SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND THE ART INSTITUTE , CHICAGO ,USA.

                                          

     ( The renovated dais and the audience hall )

            ( Swami Ji sitting at the dais  1893 ) 

                                             

 ( The old auditorium where Swami Ji addressed the audience )

      ( The staircase with LED display )

                                        

        ( A preserved  letter written by Swami Ji  ) 

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND  THE

ART  INSTITUTE , CHICAGO  ,USA.

Swami Vivekananda's most famous discourse ‘In Response to the Welcome Address’ was delivered at the Hall of Columbus at the Art Institute ,Chicago.In 1893,  at that point in time, the present day Art Institute   building  in  Chicago was known as,' World’s Congress Auxiliary Building'  .In this building, the gathering in 1893 has been termed “the dawn of religious pluralism” by author Richard Hughes Seager. The World’s Parliament of Religions was conceived to be a vital part of the 1893 'World’s Columbian Exposition' , a world’s fair crafted to celebrate the “discovery” of the New World by Christopher Columbus and organised to rejuvenate the city of Chicago after the devastating fire of 1871.

At the 'World’s Parliament of Religions' , Chicago, 11 September 1893, Swami Ji opened his address with, 'Brothers and Sisters of America ',  the  three words that touched instant chord with his audience who rose from their seats to clap Swami Ji   .The deafening applause lasted for a out  five minutes. Those sitting in the audience had a wrong notion of India and the Indians. The cultural , civilisational and religious glory of India was unknown to them. They believed India was a country of illiterate people , snake charmers, poverty  and illiteracy . Swami Ji's speech  cleared all their misconceptions. The audience in the West  was used to the often repeated address " Ladies and Gentlemen "  while being addressed . A monk from far flung nation had come to speak to them believing them to be a part of his own family . For Swami Ji , they were no strangers ;  but his own brothers and  sisters. And Swami Ji continued, " I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: ‘As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.’ Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal."

Swami Ji  spoke several times at the Art Institute. He attended Charles  C. Bonney's reception at this institute  and also led the conference at the Scientific Session of the Parliament.Charles C. Bonney was a well-known judge in Chicago and the author of many important constitutional and economic reforms. It was Bonney’s inspiration and idea to hold the Parliament of Religions . In his welcome address, Bonney  said, “unite all Religion against all irreligion; to make the golden rule the basis for this union; and to present to the world the substantial unity of many religions in the good deeds of religious life”.  Charles C. Bonney was highly impressed by Swami Ji's speech. He  gave a huge reception in the upper floor and halls of the present  Art Institute (at that time known as the World’s Congress Auxiliary Building) in the evening of September 12 in honour of  Swami Ji. All delegates were also invited. Indeed, if not for Swami Ji ,  the Parliament might have been forgotten by history instead of being credited with launching the modern interfaith movement.

Apart from Charles C Bonney, amongst scores of Americans  who were influenced by Swami Ji's eloquence and views about future of humanity , I need to make specific mention of the  following :--

(1)

The Lyon family of Chicago ; Mrs and Mr Lyon who lived in Michigan Avenue ( presently Hilton Hotel ) with their children and grandchildren.  .About this well read  family ,Swami Ji writes this :-

"'I am moving about just now. Only when I come to Chicago again , I shall always go to see Mr. and Mrs. Lyon one of the noblest couples I have seen here."

(2)

Mrs and Mr George Hale  who lived in Chicago. The Hale family was to become more dear to Swamiji than any other he would know in the West. 'I scarcely find a family so highly pure and kind. Or why should God shower blessings on them in such abundance? Oh, how wonderfully kind they are!' he wrote to his brother disciples in 1894.He wrote to Mary Hale in 1899, "It is curious, your family, Mother Church and her clergy, both monastic and secular, have made more impression on me than any family I know of. Lord bless you ever and ever."

(3).

John Barrows was pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Chicago and one of the city's most well known clergymen. As the chairman of the Parliament of Religions he was the principal organiser of the event. Swamiji met him at his house (2957 Indiana Ave) on September 10, 1893. He was highly impressed by Swami Ji's vision for humanity.

