Sunday, September 25, 2016





                               
                                                                    



 Half Lion: How P.V. Narasimha Rao Transformed India  by Vinay Sitapati; Published by  Penguin ; Pages 391 ;Price  Rs. 699/-

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The author of the book under review Vinay Sitapati is presently completing his Ph.D  in politics in Princeton. He  was a student of National Law School in Bengaluru and the University of Harvard.  He  teaches in Ashoka University and contributes to Indian Express.

He has attempted to resurrect a calculatedly decimated and purposely belittled Prime Minister of India, Shri.Narasimha Rao. The Congress Party denied him a funeral in Delhi and cast him as a usurper to the Nehru-Gandhi throne, as Sonia Gandhi ‘ did not want him to be seen as an all-India leader’. Sitapati has admirably summarized the catalogue of complaints against Rao—“ He has been removed from the Pantheon of Congress leaders, criticized for the anti- Sikh riots, accused of letting the guilty escape after the Bhopal gas leak, and above all, blamed for complicity in the demolition of Babri Masjid.”

However , Sitapati avers that ‘Few world leaders have achieved so much with so little power.’  The author ranks him  with  Jawaharlal Nehru, Deng Xiaoping, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Charles de Gaulle. Despite the solid negatives against him---  he was not a popular mass leader; he presided over a minority government; his party colleagues did not trust him; 10 Janpath kept an eagle eye on him  Rao  did  achieve much. He  was the first person outside the Nehru-Gandhi family to have completed five years as Prime Minister  and he  provided transformational leadership to India at a time of deep financial crisis.
  
 The book under review is a resuscitation of  Rao and an attempt to restore him to  his rightful place in the history of India  as the chief  architect of economic reforms.  The Congress Party transfers all  the credit for the 1991 reforms to Manmohan Singh, Rao’s finance minister and to Rajiv Gandhi, a former prime minister from the Nehru-Gandhi family.  The media etched a larger-than-life narrative of Manmohan Singh as the Numero Uno reformer, ignoring Rao’s role.  Sitapati establishes that it was Rao who was the principal driver who  kept a low profile . We are treated to  behind-the-scenes details of how he evolved a team and took the assistance of different  people irrespective of  their political inclinations.

 A former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Rao was all but done with his political career after the ascent of Rajiv Gandhi to the top job, following the assassination of Indira Gandhi.Then destiny intervened, giving Rao an opening to aspire to the most coveted job in Indian politics, that of the prime minister.  Rao  skillfully plotted to get ahead of other aspirants.

The biography  takes the reader through Rao’s life, from his early years in a village in Telangana through his time in power to his humiliation in retirement. The book  explores the deftness with which he negotiated the Byzantine corridors of the Congress, while using his friendships across the aisle to advantage. Rao failed to check the Punjab insurgency during his tenure as home minister, and worse,  injudiciously ceded authority to the prime minister's office under Rajiv Gandhi after Indira Gandhi's assassination which led to the Sikh massacres. "It was his vilest hour," according to Sitapati .

The book covers all aspects of Rao’s  life, including his links with perhaps his only confidantes—his women friends. Sitapati dovetails the  political life of Rao with his personal one, beginning with his problematic  childhood days  and  Satyamma, whom he married at the age of ten and who bore him eight children and whom he neglected and  his phenomenal  loneliness.

Sitapati deftly shifts the balance of credit,  with the help of data that Rao's family made available to him for the first time and conversations with Rao's friends and associates – to establish that it was Rao who provided agency, general direction and managed hostile reactions from the opposition and within the Congress.

Sitapati is more forgiving of Rao's role in the Babri Masjid demolition, which many consider to be the darkest hour of his tenure. Sitapati believes  ‘history has judged Narasimha Rao harshly’. He writes that, in the lead up to 6 December, the only option Rao had was to impose President’s rule, but he could not even do this because members of both his own party and the opposition were against it. The Supreme Court refused to give Rao a receivership and the Governor suggested that President’s rule should not be imposed :If he had still pushed for president’s rule under those circumstances, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party would have pushed for a no-confidence motion in the Parliament and the matter would have gone to the Supreme Court. It would well have been held illegal, and Rao running a minority government could have lost his job.


 Sitapati is able to bolster anecdotal evidence because of the exclusive access he was given by Rao’s family to a treasure trove of personal papers. By quoting from his diary, the author recounts events as they unfolded with Rao’s thoughts at the time. The 100-plus interviews with principal players also helps flesh out the historic five years. Rao had his share of human frailties but his record as a reformer, transforming both the economy and foreign policy, will definitely  place this scholar  in the Congress pantheon of heroes.

 Dexterously combining documentary research with focused interviews Sitapati brings Rao vividly alive in his many roles.

