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JUNE , 1998 HINDUISM TODAY 7
 Learln Kriya Yoga from a Realized Master 1998 Celebrations at Barsana Dham
The Kriya Yoga Institute wel- • Holi-March 14
comes sincere seekers to learn • Ram Navmi-April5
the authentic Kriya Yoga med- • MelaJOpen House-May 9
itation technique. The God- • Janmashtmi- August 15
realized living master of the • Radha Ashtmi-August 30
THE ONTARIO PRESS COUN-
original Kriya lineage, Parama- • Rath Yatra- October 3
a cil in Canada upheld in hamsa Hariharananda teaches
at the Institute. Paramahamsaji
• Divali-October 17
March Prakash Mody's com- We invite you to visit Shree
plaint against the Toronto Star attained the supreme pulseless Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple at Barsana Dham and
newspaper for its incorrect de- and breathless state of nirvi- receive the Divine blessings of Radha Krishn.
piction of the Nazi swastika. kalpa samadhi in 1948. Barsana Dham, 400 Barsana Rd, Austin, TX 78737-9075
F.or ye~ Mody, a Jain, has USA • Tel: 512-288-7180 • Fax: 512-288-0447 • www.isdl.org
urged the media to print the Kriya Yoga is a direct gift L -_ _ _ An nshmm in the raganuga tradition which is a main aspect of Hindu religion _ _ _

Nazi version of the swastika from God, and was taught by

tilted at a 4s-degree angle and
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tune to several faiths including
PUBLISHIN G Hinduism, Buddhism and Jain-
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Krishna to Arjuna (Gita 4:1-2).
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HE A LTH Swami Shriyukteshwar, a realized disciple of Lahiri Baba,
initiate d Paramahamsa Hariharananda into original Kriya A classic by Swami Sivananda Radha
Dr. Yogi .' Yoga. Hariharanandaji also received direct teachings from now in its 20th year, offering ques-
Paramahamsa Yogananda. tions for reflection, self-knowledge
and the discovery of one's potential.
R. DEAN ORNISH , WHO
D advocates meditation, a Initiation is available at the Institute on Saturdays at 9 am. Also: exercises to refine your senses,

~
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K.L. Seshagiri Rao, Chief Editor, at the signing. More than 1,200
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fer their support and assistance to complete this lanelmark project. council agreed, and it will now USA, is helping change the face
C ONTACT: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HINDU ISM , 937 ASSEMBLY STREET, #1018, be so in Ontario. of Western medicine.
U N IVERSITY OF SOU TH CAROLINA, COLUMBIA. SO UTH CAROLINA 292 08-0 00 1 USA

who is excellent, and to be realized at depth with subtle

THE VEDAS
God's Word,
Sages'Voices
The man who sees, who
breathes, who hears words
spoken, obtains his nourish-
ment through me alone.
Unrecognizing me, he yet
dwells in me. Listen, you
who know! What I say is
worthy of belief
RIG VEDA, DEVI SUKTA 10.125.4
Not within the field of vi-
sion stands this form. No one soever sees Him with the eye.
By heart, by thought, by mind apprehended, they who
know Him become immortal.
KRISHNA YAJUR VEDA, KATHA UPANISHAD 6.9
eyes, the ever vigilant sovereign Lord of creation.
RIG VEDA 7.1.1
By consciousness is spread out sacrifice; it also spreads out
the worlds. All the Gods meditate on Brahman as the fore-
most wisdom. He who knows Brahman as wisdom and is
not neglectful, who has destroyed sin in his body-that
man attains all his desires.
KRISHNA YAJUR VEDA, TAITTIRIYA UP. 2.5
This is the Lord of all, the Knower of all, the inner con-
troller. This is the source of all, the beginning and end of
all beings.
ATHARVA VEDA, MANDUKYA UPANISHAD 6
I have known, beyond all darkness, that great Person of
golden effulgence. Only by knowing him does one conquer
death. There is no other way of escaping the wheel of
birth, death and rebirth.
KRISHNA YAJUR VEDA, SVETASVATARA UPANISHAD 3.8

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PUBLISHER'S DESK
PornQgraphy on the net:
www..sex@home.com .
Selling sex on the Internet is big, big business.' Logging
on is nei,ther good nor bad, but an obstacle in many ways.
BY SATGURU SIVAYA SUBRAMUNIYASWAMI
IVE AND LEARN, LIVE AND LEARN. WE
learn something every day, and it is not
always what we want to learn. Sometimes it
is good for us to know, and other times
not so good. It is difficult for us to speak
of certain subjects. They are too sensitive, taboo,
delicate and private, and so we avoid them. But
it is also necessary to understand and eope with
certain things, and if father and grandmother
are not speaking about them, then others must.
Pornography is one. Not that it is bad, in the
sinful sense. Hinduism is too tolerant of sexuality
to make such pronouncements. We can say it is
neither good nor bad, but can say it does place
big obstacles in relationships, including unex-
plainable misunderstandings leading to argu-
ments. And it certainly can and does interfere
w4th serious spiritual effort and progress. Those
on the path of sadhana are admonished to "give
it up," just "give it up." The porno path is of itself a downhill path
to be avoided. It is ever enticing but never fulfilling. I recently was
told that pornography is addictive. I always understood that alco-
hol, tobacco and cer'tain drugs are addictive. But to find out that
pornography is addictive, that was a new one for me.
Looking at the results in a porno addict's life, we can see that
sex o~ the Internet is all consuming. They say it is more fun. more
stimwating, more exciting and more satisfying than the wife wait-
ing in the other room. Well, that may be true, giving a little fori
untruth on both sides. But the real problem is with sons and
daughters who become addicted to this kind of stimulation long
before their time. Most parents in the modern Hindu community
work and get two paychecks every payday. They have little or no
time at all to give to their children. This duty is often left to a baby
sitter for the young, and the older children baby-sit when they are
aSle. What goes on behind those closed doors, when the shades
are down and the computer is o~ nobody knows and nobody is
telling. "Don't ask, don't tell" seems to be the basis in most homes.
Pornography is a secret thing, but all that is seen is carried forward
in the mind as visual images and then recreated in dreams long
after the computer has been turned off. Being an "in thing," it is
often the joke at men's gatherin~.
During this past year, I have been delving into the lives of those
among my congregation who are addicted to blue movies, Internet
sex sites and all the modern means of stimulation. To say the least,
interesting discoveries were made. The most hurtful of them all is .
a sexually matured man, accustomed to pornography, marrxing an
10 HINDUISM TODA'Y JU E, 1998
Bringing up the lower natur.e: An elder is engrossed in a girlie
magazine at a porno shop, while a youth peeks around the comer,
drawn by the magnetism of this potent media '
..............................................................................................................................
9nly. Places with sex shops and prostitutes were called red light
•districts. During the first World War, soldiers were made to feel at
home with posters of pin-up girls. These were girls in bathing suits,
well covered up by today's stlilldards but he£thily endowed. In
Anlerica before the turn of the century, the skirts did not show the
ankles. Then they did. A big uproar! Moralists ~aid shOwing ankles
made women more sexually attractive to the men. Then up and up
went the skirts, to way above the knees. Have you ever looked at
knees? SOl'l\e say they are the ugliest part of the human body.
I could go on and on. My job as satguru of so many is to break
up addictions. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it. The idea
of porno addiction was very new to me, and we "needed a pray ash-
chitta, penance. So, we asked Sri Sri Sri Pramukhswami's senior
sadhus the remedy to be used. His Swami Narayanan Fellowship is
one of the strictest orders in the world, if not the strictest. They
innocent virgin girl who said to look at a girl and follow her movement for five seconds as
absolutely cannot perform she walks would require a fast for 24 hours. This is a self-iIilposed
the way he expects and penance among their 600 sadhus. They know, as our wise scrip- •
who is then beaten or tures say, that sex manifests in eight levels, one leading to the oth-
burned, divorced or traded er: fantasy, glorification, flirtation, lustful glances, secret love talk,
in fur another. This crisis is amorous longing, rendezvous and intercourse. If the brothers see
often blamed on dowry. Or someone not eating breakfast, lunch and dinner for one or two
it's claimed she really was- days, everyone knows he is trying 'to get contr61 of the dragon,
n't a virgin, so he had to striving to channel the force into tireless creativity.
send her back to her family. Advice: when your husband seems "out of it," not at home even
One would only know the when he is there, sits in his shrine room, won't eat his dinner,
truth from an unabated breakfast or lunch for several days, while consl,lming fruit, yOgIITt
and totally honest confes- and a more sattvic diet, do not live under the illusion that he is
sion by the young man. going to become a sadhu. He may just be trying to break the cycle
There is much to be said of his addiction to pornographic viewing, thinking and dreaming.
for early marriage, before Know that he really loves you and never, ever question him about
the boy is exposed to t:p.e his self-imposed sadhana. Rather, choqse the best of fruits (and
sexual-fantasy world and all don't mix citrus fruits with alkaline fruits and yOgIITt; see my new
its tempfations, before he book, Lemurian Scrolls, for a,great recipe). And when you find all
develops habit patterns that absolutely those unspeakable pictures in the garbage can alqng with a couple
cannot be broken by seven steps around of x-rated videos and CDs, don't throw your fmdings up in his
the sacred fire. Parents should question face, even if you are perturbed and angry with him. 'This might be
their. children's
, .personal life before ar- his excuse to again pursue his addiction and perverse enjoyment,
rangIng a marnage. possibly without you in his life.
Psycholog!cally, pornography is closely Pornography is not only on the Internet. In hotels, we are told,
linked to adu tery. Maybe the other four- and five-star, there "are channels on cable TV that gue~ts buy
woman is not warm ·flesh and bones, but to watch hard- and soft-core pornography. Is this fun for the whole
she is an unforgettable, reoccurring im- family? No, it is not. The cable channels on regular TV also bring
age within his mind, taking up the men- all this into every home. Itleven flows through the telephone.
tal real estate. She appears quite alive in Watch the bills. They might be telling a story of buying fantasy sex.,
his dreams- more beautiful, more ac- It mqy be argued that anc!ent Hindus invented pornography,
complished, more seductive, more en- considering some of the compromising images carved in temples.
chanting, more alluring than the slightly But this is out in the open. The whole family can stand and see;-
overweight wife laying by his side who the six-year old, the ten-year old, Mom and Dad. Recently the
has given birth to three children. ' Spice Gtrls, a famous band from the l1K known for their sassy,
Dad nel(er shares his pornographic sexy ways, p4!nned to perform in front of the Khajuraho Temple.
books, magazines or worldwide web Hindu activists responded that this was unthinkable because
addresses with his teenager, and neither ' ''eroticism without spirituality is nothing but pornography."
does Mom. But the children are allowed to become addicted on women with women, trois, quatre, cinq, how to kiss and how to do On the positive side, they say, pornography is disease free. There
their own, with free, unchaperoned time at the keyboard. Does many other things-it's all there. ' is no danger ofNenereal disease. We might agree, but must say
this make any sense to you? It certainly doesn't to me. Shall I con- Question: Do you know what your children are doing at home that the consequences merltally are even more devastating, bring-
tinue? Look at the picture on this page. It all starts with the first together when you are both at worI< or out receiving an award for ing "dis-ease" that no doctor can cure, for which there are no
peek. And this kind of pe8king is not a city in China. I was told, some social outreach beyond your family? Are they surfing porno quick remedies, no .drugs. On the other hand, proclaims the
and I didn't want to hear it, that pornography is all-encompassing sites on the Web? Even in the highly ethical families of my inter- Tirukural, "Those who are free from arrogance, anger and lust will
on the Internet. It helps boys and girls establish their sexual identi- national congregation, this is sometimes happening. I prosper in great dignity." So, a word to the wise is sufficient, but a
ty even at a very young age. Men and women, men and men, In the "old days," pornography was available in the big cities • thousand to the fool is not quite enough.
JUNE, 1998 HINDUISM TODAY 11
 LETTERS
Well Put, Swami!

I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED READING THE
arJ:icle "Children Are Divine, Treat Them
Thus" [MINISTER'S MESSAGE, April, '98]. S'ija-
mi Tejomayananda has distilled the wisdom
of dozens of books into a one-page article on
child rearing. It is so true that parents often
put their own interest ahead of the interest
of the child. Most of the time they are more
interested in impressing their friends than
doing the right thing for the ch'ild. In the US,
for example, most Indians push their chil-
dren into medicine, as physicians make lots
enough, despite our overuse and depletion
of them, to still support everyone with what
they need. There is a lot of discrimination,
hatred, bitterness and fighting, none for any
real reason. Tolerance is hard, but necessary
to show that if we can do it, they can, too.
Gandhi had the right idea. They can beat
me, spit on me, even kill me, but I will smile
and say, "have a nice day" every1:ime. This
may make the person stop and consider
hislher actions, or it may not. Nonetheless, it
is the only way to show the love; it is up to
them to accept the love.
How J Came'To B~
books which will answer this ty.pe of ques-
tioJ.l? I would like to preserve our heritage of
Hinduism.
SAILESH ACHARYA
MOBILE, ALABAMA, us
V Visit our Worldwide Web site. There you..
will find answers for the nine basic ques-
tions-including yours-about Hinduism. HINDU RENAISSANCE TEAM
'The "Lady in ,t he'Sari"
http://www... hinduismtoday.kauai.hi.us/ashr
am/HimalayanAcademy/PublicationlJnana HINDUISM TODAY was founded January 5, 1979, My personal p.ath of fashion self-discovery
Danal9QuestionsAndAnswers. html by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, for the
following purposes: 1. To foster Hindu solidarity
as a unity in diversity among all sects and lin-
took me back to our unbeatable Indian dress
<

