Somebash

We come together to discuss real Indian CASH – Culture, Art, Societal issues and History. RTs are not endorsements

[Somebash @somebash]

“Unlike other history books the research is not based on scientific evidences alone”, claims the author.

“The Sarasvati Epoch - A factual inquiry into India’s pre-history” watch the discussion with the author Shri Narendran Thillaisthanam @snarendran .

https://t.co/AhIwKc3nV0

[trramesh @trramesh]

Not good news. Bail application of @OurTemples Shri Rangarajan Narasimhan dismissed in Saidapet Court. Now it has to be appealed against before Madras High Court.

With winter holidays of Courts coming up, the bail process would take considerable time.

More bad news. Shri Rangarajan Narasimhan remanded in another case today morning.

Intention of TN Government is very clear.

[trramesh @trramesh]

Many ask me how they can support my legal efforts in "Free Temple Cause"

While it is true that the cases I file before Courts to protect the temple traditions, heritage and properties are very important - it is more important to support the Temple Sevaks who - even today - keep alive - our temple traditions and practices in the poor and impoverished village temples - This is critical.

Earlier days, even village temples had musicians, garland makers, craftsmen taking care of the temples in addition to the Arckakas and Pujaris.

Now we see the lone Archaka or Pujari doing these multiple roles in the village temples as there is no one else other than him to take care of cooking, cleaning and maintaining the temples, its gardens etc.

Let's resolve to save these Temple Sevaks.

" Hindu Donations" is now running a campaign to support temple sevaks who have no salaries coming to them or who only get peanuts as salaries.

Your contribution would go a long way in ensuring the temple traditions in villages and small towns AND the sevaks do not become EXTINCT.

Some of you can plan to do a monthly contribution too. Contributions can be made only from Indian accounts or UPI.

Let's make this a big movement.

Remember - Temples are important for Hindus to remain Hindus - Well maintained temples in villages are important to stop conversions.

Jai Shri Ram ! Har Har Mahadev!

https://t.co/zxdDdLc9YD

[Naren Thilla @snarendran]

Wow...! What a brilliant rejoinder by RaGa...! Eager to hear the words 'I resign' from the academy pall bearers who themselves are enshrined benefactors of their own caste and upbringing.

Empty words by Murali and N.Ram as RaGa points out...! Bravo mam!

[Shobana Ravi, Author. @ShobanaRaviNews]

At the Chennai book fair yesterday. Signed copies of my English novel AMARU.

#ChennaiBookFair2024
#AMARU
@GarudaPrakashan
@AgencyZuna

[Subramanyam @k_v_subramanyam]

Dharma is not religion, law, constitution, discipline, likes and dislikes…..
Valmiki Maharishi has used all definition of Rama to Ravana like Rasika, Scholarly, Tapasvi, Mahatma except Dharmatma! @jsaideepak
https://t.co/jcj2A5W83E

[Shobana Ravi, Author. @ShobanaRaviNews]

Like Pygmalion I fell in love with Nalanda after writing this

The painters and artists working on the artwork in the temples were coming out too. Paint stained clothes and hair set them apart from the others. When Buddhanandi left for his vacation, they had started on a new project at the base of the eighty feet Buddha statue. They must have finished it by now, he thought. Buddhanandi walked towards his dormitory. 

Students and teachers were coming out of the large double-storeyed monasteries flanking the eastern side of the pathway. The classes had just got over. Each of the monasteries had a central courtyard, water-well and a row of furnaces for cooking and science experiments. The Buddhist, Jain and Hindu inmates resided in the dormitories at the periphery of each monastery. In the middle of them was the three storeyed library, ‘Dharmaganj’, the greatest in all the world since the one that was destroyed in Alexandria. Facing east were the temples. The high domed temples gleamed with beaten metal. The stuccos on them had deepened with the slanting rays of the Evening Sun. The brass temple of King Harsha was glowing orange. Stupas commemorating great teachers of the university lay clustered about the temples. Further down was the simple abode meant for teachers and scholars. The students and teachers were male, female and the third gender, monastic and also otherwise. 

As Buddhanandi walked towards his quarters, students and colleagues bowed and nodded to him. The room allotted to him was close to the high-rise observatory from where the students and teachers studied the sun, moon, stars, and the planets. Astronomy and astrology! Before he entered his building, he took a moment to breathe in the scented air and take in the stately grandeur of the place. In the many little ponds, the Lotuses were closing and the lilies opening. Tall monasteries, stupas and the imposing statue of the Buddha were all losing their details to the clouds settling on them. 