(4)

Elisha Gray (1835-1901) was a famous electrical engineer and inventor who held over seventy patents to his credit. He  became one of the ardent followers of Swami Ji.

(5)

Mrs. (Bertha Honore) Potter Palmer was a very well known socialite and outspoken feminist, she was the official hostess of the Exposition. At the Art Institute, Swamiji spoke on 'Women in Oriental Religion' at a special session organised by Mrs. Potter Palmer who was also the president of the Women's Branch of the World's Congress of the Exposition. Mrs. and Mr. Potter Palmer also gave a reception in honour of Swami Ji and  the delegates on the evening of September 14 at the Women's Building in Jackson Park.

(6)

Jane Addams reverently known in her circle as "Saint Jane" was a social reformer, peace activist, and with Ellen Gates Starr, the founder of Hull House - a social settlement whose main purpose was to provide social and educational opportunities for working class immigrants . She was highly impressed by Swami Ji,s ideas about humanity and peace.. "Miss Adams as ever is an angel," Swamiji wrote of her in a letter to Betty Leggett.

(7)

Mrs. (Florence) Milward Adams, a highly intellectual and versatile woman, was a popular lecturer on the Art of Expression and one of Swamiji's staunchest admirers in Chicago.

(8)

Emma Calvé was a celebrated French operatic soprano and was probably the most famous French female opera singer of the time. She first met Swamiji in November, 1899 when she was visiting Chicago with the Metropolitan Opera Company. Later, in her autobiography , she wrote this :-

'"It has been my good fortune and my joy to know a man who truly 'walked with God', a noble being, a saint, a philosopher and a true friend. His influence on my spiritual life was profound. He opened up new horizons before me, teaching me a broader understanding of truth. My soul will bear him eternal gratitude."

(9)

Betty  Macleod and Josephine Macleod  were born in 1852 and 1858 respectively  in Chicago to John David MacLeod and Mary Ann Lennon. Her father was an American of Scottish descent. The couple had three sons and three daughters. Two of their daughters, Betty (1852–1931) and Josephine (1858–1949), became disciples of Swami Vivekananda.

(10)

Robert Ingersoll(1833-1899), the celebrated agnostic orator  became Swami Jis admirer and friend. Ingersoll popularised th criticism of the dogmatic religions  as well as a humanistic philosophy and a scientific rationalism. He became a great admirer of Swami Ji.

(11)

Harriet Monroe( 1860-1936) , a poetess, the founder of "Poetry: A Magazine of Verse" and was the patron saint of the new American poetry of realism and imagery.   She heard Swamiji at the Parliament of Religions and recollected her impressions in her autobiography "A Poet's Life" she wrote this :-

"It was Swami Vivekananda, the magnificent, who stole the show and captured the town. His personality, dominant, magnetic; his voice, rich as a bronze bell; the controlled fervor of his feeling ; the beauty of his message to the Western world, it was human eloquence at its highest pitch."

(12)

Miss Kate Sanborn of Boston whom Swami Ji had met earlier had given her card and asked him to feel free to apply to her for help if he had any problem. When he contacted her, she wired him to come to her place in the Metcalfe village. A teacher and farmer who readily helped people, Kate introduced him to her friends during the week he spent in her farmhouse called Breezy Meadows. Thanks to her, he gave his first speech in America to a women’s club on 21st August.

(13)

Another foreign friend of Swamiji was Alberta Sturges Montagu ,an accomplished musician.In a letter to  Alberta dated 8th July, 1895, Swami Ji wrote :  ‘I am sure you are engrossed in your musical studies now. Hope you have found out all about the scales by this time. I will be so happy to take a lesson on the scales from you next time we meet . '

(14)

Prof J H Wright who was professor of Greek and (later became Dean of Undergraduate Studies). When  Swami Ji met him,  Professor Wright was at once struck by the genius  of the Indian monk and insisted that Vivekananda should represent Hinduism at the Parliament of Religions.

