I am confused as a Hindu (Facebook post by Ms. Deepika Govind)

A very interesting post, which I thought must be shared on my blog. I am a Hindu too (not the religious and serious type) and am trying to come to terms with what Hinduism really is. I strongly believe that HINDUISM is a WAY OF LIFE and not a religion like ISLAM or CHRISTIANITY where followers are being forced to adopt and practice, failing which they are pushed outside of their community and condemned.

I too had my schooling in a Christian School and have many friends who are Christians and Muslims, I do feel alienated / odd at times especially when they refuse to participate in my functions, even when they are not needed to perform anything, except attend as a visitor. Anyways may be they are scared or narrow minded… I am now used to this and have a matured mind-set and outlook.

Please do take time to read the below post...

A post on Face book by Deepika Govind  on 1 November

I am confused as a Hindu who wants to stay secular and each day this confusion increases……

Yes I am born as a Hindu in India ,went to a Christian school ….celebrated Diwali at home but Christmas in school with equal fervor .Visit to a cathedral or hearing bible verses never instilled any fear that my religion is at stake …because as a Hindu I am supposed to be secular and accept all religions. In India its fashionable to be a secular Hindu….

But I really wonder aloud today, what would have been the reaction in media and our so called intellectuals if a school run by a Hindu trust or organization had opened a school amongst Christianity dominated area and had sung verses from Gita or Mahabharata!!! All hell would have broken loose for sure .

14 years of education in a Christian run school did not make me a Christian ..i am still a Hindu but I have one more reason in my life to be happy when its Christmas …

As a Hindu if I can handle 33 crores of gods and deity, I can definitely handle few more gods and still be a Hindu…I don’t fear.. I am a Hindu …I imbibe.. I don’t run away…. but what am I supposed to do when I see my Muslim and Christian friends refusing Prasad /or rejecting getting a tilak done on their forehead… how many of Muslims and Christians have visited.. Vaishno Devi or Tirupati…

Now …just ask how many Hindus have visited Ajmer Sharif or Deva Shareef or Swarna Mandir or Cathedral. Is so called secularism has to be only a Hindu’s responsibility!

If India has to be secular then state should not interfere with religion… but then why should my tax money has to go for Haj subsidy.. Is that not a special favour to one religion? This is my question …but as a Hindu am still confused….if just one haj subsidy allows my Muslim brothers and sister to be happy then am happy to still let them do it. I would love to hear stories of their trip…. I am happy to say “Eid Mubarak”…I don’t fear because I am Hindu.

Why my so called intellectuals never blamed successive governments for allowing such communalism… why they never returned their awards….

Why St. Stefen’s in Delhi is allowed to give preference only to Christian candidates while hiring…… They exist on a piece of land which belongs to INDIA and not to Hindus, Christians or Muslims … then preference to anybody on the basis of religion is communalism and not secularism.

Why authors and scientists and people like Dibakar Banerjee never protested against St Stefens ?

Currently am residing in a country which claims with pride that we are a Christian nation and the world media doesn’t target it at all .Britain easily refuses permission to create a mosque higher than St.Pauls cathedral…A mosque which will be built by their own citizens living and working in this country ,,,but BBC doesn’t run a documentary on the plight of muslims being tortured and not given equal rights in Britain !! They don’t get a lecture from Obama to embrace secularism as yet !!

However ,in India I still don’t support demolishing a mosque which was built by an Invader !!A nation with 80% of its populations as Hindus has taken more than 60 years to built a temple for their deity.As a Hindu I would still support a temple and a mosque together there …..rather than just a temple …I don’t boast my religion …..and I Don’t believe that I am the best…I believe that all are equal for I am a Hindu.

If my son has to marry a Christian girl tomorrow..I will not ask the girl to convert…I have no such concept ..but my son will have to convert to christianity just to marry the girl of her dreams ….is that not communalism which is openly being practiced by minorities in India ….!! If inter-cast marriages are supported then why not inter-religion ……let there be true secularism in India …..and not this blurred version of secularism, created by pseudo –intellectuals !! 

I have no award to be given back …no talent to make a documentary or debate the issue on a TV channel. But my belief that God is one and all religions should be respected gets shaken every day in my Mind….As a Hindu …am I being taught to stay oppressed in India ? Is that secularism??

I am a woman ,a Hindu woman ,who wants to teach her son to respect all religions …and want to tell him that if you light a candle in a church, bow your head in a Mosque , do seva in a Gurudwara…. You will not cease to be Hindu …….for you are a Hindu and always will be a Hindu .You will never learn to fear .

Yes I am…… confused …..but I still don’t fear for I am a Hindu .I will not eat Beef but will not support a ban on it !! but please don’t mock my religious feeling by doing a Beef –Party just to mock me !! at least that much I can expect .

If you want to return your award then return it and say that you ‘ll accept it back only when beef –ban is removed ,haj subsidy is stopped ,polygamy among muslims to be declared illegal,no special reservations for any minority in their institutions ....,triple Talaq to be stopped and not compulsion of change of religion in inter –religion marriages !!

(Ps. I have not taken the authors permission for posting it here, please excuse…)

Sampoorna Jana Gana Mana!

Sampoorna Jana-Gana-Mana!

Music Arrangement - Sukhada Bhave

Singers - Bhakti Athavle, Anuradha Gangal-Kelkar, Sudhanshu Gharpure, Nikhil Nijasure

Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India. Written in highly Sanskritised Bengali, it is the first of five stanzas of a Brahmo hymn composed and scored by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It was first sung in Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress on 27 December 1911. "Jana Gana Mana" was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem on 24 January 1950. 27 December 2011 marked the completion of 100 years of Jana Gana Mana since it was sung for the first time. The original poem written by Rabindranath Tagore was translated into Hindi by Abid Ali. The original Hindi version of the song Jana Gana Mana, translated by Ali and based on the poem by Tagore, was a little different. It was "Subh Sukh Chain Ki Barkha Barse, Bharat Bhaag Hai Jaaga....". An earlier poem by Tagore was later selected as the national anthem of Bangladesh. A formal rendition of the national anthem takes fifty-two seconds. A shortened version consisting of the first and last lines is also staged occasionally. Tagore wrote down the English translation of the song and along with Margaret Cousins, set down the notation at Madanapalle in Andhra Pradesh, which is followed only when the song is sung in the original slow rendition style of singing. However, when the National Anthem version of the song is sung, it is often performed in the orchestral/choral adaptation made by the English composer Herbert Murrill at the behest of Nehru.

Jana Gana Mana Full Anthem Lyrics

Stanza 1 (National Anthem of India)

Jana Gana Mana Adhinaayak Jaya Hey,

Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Panjaab Sindhu Gujarat Maraatha,

Draavid Utkal Banga

Vindhya Himaachal Yamuna Ganga, 

Uchchhal Jaladhi Taranga

Tav Shubh Naamey Jaagey, 

Tav Shubh Aashish Maange

Gaahey Tav Jayagaathaa

Jana Gana Mangal Daayak, 

Jaya Hey Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey,

Jaya Jaya Jaya, Jaya Hey

Stanza 2 (National Anthem of India)

Ohoroha Toba Aahbaana Prachaarita,

Suni Tab Udaar Vaani

Hindu Bauddh Shikha Jain,

Parasik Musolman Christaani

Purab Pashchim Aashey,

Tab Singhaasana Paashey

Premohaara Hawye Gaanthaa

Jana Gana Oikya Vidhaayak Jaya Hey,

Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey,

Jaya Jaya Jaya, Jaya Hey

Stanza 3 (National Anthem of India)

Potona Abhbhudaya Bandhura Pantha,

Yug Yug Dhaabit Yaatri

Hey Chir Saarathi, 

Tab Ratha Chakrey Mukharit Patha Din Raatri

Daarun Viplab Maajhey,

Tab Shankh dhwani Bajey

Sankat Dukh Trata

Jana Gana Path Parichaayak,

Jaya Hey Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey,

Jayo Jayo Jayo, Jayo Hey

Stanza 4 (National Anthem of India)

Ghor Timir Ghan Nibiro,

Nishithey Peedit Murchhit Deshey

Jagrat Chhil Tab Abichal Mangal,

Nato Nayan Animeshey

Duswapney Aatankey,

Raksha Kariey Ankey

Snehamayi Tumi Mata

Jana Gana Duhkh Trayak,

Jaya Hey Bharat Bhagya Vidhaataa

Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey,

Jaya Jaya Jaya, Jaya Hey

Stanza 5 (National Anthem of India)

Raatri Prabhatil Udil Ravichhabi, 

Purb Uday Giri Bhaaley

Gaahey Vihangam Punya Sumiran, 

Nav Jeevan Rash Dhaley

Tab Karunaarun Raage,

Nidrit Bhaarat Jagey

Tab Charane Nat Maatha

Jaya Jaya JayA Hey, Jaya Rajeshwar,

Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey,

Jaya Jaya Jaya, Jaya Hey

Read more: http://www.lyricsmint.com/2011/08/jana-gana-mana-full-indian-anthem.html#ixzz3irMt11lN

Motivation and Habit are co-related

Easy said than done...   but this is what differentiates between a winner and looser.

Winners are Motivated and keep themselves motivated always is their habit....  

Purpose/mission in ones living and ONE just has to be persistent to find it!!!

Once there was a man who did not make it to university. His mother got him married. After the marriage, he worked as a teacher in a primary school. Due to the lack of experience, he was squashed by the students in less than a week.

When he returned home, his wife dried his tears. She comforted him with these words. 'You should not be too sad about it. Probably there is a more suitable job waiting for you out there.'

Later on, he found another job and before long he was fired due to his slowness. This time, the wife commented. 'There are always people who are skillful and non skillful. Some have experience from their years of work. As for you, you were in school all this while. So, how could you acquire these needed skills?'

He went for a number of jobs but never stayed long in those jobs. Each time, he would return home with a dejected spirit. His wife would always comfort him and never once was she disappointed or resentful.

He was in his thirties when he acquired a flair in languages. He became a counselor in a school for the deaf and mute. Later on, he opened a school for the disabled. A few years later, he set up chain stores in different cities and provinces selling apparatus and equipment for the disabled. He became a multi-millionaire.

One day he asked his wife. 'When I was looking bleakly at my own future, what's the reason that you had so much faith in me?'

His wife gave him a very simple reply. She said, 

'When a piece of land is not suitable for planting wheat, we could try planting beans. If the beans are not growing well, we could try planting fruits or gourds. If the vegetation is not economical, we can instead scatter buckwheat seeds. These seeds will one day bloom into flowers. On this land itself, there will be one seed that will germinate and grow.'

After listening to his wife's explanation, he cried. His wife's faith, love, patience, and persistence is likened to the one seed in the land. This is the seed that persists and creates the miracle on this piece of land.

"In this world, there's no person who is useless. It is just that they have not positioned themselves firmly in the right place"

God does not create useless creatures. There is ALWAYS some purpose/mission. You just have to persist and find it!!!

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I can see myself in this story and there are many others out there who will feel the same.  The ultimate goal and vision should always be in mind and one should always be on the lookout for the opportunity that could make your life meaningful and fruitful...