This  biography  is extremely well written and is a product of sustained hard research. It lucidly explains the Enigma that Narasimha Rao was.
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Tit  Bits

1. Rao spoke ten languages and was a skilled translator.

2. The "IFS" of History are intriguing !. Narasimha Rao was offered the headship in 1990 of the  Siddheswari Peetam with Headquarters in Courtallam. If he had accepted India's economic liberalisation would have been delayed.

3. The " Other Woman " in Rao's life was Smt.Lakshmi Kantamma----an M.P.  
Rao's wife Satyamma had uncomplainingly taken care of the family land and 8 children while her husband pursued his own ambitions. He was filled with guilt and swore to the end his relationship with Lakshmi.

P.P.Ramachandran.
25 / 09 / 2106


Monday, September 19, 2016



 COURAGE  AND  COMMITMENT--BOOK REVIEW 


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Courage and Commitment by Margaret Alva ; Published by Rupa ; Pages 370 ;  Price Rs. 500/-

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Margaret Alva finds a place among the longest serving members of the Indian Parliament. She  was elected to the Rajya Sabha four times, the Lok Sabha once. For her family it was a record of sorts—an Alva in Parliament from 1952 to 1998.Alva was Governor of four States and held significant positions in the Government of India as also the Congress Party. A favourite of Indira Gandhi, she continued to be part of the inner coterie of the Gandhi clan. She has had a ringside view of the major developments of four decades—the Emergency, Indira Gandhi’s election in Chikmagalur, Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, Narasimha Rao’s  ushering in of liberalization and Sonia Gandhi’s entry into politics and the two terms of Manmohan Singh.

In her “ Autobiography” she recounts graphically her 1979 expulsion from the Congress party, her spats with Sanjay Gandhi , the Jain Hawala transaction and her resignation from the post of AICC General Secretary, One chapter is devoted to Devraj Urs.

There are no earth-shaking revelations and there are few shocks.

 Alva belonged to a dyed-in-the wool Congress  family but  became unacceptable to Sonia  when her son Nivedith was not given a ticket for the Karnataka assembly elections. She was forced to quit and bundled off  as the Governor of Uttarakhand.

She affirms that the Gandhis are experts in using and dumping politicians. We have an account of  how she went against  Sanjay Gandhi thrice during the Emergency . She opposed Rajiv Gandhi on the Shah Bano case . Rajiv once declared  in anger: "A fine minister I have---contradicting me in an open meeting. You were called in to help. If you could not support me, the least you could have done was shut up!") .She also has a delicious encounter with Fidel Castro in Cuba, who ends up sending a prescient warning for Rajiv Gandhi through her---to alert him that his finance minister V.P. Singh is up to no good and will end up betraying him.

What emerges clearly is the dominance of the Gandhis who believed that there ought to be only one dynasty in the Congress party and brooked no rivals. Alva recalls how  “the gun carriage bearing Narasimha’s  body was not allowed to enter the AICC headquarters. Instead it was parked on the pavement outside the gates, with chairs for party leaders.”
Alva makes a few  revelations in  the book.

-- The decision by the Narasimha Rao government to appeal against a Delhi High court order quashing the Bofors case linking Rajiv Gandhi made Sonia  suspicious of him. Alva, who was the minister in charge of CBI at that time, says Sonia once asked her whether Rao wanted to send her to jail.

-- CPN Singh, a minister in Indira Gandhi's government, and Sanjay Gandhi had links with Wolfgang Michel, father of middleman Christian Michel both arms—dealers. 

--Sanjay Gandhi's Emergency atrocities had Indira Gandhi's approval. She had declared, “ Any attack on Sanjay is an attack on me.”

 Alva's expose on the style of functioning of the Congress High Command is of some meaning.One example.

 In the 2004 Lok Sabha election in Kerala  Congress party fared abysmally. The CPM bagged  19 of the 20 seats, leaving a lone seat to the Indian Union Muslim League, an ally of the Congress. A.K.Antony, also of the Gandhi family's "inner circle", was the State's Chief Minister then. Sonia sent Alva and   R.L. Bhatia to Kerala to inquire into the debacle. "The complaint was," Alva writes, "that A.K.Antony cared only about his image, to the exclusion of all else. He neglected the party." Antony was replaced by Oommen Chandy.

 In 2008, Alva  alleged openly that the party lost the Assembly election to the BJP in Karnataka only because it had "sold" tickets, offering them to the highest bidders instead of deserving ones. This was quite an explosion resulting in her expulsion from the party on the recommendation of Antony. Antony got even with her !

Alva also makes it clear that   Sonia and Rahul have their own, separate inner circles.

