The power of media in a globalised world - Three day international seminar organized by the institute of objective studies, New Delhi
At Yavanika, Bangalore October 15- 2011
-The Business of media -
Commercialisation of media
As a film buff, I start my speech with some preconditions, clarifications and denials.
All examples in my speech are true. All persons, contexts, quotes and situations are not imaginary. They relate to living persons and actual happenings. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is surely intended. Anyone who disagrees with me can meet me for a chat and coffee in the Gas college compound in front of Yavanika.
There is a joke among TV channel reporters. A TV reporter died and went to hell for telling lies. He was tortured in various ways for a year. Then, Lord Yama, the CEO and managing director of hell, told him to go back to Earth to do some good deeds so that he can get a chance to go to heaven later. On his way back the reporter saw, from a distance, another person being tortured severely. The reporter, out of his natural instinct, asked the guards who he was and why he was being treated that way. They told him he was the owner of a TV channel who had died ten years ago and had no chance of being released. ``Your sin was ambition, he is being tried for greed,’’ he was told.
Let us examine the theme, by slicing it up.
1. Cost and economy of media
2. Whether media houses should be sustainable entities or profitable ventures
3. Are greed and lust for clout reasons for setting up media houses
4. Is the media being used for totally non media purposes?
Now for some stories
The first one is about the cost.
1. Cost of setting up a newspaper. While I was researching for this paper, I spoke to some people who had started or set up newspapers, including my former employer.
2. I also spoke to some one who was closely involved in the setting up of a TV channel, some from government and private radio companies and internet entrepreneurs.
3. The average cost of setting up an Indian language newspaper at the state level is said to be between 40-50 crore. That is if you are looking at having your own printing and transport facilities and plan 5-6 printing centres.
4. The annual recurring cost is between 4-8 crore. This cost increases by about 20 times if you are looking at a paper in a language that is spoken in 3-4 states.
5. The costs of a TV channel are almost equal. However the recurring costs based on logistics and consumables are less than that of a newspaper. Interestingly, the cost difference between setting up an Indian language channel and a Hindi or English channel are not as high that of a newspaper. That is probably one reason why you see higher growth in news channels than papers.
6. The cost of owning and operating a radio company are very less compared to these two. An educational FM radio station in a district like Gulbarga costs just around Rs 2 lakh while a corporate FM station in Bangalore has cost a media company around Rs 1-2 crore. Easy to see, it is 100 times costlier.
7. News portals it seems, are the cheapest media outlets. A plain -text news website operated by one person, costs just Rs 5,000 a year if it uses free software tools. Transfer of data is cheaper than transfer of voice, pictures or video. (That is why sending a SMS is cheaper than making a call.)
However, a multi media website that has videos, pictures, and employs a group of persons to create content costs between Rs 60-90 lakh per year. This is among those who have their own connectivity infrastructure and servers.
The opinion in the industry is that this cost was less than half 10 years ago. It is expected to more than double in the next ten years.
Awareness about the cost
How many of our news consumers understand this? Most readers for example, don’t know that their daily paper is an insanely subsidized product. How many of you know that a copy of your daily paper costs between Rs 30-60? Readers in Bangalore, for example pay Rs 2.5 for a paper with an average of cost of Rs 50. That is a subsidy of 95 per cent. (Media has so much power that papers seem to escape inflation!)
I was heading the bureau of a newspaper in a north Karnataka town and my owners wanted to print the paper there. They invited bids. The bid went to the one who promised to reduce printing and supply costs by Rs 4 per copy.
Users have no issues paying Rs 300 for a DTH connection or cable TV. But we can’t imagine selling a paper for Rs 10 a day. Even a slight increase in the newspaper’s price affects circulation.
If people are willing to spend more for their daily paper, the anomaly in the newspaper economy will be rectified slightly. It will also reduce the pressure of the advertiser to some extent.
The next set of stories is about the ``commercialization of media’’.
According to the Webster dictionary, commercialization is ``to exploit for profit, especially at the expense of quality.’’ Therefore, at least with reference to today’s discussions, there is no positive connotation to the term `commercialization’.
There are two issues here. One is to make media a sustainable venture, if not a profitable one. The second one is journalism being used for protecting other interests.
The first however, is losing direction mainly because of the greed of a few individuals.
Dr K Mohanan, former director of the National Institute of Rural Development Hyderabad, once told me that in every field of gainful human activity, the producers get paid less than the guys who market the product.
Same is true of news. Journalists continue to get paid less than those who sell papers and space. This probably is why senior journalists tend to set up their own companies where they sell what they produce in a way they want.
Media businessmen tend to believe that every product, however good, can not sell unless it is advertised, packaged and marketed well. This has led to increasing influence of the seller on the writer. In many media houses, the managers not only decide what should be written, but also when and how it should be written. This is based on the assumption that the managers know what people like to read. I call this a sophisticated prejudice. There has been no scientific study, at least in recent years as to what kind of content attracts readers.
When this trend continues, content loses its importance and marketing technique becomes paramount. This will cut both ways – media will lose its credibility and democracy will weaken for lack of informed debate. This is a result of corporatization.
However, media outlets owned by industrial houses that did not focus on truth telling and quality content, have famously failed.
Corporatization of media has also had another negative effect.
I live in Bidar, a small and backward district on the Karnataka –Andhra-Maharashtra border. It is 750 kilometres away from Bangalore. Bidar is among the poorest districts in the country with a per capita income equal to some sub Saharan countries.
In the 70s, the state government started a scheme to promote newspapers in the border. They give grants in the form of advertisements to these papers. This policy led to a proliferation of newspapers. In a small city of 2 lakh people, there are 30 news papers of whom 21 are listed and get regular ads. Among them are 12 papers that get more ads under the border development scheme. Now, with the onslaught of state level papers selling at Re 1 or Rs 1. 50, most small papers are closing down. Most of the papers owners are forced to find other means of livelihood now. My friend Khaji Alioddin says that he is among the few who are living only by bringing out a paper. He uses a Shayari to explain his plight ``Ya Main Pagal Hoon Ya Duniya Deewana ‘’
Access to the power structure
The second issue is where journalism is just a mask for people who do wrong things to gain access to the power structure, acceptability and credibility in society.
A few days ago, the vice president of India Hamid Ansari said and I quote`` today, the demands of professional journalists are carefully balanced with the interests of owners and stakeholders of media companies and their `cross media interests’. The interplay of these conflicting demands is evident and is a subject of public debate”.
The word that captures eyeballs here is `cross media interests’.
Before independence, media was a tool for freedom. Later, at least for some, media was a mission aimed at a better democracy. Most media houses did not do anything other than run papers.
Now, there have been so many examples of industrial houses opening up media platforms that they outnumber pure media companies. On the other hand, some media houses have turned entrepreneurs and invested in both old economy and new economy sectors.
Three years ago, a senior BJP leader described Karnataka as a laboratory for testing its ideology and governance in south India. It seems to me that Karnataka has become the laboratory for some non desirable activities and shady power play too.
Now, Three MPs and six ministers and some MLAs in Karnataka have either significant investment or managerial control over various media houses. During the inauguration of his TV channel, a minister said that he has been a winner all through his life. ``I have not lost even while plating marbles in school,’’ he said. Now -a -days he does nothing but play marbles. Full time. However, this time it is inside a jail. That is a different story.
Ok. People in power owing media houses by itself, may not be dangerous. However, a small example proves it may not be desirable all the time.
A few months ago, an article about a minister’s involvement in a land scam appeared in a daily paper. He was not affected in any way, but the reporter’s wife who worked for a media company run the by minister was sacked. Reporters have been routinely sacked or transferred under pressure from advertisers.
Several stories on illegal mining have either been scuttled or their impact reduced due to the influence of people in power who controlled media houses in some way. A member of the Supreme Court CEC committee remarked that there was surprisingly very little media exposure on the illegal mining in the state.
Business
Another issue is of industrial houses running media platforms.
Senior journalist H K Dua once remarked ``Big business houses own newspapers and TV channels which they have set up not for making profits but for developing a clout so that their equation with the governments and political parties could help them in expanding their business establishment’’. Is Dua saab explaining what the Vice President hinted?
Is that why you see the trend of industrial houses opening or acquiring media houses? Are some individuals and companies interested in gathering clout and not in service?
In short, news is a commodity and it is traded for a price. The idea of journalism being a service mission to help people develop informed opinion and strengthen democracy, seems to be fading.
Sometimes, media tends to unreasonably influence the society and the state. It happens at two levels, the company and the individual. Some media houses use their clout to influence politics, policy or instruments like the stock market. A former RBI governor remarked that TV anchors tend to speak in favour of companies that they own stocks of.
Paid news, featured articles, ad supplements are examples. Journalists going out of the way to create news and not just report about it, is another example. A very dangerous trend is when media persons overgrow their roles as neutral watchers and try to influence politics, policy and governance by acting as middle men, advisors and messengers.
Solutions:
1. The anomaly in newspaper economy should end and people should spend more on papers. (After all if news is a commodity, why should be remain immune from inflation?)
2. I was in the USA for a Rotary exchange programme and I saw people pay between 3-6 dollars per day for a copy.
3. Newspapers in Karnataka are the cheapest in south India. in Kerala, people buy two types of papers- Low cost and high cost. These are perceived as those of low quality and high quality. The local term for these papers is the bus stand paper and the one you get at your home.
4. Increase in the number of non-profit newspapers and TV channels. Cost of setting up a unit to print and supply a two page newspaper is around Rs 10 lakh. Recurring costs are around 3.5 lakh.
5. Low investment city TV stations, neighbourhood papers and community radio are examples.
6. Growth of new technology tools to spread news. Web portals, pod casts and electronic newspapers.
7. Creation of endowments, media fellowships and research scholarships for journalists and writers. This is a time tested method of focusing on subjects neglected by the mainstream media.
I will end with the story of Nancy. That was the pet name of a reporter whose name is Narayana Swamy. Nancy is the rock star of Kannada TV news.
He anchors a story called `Heegoo Unte’ which means ``is that possible?’’. He is so popular that there was a move to make him a hero in a Kannada film. The idea was dropped later for unspecified reasons.
He began the show when the first 24 -hours new channel opened in Kannada. Now, there are 7 news channels that produce thousands of hours of colourful programming. After six years though, his show has the highest television rating points.
Everyone who is involved in making the show knows that it is dishing out bundles of lies every day. But everyone is happy because it is making money. It makes money because people skip dinner to watch it.