In the US. Swami Ji also met Transcendentalists like Franklin Benjamin Sanborn (1831-1917)and  Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1823-1911) .  Ralph Waldo Trine (1866-1958) was almost of   Swami Ji's age and used  interact with him . His most important contacts with the famous include those with philosopher and psychologist William James; Nicola Tesla, engineer and inventor, actress Sarah Bernhardt and poet Ella Wheeler Willcox .

                                              

The present day Art Institute complex  in Chicago has undergone many additions and changes over the years after 1893. The interior has been considerably modified. The Hall of Columbus is no longer there but  Fullerton Hall now occupies the place where the speaker's platform and a part of the gallery were located. These historic spaces  stand preserved and  renovated .On the steps ascending the Fullerton Hall of the Art Institute,  in 2017, an Indian artist Jitish Kallat, set up an art installation comprising LED displays, which laid out the text of Swami Ji's famous, “Sisters and Brothers of America” speech. Swami Ji's message to America was this:-

" I do not want to convert you to a new belief. I want you to keep your own belief; I want to make the Methodist a better Methodist, the Muslim a better Muslim, the Hindu a better Hindu.I do not say to the West, ‘take up our method.’ My message in life is to ask East and West not to quarrel over different ideals, but to show them that the goal is the same.”

( Avtar Mota )

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

NAZIR AKBARABADI: PEOPLE'S POET FROM INDIA

                                        

                                  

                                        

PEOPLE'S POET ...NAZIR  AKBARABADI...( 1735-1830)

...

"Aashiq Kaho Aseer Kaho Aagray Ka Hai..

.Mulla Kaho Dabeer Kaho Aagray Ka hai ....

Muflis Kaho Faqeer Kaho Aagray Ka hai ...

Shayaar Kaho Nazir Kaho Aagray Ka Hai ..."

......,.

He loved , lived and died in Tajganj Agra.A sample of his  Dohas .. I quote some..

"Kook karoon to jag hansey

Chhu  ke laage gaav..

Aissay kathin sneh ko

Kiss vidhi karoo upaav."

"Jo me aissa jaanati

Preet kiye dukh hoye

Nagar dindoraa peetati

Preet na keeje koye.."

"Dil chaahe dildaar ko

Tan chaahe aaraam

Duvidhaa mein dovoo gaye

Maaya mili na Raam.'

"Virah aag tan mein lagi

Jaran lage sab gaat

Naari chhoovat vaid ke

Parray fafolay haathh.."

"Neh Nagar ki reet hai

Tan mun dehoo khoye

Preet dagar jab pag rakhaa

Honee ho so hoye."

And Nazir Akbarabaadi writes this about  Guru Nanak Dev Ji  :,-

Dukh Dard Mein Apnay Dhyaan Lagaa

Jis waqt Guru Ka Naam Liyaa

Pal Beech Guru ne Aan Unhein

Khush-haal Kiyaa aur Thaam Liya

Iss Baksheesh Ke Iss Azmat ke

Hain Baba Nanak Shaah Guru

Sab sees Navaa Ardaas Karo

Hardam Bolo Sab Vaahe Guru "

In is Poem  "Mussadas Kareema" , Nazir writes this :-

"Sada Dil Mein Aey Momin e Paakbaaz

Vuzoo Kar Ke Parr Panj Vaqti Nimaaz

Ba waqt e Munaajaat  Ba Sad Niyaaz

Yeh Keh Apne Haathon Ko Kar Ke Daraaz

"kareema e Bakshaaye bar Haal maan

Ki hastam Aseer e Qamandhe Hawaa "

In his poem  "Ganesh Ji Ki Astuti " Nazir writes this :-

"Ek Dant Ko Jo dekha Kya Khoob Hai Bahaar

Iss par Hazaar Chand ki Shobhaa Ko Daaloon Vaar

Inn Ke Gunaanuvaad Ka Hai Kuchh Nahin Shumaar

Har  waqt Dil mein Aataa hai apnay yehi Vichaar

Har Aan Dhyaan Keejiye Sumiran Ganesh Ji

Deveingay Ridh sidh aur Ann Dhan Ganesh ji"

Some lines from his poem Banjara-naama ..

