[Assam] WorldBank/Harvard study South Asian doctors/teachers playing hookie
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:20861757~pagePK:64257043~piPK:437376~theSitePK:4607,00.htmlUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre.___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] Rediff: James Bond director loves Hindi films --& ULFA etc??
http://ia.rediff.com/movies/2006/mar/28irvin.htm?q=mp&file=.htm WHat about making Assam's tourist spots as striking as those of Rajasthan -as this guy finds them? Till 1980s noone except Satyajit Ray made any movie or saw any beauty in Rajasthan's deserts. Ray's Sonar Kila (Golden fort) was great if some have seen it. UmeshUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 Yahoo! Photos NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 8p a photo.___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006 -ISKCON's Gita interpretation & white skinned Brahmins
umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:Rajen-da, I think you do not know the history of Buddhism either except what it existed in India and Tibet perhaps. I saw lots of artifacts and statues etc of Chinese and Japanese Buddhists -- shwoing what a pantheistic religion it has turned out to be. I would say that every faith or ideology (lets include communism also and atheists etc) has its great days and then like the economic cycle goes thru booms and recessions. I think Hinduism is on the refirm path these days - since the teime of Dayanad Saraswati in the North and Sankardev in North East. I was surprised to learn that 1893 was a crucial year not only for Swami Vivekanand (on Sep 11 he gave the famous Chicago address ) but also for Mahatma Gandhi --he was thrown out of first class in South Africa since he was not white -- that was his first week there in SA. In conclusion I would say that God has not made man a perfect being so none of Man's creations (religions, ideologies etc) can be perfect. But those who seek truth shopuld always try for it -- and from among the mud around seek to find the pearls. UmeshRajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Umesh: There was never anything new to add to any religion at any time. When Christianity came, Judaism had everything needed for a religion. When Islam came, Christianity had everything. Hinduism had everything that it needed when Buddhism came. Religion is a question of attitude after all. Buddha did not discover anything new nor he said anything new. According to him he simply found a old abandoned path which he took. In one way Hinduism is like the Republicans. When you think you got them, they will very smartly come up with an example which will show that they are actually doing more for the blacks and the poor than the Democrats. The difference however between the R & D is again in the attitude. Hindusim and Buddhism is also like that. Buddhism simply took the position to insist that all men have equal potential for achieving the highest goal in life which is Buddhahood. Hindusim took the practical position that all the fingers are not equal, and here is why. Yes you can show all those examples. And if you go deeper you will also find why a lower caste guy Valmiki had to write the Ramayana or the bastard Vyas had to compile the Vedas. It is because in their past lives they were such and such and finally you loose track of the moral of the story completly except remembering that it is 'karma' and duty which control everything. It is all in the attitude. Please note that I am not trying undermine Hinduism. I am just trying to say what it is without adding or creating anything new. All the fingers are not equal. RB - Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Rajen Barua ; Ram Sarangapani Cc: assam@assamnet.org Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 11:51 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006 -ISKCON's Gita interpretation & white skinned BrahminsRajen-da, We were discussing about Gita and I think I made my point. Now you talk about Bheeshma quote (without references - I think you picked it up from C-da'd old '02 mail mentioned today) then I can give the example of Vishwamitra who became a Brahmin despite being born in Kshatrya caste (if you go by the ongoing logic that caste is by birth) -- for that matter Mahabharat was not an ideal state as far as Hindu ages go -- it was a corrupted one in which God had to take human form to do away with the evil --and lots of Brahmins and Kshatrya's got killed by God's grace -to root out evil -in Mahabharat war. How about so-called lower caste Valmiki writing holy Ramayan or bastard Veda Vyas penning the holiest Vedas and Mahabharat. How about the tales of the butcher who had acquiered a high state of being - just by practicing his trade uprightly. Hinduism also says about human body as a divine opportunity to achieve salvation -- I'm sure you must have heard this upteen times -if you ever attended any religious discourse or meeting -- of any group of Hindus. Buddhism does not add to Hinduism -- it only subtracts the negatives of the then existing society -- and later adds its own versions of Gods and incarnations. However, still Buddhism largely follows the principle tenets -- Hinduism has acquired an unholy hue in form of rigid caste system. Umesh Rajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >It is utopian to think that all humans are equal -- thats what communism also says >It is practical to admit that each one should rise to do best what s/he can do in their lives. Yes, you are right Hinduism is a practical religion to go by to maintain the status quo. But the problem is we also have the following in Hinduism for which one cannot rise to do the best. >"Bhishma said:The status of a Brahmana is incapable of acquisition by a>person belonging to any of the three other orders. That status is
Re: [Assam] Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? - EdmundWeber