The founding fathers of the Constitution said the quality of the elected depends on the quality of the elector. Similarly, the readers or viewers determine the quality of what they read or see.
I think that is the only true solution to this issue. This probably is the only case where my good friend Nancy will not be able to say ``Is That Possible?’’.
Thank you
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Bidar historica. A site dedicated to the cultural history of this mountain top town
We live in Bidar. Proudly.
Fortunate to breathe the air that kept great souls like Saint- poet Basaveshwara, Bahmani King Ahmed Shah Al Wali and Mahmud Gawan alive.
Thomping the ground that Afnasi Nikitin, Jean Thevknot, Colonel Mackenzie, and other travelers trode.
Waiting to tell Jimmy Wales that Someshwara the Third, Chalukyan King of Basava Kalyan wrote Manasa Ullasa, a Sanskrit encyclopaedia a thousand years before he compiled Wikipedia.
We are obsessed with the stories that Bhaskara Acharya, the man invented and developed Algebra, was born here.
We beat our chests to say that the devotional Naats are sung in Madina were written by Hazrath Ishqui who grew up playing in the streets of Siddique Taleem in Mohammadabad Bidar.
We shamelessly proclaim that King Vikramaditya the Sixth, who ruled southern and middle India for half a century, was throned in Kalyana. He expanded his territory from the Narmada river to the Cauvery and from Orissa all the way to Kutch. We know this as his was among the most well documented periods in Indian history. It cant be otherwise, as Vikramaditya remains the only King in world history to have commissioned the highest number of stone edicts and inscpritons in the world.
We wonder whether the lawyers in Delhi know that the traditional Indian legal system is based on `Mitakshara', the code book by Vigyaneshwara who hailed from Masimada village. How could they not know?
We are considering inviting love laden souls to Kalyan for a tour of the place where romantic poetry was written 500 years before Romeo -Juliet. Did you know that Bilhana, considered the pioneer of romantic poetry was arrested by the king for falling in love with the Princess? And that he used the same poetic skills to get out of prison alive? This led to his marriage with the Princess and more love poems were born. Scores of scholars have tried translating his poems to English and other European languages. But then, not all were successful, because translation, you know, is `kissing your beloved through a veil'.
We are upset at Amir Khan for not completing what he started. If Mangal Pandey began the first war of Indian Independence by shooting a British officer in Delhi, King Jung Bahadur ended it by the guerilla wars in the jungles in Bhalki. Well, we may finally conspire along with Kiran Rao to tell him about the Bhalki Conspiracy!
It is natural that we are interested in history. We so know why so many scholars are attracted to this place, just like us. After all, the first ever history book in India Raja Tarangini was written by Kalhana, who was the court scholar of King Vikramaditya!
This site is to honour of scholars, historians, artists, writers, record keepers and journalists who have contributed to documenting Bidar history and recording its heritage in some way. This is a place where we salute these heralders, story tellers and spreaders of the good word.
We plan to introduce and profile all such resource persons. Here we provide samples of their work and add links for further reading. This way, we not only honour the experts of ancient times, but also network modern day researchers.
Hope this serves two purposes. It should be a pointer to where research on Bidar stands now. This could act as the beginning point for aspiring young researchers. More importantly, it could create interest about history among the general public. All of us remember, fondly, that our interest in the history, heritage and culture of this great land was kindled by someone else who was as interested.
May one lamp light another!
http://bidarhistorica.org/
Fortunate to breathe the air that kept great souls like Saint- poet Basaveshwara, Bahmani King Ahmed Shah Al Wali and Mahmud Gawan alive.
Thomping the ground that Afnasi Nikitin, Jean Thevknot, Colonel Mackenzie, and other travelers trode.
Waiting to tell Jimmy Wales that Someshwara the Third, Chalukyan King of Basava Kalyan wrote Manasa Ullasa, a Sanskrit encyclopaedia a thousand years before he compiled Wikipedia.
We are obsessed with the stories that Bhaskara Acharya, the man invented and developed Algebra, was born here.
We beat our chests to say that the devotional Naats are sung in Madina were written by Hazrath Ishqui who grew up playing in the streets of Siddique Taleem in Mohammadabad Bidar.
We shamelessly proclaim that King Vikramaditya the Sixth, who ruled southern and middle India for half a century, was throned in Kalyana. He expanded his territory from the Narmada river to the Cauvery and from Orissa all the way to Kutch. We know this as his was among the most well documented periods in Indian history. It cant be otherwise, as Vikramaditya remains the only King in world history to have commissioned the highest number of stone edicts and inscpritons in the world.
We wonder whether the lawyers in Delhi know that the traditional Indian legal system is based on `Mitakshara', the code book by Vigyaneshwara who hailed from Masimada village. How could they not know?
We are considering inviting love laden souls to Kalyan for a tour of the place where romantic poetry was written 500 years before Romeo -Juliet. Did you know that Bilhana, considered the pioneer of romantic poetry was arrested by the king for falling in love with the Princess? And that he used the same poetic skills to get out of prison alive? This led to his marriage with the Princess and more love poems were born. Scores of scholars have tried translating his poems to English and other European languages. But then, not all were successful, because translation, you know, is `kissing your beloved through a veil'.
We are upset at Amir Khan for not completing what he started. If Mangal Pandey began the first war of Indian Independence by shooting a British officer in Delhi, King Jung Bahadur ended it by the guerilla wars in the jungles in Bhalki. Well, we may finally conspire along with Kiran Rao to tell him about the Bhalki Conspiracy!
It is natural that we are interested in history. We so know why so many scholars are attracted to this place, just like us. After all, the first ever history book in India Raja Tarangini was written by Kalhana, who was the court scholar of King Vikramaditya!
This site is to honour of scholars, historians, artists, writers, record keepers and journalists who have contributed to documenting Bidar history and recording its heritage in some way. This is a place where we salute these heralders, story tellers and spreaders of the good word.
We plan to introduce and profile all such resource persons. Here we provide samples of their work and add links for further reading. This way, we not only honour the experts of ancient times, but also network modern day researchers.
Hope this serves two purposes. It should be a pointer to where research on Bidar stands now. This could act as the beginning point for aspiring young researchers. More importantly, it could create interest about history among the general public. All of us remember, fondly, that our interest in the history, heritage and culture of this great land was kindled by someone else who was as interested.
May one lamp light another!
http://bidarhistorica.org/
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Need for a Martha Berry for India!
Concept paper for vocational education of the Berry college model
There is a scarcity of young men and women trained at user -level technologies and routine services. Today’s society that focuses a lot on higher education forgets that it needs drivers, plumbers, electricians, vehicle mechanics, repair boys for electronic items, DTP and simple computer operations, and other people who do odd jobs, in equal number. Every one knows it. But very little is being done about it.
Most people who do such jobs are trained by their parents or relatives who are in the profession. Or, they have learnt it as apprentices with little pay or no pay at all.
The formal education system that teaches them languages, maths, science and history, does not teach them skill to survive. Even the ITI, diploma colleges and `Job Oriented’ courses don’t teach them such basic skills. Those courses are tailored to suit needs of the industry. Graduates of these colleges become employees. They can’t become entrepreneurs or independent professionals providing basic services like plumbing or vehicle repair.
If education is to liberate the mind, it should first help us survive. It should teach us livelihood skills. That is where vocational education comes in.
There have been several models of vocational education. The successful ones would naturally, have more of practice than theory.
The Berry college (www.berry.edu) founded by Martha Berry in Georgia in USA follows a time tested system of vocational education. Here, students study theory for three days a week and practice their skill for another three days.
Boys and girls can enter this college when they are as young as 16. There is no upper limit to admissible age.
They are taught as basic skills as cooking to complex tasks like astronomy.
There are thousands of students in the over 400 courses offered on campus. They are learning building construction, machine erection, vehicle maintenance, window cleaning, carpentry, office maintenance, road work, teacher training, and what not. Every student has to put in practical work for every paper.
On a tour of the USA in 2006 under the Rotary GSE programme, I saw that students of various disciplines were busy constructing an extension wing of the college. Most of the money needed to run these schools is given by the past students. NRI and IIT alumnus Krishna Dhir is the head of Berry college now.
The philosophy of Berry college is similar to Gandhiji’s basic education concept. This needs to be replicated in India. It is not very difficult. There are two ways of going about it.
One is to have a campus on which teachers with practical experience teach students basic vocational skills. This can be big or small based on the budget and could grow over time.
Two, we could use offices, factories and workplaces of entrepreneurs and professional as training centres. Students could be sent as apprentices to these places after a little of theoretical training. The employer could be paid training fees and the student could get scholarships.
All this can be formalized. We could approach the national open school or universities like IGNOU or Abdul Kalam Azad University for recognition. We could also seek assistance under the union government’s skill development programmes.
Or else, we could forget about affiliation and aim at training people. Once the course becomes popular, it could attract the attention of students and policy makers.
Eom
There is a scarcity of young men and women trained at user -level technologies and routine services. Today’s society that focuses a lot on higher education forgets that it needs drivers, plumbers, electricians, vehicle mechanics, repair boys for electronic items, DTP and simple computer operations, and other people who do odd jobs, in equal number. Every one knows it. But very little is being done about it.
Most people who do such jobs are trained by their parents or relatives who are in the profession. Or, they have learnt it as apprentices with little pay or no pay at all.
The formal education system that teaches them languages, maths, science and history, does not teach them skill to survive. Even the ITI, diploma colleges and `Job Oriented’ courses don’t teach them such basic skills. Those courses are tailored to suit needs of the industry. Graduates of these colleges become employees. They can’t become entrepreneurs or independent professionals providing basic services like plumbing or vehicle repair.
If education is to liberate the mind, it should first help us survive. It should teach us livelihood skills. That is where vocational education comes in.
There have been several models of vocational education. The successful ones would naturally, have more of practice than theory.
The Berry college (www.berry.edu) founded by Martha Berry in Georgia in USA follows a time tested system of vocational education. Here, students study theory for three days a week and practice their skill for another three days.
Boys and girls can enter this college when they are as young as 16. There is no upper limit to admissible age.
They are taught as basic skills as cooking to complex tasks like astronomy.
There are thousands of students in the over 400 courses offered on campus. They are learning building construction, machine erection, vehicle maintenance, window cleaning, carpentry, office maintenance, road work, teacher training, and what not. Every student has to put in practical work for every paper.