"Tuk Hirso Hawa ko Chhod Miyaan

Mut Des Bides Phire Maara

Qazaak Azal Kaa Lootey Hai

Din Raat Bajaa Kar Naqaara

Kya Bagiyaa, Bains ,Bhael ,Shutur

Kya Goune Palla Sar Bhaara

Kya Gainhoon, Chaaval, Moth ,Matter

Kya Aag, Dhuvaan, Aur Angaara

Sab Thaath Pada Reh Jaavega

Jab Laad Chalegaa Banjaara......"

.

On Idd ul Fitr Nazir writes this :-

"Rozon ki Sakhtiyon me na hotey agar Aseer

Tau Aisee Eid ki Na Khushi Hotee Dilpizeer

Sab Shaad hain Gadhaa se lagaa Shah Ta wazir

Dekha jo Hum ne Khoob to Sach hai Miyaan nazir

Aisee na Shab Baraat na Bakr Eid ki Khushi

Jaisi Har Ek Dil Ko Hai Iss Eid Ki Khushi."

Nazir wrote a beautiful poem of Baal leela or childhood of Sri Krishna...I quote some lines:-

"Taareef Karoon Ab Mein Kya kya

Us Murli Adhar Bajaiyaa ki

Nit Seva Kunj Firayaa ki

Aur Bun Bun Gavoo Chareyaa ki

Gopal, Bihari , Banwaari

Dukh Harna Mehr Kareyaa ki

Girdhari Sunder Shyaam Baran

Aur Haldhar Joo Ke Bhaiyaa ki

Yeh Leela hai Us Nand Lalan

Manmohan jasumati Chhaiyaa ki

Rakh Dhyaan Suno Dhandout Karo

Jai Bolo Krishen Kanhhaya ki.."

Nazir was born  in the year 1735. Around this time,  Nadir shah had started his plunder and attacks on  Delhi . .Ahmed Shah Abdali also attacked and ransacked Delhi thrice ( 1748,1751and 1756 ). Fed up with this loot and plunder , Nazir's family shifted to Agra permanently and lived in Taaj Ganj. He was proficient in Urdu , Persian , Punjabi , Marwari , Purbi and Hindi . For most of his life he did nothing except teaching six sons of Lala Vilaas Ram of Agra wherefrom he got 13 rupees per month as his salary for many years . He spent his life with this income only. Nawab Saadat Ali Khan of Lucknow and the Nawab of Bharatpur repeatedly requested Nazir to shift from Agra but this simple man was content with an income of just 13 rupees per month . Nazir wrote for all. He wrote for children , youth , old people and women. He wrote for hindus , Muslims and Sikhs.This Indian poet is also known as "Father of Nazm", who wrote Urdu ghazals and nazms under nom de plume (takhallus) "Nazeer", most remembered for his poems like Banjaranama (chronicle of the Nomad), a satire.He left for us about 600 Ghazals, although his nazms are said to be more worthy of admiration. In fact, Nazeer's growing popularity is due to his nazms. He was purely a "People's poet" and his nazms reflected various aspects of the daily life of his age, all types of religious and social events with even minor details in which common people can be seen laughing, singing, teasing, playing. He wrote nazams about religious and social festivals, such as Diwali, Holi, Eid, Shab-e-baraat, about fruits and about animals and birds, about seasons and even inanimate objects, such as paisa, rupaiya, rotiyaan, aata-daal (meaning "flour" and "lentils"), "pankha" (meaning "fan") and "kakrhi" (a kind of cucumber). He wrote nazms about different aspects of human life, such as "muflisi" (Urdu word meaning "poverty") and "kohrinamah" (chronicle of a leper).

Nazir's father was Muhammad Farooq and his mother was the daughter of Nawab Sultan Khan ,the then governor of Agra Fort. Agra, the Indian city, was known as Akbarabad after Mughal emperor Akbar at that time.

