Ha ha… well said nitin garu(anonymous). ) A loud applause for your detailed explanation.

As you mentioned, if cutting down ram seth is good for nation, then I won’t oppose the thing done by Govt of India, but at the same time I wanted to ask one question to congress goverment, what is their stand on improving standards of people who are paying taxes, but cutting down Ram seth won’t bring properity,instead change the political system,and the judiciary system ( rewrite the whole judiciary) . can congress govt can issues statement like this on Muslims. Mohammad prophet is not born on this land, there is nothing there here which of their religion can they ask muslims to leave the country. I am not against any religion or community but major invasions are caused against Hindus. why the discrimination?

Ashok one thing i will agree with you whenever there is an issues like these, political parties should think wise and stop all the dramas they are doing on roads, there are people in india who earn roti on daily basis, if you do bandh’s or Darna’s they are indirectly causing trouble to the people, for them no god come and help them.

Hindus are the one who are always target for these kind of things, i doubt some day hindus will become minority.

If we keep quiet on such issues, that is going to happen in few days. But to condemn the govt acts we should move in peaceful way rather than doing hungama. By these activities only political parites are gaining.

Whether Rama existed or not nobody knows, Religion is a belief, why to break that and hurt people, instead Govt can come up with proper reason for demolishing the Rama Sethu.

(courtesy:S Gurumurthy)

It was a drama that lasted less than 48 hours. On Tuesday (9/11/07) Sri Rama, who existed in the hearts of millions and millions of faithfuls for thousands of years, ceased to exist, and became a myth for the UPA government. Like a stone thrown at a beehive this set off a reaction that made the government on the run for cover on Wednesday. On Thursday, the secular government quickly turned round and admitted that Rama was real after all.

See the sequence to this somersault. On 9/11, the UPA Government told the Supreme Court on oath that Sri Rama was just a myth and the Ramayana, no more than fable. Besides trashing Rama, the government had also dismissed Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman and others as just ‘characters’ in the play, Ramayana.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) told us so, swore the government. Left historians welcomed the government stand as objective. What is the logic that made Rama a myth? That was the logic of stones and bones. The ASI needs stones to read history and historians need, in addition, bones to understand it. Neither does any stone left by Rama, nor does any bone of Rama, exist. So, they ask, how could Rama have existed ever without the bone-stone testimony. Humans do not matter to ASI. And historians cannot accept that humans are as objective as bones and stones are. So oral traditions of humans are no evidence to either of them.

On this bone-stone objective test, Valmiki and Tulsidas, the government told the Supreme Court, are all like Joanne K Rowling. And Rama, just another Harry Potter, the character Rowling has created.

Reports say that the government had filed over 400 pages of records to assert this. But why did the government try to make a Harry Potter out of Rama who resides in the heart of crores and crores? The case in the Supreme Court was no issue of inheritance from any of those ‘characters’, as the affidavit would describe Rama and others in the Ramayana, claimed by their heirs of today. It was an issue of heritage of Rama and Ramayana claimed by Hindu faithfuls – the heritage of Rama Setu – the bridge, they believe, was built by Rama’s army of monkeys to cross the seas to Sri Lanka to take on Ravana. But, DMK, a critical UPA partner, is hell-bent on cutting the Rama Setu to build the Setu-Samudram Canal to create a shipway between Sri Lanka and India. The Ramayana, whether written by Valmiki in Sanskrit or by Tulsidas in Hindi or by Kamban in Tamil, testifies that Rama’s engineer, Neelan, built the bridge. So the faithfuls who oppose to the Setu-Samudram canal that cuts Rama’s bridge, rely on Valmiki’s testimony. They contend that if Ramayana were true, then Rama Setu ought to be true. Consequently, they want the Rama Setu protected, not destroyed. They took the case to court.

It is in the court that the government decided to establish once and for all that the Rama Setu was no monument. To prove that it decided short cut. If Sri Rama was a myth, Rama Setu was too would be as much a myth. That is why, on Tuesday, the government declared Sri Rama as non-est.