Ram: There are many aspects of such statements. First we donot know where from Weber was taking these quotes. Second we donot know what exactly Buddha's quotes were and what were there tone and meaning. However the most important thing is that many outsiders, and most Indians, make a misunderstanding about what exactly Buddha preached. Many just assume that Buddha reformed Hinduism. But was it so? Many assume and even proclaim that Buddha was against the caste system. But was he against the caste system? Or in fact was Buddha against any system? I donot think you will not find a single statement by Buddha that he was against this and that. So part of the problem is the very misconception about what Buddhism is or was. Thus Weber was assuming certain and things regarding what Buddhism was supposed to be according to him and then he was criticizing why Buddhism failed. etc Before we go deeper into these debates, we need to know what exactly Buddha did or tried to do. In fact I hear similar statements about Xongkordev. Because most Assamese just assume and write essays that Xongkordev was trying to reform the society and that he was against the caste system. According to me Xongkordev did not try to reform the society. Neither Buddha tried to reform the society or Hinduism. Once we look from that angle, many things become clear. May be sometime later. RB - Original Message - From: Ram Sarangapani To: Rajen Barua Cc: ASSAMNET Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 5:33 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? - EdmundWeber Dear Barua, I sent in the article because it seems Weber has almost contradictory views on Buddhism than those often discussed here. In fact, I was surprised too at some of Weber's analyses and views. In certain places, the article also claims that Buddha and Buddism was very much caste conscious. That kind of surprised me. I thought Buddhism at least was devoid of it. We know, Islam and Christianity (in India) do practice some form of casteism (and maybe not as rigidly as Hindus - but they do so. For Instance: "According to this Buddhist tradition, it is thanks to the gods and in a broader sense to the brahmanas" or "It seems to me that it is important to the present discussion that the early Buddhism did not worship the gods of the lower castes or the dalits but the gods of the higher castes. The gods of the lower caste people, like for example Shiva, were always a thorn in their flesh to them and to the non-Buddhist high castes ." or According to Buddha, and he proclaimed the point of view of his fellow class men, the Sakiyas, belonged to the mundane society of the brahmanas on the grounds of caste purity and mixing among the kshatriyas According to this report the Buddhas belonged all to the high castes, to the kshatriyas and brahmanas. Buddha says proudly about himself "And now I, the venerable and fully enlightened one, was born a warrior and have come from the caste of warriors, o monks." [22] However, to Siddharta and the monks that listened to him, not only the varna, the hierarchical class but also the jati, the clan respectively the family were of substantial importance. I very little knowledge of Buddhism to start with and hopefully you or others could clarify this dichotomy. --Ram On 3/28/06, Rajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: It is very difficult to summarize what exactly is his point. It is one of those articles which makes lot of noise but does not make any sound. RB - Original Message - From: Ram Sarangapani To: ASSAMNET Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 3:39 PM Subject: [Assam] Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? - EdmundWeber As we are discussing religions, I thought netters may be interested in what Weber has to say about Caste and atheism in Budhhhism. He has an interesting take. http://web.uni-frankfurt.de/irenik/relkultur50.htm --Ram ___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] Remember These?
C'da, >Disclaimer to Ram: It is not intended for Bamun-bashing Ram :-). No such disclaimer needed. I saw the stuff by PN Oak. All I know about him was that we were forced to know of him (famous historian) at middle or high school. His views so seem to be a streatch. But its like anything else : The Chinese claim to have invented or discovered almost everything (just like many Indians do). Some religions claim that they are constantly changing with the times, most modern etc - yet some among them still possess the metality of the middle ages. Who knows whats true & whats not. My guess is such claims by countries or groups help boost their ego and some chest-thumping. But other than that - nothing really comes out of these claims. BTW: Way back in 2004, did I perchance say just the opposite of what I am saying now - would be interesting to know, but whatever the case, I reserve the right to change my views anytime :):) --Ram On 3/28/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Somewhat accidentally, I ran into these exchanges in assamnet from 2002. Remember these ? cm Disclaimer to Ram: It is not intended for Bamun-bashing Ram :-). Just to show that these are arguments from desi-intellectuals! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alnane/message/26 From: Chan Mahanta < [EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Tue Jan 22, 2002 1:24 pm Subject: Three easy pieces from : www.hinduism.co.za [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send Email Rajen: Look at third paragraph. My guess was wrong :-).Alpana: Do you think "Hindu shame" has been built on things like these :-)?- --Was the Kaaba Originally a Hindu Temple?By P.N. Oak (Historian)Glancing through some research material recently, I was pleasantly surprisedto come across a reference to a king Vikramaditya inscription found in the Kaaba in Mecca proving beyond doubt that the Arabian Peninsula formed apart of his Indian Empire.The text of the crucial Vikramaditya inscription,found inscribed on a gold dish hung inside the Kaaba shrine in Mecca, is found recorded on page 315 of a volume known as 'Sayar-ul-Okul' treasuredin the Makhtab-e-Sultania library in Istanbul, Turkey.- --The status of a Brahmana is incapableof acquisition by persons begottenon uncleansed souls.KSHATRIYA,VAISYA AND SUDRA CANNOT BECOME BRAHMANATHE MAHABHARATA, ANUSASANA PARVA sec.XXVIII,Bhishma said:The status of a Brahmana is incapable of acquisition by aperson belonging to any of the three other orders. That status is thehighest withrespect to all creatures. Travelling through innumerable orders of existence, by undergoing repeated births, one at last, in some birth,becomes born as a Brahmana. The status of a Brahmana is incapable ofacquisition by persons begotten on uncleansed souls. The statusof a Brahmana, which is the foremost of everything, is incapable of being won by penances.That status is really incapable of beingobtained by persons of uncleansed souls.---Brahmanas and Sudras >From Tulasi RamayanaAranya Kanda 32-33 Addressing a Gandharva (Kabandha resurrected as Gandharva)Sri Rama said: Listen, O Gandharva, to what I tell you: I cannot toleratean enemy of the Brahamanas (Brahmins). He who without guile in thought, word and deed does service to the Brahmanas (the very gods onearth), wins over Brahma, Siva, Myself and all other divinities.A Brahmana, even though he curses you, beats you or speaks harsh words to you, is still worthy of adoration: so declare the saints. ABrahmana must be respected, though lacking in amiability and virtue; not soa Sudra, though possessing a host of virtues and rich inknowledge. ---___assam mailing list assam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? - EdmundWeber