Nazir was a people's poet. Read him  and you find him a master who  knows the art of representing pain with a smile and wit. It is said that Nazir’s poetic treasure consisted of about 200,000 couplets. His poems are loved by ordinary folks even  to this day. He wrote nazms about different aspects of human life, such as "muflisi" (Urdu word meaning "poverty") and  "kohrinamah" (chronicle of a leper). The canvas of Nazir's nazms is so vast that it encompasses all aspects of human behaviour and every person can find nazms that can suit his taste.

He wrote poems, drawing upon the Indian locale for his themes. Being an exponent of nature, festivals, and the common folk, Nazir Akbarabadi was hailed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century as one of the foremost poets of Urdu.

                                     

               ( Mazaar of Nazir Akbarabadi ) 

Since many decades. citizens  of Agra, gather at the ‘Mazaar’ of  the poet in Tajganj area on Basant Panchami, to pay tributes to him and pray for communal harmony.

Nazir  is  ever matchless...

(Avtar Mota )

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

CHENGHIS KHAN , LORD SHIVA, AND THE KHANATES OF CENTRAL ASIA

                                       

  ( Genghis Khan on tapestry done in Mongolia in Buddhist Tankha style  ..Photo ..Prof. Isabelle  Charleux ) 

 

  ( A popular Mongolian portrait of Genghis Khan) with a trident ..Photo ..   Isabelle  Charleux )  

 ( Genghis Khan riding a white horse.. Photo Prof Isabelle  Charleux)

   ( Genghis Khan as Dharmapala.. Photo Prof Isabelle  Charleux)

                ( Genghis Khan in warrior dress)

                   ( Khan Tengri  mountain peak )

                        ( Sacred symbol in Tengrism )

                               ( Genghis Khan  ) 

( Dayicin Tngri : photo Prof Isabelle  Charleux)

TENGRISM ,LORD SHIVA , CHENGHIS KHAN  AND THE KHANATES   OF CENTRAL ASIA

 

Khanates were typically nomadic Turkic, Mongol and Tatar societies located on the Eurasian Steppe. In political terms, their status was equivalent to kinship-based chiefdoms and feudal monarchies. The term "Khan" typically refers to rulers in Central Asian and Mongolian contexts. However, historically, during the medieval period, parts of Eastern Europe came under the rule of the Golden Horde, a Mongol Khanate. This included regions of modern-day Russia, Ukraine, and parts of Eastern Europe. Accordingly, one may find some people with Khan as their surname in these countries as well. Thus, Khanate was the region ruled by a Khan, a Mongol or Turkic supreme tribal leader elevated by the support of his warriors. 

Genghis Khan was born under his real name Temujin as the son of a Mongol tribal leader. The Mongols were nomads living in the region north of the great Gobi desert and South of Siberia. The Mongol nomads were organised in different clans that occasionally fought against each other. Temujin first made himself a name by defeating the Tartars, and then by and by unified the different tribes under his rule. In 1206, he changed his name to Genghis Khan, meaning something like "The Universal Leader".

The name of Genghis Khan and the women who contributed to the rise of his empire have long been associated with barbarism in the West. ‘He was ruthless and harsh’; that is what most of us believe .However, the rediscovery of the ‘Secret History of the Mongols', a medieval Mongolian epic chronicle, in 1866, and its numerous translations circulating since the mid-20th century has led Western scholars to a total revaluation of Genghis Khan and his rule .Genghis Khan was not only a military genius, but also a great statesman and diplomat. Through a combination of armed force and diplomacy, he managed to merge the complex system of alliances which existed between diverse tribes into a powerful confederacy that swept across most of Eurasia, starting in 1219. Prof Jack Weatherford author of the book, "The Secret History of Mongol Queens  - How The Daughters Of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire " writes  that  the Mongol queens of the thirteenth century ruled the largest empire the world has ever known. 'The daughters of the Silk Route'  turned their father’s conquests into the first truly international empire, fostering trade, education, and religion throughout their territories and creating an economic system that stretched from the Pacific to the Mediterranean. Yet sometime near the end of the century, censors cut a section about the queens from the 'Secret History of the Mongols’, and, with that one act, the dynasty of these royals had seemingly been extinguished forever, as 'even their names were erased from the historical record' .

