGE RATE  | TRADING  | OTHER PUBLICATIONS   | ARCHIVES | 

dailynews
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

HINDUISM

‘Bharathy Vizha’ and World Tamil Literary Conference at Colombo Tamil Sangam

The Colombo Tamil Sangam in collaboration with “Bharathiyar Sangam”, Chennai has made elaborate arrangements to conduct “Bharathy Vizha” at the Sangam's hall on June 1, 2012 commencing from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

The Vizha will start with the lighting of the traditional oil lamp by the former Deputy Minister of Education Mrs. Rajmanohari Pulendran. The President of “Bharathiyar Sangam,” Chennai and Senior Lawyer Kanthi will deliver the keynote address. M. Kathirgamanathan, President of the Colombo Tamil Sangam will deliver the presidential address. The welcome speech will be made by the General Secretary of Bharathiyar Sangam, Chennai, Mathivanan.

In fact, several Tamil scholars from Tamil Nadu will participate at this ”Barathy Vizha“ which is of historical importance. This will be followed by “World Tamil Literary Conference” in which several educationists, professors, Tamil scholars from Canada, London, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and India will participate and address on the “greatness and glories of Tamil literature and Tamil languages”.

Further, the greatness of a nation does not lie in her bricks and mortar, but rather in her colourful and splendid achievements in the area of art and literature. Apart from Chinese, Tamil is the only ancient classical language which has had an unbroken and voluminous literary record of a higher order, covering period of more than two thousand years. It has proudly survived as the spoken language of more than seventy million people. Tamil has been recognised as a classical language and the earliest Tamil Literature is now available in verse form and contains an astonishing wealth of poetry. The themes of these poems are mainly love, war and ethics.

The classical Tamil literature is said to have been produced over a period of about a thousand years between the 5th century BC and the 5th century AD. It consists of eight anthologies called “Ettuttokai” and the Ten Long poems called the “Pattu Pattu” and a work of grammar called “Tolkappiam”.

In India and Sri Lanka people like Sri Rajagopalachariar, Swamy Vivekananda, Poet Kamban, Poet Subramania Bharathy, Poet Ilango, “Sri la Sri” Arumuga Navalar, Swamy Vipulananda, “Saiva Pulavar” Sivapathasundaram,” Sri la Sri” Satha Avathani Kathiravetpillai, Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, Sir Ponnambalam Arunasalam, Sir Waitilingam Duraiswamy and several others have enriched and enhanced Tamil language and Tamil literature.

Patriot

In fact “Subramania Bharathy” who lived in the last quarter of the 19th century was a erudite Tamil scholar and patriot who awakened the people of Tamil Nadu in an admirable manner by composing patriotic poems calling on his compatriots to demand social justice. His creative genius was of an order that he was regarded as a trail blazer.

Tamil scholar

Chinnaswamy Subramania Bharathy was born on December 11, 1882 at Ettayapuram in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu. His father Chinnaswamy Iyer, a senior officer in the court of Raja of Ettayapuram was a scholar in Tamil. Bharathy was fond of reciting poems spontaneously as a child. Bharathy's father Chinnaswamy wanted his son to become an engineer. He gave him a training in English and Mathematics and admitted him at an Anglo Vernacular school, but he had a different aim in life. He had a different course to follow which was predestined. His first poem was composed when he was only seven years old.”

Right from his childhood “Bharathy” had a strong conviction, wedded to truth and moral values of life. Like his father, he too was indifferent to mercy. He was named at the age of 15 to Chellamah, who was devoted to the poet all his life. The inspiration that “Bharathy” drew came from “Sister Nivedija” whom he met in Calcutta in 1905. She was responsible for “Bharathy” to write many poems about his motherland. Bharathy used to engage himself in acts which surprised the people around him. He was a patriot and his songs during the “Freedom Movement” kindled the patriotic fervour of the masses. His vision of India was a source of inspiration to his countrymen.

In one of his songs “Bharathy” said:-

“The mighty Himalayas is ours -

There is no equal anywhere on earth

The generous Ganga is ours

which other rivers can match her grace

The sacred Upanishads are ours

What scriptures else to name with them

This is my golden land, she is peerless,

Let us praise his.”

