POINT TO PONDER

Day in and day out when you insult man, you insult God for man is God. Despite your prayers and petitions to the Almighty, you stand bereft of spirituality for your ideas of God are stunted by your myopic vision of man all around. And this is the bane of religion as it is largely practised. Man stands nowhere in the scheme of things despite pious protestations of the devout.

Everyday we see the abuse of religion, everyday we see the abuse of man. Religion is largely politicised to suit the nefarious ends of the so-called spiritual people in power. And at a more commonplace level, we see the divorce of ritualistic religion and doctrinaire creeds from genuine human concern. No one should be so deified for being so-to-say spiritual or for donning the ochre robe that he begins to harbour a false sense of superiority over commoners and rubs it in when the situation arises.

No wonder Swami Vivekananda had forewarned devotees from overdoing their devotions towards monastics so that the latter might maintain their sanity. Of course, it must be said that Swamiji held the ashram of sannyas (monasticism) in the highest esteem and had charged his world-renouncing followers and the lay devotees to dedicate themselves to nation-building and the service of man the world over after having first thrown overboard their ego into the sea.

However, in practice, by the law of averages, the reception of some amount of ill-treatment from so-called spiritual people seems to be the inevitable lot of all and this can be dispensed with as being one of those aberrations that infrequently jar the harmony of an otherwise symphonic whole. The problem sets in, however, when such aberrations become more frequent and it is then that a spiritual movement runs the risk of isolation from the masses. Such isolation spells death to a movement and this was why Swami Shivananda used to say that Sri Ramakrishna  would continue to bless his Mission so long as his devotees remained threaded in mutual love. The direct disciples of the Master used to say that the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission were held together in love.

It, therefore, becomes imperative for the laity and the monastics to see to it that devotees and the people in general do not suffer from rude treatment at their hands for such behaviour is not only spiritually untenable but also socially unacceptable in a free and democratic country. Thakur was an unlettered person and hailed from an economically poor family. Care must therefore be taken that in no way an ordinary person, devoid of academic degree or economic wealth, is shown scant respect on account of his lack of worldly attainments. At the same time the rich and the powerful must not be so very specially attended to that the social discrepancies thereby carry into the Order as well. We should never forget that honour should be given more or less equally to all and not more to a select few who wield power in society by dint of wealth or political clout. If it is argued that such are the ones that help run the social service schemes by their donations and the like, then it must be remembered that good and civil treatment meted out to them as it is to all as opposed to special favours shown to them will enhance the prestige of missionary organisations as being truly spiritual and will help them to strike roots in the democratic consciousness of man which in turn will help flourish the welfare programmes of these missions.

Everything said and done, one more simple thing needs to be attended to. Let devotees and monastics welcome all with a welcome-smile, in no way a counterfeit one but a winning smile based on genuine reverence for all, nay, adoration of the immanent God in all. Let everybody feel that he is special in the eyes of the monks of the Order, even as the devotees felt in the presence of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. We are all Mother's children, are we not? Then why hurt someone, cause him to feel inferior and humiliated by superior snobbery and so alienate him when a little love is all he seeks in this storm-tossed world of his?

Let us ponder over these issues and become worthy children of Thakur-Ma-Swamiji. Let us then embrace the world as our own as Holy Mother has exhorted us to do. And, once more, let us reflect for a while. After all, what does it cost us to welcome all with a smile? Let us from this moment have a wonderful change in attitude. Let us warm up to each other with a blissful heart, a merry face and a winning smile and Thakur will be pleased for does he not reside in the hearts of all? Let man for once be the focus of this new spiritual movement and 'let all other vain gods disappear' as Swamiji had thundered in 1897 in his prophetic speech in which he exhorted his countrymen to serve the living mass of humanity in India for the coming 50 years in his bid to awaken the sleeping leviathan to life and freedom. Let us go back to the Master and 'set our watches right' as he was wont to saying.

A major corrective step needs to be taken by us all urgently if we are to survive as a collective force for good and if we are to feel sure in our hearts that we have not let down Thakur who never lets us down. And in this grand spiritual venture, sisters and brothers, all of you join us. Together we shall surely overcome the deficiencies of the day and bring forth a brighter future on the morrow. May Thakur bless us! May Ma protect us ever! May Swamiji guide our faltering steps to fruition! Victory to humanity!

KATHAMRITA

Kathamrita paath korle sarvavidya adhigato hoy. Ami baangmoy Kathamritey, Beenapaanir asrudhaaraa, sahasrapropaat Kathamrita. Ei rahasya-grantha paath kore jeebon-granthi chhedon korun. Atmasamudra manthan kore vedoddhaar korun. Kathamrita rishirachita, bhagabaner mukhonisrita baani. Protiti sabda mantratulya, oishishaktisambhuta. Thakurer Srimandir Kathamrita. Thakur chirabondi er charaney charaney, bhakter premey bnadhaa. Tai toe boli, ashun, ihajanma sharthok kori Tnar baanirup ei vedoddhwanir jhankarey hriday mandrita kore, janmamrityur parey chole jai anantalokey ei mahashaaroswater aasroye.

