For Private Circulation Only Bharati Kapadia (Mumbai) wins ... · Vividha A soldier does not fight a battle because he hates the enemy in front. He fights because he loves the people

An initiative by Youth Wing of Global Bhatia Foundation

June 2016

For Private Circulation Only

@ 4545th

Issue

Page 1

Bharati Kapadia (Mumbai) wins award at Canada

BHAGWAD GITA in one sentence

Vividha

Interview With a Cardiologist

Honesty that Paid!

Old age Home

Sad but True !

Tricky Questions

Editor’s Choice

Invitation

Farmer Won the Padmashri

Bhatner Fort

To our Youngsters with love

Editorial

Page 2

Editor : Design & Layout Advisor : Haridas Raigaga : Dharmesh Gandhi Arun Bhatia

Inside this issue

Change is inevitable, Change is a permanent phenomenon and stagnancy is temporary. Every society undergoes a change over a period. Can someone list out what changes Bhatia community has undergone in last 100 years? The changes can be in social customs, in education, in woman's empowerment, in Business and Industry management, in Economic conditions, Life style, Political, Philanthropic, Spiritual, Heritage, Family values, Art and Culture and personal growth. We invite our readers and writers to pen down (or key down) their observations and email to us.

Shri Gujarati Mandal Chennai felicitated professionals on 30 April 2016. Shri Bipin Nanavati is Vice-President of Gujarati Mandal Chennai.

Environment by Swapnil Swali, Mundra

Common Man by Arun Bhatia, Bangalore

Page 3

BHAGWAD GITA in one sentence per chapter

Chapter 1 : Wrong thinking is the only problem in life.

Chapter 2 : Right knowledge is the ultimate solution to all our problems.

Chapter 3 : Selflessness is the only way to progress & prosperity.

Chapter 4 : Every act can be an act of prayer.

Chapter 5 : Renounce the ego of individuality & rejoice in the bliss of infinity.

Chapter 6 : Connect to the Higher consciousness daily.

Chapter 7 : Live what you learn.

Chapter 8 : Never give up on yourself.

Chapter 9 : Value your blessings.

Chapter 10 : See divinity all around.

Chapter 11 : Have enough surrender to see the Truth as it is.

Chapter 12 : Absorb your mind in the Higher.

Chapter 13 : Detach from maya & attach to Divine.

Chapter 14 : Live a lifestyle that matches your vision.

Chapter 15 : Give priority to Divinity.

Chapter 16 : Being good is a reward in itself.

Chapter 17 : Choosing the right over the pleasant is a sign of power

Chapter 18 : Let Go, Lets move to union with God.

D¾

Vividha

A soldier does not fight a battle because he hates the enemy in

front. He fights because he loves the people behind.

Page 4

An Interview with Dr. Devi Shetty, one of the most renowned Heart surgeons in India today and a world class cardiologist. Arranged by WIPRO for its employees, the transcript below is useful for everyone of every age!Question: What are the thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart? Answer:1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and avoid sitting for a longtime3. Quit smoking4. Control weight5. Control blood pressure and sugar Question: Is eating non-veg food (fish) good for the heart? Answer: No Question: It's still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person gets a cardiac arrest.. How do we understand it in perspective? Answer: This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups. Question: Are heart diseases hereditary? Answer: Yes. Question: What are the ways in which the heart is stressed? What practices do you suggest to de-stress? Answer: Change your attitude towards life. Do not look for perfection in everything in life. Question: Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required to keep a healthy heart? Answer: Walking is better than jogging since jogging leads to early fatigue and injury to joints Question: You have done so much for the poor and needy. What has inspired you to do so? Answer: Mother Theresa , who was my patient. Question: Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases? Answer: Extremely rare. Question: Does cholesterol accumulates right from an early age(I'm currently only 22) or do you have to worry about it

