Narendra Modi To Retain Varanasi Seat: Hinted Alter Ego 

Varanasi May 5. March of India into 21st century will begin from Varanasi, thus spake Amit Shah, alter ego of Narendra Modi. 

                          Shah, addressing representatives of the business community said here, Varanasi would become most modern city of the world after Narendra Modi assuming Prime Ministership. There was enough indications from Shah that Modi would retain Varanasi seat, in case of winning the both Varanasi and Vadodara seat. And win is almost a forgone conclusion.

                        It is not clear what Shah meant by most modern city, in Indian sense of time , most modern is equal to most ancient. Moreover,  in Shiva's abode time cease to exist .

               Narendra Modi a rallying point for all NGOs:

           Maha Kumbh of NGOs in God's Own Constituency 

 Varanasi May 5 . Indian NGOs are strange entities, just like Indian caste system. Every caste resist the 'upper' one and tries to subdue 'lower' one . There is most backwards among backwards and maha dalits among dalits. The rallying point of their activism is unjust caste system and remedy of all injustices is reservations in the government jobs.

                        In these days the holy city is witnessing Maha Kumbh of NGOs as hundreds of volunteers engaged in social work in different parts of the country are camping here to ensure defeat of Narendra Modi. And they say, Modi should and can be defeated in this Hidutva bastion.Their confidence is all apparent and they claim that tide is slowly but surely, turning against Modi.

                       They are all united against Modi but differ on who to support. AAP leader Arvind kejriwal has potential to emerge main challenger to Modi but all NGOs are not ready to support him. On Sunday, Kabir Math was the venue where all NGOs gathered to chalk out their strategy. Concerned citizens belonging to different ideologies- Ghandhians, liberals, secularists, left, ultra left, post modern left ( sorry if some one still left) expressed their willingness to work together to ensure defeat of Modi.
                        The gathering was under the the banner "legacy of Kabir" and participants were encouraged by the response of the local people. But whom to support against Modi. everybody has his or her own idea. Enemy is clear but challenger is still unknown.
                         Had it not been for Modi, these NGOs might be fighting among themselves. And on the issue of supporting Kejriwal, mainstream Communist Party comrades are very reluctant. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has fielded a candidate in the elections and not ready to withdraw it. For some comrades   Kejriwal is a Ford Foundation funded agent provocateur if not saboteur.

                       

                Narendra Modi Must Retain Varanasi Seat

                       Deciphering the Varanasi Mandate

Varanasi May 4. It is not jumping the EVMs to suggest Narendra Modi that he must retain Varanasi Lok Sabha Seat. Actually, there is no need to suggest (request is out of question) Modi that he should vacate Vadodara seat in favour of Varanasi. Apart from Grand Road Show, Banarasis done a great favour to Modi by overwhelmingly supporting him. So, let us begin with that Modi won the Varanasi seat by margin of 1 (one) vote.

                          Now it is also appropriate time to decipher the mandate of Varanasi. It is pertinent as after the election results are announced, no body would talk about Varanasi, whom political pundits are presently forced to acknowledge as a great city, microcosm of India, eternal city, spiritual capital of India  and what not.

                          From personal experience , Banarasis know well, that Varanasi gradually lost its pivotal position in national affairs. Actually the great city disappeared from national radar and so-called national media scene. While heading Varanasi Bureau of a National News Agency I was a witness to the eclipse of   "city of light". Can one imagine that in Vatican and Kabaa of India, National News Agencies don't have a regular office and correspondent. While in Delhi I noticed that Varanasi found space in National newspapers only when there was a terrorist strike in a temple or on Ganga Ghat. After the Death of Bismillah Khan , cultural czars of Delhi lost all interest in Varanasi.

                          Advent of Narendra Modi and Kejriwal renewed some interest in Varanasi, though cultural and spiritual ignorance about Kashi's past or present is all pervasive- little you know about cities like Varanasi, greater would be your stature.

                          So now it is time to decipher mandate of Varanasi and Narendra Modi should ponder over  it here and now.First of all he should bow before people of Varanasi that they gave him  honour to represent the city; Modi is  chosen as successor of Annie Besant, Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Dr Bhagwan Das, Sampurnanand , Pandit Kamlapati Tripathi and Raj Narayan.

                        It is mirage to expect from a member of Parliament or even a Prime Minister, that he would revive or restore the spiritual, intellectual, cultural and social status of Varanasi. To begin with , Modi should announce, after swearing in , a time bound programme for cleansing of Ganga and improving the infrastructure of the city. He should not make a folly of thinking in term of creating a London, a Hon Kong, a Singapore on the left bank of Ganga . The financial resources which are being dumped in the desert city like Delhi should be invested in the city of god.

                     Varanasi is crucial for the survival of mankind ; Modi can be a Nimitta in this Yagna.

                      And he should remember that ultimately it is Linga of Shiva who will decide the fate of this great city not any Prime Minister or President.    (continued)

                           

                        Varanasi holy city of all religions ?