On a tour of the USA in 2006 under the Rotary GSE programme, I saw that students of various disciplines were busy constructing an extension wing of the college. Most of the money needed to run these schools is given by the past students. NRI and IIT alumnus Krishna Dhir is the head of Berry college now.
The philosophy of Berry college is similar to Gandhiji’s basic education concept. This needs to be replicated in India. It is not very difficult. There are two ways of going about it.
One is to have a campus on which teachers with practical experience teach students basic vocational skills. This can be big or small based on the budget and could grow over time.
Two, we could use offices, factories and workplaces of entrepreneurs and professional as training centres. Students could be sent as apprentices to these places after a little of theoretical training. The employer could be paid training fees and the student could get scholarships.
All this can be formalized. We could approach the national open school or universities like IGNOU or Abdul Kalam Azad University for recognition. We could also seek assistance under the union government’s skill development programmes.
Or else, we could forget about affiliation and aim at training people. Once the course becomes popular, it could attract the attention of students and policy makers.
Eom
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Art As a Career
Krishna Raichur owns a house and drives a luxury car. He flies to work in other cities and
He has secure investments for the future and spends annual vacation time in Scandinavian countries,
What is more, he works from home. He is not a CXO of an IT company or a member of the board of directors of a MNC. He is a painter.
Mohan Seetanur comes from a family of jewelers. However, you can’t find him sitting in his shop. He keeps traveling around the country visiting villages, historical monuments and jungles and streams and sea shores. Once or twice every year, he switches off his mobile phone and sits down to paint. This process goes on for days and what emerges at the end is not only creatively satisfying, but also hugely remunerative. ``My earnings as a professional painter are comfortable. I am not sure if I would make the same amount of money if I were a jeweler,’’ he says. Mr Seetanur should know. He has been a professional painter for three decades now and has never regretted his decision not to join the family business.
``Art is the most satisfying career. Sadly, most middle class parents don’t dream about their children being professional artists,’’ says Karnataka Chitrakala Academy president J S Khanderao. According to him, there is a huge potential for passionate artists who are well trained in different aspects of painting and design creation. ``There was a feeling that there would be no need for creative artists once computers entered the world of art and design. However, the need for good artists has only increased with the increased use of computers and automation,’’ he said.
Creative art, whether it is painting of sculpture is a career that is both satisfying and rewarding, say professionals. ``Artists have always been respected in the society. But now with increasing prosperity, they are being well paid,’’ Mr Khanderao said. Legendary artists like S M Pandit were respected around the world. ``Work of artists like him has increased the understanding of the people about art,’’ he said. Some of the most successful artists of recent years like Manjunath Kamath, G R Iranna, H G Arun Kumar, Yusuf Arakal, Shashidhar Adapa and others have passed out of art schools in the state,’’ Mr Khanderao said.
``A career in fine arts is the most flexible. You can work when you want and from wherever you want,’’ says artist Mallikarjun Bagodi. After a stint as a faculty member in a University, he has taken up research on the design patterns of medieval buildings in rural Karnataka.
``Art brings recognition. That itself is hugely satisfying, says artist Krishna Raichur who designed the site of the Kalburgi Kampu fest held in Gulbarga recently. ``Art has become an integral part of any cultural fest now -a –days. Earlier, Hampi Utsav or other district festivals featured only music and dance. Now, they are incomplete if they don’t have workshops for artists or exhibitions,’’ he said. According to him, apart from satisfying the creative urge of the common public, these efforts motivate young people to take up art as a career.
Mr Raichur is one of the most successful artists in the state. He runs a studio in Bangalore. He also leads a team that acts as consultants to event managers.
Similar is the case of Gulbarga based sculptor Manayya Badiger. He has created a team of 10 sculptors. They take up projects in various districts and in neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Andhra. ``Each of our boys has a decent lifestyle. They have been trained so well that they now employee apprentices,’’ Manayya said.
Awareness
There is a need to create awareness in the society that art is a rewarding career and that it is natural for young men and women to aspire to be artists, says Mr Khanderao. Artists’ workshops are routinely organized in Hampi Utsav, Kadamba Utsav and Bidar Utsav. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat also organizes art exhibitions during the annual Sammelanas. Private initiatives like Alva’s Nudisiri and Virasat also provide a platform for artists. The academy plans to conduct art appreciation camps in the districts. Mr Khanderao feels these camps will in turn work towards creating awareness about having art as a career.
Art schools
``Art schools that can train students for a career as an art and craft teacher exist in every district. Students who aspire for more should join other reputed schools,’’ says P G Katti, who retired as a craft teacher.
Apart from premier institutions like Chitrakala Parishat and Ken School of Art of Bangalore, Chamarajendra Audio Visual Academy in Mysore, Ideal Fine Arts College of Gulbarga, there are several other fine art schools in the state. Bangalore alone has 60 private fine art schools. At the national level, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, M S University Baroda, Vishwa Bharati in Shanti Niketan, Delhi college of fine arts and J J School of arts of Mumbai are considered institutions to aspire for.
The Hampi Kannada University has an exclusive fine arts and sculpture college in Badami in Bagalkot district. Spread over the hillocks of the world heritage site of Badami, the college offers an unparalleled ambience.
Bachelor and post graduate degrees are offered by Karnataka University Dharwad, Bangalore, Mysore and Gulbarga Universities, Kuvempu and Mangalore Universities. Tumkur University offers a Bachelor degree in fine arts. A few affiliated colleges of the Karnataka State Women’s University also offer courses in Fine Arts.
Apart from creative art, there are several applied art related fields that require the service of trained artists. Architecture and landscaping, machine design, website creation and content management, animation, films, preservation of paintings and monuments, event management,
museum maintenance, and art archiving. There are several institutions that train students in art and sculpture.
-Rishikesh Bahadur Desai -
He has secure investments for the future and spends annual vacation time in Scandinavian countries,
What is more, he works from home. He is not a CXO of an IT company or a member of the board of directors of a MNC. He is a painter.
Mohan Seetanur comes from a family of jewelers. However, you can’t find him sitting in his shop. He keeps traveling around the country visiting villages, historical monuments and jungles and streams and sea shores. Once or twice every year, he switches off his mobile phone and sits down to paint. This process goes on for days and what emerges at the end is not only creatively satisfying, but also hugely remunerative. ``My earnings as a professional painter are comfortable. I am not sure if I would make the same amount of money if I were a jeweler,’’ he says. Mr Seetanur should know. He has been a professional painter for three decades now and has never regretted his decision not to join the family business.
``Art is the most satisfying career. Sadly, most middle class parents don’t dream about their children being professional artists,’’ says Karnataka Chitrakala Academy president J S Khanderao. According to him, there is a huge potential for passionate artists who are well trained in different aspects of painting and design creation. ``There was a feeling that there would be no need for creative artists once computers entered the world of art and design. However, the need for good artists has only increased with the increased use of computers and automation,’’ he said.
Creative art, whether it is painting of sculpture is a career that is both satisfying and rewarding, say professionals. ``Artists have always been respected in the society. But now with increasing prosperity, they are being well paid,’’ Mr Khanderao said. Legendary artists like S M Pandit were respected around the world. ``Work of artists like him has increased the understanding of the people about art,’’ he said. Some of the most successful artists of recent years like Manjunath Kamath, G R Iranna, H G Arun Kumar, Yusuf Arakal, Shashidhar Adapa and others have passed out of art schools in the state,’’ Mr Khanderao said.
``A career in fine arts is the most flexible. You can work when you want and from wherever you want,’’ says artist Mallikarjun Bagodi. After a stint as a faculty member in a University, he has taken up research on the design patterns of medieval buildings in rural Karnataka.
``Art brings recognition. That itself is hugely satisfying, says artist Krishna Raichur who designed the site of the Kalburgi Kampu fest held in Gulbarga recently. ``Art has become an integral part of any cultural fest now -a –days. Earlier, Hampi Utsav or other district festivals featured only music and dance. Now, they are incomplete if they don’t have workshops for artists or exhibitions,’’ he said. According to him, apart from satisfying the creative urge of the common public, these efforts motivate young people to take up art as a career.
Mr Raichur is one of the most successful artists in the state. He runs a studio in Bangalore. He also leads a team that acts as consultants to event managers.
Similar is the case of Gulbarga based sculptor Manayya Badiger. He has created a team of 10 sculptors. They take up projects in various districts and in neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Andhra. ``Each of our boys has a decent lifestyle. They have been trained so well that they now employee apprentices,’’ Manayya said.
Awareness
There is a need to create awareness in the society that art is a rewarding career and that it is natural for young men and women to aspire to be artists, says Mr Khanderao. Artists’ workshops are routinely organized in Hampi Utsav, Kadamba Utsav and Bidar Utsav. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat also organizes art exhibitions during the annual Sammelanas. Private initiatives like Alva’s Nudisiri and Virasat also provide a platform for artists. The academy plans to conduct art appreciation camps in the districts. Mr Khanderao feels these camps will in turn work towards creating awareness about having art as a career.
Art schools
``Art schools that can train students for a career as an art and craft teacher exist in every district. Students who aspire for more should join other reputed schools,’’ says P G Katti, who retired as a craft teacher.
Apart from premier institutions like Chitrakala Parishat and Ken School of Art of Bangalore, Chamarajendra Audio Visual Academy in Mysore, Ideal Fine Arts College of Gulbarga, there are several other fine art schools in the state. Bangalore alone has 60 private fine art schools. At the national level, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, M S University Baroda, Vishwa Bharati in Shanti Niketan, Delhi college of fine arts and J J School of arts of Mumbai are considered institutions to aspire for.
The Hampi Kannada University has an exclusive fine arts and sculpture college in Badami in Bagalkot district. Spread over the hillocks of the world heritage site of Badami, the college offers an unparalleled ambience.
Bachelor and post graduate degrees are offered by Karnataka University Dharwad, Bangalore, Mysore and Gulbarga Universities, Kuvempu and Mangalore Universities. Tumkur University offers a Bachelor degree in fine arts. A few affiliated colleges of the Karnataka State Women’s University also offer courses in Fine Arts.
Apart from creative art, there are several applied art related fields that require the service of trained artists. Architecture and landscaping, machine design, website creation and content management, animation, films, preservation of paintings and monuments, event management,
museum maintenance, and art archiving. There are several institutions that train students in art and sculpture.
-Rishikesh Bahadur Desai -
Friday, March 25, 2011
Media and Morality
My speech at the recent symposium on "Deepening Moral Crisis and Solutions ’’ at Bangalore.
