Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Swami Kamalananda Bharati: Hate Speech or Sage advice?
Monday, October 22, 2012
Their last journey - Cattle Trafficking to Kerala
Labels: cattle, cattle mafia, cow protection, cows, goshala, kerala, temples
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Sri Muniyandi" The 1 M who beat the 4 M
Sri Muniyandi: The 1 M who beat the 4 M
S V Badri
6 February 2011
In Mathematics, 1 M is always less than 4 M. But when the M on the left side of the equation is a superhero of a Hindu jati dharma, it can beat any multiples of the M on the right side of the equation. Such is the power of jati dharma.
The 1 M in the present instance is Muniyandi, grama devata of the Telugu Velama Naidus. Their village deity. The vanquished 4 M are Missionary, Mullah, Marxist and Macaulay-putras (the secular born-Hindu Hindu-hating elites that are the cause of so many of our current woes as a society and as a nation).
Sri Muniyandi Swamy’s kshetra spans 53 villages in a district in Tamil Nadu. And so powerful is the deity’s presence in the hearts of his devotees that entire families, parents, children, et al, come annually to pay obeisance. Thus, when every nerve of Bharat is stretched taut by the challenges posed by the 4 M, which have disproportionate resources at their command, the dharma of a small jati inhibits them from having a presence in 53 villages near Madurai. By any standards this is a unique achievement, but in Dravidian country, it is simply staggering. Clearly the answer to Missionary FDI in Bharat is Faith Determines India (FDI).
Ramesh Naidu, whom I have known for close to thirty years, used to report to me in a large chemical company where I last worked. I took voluntary retirement to serve the Hindu cause, and Ramesh Naidu left a year later to start a small hotel at Velachery, Chennai. I didn’t know why he made this switch, but during a subsequent interaction, I learnt about his village and his hotel, which belongs to the largest chain of hotels owned by members of one jati dharma in the world - the Madurai Sri Muniyandi Vilas Chain of Hotels, founded by members of the Telugu-speaking Velama Naidu jati.
And that was a revelation about the inherent strength of our jati dharma.
It all started in Vadakampatti, a sleepy, rain-fed, almost barren village 15 kms before Virudunagar and 35 five kms from Madurai. With no rains and depleting livelihoods, they found sustenance difficult and most of the people migrated to Madurai and elsewhere. However, Subba Naidu had a strange attachment to his village, married into the most affluent family of the village, and was good at only one thing: dreaming.
1 M = Muniyandi Swami – The Origin
Sri Muniyandi Swami, grama devata, is the ishta devata (beloved, personal deity) of 53 villages across the Madurai-Virudunagar highway. The Telugu Velama Naidus are the predominant jati in Vadakampatti village. In 1935, Subba Naidu knew nothing about the power of this grama devata. His family’s kula devata (clan deity) was the presiding deity of the Sri Vaishnava Mandir, Sri Azhagar Swami of Madurai, who is worshipped as the elder brother of Madurai’s own Sri Meenakshi Amman.
Subba Naidu began to have dreams of a man who came in his dreams and vanished before he could realize who He was. He suspected it was Muniyandi, the Protector his mother always spoke about in his childhood. Muniyandi was playing games with him, disappearing each time he opened his eyes. His time was spent either eating or dreaming on the steps of the pond where there was no temple. Having married into a wealthy family, he became indolent, but pressure at home mounted as his mother-in-law chided him to make his life fruitful. After one intolerable argument, he sought solace in his favorite vocation - dreaming - on the steps of the village pond.
That night, Muniyandi came in his dreams. Absolute black and resplendent in all His glory, and in a gruff voice commanded. “Subba, tomorrow morning you will see a white horse. Follow it where it leads you, and stop where it stops, to start your first eatery. I shall be there not only to protect you, but also those who follow you into this profession. But you will remember to provide Annadanam (food without cost) to those in need without fail”.
Subba Naidu woke up with a start. Astonishingly, he found a Muniyandi Vigraha on the banks of the pond he often loitered around. He set up the Vigraha, performed the few pujas he knew, and took his wife and mother-in-law into confidence regarding the Divine encounter. Then, borrowing a princely sum of Rs. 500 from his mother-in-law, he waited near the village pond the next morning.