Varanasi, May 3. Aam Adami Party (AAP) has taken lead by bringing out its manifesto for the holy city of Varanasi. The manifesto says that Varanasi would be declared " Sarv Dharma Pavitra Nagari " holy/sacred city of all religions. The document mentions religious/ cultural tradition of Varanasi enriched by Kabir, Raidas and Tulsidas. Sarva Dharma Pavitra Nagri term echos the national policy of secularism - Sarva Dharma Sambhava.

                         Surprisingly, Narendra Modi, the Hindutva mascot of Bharatiya Janata Party, a few days ago talked about Ganga Jamuni Tehzib of Varanasi. It was a departure from the Sangh Parivar's insistence on Hindu identity of India.

                          It is a contentious issue that Varanasi be called a holy city of all religions. The heavy police presence and watch towers in Gnanvapi Mosque- Kashi Vishwanth Temple complex and locked doors of Alamgir Mosque built over the ruins of Bindu Madhav Temple remind that communal harmony is not as perfect in Varanasi as one wishes to be.

                         The complexity of the issue can better be understood in the light of a controversy erupted in Sarnath, a distinctive Buddhist pilgrimage centre where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon. Near the Dhameka Srupa, is a Jaina temple, devoted to 11th Tirthankar    Shreyansnath. Devotees brought a statue of Tirthanker to be installed in the temple, which was resisted by the Archaeological  Survey of India (ASI). The installation remained blocked for months. The ASI's argument was that identity of Sarnath as a Buddhist pilgrim centre should not be undermined. Then, just outside the Dhameka Stupa- Mahabodhi Temple  complex there is a Mazar which was restored and expanded in recent years. ASI was also resentful over the construction which is allegedly done encroaching the main road.

                       About 500 meters from Mahabodhi temple and Dhameka Stupa there is famous temple of Shiva, Sarangdeva. Locals believe that word Sarnath has its genesis in Sarangadeva. During Rainy season  in Sharavan months thousands of devotees offer jalabhisheka in the temple. While Mahabodhi temple and Dhameka Stupa attracts devotees from all over the world ( and not locals), the Sarangdeva temple is place of worship for locals.

                      Now just see the complexity of the issue- Should Sarnath be declared as holy city of all relgions- Sarva Dharma Pavitra Nagari. Buddhist countries actually demand greater say in maintenance of Sarnath and an international status to the city. No denying that there are holy places of all religions in Sarnath or for that matter in any city/ town of the country owing to demographical factors but the character of a city should be determined by the overwhelming image of the place.

                     I attended a Hindu-Buddhist religious leaders' press conference in Sarnath ,almost a decade ago, where Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamkoti Peetham  Swami Jayendra Saraswati issued a decree rejecting the centuries old Hindu belief that Lord Buddha is 9th Avatara of Lord Vishnu. When I asked Shankarcharya how he can issue a decree when millions of Hindus in every religious rituals recite the sankalp confirming that the current era belongs to 9th Avatara (Buddha), Acharya said that it was not an ancient belief it is a later period distortion. Later I came to know that some Buddhist scholars specially Vipassana teacher Satya Narayan Goenka , persuaded the Acharya to issue such decree. Buddhist scholars put a strange argument that  calling Buddha as 9th Avatara hurts their sentiments! Aap leader Arvind Kejriwal is said to be a practitioner of Vipassana.

                   Fortunately in every Hindu household and in pilgrim centres the sankalpa invoking Lord Buddha is still recited. While in  Delhi, in the press gallery of Lok Sabha I could not understand the the merit of objections raised by Sikh MPs who were  resenting inclusion of Skhs as hindus in Article of  the Indian constitution. Sikh Mps' objection was that clubbing them in word Hindu hurts their religious sentiments!

                  It will be far better if Varanasi is declared a spiritual city. Only on spiritual plains contradiction of religious beliefs and conflicting sense of history can be sublimated. Then, What is wrong with declaring Sarnath as a Buddhist holy city where all religions find their due presence. And what is wrong with declaring Varanasi as Kaaba of Hindus as described by Allama Iqbal and Ghalib.Muslim can experience Kaaba and Christians New Jarusalem in Kashi :

"Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.…Come! Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life."(Revelation of john)

               " go vaan nahiin pah vaan ke nikaale hue to hain

                  kaabe se in buton ko bhii nisbat hai duur ki"

                ( though they are not there, still that is where they were expelled from

                   these idols too have a distant kinship with the ka’bah )

                                                        Ghalib ( Chiragh i Dair- an eulogy of Banaras)

             

                             Unholy Mess in Varanasi
             "Shankaracharya" against "Shankaracharya"

Varanasi, May 2 . As Swami Adhokshanand arrived in the holy city to expose Narendra Modi, a press release landed in the media offices issued by Puri Shankarcharya Peetha here today alleging that Swami Adhokshanand is misleading the people by appropriating name of Puri Peetha.

