Our Virtual Ashram

[Kirran]

Woah, that's quite an image Aup. Celtic take on Devi?

Perhaps I will at some point adopt a pagan form of a deity into my altar, I'll see if it comes up. I'm not fussy about the traditions my objects of worship come from, it's just about cultivating a sense of bhakti for the Infinite.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Jeannine Parvati (June 1, 1949 – December 1, 2005) was a bicultural child of a Jewish mother and Native American reservation-raised father.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Ram Darbar

 

[Kirran]

Aup, is there much to be found in mythology about the Vanaras, other than relating to Hanumanji?

Here's Rama meeting with the chiefs of the Vanara tribes:

 

[Aupmanyav]

Not much. But in the way they interacted with Rama, Vibhishana, and with Rikshas (Jambavanta) and among themselves, helped make the bridge and took part in the war, I take them to be tribals with painted faces. Even you say 'tribe'. Or perhaps a sub-species of Homo sapiens (like the Neanderthals), but definitely not monkeys. Vanaras = Vana + naras = People of the forest (What to do? I am a rationalist ).

 

[Kirran]

Not much. But in the way they interacted with Rama, Vibhishana, and with Rikshas (Jambavanta) and among themselves, helped make the bridge and took part in the war, I take them to be tribals with painted faces. Even you say 'tribe'. Or perhaps a sub-species of Homo sapiens (like the Neanderthals), but definitely not monkeys. Vanaras = Vana + naras = People of the forest (What to do? I am a rationalist ).

Well yes, I also think it's probable that their depictions were inspired by the groups now known as Adivasis. I can't see them being non-Homo sapiens hominins, haven't been any for a long time. Neanderthals also weren't likely to have been described as monkeys

 

[Aupmanyav]

Yes, it is impossible to see Neanderthals or Denisovans being described as monkeys. However, it depends on how old the Rama story is. 100,000 years, 50,000 years, 10,000 years. It could have lingered on in folk-memory, just like the flood story.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Time for a gathering at the Ashram to celebrate Diwali. Please note that according to Court orders, crackers are to be restricted between 5 pm and 10 pm. I do not know exactly, but perhaps there is a limitation about how many decibels of sound are permitted. Sweets also should be consumed with caution as most produced in India (especially during the festivals) have dangerous ingredients - avoid milk preparations.

Diwali market: Shrimatiji (my wife) has gone to buy these things. One main lamp and 11 smaller ones are absolutely necessary for the Diwali day as also terracotta idols of Mother Laskmi and Ganesha.

 

[Kirran]

You know, I've been thinking: there are plenty of right-wing Hindu organisations out there which are active all over the world, like Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and various other Sangh Parivar groups. But I don't tend to hear of many liberal/left-wing organisations. Does anybody know of any?

 

[Chakra]

You know, I've been thinking: there are plenty of right-wing Hindu organisations out there which are active all over the world, like Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and various other Sangh Parivar groups. But I don't tend to hear of many liberal/left-wing organisations. Does anybody know of any?

Ramakrishna math maybe? What is your definition of liberal/left-wing organizations? What would they advocate?

I would probably say that all those Hindu organizations with universalist leanings could be considered liberal organizations, no?

 

[Kirran]

Ramakrishna math maybe? What is your definition of liberal/left-wing organizations? What would they advocate?

I would probably say that all those Hindu organizations with universalist leanings could be considered liberal organizations, no?

Yes, I suppose one could say so.

Liberal organisations would be those which were more secularist, held more progressive stances on LGBT+ rights, that kind of thing. Many religious organisations like the Ramakrishna math and Chinmaya Mission might well qualify, but they're particular religious movements as opposed to transdenominational groups like Sangh Parivar. Thankyou for raising though, I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Aupmanyav]

But I don't tend to hear of many liberal/left-wing organisations. Does anybody know of any?

I do not think there is any 'liberal left-wing' in India. National political parties that oppose BJP - Congress and Communists always oppose BJP. Congress because only BJP could have defeated them as it happened in the last election and usurp what Congress thinks is its familial right to rule India. Communists because BJP is the biggest obstacle for them. However, these two parties are very weak at the moment with little chance of revival. Rashtriya Janata Dal of Lalu Yadav in Bihar also is a confirmed opposition to BJP. In case of other regional partices, Tamilnadu (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), Odisha (Biju Janata Dal), Bengal (Trinamool Congress), Bihar (Janata Dal United), Uttar Pradesh (Samajvadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party), it is a matter of convenience. They can be right-wing or left-wing, as the situation demands.

The left-wing organizations come in various garbs. They can be student organizations, think tanks, social organizations, NGOs, Missionary Organizations, etc. and we have more than two hundred thousands of them.

List of student organizations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_student_organisations.
List of Maoists organizations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Naxalite_and_Maoist_groups_in_India.
List of think tanks in India: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_think_tanks_in_India
List of NGOs in India: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Non-governmental_organisations_based_in_India
And finally, a list of banned organizations in India: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_organisations_banned_by_the_Government_of_India

 

[Kirran]

Perhaps in India even more than elsewhere, anti-religious sentiment and straight-up communism have sullied the left's image.

 

[StarryNightshade]

You know, I've been thinking: there are plenty of right-wing Hindu organisations out there which are active all over the world, like Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and various other Sangh Parivar groups. But I don't tend to hear of many liberal/left-wing organisations. Does anybody know of any?

It's a small organization, but the US has Sadhana; which is a collation of liberal/progressive Hindus (both cultural and religious). I'm not sure of it's presence in the UK, and I really doubt it has one in India.

http://www.sadhana.org/

 

[Kirran]

It's a small organization, but the US has Sadhana; which is a collation of liberal/progressive Hindus (both cultural and religious). I'm not sure of it's presence in the UK, and I really doubt it has one in India.

http://www.sadhana.org/

Ah, now that you mention I think I've heard of them!

I'll see about its presence in the UK.

Unrelated: I am going to an ashram for 10 nights starting on Monday. I'm thinking I'll probably take my murti of Lord Shiva with me. While Lord Shiva is honoured in at leas one of the temples there, he's not much of a main focus, and being my ishta devata I think it'd be good to take him with me. I also regularly worship Ganesha and Murugan, both of whom are honoured a lot at the ashram (Lord Murugan has his own temple there), so I don't feel a need to take them with me.

I'm staying with my parents a couple days before I go there, and my mother will drop me off, and come to puja there, which I don't believe she's done before.

 

[Chakra]

I don't really think the dichotomy of left/right completely describes Indian politics. Aup and Tattva can clarify, since they know much more about India.

 

[Kirran]

I don't really think the dichotomy of left/right completely describes Indian politics. Aup and Tattva can clarify, since they know much more about India.

No, totally! Don't think they do anywhere.

 

[Chakra]

No, totally! Don't think they do anywhere.

What I meant was, the left/right dichotomy has far less importance in Indian politics than, say, American politics.

 

[Kirran]

What I meant was, the left/right dichotomy has far less importance in Indian politics than, say, American politics.

From a British perspective, there is no left wing in America

 

[Aupmanyav]

While Lord Shiva is honoured in at leas one of the temples there, he's not much of a main focus, and being my ishta devata I think it'd be good to take him with me. I also regularly worship Ganesha and Murugan, both of whom are honoured a lot at the ashram (Lord Murugan has his own temple there), so I don't feel a need to take them with me.

Yes, Skandavale. The rest of the Shiva family will be there, so also other Gods and Goddesses I hope. That is OK, but I cannot still reconcile myself with your idea of taking sannyasa at your age.