of money, without giving any consideration
to the child's aptitude, talent, temperament '-
or ability. Also, they order the child to cut
down on TV watching, while they them-
selves watch six hours of TV every day.
Their motto seems to be: "Do as I say, not as
I do!"
PRADEEP K. SroVASTAVA
, DETROIT, MICHIGAN,US
Thanks for Appreciating US
SATGURU SIVAYA SUBRAMUNIYASWAMr'S
PUBLISHER'S DESK column ["Women of Vi-
sion in a 'Man's World: " January, '98] has
kindly given a great honor to all women, in-
cluding, and especially, female journalists,
and I am sure each one of us whom he men-
tioned is grateful to him for his compassion-
ate, kind words as well as loving guidance.
He has set an example for the publishing in-
dustry and media of the US-a man's world-
to appreciate their women journalists.
ARCHANA DONGRE
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, us
Gratitude for 1997 Award .
I HAVE RECEIVED THE EXTREMELY BEAU-
tiful plaque which you have offered to me to
commemorate the 1997 Hindu of the Year
Renaissance Award, together with your
most generous check for $1,008 ["Hindu of
the ::lear:' TRIBUTE Dec., '97]. This award,
which you have so kindly and compassion-
ately bestowed upon me, has a ver;y pro-
found significance for me. You have blessed
my heart of aspiration and my life of dedi-
cation here in the West, and I shall eternal-
ly and eternally treasure this signal honor.
SruCHINMOY
JAMAICA, NEW YORK, us
Harmless Ways
I HAVE A LOT OF RESPEct FOR HINDUS AS
well as all the other religions<of the world.
Belief can be hard sometimes in a cruel
world such as the one we are a part of The
cruelty and unfairness comes not from the
world itself but the people that are' here.
There is no reason why a diverse group of
people should not be able to Jive in harmo-
ny. The resourees on this world are great
WILLIAM SCOTT CHILDRESS Different Aspects of Tolerance
" wchildress@ncwc.edu THE EDITORIAL OF M'ARCH '98 ["ONE DAY eages; 2. To inform and inspire Hindus world-
My Religion Will Rule the World"] made me wide and people interested in Hinduism; 3. To BY ~AVITA DASWANI
aware of how, in my smugness about Hindu dispel myths, illusions and misinformation
FOR THE LAST 28 YEARS, I HAVE FOL-
about Hinduism; 4. To protect, preserve and
lowed the Sanatana Dharma's path of ahim- tolerance, I too was guilty of triumphalism. . AST YEAR, I HAD TO MAKE gles, bindis and a shimmering
promote the sacred Vedas and the fIindu reli-
sa. I have been looking for a way to help I wish to disagree with Shashi H. Dave of gion; 5. 1b nurture and monitor the ongoing a work related trip to the kundan set. At formal dinners
non-vegetarians give up meat eating. I have New York [LETTERS March, '98]. I believe spiritual Hindu renaissance. We invite our read- Italian city of Vicenza. in glamorous Western capitals,
finally found an organization which distrib- that those who fmd it most difficult to apol- ers to share these purposes with us by writing There I was introduced to where low-cut dresses and fan-
utes 100% vegetarian, soy-based meat re- ogize are those most in need of our pity and letters, contributing reports and articles on an elderly gentleman. 'l\h," he ciful frocks are the norm, the
placements. GVM has pledged that in 1998, forgiveness. But does that/not smack of arro- events, sending news clippings and encouraging said, clasping my hand. "You effects of me and my sari are
with the assistance of CARE, they will feed gance? How does one walk the middle path? othe s to subscribe. have been described to me as an
fascinating. There is imme-
100 million hungry people worldwide. This As to Hindu icons being maligned in sitcoms the lady in the sari. Why are diate sense' of respect. I am
is a ].lIlique opportunity for humanitarian- and other places, I do believe our Gods have you not wearing one?" In my often greeted by a halting "Na-
Publisher: Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswarni
minded people and for those souls who wish a sense of humor far surpassing ours. They Admin. Dir:: Paramacharya Bodhinatha functional beige pantsuit, I maste" instead of a two-cheek
to work together cooperativ~ly, despite race would certainly not feel hurt nor would they Editor-in-Chief Acharya Palaniswarni suddenly felt slightly ashamed. I Euro-style kiss. People suddenly,
and religion in improving our .lives and plan- require our protection. It is our feelings that Publisher's Aide: Acharya Ceyonswarni had gotten off a plane to come straight to surprisingly, become r~ther tender.
et. If you are a true believer of ahimsa and are hurt, and we who seek redress. We Deputy Editor: Acharya KiJ.rnarswami the meeting. I didn't think a sari would be At an outdoor cafe in Florence once, in a
wish. to help others improve their health, should at least be honest about that. ' Managing Editor: Sannyasi Arumugaswarni appropriate. This man's perception was not chiffon sari with a colorful tie-dye pattern,
then contact me. s.v SINGAM Graphics Director: Sannyasi Natarajasw~ misplaced.•Over the past few years, I have I walked past French fashion designer
PULAU PINANG, MALAYSIA Mauritius Editor: Sannyasi Murugaswarni made numerous trips to Europe and US in Christian Lacroix. He stopped his conver-
LINDA BARBOUR Mauritius Staff Writer: Sannyasi Sivadevaswarni
" linda@healthyandwealthy.com " SV@hitachi.com.m my capacity as a fashion writei When I sation to stare I!t every fold in the fabric
• Prod.lPromation Manager: Sannyasi Kathirswarni
Managing Ed. 's Aide: Tyagi Saravanathaswami was much younger, I thought the way to and thread. Wanda Ferragamo, owner of
THE SACRED TEACHING OF THE VEDAS AT- I CONCUR WITH THE SENTIMENTS OF Dep. Managing Ed: Ty.Jgi~ shine was to wear a little black designer ilie Italian fashion empire that bears her
test to deference for each other and respect Shasi H. Dave who said, "We should only Editor-in-Chiefs Aide: Yogi Yuganatha dress, like all fashionable women. Then I name, made her way acro~s two gilded
fof nature. Let us ardently strive to rekindle forgive those who ~ant to be .forgiven." We Advertising Manager: Sadhaka Jothinatha realized that I had adopted an urban uni- salons to tell me that I was "the most ele-
the insight that is so blossoming and re'l"ela- should take a more proactive stand against SubScription Manager: Sa<flJ.aka Adinatha form that wasn't really mine. gant woman in the room." At another party
tional in the ancient Sanskrit and which at those whose only wish seems to be our de- Graphics Director's Aide: Sivananda Katir So I learned how to drape a sari. As a in Paris, actress Tracy Ulman peered at my
one very precious time in Bharat permeated struction. For far too long we have lain in the Correspondents: Gowri Shankar & Anandhi~­ Hindu Sindhi girl brought up in the bosom bindi, cast her eyes over my rich ivory silk
dran, <;hennai; Choodamani Shivaram, BangaIore; Rajiv
each individual's daily sojourns and sadhana dust devoid of the vitality and strength of of a semi-traditional trading family in • and gold sari and asked, 'rue you sOJUeone
Malik, Prabha Prabhakar Bhardwaj, Mangala Prasad Me-
in embracing and expressing nonduality and the Mauryas, Guptas or Cholas. P1dia today hanty, Delh~ V S. Gopalakrishnan, Kffala; Basudeb Dhar; Hong Kong, thi~ sari business should have rich and famous I should know about?"
eternal joy. Our responsibility as Hindus is stands on a vast territory but seems to have BangladeSh; Archana Dongre, Los Angeles; Lavina Mel- come naturally. But it didn't. I was cajoled -And, most memorably, at a charity benefit
to perceive these issues clearly and to pre- forgotten her Hindu soul. The time has wani, New York; DI: Hari Bansh Jha, Nepal; Parnsram Ra- into wearing one dyring family weddings in Los Angeles last summer, where Holly-
sent fo our dear generations to come as well come for us to stand proud in defense of our moutar, Ani! Mahahr; ThnidOO; DI: Devananda Thndav.m, after relatives insisted it would 'look nice." wood celebrities competed with one anoth-
as to the world a more ennobling, enriched ~cient creed and people! ChicagJ; V G. Julie Rajan, PhilOOelphia; Shikha Malaviya, But I would stand, frustrated and impa- er in their sexy, revealing dresses, I stood •
and. united perception for the direction of ... M)CALIDASS Minnesota; Rajesh Jantilal, South Africa; Tara Katir, Hawaii tient, while someone would tie and pleat apart in a pink and green silk brocade sari.
human civili:7;ation. SINGAPORE Sanskritist: DI: S. Jo/<lraman, Bharato/<i Viqya Bhavan, NY and fold the fabric on me. Then, I carried • A young American man approached me,
" dass@po.pacllc.net.sg Amsts: A Mar!MiliJ, s. Rajam the sari like a burden.
ADHINATHA KANNAN NATARAJA looked at the bikini-clad dancers on higp.
Cartoonists: Bany Geller, David Lourie, Mario de Miran-
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, US da, Manick Sorcar, Gary L Stair; Bob ~ Now, my sari-wearing has become a platforms around him, pointed at my sari
Photo Contributors: 'Thomas L Kelly, Stephen,P. HUyler, burden no more. Instead, it is liP honor and said, "Now that is how all women
. Where Are the Relevant Answers? • Dev Raj Agr.iwal, Phal S. Girota, Tony Stone Images, f'ho. and a privilege. Who needs a Chane,.l gown should be dressed. I think the sari is God's
THE ARfr CLE "MAKING IT RELEVANT FOR tobank, Art W~ Inc., Gorden Wiltsie, Indivar Sivanathan or a Gucci evening suit-all essentially gift to womanhood."
Smart Young Souls" [PUBLISHER'S DESK, Oc- Letters with writer's n~e, address and daytime
Web Masters: Della Seyon, Sadhunathan Nadesan redolent of sameness~when you can be So the next time I saw the man in Vicen-
tober, • '97] indicated that Hindu children phone number, should be sent to: Scanning: Vikram Patel, New York swathed in a beautiful pink brocade sari, za, I did not disappoint him and arrived in
who grow up in America are confused in Letters, HINDUISM TODAY Distribution.: USA: Ingram Imodicals, New'I..ea£ EBSCO shot with golden threads, its pallu reveal- a dark-hued cotton sari. The look of appre-
107 Kaholalele Road 9.bcription Servioes, Indo-US Books, One Soqrce, UJjq- ing a parade of peacock motifs? What can
the two cultures; .Hindu and American. ciafion on his face was worth more than all
KAPAA, HAWAII, 96746-9304 USA uity, 1Qtal Circulation Services. Canada: Gerdon and
They feel they do not fit in to either'of them. Gotch. EUrope: SWETS Subscription Service. ~ia
possibly rival the elegance of a Kanchipu- the designer dresses in the world.
or faxed to: (808) 822-4351 ram sari, all handwoven silken threads and
Peer pressure in the Western culture makes or e-mailed to: letters@hindu.org and Singapore: ~ Dhanna Pubhcations. South
them depressed. Most Hindu p~ents cannot , Africa: Atlas Printers. India: Central News Agency Limit- flecks of gold? KAVITA DASWANI is a fashion editor for the
answer questions such as" Why do you wor- Letters may be edited for space and clarity and may ed, New Delhi. So now, whenever I travel, I pack a tiny South China Morning Post in Hong Kong
ship cows and idols?" Does HINDUISMTODAY appear in electronic versions of HINDUISM TODAY. Printer. Banta Pullications Group, Kama<; City bag filled with & few saris, some glass ban- and a fashion distributor's consultant.
have any plan of action or recommended " INDICATES LEITERS RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL

12 HINDUISM TODAY JUNE , 1998 JUNE , 1998 HINDUISM TODAY 13

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 ,,
EDITORIAL
A Tribute to the Sari
Its the only ancient dress to remain fashionable
in the 21st century. Jai BindiI women!
BY THE EDITOR
ASHION IN CLO'NIING IS A KIND OF LIVING ARCHEOLOGY, A
wash-and-wear history. It tells tIs much about who we are
• and where we came from, and maybe not a little about
w here we're going. Modern clothes tell a story Of simple prag-
matism. Throughout the world clothing has become more spartan,
more practically polyesterish, less elaborate. Men, especially, hav~
made some dismally utilitarian decisions about their wardrobe.
Around 1666 the present-day suit was fIrst stitched in France and
England, and by 1872 it was widespread enough in India to be
fIercely satirized. Somewhere in that era men from all cultures
made the very bad decision to abandon other atqre in favor of the
egalitarian grey suit, white shirt and necktie. What could they
have been thinking?
Sadly, men around the world lost their national and personal
character when they adopted the Western business suit as
manhoods global garb. Japanese men, who once looked so very
Nipponese in their graceful robes, now look like Europeans. South
Americans, once so distinctive in their hand-woven·costumes, now
look like the Japanese who look.like the Europeans. Inr;lian men,
who 200 years ago had regional raiment that was earthy and full of
elaborated colors, now look like the Brazilians, who look like the
Japanese, who look like the Europeans. Grown
men everywhere look like that. Check out the
marriage photo to the right. She's elegant, he's-
theres a word in the world of fashion-boring!
I know of what I speak. Visitors to our Hawai-
ian editorial offices know our staff is not sitting
around their PowerMacs in jeans and T-shirts. We
are all swathed in saffron and ochre cotton-
hand:spun, hand-woven and unsewn-draped in
the old South Indian style.
I can never forget the fIrst time, three decades
a
ago, that a Jaffna elder helped me wrap veshti,
and then took us to the bustling main market<
place. Every step was terrorizing, the unwieldy ~ passiqns, is a bridal color and part of rituals as-
garment threatening to fall, with me cinching up ~
the subversive sarong several times a minute, : giving force of the monsoon. Pale cream js
both hands never more than a, few swift inches ~ soothing and represents bridal purity. A
frbm my waist. How awkward I felt, and certainly ~
looked. As time passed and the ~bric was tamed, ~
I learned how refIned one feels in such attire. It @
was like floating, living In your spirit more than
in your body. To this day, I only feel comfortable and soulful in
these traditional robes. And t6 this day, Jaffna is one of the few
sanctuaries where Western pants and shirt are disdained, and all
mEm, including politicians, go around in their veshtis.
Indian women who wear saris know all this. They have watched
their sisters go the way of men, wearing dresses that look like the
dresses that every dressmaker dresses her customers in. 6kay, .
women at least have wide options in type and fabric and color.
16 HI J;l DUISM TODA~ JU I¥, 1998
And th§lt is good. But still, women in Japan
look like women in Australia, who look like
women in China, who all look like women
in Europe. There are few kirrwnos left to
announce the passing of a Japanese lady
and few ao dai to tell us that the woman
shopping over there is a Vietnamese.
. So, we pay tril:)ute to India's women and
Hindu women abroad who have not relin- .
quished their elegant dress. They alone
have preserved traditional attire, for the
sari is the only major apparel to have sur-
vived the last 500 years and to remain ele-
gant and voguish daily wear in the 21st
century. Thats quite an accomplishment.
No wonder the Western world. has been smiften by the sari, and
every woman with a sntidgen of sartorial savvy wants one.
Exploring the Worldwide Web on saris, I found this gem, writ-
ten by Shantipriya Kurada in 1994: "The beauty of the sari never
ceases to amaze me. There is something strikingly feminine about
it. Flowing like sheer poetry, graceful in every contour and fold, it's
a fascinating mixture of tradition and style. A single stretch of t ab-
ric that comes in a range of textures and patterns, the sari is
creativity at its best. A cotton sari, charmingly simple, starched
and perfectly in'place, has such a natural feel. Chiffons and crepes
add a glamorous touch. Fragile, utterly soft and delicate, they cre-
ate an aura of fme elegance. Weddings corrte alive with the grand-
eur of silk saris. Painstakingly handwoven to the last detail, the
brocade created to Pftrfection by skilled hands, each silk sari is a
work of art. A sari hqs such a special place in every girl's life. It all
starts with wrapping around mother's sari, playfully and clumsily
tripping on its edges. Then there is the fIrst sari you wear, perhaps
to a college function, looking self-conscious and achingly innocent.
And, of course, the precious wedding sari that's fondly .preserved
and cherished for a lifetime. In a world of changing fashions, the
sari has stood the test of time. Ther~ is something almost magical
about it, for it continues to symbolize the
romantic image of the Indian woman-vulnera-
ble, elusive and tantalizingly beautiful."
Historians say the sari can be traced back
more than 3,500 years! Sansk;(it literature from
the Vedic period insists that pleats be part of
every woman's dress. The pleats, say the texts,
must be tucked in at the waist, the front or
back, so that the presiding deity, Vay~, the God
of wind, can whisk away any evil influence that
may strike the woman. Colors, too, are ruled by
tradition. Yellow, gre~n and red are festive and
auspicious, standing for fer-tility. Red, evokirlg
sociated with pregnancy. Blue evokes the life- •
married Hindu' woman will not wear a
completely white sari, which is reserved for
brahmacharinis and widows. Life without a
husband, it is said, is a life without color.
The sari culturally links the women of India. Whether they are
wealthy or Floor, svelte or plump, the sari gives them a shared ex-
, I
perience, a way in whic'h they are all sisters, forging a link that
binds them across all borders, even geographical ones. Women
wearing saris in Qurban, belhi or Detroit are part of a social one-
ness that is nearly eternal and which may, it seems, last yet another
thousand years. This month's feature article and Insight section ex-
plore the fascinating world of the sari. Jai Hindu women!
"1£ after retuniing from contemplation, you are capable
dfbehavihg as be~ore"you have not been transformed."
Anandamayi Ma (1896-1982), God-intoxicated yogini and mystic Bengali saint
Frank and Ernest ©1990 TH;t,VES, REP"RINTED WITH SSIO N
WPAY'$ MtNV INC;~U()i$ tl.JOW MACA/lON',
eA(l~ Of CO~N, HiAl> L.fTTVCe; G/..ACf<"
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A oil face in the name of spirituality. Just be
v~GeTA"JAN.
Hes sort of like an Indian yogi. He has this Amassing great wealth is gradual, like the
extraordinary inner calm, w~ich means gathering of a theater crowd. Its dispersal I
• ' that e c~m ~bsorb an extraordinary is sudden, like that same crowd departing.
amount of pressure, without it ruffling J Tirukural, Verse 332
either his external behavior, or his internal
ability to handle sltuatio s as they come I love India. I love every thing about India.
up. ShastRi Tharur, executive assistant to I love the smells. I love the extremes. I have
United Nations .General Secretary Kofi never been anywhere I have felt so totally
Anan, describing (on the TV show "Sixty overwhelmed. You can fall in love with
Minutes") the refined inner strength pos- India for a'lllillion reasons. I have fallen in
sessed by Mr. Anan as he recently negotiat- love with the Asian elephant, and because
. ed a.{Jeal with Iraqi leader Sadda~ they are so deeply connected to the soul of
Hussein to permit U. N. weapons inspectors India, once you love the elephant, you have
access to royal palaces. Kofi A,{an is the to love India too. American actress Goldie
son of an African chieftain. Hawn in a video about the Asian elephant.
#
She daily worships Lord Ganesha.
A day without sunshine is like-night.
Make your life very exciting, but always
as
think of it as fun. Adver ities as well the
harmony should be enjoyable. Don't be-
come sober and morose and have a castor
happy. Even if you make a mistake, say,
"Hey, I did this? Great! What a wo~derful.
lesson I learned!" Renowned spiritual
teacher Swami Satchidananda (1914-),
head of the Light of Truth Universal Shrine
(LOTUS) iJl Yogaville"Virginia .
On the other hand, you have five fingers.
Early ethnographers were largely men,
who despite showing considerable interest
in nakedness, showed much less in clothes.
Researcher Emma Tarlo in her book Cloth-
ing Matters, D~ess and Identity in India
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HE WEATHERING OF WIND AND
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r
dia is the oldest mountain range in the
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about 50 million years old
JUNE , 1998 HINDUISM TODAY 1t
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19
FASHION
. those pleats! At fancy weddings
Sar.i, -Always-in Vogue
. .
Traditional and modern, the garment of India tours the world in flying colors
By LAVINA MELWANI, NEW YORK
T A BIG SOCIETY WEDDING IN DEL-
hi, everyone was dressed in the lat-
est budget-busting designer out-
fits, yet all eyes were on a' young
girl dressed in a rich, bluish pink
Banaras sari with intricate floral
motifs. This one-of-a-kind sari had cost her
nothing, for it had been part of her mother's
trousseau thirty years ago. Instead of getting
stale and out of style with age, the sari was
the cynosure of all eyes, a treasure which
had grown more valuable with time.
Who would have thouglit that six yards of
f~ric could be a synonym for elegance,
beauty and style? The sari is the world's
longest-running fashion story, as relevant to-
day as it was liundreds of years ago. While
the sari shares space in a modern woman's
wardrobe with the very popular salwar
kameez (also known as the Punjabi suit, con-
sisting of trousers and a long top) and West-
ern pants, it is still very much around and
the garment of choice for many, be it a
wllsherwoman, an urban working woman or
a high society socialite.
While Western dress has made inroads
into almost every Asian culture, with tradi-
tional garments like the Japanese kimonos
and Chinese cheon"g-sams being reserved
for ceremonial wear, the sari is a li~g gar-
ment, a part of the daily lives of women in
the Indian sub-continent, from Nepal to In-
dia, -Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Practical and always in style, it is a forgiving
garment which conceals a woman's imper-
fections and enhances her special qualities.
Even today for a young girl, draping a sari
for the first time is the ultimate coming-of-
age experience.
While the sari lives on in, villages and
ci'ties, young innovative designers in India
now give it fresh life and a new Wist for the
new generation. In India there are about 15
established labels such as Rohit Bal, n.
Valaya, Rina Dhaka, Suneet Varma, Tarun
Tahiliani, Sandip Khosla and Ritu Kumar.
These designers have revitalized the sciri,
adding heavily embroidered blouses to plain
saris, or re-styling the pallav (the portion of
the sari which covers the bodice and falls
over the shoulder) to give a new look to the
sari.. There's even been the zip-on sari for
girls who may have trouble handling all
20 HINDUISM TOD A..Y JU E , Igg8
many women drape the sari in
Gujarati style or seeda (straight)
pallav (the pallav is taken from
the back to front instead of being
taken from front to back)-con-
,
.
sidered high style by the fashion-,
conscious.
India's designers, adroit in
Western styles and fashion, still
take great pride in ethnic tradi-
tions and their offerings often
. echo embroideries and designs of
earlier craftsmen, celebrating In- g
dia's cultural heritage. There are ~
designer saris whiqh have scenes ~
from the Mahahharata or Ra-
mayana embroidered on the
pallav, 0][ the border of the sari,
or entire village 'scenes in kantha
work (nlnning stitch embroidery
used to make elaborately decorat-
ed quilts) from Bengal. There is a Let's shop: US-sold saris are mostly synthetiC. Travel to stores like this in India to buy all-natural saris.
kind of visual poetryA n these
saris, often woven by Muslim artisans for America indicates the sari is thriving. In the evening wear. While styles and lengths of
Hindu brides. Some of the best embroider- 60S, many women were reluctant to wear the salwar kameez fluctuate with alarming
ers in India are Muslim, who "an even re- saris in the US, afraid they would stand out. regularity, a sari is always til style. Tradition-
produce the intricate pieta dura work found But in multicultural America in the 90S al saris from different regions each have a
on tJ{e Taj Mahal. Saris tell stories-of the there seems to be' a new pride in ones roots. beauty all their own and are timeless.
Ramayana, offolk.lore and mythical heroes While women working in corporate Ameri- Kavita Lund: a wife, mother and accoun-
and verses from the Vedas . Ganesha-the ca may stiR prefer to wear Western dress to tant who lives in New York, has a sizable col-
auspicious one-is popular on sari pallavs. fit in, others in less structured jobs-film ed- lection of saris and enjoys the grace it im-
As Indians have spread around the world, itors, Wl'iters, travel agents-often wear sal- parts. She, like most of her friends, wears
they have taken the sarr with them. Saris are war kameez or saris to work. the more practical pants and salwar
a common sight in London, ·Johannesburg, Women in America especially wear saris kameezes during the day and saves the saris
Trinidad, Toronto,., Hong Kong and Singa- to evening events. After all, there is nothing for special occasions and evening events.
pore. In places as far apart as the Middle quite as graceful as the sari, especially for Her 19-year-old daughter, Monisha, born
East and,Lagos, saris are a part and brought up here, is just as
of t4e landscape. In fact, saris fascinated 9Y saris, although she
are big business in countries like wears only the trendy designer
Hong Kong, Singapore ~d Top Ten Selling Saris in India styles. These modern incarna-
Japan which produce bolts of tions of the sari would probably
synthetics like chiffon, satin and This list was garnered by HINDUISM TODAY correspondent Ra- make any great-grandmother
nylon which are bought in six- jiv Malik from New Delhi's Mr. Vishnu Manglani, a leader in faint-the stomach is completelY
yard lengths by Indians as saris. India's national sari business. Prices given are in US dollars. exposed and the sari pallav is
These are exported to many 1 Gadwals: Cotton with separately woven and attached silk wrapped nonchalantly around
countries and fmd their way to borders and pallavs. Made in Andhra Pradesh. $25-130. the neck, leaving the bodice
the Little Indias in the US, UK 2 Tanchols: Pure silk with intricately woven pallavs and bor- bare. Dr. Manjula Bansal, a
and Dubai. . ders. Variety of designs used. Made in Varanasi. $130-400. pathologist at the Hospital for .
The American way: Sari/stores 3 Bumkais: Silk yarn, made in Orissa. Yarn is dyed so that, Special Surg~y and the q.ornell
thrive in many Indian enclaves when woven, patterns appear in various colors. $20-125. University Medical Center in
in America. Among the largest is 4 South Handlooms: Like Kanjivarams, but cost less. Banga- New York, has a large collection
India Sari Palace in New York, lore made. Jari and silk borders and pallavs. $90-300. of saris from every part of India
with a vast inventory from India 5 Printed: Silk, hand printed on three materials: silk, crepe and wears them with great
as well as Japan. .March was and chiffon. Comfortable for party or home wear $65-130. pride. Even when she was a
their annual 50 percent sale-a 6 Tangalls: Flne cotton, hand-woven in Calcutta. Traditional medical resident, she would
big event for US sari wearers- Bengali designs. It gets softer with each washing. $10-100. wear a hindi on her forehead
and the harried salespe6'ple 7 Cotton Handlooms: Hand-woven in Coimbatore. Elegant for and saris. to her workplace, rid-
could hardly answer this re- " summer wear. Rich and crisp. Need much care. $20-50. ing on the subway. Now she
. porter s questions, so inundated 8 Valkalams: Pure silk, woven in Varanasi to depict folk art wears salwar kameez to work,
were they with shoppers. Many scenes. Special handlooms can weave 25 colors. $90-400. since this outfit is more practical,
communities, such as the Gu- 9 Kanjivarams: Flnest handloom silk, specialty of Tanill Nadu. but always dresses in saris to so-
jarati, wear most)y saris, and so Also called heirlooms. Pure jari-woven borders. $130-1500. cial events, be it.. an Indian or a
there is a constant demand even 10 Chanderis: Made with silk and cotton yarn in Madhya mainstream gathering.
in America. Just looking at the. Pradesh. Saris are lightweight, ideal for summer. $20-125. Bansal, who was involved with
stores in Little Indias across funding of the India Chair at
JUNE , Igg8 H TNDUISM T ODAY 21
Columbia University and with other main-
stream cultural organizations, fmds her sari
a great ice-breaker at internation!]l gather-
ings. Her authentic saris from many regions
of India are always great for conversation
and make her many frlends. She says, "Not
only is a sari beautiful, but iti is a story in
fabric, depicting religiom( and social beliefs
and shows good omens for a good life. Every
craftsmJIl puts his identity into it.
You don't have to be beautiful to
feel beautiful in a sari. It brings out
your inner beauty and grace."
So many styles: As in all coun-
tries, Indian dress usually indicates
religion, social position, ethnicity,
wealth and regional origin. Saris
are no exception. While this is still
mostly true in India, some urban
Indian women and those living
abroad do wear a cross-section of
saris from different regions, and
are certainly more Indian than re-
gional in their perspectives.
Women have a rich array of saris.
to choose from, including hand-
ldom saris from Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil. Nadu and Karnataka, silk
brocades from Varanasi and Kan-
chipuram,jamdani (fme, transpar-
ent cotton muslin) from West Ben-
gal, cotton saris from' Kota in
Rajasthan, p~tolas (elaborate, five-
color design) and ikat (special c;l.ye
process) from Gujarat, Rajasthan
and Madhya Pradesh. For those liv-
ing abroad, a trip to India means a
new wardrobe, since the variety of
fabrics in Indian cities is so vast.
Interestingly enough, just as
there are fakes in ar,t and jewelry,
there are fakes in s'aris. Today it's
easy to be taken for a ride because I
te€hnology has improved so much
that saris with artificial gold look
identical to .those with real gold
threads, the difference in price be-
ing a hefty RS.lO,OOO at least.
Advances in India's technology '
have made saris more affordable
and easy to maintain for working
women. Synthetic saris made in powerful
industrial mills are attractively priced and
don't need heavy ironing or care. The flip
side is that this has endangerect the liveli-
hood of vi:llage craftspeople who can take
many months on a loom to produce a sari.
As one old weaver told Bansal when she vis-
ited him in his 'dilapidated: almost shut-
down workshop, "People are , impatient
nOwadays, and they can get ten machine-
made saris for the price of one hand-woven
sari. They dori't want to wait or spend the
money."
Fads and experiments: Recently the New
York Fashion Institute of Technology
22 HINDUISM TODA.Y J NE, 1998
showed the saris of Princess Nilofer. Nilofer,
an Ottoman princess who married the son
of the Nizam of Hyderabad, made the tradi-
tional sari her own by giving it a Western
touch through decor;;ltion and the Rlacement
of motifs. Her saris were ornamerlted with
sequip.s, beads and metallic embroidery on
chiffop., crepe and net, with the floral de-
signs falling in the front or over the left
shoulder. These saris were designed by a
Frenchman, Fenande Cecire, and embroi-
dered in India. In fact, in \he days of the
British Raj the Indian princesses traveled to
Paris and often got their saris designed by
French couturiers: Recently some of these
saris came up for auction.
Saris, with their golden threads, intricate
embroidery and innate romance have always
attracted Westerners. Glimmerings of India
inspiration appeared in the 1920'S w.hen
Madame Gres, a renowned Paris designer,
showed sari-inspired styles in her collection.
Western pass-ion for Indian fashions can be
traced to the British Raj when socialites in
London New York and Paris were smitten
by Indian fabrics and embroidery. Famous
Western designers wer~ very influenced.
Those who've used saris and Indian fabrics
in their collections include Mary McFadden,
Oscar de la Renta, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Nor-
ma Kamali and Anna Sui.
.Recently, British designer Paul Smith did
an entire collection based on India, includ~
ing men's shirts created out of saris.
When Indian designer Rohit Bal's
mother saw this collection, she
said plaintively to her son, "What's
all this nonsense about? I used to
make shirts like this for tOU when
you were young, and you never
wore them!" To which Bal retorted,
'Tm sorry, mom, but that was you.
This is Paul Smith!"
While some Westerners fashion
saris into everything from pillow
covers to tablecloths to evening
dresses, others actually wear them,
a momento of their Indian adven-
ture. Some designers use it to out-
rageous effect: John' Galliano was
once spotted at a society gala in
New York wearing a silk sari with
his short tuxedo jacket and dress
shoes. Supermodel Naomi Camp-
bell wore a sari at the MTV Music
Awards, ~d Goldie Hawn, a great
fan of India, often wears sar-is to
social events. The Duchess of York
was presented with a green Benar-
si ~ilk sari by Prince Andrew in
happier days. Legendary ceramist
Beatrice Wood, who recently died
at 105, wore nothing but saris and
Indian jewelry for the last several
decades of her life. And pop icon
Madonna is very much into Indian
saris, mehndi and meditation in
her latest CD, "Ray of ~ight."
For mainstream Americans, the
sari is still an exotic garment, a cos-
tume to transport them to another
world. Ip fact, Magic Markers Cos-
tumes; a Halloween costume ~up­
ply house in Huntington, West VIr-
ginia, offers a sari for 'rental, alo~
with blouse and petticoat, for US$40; Their
website: www.magicmakers.com. shows an
American woman draped in a sari.
Fads come and go, but the sari survives
them all. As Bansal points .out, "One wants
to be noticed, especially in a crowd, but why
ape the West? The sari creates an instant
identity for you, and I think that's what most
people are looking for, whether you are a
CEO or a physician or you're trying to make
a mark. The sari says a lot about you." --'
NEW DELHI SARI STORES: MEE NA BAZAAR, E ~ 1 9 NEW DELHI
SOUTH EXTN., NEW D ELffi 110049 INDIA, on 5154 AJMAL
KHAN RD, KARO L BACH, NEW DEWiI 110 005 INDIA, E-MAIL:
SE@MEENABAZAR.COM, WEBSITE : WWW.MEENABAZAR.COM;
XALPANA , F -S CONNAUCHT PLACE, NEW DE LHI 110 DOl .
INDIA, E-MAIL: CULTURES@ NDA .V5NL .NET.IN
By SHIKHA MALAVIYA, MINNESOTA
T IS A BLUSTERY, COLD AFTERNOON
as I make my way to die Goldstein
Gallery and the University of Min-
nesota's School of ~pparel and Design.
Opening the auditorium door, I make
out: the silliouettes of roughly 20(}peO-
pIe f@cused on a slide of a Tamil woman
whose sari wraps around her knees and di-
vides in:the middle, a common style among
rural working women. The lights turn on,
and in the front of the auditorium a petite,
blond-haired woman dressed in a navy blue
silk sari deftly demonstrates that very style
from the slide on a volunteer while explain-
ing its method in a lilting French accent.
The audience stares in awe as ant:tu-opologist
Chantal Boulanger proceeds to unravel.,the
mysteries of sari draping.
The sari, a versatile female garment of an-
cient Indian origin, has enthralled and mys-
tified many in its variety of texture, design,
size and draping style. While mahy scholars
document the intricacies of the sari's myriad
color~, fabrics and patterns, few, if any, have
closely examined draping styles. French an-
thropologist Chahtal Boulanger hopes to
change that. Boulanger is the author of
Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art
of Draping. In her book, Boulanger docu-
Job well done: The exhibition
team poses at the end of opening
day. Guest curat6r Chantal
Boulanger is in center. Student
curator Susheela Hoeffer stands
third from left, exhibit deSigner
Jean Ross second from left and
Hazel Lutz is second from right.
dalamam, ill'Tamil Nadu. Many
young women no longer wore
such styles because they didn't
vYant to be identified as a peasant
or a lower caste. Boulanger real-
ized that many of these drapes-
at times intric'ate, function~, and
in most cases symbolic of religion
and social status-carried a cer-
tain part of Indian women's histo-
ry, and that it would vanish with-
out a trace if not recorded soon.
Zigzagging across the Indian
states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gu-
jarat, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa
and West Bengal from 1990-
1997, Boulahger visited big cities
and remote villages. Taking notes
and photos of diverse sari drapes
was a constant ritual, even if it
meant stopping women on the
street. But this wasn't enough to
cognize intricacies of the wrap-
ping art. '1 realized the.only way
to remember these saris was to
try • them again and again,"
ments and lucidly illustrates more than 100 Boulanger shared with HINDUISM TODAY.
sari drapes, divided loosely into families and She practiced until she got them right, and
sub-families where possible, based on cer- wore saris under every ,Possible circum-
tain basic draping techniques. By doing so, stance to personally experience how saris
Boulanger .is the first scholar to define the work in daily life. "Whenever'Indian women
art of sari draping and give its study a legit- taught me how to wear a sari, they missed
imacy that goes beyond mere fashiort. essential steps I had to discover on my own."
Boulanger's book came to life in an exhibi- Secrets such as knotting a sari instead of just
tion presented l;>y the University of Minne- tucking it into a petticoat came with trial
sota's Goldstein Gallery January 2S-March 1, .and error. Now a bonafide expert in more
aptly called "The II;dian Sari: Draping Bod- than eighty drapes, Boulanger is an inspira-
ies, Revealing Lives." It was the first sari ex- tiOB to most of us H!ndu women who barely
hibition to accentuate draping techniques know a handful. • I
rather than texture or design aspects. For Dis.section: As Boulanger organized her
Boulanger, it all began six years ago when a" information, she realized most sari drapes
unique sari drape at a wedding in South In- could be categorized into families. On
dia sparked her interest. «I saw a drape with grouping various drapes, Boulanger found
pleats on the side 'and its border.in the back. the necessity 6f a glossary to identify each
I asked how to do it, but no one kne'e" part of a sari. "Every sari starts with tying it
Boulanger, having studied Tamil temple tightly, whether on the waist or chest. So I
priests for the past fifteen years, encoun- decided to call it the cloSing." Boulanger en- ;
tered various sari drapes in her field work, listed words from Sanskrit and Tamil be-
but never imagined they would one day be- cause "I couldn't just write, 'tie this end to
come the object of her study. A trip to a re- that end.' " As a result, she terms the part of
search center in Pondicherry turned up lit- the sru;i from which the drape begins, mun-
tle information on the "wedding sari" drape, di, anCl. the part thrown over the shoulder,
and her inquiries to Tamil women followed pallav. The main part of the sari is the body.
suit. Finally, 'an old woman identified the The edges are the upper and lower borders.
wedding sari as a dying drape worn by pea- While Boulanger created a working glos-
sant women from the region of Tondaiman- sary of the sari, she feels most successful in
JUNE , 1998 HINDUISM TODAY 23
arranging the sari into families. Studies pre- one region to another-and some saris were text, Boulanger applauds the modern Nivi boundaries of class and caste, making sari, and tradition is fashionable as well
ceding Boulanger's work grouped drapes ac- too unique to fit within any family- but the drape, with its pleats in front and pallav all women equal in the eyes of others."
cording to region or state, so she in!tially fol- groUping of saris revealed manl things. "I over the left shoulder, calling it the egalitar- With their visual appeal and social Song of the Sari as practical." Ross added a rural touch
to the exhibition by painting the walls
lowed suit. But as research' progressed, she saw dhoti styles worn mainly by the Brah- ian sari because. as she enthuses, "It crosses context, Boulanger dreamed of a sari saffron and the top with a red, sten-
realized that draping styles crossed regions, mins," shares Bou-, ~xhibition. But as she pitched this idea Excerpts from a poem by Shikha Malaviya, de- ciled border, reminiscent of villages in
and by focusing on met,hod, found that most langer, "while veshti~ to friends and colleagues,. they urged picting India as a motherly sari: India and Pakistan. Placement of
sari drapes could fit into four .main families style , drapes ap- her to write a book to supplement it. Six yards of cloth, a sari, cotton, chiffon, silk, drapes was important, too, and Ross
[see pg. 29]. Many drape( overlapped fami- peare~ on other Boulanger lahored five year&: and fin- woven with threads of history, wedding-red,fes- .d rew inspiration from the small, wind-
lies, indicating migration of a grOlJP from classes." In this con- ished in 1997, her biggest challenge be- tival-yellow, widow-white, sensual drape of hu- ing streets of Indian villages. With
ing the 1 00 illustrations redrawn mility, India wears epitome of Sita and Sati and Boulanger's work'as their focus, and
painstakingly until accurate. The exhi- every woman in-between. Clothes do make the their individual experiences in India to
bition of Boulanger's work, though not woman beautiful, beholding the eye washed with draw from, Lutz, Hoeffer and Ross
Her Hindu Ties as extensive as her book, would marry
the aesthetic importance of drapes
holy water from the Ganges
Old is not an issue for you who holds the 1TUjs-
turned an intimate gallery into a color-
ful Indian oasis of art and savoir-faire.
with its cultural implications. tery ofrenewal. You plait us in yourriverlocks and The exhibition drew over 200 on
Chantal'BoUlanger: my magical life Drape dlisplay: The Goldstein exhibit
rendered sari draping with an authen-
pleat us in the folds of the ancient Sari hugging
your body century after century. Even when we
opening day, some o'Ut of curiosity, oth-
ers to learn. Regardless of motives, vis-
ticity pI;ovoking visitors to feel trans- wash against foreign shores, still a thread ofhome- itors left the exhibit with fresh knowl-
Mystical visions: I was Hindu gy I cleaned the whole ported to India. Call it coincidence or spun cloth clings doggedly to our bodies, tying edge. As Mani Subramaniam, native of
in my past life. I had memo- ashram! I have many stories kismet that student curators Hazel Lutz wandering children to your ever--pregnant belly. India and business professor at the
ries when I was very young like these, things that hap- ·a nd Susheela Hoeffer both sojourned University of Minnesota's Carlson
of being British, joining the pened to me. Little by little, I in India, and Jean Ross, responsible for School of Management states, "On my
Ramakrishna Mission, visit- started concentrating on Siva exhibit design, visited India and Pakistan. because as Hoeffer observed, "It's hard to vi- next visit to India, I'll definitely be looking i
ing Calcutta and meeting and this led me to India. Lutz and Hoeffer primarily focused on sualize the mass of a sari as a flat piece of at saris more carefully, even though I have
Swami Vivekananda. I could Kanchipuram's lure: Some- drape families and technique, but also in- cloth when it is draped on the body." J seen them all my life." A fitting compliment
almost recall his words.-As a how I knew I had to go to cluded saris in various contexts, such as pho- Lutz, who is co-writing a book on dress for Chantal Boulanger and her work, and for
young 'child, ,I also saw Gane- Kanchipuram. Thats where I tographs, a wall of artwork (including a and culture, saw the exhibition as a way to women worldwide who make the sari an in-
sha.but couldn't explain it. I met my guru, Rajappa Gur- sketch by world-renowned artist Jamini "fully appreciate the complexity of drapes, tegral part of their lives. .;
called Him "the transparent rukal, one of the head priests Roy ), a display of blouse styles, Indian dolls and drop stereotypes. We're showing that CHANTAL BOULANGER, 80 RUE FRANCOI S
elephant" because I realized of the main Siva temple in dressed in saris, and hanging saris as well, there is innovation within the confmes of a
HARDOUI N , TOURS 37 100, FRANCE, E- MAIL :
SHAXTI@DEVI.NET, WEBSITE : WWW.DEVI .NET
nobody else saw Him. Grow- Kanchipuram. He answered
ing up in a culture of fairies questions and explained my
and goblins, everyone thought vision of Siva as my diksha. I
it was my imagination. But .
later, as a teenager, I recog-
nized the "transparent ele- .
returned from India, looking
for something to tio, when my
friend suggested anthropolo-
Demystifying the Sar.i
\llhant" as Ganesha because gy as a way to bring my.inter-
He was standing and had a ests in travel.l.i.ng and other A la~shly illustrated coffee-table book tells it all
human body. civilizations together.
Like a puzzle, I pieced to- So, I went to school to join a By SHIKHA MALAVIYA on region, Lynton captures motifs and patterns, all which
gether bits of my past life and research project which just NDA LYNTON, A f RO- the sari's beauty and com- integrate and represent their
connected it to Hinduism.
One day, in my early twen-
ties, I went to the Paris Ra-
makrishna Ashram for the
celebration of his birthday,
happened to be on Hindu
, temples. Since none of the
members of the team were
Hindu or vegetarian, n.o ne of
the priests would talk to
Two of a kind: Chantal next to a "Hospet" sari at
•
teenth century. I can even
pinpoint the year in South In-
dia- around 1830. I know
in ancient India. In the Hin-
du texts of that time, the nee-
dle was considered a weapon,
t fessional writer, b'ecame
curious about saris
when, on marrying
Sanjay. Singh, a native of
India, his extended fami-
plexity in vivid detail through
etlrni.c art, historical facts,
geographical surroundings.
"Most of the world uses tai-
lored clothing, and
here is a culture that
doesn't," explains
not knowing it was also them. When they found Ilwas many will be upset with my so stitched clothing was ly welcomed her by giv- Lynton. "The whole
Sivaratri. I had not eaten that vegetarian and close to a findings, but clothing, like in banned and there was more ing her saris. "I heard emphasis is on the'
day and reached the ashram , priest, they were happy to Islam or in Christianity, is empfl~sis OD the ornamental, stories about local saris cloth itself, how it's
to fmd everyone fasting be- have me on their team. I meant to control sexuality. until the Muslim invasion, and hoped to fmCl. more woven, how it's deco.-
cause of Sivaratri. That night spent six months of the year, There are two ways of doing and afterward British rule. stories about saris from rated, how its colored,
as I did puja, I heard in my for seven years, in Kanchipu- this. One way is to hide the Hazards on the job: In In- other regions of India, so and that alone makes
head, "Siva Siva Siva." I wa~ ram, studying the sub-caste of woman as much as possible, dia when I wanted to we~ I looked for books, but it interesting." Partic- sari as a prized fabric, focus-
very tired and had a cold, so I these priests. I would stay in the other is to control the the Brahmin sari, Brahmin didn't find many," recalls vlarly notable in the ing on its design. From this
asked Siva to forgive me for • temples to see how they man.' If yQ.'u read any Hindu Tamil women were reluctant Lynton. Lack of infor- book...a re textiles from perspective, Lynton docu-
not staying up. Suddenly a worked, then go to my guru's text, you see there is a lot of to teach me, because they mation on saris spurred groups such as Gu- ments forty types of saris
voice interrupted my sleep, house where he answered my emphasis on self-control. So didn't want any non-Brah- five years of research jarati indigo-dyed with photographs and dia-
calling me by my Hindu questions, including personal before the British came, most mins to wear that drape. One and an expansive tome- saris that heretofore grams to illustrate complexity
name, Susheela. I looked • ones such as how his mar- Indian women revealed their day I wore a Lingayat sari, The Sari: Styles, Pat- were never illustrated in patterns, weaves and col-
around and switched the light riage was arranged, which bodies quite freely or covered which is similar to the Tamil terns, History, Tech- II: and documented. • ors. She also includes a com-
off, when suddenly the room helped me in writing my nov- themselves with jewels. Brahmin sari, and I had a niques. By concentrating ~ While Chantal prehensive glossary of textile
starting filling with light, and el, The Goddess' Justice. Nowadays, because of West- person follow me around say- ~
Boulangers. book is a terms as well as Indian ones.
I saw Lord Siva. The next Controlling sexuality: ern influence, we associate ing, "She is not wearing a Richness: Cotton hand- practical manual on TO ORDER THE SARI: WRITE TO: HARRY N .
morning my cold was gone. I Women in India started cov- nudity with being out of con- Brahmin sari," otherwise I woven cloths. Inset: a draping techniques, ABRAMS, INC. , 100 5TH AVENUE , NEW
was filled with so much ener- ering their chests in the nine- trol, but that wasn't the case may have been attacked! comple'X Brahmin sari Lynton surveys the'
Y ORK, NY 100 11-69°3. WEBSI TE :
WWW.ABRAMSBOOKS.COM