Interview with a Cardiologist

only after you are above 30 years of age? Answer: Cholesterol accumulates from childhood. Question: How do irregular eating habits affect the heart? Answer: You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body's enzyme release for digestion gets confused. Question: How can I control cholesterol content without using medicines? Answer: Control diet, walk and eat walnut. Question: Can yoga prevent heart ailments? Answer: Yoga helps. Question: Which is the best and worst food for the heart? Answer: Fruits and vegetables are the best and the worst is oil. Question: Which oil is better - groundnut, sunflower, olive? Answer: All oils are bad. Question: What is the routine checkup one should go through? Is there any specific test? Answer: Routine blood test to ensure sugar, cholesterol is ok. Check BP, Treadmill test after an echo. Question: What are the first aid steps to be taken on a heart attack? Answer: Help the person into a sleeping position , place an aspirin tablet under the tongue with a sorbitrate tablet if available, and rush him to a coronary care unit since the maximum casualty takes place within the first hour. Question: How do you differentiate between pain caused by a heart attack and that caused due to gastric trouble? Answer: Extremely difficult without ECG. Question: What is the main cause of a steep increase in heart problems amongst youngsters? I see people of about 30-40 yrs of age having heart attacks and serious heart problems. Answer: Increased awareness has increased incidents.. Also, sedentary lifestyles, smoking, junk food, lack of exercise in a country where people are genetically three times more vulnerable for heart

Page 5

Interview with a Cardiologist

attacks than Europeans and Americans. Question: Is it possible for a person to have BP outside the normal range of 120/80 and yet be perfectly healthy? Answer: Yes. Question: Marriages within close relatives can lead to heart problems for the child. Is it true? Answer: Yes, co-sanguinity leads to congenital abnormalities and you may not have a software engineer as a child. Question: Many of us have an irregular daily routine and many a times we have to stay late nights in office. Does this affect our heart ? What precautions would you recommend? Answer: When you are young, nature protects you against all these irregularities. However, as you grow older, respect the biological clock. Question: Will taking anti-hypertensive drugs cause some other complications (short / long term)? Answer: Yes, most drugs have some side effects. However, modern anti- hypertensive drugs are extremely safe. Question: Will consuming more coffee/tea lead to heart attacks? Answer: No. Question: Are asthma patients more prone to heart disease? Answer: No. Question: How would you define junk food? Answer: Fried food like Kentucky , McDonalds , samosas, and even masala dosas.. Question: Does consuming bananas help reduce hypertension? Answer: No. Question: Can a person help himself during a heart attack (Because we see a lot of forwarded emails on this)? Answer: Yes. Lie down comfortably and put an aspirin tablet of any description under the tongue and ask someone to take you to the nearest coronary care unit without any delay and do not wait for the ambulance since it may not turn up or just not turn up in time.

Question: Do, in any way, low white blood cells and low hemoglobin count lead to heart problems? Answer: No. But it is ideal to have normal hemoglobin level to increase your exercise capacity. Question: Sometimes, due to the hectic schedule we are not able to exercise. So, does walking while doing daily chores at home or climbing the stairs in the house, work as a substitute for exercise? Answer: Certainly. Avoid sitting continuously for more than half an hour and even the act of getting out of the chair and going to another chair and sitting helps a lot. Question: Is there a relation between heart problems and blood sugar? Answer: Yes. A strong relationship since diabetics are more vulnerable to heart attacks than non-diabetics. Question: What are the things one needs to take care of after a heart operation? Answer: Diet, exercise, drugs on time, Control cholesterol, BP, weight. Question: Are people working on night shifts more vulnerable to heart disease when compared to day shift workers? Answer: No. Question: What are the modern anti- hypertensive drugs? Answer: There are hundreds of drugs and your doctor will choose the right combination for your problem, but my suggestion is to avoid the drugs and go for natural ways of controlling blood pressure by walk, diet to reduce weight and changing attitudes and lifestyles. Question: Does dispirin or similar headache pills increase the risk of heart attacks? Answer: No. Question: Why is the rate of heart attacks more in men than in women? Answer: Nature protects women till the age of 45. Question: How can one keep the heart in a good condition? Answer: Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food, exercise everyday, do not smoke and, go for health checkups if you are past the age of 30 (once in six months recommended).

Page 6

Honesty that Paid!