 Faced with disciplinary action, Alva resigned as the Congress General Secretary but was pretty quick to patch up with Sonia . She  was happy to become Governor of Uttarakhand in 2009 and of Rajasthan in 2012.

 Alva expresses her  displeasure at Rao’s body not being placed in AICC headquarters. “He was a Congress president. He should have got his due in his death.”

We end with a charming anecdote. Justice Hidayatullah, Chairman of Rajya Sabha  told  her that  he pitied her husband who had to deal with her at home. Margaret Alva’s riposte “I’ve my husband’s permission to make as much of a noise as I want in Parliament as long as I keep the peace at home.”

P.P.Ramachandran

18 /  09  /  2016

Friday, September 16, 2016



PANDHARPUR  TRAVEL  DIARY--PART SIX


 SOME POPULAR  LEGENDS IN LIVES OF SAINTS

Dnyaneshwar  was born to Vithalpant  in 1275 CE and died in 1296 CE.

Orthodox Brahmins refused to accept the children of Vithapant  as pure and suggested that they obtain a certification of atonement (śuddhi) from the pundits of Paithana, which was a centre of orthodox learning.

Dnyaneshwar composed Dnyaneshwari, a commentary on Bhagavad Gita which later became a fundamental text of the Varkari sect. His words were recorded by Sacchidananda, who agreed to become Dnyaneshwar's amanuensis . Sacchidanda’s dead body was revived Dnyaneshwar.

Many miracles came to be associated with Dnyaneshwar's life, one of which was the revival of his disciple Sachchidanand's corpse. During Dnyaneshwar's visit to Paithan, to obtain a certificate of purification, he was confronted with a man who violently lashed at an old buffalo. When Dnyaneshwar expressed concern for the animal he was ridiculed by Brahmins for being more concerned about a beast than the teachings of the Vedas. Dnyaneshwar retorted that the Vedas themselves held all life to be sacred and a manifestation of the Brahman. The outraged priests pointed out that his logic implied that beasts should be able to learn the Vedas as well. An undeterred Dnyaneshwar then placed his hand on the buffalo's forehead and it started reciting a Vedic song. 

Dnyaneshwar was challenged by Changdev, an accomplished yogi who rode on a tiger with his magical powers, to replicate this feat. Dnyaneshwar humbled Changdev by riding on a moving wall. 

Scholars note that many miracles and specifics about Namdev's life appear only in manuscripts written centuries after Namdev's death. The child  Namdev was found floating down a river. Mahipati's biography of Namdev adds numerous other miracles, such as buildings rotating and sun rising in the west to show respect to Namdev.

Tukaram was  born in the year 1598  in a village Dehu. He died in 1649 .
Gatha temple in Dehu, near Pune, is one of two local temples that mark the legacy of Tukaram. His poetry is carved on its wall.

One Rameshwara Bhat, who vilified Tukaram threw all writings of Tuka into the flooded waters of Indrayani. Tuka sat on the banks and prayed to Vittala. On the 15th day the manuscripts glided gently to the shore. Tukaram ascended to Heaven with his body. On the third day Tuka’s cymbals fell down from the skies.


Eknath was the grandson of Sant Bhanudas. Eknath wanted to get a good guru and prayed Vitthal to guide him to one. Vitthobha then came in his dream and asked him to request Janardhana Swami to be his guru. Janadhana Swami was a great yogi; he had his ashram in a forest.

One day Eknath decided to go on a yatra and he set out on a yatra with few others who joined him. They went to places like Kasi, Prayagai, Vrindavan, Ayodha, Mathura etc. Eknath performed Bhajans and pravachans wherever he went. When they finished the yatra and returned to Paithan with Ganga theertham, they got stuck in a place where there was no water and all of them were thirsty. Even though they had water in hand they did not use that as it was Ganga theertham and that it was supposed to be used only for religious purpose and not for quenching thirst. They then found a donkey lying down in an unconscious state due to thirst and heat. Seeing the donkey dying Eknath felt bad and moved forward to give his Ganga theertham to it so as to prevent it from dying. The others who were with him said that he should not do that as this water was supposed to be used only for religious purpose. Eknath then said that there was no better deed that saving the life of someone and that he would give it to the donkey and save it from death. Hearing this, the others left him behind and started moving forward as they dint approve of his action. Eknath then gave the water to the donkey. As Eknath was feeding the donkey it turned out to be Vitthal. He then prostrated to Vitthal and asked him why he did this leela. Vitthal then told him that he wanted to show the world that Eknath sees every living being in this world as Vitthal and hence did this leela. Eknath then returned back home.

PPR


PANDHARPUR  TRAVEL  DIARY--PART  FIVE ​

En route to Pandharpur we visited Satara.