24 HINDUISM TOD AoY J NE , 1998 JUNE , 1998 HINDUISM TODAY 25


LEGENDARY ADVENTURES AND
UNEXPECTED PLEASURES. From the
mountains of the Himalayas to the beaches of the
Indian Ocean, you'll discover an extraordinary world
of culture and diversity. There's no adventure
quite like India and no time like the present
to exp~rience it. India, a country that is
truly many worlds in one. As Mark Twain
once said: "Nothing seems to have been
forgotten, nothing overlooked." © 1996
Grand Bassin: Shrines and pilgrims sur-
round the lake, located in an extinct vol-
cano at 1800-foot elevation. (inset) Kan- THAI PUSAM
wars approaching Grand Bassin, 1998.
M~rugan's
Festival Fervor
A time for penance
EARS WOp LD RUN DOWN MY CHEEKS,
and I would lose consciousness when I
saw the kavadi procession, even thou g,h
I was only eleven," recalls Mrs. Maliga '
Naga1ingurn, of Port Louis, Mauritius. Now
52, she has carried. kavadf in honor of Lord
Murugan each of the'last twenty years. Thou-
sands of other Hindus of Tamil origin have
done the same every February since the
community's arrival on the island 150 years
Special holiday called to accommodate pilgrims ago. Many Hindus join in, now mak'ing it a
major festival of the year for Mauritius.
", A kavadi is a hig,hly decorated pole or arch
NE ADVANTAGE OF RUNNING A COUN- lake, then return home with a pot of sancti- carried by a devotee from a cresignated start-
try is that when there is a problem, fied water. It can take two days to walk ing point to a temple. "To carry kavadi en-
you can do something about it. So there, and two back. Those with sore feet tails a lot of preparation, ' especially at the
when the Prime Minister of Mauritius, can, wit,hout censure, take a bus home. spiritual level," explains Rama Armoogurn,
Dr. Navonchandra Ramgoolam, and his fam- Vimalen Rengapen, 21, of Riviere-du- 21, a student in at the University of Mauri-
' ily got stuck in \:lle 50,000-car, five-hour Rempart, made the pilgrimage 9n foot'fa 12- tius. "You have fo sleep on a mat and eat only
traffic jam of pilgrims heading for Grand hour, 50-Ian trek. He arrived at Grand Bas- veggie food." The whole family will join in
Bassin lake as part of the yearly Maha sin at one in the morning, soaking wet from making the kavadi, which can become quite
Sivaratri festival, he took action. Because the rain.and shivering with cold. "It was re- an elaborate affair, towering ten feet or more
many pilgrims were unable to complete ally very hard to walk such a long distance. over the devotee. Many have their bodies
their trek to the lake, Dr. Ramgoolam de- But on reaching, I could not believe how pierced with small spears. Women usually
clared the following day, Monday, February beautiful it was. We worshiped Lord Siva, carry pal kavadi, a big brass pot of milk, on
" sang His hymns and kept awake throughout
the whole nig,ht to earn His grace."
their head, and pierce their cheeks and
tongue. What is it like? Rama says, "Words
This year's festival was special, for it was are too feeble a medium to explain the in-
one Hundred years ago that Jhummun Giri tense feelings when yoti carry kavadi." .",/
Gossagne Napal, a temple priest, saw in a Report by SUNIL P. GOPAL ; Mauritius
dream devas (angels) dancing around the
lake singing praises to Lord Siva. He and
other religious leaders declared the lake a
tirtha, place of pilgrimage, unique to Mauri-
tius, and as sacred as the Ganges. In 1998,
300,000 Hindus-50% of all Hindus on the
island-~de the pilgrimage, despite dreary
Devotees collect sacred water to take home wea~er and the traffic jam.
-/ Some pulled or carried kanwars, a chariot
23rd, a holiday-he also cashiered the police or arch decoratep. with colored paper. Kan-
inspector in charge of traffic. Hindus were wars range from simple affairs to recreated
delighted with the added holiday, but the temples, Deities, even houses and dne year's
country's leading newspapers-operated by 7-meter by 10-meter Boeing 747. Elaborate
1-800-953-9399 non-Hindus-blasted the decision. One creations cost up to US$2,000, and are coop-
business manager complained that up to erative efforts by family and friends.
Everything you'd never expect Th1 80% of workers were absent the next day, This tradition of carrying kanwars (as
and estimated the resulting, loss at US$5.8 . more mod.est decorated arches) is followed in
million. Hindu leaders came to the PMs de- North lridia [see March, 1998] in June and
Call 1·800-GO INDIA for your complimentary India Travel Guide.
or w rite to: MSI . 25- 15 50th Street . Dept c PoWoodside. NY 11377 . fense/ saying the unusual' conditions justi- July. There devotees walk from their villages
fied the special holiday. hundreds of kilometers to Haridwar arid re-
Sivaratri in Mauritius is a multi-day affair, turn with Ganges water. In Mauritius the
NAME because the main form of observance is' to North.fudian community adapted this prac-
either drive or wah: to Grand Bassin, a large tice to' Sivaratri and now, as with Thai Penance: This kavadi by the man in
ADDRESS lake in the middle of the island. There devo- Pusam, most Hindus participate. .",/ orange is shaped like Murugan's Vel. He
tees worship at the>many shrines around the Report by SUNIL P. GOPAL, Mauritius will carry it many miles to a temple.
CITY STATE ZIP ,. JUNE , Igg8 H I"NDUISM TODAY 27