BABA ALLAUDDIN GHARANA

The gharana founded by Ustad Allauddin Khan is, in the words of his son and disciple Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, called BABA ALLAUDDIN GHARANA. People variously call it also the MAIHAR GHARANA and the MAIHAR-SENIYA GHARANA. But Ustad Ali Akbar Khan has set the seal to it by saying that it is called BABA ALLAUDDIN GHARANA. Baba Allauddin Khan had several music Gurus but the most famous was USTAD WAZIR KHAN of RAMPUR who was the last descendent of MIAN TAAN SEN that carried the musical flame of the SENIYA GHARANA alive. Allauddin Khan in effect inherited from his great Guru Wazir Khan the best musical tradition of the Seniya Gharana  and perpetuated it through his continuing line of disciples like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pandit Ajay Sinha Roy, Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, Pandit Pannalal Ghosh, Ustad Bahadur Khan, Ustad Ashish Khan, Ustad Dhyanesh Khan, Pandit V.G. Jog, Vidushi Sharan Rani and a host of others who have carried the music of the gharana to the remotest corners of the globe. But the one disciple that stood out singularly among this galaxy of musical maestros and who most closely resembled Baba Allauddin in terms of temperament, austerity and whole-souled dedication to music was the one about whom Baba himself was effusive in praise as follows: "She plays the surbahar like Devi Saraswati." She was Annapurna Devi, the truest inheritor of Baba Allauddin's life and legacy, one who spent the major portion of her life within the cloister of her apartment, in self-imposed exile from the world in solitary immersion in the ocean of music as she had inherited from her father. Annapurna Devi was veritably a goddess who shunned name, fame and the paraphernalia and devoted herself to the pursuit of music, pristine pure. She has also, like her father, left behind a galaxy of musical talent among which is the flautist Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia.

The Seniya Gharana perhaps would have died a natural death after the demise of its last exponent Ustad Wazir Khan but for the musical genius of the young Allauddin. The tradition continues as BABA ALLAUDDIN GHARANA keeps flourishing with every passing year. But would Baba have been happy with the decline in sadhana and the growing cult of self-proclaimed Pandits wielding the instruments Baba venerated to further their selfish ends of life and livelihood, men masquerading as musicians whom Baba would not have given any credence to as artistes worth the call? I wonder!

My prostrations at Baba's feet and at the feet of Ramakrishna Paramahamsadev who had blessed Baba at Star Theatre when Baba was employed there as tabla-player by Girish Chandra Ghosh. Who knows, may be Thakur's blessings opened up the springs of musical genius within Baba for good? I wonder!

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ... HIS LIFE AND LEGACY 3

The child was intelligent, restless and abounding in energy. Two nannies had to be appointed to look after him. When he became totally unmanageable, Bhuvaneshwari would warn him that Shiva would not let him into Kailash ever again unless he sobered down and then she would bathe him under a current of cold water which would at once calm him down.

Narendra loved the company of mendicant monks who would come to his door-step and he would give away whatever he could lay his hands on to them. To contain him Bhuvaneshwari would lock him up in an attic but he would manage to throw down his father's clothes through the window to monks passing by.

Often, Narendra would playfully engage in meditation with his mates but would soon be so absorbed in it that he would be totally unconscious of the outer world. Once, a cobra stood with outspread hood in front of the meditative Narendra. His friends fled but he remained motionless, mute in ecstatic bliss of meditation, oblivious of circumstance. The cobra soon slid away without harming the boy.

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ... HIS LIFE AND LEGACY 2

The Dattas were an affluent family located at 3, Gourmohan Mukherjee Lane, Simulia in North Calcutta. Rammohan Datta, the ancient patriarch and great grandfather of Vivekananda had built this palatial house and bequeathed it to posterity. Thereafter, his son, Durgacharan, after a lone issue in son, Vishwanath, took to sannyas (monasticism). Vishwanath grew up to be an attorney in the Calcutta High Court and gained eminence as a lawyer. He married Bhuvaneshwari Devi, the only daughter of Nandalal Basu, and the couple had ten children. The seventh child was the first surviving male child, our hero, Narendranath Datta, who became famous as the Swami Vivekananda.

After much prayer, fasts and vigils Narendranath was born to Bhuvaneshwari, in fulfilment of her vision of Lord Shiva who had promised to be born as her son, on the dawn of Makar Sankranti on the 12th of January, 1863. Vishwanath was ecstatic and lavished gifts on all who came to bless the son.

THE CONTROVERSY RAGES ... SWAMI NIRMALANANDA (TULSI MAHARAJ), A DIRECT DISCIPLE OF RAMAKRISHNA OR NOT?

Was Swami Nirmalanandaji a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna? I invite you all to respond by way of comments and make this discussion vibrant for it is very pertinent for Ramakrishna devotees and the world at large to know the truth, the Master Himself being the embodiment of Truth. Let everybody research and uncover the truth and lay to rest forever this controversy. I await your response in the form of well-informed comments and not stray remarks that malign the Movement of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda. Cite documentary evidence in favour of your arguments and do take a scientific stand on the issue bound in truth and not mere effusions of emotion.