 Now Satara is famous as  Virat in Mahabharat----the place where the Pandavas and their wife Draupadi stayed incognito for one year after 12 years of exile in the forest. They do so in the court of Virata. They assume a variety of concealed identities. Yudhishthira is Adviser  to the King and calls himself Kanka, Bhima of a cook Ballava, Arjuna teaches dance and music as eunuch Brihannala and dresses as a woman, Nakula tends horses as Granthika, Sahadeva herds cows as Tantipala, and Draupadi is the maid Sairandhri to queen Shudeshna.

But today Satara is famous for Gondavale and Gondavale Maharaj.

Gondavale Budruk is a small town in Mann taluka of Satara district, 64 kilometres from Satara. It is the samadhi (shrine) place of Shri Brahma Chaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj . Gondavale is a very famous pilgrimage place. It gets crowd on every Pournima  and especially at the time of Shri Rama Navami, Gurupournima, Gokulashtami, Daasnavmi.

Gondavale is famous for Gondavalekar Maharaj Math. Gondavalekar Maharaj was a devotee of the Lord  Rama. He spent a lifetime teaching the importance of peace. He showed path of devotion of God Rama to thousands of devotees. He taught a Mantra to people "Shri Ram Jay Ram Jay Jay Ram . There are other temples in Gondavale .


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                                                                 GONDAVALEKAR  MAHARAJ


Brahmachaitanya also known as Gondavalekar Maharaj (Feb 1845 - --1913) is a Hindu saint who resided in the taluka of Maan at Gondavale Budruk in Satara DistrictMaharashtraIndia. His pre-sainthood name was Ganapati. Brahmachaitanya was a devotee of the Hindu god Rama and signed his name as 'Brahmachaitanya Ramdasi'.

LIFE
He left his home in search of a spiritual guru when he was nine years old. After knowing his whereabouts, his father brought him back from Kolhapur. He married when he was 11 years old, and again left home in search of a guru. He went to Yehalegaon in Nanded district and became a disciple of Tukamai. Tukamai gave him the name Brahmachaitanya. After the death of his first wife, he married a girl who was blind since birth.
He died on Margashirsh Vadya Dashmi ----22 December 1913 in Gondavale.

Philosophy

"Sri Maharaj" as he was reverently addressed by his disciples, spent his life on teaching the importance of remembrance of lord in every single moment of day-to-day life of laymen. This is in accordance with teachings of Ramadas swami, of whom Sri Maharaj is considered  an incarnation. He spent a lifetime teaching the importance of peace with oneself over the material creature comforts alone. He advocated the continued remembrance of GOD as a means of happiness, contentment and peace. Family life is not incompatible with the attainment of ultimate peace. One does not have to be a sage living outside the social bounds. It is how one leads one's life that will determine the self. Key to the ultimate peace is in the regularity of prayers to Rama without expecting anything in return.
He showed path of devotion of Rama to thousands of devotees in MaharashtraKarnataka and parts of North India. Most of the devotees were from the middle-class income group. He discouraged people from bad habits, bad behaviour, etc. He made extensive use of 'Pravachans', 'Bhajans', Vaidik Anushthans etc. for encouraging people to follow the path of devotion. He taught people to achieve perfect balance between prapancha and paramartha by doing extensive nama japa. He taught people the Mantra ' Shri Ram Jay Ram Jay Jay Ram'. This Mantra has 13 letters (Alphabets). Each letter has its own meaning and he wrote 13 different 'Abhangas' on each of this letter.  He says that this mantra was given by Rama to Sita and that it implies that Ram is their master and is in their hearts and takes care of all. He believed that each and everything that happens in life is according to the will of Rama.
He helped the poor, those suffering from drought. He taught Gorakshan (protection of Cows), Anna-Daan (food donation), Nama Japa (chanting name of God),Bhajans (devotional songs), Teertha yatras (spiritual tour).

The Ashram is vast full of greenery. It has a Dining Hall which can accommodate 1500 persons at a time. Lunch is provided free.. This has gone on for over 150 years. All ofus partok  of the lunch--reminded us of Langar in the Golden Temple.

For those who want to know more, Prof Belsare wrote has written the biography of Maharaj and today thousands,particularly,educated class are the disciples of Maharaj. Shri.G.S.Gokhale ,a Textile Engineer has  composed Gondavalekar Maharaj Pravachane in Marathi in 1970s which has become a guide to Maharaj's thought and 25 editions are sold.The book is translated in Hindi,Kannada,English,Gujarati and French.
There is a hospital opposite Samadhi Mandir set up by Dr.Bavdekar who was leading orthopaedic of Mumbai and there is free medical treatment including free operations here..