On Genghis Khan's death in 1227, his empire was divided into four parts, each ruled by one of his descendants. By the mid-13th century the Mongol empire consisted of four Khanates; the Khanate of the Western Kipchaks (the Golden Horde); the Khanate of Persia, whose ruler was called the Il-Khan; the Khanate of Turkistan (the White Horde of the Eastern Kipchaks), and the Khanate of the Khakhan in East Asia. The three Khans were subject to the Khakhan (the Great Khan), but were generally resentful in their relations with him. After the death of Kublai Khan (1294), the grandson of Genghis khan, the Khakhan's authority was nominal. In 1368, the Mongols were driven out of China and by c.1500 all four Khanates had disappeared. A number of lesser Khanates emerged; the Khanates of Kazan, Astrakhan, the Crimea, Khiva, Bukhara, Tashkent, Samarkand, and Kokand. These long presented a threat to the communities surrounding them. One by one all were absorbed by Russia. The last to fall was Kokand (1876).

Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, primarily practiced Tengrism, a Central Asian religion that involves Shamanistic and animistic elements, focusing on the worship of the sky god Tengri or his wife Umai. Many  scholars the world over  hold a view that by attributes,  Tengri is none other than Shiva while Umai is Parvati or  Uma .Scholars are also  of the view that  Kuk-Tengri ( blue sky) and Goddess Umai have parallels with the blue-throated Shiva or Neelkantha and Uma ( Parvati ). It is pertinent to mention that the Tengri worshipping Huns of the Central Asia identified Tengri with Shiva once they took control of Northern India and integrated Hindu beliefs in their faith. We have recorded history and numismatic evidence of Mihirkula on this issue. Mihirkula was the second and last Alchon Hun king of northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent between 502 and 530 CE. He was a son of and successor to Toramana of Huna heritage. His father ruled the Indian part of the Hephthalite Empire. Mihirakula ruled from his capital of Sagala (present day Sialkot). Kalhana also makes mention of this in his Rajatarangini.

                                                   

  (  Shiva’s Trishula  or trident seen  in the coins of Mihirkula’s period )

The concept of Dyaus Pitr (Sky Father) in Hinduism is very similar to the concept of Tengri even though at present, Dyaus Pitr doesn't have much relevance in Hinduism. In Tengrism, worship of sky and also Khan Tengri Mountain is essential. Khan Tengri Mountain is located on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border and 7 km west of the China border in the remote heart of the Central Tian Shan. The mountain peak is about 23000 feet above sea level. Khan Tengri’s name means “Ruler of the Skies” in Turkic as the mountain was worshipped as a god .The Pyramid shaped Khan Tengri Mountain was held sacred by Genghis Khan as well. Like Hindus consider mount Kailash as sacred, Mongolians believing Tengrism, considered Khan Tengri Mountain very sacred and believe it to be the abode of the blue sky god Tengri. Apart from blue sky, Tengrism also treats Fire, Water, Sun, Moon, Stars, Air, Clouds, Wind, Storm, Thunder Lightning, Rain and Rainbow as deities. There is a concept of fertile "Mother Earth" in Tengrism. This all comes very close to Vedic Hinduism. Before the arrival of Islam, most of the Turkic peoples were followers of Tengrism, sharing the cult of the sky god Tengri, although there were also adherents of Manichaeism, Nestorian Christianity, and Buddhism. 