INSIGHT
Fabric Begets Fashian
The Indian sari remains the pinnacle of weaving skill and designer dressing
ITH TUCKS AND PLEATS, FLOWING FOLDS AND KNOTTED
ties, Indians have for tens of centuries fashioned impecca-
ble apparel from unstitched lengths of cloth. Ranging from
simple body coverings to masterfully embroidered works of
weaving and wearing, the sari is without question the reigning
queen of the world's traditional dresses. No attire elicits images of
India more strongly than the sari, and no other nation's costume has
remained in vogue longer-over 3,500 years. While the sari soars in
social circles, the time-worn garbs of other world cultures, such as
Japanese Kimonos, have largely faded from public view-usurped
by Western suits and scuttled to museum displays or restricted to
ceremonial occasions. In striking contrast, the sari is now the rave
in big-city clothing cliques found around the globe. It commands
the respect and admiration of chic designers who revere the silken
swath-of-cloth as a fashion stalwart, an icon of an attire which has
transcended time's trendiness.
Author and folk-art historian Jasleen Dhamija describes in her
book, Handwoven Fabrics of India, how "The most intimate element
in a person's external being is the cloth with which one wraps one-
self or ones loved ones. It is also closely associated with inner life and
the stages through which a person passes. Though the rituals are
similar, their enactment and the fabrics used in them are quite dis-
tinctive. Saris were bought during the Deepavali festival, and the
whole family participated in the year1y visit of the family weaver to
the house, for saris traditionally were never bought off a shelf
Weavers came from the weaving centers of Thanjavur, Kumbha-
konam, Kanchipuram and Dharamavaram, bringing samples of new
designs, colors and different qualities of silk. Families of weavers
worked over generations with large joint families. Every village or
center had a distinct style which a connoisseur could distinguish."
The sanctity of the sari begins with its weaving. Sanskrit Vedic
texts, including the Yajur Veda, contain detailed descriptions of meth- .
ods of weaving, yarn spinning and even shepherding. A well-known -<
verse from the Rig Veda Samhita, lO . 130.1, correlates weaving with Androgynous attire: (clockwise from top left)
the performance of the havana ritual. It proclaims, "Sacrifice re- Three distinctive women's sari styles: the "Tamil
Telegu Brahmin" sari, the rare Kappulu and the
sembles a loom with threads extended this way and that, composed most famous sari in the kaccha style, the Mar-
of innumerable rituals. Behold now the fathers weaving the fabric; wari. Men have a variety of draping styles as
well, including the unique short Koli drape, the
seated on the outstretched loom. 'Lengthwise! Crosswise! They cry." Toda tribe's veshti and the Chettiyar dhoti
28 HINDUISM TODAY JUNE , 1998
Dhamija stresses that "Textile terminology is closely linked with
philosophical thought. It is not by chance that technical terms play
a basic role in early philosophy. For example, grantha, sutra, tantra
and nibandha originate from textile techniques. The whole of an-
cient Indian scholarship is reflected in the simple but skilled ma-
nipulation of the warp and weft of a loom."
What has saved the sari from extinction is its exceptional quality
of being ever open to the creative inspiration of its wearer. Where-
as tailored clothes are strictly one-way-forward, up or down, either
casual or formal, the sari stretches far beyond such limitations. A
single unstitched weave can become an entire wardrobe, all de-
pending upon the chosen method of draping. No other garb has such
a range of possibilities. Remarkably, however, the sophisticated
styles and techniques for wrapping saris that have been developed
by India's ethnic groups over the centuries have been virtually ig-
nored by scholars. While there are many detailed studies of India's
textile and sari making industries, some of which delve into the re-
ligious usage of the fabrics, only one recent study has focused pri-
marily upon the diverse ways saris are worn. In 1997, French an-
thropologist Chantal Boulanger [see page 23] published her land-
mark work, Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art of Draping.
She describes the subject as a "totally unexplored world whose
meaning had never been considered." Her efforts are a significant
step towards categorizing and preserving sari draping styles, which
are known only by a few elderly ladies in each region. The follow-
ing overview is drawn from her work.
By CHANTAL BOULANGER, FRANCE
HE MOST ANCIENT RECORDED INDIAN DRAPE , EXCLUDING
those of the Harappa civilization, is a dhoti [see page 30 for
definitions]' Buddha's lay followers, such as Ashoka and the
men and women represented on the stupa of Bharhut (Madhya
Pradesh, 2nd century BCE), wore elaborately pleated dhotis.
Nowadays, dhotis are still worn by men all over India. They require
a piece of cloth which seems longer and larger than what was worn
in the past, but their pleating is often simpler, and they are no longer
adorned with belts. There are several styles which reflect personal
taste and/or occupation, such as the classic, priest, Andhra, Marwari
and the Chettiyar dhotis.
In the past, women wore dhotis just as men did. But from the 14th
century onwards, women's clothes started to develop in a very dif-
ferent way from those of men. The number of yards required in-
creased and the shawl that sometimes covered the shoulders was
transformed into the upper part of the sari-the mundanai. By the
19th century, the colonial attitudes imported from Victorian Britain
considered dhotis to be indecent for women, and women in some
castes modified the drape so that it covered their chest.
Dravidian saris, which are the basis of the modern sari, are basi-
cally draped in two parts. The veshti (from the Sanskrit verb vesh,
meaning "to cover, to wrap around, to roll") covers the lower part of
the body. It is supplemented by a separate mundanai or mundt/.. The
draping of the veshti is simple and virtually universal. Most people
all over the world use this drape to wrap a bath towel around them-
selves. Various forms of veshtis were worn in India, and are repre-
sented on many sculptures and paintings from numerous places as
early as the 2nd century BCE. Veshtis are commonly worn by men in
the two southernmost states of India, and also by women in Kerala.
It is a common drape in many countries of South-East Asia.
It was probably not earlier than the 19th century when women
joined both pieces of cloth, thus creating many elaborate new
drapes. The draping of Tamil saris did not change much from that of
the veshti-mundanai, except that this new fashion had one big in-
convenience. When walking, the sari was pulled upwards by the
mundanai, revealing the legs. Women in each region of Tamil Nadu
found their own solutions, and adapted their draping in order to re-
main "decent," thus spawning a great variety of styles.
Most saris fit into "families," which means that they follow certain
basic ways of being draped. There are four main families, with sub-
families and a few smaller families. The dhoti family includes men's
dhotis, women's dhotis, South Indian Brahmin saris; Dravidian saris
include veshtis, Tamil saris, Eastern saris and Santal saris. The nivi
saris are modern saris, kaccha saris and upper kaccha saris (the
Sanskrit word kaccha means "pleats" or "pleats tucked between the
legs"). The tribal family consists of high veshti tribal saris and right-
shoulder tribal saris. The smaller families are the Gond-related saris;
Lodhi saris; drapes with nivi and Dravidian influences and unique
saris. Some drapes could fit within two families, such as the Gauda
sari which is at the same time tribal and kaccha. On the other hand,
several drapes do not fit anywhere.
The drape which is now considered to be the Indian sari, called
nivi, has never been represented on any ancient painting or sculp-
ture. Whereas dhotis and veshtis were commonplace in the past,
nivi saris seem to have been nonexistent.
The nivi family is by far the most widespread. These saris are now
worn allover India, as well as in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pak-
JUNE , 199 8 HINDUISM TODAY 29

Definitions
Choli: a usually tight-fitting blouse
Dhotl: usually white, a five-yard long,
four-foot high weave, normally
made of light cotton, having little
or no borders and pallavs. These
are worn by men all over India, ex-
cept in Tamil Nadu and Kerala
Mundi where only Brahmins drape them.
Lower border: the edge touching the
Both textile and drape are independently feet when the sari is first tied.
istan, not to speak of the Indian communi-
ties living abroad. In Rajasthan, Punjab and influenced by fashion. Stylists are mostly Mundanal: the part of the sari, start-
ing from the pallav but Significant-
Uttar Pradesh, where stitched clothes are concerned with the fabric and the form of
traditionally worn, nivis are becoming in- the choU, but sometimes they try to intro- ly longer, which is thrown over the
upper body. Mundanai is a Tamil
creasingly popular. In Sri Lanka, it has be- duce new drapes, too. Saris are always best
come the compulsory sari of government draped with cotton. Once folded and word designating a separate piece
of cloth used as an upper-body
employees, rather than the more typical Cey- tucked, cotton stays in place, and doesn't re-
lonese sari. It has influenced Western stylists quire anything to hold. For weighty or slick drape. By extension, Tamil women
often use this word for the part of
and evokes for most European women a vi- cloths, such as silk, a pin or a clip might be
sion of flowing beauty and elegance. used to hold the pleats and to keep from the sari which is draped over the
upper body, including the pallav.
Every drape requires a piece of cloth of a having to readjust the drape all the time.
specific length and width. For instance, it is Saris are fun to wear. They can be tried Mundi: a Tamil word meaning pallav,
by anyone, and more styles can be created. or border; another pallav at the
impossible to make a Marwari sari with six
yards, since nine yards are needed. Each re- They are the expression of women's creativ- other end of the sari, less elabo-
rate, where the colors of the body
gion of India has developed textiles woven ity, and there is for each woman one drape
in the dimensions fitting the local drapes. that fits her perfectly. Often it is not the and the borders usually mix. Drap-
ing often begins with this pallav.
But apart from the size of the cloth, almost modern sari. Just as in painting or playing a
all saris can be tied with any kind of textile. musical instrument, it takes training and Mundu: a smaller piece of cloth often
used to cover the head or thrown
When at home or working, women wear practice to wear a sari perfectly.
cotton or synthetic fabrics. When going to a over the shoulder. This South Indi-
Recommended Resources: Saris: An Illustrated Guide an word usually translates as towel
function or an event, they often dress up To The Indian Art of Draping, by Chantal Boulanger, Shakti Press in-
with a silk sari. Most of the time, the drap- ternational, Post Office Box 267, New York, NY 10276-0267 USA: Pallav: the most decorated end-part
which is thrown over the shoulder.
ing is the same whatever the textile. While The Sari: Styles, Patterns History, Technique., By Linda Lynton,
Harry Abrams Publishers, 100 flfth A""nue, New York, NY 10011- Upper border: the highest border
there are festive and daily drapes, a festive 6903: Ikat Textne. of India, By Cbelna Desai, Chronicle Books, 275
drape can be worn with a beautiful silk, flfth Avenue, San Francisco, California 94118-2307 USA: Clothing when the sari is first tied, generally
used for the knot in closings.
polyester or cotton sari, and one might wear Matter.: Ore •• And Identity In India, By Emma Tarlo, University Of
Chicago Press, 5801 South Ellis A~ue, Chicago, Illinois 60637 USA
an old silk sari with a daily drape.
A sari's two dimensions are length,
which may vary from 2 to 9 yards,
Draping devotees: (left to right) Youth at a Rajasthan fair rejoice; a Vama fabrics fashion
model displays the opulent refinement of their elegant weaves; Kodava wO'l'lWn of Coorg and height, varying from 2 to 4 feet.
district wear a distinctive and unique drape; a Delhi newlywed wears red
11118 Bond-family Sari
Ofthe more than eighty styles of sari drapes doc-
umented by Chantal Boulanger, the Gond sari
~~:m!~... was chosen to present here due to its sim-
plicity, its relative uniqueness in not re-
quiring a choli, and to offer a drape
which is perhaps unknown to most
of our readers.
By CHANTAL BOULANGER
Usually a family of saris coin-
cides with a definable group of
ethnic or local communities. For
instance, Tamil saris are worn by
non-Brahmin Tamil castes. With
tribal drapes, however, it is hard
to relate the styles of a family to a
fII.l!61• • • specific set of tribes. The Coorgs,
the Pullaiyars and the Hallaki Gaudas wear
similar saris, but they differ in culture, physical appear-
ance and social status and dwell in climates ranging from
a hot seacoast to a cold mountain top, although they all
live in Southwestern India.
This disparity is also true of the Gond family of
saris. The Gonds are a tribe living mostly in
Eastern Maharashtra and Southern Madhya
Pradesh. Their women wear a sari of coarse,
thick cotton with sometimes heavily embroi-
dered pallavs. Its length is about five yards. It
is usually worn without choU or petticoat.
Some communities wearing these saris are
very far apart from each other. They do not
speak the same language or share anything
in common. One of them is not even Indi-
an. Yet their drapes are clearly related to the
Gond sari, of which many variations are found
on women of all castes living in what was the
Gond kingdom.
Gond saris are also distinct because they re-
quire two elaborate pallavs, or, as with the Koli
sari, no marked pallav at all. Since one pallav is
draped over the left shoulder and the other makes the
closing on top of the sari, both ends of the cloth have an
equal importance.
The guide to draping a Gond sari: The cloth of these
styles is first arranged on the left shoulder, falling
across the front upper part of the body. It is then
draped clockwise from the shoulder to around
the hips. The closing in most of these saris
1
is typical of this family-a knot is simply
tucked in the upper border as it passes
under the right arm, coming from the
left shoulder and going around the
waistline. For this style, you can easily
manage with a four-yard sari.
1) Throw the pallav and the long mun-
danai to the back, over the left shoulder.
Leave just enough cloth in front to make the 3
closing: pass the upper border (towards the mundi)
across the chest from the left shoulder to under the
right arm. Pass it around the waistline clockwise (in
the back, under the left arm, across the abdomen).
2) Make a knot with the upper corner of the mundi
and tuck it in the upper border that already passes under the
right arm (coming from the shoulder and going to the
back). Pull the lower border so that it falls in front
from the left shoulder to the right foot (under the
mundi). The mundi should be in front of the legs,
its edge falling vertically along the right leg.
Most of the sari is gathered and drops in the
back from the left shoulder.
3) Gather the sari on the left shoulder,
making informal pleats. Pass the sari
across the back from the left shoulder to
under the right arm. Notice that the mun-
di is draped clockwise, while the pallav
goes counter-clockwise.
4) Bring the upper border of the mun-
danai under the right arm and draw it across
the chest. 5) Pass the remaining cloth under
the left arm and across the back, bringing the
end-corner up and over the right shoulder.
6) Make a knot with the upper corner of the
pallav and the part of the upper border pulled
in front of the right shoulder. Since the cloth is
coarse, it makes a big knot. 7) Look beautiful!