PPR



PANDHARPUR  TRAVEL DIARY---  PART FOUR



T​
HE  STORY OF HOW THE LORD STANDS ON A BRICK  AS HIS DEVOTEE ATTENDS TO HIS PARENTS.


PPR

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The Saga of Pundalik is one of the most important Mahima legends about Vithoba. How Vithoba came to Pandharpur is a story in which Pundalik is vital. Pundalik is a devoted son to his parents Janudev and Satyavati, who lived in a forest called Dandirvan. But after his wedding, Pundalik begins ill-treating his parents. Tired of their son’s misbehavior and ill treatment, the elderly couple decide to leave for Kashi. Legend holds that people who die in the city of Kashi attain salvation and emancipation from the cycle of birth and death; so, many pious Hindus in the bygone era would relocate to Kashi as their end drew near.

However, the elderly couple are not destined to escape their suffering so easily. Upon hearing his parents' plans, Pundalik and his wife decide to join them on pilgrimage. The ill treatment continues. While the youthful son and his wife ride on horseback, the frail old couple walk in bad weather. Pundalik even makes his old parents work to make his own journey comfortable. Every evening, when the party camps for the night, the son forces his parents to groom the horses and do other jobs.

On the way to Kashi, the group reaches the ashram (hermitage) of a pious and venerable sage, Kukkutswami. Exhausted, the family decides to spend a few days there. That night, when all were asleep, Pundalik by chance is awake and sees a remarkable vision. Just before dawn, a group of beautiful young women, dressed in soiled clothes, enter the ashram; they clean the floor, fetch water and wash the venerable sage’s clothes. After finishing their chores, they go to the prayer-room. When they reappear after prayer, their clothes are spotlessly clean. Then, they vanish as inexplicably as they had appeared.

Pundalik is not moved to raise an alarm, but feels a deep sense of peace witnessing the scene. It remains on his mind the whole day and he resolves to remain awake the next night, and confirm it was not merely a dream. This time, however, Pundalik is very curious. He approaches the beautiful women and asks details.
They reply, they are the Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna and other holy rivers of India—revered for their holiness. Pilgrims wish to take a dip in their holy waters to wash away their sins, which in fact are soiling their clothes.
Then, the women say: "But O Pundalik, you, with your ill-treatment of your parents, are the greatest sinner of them all!".

Pundalik is utterly shocked and his consciousness transforms. He realizes his misdeeds, becomes entirely devoted to his parents and ensures their comfort, even risking his own.

Devotion in any form reaches God swiftly. Impressed by Pundalik's devotion to his parents, Lord Vishnu plans to bless Pundalik immediately. So, He leaves Vaikuntha  for Pundalik’s ashram.
Vishnu knocks at Pundalik’s door, when he is busy serving his parents food. Pundalik does realize God is at his door. But such was his devotion to his parents, he wants to complete his duties and only then attend the visitor. Then, Pundalik does something strange but out of real devotion. He throws a brick outside for God to stand on and wait for him until he finishes attending to his parents. It is the first day of monsoon so it is wet and muddy outside. If Lord Vishnu stood on a brick his feet will remain clean and dry--so thought Pundalika.

Seeing this act, Vishnu is extremely impressed and the ever-loving God waits for his devotee. When Pundalik comes out, he begs for pardon but far from being displeased, Vishnu is taken over by Pundalik's love for his parents and grants a boon. Pundalik requests Vishnu to stay back on Earth and bless all his true devotees. He agrees to take the form of Vithoba, or God who stood upon a brick, and a temple comes up there. Along with Vithoba, Rakhumai (Mother Rukmini, the consort of Krishna, one of avatars of Visnu) is also worshipped here.

There are slightly different versions of the same. 
The second version of the legend depicts Vithoba appearing before Pundalik as the five-year-old Bala Krishna (infant Krishna). This version is found in manuscripts of both Puranas, Prahlada Maharaj, and the poet-saints, notably Tukaram. 

In some versions in place of Kukkutswami there is a poor cobbler Rohita Das, who takes care of his parents.

P P R 




PANDHARPUR  TRAVEL  DIARY  --PART   THREE 

 PANDHARPUR TEMPLE 

The Main  entrance of Lord Vittala's Temple is facing towards the Chandrabhaga or Bhima river. Samadhi of Namadev and Chockamela is at the entrance. Pilgrims will first pray to these Devotees and then enter the temple. Small Ganesh Shrine is present inside the temple as the first Shrine. Then, a small hall where bhajans are performed. Small Shrine for Garuda and Hanuman facing Lord is in the same hall. Then, after climbing a few steps, we can see the beautiful face of Lord Vittala. We can have this Mukha Darshan any time without standing in Queue. For, Padha Darshan (To touch the Lotus Feet of Lord), there is an entrance which leads to Queue Complex outside the temple. It will lead to many small shrines of Bhaktas, then towards the Lord Panduranga. We can touch the feet of Lord. We feel blessed when we touch the Lord's Lotus feet. 

