Today is the day for which our state gets the very special honour in the spiritual world. It is Rath Yatra (Car festival of Jagannath at Puri). The Jagannath triad are usually worshiped in the sanctum of the temple at Puri, but once during the month of Asadha (Rainy Season of Orissa, usually falling in month of June or July), they are brought out onto the Bada Danda (main street of Puri) and travel (3 km) to the Shri Gundicha Temple, in huge chariots (ratha),
allowing the public to have darśana (Holy view). This festival is known as Rath Yatra, meaning the journey (yatra) of the chariots (ratha). The Rathas are huge wheeled wooden structures, which are built anew every year and are pulled by the devotees. The chariot for Jagannath is approximately 45 feet high and 35 feet square and takes about 2 months to construct. The artists and painters of Puri decorate the cars and paint flower petals and other designs on the wheels, the wood-carved charioteer and horses, and the inverted lotuses on the wall behind the throne. The huge chariots of Jagannath pulled during Rath Yatra are the etymological origin of the English word Juggernaut.

The Ratha-Yatra is also termed as the Shri Gundicha yatra. The most significant ritual associated with the Ratha-Yatra is the chhera pahara.” During the festival, the Gajapati King wears the outfit of a sweeper and sweeps all around the deities and chariots in the Chera Pahara (sweeping with water) ritual. The Gajapati King cleanses the
road before the chariots with a gold-handled broom and sprinkles sandalwood water and powder with utmost devotion. As per the custom, although the Gajapati King has been considered the most exalted person in the Kalingan kingdom, he still renders the menial service to Jagannath. This ritual signified that under the lordship of Jagannath,
there is no distinction between the powerful sovereign Gajapati King and the most humble devotee. Chhera pahara is held on two days, on the first day of the Ratha Yatra, when the deities are taken to garden house at Mausi Maa Temple and again on the last day of the festival, when the deities are ceremoniously brought back to the Shri Mandir. As per another ritual, when the deities are taken out from the Shri Mandir to the Chariots in Pahandi vijay, disgruntled devotees hold a right to offer kicks, slaps and the derogatory remarks to the images, and Jagannath behaves like a commoner. In the Ratha Yatra, the three deities are taken from the Jagannath Temple in the chariots to the Gundicha Temple, where they stay for seven days. Thereafter, the deities again ride the chariots back to Shri Mandir in bahuda yatra.

On the way back, the three chariots halt at the Mausi Maa Temple and the deities are offered Poda Pitha, a kind of baked cake which are generally consumed by the poor sections only.The observance of the Rath Yatra of Jagannath dates back to the period of the Puranas. Vivid descriptions of this festival are found in Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, and Skanda Purana. Kapila Samhita also refers to Rath Yatra. In Moghul period also, King Ramsingh of Jaipur, Rajasthan has been described as organizing the Rath Yatra in the 18th Century. In Orissa, Kings of Mayurbhanj and Parlakhemundi were organizing the Rath Yatra, though the most grand festival in terms of scale and popularity takes place at Puri. Moreover, Starza notes that the ruling Ganga dynasty instituted the Rath Yatra at the completion of the great temple around 1150 AD. This festival was one of those Hindu festivals that was reported to the Western world very early. Friar Odoric of Pordenone visited India in 1316-1318, some 20 years after Marco Polo had dictated the account of his travels while in a Genovese prison. In his own account of 1321, Odoric reported how the people put the “idols” on chariots, and the King and Queen and all the people drew them from the “church” with song and music. Anyway, this great Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath has been tightening our unity and integrity and I expect flourish of Odisha in days to come by grace of Jaga Kalia. Jaya Jagannath.