.. page~, Sierra Club Books for •
Visionary publishers
vend books for boys and
girls-full of fabulqus
fables and visual pearls
OW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU
scoured bookstores for quality
Hindu storybooks, only to come
away weary, wishing that some-
one would get serious about writ-
ing for today's Hindu yout}l?
Newsweek recently stated that" 'Need' is
never an issue with kids' books," due to the
approximately 5,000 new children's titles
published every year in the US. But it seems
they never a.?ked a Hindu mom. In response
to this latent need, a diverse group of artists
and authors have recently produced stun-
ningly beautiful boo~s for childreIJ and
young adults. These are US productions
that soar above similar ~dian tomes, and
many of the creative talents are Westerners.
Their rich and powerful stories, with strik-
ing illustrations and deftly wri~ten prose,
will capture your child's imagination, teach
a moral (not haughty) lesson, and provide
them with fanciful friends and role models.
I Want to become an armchair traveler to
India? Read and enj0y Sacred River h6
p~ges, Clarion Books, US$14.95) written
and illustrated by Ted Lewin. Lewin's po~
erful and majestic watercolor paintings
coupled with his unadorned prose will
transport fau to the ancient holy city Qf Ba-
naras. From the boatman to the bathers
seeking religious purification in the holy
waters, the religious solitaires meditating on'
its banks, to the cremation grounds and to
the final journey of the ashes of the depart-
ed, Hinduisms most sacred river is lovingly
der icted in Lewin's sumptuous work. The
Art and education: (clockwise from left)
Morning puja at the banyan tree-where
monkeys play and little girls swing. Ravi re-
lates his experiences in Initiation Customs.
32 HINDUISM TOD h Y J NE, 199 8
Gift (28 pages, Wisdom Publications,
us$l4.95) written and illustrated by Isia
Osuchowska, is a magical story of a modest
gift of cloth and its far-reaching effects. An
impr~ssive lesson in the use of resources in-
terpreting the ethic of "waste riot; want ,
not," The mft serves up a potent declaration
of how we can use what we have'
for the benefit of many, now
and into the. future. In the
Heart of the Village: The World
of the Inlllian Banyan Tree (28
Children, US$16.95) written and
illustrated by Barbara Bash, pre-
sents a visually rich window into the
complex world thai: grows around the
magnificent banyan trees of India.
Through vividly sensual and lush
paintings,. Bash ·takes us into
the swirl of life surround--
ing a .giant banyan, the village centerpiece.
From dawn worship in the modest shrine at
its base to the mid-mOI;ning market; from a
playgrounds shady rest>ite from mid-day
heat to the evening's cool meeting-ground
for village elders; and with the plethora of
animals living in its far-f.lung branches, the
worM of the Indian banyan is lovingly pro-
. trayed for us all to .enjoy
DepartiI;lg the breathtaking banyan, we
delight in the savory sweet Cherry'Tree (32
pages, First Boyds Mills Press, US$7-95).
Written by Ruskin Bond and illustrated by
Allan Eitzen, we are delivet:ed to the Hi-
malayas to follow a village girl,•. Rakhi, as
. she plants a cherry seed: nurtures it and
marvels as it grows to bear its delicious
fruits. All the while, Rakhi gr.ows and ma-
tures into womanhood. Her sweet and
sometimes sour1 essons of life follow the
simple planting of a cherry pit. a suspense-
ful tree tale of another sort (notice a trend
here?) is Aani and the
Tree Huggers (30 pages,
Lee & Low Books Inc. ,
US$14.95). Written by Jeannine Atkins and
illustrat~d by Venantius J. Pinto, this tale is
based on actual .events in India from the
1970s. A young girl, Aani, ipspire;; the
women 0 her village to hug the trees to
prevent them from being cut. Pinto's vi-
brant, attractive illustrations, from the col-
orful clothes and jewelry of the women to
"I was really surprised at all
the./people who turned up at
my upanayana ceremony.
I had no idea that we had so
many relations. My parents
had set up a huge tent ..'. and
all m)r aunts made a big fuss.
After they'd finished with
me: I really did feel like
a new person."
Ravi's tale as told ih
COM:PARING
RELIGIONS: INITIATION CUSTOMS
, world. Paper boats, drifting down a stream
.the rangoli decorations on the village hous-
es, will wisk you into the world of the tree
huggers as they offer their lives to preserve
what they value. --:
Values of another sort abound in Victor,
the Vegetarian: Saving the Little Lambs (52
pages, 'Aviva Press, US$6.95). Written by
Radha Vignola and illustrated by Julia
Bauer, this book sends a forceful message
to non-vegetarian parents. While Bauer's
illustrations are not as cOlorful as others,
b~ing done in a simple one-color format,
they lend themselves agreeably to Vignola's
powerful story.'They also serve well for col-
oring. After hearing his father's plans to
have the family lambs for dinner (not as
guests), Victor sets out to liberate them. All
ends well when Victor, the lambs and his
family reunite. "Eat vegetables instead of
our animal friends" is Victor's message!
Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Ta-
gore [1861-1941] gave the world many
messages through his literature, and now
he gives two fme boo~s, Amal and the Let-
ter from the King (32 pages, Boyds Mills
Press, us$l4.95) retold by Chitra Gajadin
and illustrated by Helen Ong and Paper
Boats (28 pages, Boyds Mill Press,
us$l4.95) illustrated by Grayce Bophak. In
Amal we are introduced to a small boy con-
fmed to his house by illness. His world
comes to him as he peers outside his win-
do.w and dreams of traveling with time to .
an imknown land. TagoI.;.e's lyrical language
makes this a perfect book to read aloud. In
Paper Boats Tagore's simple poetry leads us
into the imaginative mind of a child
dreaming of what lies beyond his small
with "blooms of da~' will evoke memo-
ries of your own childhood and its simple
pleasures. The unpretentious, yet expres-
sive torn-paper style illustrations are the
perfect vehicle for Tagore's elegant poetry
Jump from the ethereal to the analytical
and land in the world of learning and cul-
tural exchange. Interested in how people live
and celebrate lifes importatit milestones, or
just what went into those tasty curries you
ate last night at your neighborhood restau-
JUNE , 19 9 8 H I'NDUISM TODAY 33

rant? We have a few delect able treats to sat-
i;ry your appetite. A Taste of India (48
pages; Thomson Learning, US$14.9S) by
Roz Denny from a series, Food Around the
World, takes you from marketplace to
kitchen with the creation of several stan-
dard Indian ,recipes (unfortunately not all
vegetarian). From fIfty color photos, maps,
illustrations, to cultural cues on eating with
your fmgers, this is a nifty book for class-
room use, grades 3-S. Your filth to sixth
gx;ader may also fmd elucidation in The
Ganges Delta and its People (48 pages,
Thomson Learning) by David Cumming.
Topics range from early history, floods,
droughts, to geograppy, lifestyles and social
concerns of the pre~nt populations. This is
a sure way to give young readers useful in-
formation about this region of the world.
Haye you ever wondered what cere-
monies Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Hindus
and Jews perform at life's important junc-
tures, what foods are considered sacred or
profane, how youths (like Ravi on page 33)
are initiated ini:o adulthood and what sa-
cred journeys are ritually undertaken? You
can fmd answers to these and more from
the Thomson Learning series pn Comparing
Religions (30+ pages each, Thomson Learn-
ing): Marriage Customs by Ani,fa Comp-
ton, Initiation Customs by Katherine
Prior, Food and Fasting by Deirdre
Burke, Birth Customs by Lucy
Rushton and Pilgrimages '
and Journeys by Katherine
pnor. Each gives simple yet
fairly complete descriptions of
the rituals and beliefs which en-
rich and empower the lives of
each adherent. Photographs .
presenting ceremonial cus-
34
HINDUISM TOD A.Y JU, NE , 1998
to~s, places, food and people enhance this through ten in Hindi will be your guide on
series, making it a valuable tool for teachers a trip through Indi a. Colorful and charm-
or parents interested in sharing the obser- ing modern illustrations highlight each
vances of other faiths with children, and to page. Hindi script is introduced along with
foster tolerance thro.ugh understanding.
Customs, clothes and food choices are about the illustration which relates to the
hot topics of conversation among adoles- number being studied. A nice read-aloud
cent<NRls growing up outside India, with book with upbeat illustrations, Count Your
the cor~ question being whether "to be In- Way is a sure win for young readers (4-6).
dian or-American?" Aruna's.Journey (134 So head back to your favorite bookstore,
pages, Smoothstone Press, us$6.9S) by you'll have !;letter luck this time.
Jyotsna Sreerrivasan and illustrated by Mer-
ryl Winstein broaches the subject in the
tale of a Hindu youth experiencing life in
America. Aruna is an eleven-year-old
whose family is from Kamataka. Ashamed
of her Indian origin and trying to become
a "normal American," she journeYs to India
to visit her relatives. Culture shock! -Adapt-
ing to and eyentually accepting life in In-
dia, Aruna in turn accepts herself This is a
multicultural b90k with a message.
A message of another sort comes in
Binya's Blue Umbrella (68 pages, Boyds
Mills Press, uS$l2.9S), a little book about a
blue umbrella and the joy it brings. Written
by Ruskin Bond and illustrated by Vera
Rosenberry, this is a modern parable on
desire and the illusiveness. of happiness.
The tale of Binya, the humble mO.l;!lltain girl,
a blue silk umbrella and the people who
covet it unfolds into an adventure with
a surprising conclusion. Rosen-
berry's telling black-and-white
illustrations draw us into Binya's
mountain world and its people.
Last, but surely not the least, is
Count Your Way through India (20
pages, Carolrlioda Books, Inc.) by
Jim . Haskins, illustrated by Liz
Brenner Dodson. Numbers one
Life cycles: (clockwise from top
left) Six-year-old Rakhi TJlants a
cherry seed given to her by her
grandfather in Cherry Tree. We
grow with,her as she nurtures
the tree; TJ"rotects it from danger;
heals it when it's hurt by f,oats .
and ox-carts and then reflects
when it blooms on the wonder
that is life. (Below) An old boat-
man in Sacred River rows to the
ghats of Banaras ... "Oars creak-
ing in their locks; boats jamming
alOngSide."
• for a nOIninal fee to help cover printing and handling.
' a pronunciation guide and a short story
..-
PtmLlSHERS: CAROLRHODA BOOKS, INC, 241 F IRST AVE.
NORTH, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 554 0 1 USA; SMOOTH
STONE PRESS, P.O. BOX 19875 . ST . LOUIS . MISSOURI , 63144
USA; BOYDS MILLS PRESS, INC, 9 10 CHURCH STREET, HONES-
DALE, PENNSYLVANIA 18 43 1 ;PSI!.; THOMS ON LEARNING, 115
F IF TH AVENUE , NEW YORK, NEW YORK 1 0 003 USA; LEE &
LOW BOOKS , INC, 95 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK, NEW
YORK 10 0 16 USA; CLARION BOOKS '2 15 PARK AVENUE SOUTH,
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 1000~SA; AVIVA, P. O. BOX 1471 ,
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA 950 6 1-1 4 7 1 USA; WI SDOM PUBLI-
CATIONS , 361 NEWBURY STREET, BOSTON, MASSACHUSE'ITS
02 11 5 USA; SIERRA CLUB. 85 SECOND STREET, SAN FRANCIS-
CO, CALIF 0 '}NIA 9 4105 USA.
L-__c~ILJt:S:en:d::us:~
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Murthi Prathistapana
~ ~~6lI~1T t.SIlJ~~LITU6Uf1D
Slk1!?!14"11 • Consecration of Deities .
May 23rd , 24th & 25th , 1998
Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, Rush, N.Y.
1"he Pun.ar Pr-athistapana of Sri
SPONSORSHIP
Rajar-cijeswari Dewi, Sivalinga US $
I
:z:
'S
am;! Ganesha, at the n..ewly
constructed temple, will be
perli.ormed on the 2.3rd, 24th
Sponsorship
for Entire event $1001.00
Sponsorship
for 2 days of event $ 501.00
I and 25th of May
performed by eXiperienced,
senior Sri Vidya Upasakas.
1998, Sponsorship
for 1 day of event $ 251 .00
Annadhanam
If
Food Offering $ 300.00
Various Homams and PLtia will
Floral service $ 101 .00
be performed thr.oughout the Valampuri Shanku $ 101 .00
I three-day event. Ordinary Shanku $ 21 .00
Kalasa $ 51.00
t EVeryOnediS cO~~iaIlY i~vited
~ 0 come an partIcIpate In this 6ri RajarajeslVari Devi COlltributiolls to SVTS are tax
! great event. allhe Peelam deductible ill the USA.
Prasadam will be mailed withill
t Sri Vidya Temple Society two weeks of completioll of
i
! 6970 East River Road, Rush, NY 14543
(716)272·8081, (716)533·1216, Fax (716)272·9515
Prathista. Please make checks Dr
mOlley orders payable to S. v.T.S.
::m:a:iI~a:t~p:ee:~
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~::H:w::~
ww.s~r:iv~id~y~a~.o~~=:~~~~~~~~~~~~JLJI~ 35

LAW
No Ca-n·nable Cannibals!
Oprah escapes the jaws of the Texas beef industry
.1
OW DOESN'T THAT CONCERN YOU ALL
a little bit, learning that? It just stopped
me cold from eating another burger."
Oprah Winfrey's sudden statement
seemed innocent enough. It was, after all, a
shared reaction to a rather grisly report on
maq.,cow disease. But because she voiced
her vow on-the-air to millions of viewers of
her April 1996 titan TV talk-show, Texas
cattlemen, led by Amarillo feedlot owner
Paul Engler, sued the talk show host, her
production company and cattle-rancher-
turned-vegetarian-activist, Howard Lyman,
for over $10 ,3 million. The riled ranchers ar-
raigned Oprah for allegedly causing beef
prices to plummet roughly $16 a head, a de-
valuation of 10 percent, in what they termed
the "Oprah crash." ":
Oprah's exclamation came -after hearing
Lyman describe how sE!gments of the indus-
try had been feeding ground up dead
bovines and other animals back to cows, and
how that common practice could Be spread-
ing mad-cow Cllsease to humans. (That feed-
ing custom was voluntarily banned in the US
shortly before the show vyas taped and was
I'
36 Hi NDUISM TODAY JUNE, 1998
J Jakob diseas~ (CJD) ~s the human
outlawed in the summer of 1997.) Lyman
said the disease could "make AIDS look like
the common cold" and that the US was ''fol-
lowing exactly the same path that they fol-
lowed in England." He then painted the pic-
ture that gave Oprah indigestion. "One-
hundred thousand cows are fine at night,
dead-in the morning. The majority of those
cows are rounded up, ground up, fed back to
other cows. If only one of them has mad-
cow disease, it has the potential to effect
thousands. Tod.ay, in the US, 14 percent of
all cows are ground up, turned mto feed and
fed back to other animals."
Oprah couldn't swallow those facts. "But
cows ate herbivores," she posed. "They
shouldn't be eating other cows." "That's ex-
actly Tight," countered Lyman. "We should
have 'them eating grass, not other cows.
We've not only turned them into carnivores,
we've turned them into cannibals. '. The au-
dience gasped, and Oprah made her vow.
''I'm stopped," she swore. And beef prices
plwiged, argued Engler.
One month into the trial, on February 18,
without explanation, US District Judge
Mary Lou Robinson rejected the part
of the case filed under the states 1995
"veggie libel" law. This Texan law is
meant to protect' perishable food
products, usually fruits and vegeta-
bles, from attack with knowingly false
and defamatory statements-hence
the law's name. However, the judge
did not throw the case out completely"
Jurors continued to hear the case as a
common-law business disparagement
trial" giving the cattlemen a heavier
burden of proof than under "veggie
libel." They had to prove that Winfrey
and parties set out to hurt the beef m-
dustry.
On FebruarY -26, the jury found'the
defendants not liable. Outside the
courthouse, Winfrey pumped her
fists at fans and hollered, "Free
speech not only lives, it rocks!" Mean-
while, cattleman Engler emphasized,
"We did accomplish the main objec-
tive: to convince the people that US
beef is safe." (The: brain-destroying
illness has never been found in US
cattle. ) He adde1:l, "I want to see re-
sponsible reporting and responsible
talk show hosts." Juror Pat Gowdy
helpeCl explain the decision, "We felt
that a lot of rights have eroded in this
country. Our freedom of speech may
be the only one we have left to regain
what we've lost."
Nature's response: Though out of
Oprahs court for the time being, con-
cern over the disease continues. A re-
cent Reuters report by Paul Tait details
chilling facts. It reads, "Creutzfeldt-
equivalent of mad-cow disease and, like its
bovine equivalent, it kills relentlessly and is
largely undetectable until after death. The
biggest known outbreak was among a tribe
practicing cannibalism in the l"l1mote high-
lands of Papua New Guinea in the 1950s.
"CJD and mad-cow disease are types of
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
~ TSEs ). All TSEs have three commcm
threads-the agent that activates them is un-
known, they all bor;'microscopi6. holes in
the brain of their victim and they are always
fatal. The agent is not only infectious but has
also been shown to be inheritable. It has no
cure and no treatment, resists heating, f!eez-
ing, burial, strong ,.chemicals and medical
sterilization. Most TSEs also involve either
direct cannibalispl or the re-use of body
parts in agriculture or medicine." The com-
ments made on Oprah's disputed show were
less ominous than Tait's. ...,;
With reports from Associated Press
Readers may care to ktlOW that pet foods,
even grain-based feeds, are likely to contain
animal parts that your pet would not natu-
rally consume_
TRINIDAD
Dilltavali "
Del~ata
Hindus fight holidays
coxnmercialization - "
•
ACH FALL THE "DIPAVALI VILLAGE" IS
E set up for two weeks on several acres of
land on the Caroni plains in central
Trinidad by the National Council for
Indian Culture (NCIC). Booths are rented
out to various businesses to sell crafts, food, I
clothes, even hardware and cars. A few reli-
gious. lectures are given during the first .J
week, but thereafter dances, fashion shows
and music predominaj;e. The Village has
been popular with Trinidad's Hindus and is
the largest yearly Hindu event on the island.
The problem with Dipavali Village, com-
plains the influential Maha Sabha, is that it
has minirnized religious content. "The Vil-
' lage has evolved ipto a commercial enter-
prise as business discovered the power of the
Hindu waJlet," complains Maha Sabha exec-
utive member Devant Maharaj. "It has re-
duced Dipavali to a pre-Christmas shopping
season." The NCIC, they charge, is attempt-
ing to recast the festival as a "cultural obser-
vance," a kind of Hindu 'carnival, not a reli- ;;;
gious event. Devant describes the NCIC as a :l!
o
mixed religious group comprised of Indian India style: At sunset ladies of the house set the Dipavali lamps upon a kolam diagram
Hindus, Christians and Muslims, and head- I I
ed by a Presbyterian, Hans Himoomansingh. , radio station. Complaints to the station from is likely that the festival in honor of Lakshmi
The Maha Sabha is not the only group in- the Maha Sabha and others got the program was already ancient in Rama's time. It is the
sisting Dipavali is a religious event. For dif- permanently canceled for violating the sta- New Year's day in the Vikram calendar-
ferent rea.sons, the Nur-E-Islam Education tion's prohibition on bringing another reli- new clothes are donned, houses cleaned and
Committee has distributed a flyer called gion into disrepute or offending any com- businesses close out their books. In the
, "Beware of Shirk [polytheism]," which ad- munity. evening thousands upon thousands 'of small
I vises 11-uslims not to participate directly in In defense, Medina said in his fax, "It was lamps are lit and fireworks are displayed.
Dipavali because it is a festival in honor of terribly .....distasteful to see the Maha Sabha How to deal with festivals in a multi-reli-
Goddess Lakshmi, hence a form of ').dol and other Hindu organizations presenting to gicms environment has already been solved
worship." Hindus have taken offense at the the ru::tion that Dipavali was simply a 'festival in 'India. There, during.. Dipavali, Hindus
flyer, though it is an accurate (if conserva- of lights,' or the 'triumph of light over dark- will greet their Muslim and Chfjstian
tive) explanation of Islamic principles and ness,' when in fact this is not really the case friends, and share with them the special Di-
does state, 'J\s Muslims, we must exhibit tol- at all. These Caribbean Hindus in a Christ- pavali sweets. Similarly, on Eid-al-Fitr, the
erance towards other world religions." ian cultural environment use these accept- major Muslim holiday marking the end of
Like the Muslims, the "Thusians," a local able phrases to palliate the consciences of the month-long Ramadan fast, Muslims will
independent splinter group of the interna- people so tll'at it would not seem to be idola- greet their Hindu and 9hristian friends and
tional Seventh Day Adventist denomination try to participate in Dipavali. We showed send to them the sweet vegetarian dish se-
of Christianity, insist Dipavap. is a religious . that Dipavali is not really about lights, it is wainn. Such sharing is done by Christians
festival, not a neutral cultural observance. about the worship of the Goddess Lakshmi." with their non-Christian friends at Christ-
Indeed, it: is a brazen exa'mple of the wor- Dipavali, "Row of Lights," is celebrated by mas. This centuries-old solution in India
ship of "graven images," according to a all denominations of Hindus. It takes place in doesn't require anyone to go against his
eight-page fax sent to HINDUI~M TODAY by October-November the day before the new faith. But it does allow each to share the joy
Thusian pastor Nyron Medirla. He ex- moon -in Libra. There are several explana- of their festivities with friends of other reli-
pressed this same' opinion, embellished with tions ot its origin, the most common being gions in an non-threatening way. ...,;
malicious remarks about Hinduism, last that it is the day Lord Rama returned to Ay- With reports from.ANIL MAHABrn, DEVANT
March during his weekly program on a local odhya after spending 14 years in exile, but it MAHARAJ and PARAS RAMOUTAR, Trinidad
JUNE, 1998 HINDUISM TODAY 37