Barely had he taken the blessings of Sri Muniyandi than there appeared the vision of a white horse before him. It whined; he heard - On the mark, Get Set, Go – but pleaded that he could not run fast. The horse nodded and started a mild gallop. Subba followed it from Vadukampatti village to Karaikudi, some three hours by current bus running standards. After approaching a building at Karaikudi, the vision disappeared. Subba went in and stuck a deal for lease of the first of the world famous Madurai Sri Muniyandi Vilas Hotels. And there was no turning back. Today, there are 850 Madurai Sri Muniyandi Vilas Hotels throughout India, one each in China and Dubai.
Strength of Jati Dharma
Within a year, Puducherry and Villupuram appeared on the Muniyandi Map, with Chennai, Cuddalore, Thiruvannamalai following suit. The mouth watering biryani was introduced the next year. The first buffet system in the world was started by the Madurai Sri Muniyandi Vilas Hotels. Subba Naidu used to carry a tray with various non-vegetarian dishes in small plates to each of his diners and invite them to pick up what they preferred to eat. He would then go and bring the hot chosen dish and serve the diner.
Subba Naidu returned to his village to pay obeisance to Muniyandi. He then handpicked the families that needed his help and set for them similar eateries in various parts of Tamil Nadu. And so this jati discovered its dharma. Each beneficiary started funding others keen to run an eatery but without resources of logistical support. The Madurai Sri Muniyandi Vilas Naidu Sangam was born to support private enterprise of the jati. The dream of Subba Naidu is today a reality as perhaps the world’s largest chain of hotels owned by one jati – the Telugu Velama Naidus.
76 Years of Annadanam: A Tribute to Muniyandi
It was 76 years ago, on the third Friday of the Tamil month of Thai (third Friday of January), that Subba Naidu started the most memorable festival for Muniyandi – the Festival of Annadanam, known today as Annadana Puja for Muniyandi. It has never been interrupted. For two days, the people of the 53 villages congregate at Vadakampatti, the place of Muniyandi’s appearance, with their families, especially those who own hotels in His name throughout the country. And for 24 hours on these two days, there is Annadanam for all. Serpentine queues form outside the makeshift tents and as in the rajasuyayagna of Yudhistira, no one is turned back at any time of the day or night. People from all jatis, rich and poor alike, sit next to each other to eat the sumptuous Annadanam. There is no jumping of the queue. Enthusiastic men and women serve the diners on thalai vazhai ilai (plantain leaves), always asking each diner if they could serve a little more.
Third Friday, Thai Masam (mid-Jan to mid-Feb)
Women, men and children carry milk or tender coconut water on their heads to perform abhishekam to Muniyandi. The procession takes three hours to reach a destination barely half a kilometer from the heart of the village. The tharai, thambhattai, the famous music Sivamani picked up from such villages to splash on TV following Chennai Super Kings; roars in rhythmic glory. As boys of all ages dance in front of the procession, the village nadaswaram follows, with tavil in attendance. Some women get into “sami attam”, a stage of hysterical dance. But these are no ordinary village women, each is the wife of a crorepati, and would normally be reticent in their hometowns and cities. This is the first half of the two day ritual. After abhishekam and the mahadeeparadhana, they return to their ancestral homes that each family feels privileged to maintain in the village, to smell the native soil and be part of their own God’s festivities. This is followed by annadanam.
The Evening
In the evening, the rituals are exclusive to womenfolk. At front of each home, the women gather with coconut, beetle leaves, fruits and flowers, spread in a tray and placed on their heads with great reverence, to give thanks to their protector. The procession starts from the last house of the village and as it moves forward, people from the households join in. Village belles showcase their “Oyil Attams” in front of the procession. Fireworks light the sky as the procession proceeds to Sri Muniyandi/Sri Karuppannaswamy Mandir. A huge garland is carried with great devotion and offered to Sri Muniyandi.