Along with the holy ‘Ganesh Chaturthy’, today also falls the auspicious worshiping day of Bhagwan Vishwakarma. Vishwakarma is the presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects. Son of Brahma, he is the divine draftsman of the whole universe, and the official builder of all the Gods’ palaces. Vishwakarma is also the designer of all the
flying chariots of the Gods, and all their weapons. ‘Mahabharat’ illustrates him as “The lord of the arts, executor of a thousand handicrafts, the carpenter of the gods, the most eminent of artisans, the fashioner of all ornaments and a great and immortal god.” He has four hands, wears a crown, loads of gold jewelry, and holds a water-pot, a book, a noose and craftsman’s tools in his hands. Hindus widely regard Vishwakarma as the god of architecture and engineering, and September 16 or 17 every year is celebrated as ‘Vishwakarma Puja’ — a resolution time for workers and craftsmen to increase productivity and gain divine inspiration for creating novel products. This ritual
usually takes place within the factory premises or shop floor, and the otherwise mundane workshops come alive with fiesta. Vishwakarma Puja is also associated with the buoyant custom of flying kites. This occasion in a way also marks the start of the festive season that culminates in Diwali. I wish a joyous ‘Vishwakarma Puja’ to all my
brothers and sisters across the globe.

Late Naik Sachidananda Mallik, a Kargil hero laid down his life for the motherland at the frontier. His widow, Nivedita Mallik sobs in nostalgia of her departed mate every year, when comes the last days of July. She along with her only son pays rich tributes to that immortal soul. Yes, fourteen years ago, another great martyr of Indian Army, late Ratan Pradhan, who was hailing from my native i.e. Barbil area of Keonjhar district had also breathed his last while combating the enemies on the border. Hats off for these martyrs’ families. Taking into account, 527 Indian military personnel with handful of Odia warriors had sacrificed their lives in Kargil war. Hymn of Indian life, ‘Basudheiba Kutumbakam’ made our national hero Hon’ble Atal Behari Vajpayeeji extending a friend’s hand to his the then Pakistani counterpart. Atalji signed the treaty of understanding with Pak PM. Tryst between two leaders of Indian sub-continent infused life into the dreams of most Indians for a permanent cease-war with the neighbor. But ironic sabotage at the other’s end foiled the hope of peace. Short while following the historic Indo-Pak dialogue, trespassing over the Line of Control at Kargil in Jammu & Kashmir by the later startled the whole of Hindustan ! Though astonished with the treachery of the opposite side, Hon’ble Atalji took no time to offer his preparedness for a heroic reply. He instilled morale into the psyche of our military force at Kargil. Vajpayeeji left no stone unturned to see our victory. It was his thundering encouragement which took up the Hindustani soldiers’ psychology to unreachable height. Patriotism, pervaded by the Great Atalji did wonder! Bravery displayed by our soldiers at Kargil demonstrated the spirit of Hindustan! Double-crossing Pakistanis had to surrender. Vajpayeeji had sensibly described this ‘Kargil-Victory’ as ‘Conquest of humanity over devils’. Here, I remember the rhetoric of a Kargil warrior, an Indian officer that, ‘We cheered on three occasions during Kargil war; no 1: when Indian cricket side crushed Pakistan, no 2: when Hon’ble Vajpayeeji turned down American President, Clinton’s invitation for a talk and no3: when Indian defence force conquered the Tiger Hills’. This historic day of 26/07/1999 is written with golden letters in the hearts of all Indians. Tears come to my eyes to witness the state of condition, our India is going through after 14 years of Kargil victory. Our country is neck deep in pools of corruption. 2G, Commonwealth Games, Adarsh scam and so on. Meanwhile mining scam in my state of Odisha has been termed as the largest dodge of the millennium. So, what I think is to vow for bringing about another episode of conquest of honesty and prosperity over the evils by pushing them out of the throne.