-Media and Morality -
Dignitaries, organizers and friends I see that in this group there are some who fit into all these three groups. So I address them. If there is anyone who feels I have not addressed him, I hereby I address him.
When I was invited to talk about media and morality, I wondered why I was asked to talk about these two unrelated things? Everyone else has been given a subject that has interrelated themes. Then why I was being victimized?
I expressed this doubt to one of my friends who is an engineer and he corrected me. ``You are wrong’’, he said. ``What is you need to discuss is that there is a direct but inverse relation between the two themes of media and morality!’’
Well then, let us examine the various dimensions of this apparently non existent relationship. But before I do so, I will tell you a famous joke about media persons. The presence of Swamijis, pious men and judges makes me slightly hesitant. But then I consider myself as a fearless journalist and here I go.
I heard this joke from legendary Kannada journalist Iqbal K Jahagirdar. A newly trained doctor opened his clinic one morning to find a patient waiting. The patient complained he was suffering from severe constipation for some weeks. The doctor gave him some tablets and sent him away. However, the patient returned two days later saying he was not cured. The doctor gave him a medicine that he said would cure any stomach related disease, let alone constipation.
However the doctor was shocked to find the patient return in two more days. This time, the confident young man thought he had to investigate the cause of this constipation more deeply.
The doctor began asking him.
What is your name? -``Ramanna’’.
Where do you stay? -``Ram Nagar’’.
What do you do for a living? ``I work in a newspaper. I am a journalist’’.
The doctor realized the meaning of the last answer so well that he began banging his head against the wall. While Ramanna was wondering whether he had transferred his illness to the doctor, the doctor began smiling.
The doctor took out a Rs 10 note from his pocket and gave it to the journalist. ``Please go out and eat something immediately. Only after that can we expect some development!’’ he said.
It had taken the doctor sometime to realize that journalists were paid next to nothing and that this journalist was so poor that he was not eating enough.
We will revisit the joke at the end to know why a joke about one person in the story could be a cruel joke for another.
Here, I want to look at morality in a wider context. Dishonesty is just one small part of the whole spectrum.
There are three main issues here. One is moving away from truth.
1. Reasons may be dishonesty- individual or institutional.
2. Prejudice- personal or at the level of journalists as a group. The media tends to have and spread prejudices. This can be pro or anti certain individuals, groups, classes, castes or institutions.
3. A sense of false prestige that makes the news writer think he is not writing for everyone. (That is what Aamir Khan said about Dhobi Ghat. But Khan saab is not a journalist. He is a businessman).
4. Or plain lack of skills and lack of professionalism
Secondly
1. News-making and not plain reporting. That is trying to influence events instead of just covering what happens. Veer Sanghvi and Burkha Dutt have been accused of trying to be so powerful that they could make any person a minister of anything. (Kannada daily Udayavani had a great headline that day. Idu enu? Neera? Radia?)
2. That happens here also. Recently Kannada protagonists blackened the face of a BJP leader. The accused revealed to the police that a reporter had told them to ``do something interesting if they wanted some good publicity’’.
Thirdly,
1. The danger of journalism changing from service to business.
2. This leads to many things. Breeds differing notions of what is news. It can promote untruths deliberately.
3. For example. It can be as hollow as a film star falling in love, (whoever first called it falling!) getting married, having children, or separating.
4. It can be as bizarre as a child falling in an unclosed bore well or burying children till the neck during an eclipse. (A TV channel had missed the story and asked its reporter to go back to the family, bury the child in mud again and get video feed)
5. It can be as misleading as a snake in the CM’s house that heralds fall of the government. A famous astrologer called to say we should write about Sarpa Dosha to the CM and to mention that he was contacted by the paper and not the other way round.
6. Former RBI Governor Reddy noted that TV anchors promoted companies whose shares they owned.
7. Business promotion happens at an unimaginable scale in newspapers. A crime reporter who wrote that a Maruti Car was involved in a road accident was fined as the company was giving regular Ads to the paper.
8. The government literally controls newspapers it is the single largest advertiser for them. Most Indian language newspapers depend on the government. There is little criticism therefore, of government schemes anywhere.
What are the solutions?
Let me ask you a few questions
1. Time for some more jokes. During a weekly planning meeting in a newspaper office, the Editor asks reporters. What are the stories that we can expect this week? The editor asked the political reporter, business reporter and the film reporter. When the editor asked the same question to the crime reporter, he was shocked. It was like asking what will be the weather next monsoon.
2. Mohammad Gawan was the architect of Medieval Bidar. A Kannada reporter wrote Mohammad Jawan. Then I called to correct him. Sorry Kanayya gottagalilla. Gawan anta yaradadaru hesaru idutta anta andukondu barede. Are Gawan anta iruttaro illo ninage gottilla. Aadare, Jawan anta iruttare anta yake andukonde?
3. You have all heard of the Cauvery dispute and the Krishna tribunal judgment. You have all heard of TMCFT of water. But how many of you know how many liters is one TMCFT of water?
4. You have all experienced power cuts and read about it in the next day’s papers. But do you know the difference between a watt and a volt? Or one Unit and one Mega Watt? Have the newspapers not told you? Did you ask them?
5. When the Krishna tribunal judgment was given, there was no expert in any newspaper office in the state to interpret it. A week later, all newspapers carried an analysis by a former minister who had written a political copy. The Unfortunate Kannadiga had to suffer this misinformation.
6. That is why Lord Northcliff said that journalism is a profession that tries to explain things that it does not personally understand.
First, media houses should understand that their duty is to explain events and phenomenon by making things simple.
US president Barak Obama has signed a bill that makes it mandatory for government orders and policy documents to be written in a simple language that everyone can understand.
There is a big plain language movement in Britain too. We need to adopt this in English and other Indian languages. Have you not felt that the reports of the annual budget are as complicated as the finance minister’s speech?
In Kannada, how many of us can really understand what they mean when they say `Pattabhadra Hitasakti’ (¥ÀlÖ¨sÀzÀæ »vÁ¸ÀQÛ)?
The solutions are
1. Deliberate use of plain language. This is difficult as it requires hard work.
2. Reducing the pressure of the Advertiser on media houses and attracting talent to the industry.
Did you know that among the products that you use daily, a newspaper is the only one that is sold for less than 10 % of its cost of production? A newspaper costs between Rs 20-40 per copy. But you pay anything between 50 paise to Rs 3.5. If you pay Rs 300 for your mobile currency or TATA sky subscription, why cant you pay Rs 10 for a newspaper? That would significantly reduce pressure from the advertiser. The advertiser can be a private company, the government or a politician. This would address dishonesty at the level of the reporter and the establishment. The situation is slightly better in TV channels, but the channels need to find low cost technology and an efficient revenue model.
3. Attracting talent to the field of journalism is a serious challenge. Needed is a reversal in the obsession with medicine and engineering in the middle class parents. I met a girl in the USA who was the manager of a grave yard. I told her she was so beautiful that people were literally dying to meet her. But I was fatally shocked to learn that she had studied Mortuary Sciences in college. Can we imagine such courses in India?
4. Intelligent, research minded young men and women will improve the quality of writing. We will have a truly informed democracy this way.
5. We should make media houses resource centres by encouraging research and reducing the pressure of the deadline and letting writers chase stories in the fields of their passion.
Non representative bodies
There are other problems too. Media houses are not representative. This leads to a situation where people get to read opinionated stories about issues. For example, the number of anti -reservation stories are always bigger than pro –reservation ones that is because the number of journalists from Dalit or other deprived communities is far less than it should be.
A Dargah that flew an Islamic flag was reported to have hoisted the Pakistani flag. Only a sports reporter could point out the mistake. Secondly, many people speak of forced conversion by Christian missionaries. Few can explain how untouchability and conversion are related. This does not happen if there more journalists from among the minorities.
In Karnataka there are several writers who volunteer to write about the Cauvery dispute, but not a single journalist who understands the Krishna that flows in backward north Karnataka. Similarly, people read more about the coffee
I can say with complete confidence that the first story about tribals by a tribal journalist is yet to be written in India. The solution lies in Media managements deliberately choosing journalists from a matrix that reflects the character of the society. We should have journalists from every class, caste, region, gender and language group. This could be encouraged two ways, creating awareness among youth and parents and by
providing social support in the form of information and counseling, scholarships and fellowships.
Corruption of the society
Corruption, as I said earlier, is not a one dimensional thing. It is a like a snake eating its tale. You don’t know where it begins and where it ends. We should ask ourselves this important question from where do journalists come from? This Society. So when the whole society is corrupt, you can not expect journalists to stay clean. Therefore, any thought or action of cleaning up journalism can not be isolated from cleaning up the entire system.
Holy cows or reckless bulls?
The society seems to treat journalists as if they can do no wrong. In these 60 odd
years of independence, there have been only 60 major cases of defamation or false publication against newspapers. Why so few? Don’t you find defamatory, false and
prejudiced reporting in papers everyday? Why are journalists allowed
to murder truth and get away?
A law is slowly refined over the years, once it begins to get implemented. So the acts relating to protecting the sacred status of the press should be implemented. We know the media calls itself a watchdog, but who should watch the watchdog? When there are complaints against judges and military men and they are being investigated against, why should media persons be left out ?
Those who make us proud
Have I only been talking about the bad- guys? I am extremely glad that there are journalists who have given nothing less than their lives for the cause.
I am reminded of an anecdote from the black days of Emergency. A senior
journalist who had an Asthama problem, was tortured by the police who asked him to sit on a block of for a few hours. The Next day when the police took him out of the police station, they asked him: ``Where do you want to go now?’’ He said Office chalo, kal ka paper nikalna hai na?
Palagummi Sainath, the man who brought star value to development
journalism, asked a politician on National TV. Tell us five things you
have done for the people? He could not answer. We are happy to have been around when they lived.
Now let me come back to the joke about the doctor and the journalist with constipation. Please understand that I am not complaining. I am just stating facts. A qualified doctor in a remote town now -a- days makes nearly 100 times more money than a journalist. The Karnataka government announced proposal to provide health insurance to journalists on the lines of Yashaswini eight years ago. It has not happened.
Even today, a senior journalist in a newspaper or TV channel in this country gets less salary than a second division clerk in a government office. Other givens like job security, health and retirement benefits are unheard of in journalism. It does not mean that journalism itself is a loss making venture. You would have experienced it if have ever tried to publish an advertisement. A one square inch of ad space slot in the national edition of a newspaper costs more one than one square feet of land in a prime area in Bangalore.