Unfortunately, the government’s affidavit on Rama as a myth coincided with the pre-fixed VHP agitation on the streets all over the country against the destruction of Rama Setu. So the issue was already on the streets when the government filed the explosive affidavit. With the media disclosing the affidavit, there was spontaneous uproar from the people. Millions set upon the government. The rediff.com which had put out the news of the affidavit had opened its website for comments from surfers. In less than 24 hours, over 2800 surfers responded, with a vast majority them against the government.

Apart from the BJP leaders, Prakash Singh Badal and Jayalalithaa, from the non-Saffron ranks, also demanded apology from the government. Why, even Laloo Yadav and AB Bardhan condemned the affidavit filed by the government. The BJP, as was to be expected, went on a war mode and demanded the withdrawal of the affidavit, and apology from Sonia and Manmohan Singh, and in addition, the concerned Minister’s sack.

This forced the government to began the disowning game. The Prime Minister told LK Advani that he was not aware of anything about the affidavit. This should be taken as true as he is unaware of most things in the government. The Home Minister repeated the same thing. And so did even the Law Minister! In hours, the affidavit saying Rama was a myth stood orphaned. But then how calm down the tsunami of public reaction? There entered Sonia Gandhi – an expert on Rama and Ramayana and also archaeology and history ? – who, the story goes, directly called the Additional Solicitor General, Gopal Subramaniam and disapproved the affidavit declaring Rama as never having existed. Gopal Subramaniam reported it to the Law Minister. The Law Minister then held a press conference and announced “Rama is Rama; he exists like Ganga and Himalaya”.

So all experts and their opinions and of the legal pundits were overruled. Sonia did not even have to use even her pen to do it. The UPA rules for ruling India are self evident. When the government does unpopular things, whether it is petrol price hike or affidavit on Rama, poor Manmohan Singh and Company will take the hit. But whenever it does anything popular, like petrol price cut or employment guarantee announcement, or the withdrawal of the affidavit on Rama, Sonia will take the credit. Now she gets the credit for restoring Rama to history from mythology.

Any way, it is new experience for Rama. He was exiled by his father Dasaratha under the pressure of Rama’s aunt, Kaikeyi, for years. But, now, when Rama is declared as non-est by Ambika Soni, Sonia overruled her and recovered Rama in just two days. So Kaikeyi’s wrong to Rama has been atoned by Sonia, thousands of years later.

Post Script: The experts, who could alone testify on whether Rama Setu is man-made or natural formation, are the geologists and oceanographers. Not archaeologists or historians. But their view was totally kept out. Why? Simple. Some of them had already expressed that Rama Setu could not be a natural formation, meaning that it could be man-made – that is, it could be monkey-made. If the government had heard them, the results are obvious. There would be no Setu-Samudram canal; no contract for Rs 2428 crores and no profit to any one. So the reverse logic – to build Setu-Samudram canal, the Rama Setu has to be broken; for that, Rama Setu has to be seen as a myth; for that, Rama has to be reduced to a Harry Potter. This may ultimately end as invitation for the return of Rama himself in politics, after he had kept away from it for almost a decade.

The Archeological Survey of India, in its irresponsible & idiotic affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, has questioned the faith of millions of Hindus worldwide. It has questioned the existence of Lord Rama, the Great Avathara Purusha of Bharat Varsha and ridiculed the truth of Ramaayana, which are the essence of Vedas and the backbone of our Bharathiya culture. It has insulted the Hindus worldwide and hurt their religious sentiments.

History & Literature

Lord Rama belongs to the “Ikshvaagu Vamsaa”, which starts with Lord Brahmma and Brahmma’s son ‘Mareechi’ takes over the reigns and from him; his son ‘Kasyapaa’, then his son ‘Vaivaswathaa’, then his son ‘Manu’ and later on his son ‘Ikshvaagu’. Then it goes on hereditarily to ‘Manthaatha’ to ‘Bagiratha’ who brought the Ganges (hence the name ‘Baagirathi’) to earth, then to ‘Raghu’ (hence the other name ‘Raghu Vamsaa’) to ‘Yayaathi’ to ‘Ajan’, the father of ‘Dasaratha’ from whom Lord Rama takes over the reigns. In no other nation & no other religion in the world, true history is so meticulously documented, supported by umpteen evidences. Any ancient history is supported with evidences of architecture & literature. The Sangam Literatute is the documented evidence for the existence & ruling of Tamil Kings, and similarly, Ramaayana & Mahabaratha are the documented evidence for Rama & Krishna. Questioning Ramayana & Mahabaratha is like questioning the very existence of Bharath.