As in every village festival, there is a music session in the evening, preceded by a small meeting. I had the honor to address the villagers in the last two years about how their jati dharma stands in protection of Sanatana Dharma. Subba Naidu’s great-grand children are called to the stage and honored to this day.
Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian
Surprise. Sri Muniyandi, in whose name there are 850 non-vegetarian hotels throughout India, is considered a vegetarian and the prasad made for him is sweet pongal. Women with a vow to fulfill prepare sweet pongal for him. Muniyandi’s fellow-protector, Sri Karuppannaswamy, the co-grama devata, needs non-vegetarian fare.
So on the first day of the festivities, for Muniyandi, the entire villages become vegetarian. On the second day, for Sri Karuppannaswamy, the fare becomes totally non-veg.
People with wishes make a wish to Karuppannaswamy, who resides outside the Muniyandi premises. Each year, nearly 200 goats and 60 chickens are sacrificed by those whose vows have been fulfilled. That night you can see villagers from 53 villages sleeping outside the mandir premises, with gigantic queues forming to take the biryani prasad made from the sacrifice.
A Handful of Mud
The Velama Naidus belonging to these 53 villages have taken a handful of village mud and built Sri Karuppannaswamy Muniyandi Mandirs in their villages. But as this is the original village of Muniyandi, they make it a point to participate in the celebrations in the month of Thai, and celebrate festivals in their own villages in the months of March and April. In these villages, everyone is embraced as a relative, and it is common to be addressed as “Bava” (brother-in-Law), Mappillai (son-in-law), Chithappu (uncle) or Mama (maternal Uncle). It is most endearing.
Dr. Subramanian Swamy immediately agreed to attend a festival when he learnt about this cluster of villages centred at Vadakampatti. He drove 40 kms from Madurai and spent an hour in the village, interacting with the people. His parting remarks were: “If I am fighting for Sanatana Dharma in various court cases, here you are keeping our jati dharma alive at grassroot levels. You are the real upholders of our Dharma”.
1 M beat 4 M
Most significantly, in all these 53 villages, there is NOT a single church or a masjid anywhere in the vicinity. Not one cent of land is sold to practitioners of other faith; Muniyandi allows them to deal only with people of the faith. No Macaulay-putras, Marxists, Missionaries, Maulvis. ONLY Muniyandis. Marriages are necessarily within the jati dharma, and they willingly come forward to help their brethren who need help at the time of marriages or setting up new hotel ventures. There is no distinction between rich and poor within the jati marriages. The daughter of a not-so-affluent hotel owner will be welcomed into a rich and prosperous Muniyandi hotel owner’s home. The logic is – Mana Naidu Bava, Manamu Help Cheyaali – we have to help our Naidu brothers.
A VVIP visitor
The villagers made an enormous request to me this year. Can a VVIP personally known to me come to their village and bless them? Will he offer vibhuti and kumkum prasad from His hands to the simple folk? I am visiting Him this month to place their request at His holy feet. I am confident he will say YES and be at Vadukampatti on the third Friday of 2012 to bless these wonderful Sanatana Dharmis who have proved that jati dharma is the way to keep them together and keep 4 M at bay.
The VVIP they yearn to have darshan of is Sri Sri Sri Jayendra Saraswati Shankaracharya Swamiji of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. He has in the past blessed many villages following my personal prayer to Him. I intend to seek His presence at Vadukampatti.
For viewing photos click:
http://picasaweb.google.com/
(The author is a social activist)
Friday, February 27, 2009
Bhakti Maha Sangamam - The Tirupathi meet
Bhakti Maha Sangamam - The Tirupathi meet
S V Badri
27 February 2009
Kamal Kumar Swamiji’s name inspires and draws thousands of Hindus of all castes, specially the oppressed and downtrodden, the Lambadas and the most backward in Andhra Pradesh. This was evident when over 15,000 simple bhaktas joined him on the concluding lap of his Mahapadayatra that took 197 days, through 11 districts of Andhra Pradesh, a walkathon encompassing 5,255 kms. of unimaginable terrain!