Dear Barua, I sent in the article because it seems Weber has almost contradictory views on Buddhism than those often discussed here. In fact, I was surprised too at some of Weber's analyses and views. In certain places, the article also claims that Buddha and Buddism was very much caste conscious. That kind of surprised me. I thought Buddhism at least was devoid of it. We know, Islam and Christianity (in India) do practice some form of casteism (and maybe not as rigidly as Hindus - but they do so. For Instance: "According to this Buddhist tradition, it is thanks to the gods and in a broader sense to the brahmanas" or "It seems to me that it is important to the present discussion that the early Buddhism did not worship the gods of the lower castes or the dalits but the gods of the higher castes. The gods of the lower caste people, like for example Shiva, were always a thorn in their flesh to them and to the non-Buddhist high castes ." or According to Buddha, and he proclaimed the point of view of his fellow class men, the Sakiyas, belonged to the mundane society of the brahmanas on the grounds of caste purity and mixing among the kshatriyas According to this report the Buddhas belonged all to the high castes, to the kshatriyas and brahmanas. Buddha says proudly about himself "And now I, the venerable and fully enlightened one, was born a warrior and have come from the caste of warriors, o monks." [22] However, to Siddharta and the monks that listened to him, not only the varna, the hierarchical class but also the jati, the clan respectively the family were of substantial importance. I very little knowledge of Buddhism to start with and hopefully you or others could clarify this dichotomy. --Ram On 3/28/06, Rajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: It is very difficult to summarize what exactly is his point. It is one of those articles which makes lot of noise but does not make any sound. RB - Original Message - From: Ram Sarangapani To: ASSAMNET Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 3:39 PM Subject: [Assam] Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? - EdmundWeber As we are discussing religions, I thought netters may be interested in what Weber has to say about Caste and atheism in Budhhhism. He has an interesting take. http://web.uni-frankfurt.de/irenik/relkultur50.htm --Ram ___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? - EdmundWeber
It is very difficult to summarize what exactly is his point. It is one of those articles which makes lot of noise but does not make any sound. RB - Original Message - From: Ram Sarangapani To: ASSAMNET Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 3:39 PM Subject: [Assam] Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? - EdmundWeber As we are discussing religions, I thought netters may be interested in what Weber has to say about Caste and atheism in Budhhhism. He has an interesting take. http://web.uni-frankfurt.de/irenik/relkultur50.htm --Ram ___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? - Edmund Weber
As we are discussing religions, I thought netters may be interested in what Weber has to say about Caste and atheism in Budhhhism. He has an interesting take. http://web.uni-frankfurt.de/irenik/relkultur50.htm --Ram ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] caste system - evil Hinduism??
I would say that all these questions are meaningless unless you wish to find a solution -- within Hinduism -- to remove casteism. Why would one wish to dwell on something which has turned out to be evil -- unless one wants to remove that. Second, if the contention is that since caste system as practiced is evil -- then Hinduism itself must be evil . Those who think that Hinduism is inherently evil --please do not hesitate to say it!!! Come forward we will certainly discuss it. Do not hide behind evil caste system to take pot shots had Hindu faith. Umeshxourov pathok <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: --- Rajib Das <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:> > Here are a few questions. Hopefully you guys can> answer:>many of the questions you ask can be encapsulated into"why am i a hindu?" i leave those questions alone,because those are personal questions which every manhas to answer for himself. i am merely adding mycomments to only the varna related parts. here i would like to point out that a critical (thatis objective, not antagonistic) look at religions isnot equivalent to challenging either their valuesystems or questioning anyone's personal religiouschoices. > 1. Is Varnashrama Dharma really the original name of> Hinduism or is it Sanatana Dharma?> sanatana dharma is a later concept that incorporatesmany other aspects of hinduism, including that ofvarnashram dharma."sanatana dharma" never became a popular name for thereligion. though it is an older name, i would guessthat it became more widely used in the 19th century asa result of the many hindu reformist movements in thatperiod.> 2. Does Varnashrama Dharma refer specifically to and> only to the 4 castes and the 4 ashramas - or does it> posit on a bigger spiritual and philosophical> canvas?varnashram dharma sets down the duties for the 4castes with, of course, some spiritual andphilosophical justifications. the gita is one examplebut the best exposition is manusmriti.http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu.htmthe dalits do not fall anywhere in the varna system. whereas many ethnic groups were accepted into thevarna system, the dalits were very strongly kept away.even though the buddha (whose religion posed thegreatest threat to hinduism at one time) was laterinducted into the pantheon of vishnu avatars, thedalits were vehemently rejected. the dalits today are as large as the muslim populationin india and are an important component in thehindutva politics. the animosity against thechristians is essentially rooted in the battle overthe dalits and the tribals. this explains the newinterest in dumping the varna system from hinduism.> 2. Varna finds its mention in the Rig Veda all> right.> But do the Vedas themselves specify that the Varnas> are defined by birth? Or did it come much later with> the likes of Manu? And if the Varna system were not> to> be defined by birth but by someone's desire, will> and> action, would it change anything in the way we> percieve things about Hinduism?it is very likely that the varna system has alwaysbeen hereditary, because the main function of thesystem was to put an order in the myriad jatis thatwere entering it. manusmriti (dated to 1st-2ndcentury bc) tried to codify this order and give it arigidity. the gita, which came earlier, alreadyprescribed an evolved concept of the varna system as aanswer to some ills.the varna system has become rigid, but it is notabsolute. but what must be borne in mind is that itoperates not on individuals but on jatis. it isprobably easier to find a community (as opposed to anindividual) changing varna. in more recent times whenshivaji wanted to declare himself a king, the localbrahmins refused to anoint him because of his "lowlyorigins". shivaji then imported a brahman fromelsewhere who drew up an impressive lineage andanointed him. so along with shivaji, his community aswell as his ancestors became kshatriyas. it ispossible to suspect that in such cases, if thecommunity does not display the characteristics of thenew varna over time it might relapse into the oldvarna. > > 3. Does Hinduism (or if I may use the word Sanatana> Dharma) specify clearly to the infallibility of the> Vedas themselves in their entirety? Or is a Hindu> allowed to reject certain tenets? > > 4. Does Hinduism (and do Hindus) leave the> interpretation of the Vedas (or their religion> itself)> to be changed over time or by different scholars? > > 5. Is Varna the central tenet of Hinduism - more> specifically, is it specified anywhere in the Vedas> that a Hindu MUST believe in Varna? Even more> specifically, exactly how many shlokas (or what> percentage) of the Rig Veda mention Varna?