Geology

Dr.S.Badrinarayanan, Geologist and former Director of Geological survey of India and Consultant for National institute of Ocean Technology, has said “”Geological & geophysical studies of Ram Sethu reveal the presence of loose marine and below the coral layer clearly indicating the coral layer in the form of boulders are not natural and formed on their own, but have been transported by somebody and dumped there; thus clearly establishing the fact that Ram Sethu is very much man made in the hoary past”.

Will the Central & State governments question the credentials & qualifications of Dr. Badrinarayanan?

Tsunami Studies

Prof. Tad S. Murthy, Vice President, The Tsunami Societ, Ottawa, Canada, who is an expert on Tsunami studies has opined that, the execution of SSCP in its present form & alignment would lead to unprecedented disasters along the coast line of Southern Tamil Nadu & Kerala during the next Tsunami. Incidentally the government of India has taken him as the consultant & advisor for constructing the “Tsunami warning systems” for our coastal safety. But, in the case of SSCP, the same government does not want to heed his warnings!

Marine Archeological Standards

Prof. CSP Iyer, Executive Director, Center for Marine Analytical Reference & Standards, Trivandrum, has said, “The execution of SSCP would have an adverse impact on the sensitive ecosystem and the marine life in the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar, home and breeding ground for a large number of endangered marine life & species, viz, Dugong, Sea Turtles, Dolphins & Sea Horses, thriving in the coral reefs that abound in this region”. Will the government question the credentials & qualifications of Prof.CSP Iyer?

Chennai based Scientist & Director of Sarawathi Research Center, Dr. S. Kalyanaraman has said, “The SSCP would lead to destruction of fish & marine life in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, resulting in loss of livelihood of thousands of fishermen and their families, along the southern coast line of Tamil Nadu. The project does not include the Tsunami protection measures”. Will the government question the efficacy of his research?

Marine Biosphere

UNESCO has initiated the idea of biosphere reserve in 1974 under the Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB). The objective of the programme was to obtain international cooperation for the conservation of biospheres. In the first council meeting, the idea of a biosphere reserve was mooted to conserve biodiversity. In accordance with that the Gulf of Mannar and its surrounding regions has been identified & notified as a Marine Biosphere Reserve by the government of India. The reserve covers 10,500 sq.km and has 21 Islands with continuous stretches of coral reef, which are referred to as “Under water tropical rain forest” and a treasure house for marine ornamental fishes. It has a highly rich content of more than 3600 rare species of flora & fauna. More than 138 villages and towns spreading over five districts depend heavily on this marine resource. Commercial fishing is done in about 5500 sq.km and nearly 50,000 people dwelling in 47 villages along the coastline bordering the Gulf of Mannar depend directly on these biodiversity resources. When the SSCP was under the serious consideration of the then NDA government, Prof. A.C.Chandra of Duke University shot off a letter to the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in 1999, raising concerns on the safety of the biosphere and the livelihood of the fishermen. This resulted in the NDA government going in for detailed studies of different route plan for the SSCP.

Later, on the 16th of December 2000, Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Trust was inaugurated at Chennai. The present Shipping Minister T.R.Balu was the Minister for Environment & Forests then and in his speech during that inaugural function, he had spoken, “The importance of the concept of biosphere reserve cannot be overemphasized. A biosphere reserve provides an opportunity to attempt conservation & protection measures of unique eco systems and seeks harmonization with the human activities in such areas. The Gulf of Mannar is very important as it has rich variety of flora & fauna and is regarded as a “biologists paradise”. It holds tremendous generic diversity in the form of sea algae, sea grass, coral reefs, fin and shellfish resources, mangroves and various endemic and endangered species. There are serious problems, which confront the region due to activities of human beings. The biosphere reserve was established for attempting an integrated approach to resolving the adverse impacts of human activities on the rich biodiversity of this ecologically fragile area. I would urge all persons associated with this trust, to rededicate themselves with greater commitment & vigor to the cause of conservation of biological diversity”. The very same T.R.Balu is acting differently now, throwing his own words of wisdom away! If this is not hypocrisy then what is?