 A noticeable aspect is that Vithala and Rukhmani are in separate shrines. They are not together. This is the position in Madurai Meenakshi Temple  where  Siva and Parvati are in separate shrines. A little distance between spouses contributes to marital harmony !! 
The idol of Vithoba is of black stone and is 3 feet 9 inches in height. It stands on a Vith--Brick which is One square foot. The idol is believed to be 5000 years old. The Lord has his arms Akimbo. On his  left hand is the Conch and on the right Chakra. There are  ear-rings on long  ears and they  touch the shoulder.

There ere are Shrines for Rukmini Devi, Sathyabhama Devi, Radhika Devi, Lord Narasimha, Lord Venkateshwara, Goddess Mahalakshmi, Nagaraj, Ganesha, Annapoorani Devi. There is another mandap where all devotees play like Krishna who had played with Gopikas. 

An interesting tale is that of the temple's first step is called “Namdev Chi Payari” (step of Namdev). The child and future Saint, Namdev was an ardent devotee of Vithoba. One day his mother asks him to complete the ritual of “naivedya” (any food made in the house is first offered to God, the ritual comprises placing the offering plate before the deity and sprinkling water around the plate and with a prayer to God). Namdev faithfully does “naivedya” and waits for God to appear and take the offering. But he is disheartened. He keeps praying and requests God to come in person and accept the offering. With no answer, the child starts banging his head at the feet of God. Seeing this utmost devotion and innocence of a child, God appears, eats the offering and blesses Namdev. Namdev asks for being present in the "first step" at His temple, so that  innumerable devotees will touch him before having the “Darshan” . So, this first step is called “Namdev Chi Payari”.

The east-west length of the Temple is 350 feet and North-South length is 170 feet. There are  many doors
1. Namdev Gate.Pious people first take darshan of this step.
2.On the right hand side of the Namdev step there is a big Fig tree. Facing this is  the Eastern  gate.
3. Third Eastern door called " Tati Door". From here you can  see three Temples.

 Dindi and Palkhi

Ashadi Ekadasi is  celebrated during the months of June- July (Aashaadh Shukla Paksha). It consists of a beautifully decorated Palkhi having the “padukas” of the Lord and the Palkhi procession consists of people collectively walking, singing and dancing to the glory of the Lord in what are called as ‘Dindis’.
The Palkhi procession has remained unbroken since it began despite wars, famines and floods. More than Fifty Palkhis of saints assemble at Pandharpur every year. In Maharashtra “Varkaris” (predominantly simple farmers) is a big community. They usually undertake 21-day walk after they have completed the sowing process in their fields. In the Ashadi Ekadasi festival, people from every faith and religion participate. Learned sages also come for it. Jnaneshwar preached the Gita which is considered the most important  religious text in Maharashtra.

The 'Bhakti Marg' (the path of devotion) as propounded by Sant Jnaneshwar, teaches  us to forget the physical self in pursuit of the Lord. When the Varkaris sing and dance during the pilgrimage, they forget the material world around them.
Along with the Dindi procession, seva to the poor and needy is done reflecting that Lord is in all forms. This is called ‘Seva Dindi’. During the Seva Dindi, the people on pilgrimage undertake selfless service to the poor and needy like Amrut Kalash (Annadhan), Narayan seva, Medical seva, Building and repairing rural infrastructure, etc.
Participation in Ashadi Dindi and Seva Dindi helps an individual in many ways by bringing good health, peace and prosperity in his life. Chanting the continuous glory of the God in the Ashadi Dindi procession and Seva Dindi purifies an individual, there is an inner cleansing that takes place in Mind, Body and Spirit and the participants tend to lose their individual identities and experience bliss. It develops all aspects of human personality and helps us understand the true purpose of Life.

 Movement against Untouchability--Sane Guruji


In the pre-1947 period untouchables were not allowed to enter the temples, against this communal attitude Gandhian freedom fighter Sane Guruji went on to fast-unto-death, supported by others of the Gandhian movement. He succeeded in getting temple doors opened for all worshiping communities.

PPR
04 / 12 / 2015






PANDHARPUR TRAVEL DIARY --PART  TWO   
                                         
There was once a merchant named Pundarika in the town now known as Pandarpur. He was extremely greedy and saw his parents as a road block to his prosperity. When they became old and infirm he decided to drive them out of his home. Fortunately for them, they were able to join a group of poor devotees who were going to Benares by foot. Later Pundarika himself undertook the pilgrimage to Benares but in  a horse drawn chariot. He crossed his parents on his way, but did not even bother to stop.