Swamiji, founder General Secretary of the Hindu Devalaya Parirakshana Samiti, A.P., began his second Mahapadayatra on 6 August 2008, from Sri Kurmam Mandir, Srikakulam District, and reached Tirupathi on 14 February 2009. The first Mahapadayatra, from Saraswati Mandir, Basara, to Tirupathi, covered 3,200 kms.
This time the canvass was much bigger. Each of the 11 districts now has a proper secretariat of the Hindu Devalaya Parirakshana Samiti, with members drawn from all castes. Each of the over 788 villages that Swamiji traversed is now charged with bhakta fervour. People’s groups have been formed in each village to take care of their own Mandir affairs.
The most gratifying result of the Mahapadayatra was to bring awareness to common bhaktas in remote villages and disjointed Hindus in towns about the fate of Hindu Mandirs under Government control. The fiery and informative speeches of Kamal Kumar Swamiji had the desired effect at each myriad stop, and the Tirupathi Maha Bhakti Sangamam meet had representatives from EVERY village he passed through.
By the evening of 15 February, hundreds of bhaktas were pouring into Tirupathi. They were received and rested in six kalyana mandapams, and offered annadana with the respect due to a Hindu Atithi (guest).
The Grand Procession
The procession was grand and colourful. Over 15,000 bhaktas, each with saffron angavastram round the neck, men and women of all ages, some with infants, walked with a spring in their steps, led by Kamal Kumar Swamiji. Bhaktas dressed as Kali, Hanuman, Rama, Krishna… At every stop, they enacted tribal dance sequences of Mahishasuramardini, Asuravadha by the Devas, to the delight of onlookers lined on both sides of the roads.
The three kilometer-long procession enlivened the pilgrimage town. The tribal drummers were at their best, with beats reverberating in the air, long after they left. Slogans pierced the skies, calling for abolishment of the Endowment Department and returning Mandirs to Hindus for proper management, for providing Nitya Dhoop, Deep, Nivedanam to our Gods and Goddesses.
The procession took more than four hours to reach the Municipal School Grounds, the venue for the Maha Bhakti Sangamam. The colourful pandals and shamianas offered relief from the scorching February sun. Hospitality flowed, and the public meeting which began at 1 p.m. went on till 6.30 p.m. Dr. Subramanian Swamy, former Union Minister, presided over the Maha Bhakti Sangamam. Over 30 district functionaries of the Hindu Devalaya Parirakshana Samiti were invited to share the dais. Sri M. Subramaniam Yadav, Vice President of the Hindu Devalaya Parirakshana Samiti (HDPS) received the dignitaries and Bhaktas and gave a brief summary of Swami Kamal Kumarji’s second Mahapadayatra.
Sri Yelamanchi Prasad, Chairman, Global Hindu Heritage Foundation, USA cited examples of discrimination against Hindus in India and the appeasement of minorities. He gave a clarion call for the Government to “Quit Mandirs” and to leave Hindu Mandir affairs to Bhaktas.
Smt Lakshmi Parvati, wife of late Shri N.T. Rama Rao and President of NTR Telugu Desam spoke of the spiritual vastness of Sanatana Dharma and the importance of Mandirs in our Dharma. She recalled how her late husband had always worked for the cause of improving the conditions of the Hindu Mandirs.
Sri Bandaru Dattatreya, President, AP State unit of BJP, lambasted Chief Minister Samuel Reddy for not keeping his word of rebuilding the 1000 Pillared Mandap at Tirumala. He reminded the public that Mr. Chandrababu Naidu lost the election because he allowed the ancient Mandapam to be brought down during his regime. He warned a similar fate awaited the present government. He accused the regime of allowing 65000 acres of Mandir lands in AP to slip silently into private hands.
Dr. Subramanian Swamy rued that we are not consolidating as a Hindu vote bank, unlike the minorities, who get away with everything with just this weapon in hand. He briefed the cheering audience about his efforts through the courts to prevent the destruction of the Ram Setu by the Sonia-led UPA. While this government could not take an alternate alignment to protect the Ram Setu, it had no qualms in changing the entire alignment of a railway line in the Konkan area to protect a Church.