Bharathy could not bear the agony of his countrymen being enslaved by alien rulers. Through his writings in the “Weekly India”, he called on the people to throw away the foreign rulers to him freedom was the very breath of life.

Bharathy was outspoken in his condemnation of caste systems and women slavery and he felt bitter that it had brought about divisions among his people. He further said that “we are of the same caste and race, we are the children of “Bharat”, we are equal in law and stature.

Value of unity

In another poem he said:

“What is life without unity?

Division can only spell ruin;

Could we hold this truth;

What more shall we need?

We will bow to the mother”.

What makes his poetry remarkable is the depth of his feelings and expression. Undoubtedly, Subramania Bharathy was a resurgent spirit of India and he deserves to be regarded as a patriot and a Tamil scholar.

Indeed, Tamil Sangam under the stewardship of Dr. M. Kathirgamanathan has grown majestically due to his vision, mission and foresight combined with his dedication, devotion, unyielding determination and commitment. In fact, ever since he was elected as president of this Sangam, he had rendered yeoman service by way of holding several conferences like “Thinuvallur Vizha”, “Arumuga Navalar Vizha” and also he had felicitated and honoured several Tamil scholars from foreign climes and had brought fame and name to the Colombo Tamil Sangam.

May the Almighty bless him abundantly granting him good health, strength, peace of mind to enable him to continue with his remarkable work.


Consecration ceremony of Colombo Paradise Place Sri Maha Kali Amman Temple

If a social order based on brotherhood, peace and understanding is our cherished aim, an almost radical transformation of the innerman is essential. Here's where religion plays a crucial role. But, it has been a paradox of history that religion which generally seeks to improve man or cast him in the image of some higher being in whom all virtues concentrate has been a source of strife over the centuries.

Goddess Kali

Hinduism emphasizes that life is a battle against the spirit of evil, when we shatter the ideas enshrined in Vedas and Upanishads and disturb the social equilibrium, we only bring Chaos into the world. The cosmic order depends on the moral and spiritual order and when men violate dharma they would invite destruction on themselves.

Thus, to a world lost in error and beset by illusions of time, weighed down by perplexities, trials and tribulations, conflicts and contradictions, the Divine is the pillars of light, that shows the path to progress and success.

In fact, Hindu temples are intended to instruct men in the art of removing the Veil of attachment that covers their hearts.

Thus, the renowned poet Thiagarajah cried in the temple of Thirupathy Remove the Veil within me, O! Remove the Veil, the Veil of pride and hate.”

Supreme Power

Furthermore, in Hinduism the Supreme Lord is represented by Maheswara and His power is presented by his consort Sakthi, Kali and Durga. Just as the husband and wife take care of their family, so also does Shiva and Sakthi. Indeed Sakthi is the embodiment of power. She is the Supreme power by which the world is made to function.

In one of the poems T Eliot has described the predicament of man with all the progress and success he has made in science and technology finds that “endless invention and endless experiments bring us knowledge of motion, but not stillness, knowledge of words and not of the word. Lord Shiva without Sakthi is all stillness. It is Sakthi which stirs him to motion and speech.

In fact, the “Varana Purana” explains Sakthi is the form of Kali and Durgai as symbolizing the bounds of passion, love, hatred greed, vanity, illusion, contempt, joy and jealousy. Further, it is very often said that Divinity manifest from age to age in human forms in order to re-establish Dharma and to guide all mankind back to the righteous path.

Embodiment of compassion

The mother is the universal embodiment of compassion. The compassion of the Divine mother Durga Devi or Kali gives us the benevolence of five elements such as earth, water, fire, wind and space to help us to lead an excellent life.

Further, the Sri Maha Kali Amman temple which is dedicated to Goddess Kali is situated at Paradise Place, Armur street, Colombo 12. The consecration ceremony of this temple will take place on Sunday 10.06.2012 and the Chief Turstee of this temple M Nallathamby has made elaborate arrangements for the success of this consecration ceremony (Mahakumbabeshakam).

In fact, during the rule of the Britishers in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in the 19th century, they named this area as Paradise Place which was considered by the people of the area as a Heaven and a place of Pradise on account of three important trees namely Palmyrah, Bo Tree and Margosa which grew closely together.

This made them to realise that there was indeed a Divine power pervading in this area.

