Arya Samaj

Mitra · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:46 am Post subject: Dalit riots in Maharashtra

Caste protests grip Indian state
BBC News South Asia

At least three people have been killed in protests by low-caste Hindus across India's Maharashtra state, police say.

One person died when police opened fire on protesters. Crowds attacked property and set fire to at least two trains on the outskirts of Mumbai (Bombay).More than 50 people, 30 of them police, were hurt in the protests and nearly 100 vehicles damaged, police say.

Unrest began after a statue to BR Ambedkar, a low-caste hero, was destroyed in Uttar Pradesh.
...
Ambedkar, the chief architect of India's constitution, came from Maharashtra in the west of India. A low caste Hindu, or Dalit, he later converted to Buddhism. Dalits account for nearly 13% of the state's population.

Police in Uttar Pradesh state in the north say a number of people are being questioned in connection with the destruction of the statue in the city of Kanpur on Tuesday night.

The old statue was buried with full honours to try to head off protests and quickly replaced with a new one. Kanpur and other areas in Uttar Pradesh remain peaceful, police say.

(more)
Related News
(Ambedkar Jayanthi)
(Dalit Killings)
_________________
Namaste
Manurbhava

Shishya · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:15 am Post subject:

Namaste Mitra Ji,

*sigh*

Ignorance on both sides abounds, I guess. But why must these things always escalate into 'Caste Conflicts'? Or, at least, why are they always publicized as such? As a follower of Vaidik Dharm, I, too, feel saddened that someone would have to stoop to something so childish as to destroy a statue of a person who obviously did a lot of good to the whole country. But I am just as disappointed to see a group of those who identify with him take it as some kind of attack on their person - at least to the degree that they have to start a riot that causes others to suffer bodily harm or even death. It borders on mass-hysteria. Everytime the lower castes do something like this, it gives the impression that it confirms the narrowly ignorant view of the upper castes that they are correct in supressing others in order to preserve the peace. It's a strange kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. A downward spiral of ignorance, fear and hatred. Confused

_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Mitra · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:06 am Post subject:

Namaste Shishya Ji,

I agree these are not actually caste conflicts, rather they are engineered by political parties which exploit the basest instincts of the people. The parties in Maharashtra such as the RPI are just mobs which can mobilize themselves in a very organized way. Same goes for the Shiv Sena and others of their ilk.
Thats why such riots coincide very well with any upcoming elections.
Ambedkar and Gandhi have become mere statues everywhere to be used for political purposes.
I dont think any of those involved in the riots really want to follow Ambedkar's example in building up himself as a scholar and human being They would rather wallow in destruction of others than put in some effort to better themselves or others.
_________________
Namaste
Manurbhava

Shishya · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:10 am Post subject:

Namaste Mitra Ji,

Good point. It's sad, but unfortunately it will always remain easier to destroy than to build.
_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Mitra · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:03 pm Post subject:

Namaste ,

Arya Samaj shows that the Vedic Dharma doesnt endorse caste system based on birth. But the Dalits are so alienated from Hinduism that they are converting to Buddhism - obviously following Ambedkar's example . They are antagonized to anything that is remotely associated with Hinduism. Cant we popularize that the varna ashrama dharma is based on merit? How do we counter the extremist views of Dalits against Vedas and manusmriti.?
_________________
Namaste
Manurbhava

Shishya · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:12 pm Post subject:

Namaste Mitra Ji,

I have often asked myself the same thing. A month or so ago there was a story where Dalits were being refused entrance into a Hindu temple and were naturally pretty angry about it. I can't remember if there was a riot or not (who can remember the specific details? They seem to happen at the drop of a hat) but there was a big commotion that lasted a couple of days. My question at the time was 'Why isn't there a contingency of Arya Samajists down there right now setting up a platform to preach Vaidik Dharm? Why isn't the local Mandir sending anyone to invite these people to havan?' Swamiji would have been there, and he would have been at the head of the group condeming the actions of those brahminical pandits. And if the Samajists in India were smart, they would see that there is a massive potential in the Dalit community and double their efforts to get the message of Vaidik Dharm to all of them.

Alas, there were no Arya Samajists that showed up that day. Confused

_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Mitra · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:30 pm Post subject:

Namaste,

I remember seeing photographs in our samaj of young kids of all catses after upanayan was performed by the Arya Samaj Pandits ,but this was 30 years ago. The pandits went to the streets and homes and did Satsangs. Young men married women from lower castes and educated them. My father who worked as a teacher taught his students how to say the Vedic prayers for thirty years.
Today, the Arya Samaj mandirs are visited by just a few elders. They issue a press release at the most in response to such a situation as you described. Also we are limited to the urban areas teaching Yoga and doing rituals in the homes of Yajmaans. We are hardly in touch with the lives of the people.
One opinion was we need a dedicated band of people - Brahmachaaris/ Vanaprasthis/Sanyaasis/Prachaaraks/bhajaniks who can fulltime dedicate their energy to the Samaj activities rather than just the office bearers who just open the mandirs for the weekly Satsang.
_________________
Namaste
Manurbhava

Shishya · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:27 pm Post subject:

Namaste Mitra Ji,

Mitra · Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:39 am Post subject:

The graduates from our Gurukuls end up as Sanskrit lecturers. My friends who went to Paanini kanya Gurukul Iin Kaashi have started out with small gurukuls for girls. They are ending up as teachers, but we need activists too.
Also, the prachaaraks who did all the work till a few years ago find it difficult to make ends meet and sometime ago there was some work done to start a pension fund for them. such things need to be worked out .
_________________
Namaste
Manurbhava

Mitra · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:33 am Post subject:

Shishya · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:44 pm Post subject:

Namaste Mitra Ji,

Unless I read it wrong, it would appear that the quote you mention is from M. K. Gandhi. I find it shocking to see that he would prefer Hindus to convert to Islam or Christianity rather than Vaidik Dharm.
_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Mitra · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:58 am Post subject:

Namaste Shishya Ji,

I think the quote is from speeches/writings of Periyar. The reach of Arya Samaj has been very less in South India.
_________________
Namaste
Manurbhava

Shishya · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:48 am Post subject:

Namaste Mitra Ji,

Yes, you're right. There was a quote from Gandhi just prior to the one you mentioned, and there were no closing quotation marks. Hence my earlier confusion. Thanks for clearing that up.

However, I am still disappointed to see the University of New Mexico hosting material like this. "Neutrosophic Analysis"? What kind of pseudo-science is this? The paper is not even university level. For example the image of Periyar with the caption "PERIYAR, THE PROPHET OF THE NEW AGE, THE SOCRATES OF SOUTH EAST ASIA, FATHER OF THE SOCIAL REFORM MOVEMENT AND ARCH ENEMY OF IGNORANCE, SUPERSTITIONS, MEANINGLESS CUSTOMS AND BASE MANNERS." Not exactly what one should be able to expect from an objective review, is it?

I also noted the peer reviewers: Larissa Borissova, Dmitri Rabounski, both from Russia. G. Tica from Romania. And B.S.Kirangi from India. All of them have strong communist movements.

Perhaps its just a coincidence... Confused

_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

SHIVAJI · Newbie Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 4