Kushans had a deep religious and cultural influence in almost entire Central Asia. Even after the end of   the Kushan Empire, this influence survived for many centuries. A trident like object was considered sacred even in the Khanates.  There is an old Thangka   painting done on silk cloth held  by  Hopp Ferenc Museum ,Budapest  ( Hungary )   showing  Dayicin Tngri ( also known as Daichsun Tngri or Dayisud Tngri)  ,the warrior deity or war god of protective function in Tengrism and Shamanism( known to Mongolians)  with a Tilaka on his  forehead and a  symbolic trident ( Trishula ) of Shiva. One of Tengri’s forms is Dayicin Tngri, the red god of war. During campaigns, soldiers would offer sacrifices to Dayicin Tngri in order to have his favour in battle. This god is one among the Mongolian pantheon of 99 Tngri. This painting was done in Mongolia during early 19th century. It bears strong influence of Lamaism" (Tibetan Buddhism). It is said that the 5th Dalai Lama composed invocations to this deity .Mongolians believe that it was Dayicin Tngri who ordered from Heaven and earth to make Temujin (Genghis Khan) the lord of the Mongolian nation and ruler of the world. This painting has been uploaded on internet by Prof Isabelle Charleux. Another Thangka  painting worshipped in Sasa monastery, Mongolia  shows Genghis Khan as  Dharmapala, a ferocious protective Buddhist  deity .The inscription on the painting reads: "Yeke mergen Cinggis Qaγan" ('Great sage Genghis Khan') in Mongolian. Another painting uploaded by Prof Isabelle Charleux shows Genghis Khan riding a white horse holding a flag with Swastika symbol.  Dr Lokesh. Chandra, eminent scholar writes this:-

‘In Mongolia they have Kalidasa’s Meghdoota in Mongolian. The Astangahridaya Samhita of Vagbhata is translated in Mongolian and they follow it. Most of the culture in Mongolia has gone from India.The name of the Mongolian president during the communist period was Shambu. Mongolia’s highest civilian award, the North Star, refers to Dhruva Tara or Sudarshan.Apart from our literary and Ayurvedic texts, Mongolians fascination with Indian culture dates back to the very foundation of the empire. The proof of which is Lord Shiva's Trishul that is depicted in the scepter of Emperor Genghis Khan, the founder of Mongol empire. This symbol could have been borrowed from Kanishka's Kushan dynasty when they were in Central Asia. Religion gave the nomadic Mongols a sense of stability. Monasteries were built and the transition began from nomadic to settled life with development and buildings."

Despite his personal beliefs, Genghis Khan was known for his policy of religious tolerance, allowing various religions such as Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and others to flourish within his empire. Kublai Khan, the grandson of Chenghis Khan and the founder of the Yuan dynasty in China, primarily practiced Buddhism. He promoted Buddhism throughout his reign, even making it the state religion. 

Mongolians are generally very proud of Genghis Khan and his legacy. He is regarded as the founding father of the Mongol Empire and one of the most influential historical figures in Mongolian culture and history. He is their national identity, the airport is named after him and the largest statue of a horse and rider in the world is of him. Under his leadership, the Mongol Empire experienced a golden age of military conquest, technological advancement, and cultural exchange. This period of Mongol dominance is seen as a high point in Mongolian national identity and power. Genghis Khan's military conquests, political reforms, and cultural influence are seen as major sources of Mongolian pride and identity. The Mongolians are fairly critical of what they believe is an overly negative image of their national hero in the Western literature, films, and other outlets. In the Mongolian folk religion, Genghis Khan is considered one of the embodiments, if not the main embodiment, of the Tengri spirit. The Mausoleum of Genghis Khan in Ordos City, in Inner Mongolia, is an important center of this worship tradition.

 

( Avtar Mota)

 

Sources

(1)Books and writings of eminent scholar   Prof Lokesh Chandra

(2) Write-ups of Prof Isabelle Charleux.. French National Centre For Scientific Research.

(3) Book "Secret History of the Mongols" translated into English by Christopher P Atwood.

(4) Book "The Secret History of Mongol Queens  - How The Daughters Of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire " by Prof Jack Weatherford.

(5) Writings of Prof Baatr Kitinov , Associate Professor, Institute of Oriental Studies, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia.

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

A VISIT TO ROAMING WOODS LAKE ,PENNSYLVANIA.