> > 6. Since Islam has always had a bloody history right> from the time of when the transition of leadership> was> to happen from the prophet to his disciples and> since> it has enough mention in the Koran of killing of> kufrs, should it be called "Unsalaam" or something> and> should Muslims reject Islam in its entirety?> > 7. Should Christianity
Re: [Assam] caste system
--- Rajib Das <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Here are a few questions. Hopefully you guys can > answer: > many of the questions you ask can be encapsulated into "why am i a hindu?" i leave those questions alone, because those are personal questions which every man has to answer for himself. i am merely adding my comments to only the varna related parts. here i would like to point out that a critical (that is objective, not antagonistic) look at religions is not equivalent to challenging either their value systems or questioning anyone's personal religious choices. > 1. Is Varnashrama Dharma really the original name of > Hinduism or is it Sanatana Dharma? > sanatana dharma is a later concept that incorporates many other aspects of hinduism, including that of varnashram dharma. "sanatana dharma" never became a popular name for the religion. though it is an older name, i would guess that it became more widely used in the 19th century as a result of the many hindu reformist movements in that period. > 2. Does Varnashrama Dharma refer specifically to and > only to the 4 castes and the 4 ashramas - or does it > posit on a bigger spiritual and philosophical > canvas? varnashram dharma sets down the duties for the 4 castes with, of course, some spiritual and philosophical justifications. the gita is one example but the best exposition is manusmriti. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu.htm the dalits do not fall anywhere in the varna system. whereas many ethnic groups were accepted into the varna system, the dalits were very strongly kept away. even though the buddha (whose religion posed the greatest threat to hinduism at one time) was later inducted into the pantheon of vishnu avatars, the dalits were vehemently rejected. the dalits today are as large as the muslim population in india and are an important component in the hindutva politics. the animosity against the christians is essentially rooted in the battle over the dalits and the tribals. this explains the new interest in dumping the varna system from hinduism. > 2. Varna finds its mention in the Rig Veda all > right. > But do the Vedas themselves specify that the Varnas > are defined by birth? Or did it come much later with > the likes of Manu? And if the Varna system were not > to > be defined by birth but by someone's desire, will > and > action, would it change anything in the way we > percieve things about Hinduism? it is very likely that the varna system has always been hereditary, because the main function of the system was to put an order in the myriad jatis that were entering it. manusmriti (dated to 1st-2nd century bc) tried to codify this order and give it a rigidity. the gita, which came earlier, already prescribed an evolved concept of the varna system as a answer to some ills. the varna system has become rigid, but it is not absolute. but what must be borne in mind is that it operates not on individuals but on jatis. it is probably easier to find a community (as opposed to an individual) changing varna. in more recent times when shivaji wanted to declare himself a king, the local brahmins refused to anoint him because of his "lowly origins". shivaji then imported a brahman from elsewhere who drew up an impressive lineage and anointed him. so along with shivaji, his community as well as his ancestors became kshatriyas. it is possible to suspect that in such cases, if the community does not display the characteristics of the new varna over time it might relapse into the old varna. > > 3. Does Hinduism (or if I may use the word Sanatana > Dharma) specify clearly to the infallibility of the > Vedas themselves in their entirety? Or is a Hindu > allowed to reject certain tenets? > > 4. Does Hinduism (and do Hindus) leave the > interpretation of the Vedas (or their religion > itself) > to be changed over time or by different scholars? > > 5. Is Varna the central tenet of Hinduism - more > specifically, is it specified anywhere in the Vedas > that a Hindu MUST believe in Varna? Even more > specifically, exactly how many shlokas (or what > percentage) of the Rig Veda mention Varna? > > 6. Since Islam has always had a bloody history right > from the time of when the transition of leadership > was > to happen from the prophet to his disciples and > since > it has enough mention in the Koran of killing of > kufrs, should it be called "Unsalaam" or something > and > should Muslims reject Islam in its entirety? > > 7. Should Christianity with its reference to > slavery, > keep continuing to celebrate slavery - after all it > was ONE of the tenets expounded in the Bible and > therefore you cannot ignore it and ipso facto, a > Christian must reject the Bible in its entirety? > the case here is different. the claim is that the varna system *is* the most defining aspect of hinduism (sanatana dharma if you will). it defines who is a hindu and who is not. you can get away with being an athiest
Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006 -ISKCON's Gita interpretation & white skinned Brahmins
