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The Daily Janchetna

Year11, Issue:13, Wednesday, Nov.18,2020.

. Message of the Day .

Society is an invisible but very powerful institution moving at its own pace like an intoxicated elephant. It is an uphill task to mend its ways. Very strict arrangements have been made for its protection from the changes in the name of lawlessness and protection of culture. Strict laws have been enacted by the authorities responsible to manage the society. Offenders are not only punished by the law but boycotted too by their families and other nears and dears. Due to the fear, masses behave like sheep and flog at the will of the establishment. No one dares to speak against the slaughtering highhandedness. Contrarily, they shout against the justice seeker. Due to this attitude, most of the change seekers get dishearten and leave their justified claim.

History of Mankind .

History is a mirror for a community, country and nation to watch its past to have a better future. Glorifying events generate confidence and energy for a better performance. Though the losses occurred due to destructive events can’t be recovered, one can learn a lot to stall their reoccurrence. To our hard luck, forefathers in the ancient age did not bother about the occurring events because life for them was simply a gift of the Almighty. In the medieval period, some communities did create glorifying history but could not maintain its record. We are passing through a democratic age in modern times, but history is made to revolve around the rulers. Whatever is composed under the patronage of the rulers bears characteristics of an epic in which everything except names and dates is fictitious.

. Today’s History .

18th November

Important Events:

1892 — Rustomji Jamshedji, Indian Test cricketer, was born

1910 — Batukeshwar Dutt, Indian revolutionary and freedom fighter, was born  

1946 — Kamal Nath, union minister and Congress leader, was born

V. Shantaram

The director of such cinematic classics as ‘Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani’ and ‘Do Aankhen Barah Haath’, Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre, better known as V. Shantaram, was born on November 18, 1901, in Kolhapur, Maharashtra.

As a teenager he did odd jobs like railroad repairs and maintenance work. When he turned 16, to supplement his meagre wages, he took up a job at a local tin-shed cinema where he did everything from painting signs and ushering people in, all for a sum of Rs 5 per month. 

Films were a new, exciting medium then and Indian pioneers like Dadasaheb Phalke had already started experimenting with Indian mythological themes in films. The young Shantaram admired Phalke and became an avid film viewer, watching western films with great interest as well.   

Soon, Shantaram, surrounded and mesmerised by films, started assisting a photographer, and then joined Baburao Painter’s Maharashtra Film Company in Kolhapur. Here he learned the craft of filmmaking and did everything from acting to production to working as a lab assistant. He played the role of a young farmer in Painter’s 1925 film ‘Savkari Pash’, and directed his first film, ‘Netaji Palkar’, in 1927.

In 1929, Shantaram, along with V.G. Damle, K.R. Dhaiber, S. Fatelal and S.B. Kulkarni, founded the Prabhat Film Company. Initially they worked with very basic studio facilities. However, Prabhat Films, as it was popularly known, moved to Pune in 1933, and would go on to produce more than 40 films in Marathi and Hindi in less than three decades, and today is regarded as a vital part of India’s cinematic history.

In 1931, ‘Alam Ara’, the first Indian talkie, directed by Ardeshir Irani and produced by the Imperial Film Company in Bombay, was released, a momentous occasion for Indian cinema. Prabhat Films, though short of funds andresources, quickly made three sound films in Marathi, including ‘Ayodhyecha Raja’, directed by Shantaram himself. Durga Khote, a Brahmin girl, played a prominent role in the film. 

Shantaram followed this with films in Hindi, Marathi and Tamil.

Among his more important works in this early phase was the hit ‘Amrit Manthan’, made in both Hindi and Marathi, the first film produced by Prabhat Films in its Pune studio. With splendid sets and colourful costumes, the film spoke about the importance of a religion that celebrated peace, and established Shantaram as a prominent filmmaker.

Other impressive Shantaram films followed such ‘Amar Jyoti’ (1936) and ‘Duniya Na Mane’ (1937), both of which focused in different and dramatic ways on gender justice and women’s place in society. Social and contemporary themes echoed in his films, like the 1941 ‘Padosi’, which is about communal strife and how it affects neighbours. In 1941, Shantaram left Prabhat and created his own production firm, Rajkamal Kalamandir. The 1943 super hit ‘Shakuntala’, which was directed by him and ran for 104 weeks, was made at the new company.

In 1946, Shantaram directed and played the lead role in ‘Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani’, which had both Hindi and English (‘The eternal tale of Dr. Kotnis’) versions. It was based on a true story of Dwarkanath Kotnis, an Indian doctor who led a medical team to China to attend to the sick and wounded people, most of them victims of the China-Japan war. According to renowned film critic B.D. Garga, it was a “remarkable film, unabashedly patriotic and, strangely enough, satisfying to the colonialist government in India, the Communists and the Congress party”.

He directed other successful films in the next few years including ‘Lokshahir Ramjoshi’ (1947), which promoted the Marathi Tamasha spectacle, and ‘Amar Bhoopali’, the 1951 biopic that popularised the Lavani dance form.