At the point of death a man, Tom Smith, called his children and after praying for them, he advised them to follow his footsteps so that they can have peace of mind in all that they do. The youngest child, Immaculate, a female, looked at others and yeled, "Daddy, its unfortunate you are dying without a penny in your bank account, personally, I can't emulate you. Other father's that you tag as being corrupt, thieves of public funds left houses and properties for their children; even this house we live in is a rented apartment, sorry, i can't emulate you, just go, let's chart our own course, let's paddle our own canoe." Few moments later, their father gave up the spirit. Three years later, Immaculate went for an interview in a multinational company. The interview panel had already penciled down a candidate for the highly coveted post but wanted to complete the formality of interviewing all applicants on the list. As soon as Immaculate sat before the interview panel, the Chairman of the committee asked, "Which Smith is yours" and Immaculate replied, "I am Immaculate Smith. My Dad Tom Smith is now late he died a poor man..." But the Chairman cuts in, "O my God, you are Tom Smith's daughter? " He turned to other members and said "This Smith man was the one that signed my membership form into the Institute of Chartered Administrators and his recommendation earned me where I am today. He did all these free. I didn't even know his address, he never knew me from Adam. He just did it for me."He turned to Immaculate, I have no question for you, consider yourself as having gotten this job,

resume tomorrow, your letter will be waiting for you. Immaculate Smith became the Corporate Affairs Manager of the company with two cars, one official and one for private use, attached to the office, with a duplex and two drivers and a salary of £100,000 per month excluding allowances and other costs when she travelled outside England. After two years of working in the company, the Group Managing Director of the company came from America to announce his intention to resign and needed a replacement. A personality with high integrity was sought after, again the company's Consultant nominated Immaculate Smith. In an interview, she was asked the secret of her success and the sudden sky rocketing profile and in tears, she replied, my Daddy paved these ways for me. It was after he died that I knew that he was financially poor but stinkingly rich in integrity, discipline and honesty. She was asked again, why she is weeping since she is no longer a kid as to miss her dad still after a long time. She replied, "At the point of death, I insulted my dad for being an honest man of integrity. I hope he will forgive me in his grave now. I didn't work for all these, he did it for me to just walk in. So finally she was asked," Will you follow your father's foot steps as he requested? And her simple answer was, "l now adore the man, I have a big picture of him in my living room and at the entrance of my house. He deserves whatever I have after God.

Page 7

Sad but True !

A teacher after the dinner she started checking homework done by the students. Her husband is strolling around with a smart phone playing his favourite game ‘Candy Crush Saga’. When reading the last note, the wife starts crying with silent tears. Her husband saw this and asked, ‘Why are you crying dear? What happened?’ Wife: ‘Yesterday I gave homework to my 1st Standard students, to write something on topic -My Wish-.’ Husband: ‘OK, but why are you crying?’ Wife: ‘Today while checking the last note, it makes me crying.’ Husband curiously: ‘What’s written in the note that makes you crying?’ Wife: ‘Listen’ My wish is to become a smart phone. My parents love smart phone very much. They care smart phone so much that sometimes they forget to care me.

When my father comes from office tired, he has time for smart phone but not for me. When my parents are doing some important work and smart phone is ringing, within single ring they attend the phone, but not me even... even if I am crying. They play games on their smart phones not with me. When they are talking to someone on their smart phone, they never listen to me even if I am telling something important. So, My wish is to become a smart phone. After listening the note husband got emotional and asked the wife, ‘who wrote this?’. Wife: ‘Our son’. Gadgets are beneficial, but they are for our ease not to cease the love amongst family and loved ones. Children see and feel everything what happens with around them. Things get imprinted on their mind with an everlasting effect. Let’s take due care, so that they do not grow with any false impressions...

After his father's death, the Son decided to leave his mother at old age home and visited her on and off. Once he received a call from old age home... Mom very serious... please come to visit. Son went and saw mom very critical, on her dying bed. He asked: Mom what can I do for you. Mom replied... "Please install fans in the old age

home, there are none... Also put a fridge for betterment of food because many times I slept without food". Son was surprised and asked: Mom, while you were here you never complained, now you have few hours left and you are telling me all this, why? Mom replied....."it's OK dear, I've managed with the heat, hunger & pain, but when your children will send you here, I am afraid you will not be able to manage.

Old age Home

Page 8

Tricky Questions and equally witty Answers given by Candidates.

