IN MEMORY OF MY MOTHER

My mother had passed away three decades ago when I was a school boy. The memory and love of my mother is still fresh in me. Her absence is felt everyday and night. Like other loving mother, her love was really incomparable. She was very much worried about everything for us. Her deep devotion for our study was remarkable. I still remember that she used to tell us to read Durga and Chandi every day early in the morning so I  used to read by heart, and that became everyday activity of my life for many years- even after the death of my mother. Though I read those religious scriptures by heart, I did not understand the meaning- the essence of those text. Despite this, it helped me to learn about Sanskrit and it was useful to learn English in my later life. It also helped me to be very sensitive to the feelings of people specially to those of downtrodden - living in extreme difficulties. 

Most importantly, the insistence of my mother to study well, to have the feeling to others and to have pity and sympathy to people always encouraged me to be in that path forever. Like any sensible mother,  my mother taught me " help others if you can, if you cannot  then do not do any harm to others." That mantra given to me by  my mother is always with me as a philosophy of my life which I promise to keep it intact throughout my life.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of passing away of my mother. I have the memory of her passing away while getting treatment in a mission hospital in Nepal. Though I was not with her when she died, my father and sister were with her. When people returned after the cremation of her body in Ramdi, in the bank of river Kaligandaki, the first word of people I remember is " take out your cap." It is the custom not to wear cap after the death of parents. I wept and became almost unconscious for sometimes. Time passes quickly - it is more than three decades. My mother could not see our wedding, could not see her grand children which is the dream of every parents and grandparents. Above all, she could not see how we studied and how we are doing in our professional life.  Whatever, her dream was about our future, she must be happy that we have not done what she told us: " help others if you can, do not harm others."

Every year, we do Śrāddha ( श्राद्ध) on the day of her passing away. Śrāddha is remembering the ancestors.  "Sat" means truth, "Adhar" means basis.  Lliterally Shraddha means anything or 'any act that is performed with all sincerity and faith.'  In the Hindu religion,it is a way for people to express heartfelt gratitude and thanks towards their parents and ancestors, for having helped them to be what they are and praying for their eternal  peace. Our heartfelt tribute to our mother Ganga Devi. 

BANKERS' BONUS AND STREET SLEEPERS

Do not be too much greedy and selfish. The nursery rhyme cited in “The Wasteland” by great literary figure T.S. Eliot “London bridge is falling down, falling down” seems to be appropriate in the present context of London where selfish; money maker bankers have been engulfing the social values and shattered the society with their own new philosophy of “only money matters.”


As all over the world, London, the financial hub of the world was celebrating Christmas, the biggest festival of over one billion Christians around the world. There was contrast in the celebration as some people specially the London bankers have pushed the boat out with feast and festivities, joys and jubilation. While there were about 4,000 rough sleepers in London alone- and they are sleeping in the streets while the bankers, who took millions of pound as bonus, are enjoying idiotically and at the expense of the tax payers- each and every citizens of this country, however, rough sleepers, whose ambition is just to keep hand and mouth togehter, have been ignored. They are living 30 year shorter than average people of the city. Bankers, who are lavishly enjoying life at the cost of tax payers with millions of pounds of salary, bonuses and pensions, seem to be completely blind about the plight of so many people when in the heart of London 150- 300 people are camping outside the St Paul Cathedral for month’s for fairer society. Christmas is celebrated in memory of Jesus Christ, who sacrificed his life or was crucified for the sake of common people. According to the latest figures of charity Broadway, about 3,975 rough sleepers live in London. Most of them do not live there because they enjoy being homeless, do not like to work or live with family. The main reasons as most of the rough sleepers say in one voice, they do not have job, no family life or other problems like alcoholism or drugs which are serious social problems.