 After some time, when Pandurika stopped on the bank of a river to rest, he met Rohit Das, a cobbler who had a hermitage by the river bank. Rohit Das, though extremely poor, spent all of his time taking care of his parents, even if that meant that he disregard his own comforts.

That night, Pandurika saw three ugly women taking bath in the pond of the hermitage and rising up as divine beings. He asked them who they were and they answered that they were the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Godavari. They had to bear the sins left by people who bathed in them and got cleansed by coming to the Hermitage of Rohit Das
 A sea of change descended on Pundarika. He went back to his parents, begged for forgiveness and from that time onward, spent all his time caring for them. 

One day Vishnu took the form of a cowherd boy and went to the house of Pundarika. He was told by Pundarika that, he was busy  looking after his parents and did not have time to take proper care of him. Lord Vishnu, informed him, who He was but Pundarika apologized for not being able to receive him as he was too busy taking care of his parents. He gave Lord Vishnu a brick to stand on and asked him to wait there until he was done with his parent's care. Since that day, Lord Vishnu has been standing on that brick. The name of the town is now Pandharpur after Pundarika and the Lord was given the name Vittala since he stands on a brick.

  Pandharpur is one of the most prominent pilgrimage places in Maharashtra. It is located on the banks of the Bhimā river, which is alternatively known as Chandrabhāgā because of its half-moon-like shape.Pandharpur, also known as Pandhari, hosts the renowned Vitthal temple  on the banks of Bhimā.” Vithoba” ", "Pāndurang", and "Pandharināth" are the popular alternate names of the deity, Vitthal, who is regarded as a form of Lord Krishna  who is  an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Rakhumāi or Rukmini  is Vitthal's consort in the temple.

A holy shrine of quite antiquity that holds Vithoba, a localized version of Lord Krishna is one among the numerous devout destinations in Pandharpur. The temple is believed to be centuries old and the most amazing aspect in this holy shrine is the scripture that dates back to the year 1195.The devotees used to rub their back on this scripture, which is believed to absolve them from the wheel of rebirths.
The Lord is seen accompanied by his consort Rukmini. The deities look truly impressive with its blackish colour and in Navarathri and Dusshera celebrations they would be clothed with new clothes everyday. The temple is open for the public for the whole day during Vari. After Vari the temple is washed with water and the deities would be fed with special meals.

 The worship of Vitthal in the Pandharpur temple is based mainly on the contents of the Puranas, and the contributions of the Vaishnav  saints of Maharashtra and Karnataka during the 13th through the 17th centuries. Some of these saints are Dnyaneswar, Namdev,Chokhamela,Gora Kumbhar ,Eknath Tukaram Purandara Dasa,Vijaya Dasa, Gopala Dasa,and  Jagannatha Dasa .

 The Pandharpur temple covers a large area and has six gates. The eastern gate is known as the "Namdev Gate."

  Pandharpur hosts four annual pilgrimages ("Yātrās") of  devotees. Among them, the pilgrimage in the month of Āshādh (June–July)  attracts the largest number of pilgrims—around 500,000 to 700,000 people. The pilgrimages in the months of Kārtik (October–November), Māgh (January–February) and Shrāvan (July–August) attract the second, third and fourth largest numbers of pilgrims respectively.

There are some other important holy places around Pandharpur. The deities include the Goddess Tulja Bhavani (Goddess of family – Kul Devata of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) at Tuljapur, Saint Shri Swami Samarth (God Form of Dattatreya) at Shri Kshetra Akkalkot, Lord Dattatreya at Ganagapur, etc. All these places are located in or near the Solapur District.

   Pundalik or Pundarik is a central figure in the legends of the God Vithoba, generally considered a Vaishnava deity identified with deities Vishnu and Krishna   He is credited to have brought Vithoba to Pandarphur, where Vithoba's central shrine stands today. Pundalik is also perceived to be the historical founder of the Varkari Sect which is centered on the worship of Vithoba.  Pundalik is the founder of the Varkari cult and the one who promulgated the cult . He tried to unify Shiva and Vishnu, The Hoysala King Vishnuvardhan  built the Pandharpur Temple. Pundalik was a mystic, who not only founded the Varkari Sect but also was the first to identify Vithoba with Lord Vishnu. His fame also led to naming of Pandharpur to Paundrika-Kshetra--the sacred place of Pundalik.




PANDHARPUR TRAVEL DIARY--PART  ONE 

Pandharpur- Uttara Chidambaram –Gondavale- Tuljapur  Tour – PPR tour diary
We went on a tour to Pandharpur, Gondhavale and Tuljapur.
As an introduction I cover the most eminent saints of Maharashtra.