(Many of them are IAS Officers now)

Q. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?A. Concrete floors are very hard to crack! (UPSC Topper)

Q. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?A. No time at all its already built. (UPSC 23 rd Rank Opted for IFS)

Q. How many birthdays does the average Japanese woman have?A. Just one. All the others are anniversaries.

Q. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in the other hand, what would you have?A. Very large hands. (UPSC 11 Rank Opted for IPS)

Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?A.. It is not a problem, since you will never find an elephant with one hand. . (UPSC Rank 14 Opted for IES)

Q. How can a man go eight days without sleep?A. He sleeps at night. . (UPSC IAS Rank 98)

Q. Why it is impossible to send a telegram to Washington today ?A. Because he is dead.

Q. If you throw a blue stone into the red sea what will it become ?A. It becomes wet. (UPSC IAS Rank 2)

Q. What often falls but never gets hurt ?A. Rain

Q. What is that no man ever saw which never was but always will be?A. TOMORROW

Q.What looks like half apple?A. The other half. (UPSC - IAS Topper)

Q. What can you never eat at breakfast?A. Dinner.

Q. What gets wet while drying?A. A towel.

Q. What 3 letters change a girl into a woman ?A. AGE.

Q. What happened when wheel was invented ?A. It caused a revolution.

Q. How is it easy to weigh a fish?A. Because it has its own scales.

Q. Why does a bike rest on its leg? A. Because it is too tyred.

Q. Bay of Bengal is in which state?A. liquid (UPSC 33Rank)

Page 9

Page 10

Editor’s Choice

The Story of Integration of the Indian States' by V. P. Menon I.C.S., Secretary of State, Government of India.

Page 116—'Maharaja Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur continued to be intractable. Jinnah and the Muslim League leaders had a series of meetings with him. At the last of these interviews, Maharaja Hanwant Singh had taken the then Maharaj Kumar of Jaisalmer with him, because the Maharaja of Bikaner would not accompany him and he shrank from going alone. These were the three states geographically contiguous to Pakistan. Jinnah, I was told, signed a blank sheet of paper and gave it to Maharaja Hanwant Singh along with his own fountain pen, saying 'You can fill in all your conditions'. A discussion followed. The Maharaja was prepared to line up with Pakistan. He (Jinnah) then turned to Maharaj Kumar of Jaisalmer and asked him whether he would follow suit. The Maharaj Kumar said he would do so on one condition. If there was any trouble between the Hindus and Muslims, he would not side with the Muslims against the Hindus. This was a bombshell and took Maharaja Hanwant Singh completely by surprise. Sir Mohammed Zafrullah however made light of the whole matter and pressed Hanwant Singh to sign the instrument (of accession). But now the Maharaja felt unable to take a decision. He suggested to Jinnah that he would go to Jodhpur and return the next day. The Maharaja wavered as his nobles were hostile to his idea.’

This book is a must for those who wants to know their roots. Three excerpts are shown on opposite side. The book is published by Rajasthani Granthaghar, Jodhpur. Website : www.rgbooks.net

Invitation

Page 11

After witnessing the harmful effects of chemical farming, Subash Palekar, a B.Sc in Agriculture, developed the Zero Budget Natural Farming model.

'Krishi ka Rishi' is the title farming communities across the country have bestowed on Subhash Palekar. This agriculturist is the creator of the 'Zero Budget Natural Farming' model, a method that has been creating waves in the farming community in India.

Palekar was born on 2nd February, 1949 in Belora, a small village in the district of Amravati, Maharastra. The son of a farmer, his interest in farming led him to pursue a B.Sc in Agriculture from Nagpur.

Subash Palekar

Palekar made his way back to his hometown in 1972 where, armed with the newly acquired knowledge his degree had given him, he began to advice his father on modern techniques of farming and urged him to use pesticides and chemical fertilizers. This led to an increase in crop yield that lasted more than a decade.

By 1985, however, Palekar began to notice a drop in yield; one that only got worse with each harvest. Curious about the sudden change, he began to look into the reasons for the decline. Three years of intensive research led him to the conclusion that chemical farming was the culprit. Palekar learnt that the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides led to a decrease in the fertility of the soil, wrecked havoc on the ecosystem of the area and also led to long-term health problems for those who consumed the fruits, gains and vegetables harvested under such conditions.

Shocked by the harmful effects of chemical farming, Palekar began the hunt for less-destructive alternatives. Thus began the journey of Zero Budget Natural Farming in India.

From 1986 to 1988, Palekar's quest for natural farming techniques led him to the study of forest

vegetation. It was here that he discovered the natural system at work in forests which allowed them to develop and nurture themselves, while maintaining healthy ecosystems. After careful research of the system, Palekar began to mimic the techniques he had witnessed, in his own farm. For a period of six years, from 1989 to 1995, he experimented and verified different techniques, before consolidating them into the 'Zero Budget Natural Farming' technique.