.
WOMEN OF VISION
.Food and
. Breath:
Su~t8ir:lin8 the.Body
Spiritualizing meal preparation and controlling
our breath tunes us to Nature>s cosmic rhythms
"\
BY BHAHMACHARINI
. MAYA . TIWARI
OOlD IS DIVINELY INTERTWINED WITH
body. According to ancient Vedic
see:rs, all things grown on the Earth, the
human body and entire universe are all
food, annam. The principle of annam is
that all things physical are composed of the five
Aymyedic elements-earth, water, fire, air and
spac~. The elements of our food, our annam,
nurture and feed the same elements of our bod-
ies. When we become mindful of this divine
connection, every bite a food is a blessing from
Mother Nature. In this manner, we begin to
practice sadhanq., the art of-living in harmony
with nature's rhythms. Balanced physical, men-
tal and spiritual health grows into Qur lives like
the sprouting of a good seed.
The following experience illustr;ites instant
. and f.1rofound benefits. Recently, Joyce attended
a food sadhana workshop. Throughout, she was
uneasy and distracted in her seat. Afterwards, Joyce told me she
had a history of chronic migraines. Although she had tried several
different medicines and,therapies, nothing had worked. Moreover,
she continually experiehced an uncontrollable urge to binge on
junk foods,. The more she ate, the mor~ severe her migraines be-
came! I explained to Joyce the relationship between food and the
body, an~ the effect of sadhana practice on our health. I gave qer
this simple food .sadhana regime:
Be mindful in your approach and attitude toward food. These I
simple steps will help you: 1. Make your kitcben a sacred, simpli-
fied space: 2. Know where your food comes from. Use fresh, sea-
sonal and organically grown foods. 3. Grind fresh spice seeds in a
mortar and pestle for everyday use. 4. At the same times everyday,
prepare arid eat two ample meals. 5. Practice gratitude before im-
bibing a healthful meal by offeriIlg food to Mother Nature. Tradi-
. tiomilly, a small portion of each cooked food is offered to the fire'
before tasted or served. The offering may be accompanied by any
prayer you choose. 6. Observe silence during meals. 7. Following
meals, whllle your food is being digested, take a brief stroll or sit on , 'we may quickly realize many changes in attitudes and feelings. We
your heels for 20 IIliI1utes.
Two months later, I received a 1etter from Joyce with a recent
photograph of hers~l£ She glowed with good health. She was still
on he1- sadhana program. Her migraines had disappeared. Joyce
had only one brief setback one week after she started the program. established author, her columns for HINlDUISM TODAY are based on
Immediately after' a junk food binge, she experienced a migraine
again. This convinced Joyce to stick to her healthy regime. Two
months later she was free from migraines and had even lost weight. as a brahmacharini in AsheVille, North Carolina, USA
,
Breath: According to the Vedas, our
breath extends from the cosmos' prana and
controls both the quality ana length of our
life. Life is defmed not by the number of
years on Earth, but by the number of
breaths each soul is given for its journey.
When we expend our ration of breath, our
journey ends. Vedic 'l:;eers advised main-
taining slow and rhythmic breathing,
pranayama, by synchrbnizing our rhythms
with cosmic rhythms.
The right nostril's breath controls solar
rhythms and the left lunar rhythms. Learn-
ing to activate or de-activate the right and
left breaths in accordance with daily ,
rhythms, we strengthen 'bur prana anCl
extend duration and quality of our life.
The following simple methods realign the
breath with day and night energies to cre-
ate balance. To monitor your breath, first
ascertain which nostril is exhaling more
air. Block your left nostril with a fmger and.
blowout your right, holding your hand
beneath the nose. Feel the force of air ex-
pelling. Then do the same on the opposite
side, blocking your right nostril and blow-
ing from tlie left. The1 trongest blown air is
the side at which you are currently domi-
nant. When the breath is strongest at the
right side, the solar breath is activated.
When the breath is strpngest at the left
side, lunar breath is activated. In Ayurve-
da, the motive is to harmonize the body ,~
with the environment. We harmonize with
the day by activating our lumrr breath, and
the night by acpvating our solar breath.
Activating lunar breath in early morn-
ing: 1. Check the breath to see which side
is stronger. 2 . If the lunar breath is stronger, you are in tune with
the day's cosmic rhythms. 3. If the right breath is stronger, make a
fist with your left hand and place your fist under the right armpit.
Using your right hand, alternate your breathing, from nostril to
nostril, for a few minutes, or until you feel the left breath gain
more volume than the right. 4. Release the fist from the armpit and
perform a breath check once more to gauge the volume of both
breaths. 5. Your cooling. lunar breath should now be more active.
6. Do not engage in this exercise for more than 15 minutes.
Activating solar breath in the early evening: 1. Check the
breaths to determine which is more active.' 2. If the solar breath is •
stronger, you are in tune witp. evening cosmic rhythms. 3. If the
left breath is stronger, make a fist with your right hand, placing it
under the left armpit. Using your left hand"alternate breathing
from nostril to nostril, for a few minutes, or until you feel the right
breath g,ain more volume than the left'breath. 4. Your heating solar
breath shoulq: now be more active. 5. Do not engage in this exer-
cise for more than 15 minutes. By practicing pranayama properly,
,
may feel a deep inner calm and detachment to life's events.
MAYA TIWARI , founder of the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda, is
reviving and reintroducing Vedic Earth Sadhana teachings. An
her newest work, Migrant Spirit: Recovering Our Ancestral-Memo-
ries, to be published in the spring of 1999. Tiwari lives reclusively
JUNE , Igg8 HINDUISM TODAY 39
 Gurani Anjali (Guruvi)
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Unfitting Garb
Is the dhoti dying?
•
US$16.00
28.00 HIS MONTH'S FE~TURE STORIES (PG.
9.00 20-25) hail the fact that most Hindu
12.00 women, to this day, maintain traditional
dress and are proud of it-an ancient
9.00 legacy standing tall above masses of world
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24.00 not the same with men's a ppareL
8.50 Ananda Coomaraswami, the Anglo-Sri
16.00 Lankan art critic and philosopher, returned
9.00 "Let's talk:" Kids learn communication skills to cultivate'healthy relationships with others from England to Sri Lanka at age 25. He w.as
horrified upon seeing mens' "vulgar imita-
YOUTH tion" of the West. In 1905 he published the
book Borrowed Plumes, describing adoption
Children, Think About This ;
of European dress as "destruction of nation-
al character, individuality and art." He set
aside his own pants and suits and adopted a
dhoti (waist-cloth) kurta (Indiari-style long
..A great book to help YOJ.l "be t he best you can be" shirt) and turban-irohically imitating the
natives he had been urging not to imitate his
English brothers. His campaign failed, as
ERRICK JOH NSTON, AGE g, 'SAT AT Conservation, Courage, Empathy, En- any subsequent visitor to Lanka can testify.
the feet of Vernon Tejas, a veteran durance, Health and Forgiveness. Similarly, during India's struggle for inde-
mountain¥er and guide, listening to Under the chapter "Responsibility," she of- pendence from Britain, Mahatma Gandhi
his stories of slippery slopes and the fers this activity: "Survey your neighbor- changed from a lawyerly South African suit
tremendous rush when you reach the moun- hood to see if there are seniors who need to a dhoti, urging others to "follow.suit." He
taintop. Merrick knew that she just had to help with ~uch things as repair·ing fences, generally failed too-today most Indian men
. climb Alaska's Mt: McKinley (the highest shopping for groceries, painting, doing mi- wear borrowed.plumes. But he was success-
, Nortq Am.e rican mountain) some day. She nor repairs, lawn eare, etc. Take responsibil- ful in keeping the indigenous textiles indus-
decided that, after climbing, she would also ity and either do it yourself or get others to try in India alive and competitive with
do something to help other cliildren who help you. Be sure to take an adult chaperon British fabrics. On an op!imistic note, the
weren't as fortunate as she. Her plan: to col- along, both when you survey your neighbor- dhoti recently appeared in a Paris fashion
lect pledges from her cOlTIffiunity. The high- hood and when you do your good deeds." show [see pg. 22]. It is a g~er of hope for
er she climbed-the mo'l'e money she would Each chapter is separated into six ele- renewed use among Hindus themselves.. .
raise. It would be donated to the Anch(,}rage ments: a definition or anecdote; terse: mem-
Center, a family wellness center and child- orable listings of examples; character dilem-
abuse p~evention agency. Merrick Johnson mas; activities; ,"check it out" listings and
was age H~ when she stood at the top of Mt. discussions of published, TV or website re-
McKinley--the youngest person ever." sources; and true ki,d stories germane to the
Educator Barbara A. Lewis' shrewd, writ- ' character trait. For example, in "Leader-
ten-for-youth book What do You Stand For? ~hip" Lewis lists five traits of leaders: " 1)
A Kid's Guide to Building Character, uses Great leaders care about and serve others.
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Is
HEALING
"I Can., 'I Will, 1Am
to
Able Get~Well"
If you think medical drugs rule, take. notice of
. . influence in the ~~placebo effect"
your mind's
BY DEVANANDA TAND1\VAN, M.D.
AS THERE BEEN ANYONE
us that has not
himself, to only
experience a complete
and lasting healing by "mommy
kissing the booboo and making it
well?" This is a very common
e'Xpression of the placebo effect.
Placebo comes from Latin and
means "I shall please; Over the
years, the phrase has taken on
less admirable meanings and suggestion of
evil attributes. Today, however, it merely
names a substance that is known not to
contain pharmacologically active ingredi-
ents. In other words, it is a substance, usu-
ally a sugar such as lactose, that can have
no active effect on the sickness.
Studies show placesos ''heal'' various
illnesses. It is even said a placebo will heal
at least 50% of all ailments. One feels bet-
ter after a placebo, apd many symptoms
are abated. What is'1;he power of this inert
substance? The following are essen~ial for
placebo therapy: The patient must seek
treatment for his condition. The doctor
musi show a.great deal of attention in tak-
ing a history, doing a physical examination,
perhaps adjunct laboratory and radiological
tests. Then he must make a diagnosis,
which is positive and unequivocal and re-
vealed to the patient in a positive manner.
If he sees that a placebo may successfully
be given for the condition, he,must be pre-
pared to give it rather than a potent clrug
or antibiotic. In our day and age..:of "man-
aged medrcine" this art is rapidly being
lost, so that medicine is no longer the beau-
tiful amalgam of science and art. This is to
the detriment of our health. •
There is a correlation between sugges-
tion and the placebo effect. Patients sensi-
tive to suggestion do best with placebos.
Experiments With both positive and nega-
tive suggestions affIrm suggestion is a po-
tent -force. It may at times reverse an
44 HINDUIS,M TOD A Y JU\" E, 1998
illness, or even cause one. I
suggest a theory as to how the
placebo effect operates. In our
subconscious mind is a naive,
childlike consciousness. This
"child's" natural desire is to~e
in a healthy body. If there is
enough stress, anxiety or de-
pression in life, the child will
react, causing symptoms to
appear in the body. One can
communicate with and impress this child
that a cure will be successful, and instill
positive expectation. Then the placebo will
work aIld the subconscious child will bring
about his goal of a healthy body. Through
natural suggestibility, this self is able to
accept the suggestion without "thinking"
about it, and thus alter the body as needed.
AffIrmations, repetition, prayers, chant-
ing and ritual are all ways to convince the
"child.".All of this can also be attributed to
a placebo, as the doctor has assured it is
going to be successful, and instills great
expectancy in the patient. There is sasis in
fact for the ':red" or "green" medicines,
muddy and bitter tasting concoctions,
tablets (large and hard to swallow), and
even capsules of various colors-all effec-
, tive placebos. Each has an effect on the
subconscious self differently, according to
background and experience of the subject.
Some believe using a placebo is dishon-
est. But if the placebo effect works, why
use a harsher active ingredi~nt? All active
.ingredients should only be prescqbed
when there is a valid need. Also, a percent-
age of the effect of medicines with active
ingredients may also be a placebo. This is
really nature's fIrst gateway to healing.
DR. TANDAVAN, 78, retired nuclear physi-
cian and hospital staff preSident, lives in
Chicago, where he specializes in alternative
healing arts. Visit his World Wide Web
home page at: www.hindu.orgldrtl
...
EVOLUTIONS
POSTPONED: Official bestowal of the un-
precedented "Parvatacharya" title
(feminine equivalent of "Shankarachar-
ya") on Guru Maa Jyotlshanand Saras-
watl after sadhus, concerned with this
ordination of a woman, threatened to
parade naked and disturb a March 9
Harldwar, India, ceremony. The sadhus
also noted that Guru Maa, 60, is Jain,
not Hindu, and Shankaracharyas are
usually chosen at an early age.
ABSOLVED: US astronaut Kalpana
Chawla, 35, by the National Space and
Aeronautical Administration from hu-
man error during
a November,
1997, space mis-
sion in which a
physics satellite
she was assigned
to release from
the shuttle bay
spun out of con-
trol. '!\;vo months
later, NASA con-
cluded the
mishap was due to a series of small sys-
tems errors and called Chawla "a terrif-
ic astronaut." Chawla was the fIrst Indi-
an-born woman in space.
ATTACKED: Acharya Shankarananda
Avadhuta (a senior monk of Ananda
Marga) while valiantly saving a Chi-
nese senior citizen in downtown San
Francisco from being robbed The rob-
ber hit Shankarananda with the butt of
a gun, causing heavy bleeding, before
running away. Shankarananda is now
recovering, at the Ananda Marga center
in Los Altos Hills, California, after re-
ceiving stitches at the hospital.
RELIVING: Mark 'IWain's adventures in
India is actor-director Sir Peter
Ostinov. In Fol-
lowing the Egua-
torwith Sir Peter
Ustinov-a four-
part series being
made for Grana-
da TV-Ustinov,
76, retraces an
around-the-world
triproade by
Twain in the Sir Peter Ustinov
19th century. In
Part Three of the series he explores
Darjeeling, Rajasthan, Mumbai and
Varanasi, comparing his observations
in 1997 with Twain's 100 years ago.
AS.THOLOGY following three days were fairly smooth.
We were impressed by the amount of Hin-
A ~&tar-Studde'd Gala du Dharma that was being taught along
with astrology. Most all of the astrologers
anCl participants were of Western back-
ground, but everyone was open and hungry
Upon the hopes,and hazards of attending an for the knowledge of Hinduism. It seems
astrological seminar during an inauspicious time
the more Westerners learn and practice
Vedic Astrology, the more they learn about "
Hinduism and are drawn to adopt its prac-
tices and principles. Someone
CLIPSES, ANY ASTROLOGER commented that anyone drawn
will advise you, are dicey t o Vedic Astrology was very
events. Important works likely a Hindu in a recent past
should not be begun six life. ~
days before or after a total eclipse Vamadeva Shastri (Dr. David'
(three days for a partial), because Frawley) gave a beautiful talk
eclipses tend to stir up karma, on Lord Ganesha, Lord Muru-
catalyze confusions, bring unex- ga and Lord Hanuman, includ-
pecte,li events,'cause mishaps, etc. ing some of his personal experi-
So when we were invited to the ences with these divine beings.
Second Annual Symposium on A workshop by Denn'is Flaher-
Vedic Astrology, February 27 to ty on knowing your purpose
March 2 in Kona, Hawili, just one and vocation according to your
day after the total eclipse of the chart was an: accurate, even
26th, we were puzzled-and wor- profound, lecture on the four
ried that lill object lesson in tim- purusharth'lls, or goals of life
ing was about to befall us. according to the Vedas-dhar-
Kona is on the "Big Island" of ma, our purpose; artha, what
Hawaii, about 500 miles from our we choose to accumulate;
Hindu monaste~y on the "Gar- kama, pleasure; and moksha,
den Island" of Kauai. We were enlightenment ana freedom
invited to conduct an opening from rebirth-and how these
puja blessing and give one of the are reflected in the horoscope.
workshops. And things did get During the last day of work-
off to a rough start. We forgot to shop "intensives," which ran
take an important parcel and from lOAM to 5PM, Chakrapani
nearly . missed our connecting unfolded the mysteries of rela-
flight in Honolulu. Upon arrival tionship compatibility and cul-
in "'Kona, our bag containing the tuJal c6ntext Examining the
worship implements for- the chart of Liz Taylor, Chakrapani
opening was missing. explained that if she had been
The puja at the Keauhou born with the same horoscope
Beach Hotel was to begin at 7:00, '" but raised in a traditional Hindu
The dozen US-based astrologers ...''"'"" family in India rather than in
(most prominently Chakrapani :0 the West, she would 'nave mar-
Ullal p f Los Angeles) had gath- Medieval meet: Fffteenth-century astrological conference in Europe ried only once (instead of eight ,
ered to conduct the presentations times) because Hindu beliefs,
to the 80 people who paid $245 each tp par- a few days early to avoid the eclipse (but still oulture and society would override certain
ticipate in a program of; lectures and work- within the six-day period). She intended to tendencies of her nature. He stressed how
shops ranging from an "Introduction to Vedic cast a chart for the best departure time, but important it is to und~stand the fi'ill back-
Astrology'" by Chakrapani to 'J\dvanced her husband t~ked her out of it. On the way ground of a person in order to give a correct
Techniques in Gochara" by Christina Col- to the airport, their car caught on'frre. chart interpretation. He analyzed the charts
lins-Hill. We delayed as long as possible and James Kelleher, of Los Gatos, California, a of Hugh Hefner, Madonna and Jack Nichol-
then proceeded without the necessary puja co-sponsor of the symposium, surprised son-there wasn't time for Bill Clinton-as
articles, improvising with a wine glass for a everyone~with his "dare and test" approach examples of how an j,ndividual's nature and
bell and a candle as an arati lamp. Just know- to traditional beliefs, explaining how he tried tendencies are a key factor in matching two
ing we were in an eclipse l"~riod gave a cer- . doing things during "inauspicious" times as a charts for marriage, Some people, he said, are
tain humorous detachment from it all. test. He doesn't recommend this to clients, just not suited for married life, no matter how
The power of an eclipse was the main dis- narrating how he narrowly escaped from a good a compatibility there is with a potential
cussion topic the fIrst evening-and there serious skiing accident during an ""eclipse. partner.
was plenty of testimony abo]lt how real the Personally, he felt there was no need to be The conference ended without incident.
impact was. Most of the teaching faculty, paranoid about eclipses, but at the'same time Each returned home with new friends, new
comprising some of the best Vedic as- one should not brazenly tempt the planets. knowledge and a greate~ appreciation of
trologers in US, gave their p.ersonal testi- Despite the initial startup diffIculties, eclipses, which most certainly strain the in-
monies. Christina told how she left her home once things were flowing in a routine, the ner and outer atmospheres. ..
JUNE , 1998 HINDUISM TODAY 45