Dr. Swamy gave statistics of how the numbers of Mandirs are allowed to dwindle while in the same period, churches and mosques have increased exponentially, dotting the Andhra landscape under the Christian YSR regime. There are 42 mosques in Ayodhya where no Muslim offers prayers, while they fight for Babri where no prayers were offered for generations.
He said that even in Saudi Arabia they bring down mosques obstructing road projects, and a mosque can be relocated anywhere as the sanctity is of the Namaz, not the building. In contrast, the Mandirs are sacred as Prana Pratistha of the Vigraha and consecration is done as per the Agamas.
Dr Swamy averred that he would be impleading himself in the Chidambaram Nataraja Mandir case on behalf of the Dikshitars and would take the Ayodhya case to the Supreme Court. He assured the public that very soon restrictions on offering pujas to Sri Rama would be removed and bhaktas will have free darshan. He lamented that while it was Sri Krishna who was born in Kamsa’s jail, the present regime has put Rama behind bars in Ayodhya. It was my pleasant duty to translate this electrifying speech into Telugu.
Sri Datta Vijayananda Teerdha Swamiji of Avadhuta Datta Peetham, Mysore, spoke out against religious conversions by Christian missionaries. He urged the Centre to enact an effective anti-conversion law. Swamiji condemned the Government for having Hindu Mandirs under its control and not taking proper care of them, and demanded the abolition of the Endowment Department. He stressed the need to preserve Hindu Temples and Hindu Dharma, and encouraged Hindus to follow its rich and eternal values. He said Hindu temples must be freed from government control and all Hindus should look at serving the needs of the poor.
Sri Raghunadhacharya of Ashtalakshmi Peetham criticized government interference in Hindu Mandir affairs and offered His blessings and support to the Bhagiratha task undertaken by Kamal Kumar Swamiji.
Sri Ganjam Prabhakaracharyulu of Vaikanasa Peetham highlighted the plight of poor archakas and urged the government to immediately offer succour to them.
Sri Dusserla Satyanarayana, President of the Telengana Jala Sadhana which was instrumental in making water available through a series of agitations in the arid Telangana region, offered unstinted support to the movement.
Sri Bhanumurthi of Telangana Archaka Samajam spoke of the plight of the poor archakas and how successive governments have neglected this important segment of the Hindu Samaj.
Veda Bharati founder, Sri Neralla Avadhani’s book in Telugu, “Hindu AalayalakuSwatantra Prativarthi” was released by Kamal Kumar Swamiji and the first copy was received by Dr. Subramanian Swamy.
Dr. Prakasarao Velagapudi, President of Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) spoke of its formation and mission and NRI support to the cause of freeing Temples from government control. He asked all Hindus to attend the temples and participate in the movement to repeal the Endowment Act.
Sri Kamal Kumar Swamiji demanded that government cease mismanaging Hindu Mandir affairs. He called for the abolishment of the Hindu Endowment Department. Shouts of Jai Shriram, Kamal Kumar Swamiji ki Jai pierced the air. People cheered every word he spoke. He spoke about his experiences during the Mahapadayatra, telling the people that he drew inspiration from their bhakti and commitment to the Mandir cause. His powerful oratory kept the people engrossed.
Sri Venkatnarayanan, Secretary, Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha, Sri Bhanu Prakash Reddy, President BJP (Youth), AP, Anita Sakuru, Vice President, HDPS and Ajay Sakuru, Sri Vinay Bopanna, Dr TRN Rao participated in the Bhakti Maha Sangamam.
End of meeting – Onward march to Tirumala
It was a sight that gladdened the heart. The colourful group of 15,000 headed by Kamal Kumar Swamiji left the Municipal Grounds to trek the Sacred Seven Hills. Unlike last time, they were not stopped when each one carried a Bhagva in hand. People vied with each other to touch the feet of Swamiji and to seek his blessings.
What was most gratifying was that the TTD choultries housed all of them at Tirumala and the darshan of Sri Balaji was arranged without a hitch. The TTD came forward to provide annadanam to all of them until the day they left the Sacred Hills after darshan. For over 90% of them, this was their first darshan of Sri Venkateshwara.