Zero Budget Natural Farming, as the name implies, is a method of farming where the cost of growing and harvesting plants is zero. This means that farmers need not purchase fertilizers and pesticides in order to ensure the healthy growth of crops.

Below are some of key learnings from the Zero Budget Natural Farming method:

It is believed that plants only receive 1.5% to 2% of their nutrient requirements from soil; the remaining is absorbed through water and air. Given that 98% of the nutrients do not come from soil, using fertilizers is not prudent.

We often come across huge trees in forests, their branches heavy with the weight of countless fruit despite the lack of fertilizers and pesticides. These trees are proof that plants can and do grow healthily without any chemical help.

The reason we do not witness the same in our farms is because the micro-organisms that

Farmer Won the Padmashri for His Zero Budget Natural Farming Model

Page 12

Farmer Won the Padmashri for His Zero Budget Natural Farming Model

convert raw nutrients into easy-to-digest form have been destroyed by the use of poisonous chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. Cultivation of soil by tractor has already proved to be detrimental to these micro-organisms.

Since these micro-organisms help convert nutrients into a digestible form that plants can absorb and use, it is critical to revive them in our farms. This can be done by using cow dung from local cows.

Cow dung from local cows has proven to be a miraculous cure to revive the fertility and nutrient value of soil. One gram of cow dung is believed to have anywhere between 300 to 500 crore beneficial micro-organisms. These micro-organisms decompose the dried biomass on the soil and convert it into ready-to-use nutrients for plants.

Over six years of research, Palekar found that:

1. Only dung from local, Indian cows is effective on the soil. Dung from Jersey and Holstein cows is not as effective. If one is falling short of dung from local cows, one may use dung from bullocks or buffaloes.

2. Dung and urine of the black coloured Kapila cow is believed to be the most effective.

3. To get the most of the cow dung and urine, ensure that the dung is as fresh as possible and that the urine is as old as possible.

4. An acre of land requires 10 kilograms of local

cow dung per month. Since the average cow gives 11 kilograms of dung a day, dung from one cow can help fertilize 30 acres of land.

5. Urine, jaggery and dicot flour can be used as additives.

6. The lesser milk the cow gives, the more beneficial its dung is towards reviving the soil.

More than 40 lakh farmers across the country have benefitted greatly from Palekar's teachings and his method of natural farming. Palekar spends 25 days a month sharing his knowledge of farming through seminar, lectures, workshops and field visits. Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have also requested him to spend ten days a month in their states, in order to help their farmers develop healthy farming habits.

In 2016, in recognition of his work and the impact he was creating, the Government of India conferred Palekar with the prestigious Padamashri Award. Palekar also made history for being the first active farmer to receive the award.

Palekar's Zero Budget Natural Farming has undoubtedly made an indelible mark on farming in India.About the author: Nitin Chore is a mechanical engineer from Pune who loves to read and write inspiring stories about change-markers who have chosen unusual paths, or created their own.

An Appeal to Youth

Global Bhatia Foundation invites Bhatia Youth from the Globe to serve as volunteers. GBF youth has education, sports & cultural events on its agenda and success of such projects is possible with t h e s e r v i c e o f s e l f l e s s v o l u n t e e r s . C o n t a c t : [email protected]

Views expressed by the authors need not be assumed as the views of Global Bhatia Foundation.

Disclaimer

All The Copyrights Are Acknowledged.

YOUTH@GBF is an in-house ENewsletter distributed freely to the members of Bhatia community and published from Mumbai by Global Bhatia Foundation, a not for profit organization.

GLOBAL BHATIA FOUNDATION1/6, Dossa Mansion, Next to Apna Bazar, Sir P. M. Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001 Tel: 9167826768 Email : Website : [email protected]

Page 13

The Bhatner fort is at Hanumangarh in

Rajasthan, India, about 419 km northwest of

Jaipur along the old Multan-Delhi route and 230

km north-east of Bikaner. The old name of

Hanumangarh was Bhatner, which means

"fortress of the Bhatti Rajputs". Believed to be

1700 years old, it is considered to be one of the

oldest forts of India.