The following statement is rightly famous.

Jnanadeva laid the foundation ;

Namadeva raised the walls ;

Eknath put the roofs and

 Tukaram built the Dome.

Thus, the mighty edifice of Marathi Culture was built up.

Let us have a glimpse.

 Sant Dnyaneshwar (1275-1296 AD)

He was the greatest saint of Maharashtra. He was born in 1275 AD in a Brahmin family at Apegaon near Paithan situated on the banks of the river Godavari. He was blessed with divine knowledge and showed signs of greatness from his childhood. He is said to have performed many miracles. It cannot be denied that he was highly learned and talented.
He wrote a beautiful commentary in Marathi on the Bhagavad Gita called the Dnyaneshwari at the tender age of 15. Besides his famous work, Dnyaneshwar also wrote Amritanuhhava and Bhavartha Dipika in Marathi. His followers belonged to all castes, as he did not believe in the caste system.

He condemned rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices in religious worship. His followers are known as Varkaris. They believe in attaining the presence of God through religious songs or Bhajans and prayers. They worship Lord Vithoba whom they believe to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Sant Namdeo-1270--1350 A D

Sant Namdeo was a follower of Sant Dnyaneshwar. He was a tailor by caste and was five years older than his guru. He travelled all over Maharashtra with Sant Dnyaneshwar. Following the teachings of his celebrated master, he believed in the equality of all men. He advised people to follow the Bhakti Marga or the path of deep devotion to God.

He created in them a strong desire to protect their religion and have a deep love for their motherland! Like Kabir, he condemned idol worship. He carried on the work of Sant Dnyaneshwar after the latter s death in 1296 AD.

He composed songs not only in Marathi but also in Hindi and spread the message of equality within and outside Maharashtra. He travelled all over India and also went to Punjab. Some of his devotional songs are found in the Granth Sahib and other religious books of the Sikhs. His songs are sung with great love and devotion not only in Maharashtra but also in other parts of the world.

Sant Eknath--1533---1599

He lived in the sixteenth century. Sant Eknaths beliefs and teachings were similar to those of the great Maratha saints, Sant Dnyaneshwar and Namdeo. He advocated social equality and preached the abolition of distinctions based on class, caste, and creed. Thus, he carried on the work started by Dnyaneshwar and Namdeo. He preached that one could devote oneself to God by leading a normal family life and discharging all functions of a householder.
He did not believe in rituals, ceremonies, and other orthodox ways of worship. He preferred to use Marathi in his religious discourses and composed songs in the language of the common people. He wrote numerous religious songs called Abhangas, Owees, and Bharuds. These songs are still very popular in Maharashtra.

Sant Tukaram (1608-1651 AD)

Sant Tukaram was a contemporary of Chatrapati Shivaji, and though he never met the Maratha ruler, Shivaji was greatly influenced by his ideas. Sant Tukaram was born in a Vaishya family in 1608 AD in a village near Poona.

He was deeply religious even in his childhood and spent his time singing devotional songs in praise of his favorite deity. Lord Vithoba of Pandharpur. Like Dnyaneshwar, Namdeo, Eknath, and other Maratha saints, he believed in the Bhakti Marga or path of devotion to God. He often sang songs in praise of Lord Vithoba.
He visited the temple of Lord Vithoba at Pandharpur twice a year in the months of Ashad (June-July) and Kartik (October-November). Sant Tukaram sang devotional songs which he himself composed.

He performed keertans at devotional gatherings and sang his own devotional songs called Abhangas. Thousands of people flocked to listen to him. He preached them the virtues of piety, forgiveness and peace of mind. He also gave them the message of equality and brotherhood.

Samarth Guru Ramdas 1606--1681 A.D

Guru Ramdas was also a contemporary of Chatrapati Shivaji. He was Shivajis chosen friend, philosopher, and guide. Shivaji was influenced by the ideas of both Sant Tukaram and Guru Ramdas. His real name was Narayan, but he preferred to call himself Ramdas meaning the servant of Rama.

He was a born devotee and was deeply religious from his childhood. He had decided to devote himself to religion and to the worship of Lord Rama. He carried out a great amount of penance (tapasya) at Panchavati (Nasik), a place associated with Lord Rama’s life in exile. Ramdas became a great admirer of Hanuman and looked upon him as the god of strength and an apostle of Brahmacharya.

Guru Ramdas lived during the period when there was some amount of religious persecution from the Muslim sultans in the Deccan. He advised the people to be strong enough to protect their faith. He made Lord Rama and Hanuman his ideals. He built a number of temples in honor of Hanuman in Maharashtra. He preached to the people that religion is the most precious possession of man.