The Good News comes the very next day
The meeting took place on Monday, 16 February 2009. The very next day the AP Government bowed to our requests and passed a G.O. sanctioning a sum of Rs.2500/month towards Dhoop, Deepa, Neivedyam of 4000 inactive Mandirs, in addition to sanctioning a sum of Rs. 1,500/month to the archakas of these Mandirs.
This is just the beginning. Kamal Kumar Swamiji promised to continue his programme of awakening Hindu Bhaktas till the Mandirs are back under the rightful control of the Hindu Samaj.
Follow Up
With District-wise office bearers of HDPS in place, following immediate tasks are being planned:
1] Identifying a team of committed Hindu advocates and attaching them to each of
these district units.
2] Engaging the Government in legal battles to restore Mandir lands illegally occupied
in these areas, to the respective Mandirs, through the legal wing of the HDPS.
3] Identifying Hindu workers (full time) for each District Units @ 5/district to keep up
the momentum.
4] Proper selection and utilization of archaka manpower in the 4000 Mandirs
sanctioned by the recent GO of Government of AP.
There is still a long way to go. But with a committed Swamiji like Sri Kamal Kumar Swamiji and the thousands of Hindu Bhaktas whom he was able to inspire with his two Mahapadayatras, there is no doubt we will continue to achieve major victories in our struggle.
Appeal
Kamal Kumar Swamiji appeals to all Hindus to support this noble cause and join in the future programmes against the establishment to reach our goal – “Mana Devalayalani Maname Kaapadukuntam” (We will protect our Mandirs).
Labels: Balaji, Bhati, Swami, Tirupati, Venkateshwara
Once a Roja, now a Slumdog
Which one is hate and which one is love, Dilip Kumar Mudaliar @ A R Rahman?
S V Badri
25 February 2009
This is not to belittle the genius and success of A R Rahman. This is just to connect his recent statement at the Oscars to his background, and to reveal the unknown face Rahman was so clever as to keep under wraps. This is to bring to surface the second Rahman – one who took to hating his natal religion the moment he took to Islam.
To the entire world, he is humility personified. He is pious, religious, genius, the very best. So be it.
His second Oscar acceptance speech gave him away. It allowed us a sneak preview of the core of Rahman:
“All my life I had a choice of hate or love. I chose love, and I’m here”
To understand the statement, one must dig into his early life. It shows deeply hidden hatred for Hindus and Hindu Dharma, ever since he converted to Islam.Even I, who had seen him work from very close quarters on two projects in his pre-Roja days, was bowled over by his simplicity and humility. He nurtured this fine art for years to win over many of his producers and the public.
The early days of A.S. Dilip Kumar
He was born as A.S. Dilip Kumar to R.K. Sekhar and Kasturi (now Kareena Begum) in a Tamil Mudaliar family, the second of three children. His sisters are Kanchana (Rehana after conversion, which resulted in divorce with her staunch Hindu husband), and Fathima.
Kanchana’s son, G.V. Prakash, who has shot to fame as a music director having already scored music to many films starting with Veyyil and Rajnikant’sKuchelan, is also a staunch Hindu like his father. G.V. Prakash was the synthesizer player for Chettinad Vidyashram’s music troupe as a nine-year-old when my son, Aditya Kasyap, then in class XI, was the music club secretary and lead singer.
R.K. Sekhar (Dilip aka Rehman’s father) was an immensely talented musician, with no real breaks in the film field. He was more a conductor of orchestra for Salil Chowdhary and Devarajan in Malayalam filmdom (Mollywood). Yet his father’s passion for music was so embedded in Dilip’s genes that when he was just four-years-old, he started playing the harmonium. Later he learnt piano under the famous Dhanraj Master. His father gifted him a Synthesizer bought on a trip to Singapore, and this instrument so fascinated young Dilip that it became the source of sounds that would change the Indian film music world later.