The gong had started sounding for the evening prayer. In a short while, the incense sticks would be lit all over the place, and the chanting would begin. It would go on till twilight. The thousands of students would all assemble in appointed places and chant together hymns, shlokas and the scriptures one after the other. After every chant, the gong would sound approvingly. A few would carry flowers from one hall to another. With the last verses of the Heart of Wisdom Sutra* the prayers would end: 

"Gone, gone, everyone gone to the other shore; awakening has happened!" 

When the peals of the conches died down, the noise of the birds returning to the trees would surface. After that, there would be deep silence. The scent of the incense sticks would get wrapped up in the heady fragrances of the blue waterlilies and kanaka flowers. Where the flowers did not hide its waters, the ponds would reflect the stars. Lamps would shine from the living-quarters, and sometimes laughter would echo down the corridors. On Friday nights, students would enact Kalidasa and the Jataka tales in the open-air theatre. Close by, a place or two would be lit up with lamps to create the mood; a tree or a pond would be highlighted. The flights of steps would glow here and there if a castle were to be depicted. A monk would become the fierce Ravana, and a wiry student would become the hapless Sita. When the young and old monks took part in the plays, they would laugh and cry and love, rising above their avowed equipoise. One actor would beat another in histrionics, and the other would put him back in his place with his masterly intonation. The applause of the audience would sometimes disturb the old monks sleeping in the deep recesses of the campus. They would turn in their beds and ponder on old age as prince Siddhartha did. 

https://t.co/jOMG8v9XNb

@GarudaPrakashan
@sankrant
@senioradvKRavi
@ankur2812
@SandhyaSridhar

[Shobana Ravi, Author. @ShobanaRaviNews]

A chapter from my novel AMARU:
Totaka sat at the feet of Sankara's body. He had just arrived from his pilgrimage to Sharada. When he was at Sharada, the grim environment at the cave was merely a memory. The gurgling waters of Madhumati and the divine atmosphere at the Sharada Peetam had taken his mind away from the stark realities he and the other disciples were facing. He was now feeling guilty that he went away for twenty days. Hastamalaka wiped Sankara's body ever so softly with a cloth dipped in lukewarm water. The floor had been redone with purified mud paste and turmeric. Though Hastamalaka was in charge and seemed to know what he was doing, the others were equally busy helping him. Totaka was feeling overwhelmed that such dependable men had come together under his Master. 

Among all the disciples, Hastamalaka alone looked the same. He was as confident as ever. He was also the only one who was proactive. For, he alone knew that Sankaracharya's spirit could return to the body easily and at any time. All that was required of them was to keep his 'Kshetra'*(dwelling place) ready. 

As Citsukha offered to keep watch over the physical body of Sankara, the rest of them came out of the cave and sat under a pear tree. Padmapada enquired Totaka about his pilgrimage. Totaka briefly described how he rode with the army to and from Sharada. "You have not spoken to anyone about what is happening here, I presume?" Hastamalaka was quick to ask. "Not with anyone in the army." Totaka was also quick to answer; a little too quick. "Then have you shared the secret with anyone else?" Hasta's voice came down in exasperation. After a brief silence, Totaka said, "Yes, I did; to one Buddhanandi from Nalanda; I had to, you know, he was underestimating our Acharya* (teacher). He even said Mandana Mishra beat him in the debate!" 

"So?" Hasta raised his voice. "Our acharya's mission is compromised now!" Padmapada and the others became uncomfortable as Hasta seethed with anger. "How could you?" Hasta exclaimed. 

Padmapada ventilated his concern. "This doesn't seem like a good plan at all! I did plead with Acharya not to go ahead with it. He would not listen; this is one of the reasons why I said what I said. It is not easy to keep a secret with so many of us in the loop." 

Totaka spoke after some deliberation. "We are renunciates Hasta. Please do not get angry. Acharya is Lord Shiva himself, and I will not let anyone undermine him. He knows what he is doing, and he also knows what I am doing." 

Hastamalaka spoke after a deep sigh. He had regained his equipoise. "Totaka, please understand you have made things more difficult for Acharya. Every cause has an effect. In this plane of karma, Lord Shiva, you, or I, without exception, we are bound by the rules of cause and effect. There is no escape." 