The country is under recession, the unemployment rate is going up, there is cut in each sector and in every corner of the country, there is pay freeze for some months and years, many industries are being closed making many people redundant. The root cause of all these problems is said to be the banking sector. The government is compelled to pump money to the banking sector in the hope of saving our economy so that the country vibrates like pumping blood to other organs of our body and save and make our economy prosperous. However, the bankers at the cost of the tax payers and at the cost of government’s good intention of injecting resources so that the whole country moves in the right track and at the cost of the very foundation and existence of the country, bribing and milking making the “London bridge is falling down, falling down” which has a symbolic meaning. It is the falling down of our economy. It is the falling down of our values and norms. It is the falling down of social and family values. It is the end of moral values like we saw during the summer riot in London and other parts of the country.
What is the difference between the plunderers during the London riot and the bankers? There is definitely some difference. One group burgled through arson and rioting wearing hoody and the other wearing suit and dining in the posh restaurants. The London rioters can justify their acts saying lack of opportunities for their living. But how can the bankers justify their plunder of millions of pound when millions of people have been living in extremely difficult circumstance? Like the London bridge in the nursery rhyme our social and family values are falling down. There is the degradation and draught of morality and integrity. We can improve the teenage rioters by better educating them, providing them employment and opportunities and teaching them about the importance of probity, decency and honesty. Most of them have said that they have “no future” as there is no any prospect of their future. Their action can be forgiven if they improve. However, how can we acquit the bankers for this mess and chaos of economic sector? Yes we can. But if the bankers do to mend this mess.

It is essential to understand the meaning of the nursery rhyme: give, be compassionate and self control (Datta, Dayadhvam, Damyat) as mentioned by the great literary figure Eliot, who had taken these from the Hindu scriptures Upanishads. Giving is the essence of all religions: Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and other religious denomination. While celebrating Christmas Arch Bishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams has rightly said: “The most pressing question we now face, we might well say, is who and where we are as a society. Bonds have been broken, trust abused and lost.”

"Whether it is an urban rioter mindlessly burning down a small shop that serves his community, or a speculator turning his back on the question of who bears the ultimate cost for his acquisitive adventures in the virtual reality of today's financial world, the picture is of atoms spinning apart in the dark," he said.

UK was not a country of selfish, greedy materialistic people in the past like today but a country of altruistic, moderate and noble personalities but that image of the United Kingdom is diminished into the dust due to the devil like money oriented selfish bankers. To revive the glorious past, it is essential to think of Datta, Dayadvam and Damyat (be selfless, give, be compassionate and self control). Rewind the values to solve the present day crisis, will our bankers listen the message of Williams or follow the nursery rhyme which they remember quite clearly even today?

CROSS CULTURAL UDNERSTANDING:NEPALI WAY

Prime Minister David Cameron said recently that “state multiculturalism failed in the UK.” This generlaisation seems to have been deduced wrongly taking reference to minority of some extremist cases. However, multiculturalism has been thriving in the UK making it one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world. This holds true in the context of Nepali immigrants who are known for their low-profile existence but have made remarkable contributions through various dense associations and civic activities.
Greater Reading Nepalese Community Association (GRNCA), for example, has played a huge role in short span of time in the social and cultural integration in their new home- the United Kingdom, where the number of Nepali is estimated to be around 100,000, according to Centre for Nepal Studies UK (CNSUK).
GRNCA is one of the pioneer Nepali organisations that was established with the effort of around a dozen Nepalis in the UK with the aim to promote cross-cultural understanding through various activities including social, sports, cultural, religious events and festivals.

Former chairperson of the GRNCA Arjun Basnet, recalling establishment of the GRNCA with a dozen of his colleagues, says: “Identity strikes first, so we decided to be united in the name of our own motherland – Nepal - and formed Nepali community a decade ago.”
Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in the Himalayas bordering China and India. Many Nepalese do not distinguish between Hinduism and Buddhism and follow both religious traditions. The country has the world’s only national flag that is non-quadrilateral in shape.
When the GRNCA committee was formed, there were only a handful of people including founding chairperson of its predecessor organisation, popularised as Reading Nepali Society, C.B. Gurung, so that they could meet, eat and drink together in a house during festivals.
Within a few years’ time, the number of Nepali grew to over 5,000 (according to a census conducted by CNSUK) in Reading area, which is a complex multi-cultural community mainly comprising Indians, Pakistanis, Nepali, Afro-Caribbean and Polish.