Rajen-da, I again repeat that you are perpetuating the wrong notion that Guna is equal to birthright. Human beings are inherently distint from each other - and that each should rise to his or her own potential. Moreover Gita says that not only humans but even animals have souls. It is utopian to think that all humans are equal -- thats what communism also says. It is practical to admit that each one should rise to do best what s/he can do in their lives. Umesh PS: By perpetuating the interpretation that Guna = caste by birth I do not think any purpose is being served. ISKCON has chosen the right path to interpret Gita as it was meant to be --since most of its followers have no caste by birth at all - being converts. Their defiition of Brahmin priests in their temple is those who get up daily early morning and spend whole day in prayer and temple activities - even those who pray part time are not considered so. They have to wear dhoti etc only They do put up notices that for such and such event only Brahmins will take part - but they rightly exclude people like my father or anyone who calls himself Brahmin by birth but does not follow the path. On the other hand most of those are qualified to attend these ceremonies are white skinned Brahmins ffrom the West . Incidently, Srila Prabhupad who started the ISKCON movement was not Brahmin by birth but definitely one by actions or Gunas. He promoted Gita as the Bible of Vaishnavas -since he believed that Hindusim was too muddled to correctly interpret the Gita -so he promoted VaishnavismRajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: The difference between Hinduism and Buddhism is what they are higlighting. Hindusim is highlighting the inequality loud and clear, inequality in potential, quality, gunas, inequaliity of the caste system, different duties of different castes, one's duty to do his duty according to his caste and not to try to do duties of othe castes etc etc. Thus Hinduism is basically 'status quo' go on doing whatever your caste dictates and it will be all right. Gita has rather perpetated this Hindu ideal by speaking through the mouth of God. Buddhism does not highlight these inequalities in men. Buddhism rather ignored these and professed that every man has equal potential to be the perfect man (Buddhahood) and that all men are equal and that the main purpose of life is to be happy by attaining enlightenment and become a Buddha yourself etc etc. According to Buddhism all men are created equal, it is men rather who is making it not so. That is the difference. RB- Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Barua25 ; Ram Sarangapani Cc: assam@assamnet.org Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:40 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006Rajen-da, I guess you are right when you compare with the Buddha ideal - that all humans have equal potential - and that message does get lost when you say that some people have more potential and aptitude in priestly matters and others have more in warrior like or governance matters and others in service industry (incl perhaps public school education and computers) or business. I wonder where the Theory of Multiple Intelligences fits in which says that different individuals learn differently . It is a very famous theory in education propounded by Howard Gardner - a professor at Harvard - andused by schools across the world. UmeshBarua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Umesh: On this one will have to go deeper. First we need to determine when Gita was composed. Second, what was behind the theory of the four caste system. Third, how and when the caste system in India actually started. All these are linked up. My position is that Gita has perpetuated the caste system in India. It is like what the British did in India thousands years later. Gita has highlihted the point to the Indians ages and ages to come that all men are not created equal, a point completely opposite to the present day ideal. Because of the Gita every Indian mind is programmed that way inspite of the American ideal. It is also 180 degree opposite to the Buddhist principle which states that all men are created equal and have equal potential for Buddhahood. Think on these lines and comment. Rajenda - Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Rajen Barua ; Ram Sarangapani Cc: assam@assamnet.org Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:06 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006Rajen-da, Even this verse by itself doesnot say that Brahmin is by birth - it merely states that Brahmins are intellectuals (from head or brain) - thus does show that intellect is superior to other things - if you believe that one part of human body is more important than others. Kshatriya is said to come from arms - denoting strength -used for fighting -does not say about hereditary caste system. On the other hand it speaks of cohesion - in the sense that all peop
[Assam] Remember These?
Title: Remember These? Somewhat accidentally, I ran into these exchanges in assamnet from 2002. Remember these ? cm Disclaimer to Ram: It is not intended for Bamun-bashing Ram :-). Just to show that these are arguments from desi-intellectuals! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alnane/message/26 From: Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tue Jan 22, 2002 1:24 pm Subject: Three easy pieces from : www.hinduism.co.za [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send Email Rajen: Look at third paragraph. My guess was wrong :-). Alpana: Do you think "Hindu shame" has been built on things like these :-)? --- Was the Kaaba Originally a Hindu Temple? By P.N. Oak (Historian) Glancing through some research material recently, I was pleasantly surprised to come across a reference to a king Vikramaditya inscription found in the Kaaba in Mecca proving beyond doubt that the Arabian Peninsula formed a part of his Indian Empire.The text of the crucial Vikramaditya inscription, found inscribed on a gold dish hung inside the Kaaba shrine in Mecca, is found recorded on page 315 of a volume known as 'Sayar-ul-Okul' treasured in the Makhtab-e-Sultania library in Istanbul, Turkey. --- The status of a Brahmana is incapable of acquisition by persons begotten on uncleansed souls. KSHATRIYA,VAISYA AND SUDRA CANNOT BECOME BRAHMANA THE MAHABHARATA, ANUSASANA PARVA sec.XXVIII, Bhishma said:The status of a Brahmana is incapable of acquisition by a person belonging to any of the three other orders. That status is the highest with respect to all creatures. Travelling through innumerable orders of existence, by undergoing repeated births, one at last, in some birth, becomes born as a Brahmana. The status of a Brahmana is incapable of acquisition by persons begotten on uncleansed souls. The status of a Brahmana, which is the foremost of everything, is incapable of being won by penances.That status is really incapable of being obtained by persons of uncleansed souls. --- Brahmanas and Sudras >From Tulasi Ramayana Aranya Kanda 32-33 Addressing a Gandharva (Kabandha resurrected as Gandharva) Sri Rama said: Listen, O Gandharva, to what I tell you: I cannot tolerate an enemy of the Brahamanas (Brahmins). He who without guile in thought, word and deed does service to the Brahmanas (the very gods on earth), wins over Brahma, Siva, Myself and all other divinities. A Brahmana, even though he curses you, beats you or speaks harsh words to you, is still worthy of adoration: so declare the saints. A Brahmana must be respected, though lacking in amiability and virtue; not so a Sudra, though possessing a host of virtues and rich in knowledge. --- ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] IE: IIM-A no better than Cardiff, Wales??