"…and Padma, Pujyashri Sankara is our Acharya. We need to listen to him; not he to us. And please let us stand by him and help him in his mission. I think none of you will disagree with me if I say we owe it to him." 

"Totaka," Hasta continued, "I have one more question; please answer me. Did you tell your friend everything?" 

Totaka said, "No, not everything." 

"To which physical body our acharya has transmigrated or where his own is kept in custody?" Hasta was specific. 

"No," Totaka answered to everybody's relief. "I only said that Acharya has transmigrated to another physical body in order to learn what he was found lacking in." 

All of them fell silent, and in a while, they were in deep meditation. 

@sankrant
@SandhyaSridhar
@ankur2812
@GarudaPrakashan

[Somebash @somebash]

@snarendran

[Somebash @somebash]

Somebash with Smt @ShobanaRaviNews . Tonight at 9 PM IST. Use the special coupon code “KSJE92JS@” to order her book, Amaru, online from @GarudaPrakashan

https://t.co/sodUjxNXkQ

[Shobana Ravi, Author. @ShobanaRaviNews]

In Tamilnadu and elsewhere in India, Sanskrit classes in schools are getting done away with and teachers retrenched. Sanskrit being a treasure trove of learning and wisdom, this should not be allowed to happen. To instill fresh life into our ancient language Sanskrit, here is an idea to be implemented. 

Brahmins should be encouraged to register Sanskrit as their mother tongue, in all the records irrespective of the region they are in. This would give them a 'language - minority,' status in states where they are neglected and persecuted. It would also give them a cohesive identity and protect the Hindu temples. After all, their rituals and prayers are in Sanskrit. This way Sanskrit as a language would get more funding and the Sanskrit teachers would be assured of their jobs. Would the government please look into this?
@Swamy39
@sankrant
@SandhyaSridhar
@sandhyaravishan
@somebash

[Shobana Ravi, Author. @ShobanaRaviNews]

With Mr Murali DP, senior manager, Retail & Procurement, Higginbothams. Signed some copies of AMARU at the Chennai Higginbothams store.
@GarudaPrakashan
@sankrant
@AgencyZuna
@ankur2812

[Naren Thilla @snarendran]

I would like to thank Jataayu for his review of the book, 'The Sarasvati Epoch'. You can catch up on the same at
https://t.co/1dip8UhwTG

@Jataayu007 @GarudaPrakashan @Somebash @AgencyZuna @RajVedam1

[Naren Thilla @snarendran]

Sandhya Sridhar reminds us how our Rangoli is an unbroken tradition from the Harappan times!
https://t.co/ion8dcoHvN

@GarudaPrakashan @Somebash @AgencyZuna

[Somebash @somebash]

How Dr @Swamy39 ‘s student got inspired to research on India’s history!

[Somebash @somebash]

“Unlike other history books the research is not based on scientific evidences alone”, claims the author.

“The Sarasvati Epoch - A factual inquiry into India’s pre-history” watch the discussion with the author Shri Narendran Thillaisthanam @snarendran .

https://t.co/AhIwKc3nV0

[Somebash @somebash]

Order the book now - use the coupon code : KPS#82F
@GarudaPrakashan
https://t.co/Qzl57ZSqji

[Somebash @somebash]

Somebash with Narendran Thillaisthanam– on February 5, 2023 at 16:30CET| 21:00 IST https://t.co/HypxWqEHvW

[Naren Thilla @snarendran]

My book, 'The Sarasvati Epoch' is now listed as a best seller at Garuda Books. Heartfelt thanks to Dr. Ranganji, Dr. Raj Vedam, Team Garuda, and Sandhya. https://t.co/LXeQI1ioWK 🙏🙏🙏

[Garuda @GarudaPrakashan]

Don't miss this one on SUNDAY, 9 PM by @somebash.

"The Sarasvati Epoch" by Narendran Thillaisthanam is an insightful, well-researched and well-written book into India's pre-history.
@snarendran

Order the book here: https://t.co/xzFNSk3Z8O
Details👇

[Somebash @somebash]

Watch our YouTube channel this Sunday 9 PM IST for a special episode with Shri Narendran Thillaisthanam about his recent book “The Sarasvati Epoch”. @snarendran @GarudaPrakashan @RajVedam1