Scientific Media

The word famous magazine “Current Science”, in its February 2005 issue, has noted as follows: “Some relevant questions can be raised on the technical feasibility of this project (SSCP), which seems to have been overlooked by the project impact assessment studies, sponsored by the central government. In general, the navigation channels near the ports of the east coast have been facing three major problems persistently. These are caused mainly by natural sedimentation, tropical cyclones and the dumping of the dredged materials. SSCP cannot be exception to these problems and these issues could be more complicated by the fact that the project area occurs in the offshore. The central issue, therefore, is whether these issues have been adequately addressed before embarking on this venture”. What answers can the government of India or the Shipping Ministry give to these relevant observations made by “Current Science”?

Marine and Ocean conservation news from the website http://www.earthdive.com has noted on 6th January 2007, “at least six whales have died since July 2006 as a result of digging under the sea to create a shipping route off India’s southern coast, proving that the controversial plan hurts the environment, activists said”. The portal had referred to the claim of Ossie Fernandes of Coastal Action Network, an alliance of over 45 social & environmental groups, as, “Since July, at least six whales have died after getting stranded on beaches or have been washed ashore already dead. But local fishermen have seen more dead whales, so it could be as high as 10 and most of the dead whales were found off the coast of Rameshwaram, a Hindu holy town in Tamil Nadu state”. Activists said, “Whales’ navigation sensors get affected by the loud noise of the dredging and the powerful sound waves emitted by sonar machines used to conduct marine surveys. As a result the marine mammals lose their sense of direction and get stranded in the shallow waters near Rameshwaram”. Will T.R.Balu say that Mr.Fernandes is a Hindu fundamentalist and that he is lying?

Tourism

Also, the Tourism Ministry of Tamil Nadu lists Gulkf of Mannar Marine National Park as a very important tourist spot with a marine biosphere running along the coasts of Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin Districts abounding with distinguished marine life covering 21 islands. What will happen to our tourism claims & campaigns if the marine biosphere gets spoilt because of the destruction of Rama Sethu?

Archeological Survey

The ASI, in its affidavit has said that the Rama Sethu could not be declared as an ancient heritage monument. But, Dr. SR Rao, Founder of Society of Marine Archeology in India had said, “Ram Sethu is an ancient monument of National & International importance. Based on overwhelming archeological, epigraphical and scientific evidences, Ram Sethu must be declared and protected as a world Heritage Site”. Will the government of India and the ASI question the efficacy of Dr. S.R.Rao’s statement and call him as a Hindu Fanatic?

The stupid ASI contradicts the findings of “The Temple Art Museum”, Madurai, which comes under ASI itself. In the book “The Saga of Rameshwaram Temple” edited by Mr.Somalay and published in 1975, Mr.A.V. Jeyachandran, Honorary Director, Temple Art Museum, Madurai, in his article “The mystery of Rama’s Bridge” (page 381 to 384) says, “The scientists just dismiss it as a natural formation of sand dunes & coral reefs, but the shape & size makes it impossible to believe it as a natural formation. In other words, it must be man-made”. Mr.Jeyachandran confirms the existence of man-made Rama Sethu after immense research. Will the present ASI Director and the Shipping Minister suspect the sincerity of Mr.Jeyachandran?