Studies have shown that an average Indian language paper makes a profit of Rs 50 lakh per day, after deducting all costs. The profits of English papers and TV channels are even higher.
What most of you don’t know is that journalists have a wage board. However, most managements don’t implement the recommendations. Yesterday, the association of newspaper owners has said it would reject the recent wage board recommendations. Most media houses don’t have the system of giving weekly off or leave to their employees.
May I proudly add that the there are honourable exceptions like The Hindu group that has been a committed pro-employee group for nearly one and a half centuries.
Increasing remunerations and improving working conditions will lead to better results. After all, investing in journalism is investing in a better democracy.
Sometimes I feel expecting change is hope. But expecting change in my life time is greed. Precisely therefore, let us all be very greedy. Even though greed can have no place in a seminar on morality
Thank you
The symposium was at the Eidgah Quddus Saab, (Haj camp) Millers Road, Bangalore. Date: Jan 26, 2011
The speakers were
Dr.Taha Mateen Pres.JIH Blore-South
Dr.Belgami-Pres. Jamaat e Islami Blore Metro,
Sri Veerabhadra Channamalla Swamy,
Justice Santosh Hegde (Absent)
Katyayini Chamaraj
Justice M.F Saldhana,
Rishikesh Bahadur Desai,
Prof. G.S Siddalingaiah
Ejaz Aslam-Secy. JIH, Delhi
& Editor Radiance Views Weekly, Delhi
--
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
The evolution of religion- from animism to agnosticism
Fri, 23 Mar 2007 10:09:10 -0800
http://rishiscribe.blogspot.com/2007/03/ambedkar-and-buddha.html
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Ambedkar and Buddha
Dr Ambedkar And The Evolution Of Religion: From Animism To Agnosticism
By Rishikesh Bahadur Desai
A student once asked his teacher,
"Master, what is enlightenment?"
The master replied,
"When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep."
This shows how simple ideas are confused for complex issues.
We will keep coming back and forth to the title of this paper,
'Evolution of religion from Animism to Agnosticism'. Simply put,
Animism is believing that anything and everything is God. Agnosticism
is to stop worrying about God and carrying on with our work.
Stages of evolution: 'Change of the concept of God to an idol to an idea'
ANIMISM
Primitive man feared natural phenomena like lightning, rain, and
floods. He called them God as they seemed to control his life. Any
weird performance that was believed to control these was magic. Thus
Magic was equated to religion. Thus, rituals, beliefs, ceremonies,
prayers and sacrifices came to be equated with religion.
IDOL WORSHIP
Belief in the existence of a Supreme Being or God. This power could be
Good or Bad. Rituals done to propitiate an indifferent power or
appease an angry power became religion. Then came the third stage:
that it is this God who created this world and also man.
People who began spreading the idea became preachers. They found it
was easier to market the idea by using idol worship.
This was followed by the belief that man has a soul, and the soul is
eternal and is answerable to God for man's actions in the world. So,
belief in God, belief in soul, worship of God, curing of the erring
soul, propitiating God by prayers, ceremonies, sacrifices, etc became
religion.
AGNOSTICISM
It is the view that there is no proof of either the existence or
nonexistence of God. But since any God that may exist appears
unconcerned for the universe or the welfare of its inhabitants, the
question is largely academic.
It is also the view that the concept of God as a being is meaningless
because it has no verifiable consequences. Therefore it cannot be
usefully discussed as having existence or nonexistence.
Buddha's statement "Be Godly, rather than wasting time looking for
God", best explains the phenomenon.
Here is a story that tries to explain agnosticism.
A monk was meditating by a river when a young man interrupted him.
"Master, want to find God."
The master grabbed him by his neck, and plunged his head under water.
After holding him there for a minute, the master finally pulled him up
out of the river. The young man coughed up water and gasped to get his
breath. When he eventually quieted down, the master spoke. "Tell me,
what did you want most of all when you were under water."
"Air!" answered the young man.
Well, why do you want God when what you want Air?. Live in today, not
tomorrow, the master said.
These, in brief, are the stages of the evolution of the concept of religion.
What is Hinduism according to Dr Ambedkar?
For him it was a refined form of Animism. He said :"I renounce
Hinduism, which is harmful for humanity and impedes the advancement
and development of humanity because it is based on inequality.
What made Dr Ambedkar denounce Hinduism?
He considered that it provided a justification and sanctity to
inequality. He converted to Buddhism as he believed it promoted
equality, and rational thought.
Dr Ambedka considered Hindu Society to be a collection of castes, and
each caste being a closed corporation. He said the caste system is a
multi floored building with neither ladders nor windows. Unlike a
club, the membership of a caste is not open to all and sundry. The law
of Caste confines its membership to persons born in the caste. Castes
are autonomous, and there is no authority anywhere to compel a caste
to admit a new-comer to its social life.
He enumerated the evils of Hinduism in the following manner;
1. It has deprived man of morals and a life of freedom.
2. It has only emphasized conformity to commands.
3. The laws are unjust because they are not the same for one class as
of another. Besides, the code is treated as final.
According to Ambedkar, "what is called religion by Hindus is nothing
but a multitude of commands and prohibitions." No matter what the
Hindus say, Hinduism is a menace to liberty, equality and fraternity.
On that account, it is incompatible with democracy", he said.
Ambedkar was of the firm opinion that Hindutva was nothing but a ploy
by upper caste Hindus to maintain control over society and its
resources.
What then is the Dhamma?
Dhamma is righteousness, which means right relations between people in
all spheres of life. Dhamma is Prajna, Karuna and Samata. That is
understanding, love and equality.
Are religion and Dhamma one and the same?
The answers to this question are found in Buddha's dialogues with
Sunakkhatta, and between the Buddha and the Brahmin Potthapada.
Sunakkhatta or Shunya Kartha:
In this we see the breaking down the beliefs of Guru and disciple,
mystic powers and revealing the beginning of things.
Buddha met Potthapada at Shravasti in Anathapindika Vihara. (The
Rekulagi Mount in Bidar district is named after this Vihara)
Pottapada asks him "Is the world eternal?
He also questions him about 'Eternity', 'soul' and 'rebirth'.
"That, Potthapada, is a matter on which I have expressed no opinion.
That is because, these questions do not relate to elements of right
conduct, nor to detachment, nor to purification from lusts, nor to
quietude, nor to tranquilisation of heart, nor to real knowledge, nor
to the insight (of the higher stages of the Path), nor to Nirvana.
Therefore is it that I express no opinion upon it". In short, it is
meaningless to think, believe, discuss or hold a view about these.
This is further proof of the Agnosticism of Buddha's Dhamma.
Hence Buddhism is called a faith of less luggage.
Then Potthapada asks him. What have you expounded then?
I have expounded, what Dukkha is; what is its origin; what is its
cessation; what is the method by which one may reach the cessation of
Dukkha."
Difference between religion and Dhamma
Religion, is said to be personal, and one must keep it to oneself.
Contrary to this, Dhamma is social. It is fundamentally and
essentially so.
Religion is ritualistic. Dhamma is not. Religion insists on
unquestioning devotion. Dhamma is based on knowledge got by
questioning.
The fundamental difference between religion and Dhamma
Against the Upanishadic concepts of ``Sat-Chit-Ananda,'' Buddhism
focused on the fact that impermanence, the non-existence of the soul
and sorrow were the realities of life.
At a level, this seemed a pessimistic as opposed to an optimistic
perspective, but it emphasised the role of reason and individual
effort in the search for liberation.
Hence it is said: The purpose of Religion is to explain the origin of
the world. The purpose of Dhamma is to reconstruct the world.
Why did he choose Buddhism over Hinduism?
He changed to a new religion and a new World because he wanted to
believe in the equality of humans and to endeavor to establish
equality.
In May 1956, in a BBC talk titled 'Why I like Buddhism and how it is
useful to the world in its present circumstances', he said: "I prefer
Buddhism because it gives three principles in combination, which no
other religion does. Buddhism teaches Prajna (understanding as against
superstition and supernaturalism), Karuna (love between people against
a slave and master relationshoip), and Samata (equality). This is what
man wants for a good and happy life. Neither god nor soul can save
society. Only Dhamma can do it".
In his speech in Bombay in May 24 1956, he declared his resolve to
embrace Buddhism. There Ambedkar observed: "Hinduism believes in God.
Buddhism has no God. Hinduism believes in soul. According to Buddhism,
there is no soul. Hinduism believes in Chaturvarnya and the caste
system. Buddhism has no place for the caste system and Chaturvarnya".
Ambedkar's conversion.
At the Yeola conference in 1935, Dr. Ambedkar declared that he will
not die a Hindu as it perpetuates caste injustices.
A Buddhist monk Lokanath visited Ambedkar's residence at Dadar on June
10, 1936 and tried to persuade him to embrace Buddhism. Lokanath, born
as Salvatore, was an American of Italian descent who had settled in
Ceylon.
Ambedkar also took Pali classes from Acharya Ishvardatt Medharthi in Delhi.
After publishing a series of books and articles arguing that Buddhism
was the only way for the Untouchables to gain equality, Ambedkar
publicly converted on October 14, 1956 in Nagpur. He took the three
refuges and five precepts from a Buddhist monk, Bhadant U Chandramani,
in the traditional manner and then in his turn administered them to
the nearly five lakh followers that were present.
Ambedkar would die less than two months later, just after finishing
his definitive work on Buddhism.
How Buddhism changed his life and our life.
Among Dr Ambedkar's contributions, popularising Buddhism is one of the
most important. There are strong reasons to believe that some vital
portions of the Indian Constitution were influenced by Buddhist
principles. The freedom of thought and expression listed in the
Constitution, was influenced by Buddha's tenets. It is one of the most
important portions of that rule book. Buddha was one of the earliest
thinkers in the world who advocated the need for freedom of thought.
Article 19 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights
guarantees that "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and
expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without
interference...".
We can see that Buddha spoke against intellectual interference by
scholars, books or religious rituals. "Don't turn to any book in times
of crisis. Use your own mind", he said.
What is today known as Navayana, or Ambedkarite Buddhism or Dalit
Buddhism or even Indian Buddhism, is a culmination of the thought
processes of two of India's greatest thinkers, Buddha and Ambedkar.
Difference between Ambedkar's interpretation of Buddhism and other kinds.
Ambedkar's emphasis is on Shakyamuni Buddha as a political and social
reformer, rather than merely as a spiritual leader.
He points out that the Buddha required his monastic followers to
ignore caste distinctions, and that he was critical of the social
inequality that existed in his own time. Ambedkar's understanding of
Buddhism denounces, other-worldliness or supernaturalism, Karma,
rebirth, and the related doctrine of "bondage" and liberation
(nirvana).
Ambedkar did not believe that a person's unfortunate conditions at
birth are the result of previous karma. This was a strong argument
against Hinduism's support to the Caste system.
For him, becoming a Buddhist was to adopt rational humanism as a
philosophy of life.
We will end with a story of the Bodhisatva that probably explains the
conceptual evolution of religion from animism to agnosticism.
Bodhisatva's story of a cow in search of God. Boddhisatva was born a
cow. It was told God existed everywhere, in air, water, fire, soil,
grass and stones. It started searching for God. It touched grass to
check if God was there. "Neti Neti", (no, no), it said and went away.
It drank water to see if that was God. "Neti, Neti", it said and went
away. Similar was its experience with air, fire, soil, and stones.
Finally it was convinced that none of these contained God and went
away smiling.
Thank you,
References:
1. Buddha and his Dhamma: B R Ambedkar
2. Caste and Hinduism: Gail Ombvedt
3. Ambedkar's legacy: Ranjit Hoskote
4. Columbia University publications on Ambedkar
5. Shamsul Islam Ambedkar as Hindu
6. Dr. Ramendra Patna College, Patna University
Paper presented in the UGC sponsored national conference on Dr
Ambedkar and Social Justice in the Karnataka college, Bidar on March
23, 2007
Rishikesh Bahadur Desai
Reporter, The Hindu, Bidar
[EMAIL PROTECTED],
rishiscribe.blogspot.com
aladamara.blogspot.com
http://rishiscribe.blogspot.com/2007/03/ambedkar-and-buddha.html
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Ambedkar and Buddha
Dr Ambedkar And The Evolution Of Religion: From Animism To Agnosticism
By Rishikesh Bahadur Desai
A student once asked his teacher,
"Master, what is enlightenment?"
The master replied,
"When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep."
This shows how simple ideas are confused for complex issues.
We will keep coming back and forth to the title of this paper,
'Evolution of religion from Animism to Agnosticism'. Simply put,
Animism is believing that anything and everything is God. Agnosticism
is to stop worrying about God and carrying on with our work.
Stages of evolution: 'Change of the concept of God to an idol to an idea'
ANIMISM
Primitive man feared natural phenomena like lightning, rain, and
floods. He called them God as they seemed to control his life. Any
weird performance that was believed to control these was magic. Thus
Magic was equated to religion. Thus, rituals, beliefs, ceremonies,
prayers and sacrifices came to be equated with religion.
IDOL WORSHIP
Belief in the existence of a Supreme Being or God. This power could be
Good or Bad. Rituals done to propitiate an indifferent power or
appease an angry power became religion. Then came the third stage:
that it is this God who created this world and also man.
People who began spreading the idea became preachers. They found it
was easier to market the idea by using idol worship.
This was followed by the belief that man has a soul, and the soul is
eternal and is answerable to God for man's actions in the world. So,
belief in God, belief in soul, worship of God, curing of the erring
soul, propitiating God by prayers, ceremonies, sacrifices, etc became
religion.
AGNOSTICISM
It is the view that there is no proof of either the existence or
nonexistence of God. But since any God that may exist appears
unconcerned for the universe or the welfare of its inhabitants, the
question is largely academic.
It is also the view that the concept of God as a being is meaningless
because it has no verifiable consequences. Therefore it cannot be
usefully discussed as having existence or nonexistence.
Buddha's statement "Be Godly, rather than wasting time looking for
God", best explains the phenomenon.
Here is a story that tries to explain agnosticism.
A monk was meditating by a river when a young man interrupted him.
"Master, want to find God."
The master grabbed him by his neck, and plunged his head under water.
After holding him there for a minute, the master finally pulled him up
out of the river. The young man coughed up water and gasped to get his
breath. When he eventually quieted down, the master spoke. "Tell me,
what did you want most of all when you were under water."
"Air!" answered the young man.
Well, why do you want God when what you want Air?. Live in today, not
tomorrow, the master said.
These, in brief, are the stages of the evolution of the concept of religion.
What is Hinduism according to Dr Ambedkar?
For him it was a refined form of Animism. He said :"I renounce
Hinduism, which is harmful for humanity and impedes the advancement
and development of humanity because it is based on inequality.
What made Dr Ambedkar denounce Hinduism?
He considered that it provided a justification and sanctity to
inequality. He converted to Buddhism as he believed it promoted
equality, and rational thought.
Dr Ambedka considered Hindu Society to be a collection of castes, and
each caste being a closed corporation. He said the caste system is a
multi floored building with neither ladders nor windows. Unlike a
club, the membership of a caste is not open to all and sundry. The law
of Caste confines its membership to persons born in the caste. Castes
are autonomous, and there is no authority anywhere to compel a caste
to admit a new-comer to its social life.
He enumerated the evils of Hinduism in the following manner;
1. It has deprived man of morals and a life of freedom.
2. It has only emphasized conformity to commands.
3. The laws are unjust because they are not the same for one class as
of another. Besides, the code is treated as final.
According to Ambedkar, "what is called religion by Hindus is nothing
but a multitude of commands and prohibitions." No matter what the
Hindus say, Hinduism is a menace to liberty, equality and fraternity.
On that account, it is incompatible with democracy", he said.
Ambedkar was of the firm opinion that Hindutva was nothing but a ploy
by upper caste Hindus to maintain control over society and its
resources.
What then is the Dhamma?
Dhamma is righteousness, which means right relations between people in
all spheres of life. Dhamma is Prajna, Karuna and Samata. That is
understanding, love and equality.
Are religion and Dhamma one and the same?
The answers to this question are found in Buddha's dialogues with
Sunakkhatta, and between the Buddha and the Brahmin Potthapada.
Sunakkhatta or Shunya Kartha:
In this we see the breaking down the beliefs of Guru and disciple,
mystic powers and revealing the beginning of things.
Buddha met Potthapada at Shravasti in Anathapindika Vihara. (The
Rekulagi Mount in Bidar district is named after this Vihara)
Pottapada asks him "Is the world eternal?
He also questions him about 'Eternity', 'soul' and 'rebirth'.
"That, Potthapada, is a matter on which I have expressed no opinion.
That is because, these questions do not relate to elements of right
conduct, nor to detachment, nor to purification from lusts, nor to
quietude, nor to tranquilisation of heart, nor to real knowledge, nor
to the insight (of the higher stages of the Path), nor to Nirvana.
Therefore is it that I express no opinion upon it". In short, it is
meaningless to think, believe, discuss or hold a view about these.
This is further proof of the Agnosticism of Buddha's Dhamma.
Hence Buddhism is called a faith of less luggage.
Then Potthapada asks him. What have you expounded then?
I have expounded, what Dukkha is; what is its origin; what is its
cessation; what is the method by which one may reach the cessation of
Dukkha."
Difference between religion and Dhamma
Religion, is said to be personal, and one must keep it to oneself.
Contrary to this, Dhamma is social. It is fundamentally and
essentially so.
Religion is ritualistic. Dhamma is not. Religion insists on
unquestioning devotion. Dhamma is based on knowledge got by
questioning.
The fundamental difference between religion and Dhamma
Against the Upanishadic concepts of ``Sat-Chit-Ananda,'' Buddhism
focused on the fact that impermanence, the non-existence of the soul
and sorrow were the realities of life.
At a level, this seemed a pessimistic as opposed to an optimistic
perspective, but it emphasised the role of reason and individual
effort in the search for liberation.
Hence it is said: The purpose of Religion is to explain the origin of
the world. The purpose of Dhamma is to reconstruct the world.
Why did he choose Buddhism over Hinduism?
He changed to a new religion and a new World because he wanted to
believe in the equality of humans and to endeavor to establish
equality.
In May 1956, in a BBC talk titled 'Why I like Buddhism and how it is
useful to the world in its present circumstances', he said: "I prefer
Buddhism because it gives three principles in combination, which no
other religion does. Buddhism teaches Prajna (understanding as against
superstition and supernaturalism), Karuna (love between people against
a slave and master relationshoip), and Samata (equality). This is what
man wants for a good and happy life. Neither god nor soul can save
society. Only Dhamma can do it".
In his speech in Bombay in May 24 1956, he declared his resolve to
embrace Buddhism. There Ambedkar observed: "Hinduism believes in God.
Buddhism has no God. Hinduism believes in soul. According to Buddhism,
there is no soul. Hinduism believes in Chaturvarnya and the caste
system. Buddhism has no place for the caste system and Chaturvarnya".
Ambedkar's conversion.
At the Yeola conference in 1935, Dr. Ambedkar declared that he will
not die a Hindu as it perpetuates caste injustices.
A Buddhist monk Lokanath visited Ambedkar's residence at Dadar on June
10, 1936 and tried to persuade him to embrace Buddhism. Lokanath, born
as Salvatore, was an American of Italian descent who had settled in
Ceylon.
Ambedkar also took Pali classes from Acharya Ishvardatt Medharthi in Delhi.
After publishing a series of books and articles arguing that Buddhism
was the only way for the Untouchables to gain equality, Ambedkar
publicly converted on October 14, 1956 in Nagpur. He took the three
refuges and five precepts from a Buddhist monk, Bhadant U Chandramani,
in the traditional manner and then in his turn administered them to
the nearly five lakh followers that were present.
Ambedkar would die less than two months later, just after finishing
his definitive work on Buddhism.
How Buddhism changed his life and our life.
Among Dr Ambedkar's contributions, popularising Buddhism is one of the
most important. There are strong reasons to believe that some vital
portions of the Indian Constitution were influenced by Buddhist
principles. The freedom of thought and expression listed in the
Constitution, was influenced by Buddha's tenets. It is one of the most
important portions of that rule book. Buddha was one of the earliest
thinkers in the world who advocated the need for freedom of thought.
Article 19 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights
guarantees that "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and
expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without
interference...".
We can see that Buddha spoke against intellectual interference by
scholars, books or religious rituals. "Don't turn to any book in times
of crisis. Use your own mind", he said.
What is today known as Navayana, or Ambedkarite Buddhism or Dalit
Buddhism or even Indian Buddhism, is a culmination of the thought
processes of two of India's greatest thinkers, Buddha and Ambedkar.
Difference between Ambedkar's interpretation of Buddhism and other kinds.
Ambedkar's emphasis is on Shakyamuni Buddha as a political and social
reformer, rather than merely as a spiritual leader.
He points out that the Buddha required his monastic followers to
ignore caste distinctions, and that he was critical of the social
inequality that existed in his own time. Ambedkar's understanding of
Buddhism denounces, other-worldliness or supernaturalism, Karma,
rebirth, and the related doctrine of "bondage" and liberation
(nirvana).
Ambedkar did not believe that a person's unfortunate conditions at
birth are the result of previous karma. This was a strong argument
against Hinduism's support to the Caste system.
For him, becoming a Buddhist was to adopt rational humanism as a
philosophy of life.
We will end with a story of the Bodhisatva that probably explains the
conceptual evolution of religion from animism to agnosticism.
Bodhisatva's story of a cow in search of God. Boddhisatva was born a
cow. It was told God existed everywhere, in air, water, fire, soil,
grass and stones. It started searching for God. It touched grass to
check if God was there. "Neti Neti", (no, no), it said and went away.
It drank water to see if that was God. "Neti, Neti", it said and went
away. Similar was its experience with air, fire, soil, and stones.
Finally it was convinced that none of these contained God and went
away smiling.
Thank you,
References:
1. Buddha and his Dhamma: B R Ambedkar
2. Caste and Hinduism: Gail Ombvedt
3. Ambedkar's legacy: Ranjit Hoskote
4. Columbia University publications on Ambedkar
5. Shamsul Islam Ambedkar as Hindu
6. Dr. Ramendra Patna College, Patna University
Paper presented in the UGC sponsored national conference on Dr
Ambedkar and Social Justice in the Karnataka college, Bidar on March
23, 2007
Rishikesh Bahadur Desai
Reporter, The Hindu, Bidar
[EMAIL PROTECTED],
rishiscribe.blogspot.com
aladamara.blogspot.com
Black Buck resort in Bidar by Jungle Lodges and Resorts
JLR to launch blackbuck resort in Bidar on March 1
It is in the Khanapur forest range
Quiet retreat: A cottage on offer at the blackbuck resort of Jungle Lodges and Resorts near Vilaspur lake in Khanapur forest range in Bidar.
Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) will inaugurate a property in the Khanapur forest range in Bidar on March 1.
“Online bookings for the blackbuck resort will start from Wednesday,” Deputy Commissioner Sameer Shukla said here on Tuesday. It will be formally inaugurated later. JLR officials will take a decision on who will inaugurate the resort and when, Mr. Shukla said.
He was speaking to journalists after inspecting work on the lakeside property.
According to him, the property on the banks of the Vilaspur lake will have 18 cottages of three categories and one royal suite. The blackbuck resort is the first JLR property to have a royal suite.
The resort is situated on seven acres of revenue land gifted to JLR by the district administration. The tariff ranges from Rs. 2,750 to Rs. 3,250 per person per day for the cottages. Tariff for the suite is yet to be decided.
Each cottage has a waiting room, double bed, wash room, and a balcony that opens to the water front. “The specialty of this resort is that each cottage is on the water front. Cottages are designed in such a way that privacy is ensured for each cottage. One balcony is not visible from the other,” he said.
JLR is offering joy fishing, coracle rides, nature treks and star gazing in the Khanapur forest. Wildlife tour guides will accompany campers to blackbuck spotting and bird watching in the woods around the resort.
Water sports will be organised in the Karanja dam. JLR will take campers to guided tours around national monuments in Bidar, including the Bidar Fort, Mahamud Gawan Madrassa and the Ashtur tombs.
The cost of the project is around Rs. 3.5 crore. Of this, Rs. 2.75 crore has been spent. “We have sought assistance from the Union Government and are hopeful of getting around Rs. 1.2 crore,” Mr. Shukla said. As many as 10 youth from surrounding villages are employed here, he said.
Bookings can be done from Wednesday on www.junglelodges.com. Details can be had on Ph: 080 40554055, 9449599774.
The Blackbuck Resort, named after the Krishna mruga, the native wildlife species of Bidar, is situated on the banks of the Vilaspur tank. The tank, built by the Minor Irrigation Department, is surrounded by mountains and is around 20 km from Bidar.
“We have requested the Minor Irrigation Department to hand over the tank to the Tourism Department. They have agreed to consider the idea,” Mr. Jothiramalingam said. If not for the support of the then Deputy Commissioner Harsha Gupta, we would not have thought of opening an eco and wildlife resort in north Karnataka, he said. The district administration donated 7 acres and contributed Rs. 1 crore for the construction of cottages.
The property will have 18 cottages, of which 12 are complete. It has a lakeside restaurant, a fireplace, a bar corner, a manicured garden and a jungle walk trail. A conference room will be built to enable corporates to combine pleasure trips with business.
“We will offer two distinct packages for lodgers,” said JLR Managing Director N.D. Tiwari.
“The first day, lodgers will get a guide-assisted tour of the Bidar Fort. We have requested the Archaeological Survey of India to allow our lodgers into those parts of the fort that have been kept out of bounds for public,” he said. Tourists will be taken to the Chitta forest to watch Blackbucks and to the Karanja dam for water sports. They can trek at the Khanapur forest near the tank and spend the nights star gazing on the lake bund. Tours on the second day will be custom made. Tourists can go to Basava Kalyan or visit other archaeological monuments in Bidar. “Our guides will accompany them,” Mr. Tiwari said.
“We plan to open bookings immediately so that people coming for Bidar Utsav can stay at the cottages,” Mr. Jothiramalingam said. Bidar Utsav is scheduled to begin on February 18.
Vilaspur resort is JLR's newest property. It is JLR's second resort in North Karnataka after the sloth bear resort in Hampi in Bellary district.
JLR Managing Director N.D. Tiwari told The Hindu that the property would have 18 cottages that could accommodate two campers each.
Mr. Tiwari said the project was taken up with the assistance of the district administration that allotted seven acres of revenue land adjacent to the forest for construction of cottages. “The then Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta took the initiative. Otherwise, it would have taken us sometime to plan and build a resort in Bidar,” he said.
“We have retained ownership of the land. We also share 25 per cent of the total cost of the project estimated at Rs, 4 crore,” district administration sources said.
Vilaspur tank is situated deep inside the Khanapur reserve forest, and is surrounded by hilly forest on all four sides. The tank is spread on an area of 35 acres and has a catchment area of over 200 acres of land.
By building cottages in such wilderness, JLR is trying to tap the young tourist in the IT and related industries in Hyderabad. Vilaspur is 15 km from Bidar. Bidar is 110 km Hyderabad.
Apart from the jungle walks, the resort will offer attractive experiences like coracle rides and fishing in the tank. Campers will be taken to the Bidar fort, the heritage tombs at Ashtur and Choukhandi, Mohamud Gawan Madrassa, Amir Barid and Qasim Barid and the Baridshahi Deccan garden. Campers will get to take part in boat races in the Paapnash lake. “We are exploring possibilities of arranging water sports in the Karanja reservoir,” the officials said.
“The resort will boost tourism in this part of the State,” said Conservator of Forests, Gulbarga circle, A. Radha Devi. Most people don't know that there are large tracts of forest land in Bidar and Gulbarga.
The resort will correct the image of Bidar from a hot dry district into a green humid district,'' she said.
Online reservation for the Vilaspur resort will start soon on www.junglelodges.com. Details can be had from the JLR corporate office (ph: 080 40554055).
It is in the Khanapur forest range
Quiet retreat: A cottage on offer at the blackbuck resort of Jungle Lodges and Resorts near Vilaspur lake in Khanapur forest range in Bidar.
Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) will inaugurate a property in the Khanapur forest range in Bidar on March 1.
“Online bookings for the blackbuck resort will start from Wednesday,” Deputy Commissioner Sameer Shukla said here on Tuesday. It will be formally inaugurated later. JLR officials will take a decision on who will inaugurate the resort and when, Mr. Shukla said.
He was speaking to journalists after inspecting work on the lakeside property.
According to him, the property on the banks of the Vilaspur lake will have 18 cottages of three categories and one royal suite. The blackbuck resort is the first JLR property to have a royal suite.
The resort is situated on seven acres of revenue land gifted to JLR by the district administration. The tariff ranges from Rs. 2,750 to Rs. 3,250 per person per day for the cottages. Tariff for the suite is yet to be decided.
Each cottage has a waiting room, double bed, wash room, and a balcony that opens to the water front. “The specialty of this resort is that each cottage is on the water front. Cottages are designed in such a way that privacy is ensured for each cottage. One balcony is not visible from the other,” he said.
JLR is offering joy fishing, coracle rides, nature treks and star gazing in the Khanapur forest. Wildlife tour guides will accompany campers to blackbuck spotting and bird watching in the woods around the resort.
Water sports will be organised in the Karanja dam. JLR will take campers to guided tours around national monuments in Bidar, including the Bidar Fort, Mahamud Gawan Madrassa and the Ashtur tombs.
The cost of the project is around Rs. 3.5 crore. Of this, Rs. 2.75 crore has been spent. “We have sought assistance from the Union Government and are hopeful of getting around Rs. 1.2 crore,” Mr. Shukla said. As many as 10 youth from surrounding villages are employed here, he said.
Bookings can be done from Wednesday on www.junglelodges.com. Details can be had on Ph: 080 40554055, 9449599774.
The Blackbuck Resort, named after the Krishna mruga, the native wildlife species of Bidar, is situated on the banks of the Vilaspur tank. The tank, built by the Minor Irrigation Department, is surrounded by mountains and is around 20 km from Bidar.
“We have requested the Minor Irrigation Department to hand over the tank to the Tourism Department. They have agreed to consider the idea,” Mr. Jothiramalingam said. If not for the support of the then Deputy Commissioner Harsha Gupta, we would not have thought of opening an eco and wildlife resort in north Karnataka, he said. The district administration donated 7 acres and contributed Rs. 1 crore for the construction of cottages.
The property will have 18 cottages, of which 12 are complete. It has a lakeside restaurant, a fireplace, a bar corner, a manicured garden and a jungle walk trail. A conference room will be built to enable corporates to combine pleasure trips with business.
“We will offer two distinct packages for lodgers,” said JLR Managing Director N.D. Tiwari.
“The first day, lodgers will get a guide-assisted tour of the Bidar Fort. We have requested the Archaeological Survey of India to allow our lodgers into those parts of the fort that have been kept out of bounds for public,” he said. Tourists will be taken to the Chitta forest to watch Blackbucks and to the Karanja dam for water sports. They can trek at the Khanapur forest near the tank and spend the nights star gazing on the lake bund. Tours on the second day will be custom made. Tourists can go to Basava Kalyan or visit other archaeological monuments in Bidar. “Our guides will accompany them,” Mr. Tiwari said.
“We plan to open bookings immediately so that people coming for Bidar Utsav can stay at the cottages,” Mr. Jothiramalingam said. Bidar Utsav is scheduled to begin on February 18.
Vilaspur resort is JLR's newest property. It is JLR's second resort in North Karnataka after the sloth bear resort in Hampi in Bellary district.
JLR Managing Director N.D. Tiwari told The Hindu that the property would have 18 cottages that could accommodate two campers each.
Mr. Tiwari said the project was taken up with the assistance of the district administration that allotted seven acres of revenue land adjacent to the forest for construction of cottages. “The then Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta took the initiative. Otherwise, it would have taken us sometime to plan and build a resort in Bidar,” he said.
“We have retained ownership of the land. We also share 25 per cent of the total cost of the project estimated at Rs, 4 crore,” district administration sources said.
Vilaspur tank is situated deep inside the Khanapur reserve forest, and is surrounded by hilly forest on all four sides. The tank is spread on an area of 35 acres and has a catchment area of over 200 acres of land.
By building cottages in such wilderness, JLR is trying to tap the young tourist in the IT and related industries in Hyderabad. Vilaspur is 15 km from Bidar. Bidar is 110 km Hyderabad.
Apart from the jungle walks, the resort will offer attractive experiences like coracle rides and fishing in the tank. Campers will be taken to the Bidar fort, the heritage tombs at Ashtur and Choukhandi, Mohamud Gawan Madrassa, Amir Barid and Qasim Barid and the Baridshahi Deccan garden. Campers will get to take part in boat races in the Paapnash lake. “We are exploring possibilities of arranging water sports in the Karanja reservoir,” the officials said.
“The resort will boost tourism in this part of the State,” said Conservator of Forests, Gulbarga circle, A. Radha Devi. Most people don't know that there are large tracts of forest land in Bidar and Gulbarga.
The resort will correct the image of Bidar from a hot dry district into a green humid district,'' she said.
Online reservation for the Vilaspur resort will start soon on www.junglelodges.com. Details can be had from the JLR corporate office (ph: 080 40554055).
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Literary Monuments of a Glorious Past
Did you know that the first ever Urdu book in the world was published
in Bidar? Did you know that a poem sung in praise of Prophet Mohammad
in the Masjid –E- Nabavi in Madina was written by a poet who lived in
Bidar in the 18th century? Has any one told you that Chalukya King
Someshwara the Third of Kalyana produced a Sanskrit encyclopedia a
thousand years before anyone attempted writing encyclopedias in the
modern world?
The literary heritage of Bidar is as rich as its cultural history.
Sadly, the poetry emanating from the red soil here has not received as
much acclaim as the archeological monuments here.
Now for the answers. Fakhruddin Nizami's `Masnavi Kadam Rao Padam Rao'
was written and published between 1325–1338 A D. That is considered
the first Urdu book ever published. Hazrath Ishqui who died in
Hyderabad in 1805 wrote the Naat Ya Shafi Ul Wara that is sung by
believers in Madina and around the world. Someshwara’s `Manasollasa’
is considered the first ever encyclopedia.
What we all need to be proud of is that fact that literature produced
in this land a thousand years ago gained international fame at that
time and that reputation stayed on for centuries.
In ancient times, Bhaskara Acharya developed the science of Algebra.
Born and brought up in Bidar, he had settled in Ujjain. Vigyaneshwara
of Masimad village wrote Mitakshara that went on to become the base of
modern Hindu law. Bilhana and Kalhana, the court poets of King
Vikramaditya produced immortal works. While Kalhana’s Raja Tarangini
is considered the first history work in India, Bilhana’s love poetry
titled Kaurapankashika has been translated over 20 times into English
and European languages. Brajishnu who hails from Hallikhed, wrote
Vaddaradhane, the first prose work in Kannada.
While emperors tried to conquer the world by fighting wars, a humble
saint- poet won over humanity just by meditating in the caves of
Basava Kalyan and practicing what he preached. Basaveshwara led a
social revolution in the 12th century that changed the way people of
different castes and classes treated each other around the world. He
wrote metaphysical poetry and motivated lakhs of ordinary men and
women to write and sing Vachana poetry that continues to inspire us
even to this day.
In medieval times, Mohammad Gawan built Bidar brick by brick and made
it a city that competed with Rome in fame. His seminal work `Manazir
Ul Insha’ describes poetics of Farsi language. His other work Riyaz Ul
Insha, a collection of letters to scholars, artists, Kings and heads
of state is the ultimate referral book on medieval history.
Another view of Bahmani rule is provided by the Poornananda Charitre of
Hanumadatmaja who hailed from the fort city.
The Bahmani and Baridshahi Kings were art lovers and promoted poets,
artists and craftsman. They not only provided a platform to local
poets, but also introduced global poetry to Bidar.
Among those who received their patronage are Abdul Quareem Hamdani,
Mulla Nizami, Syed Taheer, Mulla Dawood Bidri, Mulla Quashfi, Mahamood
and Qutbuddin Quadri. Bahmannama, is a historical work in verse that
was written in the 15th century.
Poet Feroze Bidri who lived during the transition period between
Bahmani and Baridshahi kings is credited to have brought out the first
poetry collection in Urdu. After spending his youth in Bidar which was
then called Mohammadabad- Bidar, Feroze settled in Golconda where he
died.
Interestingly, a significant number of non-Muslims also wrote Urdu
poetry. Works of Hindus like Pandit Yashwantrao Korekal of Manik Nagar
and Pandit Damodar Pant ‘Zaki’ and Sikhs like Sardar Charan Singh
Charan of Bidar are popular even today.
Several writers prospered during the reign of the Hyderabad Nizams.
Works of writers like Hazrat Ghulam Mohinuddin Fitrat, Maqdoom
Mohinuddin, Hazrat Wafa, Sikandar Ali Wajd, Hazrat Kunj-E-Nasheen,
Syed Hussein Saifi and Hazrat Sajjad Basha Sajjad have brought fame to
Bidar. Similarly, the most famous poet in the recent times is Rashid
Ahmed Rashid. He is described as “Shayar-E-Hayat” or the Sun who
shines on the land of poetry. Abdul Jabbar Malkapuri is considered an
important historian of modern times.
Eom
in Bidar? Did you know that a poem sung in praise of Prophet Mohammad
in the Masjid –E- Nabavi in Madina was written by a poet who lived in
Bidar in the 18th century? Has any one told you that Chalukya King
Someshwara the Third of Kalyana produced a Sanskrit encyclopedia a
thousand years before anyone attempted writing encyclopedias in the
modern world?
The literary heritage of Bidar is as rich as its cultural history.
Sadly, the poetry emanating from the red soil here has not received as
much acclaim as the archeological monuments here.
Now for the answers. Fakhruddin Nizami's `Masnavi Kadam Rao Padam Rao'
was written and published between 1325–1338 A D. That is considered
the first Urdu book ever published. Hazrath Ishqui who died in
Hyderabad in 1805 wrote the Naat Ya Shafi Ul Wara that is sung by
believers in Madina and around the world. Someshwara’s `Manasollasa’
is considered the first ever encyclopedia.
What we all need to be proud of is that fact that literature produced
in this land a thousand years ago gained international fame at that
time and that reputation stayed on for centuries.
In ancient times, Bhaskara Acharya developed the science of Algebra.
Born and brought up in Bidar, he had settled in Ujjain. Vigyaneshwara
of Masimad village wrote Mitakshara that went on to become the base of
modern Hindu law. Bilhana and Kalhana, the court poets of King
Vikramaditya produced immortal works. While Kalhana’s Raja Tarangini
is considered the first history work in India, Bilhana’s love poetry
titled Kaurapankashika has been translated over 20 times into English
and European languages. Brajishnu who hails from Hallikhed, wrote
Vaddaradhane, the first prose work in Kannada.
While emperors tried to conquer the world by fighting wars, a humble
saint- poet won over humanity just by meditating in the caves of
Basava Kalyan and practicing what he preached. Basaveshwara led a
social revolution in the 12th century that changed the way people of
different castes and classes treated each other around the world. He
wrote metaphysical poetry and motivated lakhs of ordinary men and
women to write and sing Vachana poetry that continues to inspire us
even to this day.
In medieval times, Mohammad Gawan built Bidar brick by brick and made
it a city that competed with Rome in fame. His seminal work `Manazir
Ul Insha’ describes poetics of Farsi language. His other work Riyaz Ul
Insha, a collection of letters to scholars, artists, Kings and heads
of state is the ultimate referral book on medieval history.
Another view of Bahmani rule is provided by the Poornananda Charitre of
Hanumadatmaja who hailed from the fort city.
The Bahmani and Baridshahi Kings were art lovers and promoted poets,
artists and craftsman. They not only provided a platform to local
poets, but also introduced global poetry to Bidar.
Among those who received their patronage are Abdul Quareem Hamdani,
Mulla Nizami, Syed Taheer, Mulla Dawood Bidri, Mulla Quashfi, Mahamood
and Qutbuddin Quadri. Bahmannama, is a historical work in verse that
was written in the 15th century.
Poet Feroze Bidri who lived during the transition period between
Bahmani and Baridshahi kings is credited to have brought out the first
poetry collection in Urdu. After spending his youth in Bidar which was
then called Mohammadabad- Bidar, Feroze settled in Golconda where he
died.
Interestingly, a significant number of non-Muslims also wrote Urdu
poetry. Works of Hindus like Pandit Yashwantrao Korekal of Manik Nagar
and Pandit Damodar Pant ‘Zaki’ and Sikhs like Sardar Charan Singh
Charan of Bidar are popular even today.
Several writers prospered during the reign of the Hyderabad Nizams.
Works of writers like Hazrat Ghulam Mohinuddin Fitrat, Maqdoom
Mohinuddin, Hazrat Wafa, Sikandar Ali Wajd, Hazrat Kunj-E-Nasheen,
Syed Hussein Saifi and Hazrat Sajjad Basha Sajjad have brought fame to
Bidar. Similarly, the most famous poet in the recent times is Rashid
Ahmed Rashid. He is described as “Shayar-E-Hayat” or the Sun who
shines on the land of poetry. Abdul Jabbar Malkapuri is considered an
important historian of modern times.
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