I couldn’t believe my ears to hear the sad demise of Honourable Sudershan jee. Bharat Mata lost her great son in the form of Pujya Sudershan jee who devoted his entire life to safeguard the noble principles of Hinduism and the stanzas of Indian hymns of wuniversal brotherhood. Kuppahalli Sitaramaya Sudershan, popularly known as Sudershan jee was born in a Sanketi Brahmin family at Raipur in Madhya Pradesh (now Chhatishgarh) on June 18 of 1931 and did his tele-communication engineering course from Sagar University. But he had not been bestowed with human birth for the so called smooth leading of a family life. Destiny had prepared a special place for him in the annals of Indian nationality.   He was only nine years old when he first attended an RSS Shakha. He was appointed as a Pracharak in 1954. Only full-time members of RSS can become pracharaks. His first posting as a pracharak was in Raigarh district. In 1964, he was made the prant pracharak of Madhya Bharat at a fairly young age. In 1969, he was appointed convener of the All-India Organisations’ Heads. This was followed by a stint in the North-East (1977) and then, he took over as the chief of the Bouddhik Cell (the RSS think-tank) two years later. In 1990, he was appointed joint general secretary of the organisation. He has the rare distinction of having held both posts of sharirik (physical exercises) and bauddhik (intellectual) pramukh (chief) on different occasions. Sudarshan became Sarsanghachalak (Supreme chief) of the RSS on 10 March 2000. He succeeded Rajendra Singh, who stepped down on due to ill-health.In his acceptance speech,Sudarshan recalled how he was hand-picked to head the Madhya Bharat region. He said though initially he was hesitant to take up the responsibility, the then RSS Sarsanghachalak Guruji Golwalkar helped him to make up his mind. “I was able to discharge my duties because people senior to me fully co-operated me,” he said.A strong votary of swadeshi, he was seen as one of the hard-liners within the RSS. He stepped down as Sarsanghachalak on 21 March 2009, due to poor health.K.S. Sudarshan passed away following a massive heart attack at Raipur in Chhattisgarh on 15 September 2012. He breathed his last while offering pooja to God in meditating mudras at the dawn. Is not his death implies his austerity and Godliness ? Sudershan jee was not a politician, rather a statesman, a reformist and a patriot in one form. Hindusthan can’t fill the void of Sudershan jee. I along with all the Hindusthanis salute his contribution to this great nation and pray for his departed soul to rest in peace.

Today is the holy birth day of Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of Bharatiya Jan Sangh which took the shape of the BJP in later days. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was born in a Bengali family on 6 July 1901 in Kolkata. His father was Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, a judge of the High Court of Judicature at Fort William, Bengal, who was also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. Syama Prasad grew up to be “an introvert, rather insular, a reflective person; also an emotional person”, who needed someone else by his side to give him emotional support. He was seriously affected by the early death of his wife Sudha Devi and never remarried. Mookerjee obtained his degrees from the University of Calcutta. He graduated in English securing the first position in firstclass in 1921 and also completed an MA in Bengali(on his father’s advice) and stood first in 1923 and completed his BL in 1924. He became a fellow of the Senate in 1923. He enrolled as an advocate in Calcutta High Court in 1924 after his father had died. Subsequently he left for England in 1926 to study at Lincoln’s Inn and became a Barrister-at-Law in 1927. At the age of 33, he became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta (1934), and held the office till 1938. During his term as Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University he invited Rabindranath Tagore to give Convocation Address in Bengali in 1937, for the first time in history. Syama Prasad Mookerjee started his political career in a small way in 1929, when he entered the Bengal Legislative Council as a Congress candidate representing Calcutta University. He was elected as member of the Legislative Council of Bengal, as an Indian National Congress candidate representing Calcutta University but resigned the next year when Congress decided to boycott the legislature. Subsequently, he contested the election as an independent candidate and was elected. He was the Finance minister of Bengal Province in 1941-42.He became the opposition leader when the Krishak Praja Party – Muslim League coalition was in power 1937-41 and joined the Progressive Coalition Ministry headed by Fazlul Haq as a Finance Minister, but resigned within less than a year. He emerged as a spokesman for Hindus and shortly joined the Hindu Mahasabha, becoming President in 1944. Mookerjee was a political leader who felt the need to counteract the communalist and separatist Muslim League of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who were demanding either exaggerated Muslim rights or a Muslim state of Pakistan.Mookerjee adopted causes to protect Hindus against what he believed to be the communal propaganda and the divisive agenda of the Muslim League. Mookerjee and his future followers would always cite inherent Hindu practices of tolerance and communal respect as the reason for a healthy, prosperous and safe Muslim population in the country in the first place. His views were strongly affected by the Noakhali genocide in East Bengal, where mobs belonging to the Muslim league massacred Hindus in large numbers. Mookerjee was initially a strong opponent of the Partition of India, but following the communal riots of 1946-47, Mookerjee strongly disfavored Hindus continuing to live in a Muslim-dominated state and under a government controlled by the Muslim League.On 11 February, 1941 Mookerjee told a Hindu rally that if Muslims wanted to live in Pakistan they should “pack their bag and baggage and leave India… (to) wherever they like”.Mookerjee supported the partition of Bengal in 1946 to prevent the inclusion of its Hindu-majority areas in a Muslim-dominated East Pakistan; he also opposed a failed bid for a united but independent Bengal made in 1947 by Sarat Bose, the brother of Subhas Chandra Bose and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, a Bengali Muslim politician.He wanted the Hindu Mahasabha not to be restricted to Hindus alone or work as an apolitical body for the service of the masses. Following the assassination of Gandhiji by Nathuram Godse, the Mahasabha was blamed chiefly for the heinous act and became deeply unpopular. Mookerjee himself condemned the murder.Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inducted him into the Interim Central Government as a Minister for Industry and Supply. Mookerjee was widely respected by many Indians and also by members of the Indian National Congress, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, one of its chief leaders.But on the issue of the 1950 Delhi Pact with Pakistani Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, Mookerjee resigned from the Cabinet on 6 April, 1950. Mookerjee was firmly against Nehru’s invitation to the Pakistani PM, and their joint pact to establish minority commissions and guarantee minority rights in both countries. He wanted to hold Pakistan directly responsible for the terrible influx of millions of Hindu refugees from East Pakistan, who had left the state fearing religious suppression and violence aided by the state. Mookerjee considered Nehru’s actions as appeasement, and was hailed as a hero by the people of West Bengal.After consultation with Golwalkar of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on 21 October, 1951 in Delhi and he became its first President. In the 1952 elections, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh won 3 seats in the Parliament of India including his seat. He had formed the National Democratic Party within the Parliament which consisted of 32 Members of Parliament and 10 of members of the Rajya Sabha which, however, was not recognised by the speaker as an opposition party. The BJS was ideologically close to the RSS and widely considered the political arm of Hindu Nationalism. It was opposed to the appeasement of India’s Muslims. The BJS also favored a uniform civil code governing personal law matters for both Hindus and Muslims, and wanted to ban cow slaughter and end the special status given to the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJS founded the Hindutva agenda, which became the wider political expression of India’s Hindu majority. His legacy still remains influential among the conservative members within the Congress.To voice his opposition Mookerjee turned outside Parliament and on Kashmir he termed the arrangement under Article 370as the Balkanisation of India and the three nation theory of Sheikh Abdullah. Bharatiya Jana Sangh along with Hindu Mahasabha and Ram Rajya Parishad launched a massive Satyagraha to get removed the pernicious provisions. Mookerjee went to visit Kashmir in 1953 and was arrested on 11 May while crossing Kashmir Border at Lakhanpur. He died as detenu on June 23, 1953.[5]Dr.Syama Prasad Mookerjee opposed the Indian National Congress’s decision to grant Kashmir a special status with its own flag and Prime Minister. According to Congress’s decision, no one, including the President of India could enter into Kashmirwithout the permission of Kashmir’s Prime Minister. In opposition to this decision, he once said “Ek desh mein do Vidhan, do Pradhan aur Do Nishan nahi challenge” (A single country can’t have two constitutions, two prime ministers, and two National Emblems).Mookerjee went to visit Kashmir in 1953 illegally, and observed a hunger strike to protest the law that prohibited Indian citizens from settling in a state within their own country and mandated that they carry ID cards. Mookerjee wanted to go to Jammu and Kashmir but, because of the prevailing permit system, he was not given permission. He was arrested on 11 May while crossing the border into Kashmir. Although the ID card rule was revoked owing to his efforts, he died as a détenu on 23 June, 1953 under mysterious circumstances. However, before his death, he had agreed to a formulation of autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir with further autonomy for each region of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. In a letter on February 17, 1953 to Nehru in which he suggested: [10] “(1) Both parties reiterate that the unity of the State will be maintained and that the principle of autonomy will apply to the province of Jammu and also to Ladakh and Kashmir Valley. (2) Implementation of Delhi agreement—which granted special status to the State—will be made at the next session of Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly.”According to Balraj Madhok, who later on became the President of the Jana Sangh, the party withdrew its commitment to the State autonomy and regional autonomy under the directive from Nagpur (the RSS headquarters). Mookerjee was arrested on entering Kashmir on 11 May, 1953. Thereafter, he was jailed in a dilapidated house. Mookerjee had suffered from dry pleurisy and coronary troubles, and was taken to hospital one and a half months after his arrest due to complications arising from the same. He was administered penicillin despite having informed the doctor-in-charge of his allergy to penicillin, and he died on 23 June, 1953.His death in custody raised wide suspicion across the country and demands for an independent enquiry were raised, including earnest requests from his mother, Jogamaya Devi, to Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru declared that he had inquired from a number of persons who were privy to the facts and, according to him, there was no mystery behind Mookerjee’s death. Jogamaya Devi did not accept Nehru’s reply and requested the setting up of an impartial enquiry. Nehru, however, ignored the letter and no enquiry commission was set up. Mookerjee’s death therefore remains a matter of some controversy. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Jee claimed in 2004 that the arrest of Mookherjee in Jammu and Kashmir was a “Nehru conspiracy”. However, it was Mookerjee’s martyrdom which later compelled Nehru to remove the Permit system, the post of Sadar-e-Riayasat and the post of Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Today’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the true edition of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and we all should now follow the foot prints of that great saint to rebuild our Hindustan. It will be the richest tribute to the great soul, Shyama Prasad on his holy birth anniversary. Vande Mataram; Jay Hind.

All my best wishes to the mothers and sisters for their special occasion of ‘Savitry Brata’! Hindu married women on this Great ‘Amabasya’, the last day of the dark fortnight, in the month of the month of ‘Jyeshtha’ worship their husbands with devotion. This day is most favorable for the married Hindu women whose husbands are alive. They observe it as a vow with great dedication and pray for their husband to have a long life. The word reflects the origin and significance of the ‘Savitry Puja’. The fast is dedicated to’Satyavan’ and ‘Savitry’; her husband who was destined to die within one year but was brought back to life by her penance. The God of death, ‘Yama’, is implored by ‘Savitry’ when he is about to leave his body. Due to her sheer determination and devotion to her husband, she won him back to life. Soon ‘Satyavan’ regained his lost kingdom. It is the myth and the Great Indian hermits kept through the story, the theory of chastity. Chastity is the noblest asset of a Hindu woman. Our Hindustan, the epicenter of the ‘Sanatan Dharma’ established the theory of permanent marital knot before time immemorial. Ghastly virus ‘AIDS’ couldn’t have penetrated to human world had the western civilization adhered to this decent thought of ‘Sanatan Dharma’. I pray all the mothers and sisters on the earth to swear today for stick to the gracious principle of respecting the pious bond between a dedicated wife and a righteous husband. Jaya Jagannath.

In India, Republic Day honours the date on which the Indian Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950 replacing the Govt of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India. The Constitution was passed by Indian Constituent Assembly on the 26th day of November 1949 but was adopted on 26 January 1950 with a democratic government system, completing the country’s transition toward becoming an independent republic. 26th January was selected for this purpose because it was this day in 1930 when the Declaration of Indian Independence (Purna Swaraj) was proclaimed.Today, we are commemorating our Republic Day. A very anomalous question is bothering me on the eve of this auspicious occasion. Has our virtuous Constitution been safe in the hands of our rulers in the post independent era ? Preamble of our holy Constitution guarantees us a united India with equality among all. Then why the Art 370 is in force at Jammu & Kashmir till date ? Why the Pandits are tortured there in spite of our Constitution’s pledge for our fundamental right to adhere religion as per our choice ? Is it the right to belief, faith and worship, assured by Indian Constitution ? Then, whom to blame ? It is we, who should act instead of giving lecture. An experimented visionary with iron hands and noblest thoughts only can evacuate us from the dark tunnel. And, it is one and one only i.e. Hon’ble Shri Narendra Bhai Modiji. I visualize a real transition of my country under his guidance. Hopefully enough, an India with enactment of its Constitution literally and spiritedly is expected to be seen in the dawn of the Republic Day of 2015 when NaMo will address the Nation as the Prime Minister. Jay Hind; Vande Mataram.

Tomorrow is the day for which our state gets the very special honour in the spiritual world. It is Rath Yatra (Car festival of Jagannath at Puri). As I expressed my hearty support earlier to Hon’ble Shri ShriSankaracharya Ji’s observations on the issue of riding on the chariots, I am rest assured of another colourful and disciplined RathYatra at Puri, tomorrow. The Jagannath triad are usually worshiped in the sanctum of the temple at Puri, but once during the month of Asadha(Rainy Season of Orissa, usually falling in month of June or July),they are brought out onto the Bada Danda (main street of Puri) and travel (3 km) to the Shri Gundicha Temple, in huge chariots (ratha),allowing the public to have darśana (Holy view). This festival is
known as Rath Yatra, meaning the journey (yatra) of the chariots(ratha). The Rathas are huge wheeled wooden structures, which are built anew every year and are pulled by the devotees. The chariot for Jagannath is approximately 45 feet high and 35 feet square and takesabout 2 months to construct. The artists and painters of Puri decorate the cars and paint flower petals and other designs on the wheels, the wood-carved charioteer and horses, and the inverted lotuses on the wall behind the throne. The huge chariots of Jagannath pulled during
Rath Yatra are the etymological origin of the English word Juggernaut.The Ratha-Yatra is also termed as the Shri Gundicha yatra. The most significant ritual associated with the Ratha-Yatra is the chhera pahara.” During the festival, the Gajapati King wears the outfit of a sweeper and sweeps all around the deities and chariots in the Chera Pahara (sweeping with water) ritual. The Gajapati King cleanses the road before the chariots with a gold-handled broom and sprinkles sandalwood water and powder with utmost devotion. As per the custom, although the Gajapati King has been considered the most exalted person in the Kalingan kingdom, he still renders the menial service to Jagannath. This ritual signified that under the lordship of Jagannath, there is no distinction between the powerful sovereign Gajapati King and the most humble devotee. Chhera pahara is held on two days, on the
first day of the Ratha Yatra, when the deities are taken to garden house at Mausi Maa Temple and again on the last day of the festival,when the deities are ceremoniously brought back to the Shri Mandir. As per another ritual, when the deities are taken out from the Shri Mandir to the Chariots in Pahandi vijay, disgruntled devotees hold a
right to offer kicks, slaps and the derogatory remarks to the images, and Jagannath behaves like a commoner. In the Ratha Yatra, the three deities are taken from the Jagannath Temple in the chariots to the Gundicha Temple, where they stay for seven days. Thereafter, the deities again ride the chariots back to Shri Mandir in bahuda yatra.
On the way back, the three chariots halt at the Mausi Maa Temple and the deities are offered Poda Pitha, a kind of baked cake which are generally consumed by the poor sections only.The observance of the Rath Yatra of Jagannath dates back to the period of the Puranas. Vivid descriptions of this festival are found in Brahma Purana, Padma
Purana, and Skanda Purana. Kapila Samhita also refers to Rath Yatra.In Moghul period also, King Ramsingh of Jaipur, Rajasthan has been described as organizing the Rath Yatra in the 18th Century. In Orissa,