The way they write headlines is misleading. http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=65045 The main quote is that one IIM-A student who chose IIM-a over foreign MBA said that IIM-A is equal to Cardiff . Incidently one of the students of Jaipur School had managed to get into the one year MBA program at Cardiff - on very liberal terms. He was given a discount or schol to join -of about 9,000 pounds and so had to pay about 7,000 pounds only --besides he could also work alongside and earn his living expenses. So it works out to be as expensive as IIMs or atleast some private ones. Incidently he was the first student who graduated from grade 12 of the school to study abroad. Then I was wondering why that boy was feeling so great - when I had never heard of that univ before -except in a negative way. Once there was a great shirt sale in the city and soon everyone of wearing "Cardiff" shirts -- since you could two for Rs 99 ($2) -it seems some continengent meant for export had been canceled or was not upto mark. I bought two as well. It made headlines. Umesh Umesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 Yahoo! Cars NEW - sell your car and browse thousands of new and used cars online search now ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006
The difference between Hinduism and Buddhism is what they are higlighting. Hindusim is highlighting the inequality loud and clear, inequality in potential, quality, gunas, inequaliity of the caste system, different duties of different castes, one's duty to do his duty according to his caste and not to try to do duties of othe castes etc etc. Thus Hinduism is basically 'status quo' go on doing whatever your caste dictates and it will be all right. Gita has rather perpetated this Hindu ideal by speaking through the mouth of God. Buddhism does not highlight these inequalities in men. Buddhism rather ignored these and professed that every man has equal potential to be the perfect man (Buddhahood) and that all men are equal and that the main purpose of life is to be happy by attaining enlightenment and become a Buddha yourself etc etc. According to Buddhism all men are created equal, it is men rather who is making it not so. That is the difference. RB - Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Barua25 ; Ram Sarangapani Cc: assam@assamnet.org Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:40 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006 Rajen-da, I guess you are right when you compare with the Buddha ideal - that all humans have equal potential - and that message does get lost when you say that some people have more potential and aptitude in priestly matters and others have more in warrior like or governance matters and others in service industry (incl perhaps public school education and computers) or business. I wonder where the Theory of Multiple Intelligences fits in which says that different individuals learn differently . It is a very famous theory in education propounded by Howard Gardner - a professor at Harvard - andused by schools across the world. UmeshBarua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Umesh: On this one will have to go deeper. First we need to determine when Gita was composed. Second, what was behind the theory of the four caste system. Third, how and when the caste system in India actually started. All these are linked up. My position is that Gita has perpetuated the caste system in India. It is like what the British did in India thousands years later. Gita has highlihted the point to the Indians ages and ages to come that all men are not created equal, a point completely opposite to the present day ideal. Because of the Gita every Indian mind is programmed that way inspite of the American ideal. It is also 180 degree opposite to the Buddhist principle which states that all men are created equal and have equal potential for Buddhahood. Think on these lines and comment. Rajenda - Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Rajen Barua ; Ram Sarangapani Cc: assam@assamnet.org Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:06 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006 Rajen-da, Even this verse by itself doesnot say that Brahmin is by birth - it merely states that Brahmins are intellectuals (from head or brain) - thus does show that intellect is superior to other things - if you believe that one part of human body is more important than others. Kshatriya is said to come from arms - denoting strength -used for fighting -does not say about hereditary caste system. On the other hand it speaks of cohesion - in the sense that all people in any soicety are doing equally important work - just as parts of a human body - regardless of their social status. I repeat - no mention of hereditary caste system. UmeshRajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I think it is the Gita. I will check Rajenda - Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Rajen Barua ; Ram Sarangapani Cc: assam@assamnet.org Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 9:37 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006 I do recall that there is such a verse but I do not recall seeing it in Geeta or that Krishna said it. UmeshRajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I will have to read the verse in detail. I think Krishna states bothways: Those who are born out of my head are the Brahmins Those who are born out of my shoulder, are the Kshatriyas. Those who are born out of my stomach are the Vaishya. Those who are born out of my feet are the Sudras.
Re: [Assam] Harvard's IEP program - interview of Prof Reimers -changing the world?
something on importance of teacher quality - in an article by Prof Reimers which he sant to us a week back but i saw it today - I think it is from one of his books -and is based on research in Mexico. Those who wish to see the full article I havea PDF file of 200KB " The concern with educational opportunity in developing countries should go much further than the current emphasis on access and completion of a basic education. It should focus instead on how teachers can help students develop capabilities that help expand their options in life. These options refer to pathways to achieve personal goals, thus enhancing personal freedom. They include pathways to maintain health, to secure shelter, to obtain resources and use them effectively, to care for dependents, and to devote ones energies to activities consistent with personal goals and values. These capabilities increase the chances of employment, or of well-remunerated employment, and expand options in life because work and remuneration contribute to obtaining food, shelter, health, and care for others. Enhanced capabilities also provide more choice regarding what kind of work to pursue, thus increasing the odds of making choices consistent with personal goals and values. Similarly, capabilities that enhance political efficacy have similar consequences in expanding personal options.More options translate into more freedom to make choices according to personal goals and values.3 Attention to quality of education requires a focus on the intended purposes of instruction, as well as on the processes that help teachers achieve those purposes. I define teaching quality as this dual concern with purposes and pedagogies. Quality teaching is thus the teacher-mediated process that helps students gain the knowledge, skills, and capabilities that are of value in expanding their freedoms and increasing the opportunity to maximize health and well-being.4 Note that I include the definition of curriculumthat is, the actual instructional goals or standardsas a component of quality, as teachers who are efficient in teaching a low-level, irrelevant, or outdated curriculum cannot be deemed to teach with quality. In this chapter I focus on a single instructional purpose: developing the literacy skills of students. Literacy is a fundamental skill, which provides the foundation for further learning and enables students to access the printed texts essential for further education, for participation in most jobs, and for informed political participation." umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/2006/0327_IEP.htmlUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 207401-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 Yahoo! Messenger NEW - crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with voicemail Umesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 Yahoo! Messenger NEW - crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with voicemail ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] Update in revisions on Hinduism in California's textbooks