The ancient fort situated on the bank of river

Ghaggar was built in 253AD by Bhupat, son of

king Bhati of Jaisalmer. It is said that after

losing the battle against the Sultan of Ghazni,

King Bhupat took shelter in the jungle around

the Ghaggar River. There he constructed a

safe castle for himself which came to be known

as Bhatner. The entire fort is built of bricks,

covering an area of 52 bighas. It is in the shape

of a parallelogram, with a dozen bastions on

each side. Painted Grey Ware (circa 1100-800

BC) and Rang-Mahal Ware (1st-3rd century

AD) have been found in wells situated along the

wall.

In the middle of the thirteenth century AD, Sher

Shah Suri (Sher Khan), a cousin or nephew of

Balban (the sultan of Delhi), was governor in

these parts of the country. He is said to have

carried out repairs to the forts of Bhatinda and

Bhatner Fort

Bhatner. Sher khan's sculpture is still there in

Bhatner fort. In 1391, Bhatner was wrested by

Timur by defeating bhati king Rao Doolchand. A

mention has been made in "Tuzuk-e-Timuri"

(Autobiography of Timur) about this fort and he

stated this fort one of the strongest and secured

fort of India. Even Mughal Emperor Akbar

described his fortification in his book "Ain-I-

Akbari". Subsequently the fort appears to have

been held by Bhatis, Johiyas and Chayals until

1527 when it was taken by Rao Jet Singh of

Bikaner. After that it came twice under Mughal

control as well, in addition to being the

possession of the royal families of Chayal and

Bikaner. Researchers believe that famous

Tarain war fought between Mohammad gouri

and Prithviraj chauhan is the present Talwara

Jheel area of the district. This fort stands in the

path of invasion of India from Central Asia and

had acted as a strong barricade against the

attack of enemies. Finally in the year of 1805, it

was captured by Emperor Soorat Singh of

Bikaner and remained with it till the formation of

Rajasthan. Since the day of victory was

Tuesday (known as day of Hindu God

Hanuman), so he named Bhatner as

Hanumangarh.

Page 14

I am now in my seventies, and have seen something of the traditional Bhutto lifestyle and thinking. I was brought up in Mamba, the granddaughter of Sari Mulraj Kersondas, and married (before completing school) to the grandson of Kolkata's Toolsidass Jewraj. My in-laws were a very conservative large joint family, whereas my grandfather's family was small and liberal minded. As a child I saw the Thakur Seva (serving Laddoo Gopal with the daily rituals of waking up, offering milk, then bathing and dressing up, then lunch, then giving Him an afternoon nap, waking again and offering fruits, and then dinner, and then putting to bed for the night). Every meal was offered to him before anyone else ate. He had his own wardrobe and jewelry, his own throne, silver utensils and a large wooden house in a medium sized room that was the Thakurji's room. Like other followers of Vallabha Acharya's Sect viz. Pushtimarg, we were Vaishnavas and devotees of Sari Nathji of Nathdwara, 'Shrijibaba', as He was called.Having studied at one of the top English medium schools, I felt somewhat impatient with the rituals of images, and the seriousness with which functions like Janamashtami were celebrated. My grandparents regularly called Brahmins to chant shlokas, do pujas, and rituals like the Satya Narayana Katha. Sometimes, I would hear stories of Sari Krishna's childish antics and get scolded for asking questions that rose. For example, 'It is wrong to tell lies or to steal, or to harass anyone. Then why did Krishna steal butter and tell lies, and harass the gopis?' The inevitable answer was, 'With God it is different.' Even at the age of ten, that did not seem a valid answer!It was only by chance that I grew interested in the philosophy, when I attended a katha (spiritual discourse) by Swami Akhandanandji. I was enthralled to hear his lucid explanations. That was when I was about 37, and the mother of two. That was when I began to realize that there is something more in our religion than going to temples, doing puja, fasting and saying my