In an interview, he says: “My father passed away when I was 9 years old. My mother used to narrate many tales about my father which used to make me very happy. My father was regarded to be highly knowledgeable in music by many people. I still listen to many of the old songs tuned by him. I think that it’s his enormous knowledge of music that has come down to me by the grace of God.”
Sekhar died ironically on the day of the release of his first film. Young Dilip had tagged along with his mother, hopping from one hospital to other, including CMC, Vellore, and to Bible-toting pastors and Sheik Abdul Qadir Jeelani (Pir Qadri), but it was too late…
He became an atheist. When 11 years old, he joined as keyboard player in Ilayaraja’s troupe, struggled hard and slowly made a name with his popular jingles. His loss of faith in God continued through his teens when in 1988 one sister fell seriously ill. Medicines, havans and Bible-reading pastors failed to revive her. The family finally tried the same Pir Qadri, whom they called very late in the case of Sekhar. Dilip’s sister made a miraculous recovery. This was attributed to the Pir and Dilip slowly came under his influence. Gradually, the entire family converted to Islam; Kanchana even accepted divorce as the price of conversion.
Thus A.S. Dilip Kumar became Allah Rakha Rahman. Today, Rahman says “Islam has given me peace. As Dilip I had an inferiority complex. As A.R. Rahman I feel like I have been born again” [http://members.tripod.com/
Asked what prompted him to convert to Islam, he said: “I remember my father suffering. He was taken to eight to nine hospitals, including the CMC hospital in Vellore and the Vijaya hospital in Madras. I saw him suffering physical pain... I remember the Christian priests who would read from the Bible beside his hospital bed... I remember the pujas and the yagnas performed by the pundits... by the time the Muslim pirs came it was too late. He had already left us. After my father passed away, for some years when I was a teenager, I believed there was no God. But there was a feeling of restlessness within me. I realised that there can be no life without a force governing us... without one God. And I found what I was looking for in Islam. I would go with my mother to dargahs. And Pirsaab Karim Mullashah Qadri would advise us. When we shifted to this house, we resolved to stick to the faith.”
The family’s penchant to check with astrologers did not desert them even after converting to Islam; an astrologer chose Dilip’s Islamic name! He gave him the name Abdul Rahman, but insisted that he should have two initials, so he became Abdul Rahman Rahman. Later, Naushad turned ‘A.R.’ to Allah Rakha, and Dilip Kumar became Allah Rakha Rahman.
It is reputed that G. Venkateshwaran of GV Films and his brother Mani Ratnam had some misunderstanding with Illayaraja, and that is how Rahman was picked for Roja; the rest is history.
A Roja becomes a slumdog - Hate vs. Love
“All my life I had a choice of hate or love. I chose love, and I’m here.”
Was the Oscar stage was so intoxicating that the truth had to come out? Dilip alias Rahman must explain what ‘hate’ is and what ‘love’ is. Does he mean that Hindu Dharma is ‘hate’ and that is why he deserted it; that Islam is ‘love’ and that is why he embraced it? Could he achieve these musical heights in any of the known Islamic paradises now blooming in the neighbourhood? Above all, is not this music itself the gift of Hindu Bharat?
A colleague and Rahman apologist mumbled that the musical wonder actually meant ‘Wahabi Islam’ when he spoke about ‘hate,’ and that ‘love’ referred to Sufi Islam – I am too old for such stories. If that is indeed what Rahman meant, then that is what he should have said – that too at a moment when he had the whole world’s attention, and adulation.
Tail Piece
It is pertinent to recall that in the immediate aftermath of Partition, the Peshawar-born and immensely talented Yusuf Khan took the film name Dilip Kumar to deflect possible non-acceptance by a Hindu audience. In the same era, however, Waheeda Rahman boldly stuck to her maiden name, and proved that Hindu Bharat was above petty prejudice and openly nurtured talent.
Certainly Dilip-Rahman deserves his success. But I am disappointed with his ‘hate’ versus ‘love’ acceptance speech. This was actually the moment for him to say Vande Mataram.
Labels: A R Rahman, Bollywood, Hollywood, Indian music, Slumdog millionaire
