#Mahabharata #Parva

Enjoyed “Parva - A Play” in English staged by Eneno Are Media and Entertainment and directed by Sri. Prakash Belawadi @BelawadiBlr - at the Chowdaiah Memorial Hall.

Its based on the novel of the same name by Sri. SL Bhairappa.

+ Its 8hours long with 5 Acts and 4 Intervals - A Marathon that runs like a Sprint.

The Hall was full and most people stayed through. It says a lot about so much - Mahabharata, SL Bhyrappa, The Novel, the Staged Version, Shri. Belawadi and the Performers.
And the audience too.

+

2 heavy assaults on the Indian Culture due to Colonialism/Modernity.

1. Instilled disbelief in Moksha
2. Equated Dharma to Religion

This has drifted us away from our Natural Destiny.

This #Thread is about how Point-1 has spawned a peculiar version of #Atheism in our times.

+ Viewed from the lens of Chaturvidha-Purushartha (Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha) & see who stands where. There 5 Segments (respectfully used terms).

1. Left Liberal Seculars
2. Dharmic Athiests
3. Dharmic Artha Sarvopari-s
4. Dharmic Non-Literalists
5. Dharmic Literalists

+

#NCERT #Darwin #PeriodicTable #Evolution

Been reading the commotion about Periodic Table and Evolution moving to a later level in Primary/Secondary Education.

Overall the concern around this is exaggerated & shrill disappointing.

Lets take a step back & examine the issue.

+ In the Karnataka State Syllabus, for decades, Periodic Table was a touch & go in the high school. It was discussed very deep only in the 11/12 - PUC.

Have generations of students turned out dumb? Have they come superstitious? Are they confusing religious accounts for Science?

+

#Nehru

On the eve of Jawaharlal Nehru’s death anniversary, putting forth my personal impression/assessment of Nehru.

This will somewhat include Nehruvians as well - unavoidable.

+ Nehru’s public life has to be divided into 2 large phases.

- The Pre-Independence Phase
- The Post -Independence Phase

For Power, changes the greatest of human beings and a lesser man like Nehru would be no different.

Nevertheless, a set of summary first.

+

Still coming to terms with the Enormity that is -

The Story of “Sengol” - The “Dharma-Danda”

Historically, Politically, Symbolically, Culturally - most importantly from the Sacred Energy stand-point this must stand out as a top story of our times.

Much more than a story.

+ Firstly, Naman to C Rajagopalachari. His Vision, Civilizational Clarity, Thoughtfulness, use of opportunity saved the day.

He almost played the role of Sage Narada - guiding Prahlada while in the womb of Kayadu.

Thus a Bhakta was born to the Bhayakankara Hiranyakashipu.

+

A short thread on the impact of #Avarana novel of SL Bhairappa in Kannada.

Published in the year 2007 it immediately created a huge wave, became a significant turning point in Kannada literature.

Never expected it’s national impact, but over many years, much later - it did.

+ To understand this - lets step into the literary history of Karnataka.

1880-1960 - Navodaya (Culturally Rooted)
1960-1980 - Navya (Modern, Western Influence)
1970-2000 - Left Wing, Bandaya & Dalit (The Rebellion)

1 & 2 were literary/cultural. 3 was literary/political.

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How has Bharatavarsha come to be known for #Diversity? What is the nature of #Tolerance Hindus have? How do we view ‘Other’ #Faiths? Do the Bharateeya societies need to be managed from outside such as ‘Secularism’ so that we dont persecute others?

A #Thread !

+ In order to respond to this, we need to start from the Civilizational fundamental - something that has remained constant throughout in all these centuries across all Bharateeya Communities.

Including the Jaina-s and Bouddha-s.

+

#Dharma

Finally decided to write.

It must be said unequivocally that the Safety of #Women is ultimately that of the State, Culture, Society, Family and Self and in that order.

The unfortunate death of Shraddha is ultimately on the State & Society. This failure is ours.

+ This failure was at multiple levels.

At one level, perpetrators dont fear the State. They dont fear the Police. They fear the Society the least.

The State has taken the agency away from the Society and People. Has made intervention very difficult.

+

#IndianKnowledgeSystems #Thought #Concepts

Recent posts on Twitter on Dr. Vasudeva Sharan Agrawalla has filled me with concern about our engagement with the past.

A Civilization distinguishes itself in
- Thought, Concepts in evolves
- Translating that into material life.

+ Thought simply does not accumulate. It flows, evolves, morphs into something else. Every generation passes its Past into the Future in two ways
- Pure Conceptual Unchanging Thought
- How it applied to specific times and how it can flow into the Future

Its a Relay.

+

Summary of my reflection on some recent controversies, outbursts, concerns, escalations.

The central concern is what is the Vedic Tradition, the bedrock of our Civilization? And how do we protect it.

Way forward is not clear. But reflections are very essential.

+ First, what are the Vedas? What is the Category to which it belongs? What is the Value it brings to our Civilization?

How do we protect it? Who must protect it? How must we indulge in it?

More than anything else, what do we do given where we are?

+

Was in #Ayodhya for 3 days last week. Will gradually collect myself for a detailed writeup.

Some quick material updates that will make people like me happy.

I begin by loudly proclaiming -

“Maharaj #YogiAdityanath -ji ki Jai”

+ 1. The Road from Lucknow to Ayodhya is very good. Lakshman-ji indeed takes us to Sriram smoothly, in around 2.5 hours, without stress and strain.

Our driver scared us “Bearish ki vajah-se Rasta bahut bigaDh-gayaa hai”.

Exaggeration it was. Felt happy. Such high expectations.

+

#KantaraMovie

The Traditional Bharateeya Lens of #Purushartha is very powerful. Its a lens that comes out of our ‘purpose’ of life and from ‘real experiences’.