                                  

                                            

                                            

                                  

8

                                         

A Visit to  Roaming Woods Lake,  Pennsylvania,USA

We came  to Roaming Woods Lake in Pennsylvania on 19th July 2024. It was about 2 and a half hours car journey  from Jersey city  . We  stayed in a newly built house booked through Airbnb  on the bank of Roaming Woods Lake . The lake and the colony of more than 3000 houses is in a forest area  .Our beautiful and tidy accommodation was a  3 bedroom house built completely with wood, vinyl sheets , asphalt and fibreglass. This is much sought after building material the  for residential houses in the US.  Wooden logs become RCC pillars to support the structure. I was told that  using  stones, bricks and cement is expensive and time consuming. One can build a house with 3 bedrooms and basement in just 20 to 30 days. Everything almost   is pre-fabricated  and done with nuts and bolts. And residential buildings are less of a mason's job but more of a carpenter's work.  I was told that many people build their own houses if it is a smaller set up. Walls are made from compressed wooden sheets while load is supported by wooden pillars . Asphalt sheets are used for roofing. These houses are pretty warm in winter and comfortable  in summer. I saw a  recreational vehicle ( RV) and boats in many houses  .  

Coming to Roaming woods Lake ;Roaming Woods Lake is a 198-acre lake located in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. It is nestled in the lake homes community called "The Hideout" . Philadelphia is 135 miles south, and New York City is roughly 120 miles southeast of this lake . The area has plenty snowfall in winters while summers are  not so hot. The climate is like Kashmir ( a little colder and comparable with Pahalgham ). Apples will be harvested from late August. I saw them on trees. Entry to the residential colony ( Hideout ) is only after proper verification at the entrance . The residents have put system and order in every affair that concerns general security and protection of the  lake and the environment .

There is a Public Safety Department  set up by residents in this area  for security, watch and ward  and general  emergencies. This Public Safety Department utilizes a fleet of 5 camera equipped radio motor Patrol Vehicles  with fully equipped Emergency Services Response  equipment. All Patrol Officers are 1st Aid, CPR and AED Certified with some officers being Certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s).  Every Patrol Vehicle is also equipped with a fully stocked medical response bag including an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and oxygen tank. During medical emergencies, residents can call  the Public Security  officers for help or moving some sick to hospital. This is something amazing and a perfect  support structure for many seniors living in this colony.

Since the lake is in a forest area, we saw some  rabbits and deers  . There are noticeboard to take care and not litter garbage anywhere that may attract bears. The lake water is crystal clear .The average depth of Roaming Woods Lake is 6 feet, however, the deepest portion is close to 17 feet in depth. It is also supplied for drinking  to residents . At two  corners of the lake, two beaches  have been developed for  swimming and  boating . Enough sand  has been put in these corners with Kayak boats, jet boats, and speed boats for surf riding. There are two swimming pools ; one for adults and one for children.  There are some more water sports for children. To throw anything into the lake or litter around the lake is a punishable . You can be asked to leave the lake with a fine of 500 dollars by guards. No residential boats or houseboats are allowed to be built in the lake. No drain or  any dirty water is fed to the lake which like many other lakes in this area serves as the reservoir of drinking water.

The lake is full of fish,  the major variety being Lake trout and Largemouth Bass. I was told that the residents living in the colony ( Hideout )  around the lake spend around 3,00,000 dollars per annum to keep the lake clean.The lake is in a way owned by the residents who look after its cleanliness and maintenance passionately.  There are about 3000 plus residential houses  around the lake . The residents have built a Club House with restaurant and bar, a tennis court, golf course, winter ski slope   and some more recreational facilities .Apart from Roaming Woods Lake, the residents also take care of  two other lakes in this area known as Deerfield Lake and  Brooks Lake. Also located within the community is Windermere Lake, Hidden Lake, and Big Springs Pond.

This is the story of one lake, one can find thousands of similar lakes in the US  ; maintained ,protected and all beautiful. We also saw Wallenpaupack Lake  enroute our journey.I saw many such lakes in New England  as well.

I wish this type of ownership existed among Dal dwellers  in Kashmir . Alas ! our Dal Lake is almost dead.

( Avtar Mota ) 

PS

United States has an estimated  125,000 lakes  in the lower 48 states that are larger than 20 acres. The U.S. Geological Survey also notes that the country has about 250 freshwater lakes that are at least 10 square miles in surface area. Of those, nearly 100 are in Alaska, and another 100 are in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and Maine.

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CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.