                            Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nishchalanand Saraswati has sent a letter to Election Commission of India complaining that a person named Swami Adhokshanand is moving around Uttar Pradesh supporting Congress and Samajwadi Party, press release said. Swami Nishchalanand in his letter to the Election Commission, has attached a Puri court's order which prohibits movement of Swami Adhokshanand in and around Goberdhan Peeth, The seat of Shankaracharya at Puri.

                          Puri seer urged the Election Commission to initiate legal action against " fake Shankaracharyas", to ensure the sanctity of election process and maintain the dignity of Shankarcharya Peethas.

     Narendra Modi : From Vadnagar to Varanasi via Vadodara           

                                                 Modi in God's Own Constituency

                          Boy from Vadnagar, Narendra Modi says he was called to Varanasi by Mother Ganga. But why he forgot Lord Shiva, who might also be interested in bringing boy of Vadnagar to his eternal abode.

                         No body comes to Varanasi without a calling. Great Annie Besant was ordered to proceed to Varanasi from London by divine masters ( Mahatmas) living in Tibet.. Annie Besant had to postpone her India trip as Madam Blavatsky and other senior leaders in Theosophical Society warned her about Varanasi visit. Some of them had intuition about the imminent danger awaiting Annie Besant in Varanasi.

                         Annie Besant in 1893 finally declared that she was proceeding to Varanasi on the specific order of her mentor Mahatma. Thus " maker of modern Varanasi" came to the city and remained here  for decades until her death in 1933. Central Hindu School which was later converted into Banaras Hindu University (BHU) , Vasanta college, Krishnamurti foundation and theosophical society are testimony of contribution of this great Rishi.

                       Mother Ganga called Narendra Modi to Varanasi and who called Arvind Kejriwal? Perhaps Modi, as the Broom crusader says that with the defeat of Modi , Varanasi will decide fate of the nation.

                       Where does Lord Shiva come in all these natural and supernatural scheme of things? Vadnagar is essentially a Shiva pilgrimage centre. It is the abode of Shiva in Hatak (gold) form. Presiding deity of Vadnagar is called Hatkeshwar. The capital of Great Shiva devotee, Ravana is described in the Puranas as Hatakpur (Lanka- city of gold). Gujaratis world over worship Shiva as Hatakeshwar and in Varanasi they built a temple of Hatkeshwar on the banks of holy Ganga.

                     Then there is a destiny shaper element in Vadnagar. Ancient name of Vadnagar is Chamatkarpur ( city of miracles). So lot of chamatkar is awaiting India in 2014 elections as boy from Chamatkarpur is on the march from the city of Vishveshwar.

                                               Political bickering in Varanasi

                                                               I asked a holy-man one night,
                                                               (who was a kaaldarshi)  
                                                               this land is in a sorry state
                                                               goodness and virtues left the land
                                                              father fights son , brother fights brother
                                                             unity and harmony are nowhere
                                                              Kaliyuga is on rampant 
                                                             why then qayamat is not occurring
                                                             who is preventing qayamat's final blow
                                                             holy-man pointed towards Kashi (Varanasi)
                                                             and said with a smile,
                                                            the divine painter does not wnat
                                                             his most beautiful creation destroyed
                                                            Kashi (Varanasi) enriches the humanity with
                                                             its colour and liveliness
                                                          ( Mirza Ghalib in Masnavi Chiragh- i- Dair- Temple Lamps)
                                                          
                                                             Even if great Ghalib had not penned these eulogy of Kashi (Varanasi) we Banarasis know by conviction and experience that our city is the cause of the creation and if the creation still survives it is because of this land. 
                                                          But in these days, in the midst of election fever the Banarasiness  is experiencing severe strains. The city appears to be , literally, a battleground, where all types of methods are being used to score a political point.  Arvind Kejriwal, an outsider, cautioning the people against another outsider , Narendra Modi. Argument is that if nation is to be saved then Modi should be defeated here. Modi supporters were retaliating with words and muscle power. Wherever Kejriwal goes, Modi supporters are there to jeer him. And it often results in Police intervention.
                                                      Paid or unpaid workers ,in large numbers , have landed in Varanasi from outside, specially from Delhi. Their presence is not being criticised but, certainly, it is creating problem. Local workers of different parties know each other by face and know how to interact. Outsiders behave like an adviser .
                                                     Controversial Aap leader Somnath Bharati was physically assaulted in Assi locality last week and an FIR was registered against Professor Kaushal Kishore Mishra, Head Of the Department , Banaras Hindu University and some BJP workers. Prof. Mishra said he and Mr Bharati were taking part in a TV debate when Aap leader used objectionable language against Narendra Modi. Aap leader denies the allegation.
                                                 Banarasis would all be happy that outsiders, candidates and their supporters, shall  leave the city at the earliest. We don't need saviour of the city , The city is in fact saviour of the universe. Don't vitiate the atmosphere.