Hindu Press International <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Hindu Press International <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:43:38 -1000To: undisclosed-recipients:;Subject: HPI, March 24, 2006 March 24, 2006 California Board of Education Proceeds With Textbook Revisions Challengers to New York Flushing Temple Board Claim Election Irregularities First It Was McDonald's French Fries, Now It Is Kellogg's Rice Krispies With Beef1. California Board of Education Proceeds With Textbook Revisions www.insidebayarea.com SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, March 20, 2006: HPI note: This article updates the situation with the California sixth grade social studies books. Members of the California Board of Education began meetings with publishers Thursday for final editing sessions of sixth-grade history textbooks. The Sacramento meeting comes despite lawsuits filed against the state by two Hindu groups, who challenge the way Hinduism is presented in the books and who say they take issue with the way the state went about its approval process.Liz Russell of Teachers Curriculum Institute publishers in Palo Alto said the current dispute is one of the most drawn-out approval processes she's seen in her 25 years in textbook development. Russell said, "I appreciate the input from different (Hindu) groups; they've made us all much more sensitive and much more knowledgeable about Hinduism, and much smarter about the process. " Russell, who will meet with state officials today to discuss the changes, said she's concerned that a protracted legal battle might prevent publishers from getting the textbooks distributed to schools in time for the beginning of the new school year. Earlier this week, a Sacramento Superior Court judge declined to impose a temporary restraining order to keep the textbooks from going to press, and scheduled a hearing for April 21. Meanwhile, some publishers say they may go ahead with printing and binding the textbooks to ensure they meet the state's deadline for finalized editions to be ready for consideration by school districts by the end of May. 2. Challengers to New York Flushing Temple Board Claim Election Irregularities www.templedemocracy.org FLUSHING, NEW YORK, March 21, 2006: The group of devotees who challenged the legality of the Board of Trustees of the Flushing Ganesha Temple and caused court-ordered elections have posted a report on the results at "source." The original board won the election handily. However, the fact the election was called at all means -- to our understanding -- that the board is not "self-appointed" as the original members claimed, and that elections will need to conducted at regular intervals in the future. At "source," the challengers question the results of the election, although HPI understands the results have been certified by the court supervising the case. 3. First It Was McDonald's French Fries, Now It Is Kellogg's Rice Krispies With Beef www.kelloggnutrition.com USA, March 9, 2006: Pardip Kumar of Malaysia sent us the following material which comes from the Kellog's website at "source." The information reveals that several of the popular snack products that appear to be vegetarian are actually not.Gelatin is used to help the texture of the product and is derived from either beef or pork. Kellogg's(R) Frosted Mini-Wheats(R) and Kellogg's(R) Rice Krispies Treats(R) cereals contain type B gelatin, which is derived from beef.Whenever marshmallow ingredients are present in a Kellogg's(R)cereal brand, the marshmallow contains type A gelatin, which is derived from pork. Kellogg's(R) Krave(TM) Snack Bars also contain type A gelatin derived from pork sources. Type B gelatin is derived from beef sources and is found in the frosting of all varieties of Kellogg's(R) Frosted Pop-Tarts(R), Kellogg's(R) Frosted Pop-Tarts(R) Snak-Stix(TM), all varieties of Kellogg's(R) Pop-Tarts(R)Pastry Swirls, and Kellogg's(R) Nutri-Grain(R) Minis with Yogurt Icing.Plain (unfrosted) Kellogg's(R) Pop-Tarts(R) do not contain gelatin. None of the equipment that comes in contact with the gelatin in Kellogg's(R)Frosted Pop-Tarts(R) is used in the production of the other pastries.Kellogg's(R) Rice Krispies Treats(R) Squares contain type A gelatin in the marshmallow, which is derived from pork sources.NOTICE: Some source URLs cited in HPI articles are only valid on the date the article was issued. Most are invalid a week to a few months later. When a URL fails to work, go to the top level of the source's website and search for the article. Daily InspirationThe only thing that interferes with my learning is my education. Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Opportunities and SubmissionsView sample pages of our beautiful print edition at http://www.HinduismToday.com/sample_pages/ Individuals and organizations are invited to submit Hindu-related news and announcements for distribution by HPI. News is our major thrust--the more current and glo
Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006
Rajen-da, I guess you are right when you compare with the Buddha ideal - that all humans have equal potential - and that message does get lost when you say that some people have more potential and aptitude in priestly matters and others have more in warrior like or governance matters and others in service industry (incl perhaps public school education and computers) or business. I wonder where the Theory of Multiple Intelligences fits in which says that different individuals learn differently . It is a very famous theory in education propounded by Howard Gardner - a professor at Harvard - andused by schools across the world. UmeshBarua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Umesh: On this one will have to go deeper. First we need to determine when Gita was composed. Second, what was behind the theory of the four caste system. Third, how and when the caste system in India actually started. All these are linked up. My position is that Gita has perpetuated the caste system in India. It is like what the British did in India thousands years later. Gita has highlihted the point to the Indians ages and ages to come that all men are not created equal, a point completely opposite to the present day ideal. Because of the Gita every Indian mind is programmed that way inspite of the American ideal. It is also 180 degree opposite to the Buddhist principle which states that all men are created equal and have equal potential for Buddhahood. Think on these lines and comment. Rajenda - Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Rajen Barua ; Ram Sarangapani Cc: assam@assamnet.org Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:06 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006Rajen-da, Even this verse by itself doesnot say that Brahmin is by birth - it merely states that Brahmins are intellectuals (from head or brain) - thus does show that intellect is superior to other things - if you believe that one part of human body is more important than others. Kshatriya is said to come from arms - denoting strength -used for fighting -does not say about hereditary caste system. On the other hand it speaks of cohesion - in the sense that all people in any soicety are doing equally important work - just as parts of a human body - regardless of their social status. I repeat - no mention of hereditary caste system. UmeshRajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I think it is the Gita. I will check Rajenda- Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Rajen Barua ; Ram Sarangapani Cc: assam@assamnet.org Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 9:37 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006I do recall that there is such a verse but I do not recall seeing it in Geeta or that Krishna said it. UmeshRajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I will have to read the verse in detail. I think Krishna states bothways: Those who are born out of my head are the Brahmins Those who are born out of my shoulder, are the Kshatriyas. Those who are born out of my stomach are the Vaishya. Those who are born out of my feet are the Sudras. Can you check if above is true. Rajenda - Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Ram Sarangapani ; Rajen Barua Cc: assam@assamnet.org Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 8:17 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] HPI, March 20, 2006Rajen-da rote whether Gita would have to be revised to remove casteist remarks - I do not recall any!! The only ones defining caste are in chapter 18 shlokas 41-44 -which are not basd on birth - but on gunas or a person's nature and work or deeds. Manusmriti does perhaps needs to be overhauled - by ading new commentaries etc. umeshRam Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:A cursory reading of the VHP message is interesting. The fact they are urging the rejection of castes is a good thing. But their reasons " in the interest of consolidating Hindu unity to fight conversions and "Jehadi" terror." is passe. The shadow of casteism must be erdicated from Hinduism. A good reason would be that all are treated equal within the religion. Of course, there are numerous social advantages. >Does it mean they will revise the Gita, the Manusmriti and all those Hindu scirptures now? I don't think they can (and nor are they claiming to). Whats written is written. Thats history. Hindus and Hinduism must be able to transcend the negatives in Manusmriti. The Old Testament (which has probably as many negatives in it) is not given much relevance by mainstream Christians for this very reason. >Manusmroti was written around 1st or 2nd AD or before . It has nothing to do with Jehadi While this is true, the VHP is probably thinking it needs to unite all Hindus against a possible "Jehadi" onsluaght on Hinduism. The VHP is probably trying to make political hay here. Nothing in the world of politics succeeds like dividing up people on caste, religion, language. And sadly, it may work.
