last updated 11th June 2007

Kazak Authorities Order Demolition of Hare Krishna Properties
http://www.mayapur.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=385&Itemid=124&lang=
Written by Braja Sevaki devi dasi

The Karasai district Hakimat demands that the Krishna temple and other buildings in the Hare Krishna  community be demolished in 10 days. In the morning of June 6 the local police officer handed a notification to the  chairman of the Society for Krishna Consciousness. The document said that the land of the farm community of the Society for Krishna Consciousness had been transferred to the district land reserve according to court rulings. Based on that, the Karasai district Hakimat demanded that all the "illegally constructed buildings" situated on this land including the temple of the Society for Krishna Consciousness and the cowshed be demolished in 10 days.

This Karasai district Hakim's order is itself illegal because

-         the Hakim does not have the right to demand demolition of
buildings;

-         the court rulings only say about confiscating plots of land, there is no mention of demolishing buildings on the farm community's land;

-         the Hakim calls the buildings situated on the community's land "illegally constructed." However both the building currently used as a temple and the cowshed had existed even before the land was acquired by the Hare Krishnas.

The Hare Krishnas are going to appeal against the lawless actions of the Karasai district Hakimat to the prosecutor's office and the Almaty provincial Hakimat.

At the present time officials in Astana and Almaty province make declarations that the conflict around the Hare Krishnas will be resolved by giving the community an alternative piece of land. However no piece of land has been given so far. Until it happens the Krishna temple with 50 faithful and 30 cows just have no place to go. Besides, the temple building is the place where the Society for Krishna Consciousness is legally registered, and its demolition will lead to the liquidation of the Society.

The chairman of the Religious Affairs Committee, E. Tugzhanov, promised to the representatives of the Society during their last meeting that the community would get a plot of land before May 26. It is quite possible that Astana makes show that the Krishna's problem is being carefully attended to, while in reality nobody is going to do anything with it. The actions of the local Hakimat confirm this assumption.

The conflict around the Krishna community has been going on since 2004. The RK President's Administration has defined this situation as a result of bad governance on the part of the local authorities. As a result of this conflict 14 houses of the faithful were demolished in the community in November of 2006.

Head of Hare Krishna community tells of unjust proceedings by the Kazakhstan Supreme Court
http://www.jswami.info/head_of_hare_krishna_community_tells_of_unjust_proceedings_by_the_kazakhstan_supreme_court
Submitted by jswami on May 18, 2007 - 6:58am.

The head of the Hare Krishna community in Kazakhstan, His Holiness B.B. Govinda Swami, has issued this statement:

With the judgment passed by the Republic of Kazakhstan Supreme Court on May 8, 2007, the land of the Hare Krishna community in Almaty province may be confiscated in favor of the government at any moment.

The Supreme Court reversed its own judgment made on June 30, 2005, which had enabled the community to use 116 acres of land and receive the right of ownership after processing of relevant documents by the registering bodies of the Karasai district. These bodies have never registered the plots in favor of the RO [religious organization] Society for Krishna Consciousness because the land was arrested by the Karasai District Court at the request of the local Hakim.

The chairman of the RO Society for Krishna Consciousness explained to the Panel of the Supreme Court that the religious organization had never been informed of the proceedings. Furthermore, the courts of the first and second instance did not even take the trouble to send their decisions to the defendant, i.e. the religious organization.

The chairman of the RO requested the court to postpone the hearing, as she needed time to study the case and invite lawyers. However, the court decided to conduct the hearing immediately and only gave the RO chairman a few hours to study the rulings of the courts of the first and second instances. Thus the defendant was left without legal protection, unable to retain an attorney.

During the hearing the RO chairman again demanded that the court session should be postponed for her to have time to retain an attorney and properly study the case. However, the Civil Panel of the Supreme Court dismissed this motion and decided to reverse its own judgment of June 30, 2005, which had given the right of land use to the Society for Krishna Consciousness.

The judgment of the Supreme Court came into force from the moment it was read. This means that at any moment the land of the main center of the RO Society for Krishna Consciousness can be confiscated and transferred to the Karasai district land reserve.

The conflict around the community has been going on since 2004. At that time the administration of the Karasai district started a series of trials against the members of the Hare Krishna community. As a result of these trials, 13 homes of the faithful were demolished last November.

In March of 2007 the government of Kazakhstan showed an intention to resolve the conflict by way of negotiation with the community and declared the situation to be the result of bad governance by the local authorities. However, till the present moment no practical steps have been taken by the government to resolve the situation.

Thirteen more houses of the faithful may be demolished at any moment. With this court judgment, any day the faithful may be forced to vacate the land wherein the Society is registered. Fifty faithful and thirty cows will be left roofless. Their temple will cease to exist. And the loss of the legal address actually means that the Society for Krishna Consciousness will be liquidated in Almaty province.

Visit www.kazakhkrishna.com to learn more about the tragedy of the Krishna community in Kazakhstan.

See a video on YouTube about the tragedy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysMEGhuSzDE

This article published today by the Forum 18 News Service reports that local authorities in Kazakhstan have ordered the members of the Hare Krishna community near Almaty to destroy their temple and other buildings within the next ten days.

KAZAKHSTAN: “Tolerance” in Bucharest,
Krishna temple ordered demolished in Almaty

By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service

As senior Kazakh officials arrive in Romania for an OSCE conference on combating discrimination, the local administration chief ordered members of the embattled Hare Krishna near Almaty to demolish their own temple and other buildings within ten days. “If we don’t do it, the authorities will,” Hare Krishna spokesperson Maksim Varfolomeyev told Forum 18 News Service. Another 14 Hare Krishna-owned homes are already under threat of demolition in the latest moves in the authorities’ three-year campaign to destroy the commune. The government’s religious affairs chief Yeraly Tugzhanov ­ on his way to the OSCE conference ­ refused to answer any of Forum 18’s questions about the threatened destruction of the temple. He likewise refused to discuss the heavy fines imposed in Atyrau on 4 June on six Jehovah’s Witnesses for meeting for worship without state registration.

As senior officials from Kazakhstan arrive in the Romanian capital Bucharest for the opening tomorrow (7 June) of the Conference on Combating Discrimination and Promoting Mutual Respect and Understanding organised by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the authorities back at home are preparing to demolish a Hare Krishna temple and have heavily fined six Jehovah’s Witnesses for meeting for worship without state registration, Forum 18 News Service has learned.

The local authorities of the Karasai district near Kazakhstan’s commercial capital Almaty have told the embattled Hare Krishna commune to destroy their temple and other buildings located on their farm within ten days. “We received the document from the Karasai district Hakimat (administration) today ordering us to demolish these buildings ourselves,” the spokesperson for the devotees, Maksim Varfolomeyev, told Forum 18 on 6 June. “If we don’t do it, the authorities will.”

The order to destroy the Hare Krishna owned property coincided with massive fines imposed on six Jehovah’s Witnesses on 4 June for meeting without official registration in the Caspian Sea port of Atyrau in western Kazakhstan (see forthcoming F18News article). Atyrau’s Jehovah’s Witness community, which has been seeking legal status in vain for six years, was raided by prosecutor’s office officials in early May (see F18News 24 May 2007
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php ?article_id=962).

Members of Baptist churches which refuse on principle to seek official registration are also routinely given heavy fines and even several days’ imprisonment (see F18News 11 May 2007 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php ?article_id=954).

The timing of the order to destroy the Hare Krishna temple and the heavy fines on Jehovah’s Witnesses is embarrassing for the authorities. Yeraly Tugzhanov, the head of the Justice Ministry’s Religious Affairs Committee, and Bolat Baikadamov, the Human Rights Ombudsperson, are among Kazakhstan’s delegation to the OSCE conference.