Through the platform, the Nepali community in Greater Reading area, also provides volunteer help and conducts research on lifestyle, social behavior and political leanings.
Basnet says, “Giving continuity to our rich social and cultural heritage so that the new generations do not forget their base and integration of Nepali community in the British system for overall improvements of lifestyles in the Greater Reading area is our main objective.”
The humble initiative now has spread to Reading Borough Council, Wokingham District and West Berkshire District Council where over 5,000 people of the community attend the programmes, which have been organised on regular basis for the last few years. Members of other religious beliefs say the efforts of Greater Reading Nepali Community are very significant in understanding and promoting cross-cultural understanding.
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SARASWATI PUJA IN THE UK

Nepalese community living in the UK celebrated Basant Panchami or the Saraswati Puja organising various programmes and encouraging children to pay attention to the study and Hindu values.


Basant Panchami which is known as Shree Panchami or Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, is celebrated every year. Traditionally during this festival children are taught to write their first words and educational institutions organise special puja of Saraswati.

Shiva Cultural Centre and Nepalese Hindu Forum UK jointly organised a programme at Gorkha Hindu temple, Farnborough on the occasion where Pundit Shiv Niraula and Lama Kesang Ghale shed light on the importance of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, and urged parents to be role model because they are the first teachers of their children.

Religious Teacher of Swaminarayan School Kishan Devani shedding light on the significance of Basant Panchami said children are eager to know new things and can be convinced if we explain them scientifically. Highlighting the great Hindu religious tradition, he said our children should feel proud to be Hindu and be the best citizens.

Bhajan was presented by members of the Farnborough Sai Kendra on the occasion which was attended by a large number of people from Farnborough, Aldershot, London and Reading among others.

Chairman of Nepalese Hindu Forum UK, Major (Retd) Surya Upadhya conducted the programme while Pundit Shiv Niraula performed Aarati after the conclusion of the programme.

Meanwhile, Basant Panchami was also observed in Reading on the same day where over 3 dozen children participated and worshipped Saraswati, Goddess of knowledge.

BALAJI TEMPLE: CENTRE OF INTERFAITH

Religious harmony, peaceful co-existence, respect, love, non violence, fraternity and brotherhood and above all tolerance and pluralism are the essence of Hinduism, known as Sanatan Dharma- eternal religion. Giving that great tradition of the oldest religion of the world in the modern era when there is conflicts and clashes among the religions, South Indian Hindus have presented an exemplary effort of Hindu tradition of tolerance and even have created seven Faith hills inside the Balaji temple in Dudley, Birmingham UK. Who would consider giving place to other faiths with which serious clashes had occurred in the past?

Balaji temple which is established in the style of Balaji of Tirupati in South India has 7 faith hills representing seven major religions including the Islam which had invaded and forcibly converted many Hindus in South Asia during the raids for centuries. The Balaji temple, which was constructed at a cost of £ 6.5 million, covers an area of 21.5 acres of land making it the biggest Hindu temple in Europe.