[Assam] Fwd: [christiancouncil] Rajasthan distorting text books
Interesting how Ram is depicted by the writer as anti-Shudra and anti-tribal despite the fact that he ate Shabri's partly eaten food and had support and friendship of trubals (Vaanars) to win his war against Raavan. It is true that glorifying Golden Age of Indian civilization without mentions its demerits is bad - but why did Communists and so-called Ambedkarites oppose the NCERT's texbooks when they mentioned Sep 11 attacks in USA and Osama Bin Laden as a terrorst behind them. WHy did they not write that Stalin killed 10 million people or that Mao did the same etc. WHat about historicity of Jesus - was he really the only son of God as portrayed in NCERT books written by communist ideologues - if they have objection to depcition of Ram and Krishna as divine incarnations. One sided history versus one sided history. WHat is good? However it is true that even the current Chief Minister is from a Royal family -a Rajput as has been the previous BJP CM. Rajasthan's Education ministers have always been so-called Brahmins. The Judiciary is co casteist that noone opposed the installation of a huge statue of Manu - the evil writer of casteist laws. Any comments? Umesh Sam Paul <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]From:Sam Paul <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2006 09:02:44 +0530Subject: [christiancouncil] Rajasthan distorting text booksRajasthan School Textbooks: Glorifying Brahminism, Invisibilising Oppressed CastesYoginder SikandCaste and caste-based discrimination are fundamental realities of Indian life. Almost three-fourths of India's vast population belong to castes condemned by the Brahminical religion as 'low', having sufferedvarious forms of caste-related oppression for centuries at the hands of the so-called casteshigh. Yet, this basic fact is completely glossed over in Indian school textbooks, which barely mention the word'caste' or, if they at all do so, glorify the caste system as a supposedly ideal system of division of labour. The 'low' castes are thus almost completely invisibilised in the textbooks as they are in almost every walk of life. Along with this, the Vedic or Aryan civilization and the Brahminical religion, which form the very basis of the ideology of caste, are glorified as the epitome of Indian, and,indeed, world, culture and as the bedrock of Indian nationalidentity.Caste-based oppression is particularly rife in Rajasthan, a state where vestiges of feudalism are still very strongly rooted. Yet, social science textbooks prepared by the Rajasthan state educationalauthorities and used in government schools do not mention the fact at all. Instead, the textbooks glorify Aryan civilisation, the progenitor of caste oppression, presenting it as the 'golden age' of Indian history. None of the heroes mentioned in the books as role models for students is a 'low' caste. Instead, besides the few non-Hindu figures, they are all 'high' caste Hindus, particularly Brahmins, thus reinforcing the tendency to defineIndian nationalism in strictly Brahminical terms. The textbooks alsomention nothing at all about grovelling poverty and oppression so rife in India and, instead, present a picture of Indian society as a homogenous unit, bereft of caste and class contradictions. Thetextbooks clearly identify Hinduism with Brahminism, completely ignoring the fact that there is no such thing as a single Hinduism. They also remain silent on the existence of several traditions,considered in some sense Hindu, that are definitely anti-Vedic and anti-Brahminical. Seeking to bring together all the different Hindu religions under a single, homogenous Brahminical umbrella, the textmeant for standard six students lays down what it considers to be an authoritative definition of Hinduism, one which is Vedic and Brahminical in essence. Thus, it says that despite the existence ofmultiple traditions (panths) all the Hindu panths recognize the Vedas, ignoring completely the numerous Dalit, Tribal and other non-Savarna traditions that not only do not recognize the Vedas but are also explicitly anti-Vedic. The chapter insists that the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Gita are the main books of the Hindus, ignoring the vast numbers of Hindus who do not recognize these booksas theirs as well as the incisive critiques of these texts by Dalit ideologues.It insists that the notion of rebirth and idol-worship areimportant beliefs of the Hindus, ignoring the numerous Hindu traditions that deny these. The standard nine textbook presents Ram and Krishna as avatars who, it claims, have most heavily influenced[sarvaddhik prabhavit] Indian lifestyle, thus conflating Brahminical culture with Indian culture and also denying Dalit and Adivasicritiques of Ram and Krishna as upholders of caste and caste-based oppression. Naturally, there is no mention of Rams brutal slaying of the Shudra Shambhukh or Krishna declaring that the varna system was divinely ordained. Brahminical or