To our Youngsters with love

prayers mechanically.I asked Swamiji to accept me as his disciple. Luckily for me, my mother (Indumati) and masi (Hemlata Khatau) were his disciples, but in any case, he was far too kind to reject anyone. He was an acknowledged authority on our ancient scriptures and a highly revered monk of his time. Even today, famous preachers speak of him with the highest respect. His gentleness made it easy for me to ask him any and every question that came to mind – questions that every sensitive individual has, sooner or later in life. Hearing Swamiji's talks, listening to his patient answers to all kinds of questions, and reading his books made me realize that what we call religion is also applied psychology, taking into account every need and apprehension of a human being. By Swamji's Grace I began to translate his books into English, so that people who find it difficult (or impossible) to read Hindi, can at least get the substance of the magnanimous, truly catholic and all-encompassing wisdom of our Vedas, the Bhagwat and other Puranas, Ramayanas, and other spiritual books. My interest in animal welfare and education and social strife led to a gradual realization about how closely religion and social behavior are connected. The bigotry of prejudice and dogma, adherence to rituals that are not even understood, and the superstitions that lead to so much cruelty and suffering are justifiably rejected by the educated, thinking youngsters – and even elders. The so-called 'God men' have done so many ungodly things that a great many people no longer believe in God or prayer.It is undeniable that an atheist who lives an ethical life, is kind and helpful and upright will be respected much more than a person who professes to be pious, does great charity and also leads a completely unethical life. Furthermore, the fast pace of modern life leaves one with little scope for religion as it was practiced even a decade ago.

Page 15

To our Youngsters with love

Bhatias have always been known for simplicity and adherence to the eternal values of goodness and decency. We are said to be the descendents of the Yaduvanshis. It is believed that when the last King of Sri Krishna's lineage grew old, there was a great famine in Rajasthan. The old king told his two sons that he would die in his own home, adjuring them to go and make their lives elsewhere. One son went to Kutch and the other to Punjab, and that is why there are Kutchi Bhatias and Punjabi Bhatias. Whether that be a fact or not, our tradition and culture are commendable and worth maintaining.The readers of the Global Bhutto newsletter would not be subscribing to the newsletter unless they felt it is important to stay connected to our roots and culture. Therefore, I think they are likely to agree with me when I express my apprehension that unless we take steps to prevent it, our future generations are in danger of missing out on many of the things that we have taken for granted, and the faith that has helped us through every kind of difficulty we have had to face. Indian communities in other countries take trouble to keep in touch and keep up traditions like garbas during Navratri and Diwali Puja etc, but this does not give them the rationale behind them. 'It's too boring! I'm not interested! I don't have the time.' These are natural and inevitable comments children make when Indian parents try to inculcate our culture to them. They are valid reactions, and one method that is likely to work is to make them join 'Bal Vihar' classes of the Chinmaya Mission, if you have one in your vicinity. These are fun activities that children enjoy and gain spiritually from by participation. The adults can take on-line courses (no time restrictions involved) for their own interest and benefit. The Chinmaya Mission is doing wonderful work in 360 centers all over the world and has camps in their 'Chinmaya Vibhuti' for NRIs as well as people in India. You can go on SEARCH for greater details.Thanks to my work of translating Swami Akhandanandji's books, I gathered the courage to write a short exposition explaining the spiritual

philosophy of our Hindu religion. The title is, 'From Reason To Religion' because it explains the sound psychology behind the various symbols and plethora of gods, which are so confusing to the layman. I will be happy to send it as an attachment to anyone who is interested (my email id is

). The book can also be downloaded for free from Goodreads. There are 33 books of Swamiji that can be downloaded for f r e e f r o m h t t p c : / / a r c h i v e -org/search.php?query=akhandananda. I have also translated 5 books of Swami Girishanandji, who is Swamiji's most worth disciple. They can be downloaded for free from his website. I write this as an appeal to Bhatias (and others) everywhere, that in the interest of endowing our future generations with the bhakti that is our wonderful inheritance, we give them the gift of inner strength that comes only by faith in a higher power, whatever name we choose to call Him by. Everyone faces tough times – the future generations are likely to face times that are far more tough than you and I ever dreamt of! It is for them that we have lived and struggled, and it is our duty to give them education, good health, and competence and the right opportunities for their future happiness. However, it would be a great pity if we left out the one most important factor of all – the faith that will enable them to ride lightly over all difficulties and setbacks life may bring. Let me reiterate my plea – whatever and however much we give our children, it is incomplete unless we give them bhakti for Bhagwan, and bolster their self confidence with the assurance that He is in their hearts and always with them, and that with Him by their side, they will always be able to overcome every difficulty provided they hold on to their faith in Him and do not give up the eternal values taught by our ancient philosophy.

Purnima L. Toolsidassth29 May, 2016.

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