Naval Studies

It is alleged that the Armed forces in general and Indian Navy in particular is against the SSCP itself, as the project is deemed to cause terrific security risks. Captain (Retd. from Indian Navy) & Master Mariner Hariharan Balakrishnan, Ex Commanding Officer of guided missile frigate INS Trishul, had written an excellent essay titled “SSCP- A Mariner’s perspective”, which was published in the mainstream national media. In that essay, he says, “Considering the global & geopolitical situation and insurgency & terrorists’ threat perception, it is felt that the execution of SSCP would pose a grave danger to National Security”. He had also analyzed the economical viability of the project and concluded that the SSCP is”Nautical Nonsense”. His article is believed to be with the Naval establishment for a detailed study now. Will the Shipping ministry & government of India say that Captain H. Balakrishnan is a traitor or unpatriotic?

Questioning Faith & Double Standards

In Chennai, we have two Churches in the name of St.Thomas, one on a hillock (St. Thomas Mount) and the other on the seashore at Santhome. The Pope Benedict himself has said that St.Thomas has never visited India. Will the Central & State governments question the Catholics and ask for proof for the arrival of Thomas to India and his death in Madras? Will the governments have the guts to demolish the Churches saying that St.Thomas is a myth?

The Hazrathbal Shrine is supposed to have the “holy hair” of Prophet Mohammed. Will the Central & State governments ask the Muslims to prove that the hair belongs to the Prophet? Will the governments have the courage to demolish the Shrine?

If Lord Rama is a myth, then Lord Venkateswara must also be a myth! That being the case, why did this Italian woman Sonia visit Thirupathi on her Sixtieth Birth Day? Why the kin & kith of T.R.Balu & Karunanidhi visit the various Temples in our country? Why the Congressmen, the slaves of Sonia, visit Rameshwaram & Thirupathi? Why the Dravidians belonging to DMK visit Rameshwaram & Thirupathi? When a government can fight for the inclusion of Taj Mahal in the list of wonders of the world, why can’t it do the same for the inclusion of Rama Sethu in the list of World Heritage Sites?

Conclusion

Religion and faith are beyond the purview of political governments. No government or politician has the right or authority to question the faith of its citizens. Questioning the faith amounts to contempt of Constitution, which provides & ensures freedom of religion to all the citizens of this nation.

One Tsunami is not enough for this Non-Hindu Central Government & Anti-Hindu state government! But sadly & unfortunately Tsunami affects only the innocent people and the Ruffians & Rapscallions in the seats of power get away with anything! If at all the government wants to save a little amount of respect, which it doesn’t deserve at all, it must withdraw the affidavit immediately.

May Lord Ram save this Great Hindu Nation!
(courtesy:B.R.Haran)

It is, indeed, amazing how polarising the political discourse has become in this country, and how entirely unnecessary and extraneous controversies are being generated by an intellectually bankrupt national leadership. It is incomprehensible how such perverse nonsense relating to the controversy on Ram Setu could have entered a supposedly secular Government’s representation before the Supreme Court of India.

The Government has, of course, recanted and has sought to distance itself from the contents of the affidavit, but this is far from enough. Someone must have drafted this document; someone would have approved and signed it. This is not something that can simply be pinned on to some minion in the Archaeological Survey of India. The Ram Setu issue has been a prominent political and public controversy for several months now, and it is impossible that a critical affidavit in this regard would not have the explicit assent of the political executive at the highest level; and, in the remote possibility that this is actually the case, the dereliction at senior levels of Government is unforgivable.

The individuals concerned at every level of the drafting and approval of this pernicious affidavit need to be clearly and publicly identified and penalised for causing unnecessary offence to Hindus – the majority community in this country, and one that is evidently not regarded as a vote-bank by the so-called ‘secular’ parties – and, indeed, to many non-Hindus who share in the vibrant collective and cultural consciousness of India’s variegated civilisation.

There is a new and escalating insensitivity in Indian secular thought, which not only insistently neglects the sensibilities of the majority community, but, worse, appears eager to cause injury to such sentiments. India’s opportunistic political secularists – as distinct from those who are, in fact and practice, actually wedded to the secular ideology – feel that they cannot sufficiently proclaim their secularism without displaying at least a measure of contempt for Hindu beliefs and practices.