It is very often said that Divinity manifests from age to age in the human forms in order to re-establish Dharma (Righteousness) and to guide all mankind back to the righteous path. Divinity over the ages has descended on earth in many forms. The manifestation in the form of mother over the ages has been recorded in the scriptures. The mother is the universal embodiment of compassion. She extends her grace to protect and bless her children.

God appears in many forms, but to experience God in the form of a mother brings a great deal of peace and joy.

The creator of the universe Brahma resides in the Naval or Lord Vishnu. Similarly in the hearts of men reside the creative urge and faith. This faith prompted the devotees of this Paradise place to place a “Chulam” underneath these trees and started worshipping.

During this period certain sculptors who were brought down from India to do some restoration work at captain's garden Sri Kailasanatha's Temple were invited by the devotees of this paradise place to erect a Sakthi Peedam under the trees where Sri Mahakaliamman, Sri Munneswarai and several statues of God were placed and consecration ceremony was successfully conducted.

Thereafter, daily poojas and annual Ther festivals were conducted to the greatest satisfaction of the devotees. Besides, with the view to accommodate the devotees, a hall was constructed in 1990 in the adjoining area.

Five elements

The compassion of the Divine Mother gives us the benevolence of five elements to help us to lead an excellent life. Indeed Pooja is a way of showing our love and affection for the Divine which provides these five elements such as earth, water, fire, wind and space.

When individuals perform poojas, it is done with the aim of gaining the Blessings of the Divine for the betterment of their lives. M Nallathamby, who is the Chief Trustee of this temple and a devout devotee renders tremendous religious service and he has taken all possible steps to make this temple a popular one in the city of Colombo.

Nallathamby was instrumental in getting the support and co-operation of the devotees of this temple to get down several statues from Tamil Nadu along with the renowned Indian sculptor V Nagalingam to construct a beautiful temple at this place.

On 10th February, 1993, with the tremendous support of late Bramasri Swami Visvanatha Kurukal of Navaliyoor, the Paalasthapanam was conducted and on February 9, 1996, Maha Kumbabeshekam was held.

Special Pooja

In this temple several Hindu festivals are conducted regularly for the benefit of the devotees. Furthermore, in this Sri Maha Kali Amman Temple, the Chief Trustee Nallathamby and several members of the Restoration Society, devotees and well-wishers held a special pooja a few years ago to lay the foundation stone for the construction of a new building at this Temple in which D Eeswaran, Chief Trustee of Gintupitiya Varatharaja Vinayagar Temple, President of the Colombo Kamban Kalagam and Councillor for Mauritius in Sri Lanka also participated.

Dedication

In fact, the Restoration work and a New building for this temple were successfully completed due to the untiring efforts and firm determination, dedication, devotion and commitment of the Chief Trustee Nallathamby and all the arrangements have been made to hold the “Maha Kumbabeshakam” on 10.06.2012 in which several Religious scholars from Sri Lanka and South India will participate. As such, let us participate in this glorious occasion of Maha Kumbabeshekam and receive the Divine Blessings of Sri Maha Kali Amman for an everlasting peace and eternal prosperity, racial harmony, unity, sanity and amity in Sri Lanka.


Goddess Durga:

Symbol of strength

Goddess Durga is the mother of the universe and believed to be the power behind the work of creation, preservation, and destruction of the world. Since time immemorial she has been worshipped as the supreme power of the Supreme Being and has been mentioned in many scriptures - Yajur Veda, Vajasaneyi Samhita and Taittareya Brahman.

The word “Durga” in Sanskrit means a fort, or a place which is difficult to overrun. Another meaning of “Durga” is “Durgatinashini,” which literally translates into “the one who eliminates sufferings.” Thus, Hindus believe that goddess Durga protects her devotees from the evils of the world and at the same time removes their miseries.

The many forms of Durga

There are many incarnations of Durga: Kali, Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Lalita, Gauri, Kandalini, Java, Rajeswari, et al. Durga incarnated as the united power of all divine beings, who offered her the required physical attributes and weapons to kill the demon “Mahishasur”. Her nine appellations are Skondamata, Kusumanda, Shailaputri, Kaalratri, Brahmacharini, Maha Gauri, Katyayani, Chandraghanta and Siddhidatri.