Forum 18 reached Tugzhanov in Istanbul on 6 June while he was on his way to Bucharest. However, he declined to answer Forum 18’s questions about the planned demolition of the Hare Krishna-owned property and the big fines on the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Forum 18 reached his deputy, Amanbek Mukhashev, who was visiting Almaty, but when Forum 18 asked why the order has been issued to destroy the Hare Krishna temple and other buildings the line was cut. Mukhashev’s mobile phone was then switched off. No other Religious Affairs Committee official would comment on the latest threat to the Hare Krishna commune.

Over the past three years, the authorities have been determined to destroy the Sri Vrindavan Dham commune, located in the village of Seleksia in Zhetisu rural area of Karasai district and named after the “beautiful forest of Vrindavan” in India where Krishna spent his youth. The commune originally had 66 Hare Krishna-owned homes, plus the 47.7-hectare (118 acre) farm. Amid an international outcry, the authorities bulldozed 13 of the 66 homes in November 2006 and have repeatedly threatened to resume demolitions, most recently in early May (see F18News 4 May 2007 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php ?article_id=952).

The letter dated 5 June announcing the imminent demolition of the temple and other farm buildings (of which Forum 18 has seen a copy) was signed by the Hakim (head of administration), Bolat-bi Kutpanov. Although it does not specifically mention the temple, it calls on the devotees to demolish within ten days “all illegally erected buildings” on the farm site, “including a residential house, a cowshed etc.” The Hare Krishna commune’s temple is located in the farmhouse.

Varfolomeyev of the Hare Krishna community vigorously rejects Kutpanov’s assertion that any buildings on the farm were put up illegally. “When we bought the farm from the previous owner in 1999 the buildings were already there,” he told Forum 18. “All we have built since then is an extension to the kitchen of the farmhouse ­ and we had permission for that.”

The Hare Krishna devotees insist the order is also illegal because the Hakim does not have the right to order the demolition of buildings, and the court decisions he cites refer only to the land, not to the demolition of the buildings on them. They told Forum 18 they intend to appeal against the order to the district prosecutor’s office and the Almaty regional Hakimat.

As the temple is the legal address for the Hare Krishna community, the devotees also fear that if the building is destroyed the religious community itself will automatically have its legal status liquidated. Under Kazakhstan’s restrictive religious laws ­ which contradict international human rights norms ­ unregistered religious activity is banned and routinely punished with heavy fines.

Kutpanov, the Hakim, was unavailable on 6 June. His office told Forum 18 he was travelling in the district. Likewise his deputy, Tusupov, was also out of the office. Curiously ­ given the local Hakimat’s repeated insistence that the moves against the Hare Krishna commune are unrelated to its members’ religious affiliation ­ Tusupov’s office referred Forum 18 to Ryskul Zhunisbayeva, senior officer of the department of internal affairs who supervises religious affairs. However, her telephone went unanswered on 6 June. Her boss, Gulnara Sultanova, told Forum 18 that she knew nothing about the issue and referred Forum 18 back to Zhunisbayeva.

Varfolomeyev told Forum 18 that 14 more Hare Krishna-owned homes are due for demolition “at any time”. On 29 May, the senior bailiff of Karasai District, Baichapanov, ordered the electricity to be disconnected from the 14 homes for one day “because of house demolition scheduled for 29 May”.

However, electricity was cut off not to the 14 threatened homes, but to the farm instead, Varfolomeyev told Forum 18. The supply was cut off at 6.15 am without any warning and in the absence of the community’s members, leaving some fifty devotees and the entire farm without electricity or water. “The lights just went off and the water pumps stopped,” he complained. “The faithful were put into a state of anxiety, the activities of the community were interrupted as everybody gravely waited for house destruction to begin. Fortunately, no houses were demolished on that day. However the electricity was not connected either.”

The Hare Krishna devotees accused the Karasai district power station’s director, Mirzagali Taukebayev, of “arbitrary behaviour” in cutting off the farm’s electricity. It was not restored until the afternoon of 5 June. “Our people were left with no power or water for eight days,” Varfolomeyev complained.

The latest moves follow a decision by Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court on 8 May which overturned a July 2005 ruling in favour of the Hare Krishna devotees which had backed their right to use the farm and register their ownership with the district authorities.

The Hare Krishna community had taken its case to the Supreme Court after a decision of the Almaty regional court in November 2006 annulling the sales and purchase agreement between the Society for Krishna Consciousness and the previous owner. “The Society for Krishna Consciousness was invited neither to the district nor to the regional court hearings,” the devotees complained. “Thus the decisions of the courts of first and second instances were taken without representatives of the Society.”

The Hare Krishna community has been talking to national and local officials about the authorities’ suggestion to move the commune to another location in Almaty Region. However, the devotees remain sceptical about the authorities’ sincerity. They point out that at a meeting with Tugzhanov of the Religious Affairs Committee on 18 May, Tugzhanov promised Hare Krishna representatives that an alternative site would be provided by 26 May. No site has been provided.

Devotees maintain that it is possible the authorities are merely “creating the image” of actively resolving the issue, “whereas in reality no-one is planning to resolve anything”. They say the Hakim’s latest order is evidence of this.

“At the moment there is no alternative location,” Hare Krishna devotees told Forum 18. “And as long as no alternative site is provided there will simply be nowhere for the Krishna temple, as well as 50 devotees and 30 cows to go.” (END)
For a personal commentary on how attacking religious freedom damages national security in Kazakhstan,
see F18News http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php ?article_id=564.
For more background, see Forum 18’s Kazakhstan religious freedom survey at http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php ?article_id=701.
A survey of the religious freedom decline in the eastern part of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) area is at http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php ?article_id=806 and a survey of religious intolerance in Central Asia is at http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=815.
A printer-friendly map of Kazakhstan is available at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/index.html?Parent=asia&Rootmap=kazakh

The Krishna Consciousness Community Faces Evictions and Destruction of Homes as a Result of Discriminatory and Unfair Proceedings . Vienna/Brussels,10 May 2007; The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) and Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRFW, IHF  cooperating organization) are concerned by the Tuesday (8 May) judgment by the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan against the Society for Krishna Consciousness regarding ownership of 116 acres of land in the Karasai district, near Almaty, which is home to this Hare Krishna community.

We fear that the judgment may lead to further human rights abuses against the community. Since November 2006, at least fourteen of the 60 houses in the community have been demolished on court orders and at the request of the local authorities, leaving dozens of people homeless and causing anguish among the community members about their future.

"The orders to destroy homes of Hare Krishna members have followed unfair trials and other practices by authorities that strongly suggest discrimination on religious grounds," said Aaron Rhodes, the IHF's executive director.

The latest developments are the culmination of harassment against the Hare Krishna community that started in 2004. Since November 2004, the community has tried on three occasions to submit applications and documentation to local authorities for the privatization of the land they cultivate and the homes of their members. At least twice the local authorities have reacted by filing cases in court against community members and serving them with orders for the confiscation of property, evictions and for the demolition of their houses and by deploying bulldozers on the spot. Last time, eviction notices were served only hours before the bulldozers' arrival, or not at all. The affected families have had limited access to legal remedies to challenge the orders, and they have not been allocated alternate housing.

These events give rise to serious suspicions that the Hare Krishna community has been excluded from the privatization process on grounds of religious affiliation. Even though religious motives have been officially denied, they have reportedly been cited in private discussions with community members, and local authorities have resorted to spreading defamatory misinformation about the community.

Twenty-seven community members have faced various charges arising from ownership issues and legalization of their property as a consequence of their attempts to become part of the standard privatization process.
Judicial proceedings against them have been characterized by violations of the principle of equality before law; lack of independence of courts; proceedings in the absence of the defendant; the failure to inform defendants of court decisions; and the limited right of appeal.

The dispute also involves accusations that the Hare Krishna community has forged documents with the aim of proving their ownership of the land and that the community no longer exists legally  claims that authorities have been unable to document properly. Accusations that community members have conducted religious rites illegally suggest non-respect of international standards for freedom of religion.  Moreover, the government recently published false information alleging that an agreement on the dispute had been reached with a representative of the Hare Krishna community during a meeting in Vienna in March.

In addition, forced evictions of families violates internationally guaranteed human rights, including the right to housing  and the right to non-interference with privacy, family and home.  Furthermore, General Comment No. 7 of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights requires that states explore "all feasible alternatives"
prior to carrying out any forced evictions. According to the Comment, eviction is always the last resort, and if it needs to be used, those affected must be consulted and given adequate and reasonable notice prior to the scheduled date of eviction. Evictions should never result in rendering individuals homeless or vulnerable to other human rights violations.  None of these standards were followed in the case of the Hare Krishna community.

A commission was set up in late 2006 in the Ministry of Justice to resolve the dispute, but it failed to adequately deal with the issue, especially with its legal components.

At the time of writing, another thirteen community houses are under the threat of being demolished and the Supreme Court ruling makes it possible for the authorities to confiscate the 116 acres of land at any moment.

The IHF and HRWF urge the Kazakh authorities to strictly abide by the international human rights standards the country has committed itself to and to take all available measures to solve the case of the Hare Krishna community in a peaceful, fair and unbiased manner. This includes retrials that respect all due process standards in all cases against Hare Krishna members that deal with property, eviction and privatization issues.

In addition, the Kazakh authorities should halt any further demolitions of houses in the Hare Krishna community, and refrain from confiscations, pending retrials, as well as of any acts of harassment against its members, and allow them to freely practice their religion. The government should also ensure that responsible authorities deal with privatization issues in an unbiased and non-discriminatory manner, applying the same regulations to all applicants, as provided by law.
---

For more information:

Aaron Rhodes, IHF executive director, tel. +43-1-408 8822 or +43-676-635
6612 (mobile)

Willy Fautré, director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, tel. +32-2-34 56 145.

Henriette Schroeder, IHF press officer, +43-1-408 88 22 41 or +43-676- 725
48 29

See original statement:
http://www.ihf-hr.org/documents/doc_summary.php?sec_id=3&d_id=4399

See also:

http://www.kazakhkrishna.com/en-news/260.html

Press-service

Tel. +7 3272 969719
+7 701 7407943, +7 701 7303393,
Tel/fax +7 32771 34287

E-mail: info@kazakhkrishna.com

Visit www.kazakhkrishna.com to see the tragedy of the Krishna community in Kazakhstan.

Visit YouTube to see the tragedy of the Krishna community in Kazakhstan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysMEGhuSzDE

The head of the Hare Krishna community in Kazakhstan, His Holiness B.B. Govinda Swami, has issued this statement:

With the judgment passed by the Republic of Kazakhstan Supreme Court on May 8, 2007, the land of the Hare Krishna community in Almaty province may be confiscated in favor of the government at any moment.

The Supreme Court reversed its own judgment made on June 30, 2005, which had enabled the community to use 116 acres of land and receive the right of ownership after processing of relevant documents by the registering bodies of the Karasai district. These bodies have never registered the plots in favor of the RO [religious organization] Society for Krishna Consciousness because the land was arrested by the Karasai District Court at the request of the local Hakim.

The chairman of the RO Society for Krishna Consciousness explained to the Panel of the Supreme Court that the religious organization had never been informed of the proceedings. Furthermore, the courts of the first and second instance did not even take the trouble to send their decisions to the defendant, i.e. the religious organization.

The chairman of the RO requested the court to postpone the hearing, as she needed time to study the case and invite lawyers. However, the court decided to conduct the hearing immediately and only gave the RO chairman a few hours to study the rulings of the courts of the first and second instances. Thus the defendant was left without legal protection, unable to retain an attorney.

During the hearing the RO chairman again demanded that the court session should be postponed for her to have time to retain an attorney and properly study the case. However, the Civil Panel of the Supreme Court dismissed this motion and decided to reverse its own judgment of June 30, 2005, which had given the right of land use to the Society for Krishna Consciousness.

The judgment of the Supreme Court came into force from the moment it was read. This means that at any moment the land of the main center of the RO Society for Krishna Consciousness can be confiscated and transferred to the Karasai district land reserve.

The conflict around the community has been going on since 2004. At that time the administration of the Karasai district started a series of trials against the members of the Hare Krishna community. As a result of these trials, 13 homes of the faithful were demolished last November.

In March of 2007 the government of Kazakhstan showed an intention to resolve the conflict by way of negotiation with the community and declared the situation to be the result of bad governance by the local authorities. However, till the present moment no practical steps have been taken by the government to resolve the situation.

Thirteen more houses of the faithful may be demolished at any moment. With this court judgment, any day the faithful may be forced to vacate the land wherein the Society is registered. Fifty faithful and thirty cows will be left roofless. Their temple will cease to exist. And the loss of the legal address actually means that the Society for Krishna Consciousness will be liquidated in Almaty province.

Visit http://www.kazakhkrishna.com to learn more about the tragedy of the Krishna community in Kazakhstan.

See a video on YouTube about the tragedy.

Read HERE how the original issue began in Kazakstan

Read HERE what the previous articles from November 2006 were

Written by HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami

Dear Maharaj/ Prabujis/ Matajis,

It is my great pleasure to inform all the devotees of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that a great service opportunity has been offered by the temple authorities of Gambhira, in Puri dham, where Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spent the final years of His manifested pastimes on this earthly planet. Kasi Mishra's house, also known as Gambhira, and the Radha Kanta math, were both under the care of the Orissa government due to 20 years of litigation. Finally, this litigation problem has been resolved and the management of the institution has been returned to the temple mahanta.

The temple has sustained much damage over the years due to lack of proper maintenance. The whole place is very dirty and the roofs and walls are falling down. The temple roof is also cracking. Additionally, the temple has a lack of proper income for the maintenance of the devotees and for deity puja—and, of course, the more the Gambhira is allowed to deteriorate, the fewer visitors it will have.

At this crucial point, the mahanta of Gambhira has requested ISKCON to extend kind assistence to him in order to protect and maintain this most holy place. Devotees from all over the world come to offer their prayers and obeisances at Gambhira. This is one of the most important places for the followers of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and must be maintained nicely.

Thus, this is a golden opportunity for devotees to render service to this most sacred cause. I request all devotees to kindly donate towards this purpose. There are many things to be fixed at the place. For the time being we have prepared a rough budget, for whatever the most urgent needs are, just to bring the situation up to  survival position. Later on, we will let you know about further opportunities for service in the development of the Gambhira.

For further information contact

Bhakti Purusottama Swami

Phone: ++ 91 9434506434

E mail: bps@pamho.net

From the MAY 2007 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter

Click here to go

On 3rd April the Mayor of Moscow signed a decree alloting 5 acres of land for a Hare Krishna temple in Moscow. Although the agreement was reached many months earlier, the signing of the official document brings to fruit several years of tireless efforts. A conceptual design for the complex has been already approved by the Planning Committee but work continues to obtain full regulatory approval. Russian devotees headed by Bhakti Vijnana Swami are very grateful for assistance provided by devotees in Britain and the rest of the world. The issue reached an international level following the destruction of the original temple in Moscow by local authorities to make way for a commercial complex. A promise to provide alternative land in compensation was never fulfilled, leaving worshippers in sub-zero conditions without shelter. Bhaktivedanta Manor and the Hindu Forum of Britain organised a meeting of all-party MPs and peers in the House of Commons in January 2006, kicking off a series of high-level diplomatic initiatives between UK and Russian couterparts. Special thanks are due to Ashok Kumar (MP), James Clappison (MP), Lord Dholakia, CB Patel, Nitin mple design Palan and leaders of the major religions for their active assistance. Although relocation of displaced worshippers and facilities continues in Moscow, the latest achievement is welcome news.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=55&articleid=2906210

BRADFORD, UNITED KINGDOM, May 25, 2007: The Queen was presented with a burgundy shawl--a perfect match to her outfit--after she opened a US$6 million Hindu temple in Bradford. The Queen was greeted by Swami Gopal Sharan Devacharya. The gift was presented after she unveiled a plaque at the Bradford Hindu Temple which will be one of the largest outside London once it opens later this summer. Local residents gathered outside to watch her arrive with the Duke of Edinburgh, as musicians played traditional pipe and drum music in the background. Before the visit, builders had to remove scaffolding from the building on Leeds Road as part of it has yet to be completed. The area outside the building was decorated with England flags.

The Queen toured the building and met fundraisers, community leaders and designers of the temple. She removed her black patent court shoes and wore white pumps when she visited the prayer room and a garland of lilac flowers was placed around her neck. Nine-year-old Dishaa Joshi, from Bronte House School in Apperley Bridge, near Bradford, also presented her with a bouquet of flowers. The Queen met with Manoj Bhardwaj, son of the president of the Hindu Cultural Society Baldev Krishnan Bhardwaj, community groups and project organizers in the temple's meeting room. As she left the temple, the Queen met local children who were waiting outside.

courtesy of Hinduism Today  http://www.hinduismtoday.com

Queen meets Hindu leaders at new temple
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=55&articleid=2906210
By Lizzie Murphy

The Queen wears a shawl presented to her.

THE Queen was presented with a burgundy shawl – a perfect match to her outfit - after she opened a £3m Hindu temple in Bradford.

The gift was presented after she unveiled a plaque at the Bradford Hindu Temple which will be one of the largest outside London once it opens later this summer.

Local residents gathered outside to watch her arrive with the Duke of Edinburgh, as musicians played traditional pipe and
drum music in the background.

Before the visit builders had to remove scaffolding from the building on Leeds Road as part of it has yet to be completed. The area outside the building was decorated with England flags.

The Queen toured the building and met fundraisers, community leaders and designers of the temple.

She removed her black patent court shoes and wore white pumps when she visited the prayer room and a garland of lilac flowers was placed around her neck.

Nine-year-old Dishaa Joshi, from Bronte House School in Apperley Bridge, near Bradford, also presented
her with a bouquet of flowers.

Dishaa said afterwards: "The Duke of Edinburgh asked my name and what school I go to.

"My friends were all jealous because I was meeting the Queen. They all wanted to come along too."

Manoj Bhardwaj, son of the president of the Hindu Cultural Society Baldev Krishan Bhardwaj, enjoyed a joke with the Queen as she met community groups and project organisers in the temple's meeting room.

Afterwards, he told the Yorkshire Post: "I said it was a pleasure to meet the Queen and a great honour." Referring to George Bush's gaffe in Washington earlier this month when he started to say 1776, rather than
1976, when talking about a previous visit by the Queen, Mr Bhardwaj said: "I said to her, 'unlike George Bush, we will always remember the day you came here'. She had a giggle and said 'that is lovely'."

As she left the temple, the Queen met local children who were waiting outside.

Gurneet Kang, aged eight, a pupil at Netherleigh and Rossfield School in Bradford, said:
"I've been feeling very excited about meeting the Queen but she was different to how I
thought she would be.

"I thought she was going to be really tall with lots of make up on.

"I was surprised she wore a hat because I thought she would be wearing a crown."

The Queen was greeted in Centenary Square by music from the Black Dyke Band and the Bradford Schools Choir.

Lord Mayor of Bradford Coun Robin Owens welcomed her and Bradford Council chief executive Tony Reeves told her
about regeneration plans.

She was introduced to the political leaders of the main parties in Bradford before meeting members of the public including pensioners Margaret Spencer, Veronica Quantrill and Doreen Luciw who were all dressed in Union Jack colours.

Environmentalism According to the Vedic View
 
VFA Journal, June, 2007,

Date: Sun Jun 3, 2007 8:09 pm ((PDT))

Namaste all Vedic Friends,
    It is increasingly apparent that the environment  and what is happening to it, in it, and what humanity has to do with it, is  a growing issue. Here is my article on the Vedic view of environmentalism.  It is not an action plan regarding what we should do, but it is a guide in  adjusting how we should look at nature, and whose nature it is. After all,  even at a major environmental symposium, it was recognized that that which is  regarded as sacred will more likely be treated in a respectable way. Thus, in  this regard, when we view nature and the environment as something sacred,  something that is bigger than ourselves and belongs to something more important  than ourselves, it is more likely that people will begin to treat it  differently, and as if the way they treat it and take care of it really matters.  And that what they do is connected with everything else and affects  everything around them.
    So this article should inspire this vision or  perception that will be the basis of humanity's change of attitude and action  toward the environment and nature.
    Hari OM,
    Stephen Knapp
 
 
Environmentalism According to the Vedic View

By Stephen Knapp

The environment means nature, and whose  nature is it? It is God's nature. Did anyone else create it? Did anyone else put  it all together so that it operates the way it does? In fact, mankind is still  trying to figure out all the intricacies of its functionality.

In all the inventions or devices we produce, all the ingredients and resources  that we use are all given by God. The elements we need to make big buildings,  bridges, ships, cars, or the fuel to operate them, are all being given by God,  and we need to show the proper respect. To think we are the proprietors of  everything is the illusion. It is our pride that makes us think we are so  intelligent when actually the very brain with which we think is not created by us but has again been given by God.

As everything is created from the Supreme, then we should certainly have a high  regard for everything as the expansion of God's energies. This not only includes  all of our fellow men, but all creatures, as well as all aspects of the planet.  Violence toward the planet in the form of  not caring for the environment, misusing and polluting our natural resources,  not managing the land and forests properly, are all forms of disrespect toward  God and the blessings that have been given us. Why should we expect God to  continue giving us the necessities of life, or the means to acquire them, if we  are going to ruin them, or do not know how to care for them properly? So we must  never pollute our resources or waste the food we have.

We should also see that even the Earth is a living being, full of life. The globe is a mother to us since she supplies all that we need. All of our food, water, and resources for sustaining our own lives, as well as supplies for shelter and clothing, all come from her. How she reciprocates with us in regard to what she provides depends on how we treat, honor and care for her. The imbalance in nature, such as the green house effect, the changing climate and weather patterns, are reflections of the imbalance in the consciousness of humanity. Once there is balance and harmony in society's consciousness and the way we regard and treat the ecosystem, this will then be reflected in the balance in nature. Then many of the storms, natural upheavals and disasters will begin to cease.

The environment and the material creation are supplied with all the potencies to  produce all the necessities that we require, not only for humans but also for  all species. Human society should not consider itself as the only enjoyer of all  of God's creation, and that no other creatures have a claim to it. Humanity is  actually a minority species when we consider the many types of creatures that  are sustained by the environment. If we manage the ecosystem properly, it will  continue to produce everything we need. However, if people who have no genuine  spiritual understanding start exploiting the Earth to take whatever they want in  any way they want, then the supply of resources starts decreasing and the Earth,  being a living organism, stops producing or responding to the needs of society  as abundantly as it used to do. Then there will be shortages, droughts, and  forest fires; subsequently the prices on commodities will increase. Gradually  more people will become poor, and poverty and starvation will spread in parts of  the world. Then we see fierce competition for whatever resources can be  attained. When many people die while fighting over land and commodities, or  temporary and ever-changing political stances, then all the bloodshed from the  dead, dying or wounded is like offering Mother Earth blood sacrifices to drink.  She is pained by this, as are so many other higher beings that watch the  activities of humanity. Rather than respecting the Earth and cooperating to  share her resources, when we fight over them it is most heartrending for Mother  Earth. Thus, when the Earth and the Lord's environment are not properly  appreciated and maintained, or are exploited by ungodly people, then scarcities  and excess pollution is the result. However, nature itself can go on nicely  except for the interference of ungodly men. As a society controlled by godless men gathers all the resources from the land  as fast as possible for power and quick profits, it may appear to be a mighty  economic gain at first, but in time it is never enough. As demand grows, scarcity raises its angry head. When the environment is not respected and cared  for properly, there are also changes in the various species that have existed  for thousands of years, even extinctions. These are all signs of further unknown  changes in the future that will be revealing themselves to us when it will be  too late.

There may be times when the Earth needs to cleanse herself of unwanted activities or from the pain she suffers from society's wrong aims of life. She  may move in various ways to adjust things so that humanity is not so out of balance and will be forced to reconfigure the value systems that are displayed  by humanity and make them geared more toward the real goal of life. When Earth  reacts in particular ways to relieve her from the weight of unwanted activities  or segments of society, we should not miss the message. A society that is too  spoiled often easily forgets the real reason why it is here.

The proper vision is that everything is the property of the Supreme.  If we have any possessions or wealth, we should  see that we are only borrowing them for a short time. We certainly cannot take  them with us when we leave this body, thus someone else will take it all when we  are gone. The ultimate owner of everything is the Supreme Creator. Thus, the  proper way to use anything is in the service or consciousness of God. The same  goes for taking care of the environment. Everything belongs to God so,  ultimately, we should take care of it as if we were being watched by God and  only taking care of His property while, by God's good graces, it produces the  resources we need to live. After all, as the Lord in our heart and as the Supersoul of every living being, He is observing everything  we do.

All of one's land, home, wealth, and possessions belong to the Supreme Being though we wrongly think, "I am this body and all that belongs to it is  mine". Thus, a person of wisdom should not see anything as  separate from the Supreme Lord. In spiritual consciousness, such a person will  see everything, whether it be fire, air, water, the earth, the sun and stars,  all living beings, the trees and plants, the rivers and oceans, and in fact  everything that exists as an expansion of the energies of the Supreme Lord. Even  while actively engaged with so many objects and undertakings in this creation, a  person who sees the whole world as the energy of the Supreme Being is indeed a  great sage of wisdom.

Therefore, we should care for the environment as if it is not ours but God's property, and in this way assure ourselves that it will continue to provide all  of our necessities for many years to come, and into many future generations.  This is the Vedic view.

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/

To stay  in touch, join his news list,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StephenKnappNewsList

mailto:StephenKnappNewsList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Slaughterhouses do have glass windows nowadays
http://www.dandavats.com/?p=3570

By Cidanandas

It has been said that if slaughterhouses had glass windows,many people would stop meat eating.It is now possible through video clips,sometimes secretly filmed at these horrible places,and available to all people around the world,who sometimes have ever seen a live cow or a chicken in their life.

The meat comes beautifully packaged in a plastic tray,with beautifully designed photographs for pre-cooked preps.The taste and look of the meat,after many manipulations,appeal to meat-eaters,who,due to false propaganda,believe it is absolutely necessary for proteins and vitamins,otherwise they’ll die of bad nutrition.

In order to see what these video clips are having as effect on the minds of people, I visited youtube and searched: massacre - animal-cows…and in a few secs, the horror place was there,ready to be watched. Anyone who has some feelings should be immediately conscious of the terrible injustice being carried out in such places,where the huge animals are forcibly driven to their end,by means of electric shocks,turned upside down,and have their throats slit by an employee,who repeats this act over and over again.The cow is then thrown,still conscious and moving to an area,where she tries to escape,but keeps slipping on the blood all over the concrete floor. Finally,death is here,and it’s the end of the sufferings.

The muslim way of taking life seems to be more efficient,as the bull is tied up by their feet and the throat is slit with a sharp knife,and after the oozing of blood,seconds after,it’s the end.

What impressed me were the comments given by viewers:about 50% say that they didn’t know about such sufferings…and are thinking about going vegetarian! Many curse the cruelty of the slaughterhouse’s employees,who don’t have any respect for the animals.

The killing of dogs and cats in the Far Eastern countries,for food,make them even wilder,as the torturers believe that the meat taste better when the animals experience fear.

Horse slaughter for export is met with incredibility:how humans have turned into such savages,that even in other countries,do not exist.In order to make maximum profits,the mechanisation of the meat industry has turned men into beasts of the worst kind,for the pleasure of growing population of meat eaters.

I don’t know what devotees think of such type of shock preaching,but personally I think it’s a good way to awaken people from their illusory world of refined eating,as the meat industry took great care to hide their dark secrets from the public till now,with fenced walls and windowless buildings.The crime now is readily available now,within seconds,thanks to this marvellous invention,that can be put into Lord Krishna’s service. A good downloadable video can be seen at peta.org.
 

Artist Promotes His Ancient Art Form of Fingernail Embossing

suhas@nakhachitra.com

NEW YORK, U.S.A., May 30, 2007: In the traditional way of India, Suhas Tavkar learned the art of fingernail embossing at the age of five years old from his father who had learned the art form from Suhas's grandfather. After a career as a graphic artist in New York City, Tavkar is now focussing his ambitions on educating the public about fingernail embossing or NakhaChitra as it is known in Sankrit. The article explains, "NakhaChitra is one of the World's rarest art forms. Embossing by hand allows Suhas to produce the most intricate and truly unique embossed designs on paper or foil. Yet, as he says, his work is a 'daunting, irksome and painful' fine art of Bas-Relief. Each fingernail embossing takes tremendous concentration and precise hand-eye coordination. But the beauty of the art is that each work is an original, a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork. With this technique, if a single line or impression fails to satisfy him, it cannot be undone; it is permane nt. In other words, the whole piece has to begin anew. Art using one's fingernails may have started long time ago, with fingernail embossing perhaps beginning when humans started to make paper. Suhas describes himself as a unique and gifted artist who can create fine sculptural art without using any artistic materials or tools, just his very own fingernails."

Suhas Tavkar will be showcasing his art form at the New York Public Library Donnell Center from June 9 to July 6, 2007. The new release mentions two websites where samplings of Tavkar's work can be found at here and here. Suhas can also be contacted by email at suhas@nakhachitra.com.

courtesy of Hinduism Today  http://www.hinduismtoday.com

Bojan Pancevski, Zaplana

THE nearest the cheerful, obsessively tidy former Yugoslav country of Slovenia comes to hell on earth these days is when a British stag party lands in the capital, Ljubljana. But since President Janez Drnovsek experienced a spiritual rebirth, baffled Slovenians have been warned that they are living on the edge of the apocalypse.

Frequently dressed in Indian clothes and sometimes playing the flute with laurel leaves in his hair, the president has cast off the trappings of power. After he was diagnosed with kidney cancer, Drnovsek, 56, left his presidential palace in Ljubljana, sacked most of his staff and moved with his dog to a mountain cabin near the village of Zaplana, where he grows organic food and bakes his own bread.

Having rejected conventional medicine in favour of herbal therapies and a vegan diet, he has become a tireless crusader against “all things evil”, warning that the world is about to end.

Drnovsek has embarked on a globe-trotting mission to preach positive energy, environmental awareness, spiritualism and animal rights, pledging to end the tyranny of “well-paid but inefficient international officials”.

There is no formal word on his health — the cancer is reported to have spread to his liver and lungs and he has visibly deteriorated — but he retains the same vigour in his largely ceremonial job, declaring: “I feel healthy, therefore I am healthy.”

He works full-time, seven days a week, and is constantly on the move, talking to heads of state and hippie gatherings alike. Last week he was in Vienna promoting his new book, The Essence of the World, a follow-up to his blockbuster The Thoughts on Life and Awareness which was second only to The Da Vinci Code on the Slovenian bestseller lists.

Drnovsek, who holds a PhD in economics, served as prime minister for almost a decade and is credited with having lifted his country out of the Balkan cauldron straight into the European Union. He still enjoys wide public support, but since his conversion to the simple things in life he has ditched his Liberal Democratic party to found the Movement for Justice and Development, which aims to “restrict the logic of capital and profit and provide a social as well as environmentally more balanced world”.

His criticism of the EU, the United Nations and politicians in general is harsh. “Politicians say what they think people want to hear. They don’t speak the language of a higher consciousness. They don’t really know what they’re saying,” he said. To critics, he retorted: “I have reached my inner peace and I am not afraid any more.”

London (UK) Mayor hosts first event for Hindus
http://www.hinduvoice.co.uk/issues/17/Mayor.htm

On Wednesday 9th May, Ken Livingston (the Mayor of London) hosted a reception for young Hindu professionals. The event took place at City Hall, and was organized at the behest of the City Hindus Network, with support from Hindu Council UK.

Generally the event was intended to highlight, celebrate and reflect on the contributions of Hindus living in London to the cultural and economic life of the city.

Speaking at the event, the Mayor paid tribute to the hard work of the London Hindu community and the strong ties that exist between the UK and India.

“The Hindu Community is one of the most highly skilled and high achieving communities and it has helped shape London into the dynamic, diverse and thriving city it is today,” he said.

Other speakers at the event included Dilip Joshi of the Hindu Council UK, Dhruv Patel of the City Hindu Network and Jitesh Gadhia, a Managing Director at investment bank ABN AMRO. Mr Gadhia said his Hindu faith was in part responsible for his successful career:

“Hindus ­ and specifically Hindu values ­ can actually create a competitive advantage for those trying to build a successful career in the city,” he said, going on to outline five, key Hindu values he believed had been relevant in his own career: tolerance and respect for others, focus on the importance of education, family and community and the Hindu principle of ‘Dharma’ or ‘right conduct.’

It was the first time that the Mayor, usually considered a champion of multiculturalism and minority communities, has presided over an event for Hindus. However this is not necessarily to imply that Mr. Livingstone has ignored Hindus up until now, but more so that Hindus have generally not asserted their collective presence in the City. However the mood at the event spelled out that many Hindus felt it was time for this to change, and to make sure our collective voice has a place in shaping society for the better.

Dhruv Patel, founder of the City Hindus Network, decried the fact that while Hindus generally have successful careers, very few reach the highest levels that they are capable of. It was with this in mind that he announced that City Hindus Network would be holding a mentoring service to help young Hindus to experience the highest levels of the corporate world and to prepare themselves to enter it.

May 26th, 2007

Sex education curriculum angers Indian conservatives

By Amelia Gentleman

NEW DELHI: Should a 15-year-old Indian student be permitted to look at anatomical drawings that illustrate how an adolescent’s body develops into an adult form?

This simple question stands at the heart of an uneasy debate over Indian values, contemporary morality and the best way to educate modern teenagers in the facts of life.

As Indian society races through extraordinarily rapid social change, a dispute over the content of a sex education textbook throws a spotlight on the ever-shifting boundaries between cultural acceptability and sexual taboos.

It shows how conservative forces in India are battling fiercely to resist the swift pace of change, as a new generation of adolescents, particularly in the cities, are brought up on an untested diet of Western soap operas, cable television and increasingly globalized values.

In recent weeks, six of India’s 28 states have suspended a new “adolescence education” program designed for 15- to 17-year-olds in all state-run schools and devised jointly by the National Education Ministry and the government body responsible for combating the spread of AIDS.

Outrage, mainly among rightist parties, which often promote themselves as defenders of an ill-defined notion of “Indian morality,” was prompted primarily by a flip-chart of illustrations for use by teachers as they summarized the physical changes experienced by teenagers during puberty.

Information in the curriculum on contraception and sexually-transmitted diseases also provoked anger.

One by one, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan - some of the largest Indian states - declared that the content of the course was unacceptable for Indian children and announced a suspension of the program.

The government of Kerala has stopped teaching the course temporarily while a review board modifies the textbooks, excising the unacceptable elements.

The chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, wrote in a letter of protest to the Central Education Ministry that the “government has devaluated Indian culture and its values.”

“Instead, the younger generation should be taught about yoga, Indian culture and its values,” he concluded.

The education minister in Rajasthan, Ghansyam Tiwari, justified his decision by describing the course material as “disgraceful and capable of corrupting the minds of the young.”

Announcing a decision to suspend the course in Karnataka, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said at a news conference: “Sex education may be necessary in Western countries, but not in India, which has rich culture. It will have adverse effect on young minds, if implemented.”

This response has elicited seething frustration in the National AIDS Control Organization, where officials are struggling to combat an AIDS epidemic. Last year, India became the country with the highest number of HIV-positive people, with an estimated 5.7 million cases.

The director of the AIDS organization, Sujatha Rao, said she regretted the way the subject had become a political flash point.

“There is no place for a debate here on cultural sensibilities. This is a basic question of saving lives,” she said in an interview at the group’s Delhi headquarters. According to its research, one-third of the reported infections across India are in the 15-29 age group and 50 percent of all new infections are in this young category.

Rao said conservative groups across the country were being unrealistic about swiftly changing attitudes to sex among a new generation of Indian teenagers and were clinging stubbornly to an outmoded vision of the country’s youth.

“There is much more permissiveness around today than a generation ago; young people are more aware of their sexuality,” she said. “There is much greater access to information about sex from the Internet, from the cinema, from television.

“This generation needs to be much more knowledgeable, so that they are aware of the risks,” she said.

“I have a feeling that the conservative elements in our society are unable to cope with these dynamic changes that are taking place. There is a fear that this area was once under their control and is now spiraling out of their control.”

India has included sex education in its national curriculum since the late 1980s, but earlier course material gave little detail on contraception and sexually transmitted diseases and had no illustrations. The AIDS group maintained that with the epidemic spreading and with teenagers starting to have casual sex, the new course had to be clearer in certain areas.

A study by the group in 2006 showed that 8 percent of Indian teenagers had had casual sex; a less comprehensive survey conducted by the India Today weekly newsmagazine showed that one in four Indian women ages 18 to 30 who were questioned in 11 large cities had had sex before marriage.

The timing of this debate comes as self-appointed defenders of Indian morality have caused noisy controversy on various other issues. In every area of life, India is struggling to find a commonly acceptable line between decorous behavior and actions deemed to outrage moral sensibilities. Despite the increasingly permissive atmosphere, the occasional kiss or display of excess flesh triggers a nationwide, media-fueled storm.

The central government decided to ban the broadcasting of Fashion TV in March, in response to complaints about programs like “Midnight Hot” which showed models in flimsy bikinis. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry said that the programs were “against good taste and decency, denigrate women and are likely to adversely affect public morality.”

All of which makes the teaching of sex education an extremely delicate business. Vandana Sharma, director of Nari Raksha Samiti, or the Women’s Protection League, a charity that has been campaigning for better sex education in schools, said the course was more vital than ever before.

“This kind of teaching was not necessary 10 years ago. But now India is merging more and more with Western cultures, there is easy access to Western culture through cable television,” she said. “Teenagers see characters having extra-marital affairs and women in seduction roles, and they want to experiment, too. The real problem is with the soaps - these are against Indian culture - not the sex education, which really represents the solution.”

When Caste was not a bad word. My article in todays Hindustan Times
 
Date: Mon Jun 4, 2007 1:16 am ((PDT))

Namaskar Mitra,
My latest article in todays Hindustimes Times. Makes some points on education as well. Sorry for an impersonal mail.
http://www.esamskriti.com/html/essay_index.asp?cat=892&subcat=891&cname=caste_ht_article or read below.

When caste was not a bad word

By Sanjeev Nayyar. Article appeared in Hindustan Times, Mumbai on June 4, 2007.

Were caste equations always as bad as they are today? Not quite. There were always castes but they were not backward.

Now that the Supreme Court has referred the matter of 27% reservations to a Constitutional Bench it might be worthwhile revisiting certain historical truths. Proponents of the 27% reservation for OBCs argue that reservations would help them overcome centuries of discrimination! However, if such animosity really existed between the forwards and backwards, how could the Indian Civilization have thrived for over 5,000 years?

A noted Gandhian, Dharampal visited British & Indian archives and reproduced reports of Surveys undertaken by the British in Bengal, Punjab and Madras Presidency (1800-1830). According to Collectors reports reviewed by Governor Sir Thomas Munro on 10/3/1826, of the 30,211 male school students in Madras Presidency 20% were Brahmins and Chettris, 9% were  Vaishyas,50% were Sudras, 6% were Muslims and others were 15%. Madras Presidency then consisted of areas that fall in modern day Tamil Nadu, A.P, Orissa, Kerala and Karnataka. Another report by J Dent, Secretary, Fort Geroge dated 21/2/1825 stated that out of 1,88,680 scholars in all collectorates of Madras Presidency Brahmins were 23% while Sudras constituted 45%.

Startling as it may sound, these percentages establish that Sudras not Brahmins comprised the majority of students and scholars.  How & Why do the Backward Classes find themselves in the situation they are today?

Before British rule, traditionally, educational institutions were funded by revenue contributions made by the community and State. About one third of the total revenue (from agriculture & sea ports) was assigned for the requirements of social & cultural infrastructure (including education). This system stayed mainly intact through all previous political turmoils. The British, however, increased the quantum of land revenue and adversely changed the terms of payment for the community. They centralized collection of revenue, leaving hardly any revenue to pay for social and cultural infrastructure.

Further, the means of the manufacturing classes (small scale enterprises or SME in today's parlance) were greatly diminished by the introduction of European goods. Craftsmen especially those engaged in the making of cloth, manufacture and mining of metals, construction work were through fiscal and other devices reduced to a state of homelessness.

Sapped for funds, educational institutions and manufacturing classes became history, leading to grave consequences. One, it obliterated literacy and knowledge amongst the Indian people. Two, it destroyed the Indian social balance in which, traditionally, persons from all sections of society appear to have received a significant degree of schooling. Three, this destruction along with economic plunder led to great deterioration in the status, socio-economic conditions and personal dignity of those, now known as scheduled castes; and to a lesser degree, that of the vast peasant majority encompassed by the term 'backward castes'.

From about the end of the 19th century, various factors began to attempt a reversal of the results of British policy. This led to what are now known as backward caste movements. The manner, in which their objectives are presented however, seems to suggest that the 'backward' status they are struggling against is some ancient phenomenon. In reality, however, their cultural and economic backwardness (as distinct from their ritualistic status on specific occasions) is post 1800, and what basically all such movements are attempting to achieve is the restoration of the position, status, and rights of these peoples prior to 1800.

Dharampal wrote in 'Rediscovering India', "For the British, as perhaps for some others before them, caste has been a great obstacle, in fact, an unmitigated evil not because the British believed in casteless ness or subscribed to non-hierarchical system but because it stood in the way of their breaking Indian society, hindered the process of atomization, and made the task of conquest and governance more difficult".

The interest in caste peaked around 1891 when the census came out with what were termed as Index of Castes. The word 'caste' is of Spanish origin and fails to capture the meaning of the Indian term, "jati," which more properly translated as "community."  Jati in traditional India promoted and preserved diversity and multiculturalism by allotting every jati a particular space and role in society so that no jati would be appropriated or dominated by another. America, which has long glorified the ideal of a "melting pot" of one assimilated culture, is now coming to see the value of the "salad bowl" model, in which different cultures co-exist in harmony. The epitome of this model was the Indian jati system, revealing that our ancient practices are relevant to the modern world. Moreover, the jati system was integral to the survival of the Indian nation: in Swami Vivekananda's words: "Caste is an imperfect institution no doubt. But if it had not been for caste, you would have had no Sanskrit books to study. This caste made walls, around which all sorts of invasions rolled and surged but found it impossible to breakthrough."

So, the widespread notion that discrimination in opportunity for education existed for millennia is a dangerous misconception that clouds our policies and threatens the real progress of the backwards castes.

The logical next steps are that, one, caste based reservations must come with a sunset clause as was envisaged in the Indian Constitution. Two, since economic deprivation has led to backwardness, economic backwardness should be the basis of reservation. The apex court has said that the creamy layer in OBCs must be denied reservations.

The reservations policy and caste-based politics of the last sixty years have managed to make people more aware of and narrowly identified by their caste, rather than focusing on true social and economic integration. Instead of increasing supply of education facilities, successive Governments have over regulated the sector, stifling its growth. Under the guise of protecting SME's, government policy has made them less efficient and does not allow economies of scale.

The words Caste and Class have become conflated together, when in reality they refer to different phenomena. Also, the nomenclature used to describe the backward classes keeps changing. In the 1890s they were called The Depressed Classes. In the early 1930's, Gandhi named them Harijans. The Government of India Act 1935 introduced the words Scheduled Castes for the first time. Since the 1990s, the word Dalit has come into prominence.

Jats are a backward community in Rajasthan but a very powerful community in neighboring Punjab. Is there a comprehensive national definition of who constitutes an OBC?

There are multiple solutions to the Reservation problem that need to be pursued simultaneously. One, Government should focus on primary education only. Two, it must lay down a transparent regulatory framework for higher education. This would increase investment in education across various sectors. Three; it must lay emphasis on vocational training that would make a graduate employable. It should support institutions that provide short term courses in retail, financial planning, analytics and pharma. Once supply is enhanced and identity based reservation eclipsed, India will have an egalitarian educational system where the only affirmative action will be financial assistance to economically weaker students.