By contrast, the most extraordinary sensitivity – often transgressing not only the limits of good sense, but even considerations of national interest – is prominently displayed towards the Muslim minority vote-bank (though other minorities – with their smaller shares in electoral contests – are ironically treated with the same contempt that is directed against the majority community). These tendencies appear to be getting worse with the passage of time, and a precipitous decline in the quality of political debate and intelligence is manifest.

These tendencies are, nevertheless, deep rooted in Indian – and particularly Congress – politics, and the tallest of our leaders have not escaped susceptibility to this perversity of perspective. When the Khilafat movement collapsed in 1924, the Moplah rebellion, in which Muslim mobs inflicted untold savagery and rapine on Hindus, broke out in Kerala.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Mahatma, who wore his Hindu identity very much on his sleeve, first denied these atrocities. As evidence of Muslim excesses mounted, he described the Moplahs as “god-fearing” people who were “fighting for what they consider as religion, and in a manner they consider as religious”. Even during the Khilafat movement, Gandhi chose to ally with the infamous Ali brothers, silently sharing a platform with them, and refusing to criticise or comment when they declared: “If the Afghans invaded India to wage holy war, the Indian Muhammadans are not only bound to join them but also to fight the Hindus if they refuse to cooperate with them.”

The problem with the current controversy goes beyond this, to the way in which we view science itself. The Archaeological Survey of India, in its affidavit to the Supreme Court, has asserted that there “was no historical and scientific evidence to establish the existence of Lord Ram or the other characters in Ramayan”. But to conclude from this lack of evidence that Lord Ram did not exist, and that the whole of Ramayan is no more than a religious myth, exceeds the scope of the evidence (or lack thereof).

The inability to prove, on scientific criteria, the existence of a particular individual or entity does not amount to a proof of the non-existence of such an individual or entity. Falsification has entirely different criteria – and the dearth of archaeological and historical evidence is not sufficient basis for such falsification. Regrettably, many have jumped into this controversy with sweeping assertions regarding the existence or otherwise of Lord Ram and of Ram Setu, reflecting the poorest possible understanding of scientific methodology or of evidence.

Unfortunately, science, with rare exception, is taught in India much like religion: As an authoritarian, faith-based system, to be internalised by rote on the mandate of a teacher whose assertions are to be accepted without question; and, not as the tentative, continuously expanding enterprise of discovery rooted in human freedom and imagination.

The Ram Setu issue, moreover, goes beyond science, to the very heart of faith and of the collective consciousness of a nation – and these considerations cannot be irrelevant to a legal determination of the issue. If, indeed, they were to be treated as extraneous and immaterial, then there could be no objection to razing every religious structure in the country to the ground, on considerations, purely, of expediency. The greatest caution must be exercised when intervening in these issues, and the clumsiness, the political chicanery and the opportunism – across party lines – that characterised the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue should be avoided at all costs.

The legend of Ram and Ramayan – archaeological evidence or no archaeological evidence – has primal resonances in the civilisation, culture and multiple identities, not only of India and among Hindus, but among the people of the entire South and South-East Asian region, and occasionally well beyond. I recall watching films and theatrical performances – Ram Lilas – based on Ramayan from earliest childhood, and one of the most exciting scenes was the vaanar sena building the bridge to Lanka with rocks inscribed with the name of their Lord. These are images embedded in the consciousness of millions across India and beyond, and to trivialise this is to misunderstand the very nature of governance.

There is an increasing fraud and dishonesty at the core of the Indian secular establishment. Secularism means, at once, a distancing of the institutions of governance from communal influence, but also sensitivity towards all religious communities and faiths – not just a particular minority vote-bank. The current, contentious and prejudiced orientation of so-called ‘secular’ forces in national politics reflects a complete collapse of political intellect.

The political parties need votes and hence trying to prove their loyalty (by pointing out the religion and all)

I think all of us need to grow up as a country. Just bcoz ppl get their way by violence, dosent justify everyone to be violent.

BTW, i was under the impression, the only god we had was Sachin Tendulkar

nitin

Hello my dear culture preachers why do you all want to represent this country’s culture with something merged in sea or something made of stone. If you don’t know the dictionary meaning of culture, it is “The tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group”.