Durga’s many arms

Durga is depicted as having eight or ten hands. These represent eight quadrants or ten directions in Hinduism. This suggests that she protects the devotees from all directions.

Durga’s three eyes

Like Shiva, Mother Durga is also referred to as “Triyambake” meaning the three eyed Goddess. The left eye represents desire (the moon), the right eye represents action (the sun), and the central eye knowledge (fire).

Durga’s Vehicle - the Lion

The lion represents power, will and determination. Mother Durga riding the lion symbolises her mastery over all these qualities. This suggests to the devotee that one has to possess all these qualities to get over the demon of ego.

Durga’s many weapons

The conch shell in Durga's hand symbolizes the ‘Pranava’ or the mystic word ‘Om’, which indicates her holding on to God in the form of sound.

The bow and arrows represent energy. By holding both the bow and arrows in one hand “Mother Durga” is indicating her control over both aspects of energy - potential and kinetic.

The thunderbolt signifies firmness. The devotee of Durga must be firm like thunderbolt in one's convictions. Like the thunderbolt that can break anything against which it strikes, without being affected itself, the devotee needs to attack a challenge without losing his confidence.

The lotus in Durga's hand is not in fully bloomed, It symbolizing certainty of success but not finality. The lotus in Sanskrit is called “pankaja” which means born of mud. Thus, lotus stands for the continuous evolution of the spiritual quality of devotees amidst the worldly mud of lust and greed.

The “Sudarshan-Chakra” or beautiful discus, which spins around the index finger of the Goddess, while not touching it, signifies that the entire world is subservient to the will of Durga and is at her command. She uses this unfailing weapon to destroy evil and produce an environment conducive to the growth of righteousness.

The sword that Durga holds in one of her hands symbolizes knowledge, which has the sharpness of a sword. Knowledge which is free from all doubts, is symbolized by the shine of the sword.

Durga's trident or “trishul” is a symbol of three qualities - Satwa (inactivity), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (non-activity) - and she is remover of all the three types of miseries - physical, mental and spiritual.

Devi Durga stands on a lion in a fearless pose of “Abhay Mudra”, signifying assurance of freedom from fear.

The universal mother seems to be saying to all her devotees: “Surrender all actions and duties onto me and I shall release thee from all fears”.

www.abouthinduism.com


What is Hinduism?

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion, with a billion followers, which makes it the world’s third largest religion.

Hinduism is a conglomeration of religious, philosophical, and cultural ideas and practices that originated in India, characterized by the belief in reincarnation, one absolute being of multiple manifestations, the law of cause and effect, following the path of righteousness, and the desire for liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.

Hinduism cannot be neatly slotted into any particular belief system. Unlike other religions, Hinduism is a way of life, a Dharma, that is, the law that governs all action. It has its own beliefs, traditions, advanced system of ethics, meaningful rituals, philosophy and theology.

The religious tradition of Hinduism is solely responsible for the creation of such original concepts and practices as Yoga, Ayurveda, Vastu, Jyotish, Yajna, Puja, Tantra, Vedanta, Karma, etc.

Hinduism has its origins in such remote past that it cannot be traced to any one individual. Some scholars believe that Hinduism must have existed even in circa 10000 B.C. and that the earliest of the Hindu scriptures - The Rig Veda - was composed well before 6500 B.C.

The word “Hinduism” is not to be found anywhere in the scriptures, and the term “Hindu” was introduced by foreigners who referred to people living across the River Indus or Sindhu, in the north of India, around which the Vedic religion is believed to have originated. There is no “one Hinduism”, and so it lacks any unified system of beliefs and ideas. Hinduism is a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions, in which the prominent themes include:

* Dharma (ethics and duties)
* Samsara (rebirth)
* Karma (right action)
* Moksha (liberation from the cycle of Samsara)

It also believes in truth, honesty, non-violence, celibacy, cleanliness, contentment, prayers, austerity, perseverance, penance, and pious company.

hinduism.about.com
 

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

Donate Now | defence.lk
www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk
LANKAPUVATH - National News Agency of Sri Lanka
www.army.lk
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL)
www.news.lk
www.defence.lk

| News | Editorial | Business | Features | Political | Security | Sport | World | Letters | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2012 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor