Panchaamritam 1

PANCHA IS FIVE IN SAMKRITAM ; AMRITAM IS NECTAR

ONE
Meet Elango. Age 12 years. A helper in a roadside automobile mechanic's shop in T.Nagar, Chennai. A town bus speeds past him as he stands near his shop. Elango notices something unusual with the bus; he hears a sharp noise from under the running bus. Yes, the transmission rod - rear axle joint had broken and the bus was about to go out of the driver's control. Elango decided to raise an alarm. He started running along with the bus shouting "stop, stop!" The driver applied the brake and the bus ground to a halt. All the fifty-odd passengers got down and learnt that their lives had been saved by the efforts of Elango. They heaved a sigh of relief. When they looked for the one who saved them all, they found the boy walking back to his shop calmly. A traffic constable who witnessed all this ran up to Elango. In gratefulness he offered to buy a breakfast for him. Elango politely declined the offer and kept on walking toward his workspot.
(Based on a news item which appeared in the Chennai edition of THE INDIAN EXPRESS in 1982. )

TWO
Meet 14 year old Om Prakash. A roadside dweller of Jammu in Jammu - Kashmir state. Once G.M.Jagtiani, a journalist from Mumbai, engaged him to carry his luggage. He took pity on the boy and gave a little more money. Om Prakash won't touch it. He said he would not accept alms. Jagtiani, in appreciation, left a few copies of his booklet with Om Prakash; asked him to sell them and send him the proceeds after deducting a commission. A few weeks later Jagtiani received the due amount. He was overwhelmed and sent back the same to the boy as a token of his happiness over the lad's honesty. To his utter dismay the money came back with the note that the addressee was dead. Om Prakash had died of frost bite while he was asleep at the roadside in that Himalayan state.
(Based on a Letter To The Editor published in the Mumbai edition of THE TIMES OF INDIA contributed by Jagtiani. )

THREE
Dahipara. A hamlet of Orissa 5 kilometres away from the coast. It had - yes, had - a population of 1,050. Of these, 587 were killed by a super cyclone which devastaed 5 coastal taluks of the state in October 1999. Even as the survivers of Dahipara were trying to adjust to their life in makeshift polythene jhuggies in the relief camp, an earthquake struck parts of Gujarat. These villagers of Orissa managed to collect Rs. 7,000. This they promptly handed over to the Chief Minister of Orissa with a request that the amount be sent to the quake hit families of Gujarat.
(Based on a report by THE HINDU dated February 22, 2001.)

FOUR
Meet the people of village Pokharan in the middle of the deserts of Rajastan. They have witnessed two underground nuclear tests, one in 1974 and the other in May 1998. Prior to the second test, one defence department official had a chat with some of the villagers. He hinted that some army men will be patrolling the place as a routine. To his surprise the villagers responded, "Sir, it is the bomb, is it not? We shall keep the secret. Don't worry." They did. Even the effforts of the CIA's surveilance satellites failed to locate the spot of implosion, media reports revealed later.
(Based on a 1998 INDIA TODAY cover story by Raj Chengappa.)

FIVE
The intersection of the then Mount Road and Nungambakkam High Road in Chennai was once the 'Gemini Circle'. About 35 years back, on a busy hour, a man lay there on the roadside in a pool of blood, screaming for help. Seemed to be a road accident. Office-goers were rushing to their offices - after a split second glance at the man. Lakshmi had no office to rush to. Once her eyes fell on the pathetic scene, not a second was wasted. She threw aside the construction worker's 'bond' on her head with the spade and her lunch box in it. Gathered the victim, put him in an autorikshaw and sped off to the hospital. This timely step helped save the man. Of course, Lakshmi had to part with her tiny nose - ring made of gold to pay the auto fare. Add to this the loss of that day's wage which Lakshmi would otherwise have earned by dint of hard work at some construction site. But had she the mind to calculate it all? No chance.
(Based on a report in DINAMANI, a Chennai Tamil daily.)

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PANCHAAMRITAM 99

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar
ONE
Bharat carried out the first test of a cryogenic rocket engine at Mahendragiri (near Kanyakumari) in Tamilnadu on Saturday, October 28, 2006. That put the country in a select club of 6 nations possessing such a capability. The test lasting 50 seconds was conducted at the Indian Space Research Organisation`s liquid propulsion systems center. It was "very successful", said ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair. This cryogenic rocket engine will enable India to launch heavier satellites. India need not rely on other countries for this purpose hereafter. This is another proof of the capability of Indian scientific community to accept challenges. Earlier, Russia had signed an agreement with India to transfer this high-energy knowhow. But the US thwarted this attempt and made Russia to pull back. But Indian space scientists built this Cryogenic Rocket Engine indigenously after ceaseless efforts. In an earlier episode, Indian computer scientists had accepted a similar challenge and built a supercomputer indigenously.
Based on an editorial in
VIJAYABHARATAM, November 10, 2006.

TWO
Meet Smt. Shakuntala, 69, a housewife residing in KK Nagar, Chennai, Tamilnadu, Bharat. She has visited 2,50,000 Hanumans in 14 years. She read a news item in a 1992 issue of DINAMALAR VARAMALAR, a Tamil weekly that spoke of one Auto Pandi who regularly fed monkeys but always referred to them as Hanuman. That inspired Shakuntala to take a vow to visit 1lakh Hanuman temples. The highlight is that she always prays at those temples for others, not for herself. One prayer by her to bestow a child to an issueless woman flower vendor met with success. Now Shakuntalamma welcomes anyone with any grievance to contact her at phone number: 044-32520770. She offers to pray.
Based on a report by Shri. L.Murugaraj in DINAMALAR VARAMALAR of October 29, 2006. Idea: Smt. Vasantha.
THREE
Sri Lankan refugees, under the banner of the Organisation for Eelam Refugee Rehabilitation (OfERR), have set up 25 livelihood training centres for the tsunami-affected people in Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari districts. The OfERR has planned to provide 504 women with skills that offered alternative sustenance avenues. In Cuddalore district, 204 women underwent training in tailoring and handicrafts. At a function organised at Chinnur near Parangipettai on November 2, 2006, Tamilnadu State Fisheries Minister Shri. K.P.P.Sami gave away certificates to those women who had successfully completed the training. Shri. S.C.Chandrahasan, OfERR treasurer, said the refugees had taken up this service to express their gratitude to the host country (Tamil Nadu in India) that provided them with shelter, food and education when they landed here in a destitute condition. A total of 75,737 refugees (most of them Tamil speaking Hindus) are living in 131 camps in the State, and of them, 2,500 obtained degrees he informed.
Based on a report by Shri. A.V.Raghunathan
in THE HINDU, November 3, 2006.
FOUR
Shri Selvakumar (now Shri. Raamaandi) runs a roadside idly shop on Ellis Road, off Walajah Road in Chennai, Tamilnadu, Bharat. Late night every day, he serves idlies and dosas free to about 60 old persons and children below 6 years of age. This annadaanam is going on for the past 25 years without break. He had suffered a lot in his childhood for want of food. So he feeds children. He feeds the aged as they are too weak to toil and eke out a livelihood. "Work hard. If you are unable to feed yourself even after that, come to me"-- reads a board displayed at Selvakumar's idly shop.
Based on report in ANANDAVIKATAN, October 25, 2006. Idea: Shri. Krishnaraj.
FIVE
Vedapuri is the ancient name of Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) on account of the presiding deity Shri Vedapreeshwara. Last week, a film company making a Tamil film `Sabari' held a shooting inside the holy precincts of Shri Vedapureeswara temple, causing much inconvenience to devotees. Many complaints were made to the authorities. On November 2, the company again tried to shoot the film this time with its lead actor Shri Vijayakant present on the site. The news spread and activists of Hindu organizations including Hindu Munnai and RSS, as well as workers of BJP staged a demonstration in protest. They said that such irreligious activities harm the sanctity of the temple. An altercation between the Hindu activists and the film company functionaries followed. Vijayakant hurriedly left the spot. The shooting was cancelled; the film unit packed up and left, complaining that it had obtained prior permission.
(DINAMANI, November 3, 2006)

PANCHAAMRITAM 98

PANCHAAMRITAM 98
Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

ONE
A. Bharat's top investigative agency, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has introduced a session of yoga to its personnel. The CBI has called upon New Delhi-based Prajana Institute of Yoga and Allied Sciences to help its officers to get rid of professional stress. The officers are being taught to practice yoga at any place including the office. Girish Jha, Yoga Trainer from the Institute said. Indian authorities, who have introduced such practice sessions for Army personnel as well, say yoga sessions are helping officers, who face strenuous working conditions (www.zeenews.com September 30, 2006). B. Indian industry has started delving into the depths of ancient wisdom; the Bhagvad Gita has become a handbook for the aspiring manager. The Gita has entered the classrooms of Business Management students. To the Y2K generation, the Gita has become a management gospel expounded by `super guru Krishna.' From the Pushpak Vimana to herbal medicines (Charaka Samhita), from management tactics (the Gita) to stress busters (yoga) and meditation (dhyana), our ancient texts had said it all much before the WTO-governed universe was ever thought of. IIM-Calcutta, Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development, Pune and others have designed their curriculum in line with Eastern thinking. Buzzwords such as TQM (total quality management) in our business schools have been replaced with Aham Brahmasmi (I am God) and Tat Tvam Asi (That thou art) to inspire confidence in oneself and in one's organisation. (Smt. Ranee Kumar in Metroplus of THE HINDU, October 23, 2006).

TWO

Gujarat government has collaborated with NGOs to start 'hunger helplines' across the state, a first of-its-kind project in Bharat. The objective of starting such a project with food charity organisations is to satisfy the basic hunger of people on regular days as well as during natural calamities like floods and earthquake. A pilot project "hunger helpline" has already started in Surat and around 30 food charity organisations have been clubbed under one organisation, which has been given the responsibility of guiding hungry people to the nearest place in the city where they can get food free of cost. Those in need for this helpline service just have to call one number to get connected to hunger helpline and an operator directs them to the nearest charity organisation from the area they are making the call, the official said.
Based on a report in THE TIMES OF INDIA, October 11, 2006. Idea: Shri. Arun Venkatraman

THREE

"We have 16 Shakhas (for Hindu men) and 5 Samitis (for Hindu women) in Mauritius. The overall population of Mauritius is approximately 16 lakhs million of which 51% is Hindu. Mauritius is the only country outside India to have known a `Hindu regeneration movement'. The movement `Jan Andolan' was headed by Professor Basdeo Bissoondoyal following his return from his studies in Bharat in December 1939. When he passed away in 1991, his movement covered 50 years of existence, having succeeded in preventing Mauritius from becoming an outpost of Christianity as wished by Rev. Patrick Beaton in the 19th Century. Currently we have a Hindu Prime Minister belonging to the Mauritius labour party. According to the `proportional representation' political system, Hindus would be given 51% of the seats in parliament, even if a lesser percentage of Hindus is elected".
Shri Ramkisson Jeethah of Mauritius in an interview to Shri. Nilkesh Mehta of SANGH SANDESH of March ? April, 2006. Idea: Shri. Raveendra Surange, UK.

FOUR

Shri. Shankar Ram Jangid, Additional Commissioner of Police, Chennai recently received a call from his elder brother Shri. Tararam Jangid. The line got abruptly disconnected. The worried police officer contacted his brother's residence in Barmer district, Rajasthan only to learn that Tararam was away, busy rescuing marooned people to safety using his jeep during the unprecedented floods in Rajasthan.. He had already saved the lives of 105 persons thus. The younger Jangid hurriedly flew to Barmer and found out that Army rescue teams were searching for the body of Tararam. Barmer district Collector informed him that Tararam in his last phone call to him (the Collector) had requested, "the life of no rescue worker should be risked to rescue me. Please arrange to take the villagers whom I have rescued, to safety". Tararam was the General Manager of a bank and had been instrumental in initiating several welfare measures in the neighbourhood.
Based on a report by Shri. Kanishka in the twice-a week Tamil magazine JUNIOR VIKATAN of October 15, 2006. Idea: Shri. Sundara Lakshmanan.

FIVE

If you look up the pages of the Bulletin of the Astronomical Society of France published in May 1911, you'd come across a paper by Venkatesh Ketakar on an as-yet unknown planetary body that was exerting a gravitational pull on the neighbouring planet Neptune. Ketakar's paper featured orbital and other key calculations of this strange new planet. He named it Brahma. Almost 20 years later, in 1930, American scientist Clyde Tombaugh discovered it and called it Pluto. As textbooks around the world change with the recent demotion of Pluto from a planet to a `Pluton' or a `dwarf planet', perhaps Ketakar's name could be added as well along with Tombaugh. A leading American college textbook Universe by Roger Freedman and William J Kaufmann III did that in 1968. The Indian Journal of History of Science recognised him in 1984.
Based on a report in DNA.com by Shri. Sachin Kalbag on August 25, 2006.

PANCHAAMIRTAM 92

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

ONE

A unique function took place at Rashtrapathi Nilayam in Hyderabad on July 1 when the President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, gave a party to about 1,400 workers who had laboured hard for 8 months to make the Nilayam suitable for his occupation. The workers and artisans included about 50 Banjara women in their picturesque dress and ornaments. Speaking to them for about ten minutes, the President emphasized that work was more important than the person who did it, and the time had come when they should bridge the gulf between the rich and the poor, the small and the big. When he arrived at Hyderabad some days back, the first decision he made was to meet these simple folk and entertain them.

From THE HINDU of July 3, 1956 reproduced in the `This Day That Age' column

TWO

The India story gets stronger on the global arena. (1) Bharat expanded its presence on the elite list of Fortune Global 500 companies, as the State Bank of India has become the sixth BHARATIYA firm to feature in the league. Besides SBI's grand entry to the list, all five current incumbents -- Reliance Industries Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Oil and Natural Gas Corp -- have scaled up the ranking on the list of world's biggest 500 companies. Among the six Indian companies on the list, IOC holds the top rank at 153^rd position, followed by RIL at 342^nd rank, BPCL at 368, HPCL at 378^th, ONGC at 402^nd and the new entry SBI has been placed at 498^th rank. RIL has scaled up 75 ranks on the list from the previous year, while IOC has gained 17 positions, BPCL has jumped 61 ranks, HPCL has moved up 58 positions and ONGC has scaled up 52 positions. RIL figures among the top 25 climbers on the list. Based on a report in rediff NEWS, July 13, 2006. (2) In the face of stiff competition from Chinese and Korean equipment suppliers, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has achieved a major success by bagging a prestigious contract for a 250 MW Thermal Power Station (TPS) in Maharashtra. The contract has been won from Tata Power Company (TPC) under competitive bidding. Notably, this is the first order secured by BHEL where the boiler will be designed to suit firing of imported coal. The equipment for the present contract will be manufactured at BHEL's Haridwar, Trichy, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Bhopal and Jhansi Plants. From a July 10, 2006 Press Release in www.BHEL.com.

THREE

Recently, the wedding of Muktamani, daughter of Dr Ganeshdutt Bhardwaj, took place with Vidhichand Sharma in Hoshiyarpur, Punjab, Bharat. In this marriage, Dr Bhardwaj, who is head of Sanskrit Department in Punjab University, did not receive the money of shagun (wedding gift) from any guest. He kept a pot before the picture of Bharatmata and requested the guests to pour the money they wish to give as shagun in the pot. He made it clear that all the money poured into the pot as shagun, would be donated to Seva Bharati, Hoshiyarpur. After the wedding ceremony, the money poured in pot was counted as Rs 15,200. The Bhardwaj family themselves added another Rs 505 and handed over the amount of Rs 15,705 to Shri B.K. Bhardwaj, chairman, Seva Bharati and Shri Arvind Sharma, general secretary. Everybody who participated in the wedding ceremony praised this initiative of Dr Bhardwaj.

From ORGANISER dated July 16, 2006. Also HINDU VISHWA.

FOUR

As a soldier handed five-year old boy Prince over to his mother Karamjit, she shed tears of joy. In a dramatic operation, Prince was rescued by the Army on Sunday, July 23, 2006, about 50 hours after he fell into a 60-foot pit while playing at Haldheri, a village near Kurukshetra, Haryana, Bharat. People cheered loudly as a crane hoisted the boy, wrapped in a white sheet and cradled by a soldier, from a well. The ordeal united the nation in prayers for his well-being. As Prince spent what were the most harrowing two days of his life in the pit — barely 16 inches wide — soldiers, aided by experts from the Fire Service and the Air Force, worked relentlessly to free the child. Prince looked dazed but did not appear to be in any pain. His mother Karamjit and his father Ram Chander had been sitting at the site for the past two days. The rescuers dug a tunnel from a dried-up well parallel to the narrow and dark pit. A soldier finally reached Prince a little before 7 p.m. on Sunday. Throughout the operation, the rescuers monitored the boy's condition using a CCTV system that allowed him to talk to people on the surface. Food and water were also lowered to the boy.

Based on a report in THE HINDU of July 24, 2006.

FIVE

Yoga classes based on ancient Hindu practices of meditation through controlled breathing, balancing and stretching, are catching on in military circles in the USA. The August edition of FIT YOGA, the US' second largest Yoga magazine with a circulation of 1,00,000, features a photo of two naval aviators doing yoga poses in full combat gear aboard an aircraft carrier. "At first it seemed a little shocking – soldiers practicing such a peaceful art", writes editor Rita Trieger. Upon closer inspection, she said, she noticed "a sense of inner calm" on the aviators' faces.

Based on an AP report in The Hindu BUSINESS LINE of July 18, 2006.