In 1957, he made the critically acclaimed ‘Do Aankhen Barah Haath’, which bagged a Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. A morality tale, it is about a jail warden who believes in the inherent goodness of man and rehabilitates six convicts. Garga called it a “brilliant film that depicted the true human being within”.  

Shantaram made films for an astonishing six long decades. The 1987 film ‘Jhanjhar’ was the last film he directed. He died on October 30, 1990, in Mumbai. For his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema he was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1985 and Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1992.

Reflecting on Shantaram’s legacy in The Hindu, veteran journalist and media critic V. Gangadhar wrote on the occasion of the birth centenary of the legendary film-maker: “Much before the ‘Hindi Chini bhai’ hoopla unleashed by Jawaharlal Nehru during the 1950s, Shantaram had brought the people of the two great nations together in his film, ‘Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani’… Film-making was a social crusade for Shantaram. ‘Dahej’ dealt with the evils of the dowry system. Who would have thought of prison reforms and national integration in the early 1950s? But Shantaram did.”  

. Current .

Bofors Scandal

Charges Quashed

The Rs. 64 crore Bofors scandal was the biggest corruption scandal to hit the Indian government in the 1980s. Though there have been far bigger financial scandals and scams after it, Bofors, at least in the public eye, started the era of high-level corruption scandals in India.

In a significant judgment on 4 February 2004, the Delhi High Court quashed the charges against the late prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, in the case. The following year, the same court quashed all charges against the Hinduja brothers as well as Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors, citing absence of original documents.

It all started in the mid-1980s when the Indian government decided to buy the bigger calibre 155 mm howitzers to shore up the country’s defence. The Haubits FH-77 gun, manufactured by Swedish firm AB Bofors, was selected. In March 1986 a deal was signed between India and AB Bofors for supplying the Indian army with 410 155-mm howitzers, with an option of licence-producing more guns.

In April 1987, after a claim was made in a Swedish Radio broadcast about kickbacks allegedly paid to senior Indian government officials, the allegations were quickly denied by the Indian government.

But this was only the beginning of the Bofors scandal.

Chitra Subramaniam Duella, the Indian journalist who broke the scandal, wrote in the Outlook magazine in May 2012: “The problem was the bribes, especially the ones made secretly, were unknown even to the marketing director of Bofors. These were paid to a company called AE Services . . . Such payments are made when all the numbers are on the table. In the case of AE Services, they came into the contract at the last minute, cut into the commissions of other agents and assured Bofors that they need not be paid if they did not ink the contract within a prescribed time-limit. No middleman has this kind of power. The modus operandi was such that barring a few people, nobody knew what the other person knew.”

The Indian government set up a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe allegations in August 1987. 

The Bofors scandal became a political hot potato and was one of the major reasons for the Congress government losing in the 1989 general elections. V. P. Singh became the prime minister after quitting the Congress and leading an anti-corruption movement.

The CBI registered its first formal complaint in the case in January 1990. However, in the next 15 years, with many of the accused passing away and the courts exonerating others, the case lost much of its steam.

In February 2007, one of the key figures in the case, the Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, was detained in Argentina. But he could not be extradited. In 2009, the Indian government told the Supreme Court that it had decided to withdraw the case against Quattrocchi since he could not be extradited.

In an interview to Chitra Subramaniam Duella in the media site The Hoot, Sten Lindstrom, the whistleblower who had leaked the documents to her, said: “The $1.3 billion deal with India for the sale of 410 field howitzers, and a supply contract almost twice that amount was the biggest arms deal ever in Sweden. Money marked for development projects was diverted to secure this contract at any cost. Rules were flouted, institutions were bypassed and honest Swedish officials and politicians were kept in the dark.”  

In an article in firstpost.com in April 2012, Venky Vembu wrote: [T]here are compelling reasons to argue that Bofors, which has become a living, breathing metaphor for corruption in high places in India, should never be forgotten. Even if the Rs 64 crore payoffs seem like a pittance compared to the monumental scale of corruption scandals today, Bofors will — and ought to — remain as a permanent reminder of just how deep the rot runs in our polity, and of the enormous levers that people in power have to scuttle investigation.”

. Informative .

Sikh, Ardas & Bhagauti

During the last two sessions held on 7^th October and 4^th November 2007, Dr. Tejpal Singh has already explained the importance and significance of the Sikh Ardaas as collectively accepted by the Guru Panth by virtue of SGPC’s Resolution No. 97 dated 3^rd February 1945, reproduced in the Sikh Reht Maryada, as amended subsequently. However, due to time constraint, certain queries could not be taken up for discussion. Accordingly, I have been asked to participate so that discussion may proceed further.

It is thus essential to know why “Pritham Bhagauti” was accorded the status of “Gurbani, the Divine Word” enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib?

