Catch’ém Young : Re– Hinduism

Many people (Hindus) and Hindu organisations fret that Hinduism is losing vitality; not without reason though.  

Organised activities of the faithful of Islam, Christianity and Sikhism are contrasted with the free flowing manners of Hinduism, which is put out as the main cause.  

A few days ago I heard a Pandit Ji teaching a class of would be purohits about Namkaran Sanskar. Every step of the ritual was being logically explained, with its sociological significance and message for the child, parents, family and the society.

It is not very difficult to see on the other hand, that most young Hindus, men and women do not know even the Aarti, meaning and significance of Gayatri mantra and simple temple rituals.

I wonder if all these fretting organisations and Hindus can work to “catch them young”?

Request all neighbourhood schools to allow “One Religious Education Hour” per week; in or out of curriculla. Pandit Ji uses the space, facilities of the school and access to the young. School teachers can also join such classes.   

Hindu arts, culture, music, and poetry, architecture and world view must also be introduced to the young such that their initiation into Hinduism is broad based and holistic. The topics of discussion or discourse will have to be simplified for intelligent absorption by the young; I must admit a difficult task.

Hopefully, Hindu religion will also be contemporised and made relevant to the present day world.   

India needs Positive Public Discourse- An Open letter to Anna

Dear Anna Saheb & Arvind Kejriwal,

I wonder, what do you all have to say about :

1) Now that EGoM on Telecom has fixed a tarriff of Rs,14,000 Crores for 5Mz, all telcos and commentators are lamenting that "the Price of Telecom services will rise". Telecom services will get out of reach of many.

It is my belief that CAG, a constitutional body, over stepped its "Äudit" mandate in so called 2G scam. Audit function, is to verify the accounts as presented, whether the expense or revenue is per laid down policy and prudential norms.

Mr Rai, the CAG made a statement that he will be an “activist" and audit the effect of such expense' or program. A very welcome stance, given the oversight' needs on a generally lethargic, less than caring management, of economic affairs by Govts, of all hues.

Most commentators let it pass, since such activism will be good for the country, a'la Sheshan at Election Commission, in theory.

But, CAG overstepped, way beyond its dharma. There was and is corruption - the political class took, may be Rs 200-500 Cr in bribes. But the hammer beat of 24/7 channels picked up Rs 1,76,000 Cr and any such imagined astronomical numbers.

A vitiated public life is the result: the bitterness and acrimony has brought the country on its knees, so to speak. So many millions of Indians will have to wait another generation before the curse of poverty is lifted off them.

2) Govt of India forces ONGC to sell its Crude Oil output @ $47-$49/ barrel against the international price of $95- $105/ barrel.

Will CAG ever comment on this? And will India-Against-Corruption have anything to say on this?
And what about the inane and irresponsible statements Baba Ramdev keeps making: Rs 35/l petrol indeed!!

Our institutions, as they are, need to be strengthened and developed. Period. And outfits likes yours can provide oversight from outside, as the legislators and executive are colluding - for funding their political operations.

There is one such sterling piece of "oversight" work / framework crafted by you all - the RTI.
You are messing it up with Lokpal.   

Warm regards  

--
Vinod Dhall
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Responses

Received a few encouraging responses.
So I would soldier on. Thank you my friends.

Introduction

Having reached a healthy 60+ and as I tell my friends, "Sab jhande jo gaadne the ya gaad sakte the, woh to ho chuke'.
So Masti.
One also needs newer and untested fields, to break one's head against. Writing is one such!!

I have nursed a wish to write a book for a very long time.
The title has been decided about a quarter century ago. The contents between the covers, are trembling to get onto paper or word docs. A brand new laptop, top-of-line has been bought.

So now the effort to polish wriitng skills begins.

This blog is the beginning

And I hope to share my views on many issues a 'la "I decide all the big issues, like UPA II, is counting its last days etc., while my wise wife decides what we eat, where we holiday and who my, sorry our sons will marry"
Incidenatlly, both got married over the last three years.

Feedback and tips at better wriitng will be very welcome.