Amidst this spiritual feelings inside and the chanting of the Vedic hymn, hundreds of people performed Satyanarayan Puja at the Balaji temple, which is the second biggest Balaji temple after Tirupati in India, on the occasion of Makar Sakranti day. More than 100 couple had booked the puja and hundreds of other people participated in the joint puja in the temple conducted by pundits of South India. A group of 20 members of the Nepalese Hindu Forum UK (NHFUK) also attended the puja in the temple. About 3,000 devotees visit the temple every week, according to the temple officials. The temple is set with a number of different shrines and other facilities and it has grown over a 10-year period to become physically the largest South Indian temple precinct in Europe.
Religious places are for all- irrespective of their colour and creeds. Religion should be like the definition of democracy by Abraham Lincoln who defines democracy “for the people, by the people and of the people.” So is religion. And religious place of any faiths should generate that feelings inside human beings- the feelings of compassion, friendship and love and only that can ensures the safety of our universe. In this context, the temple burgeons spiritual feelings even entering the temple premise which is located in a beautiful area with green faith hills created with the feeling of promoting friendship and understanding among the religions. This is one of the attractions of the temple complex that includes seven Faith hills created to represent seven major faiths in the United Kingdom. Lord Buddha's statue, carved by a local sculptor, was installed on one of the hills in May 2001.
Christianity faith hills was laid by Arch Bishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams in 2008 bears a plaque with an inscription “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself.” The temple has set aside the hills devoting to different religious faiths including Judaism, Jain, Shikh, Islam, Christianity and Buddhism in accordance with the great Hindu tradition of tolerance, fraternity and brotherhood and respect to other beliefs.

Though Hindus respect other faiths and some sects even pray and worship the Gods of other faiths, this is most probably the first temple to give space to other religious faiths presenting a clear illustration of great Hindu tradition of tolerance and friendship.

After the puja, Indian origin children and students of School for Vedic heritage run by the temple, read the story of Satyanarayan giving life to the great Hindu scriptures which were passed from one generation to another for centuries.

The temple, which is constructed in the style of Balaji in Tirupati houses Ganesh, Murugan, Shirdi Baba, Navagraha, Lakshmi, Shiva and Hanuman Shrines. Faith guide of the temple Ram Athal said the temple also runs a School for Vedic heritage which organizes a weekly Sunday school for children between the ages of 5 and 12 in order to ensure the best possible teaching, understanding and practice of Hindu Dharma and values.

The temple runs a School for Vedic heritage which organizes a weekly Sunday school for children between the ages of 5 and 12 in order to ensure the best possible teaching, understanding and practice of Hindu Dharma and values.

"The aims of this school are to preserve and promote Sanathana Dharma, to inspire children and provide an opportunity for them to learn about their rich heritage, to develop a positive personality based on physical, spiritual and mental development and to create an environment where children learn, enjoy, make friends and learn new skills," according to the temple.

In order to gain a broad understanding and an appreciation of this vast field of knowledge, various scriptures and epics such as Ramayana, Mahabharatha,Shrimad Bhagavad-Gita , Bhagavatha Purana and the moral values, Bhakthi, Prayer, Worship and Pooja, Hindu Rituals in their historic context and their relevance today are taught in the school. The way of righteous living, known in Sanskrit as Sanatan Dharma is timeless and eternal and it is the foundation stone and a guiding light for every aspect of living, including one’s conduct in life, pursuit of knowledge and its objectives.

Chairman of the temple Dr N. Rao shed light in detail to the Nepalese Hindu Forum members about the construction of the temple. The plan of inaugurating the temple by then king Birendra of Nepal, the only Hindu Kingdom of the world ( but now Nepal is a republic and secular state) could not materialize due to his assassination in the mysterious massacre in the Narayanhity royal palace in June 2001. The reverence to Nepal, where over 80 percent of the population is Hindus, is still there to the Hindus all over the world.

One of the founders, Dr K Somasundara Rajah said: "We used to have the use of another temple but then the congregation got bigger and in 1974 some of our group thought we should get our own temple. We said we should build a replica of the Tarupati Temple in South India which is situated in The Tirumala Hill in Andhra Pradesh. The temple covers an area of about 10.33 square miles. Like seven faith hills in Balaji temple in UK, there are seven peaks, representing the seven heads of Aadisesha which we can read in our scriptures as Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabhadri, Narayanadri, and Venkatadri. The temple is on Venkatadri, known as the Temple of Seven Hills.
It is said that Dr Rajah and Dr Narayan Rao among others have spent 30 years planning the temple which is one of the most sacred sites in the Hindu tradition. This initiative will definitely help not only promote and preserve rich Hindu cultures and tradition but also create harmony, goodwill and friendship and peace among different religious communities in the United Kingdom and present an example for others around the globe.