Four, help students strike a work / life balance. Five, allow student to expand their knowledge beyond mere academics and to strengthen and explore their inner nature. Education should also encompass Indian wisdom and thought. Six, success is enhanced by the power of concentration so students must learn how to concentrate. Lastly, students should be made to realize that a degree is a passport to a job! Therefore, personality and character count.

All actions originate from thoughts. Pure thoughts result in constructive deeds. The above ideas could help students be at peace within rather than be caught in the chakravuya of reservations.

With so much emphasis on education I remember Mark Twain's words, "I do not allow my schooling to interfere with my education."

Sanjeev Nayyar is a Management Consultant and founder www.esamskriti.com.

3 paras below were part of the article but not published at the discretion of the respected Editor. Thought they might be useful so here they are for you.

1. To read 'The Beautiful Tree: Indigenous Indian Education in the 18th century" by Dharampal

http://www.esamskriti.com/html/essay_index.asp?cat_name=why&cid=1062&sid=174

2. Four, help students strike a work / life balance. Five, allow student to expand their knowledge beyond mere academics and to strengthen and explore their inner nature. Education should also encompass Indian wisdom and thought. Six, success is enhanced by the power of concentration so students must learn how to concentrate. Lastly, students should be made to realize that a degree is a passport to a job! Therefore, personality and character count.

3. All actions originate from thoughts. Pure thoughts result in constructive deeds. The above ideas could help students be at peace within rather than be caught in the chakravuya of reservations.

Vedic World Heritage links:

See our pages supporting these views HERE:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/VWH.html (Vedik World Heritage)
Western Indologists been exposed page:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/WesternIndologists-page.htm
How British Misguided the World on Vedic History
http://www.hknet.org.nz/MotiveBritishRajMissionaries.html

Visit this site http://www.blissfulvege.com/index.htm

See our World Vegetarian Day Newsletters 2004 - 2005 - World Vege Day

See similar articles at Vegetarianism & beyond:
http://turn.to/Vegetarianism

Blessing or Curse?
Mon, 23/04/2007 - 7:45pm — ekendra
http://www.gopala.org/

A devotee of Krishna and his companion lost their way in a forest. The companion despaired, but the devotee said maybe some good will come of this. They came upon a stranger who needed the devotee's help. The stranger turned out to be a prince who gave the devotee a beautiful horse.

His neighbors praised his good luck and said, "How blessed you are to have such a magnificent animal." The devotee said, "Who’s to say whether this is a blessing or a curse?" The next day the horse ran away, and the neighbors said, "How horrible that you were cursed with the loss of your horse." The devotee replied, "Who’s to say whether this is a curse or a blessing? Perhaps some good will come of it."

The next day the horse returned, leading five wild horses. "You were right!" his neighbors exclaimed. "The curse was a blessing in disguise. Now you’re blessed with six horses." The devotee replied, "Perhaps, but who’s to say whether this is a blessing or a curse?" The next day his only son tried to ride one of the wild horses. He was thrown to the ground and broke his leg. The neighbors said, "How wise you were. Your blessing was really a curse."

The devotee replied, "There may be good yet. Who’s to say whether this  is a curse or a blessing?" The next day soldiers came through the village and took every able-bodied boy to fight in a war where it was almost certain all would be killed. Because the devotee’s son was injured, he was the only one not taken. "How blessed are you to have your son!" the neighbors said. The devotee replied, "Who’s to say?"

The moral of the story from Bhagavad-gita 2.56:

duhkheshv anudvigna-manah
sukheshu vigata-sprhah
vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah
sthita-dhir munir ucyate

One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.

PURPORT

The word muni means one who can agitate his mind in various ways for mental speculation without coming to a factual conclusion. It is said that every muni has a different angle of vision, and unless a muni differs from other munis, he cannot be called a muni in the strict sense of the term. Nasav rshir yasya matam na bhinnam (Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.117). But a sthita-dhir muni, as mentioned herein by the Lord, is different from an ordinary muni. The sthita-dhir muni is always in Krsna consciousness, for he has exhausted all his business of creative speculation. He is called prasanta-nihsesha-mano-rathantara (Stotra-ratna 43), or one who has surpassed the stage of mental speculations and has come to the conclusion that Lord Sri Krsna, or Vasudeva, is everything (vasudevam sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah). He is called a muni fixed in mind.

Such a fully Krsna conscious person is not at all disturbed by the onslaughts of the threefold miseries, for he accepts all miseries as the mercy of the Lord, thinking himself only worthy of more trouble due to his past misdeeds; and he sees that his miseries, by the grace of the Lord, are minimized to the lowest. Similarly, when he is happy he gives credit to the Lord, thinking himself unworthy of the happiness; he realizes that it is due only to the Lord's grace that he is in such a comfortable condition and able to render better service to the Lord. And, for the service of the Lord, he is always daring and active and is not influenced by attachment or aversion.

Attachment means accepting things for one's own sense gratification, and detachment is the absence of such sensual attachment. But one fixed in Krsna consciousness has neither attachment nor detachment because his life is dedicated in the service of the Lord. Consequently he is not at all angry even when his attempts are unsuccessful. Success or no success, a Krsna conscious person is always steady in his determination.

See similar inspirational snippets HERE:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/parables.htm

Topical Articles:
Abortion - http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-abortion.htm
Genetic Engineering ( GE or GM ) - http://www.hknet.org.nz/GE.html
Environment - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Environment.htm
Encroachment - http://www.hknet.org.nz/WE-Day2004.html
Cloning - http://www.hknet.org.nz/cloning.htm
Science - http://www.hknet.org.nz/science2KC.html
Cow Protection - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Cow-protection.htm
The Four Regulative Principles of Freedom - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Regs-4page.htm
seX-files - http://www.hknet.org.nz/seX-files.htm
Mundane Knowledge - http://www.hknet.org.nz/mundaneknowledge.html
Death (Yamaduttas - Terminal Restlessness etc)- http://www.hknet.org.nz/death.html
Near Death Experience - http://www.hknet.org.nz/NDE.htm
Ghosts - http://www.hknet.org.nz/ghosts.htm
Reincarnation again here - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Reincarnation-page.htm
Gain some insights in the TV culture  - http://www.hknet.org.nz/television.html
The aweful Truth about softdrinks - http://www.hknet.org.nz/theREALthing.html
Changing the face of the Earth - http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1390/index.html
UFOs - http://www.hknet.org.nz/UFOs.html
Vegetarianism & Beyond - http://turn.to/Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism in the major Religions - All manner of religions
Articles for newcomers to Krishna consciousness - http://www.krishna.com/newsite/main.php?id=87
Self Help and Motivational pages - Deals and Affiliate programs: - http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-selfhelp.html
Myth of the Aryan invasion by Dr. David Frawley: - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Aryan-invasion-mythDF.html

The Peace Formula - (By HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) http://www.hknet.org.nz/PeaceFormula.html

.........many other articles - http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-articles.htm

and from there go to the Main Index http://www.hknet.org.nz/index.htm

Iskcon News Articles now available - many topical insights
http://www.iskcon.com/new/index.html

Paradigms - where things are not all they seem

 The Peace Formula
http://www.hknet.org.nz/PeaceFormula.html

The Real Peace Formula
http://www.hknet.org.nz/PeaceRealF.html

See more on Yoga and Meditation HERE:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-yoga.html

World Vegetarian Day October 1st yearly &
World Vegetarian Awareness Month of October yearly
...please visit our links and see what you can do to help

World Smoke Free Day
31st May Every Year 

http://www.be-free.org/b-media/market-bfree03/cinema.php

yeah kick the butt
...and remember from 10th December 2004 no more smoking in public places in New Zealand by law