It is not merely ideological. It elevates into Ontology and Epistemology.

Hence, powerful.

+

https://twitter.com/sai_swaroopa/status/1587058873596514304

At the outset, this looks natural - so what is so great about it?

- That it looks natural is one part of its greatness.

- The other part is - Tradition explored the balance between these 4 elements in enormous detail, complexity & nuance.

Mahabharata stands testimony to it.

+

ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವದ ಹಾರ್ದಿಕ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು.

ಭಾರತವರ್ಷದ ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದು ಪ್ರದೇಶವೂ ವಿಶಿಷ್ಟವೇ ಸರಿ. ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಯಾವ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅನನ್ಯವಾಗಿದೆ?

ಒಂದಿಷ್ಟು ಮುಖ್ಯಾಂಶಗಳು.

#KarnatakaRajyotsava #KannadaRajyotsava

https://twitter.com/SaamaanyaJ/status/1587324581064241153

1. ಬಲವಾದ ಪ್ರಾದೇಶಿಕ ಅಸ್ಮಿತೆಯನ್ನು ಹೊಂದಿದ್ದರೂ, ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಎಂದಿಗೂ ಪ್ರತ್ಯೇಕತಾವಾದಿ, ಸಂಕುಚಿತ ಚಳುವಳಿಗೆ ಅವಕಾಶ ನೀಡಿಲ್ಲ.

ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲಿ ಅಂಥವರು ಇಲ್ಲವೆಂದೇನಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರೆ ಅವರು ಮುಂಚೂಣಿಗೆ ಬಾರದಿರುವಂತೆ ನೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವಲ್ಲಿ ನಾವು ಯಶಸ್ವಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದೇವೆ.

+

Wishing all people of Karnataka a very happy #KannadaRajyothsava

ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವದ ಹಾರ್ದಿಕ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು

Every region of Bharatavarsha is unique. What makes Karnataka unique in its own way?

+ 1. In spite of having a very strong regional identity, Karnataka has never given room for a separatist, chauvinist, parochial movement.

Not that we dont have our share of such people. But we have successfully managed to keep them in the margins.

+

#MovieReviews #KantaraHindi #KANTARA #divineblockbuster #ಕಾಂತಾರ #कांतारा

My reflections on the #KantaraMovie

This is not a Review. This is just a summarised enumeration of some of the finest things in the movie & its importance.

Anything said is an understatement.

+ 1. As somebody else said on Twitter, our dEvatAs are back. We have regained the dEvatAs/the Sacred with a critical space in the Cinema.

Make no mistake, we have had Devotee-characters in our cinema. But we now have dEvatAs as an integral part of the plot, narration & essence.

+

Good one. This needs further expansion.

We were one people much before the word Hindu became a descriptor. The Puranas & Mahabharata present this unimpeachable reality. Vishnupurana (VP) does this most beautifully & succinctly.

Let us see what VP says about Us as a People.

https://twitter.com/aranganathan72/status/1578038841658990593

Vishnupurana is a major Purana consisting of 7000 verses. Modern Historians date it between 400BC to 900AD. Even if you average it out, it is pre-Gupta.

It has 6 Amshas (large Parts). The first 3 Chapters of 2nd Amsha - are illuminating. Our Concern here is the 3rd Ch.

+

On the eve of #GandhiJayanti , I am settling into my own assessment of his contribution and importance.

This thread is a reflection of my own assessment based on what I have read about Gandhi - through his own writings and others.

Will begin with Positives & then Negatives.

+ 1. His understanding of the Indian past. Among the few who had no inferiority about the Tradition.
- Actively defended the Kula-Jati-Varna aspect of the Society
- Held the Indian Kings in great esteem.
- Understand the functional mechanics of the society, spoke its language

+

When Draupadi was disrobed and thereafter, we must remember the way each responded in the Kuru Sabha.

1. The general Sabhasada-s were shocked in horror but did not have sufficient courage to respond.

2. Dushyasana was the performer. He obviously derived a vulgar pleasure.

+ …But he would not have had the courage but for the authority of Duryodhana.

3. Shakuni was serving Duryodhana. He was the enabler but would never have been the performer. Not that mindless. Ever-ready to join the chorus. A very predictable behaviour.

+

Watched Panchayat Season-2. Completely mesmerised.

Finally something on Television/OTT that I could watch dropping my cultural-guard.

Reminded me of Malgudi Days and good old Doordarshan, which even in a socialist era brought out the essence of the society & culture better.

+ The most important positive about the Series is its portrayal of the society without pushing any ideological agenda.

The village is portrayed for what it is - the good, the bad & the ugly. And presenting all facets of the life within it.

The Village triumphs finally.

+

Technology has following dimensions.

1. The Process of its creation

2. Who benefits from the Technology and how, and who does not

3. Civilizational impact
- What problem does it solve and create
- What experience does it create and destroy

https://twitter.com/akshayalladi/status/1532539702552645632

The value created by technology has its own past present and future.

Right now our focus is way too much the present.

We evaluate technology only based on who benefits materially today.

The socio, psychological impact of the process of creation & it's presence in the society..

So, what is so great about the Mysore Maharajahs? Here it is.

1. Both before Hyder-Tipu era and after, they built one of the most impressive welfare regimes. All Kings before the Hyder-Tipu era were great warriors as well.

All in the lineage were great scholars & artists.

+

https://twitter.com/raghav355/status/1524982874478415883

2. Thats not the only reason why they are held in such great esteem.

All of them read the developments of their own time very well. This is best illustrated in the case of 4th Krishna Rajendra Wodeyar who ruled between 1901 to 1941.

+