Several Sikh Authors and Scholars have pointed out that first Stanza of “Ardaas” has been lifted from “Vaar Durga Kee”, which has (55) Stanzas under Serial Nos. 1 to 55. Here, I will reproduce only two Stanzas i.e. First and the last though all Stanzas need to be gone through:

Under SRM, Sikhs are also advised:

It would thus show that except individually at their private places, Panthic Ardaas is uttered in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib. Let us now try to understand the meaning of “Bhagauti” as mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib.

At page 88 of the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Amardas Sahib says that he alone is the true devotee, who has understood the Greatness of the Almighty God and has attained self-realization through the Guru’s Grace. This has enabled him to control his wandering mind and concentrate on the One True God by overcoming his egotism. He recites the True Naam always by living a life of a selfless as non-entity. Such a devotee, immersed in God’s love, is really great, and a true follower. By virtue of Guru Nanak Sahib’s enlightenment, Guru Amardas Sahib opines that such a Guru-minded person, ever singing the glories and virtues of the everlasting Supreme Entity,

Finally merges into the Eternal Truth.

On the other hand, a person with a base mind and engaged in worldly falsehood, labeling himself a saint can never attain the Almighty God because he only adds up to his filth of mind by talking ill of others (backbiting). The person is not able to cleanse his/her mind by cleaning himself/herself out worldly. He/she always finds fault with the devotee saints and their associates but suffers day and night by engaging in dual-mindedness. He/she does everything else except concentrating on the True Naam. In the name of Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Amardas Sahib says that such a person wastes his/her life by performing misdeeds because none has ever achieved emancipation without seeking the support of the Almighty God. (3)    

At page 71 of the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Arjan Sahib says that devotees seek God through the dance, while Yogis try to seek by performing Yoga, whereas some other mendicants believe in attaining emancipation, by meditating in isolation.

In Sukhmani Sahib at page 274, Guru Arjan Sahib says that the true devotee is one, who is imbued with the love of the Almighty God, and has discarded the company of horrible evil-goers. Such a devotee has rid himself of all doubts and dual-mindedness, and worships God alone, considering as the cause and effect of everything in the world. Thus all vicious thoughts are eliminated in the company of true devotees and then such a devotee possesses an intelligent and elevated mind. In the name of Nanak, Guru Sahib advises us that the person, who serves the Almighty God by surrendering   and inculcates God’s love in the heart, such a devotee realizes God’s Grace in the true sense. (3)   

At page 912, Guru Arjan Sahib says that some persons have made their abode in the forests, leaving their homes and some others have practiced complete silence calling themselves as detached Yogis. There are some other devotee persons, who describe themselves as mendicants of a distinct form. However, I being a poor and helpless person have sought God’s support. (2)

At pages 1347-48 of the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Arjan Sahib says that the person’s mind remains engrossed by anger, and the height of egoism, though he pretends to worship the Almighty God by performing various rituals. He takes a bath and then makes circles of saffron on his body and forehead as a mark of Puritanism but the filth of his evil mind does not leave him. (1) By all such forms of worship, no one has been able to realize the Almighty God because the mind is still entangled in the love of the worldly attachments, despite such a devotee wearing large earrings. (1 – Pause)

As I understand, “Bhagauti” whether mentioned in the Vaar Durga Kee or in the Guru Granth Sahib, it does not denote “Akall Purkh”, the Almighty God or the True Entity. Said term only represents a disciple, devotee, follower, etc. Whereas, Gurbani, the Divine Word incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib teaches us to Pray always to the Almighty God, and not before any person or any other entity even though that may be of great repute.

In this respect some Quotes from the Guru Granth Sahib are reproduced below so that concept of “Ardaas” is clear provided we may try to understand the complete Shabds:

As we all are well aware of the fact that before breathing his last on 7 October 1708 AD, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib had ordained all the Sikhs: “Sabh Sikhan Ko Hukam Hai, Guru Maniyo Granth”, why are we then continue to follow the Hindus’ deity Durga, instead of Akall Purkh, the Almighty God – the Supreme True Entity?

Since “Nanak Naam Charhdi Kalaa, Tere Bhanaiy Sarbatt Daa Bhalla” is not found in the Guru Granth Sahib, I don’t know how SGPC could add “Nanak”, which is nothing but blasphemous act on the part of SGPC’s Dharam Parchar Committee? In fact, such Office-holders of the SGPC need to be dismissed under Section 134 (g) of The Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925. Have we forgotten Ram Rai’s fate when he changed Gurbani from ‘Mitee Musalmaan kee’ (GGS page 466) to ‘Mitee Baieeman kee”? Hence, The Sikh Diaspora must raise voice against the various inaccuracies imposed by the SGPC for the last (67) years, especially when such terms do not conform to the Divine Word enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib at pages 1 to 1429.

At the end, I wish to say that the Sikh Ardaas - Prayer should be to express our gratitude for God’s Bounties and Virtues, because God alone knows what is the best for the Sikhs. There is no need to beg for worldly boons or to claim fruit for our Seva.

 Waheguru jee ka Khalsa  Waheguru jee kee Fateh.