Surrounding Ira ivan Temple is an
extraordinary botanical garden
paradise, providing an area of
contemplative, natural beauty.
Pilgrims enjoy groves of plumeria,
konrai, hibiscus, heliconia, native
Hawaiian plant species and more.
At the entrance to the 51-acre
sanctuary is Americas only forest of
healing rudraksha trees. Send US$ 12
to purchase a single-bead necklace
of a sacred rudraksha, and receive as
our gift another bead to plant at
home to grow your own tree.
1-808-639-8886
E-mail: books@hindu.org
. . those caves are being closed
http://www.HinduismToday.
Kauai.hi.us/ashram/lraivan.html
RUDRAKSHA
FOREST
SAN MARGA lRAlVAN TEMPLE
107 KAHOLAlELE ROAD
KAPAA. HI 96746-9304 USA
A TEMPLE BUILT T O LA ST 1.000 YEARS
Gay;atri Gyanyagya Samaroh, Chicago American Institute of Vedic Studies
Gayatri Yugnirman Chicago will cel- Expand your horizons in
ebrate GAYATRI GYANYAGYA SAMAROH Vedic and Hindu Dharma.
on Gurupurnima, Jul. 12, '98. The Practical teachings of
head of Gayatri Pariwar, Yugnirman Vamadeva Shastri (Dr. David
Yojana, Mathura, India- REV. SHRI Frawley). Authentic knowl-
LILAPATJI SHARMA-will attend, mak- edge in a clear modern idiom.
ing it the most auspicious and grand Books and courses, confer-
event of the year-a unique opportu- ences and seminars, research
nity to receive Saint Lilapatji's bless- information, from the Rig
ings. Call: Gayatri Mandir, Chicago: Veda to India Today.
773-465-2533 or Gayatri Pariwar,
Chicago: 847-692-7712. Dr. Frawley's latest books:
• Ayurveda and the Mind
• Oracle of Rama
• Awaken Bharata:
A Call for India's Rebirth
DHARMAWARE: Gallery of Sacred Arts
• Ayurvedic Correspondence Course:
For 2~~ years, providing the highest six hundred pages of in-depth material.
Ajanta caves: The 2,000-year-old cave temples are carved into the 70-foot granite cliffs of quality Hindu and Buddhist puja
the Wagurna River Valley in Maharashtra State, central India. (inset) Benoy K Behl. supplies to the growing Dharma • Vedic Astrology Correspondence Course:
community. Deity statues, South six hundred pages of in-depth material. /
ARCHEOLOGY Indian bronzes, Shiva Lingams,
Arati lamps, incense and malas. • Vedic yoga and the new view of ancient India.
~anta to See Daylight Send {)S$3 for 36-page color catalog
specializing in Tibetan Buddhist
items. 54E Tinker St., Woodstock,
American Institute of Vedic Studies
PO Box 8357
NY 12498-1200 USA. 914-679-4900 Santa Fe, NM 87504-8357 USA
Japanese fund museum and cave replication Orders from USA: 888-679-4900 Tel: 505-983-9385 • Fax: 505-982-5807
Website: www.dharmaware.com Email: Vedicinst@aol.com. Web: www.vedanet.com
By M . P. MOHANTY, DELHI gained precise information on the buildings,
OR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS I HAVE dress, family life, common animals, musical
b~n pleading to build replicas of the instruments, even hair styles of the time.
Ajanta Caves," says ' photographer With the decline of Buddhism in India in Subramanya/Ayyappa Temple, Canada
_ Benoy K. Eehl of the Ar- . the 7th century CE, the
chaeological Survey of India. caves, some still unfinished, The Subramanya/Ayyappa
"Then people would not have were gr~dually abandoned. It Temple opened in July 1994,
to go into the real caves where was only in 1819 that British MAHES H Y OGI as a manifestation of the life
the delicate ancient paintings explorers rediscovered them works of Sri Swami Vishnu-
are being spoiled due to the along the Wagurna River. Maharishi International University 1971- 1995 devananda (1927-1993)-
humidity of their breathing, Behl has developed a tech- founder of the International
bacteria left behind and
change in teJnperature." The
nique for taking p~lOtographs
in very low light, an ideal
MAHARISHI Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Cen-
tres and Ashrams worldwide.
same problem has occurred
in Europe with cave paintings
strategy for reproducing the
paintings, which can be
UNIVERSITY OF In addition to daily pujas, the
dating to the Stone Age, and
damaged further even by a
photo £lash. Behl's full-,size MANAGEMENT following festivals will be
celebrated during Summer '98.
to human traffic. Behl's per- photos will be installed in FAIRFIELD, IOWA • Mariamman Tiruvala Pujas
sistence has paid off, and now ~ the cement recreation of th~ and Pongala (June 19-28),
the Government of India, ~ three caves, which will also marking the 2nd anniversary
with monetary aid from ~ include replicas of the vari- Academic Excellence of Mariamman Pratishta. The
Japan, will build a hi-tech re: ~ ~~.~~~:I~iJ ous rock carvings. The pho- Consciousness and Creativity tenth day will be the 8th annual Pongala celebrations.
production of the three major ~ ~ tos will be computer en- ·Chandika Homa (July 1-9), marking the 4th anniversary of
IDgh Quality of Life
caves as part of a museum ad- Fading: 7,000 visitors a
jacent to the site. . day are harming the art
hanced to restore their
original luster. '
the temple, concluding on the Pratishta day, July 9th.
.Kaavadi Tiruvala Pujas and Kaavadi (July 12-26). After 14
Ajanta Caves was the first "I believe Ajanta embodies Graduate and undergraduate programs in a days of Tiruvala pujas, the 15th day will be the Kaavadi with
historical site in India to be placed on the compassion and human understanding more broad range of disciplines. All-vegetarian over 100 Kaavadi-carriers dancing in procession with our
United Nation's World Heritage List. The 29 fhan any body of art in the world," says food . Drug-free, crime-free, alcohol-free newly built 18-foot chariot.
caves were carved between the 2nd centu- Behl. "It was done out of devotion by simple, campus. Financial aid available. ·Sahasra Kalashabhishekam and Sankabhishekam (Aug. 15)
ry BCE and the 7th century CEo They C0n- humble painters and not for any recognition. A rare puja of its kind celebrated in memory of Swami
FREE VIDEO: Office of Admissions,
tain large frescos depicting numerous im- If we understand this real essence of Ajanta, Vishnu-devananda for world peace.
Maharishi University of Management,
ages of Buddha and provide a panorama of our society will be a better, more caring one, Fairfield, IA 52557-0001 (800) 369-6480
life in India 2,000 years ago as informative one that will live with sincerity, devotion Sivananda Ashram & SubramanyalAyyappa Temple
www.mum.edu 673 8th Ave., Val Morin JOT 2RO Canada
as it is artistIc. From the scenes has been and sadhana." ..
MAHARlSH[ UNIVERSITY OF MANAGEMENT [S A Tel: 1-819-322-1379 • Fax: 1-819-322-5876
NON·SECTARIAN. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY INSTITUTION.
 "

Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp Natariij Books-5,OOO Titles

Established by The Major Distributor of
Swami Vishnu- books from India.
devananda in 1962
'" .
and located amidst
250 acres of peace- ~~:~;';;:"""\~?'G'C: A sampling from our catalog:

• Shiva: An Introduction.
A WA~INGTON STATE JAIL IN AMERICA is al-
lowing inmates to join a ten-day Vipassana ,
change of doctors. The Chinese are offer-
ing expertise in their traditional herbal
timates, rather than a shift in actual affilia-
tio:q. In 1997, for example, he numbered
ful forest in the ,'.',- .• "",,';.. "1- ,~.,~ '.~. ) . meditation program in an attemRt to help remedies and acupuncture, the Indians in "tribal religionists" as 100,000,000, but in
Pattanaik. US$19.95

1~~'~~~~jtJ';~:
Laurentian moun- petty criminals, alconolics and iliug addicts ayurveda and yoga. his new figures ups this to 244,000,000.
tains, 1 hour north • Srimad Bhagavata Maha- to get a grip on their lives. Kiran Bedi One major change is the collapse of com-
of Montreal. Year- purana: With Sanskrit text made the program famous during her AMERICANS AND EUROPEANS are seeking to munism and the reemergence of traditional
round program and English translation, tenure as warden of Tihar Jail in Ne'{v Del- recreate the joint family environmeIi(in faiths in various parts of the former Soviet
includes morning 2 vols. set. $55.00 hi, ~ia's largest prison. She had both pris- "co-housing communities," a concept in- Union. His fi~es on Hindus are dropped
and evening • Understanding Your Puja oners and guards participate, with a vented in Denmark in the 1970s. Ten to from 806,000,000 to 7670400,000, also ap-
meditations and two yoga classes. Better. B. Dwarka. $4.95 marked impact upon morale. For ten days fifty families pool their resources to buy a parently due to the reassignment of groups
• Devatma Shakti: Kundalini and nights there are long sessions of mo- plot of undeveloped land, then build on it to "tribal religionists." Christians as a total
• June 27-July 25: Childrens' Summer Yoga Camp Divine Power. Swami tionless meditation, with no talking or oth- in a way to maximize human interaction. percentage of the world population were
• June 28-July 4: Vedic Architecture, with Dr. V. Ganapati Vishnu Tirtha. $8.95 er diversions. Results so far with Seattle in- For example, most houses are reachable reduced from 33 . 9 ~ to 3:f2%.
Sthapati, founder and research director of the Vastu Vedic • Mantrapushpam (in Sanskrit). Swami Dev Rupanand. mates who were able to stick out the ten only on foot, cars being exiled to parking ,
Research Foundation, Madras, India $15.00 days have been dramatic. lots. Community liVing rooms and kitchens BRITISH HINDUS ARE OPENING their first
• July 5-Aug. 2: Yoga Teacher's Training course • Shri Rudram De-Coded: Mystery of Vedas Revealed, ". create a sense of family environment. ·ayurvedic college as a result of growing de-
• Aug. 2-9: Bhagavata Saptaham wi Sant Venu Gopal Mantras and Medicines for Healing. Shubhakaran. $35.00 PEOPLE FOil THE ETHICAL TREATMENT of Ani- mand. "A lot of white British people are
Goswami • Aadi Shankara's Bhajagovindam. Krishnamani. $18.00 mals \PETA) is an in-your-face group of ALL CHARGES HAVE BEEN DROPPED against seeking ayurvedic treatment because they
• August 17-23: Vandana Shiva, director of Research • Handbook ofVastu. B. Niranjan Babu. $9.95 vegetarians and animal-rights activists' the kar sevaks accused in the 1990 razing are fed up with the side-effects of the med-
Foundation for Science, Technology & Ecology , Dehradun, • Kundalini Tantra. Satyananda Saraswati. $16.95 known for such tactics !lS throwing blood of Babri Masjid in • icines they take," said Dr. N. Satyamurthy,
India and Andrew Kimbrell, founder National Center for • Rabindranath Tagore: A Biography. Kripalani. $25.00 upon the expensive fur coats of strolling Ayodhya, India. general secretary of the Ayut:vedic Medical
Technological Assessment, Washington, DC New York women in protest of the fur in- Following the de- Association of the United Kingdom. The
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp. 673 8th Avenue Nataraj Books dustry. Their latest move is to tell Chris- molition of the first group of 25 students~nearly all
Val Morin, PQ, JOT 2RO Canada. • Tel: 800-263-9642 7073 Brookfield Plaza • Springfield, VA 22150-2915 USA tians that Jesus was a vegetarian and that structur~, built Apglo-English-has commenced study
(from Canada), 800-783-9642 (from USA), 819-322-3226 Tel: 1-703-455-4996 • Fax: 1-703-912-9052 they-should all give up meat-eating. "It's a upon the birth- of the three-year course.
Fax 819-312-5876 • E-mail: HQ@sivananda.org email: nataraj@mail.erols.com . kooky idea," was tl;te response of one Jesuit, place of Lord
www.sivananda.orglcamp.htm Please ask for our free catalog • VisalMC accepted. and none seemed convinced by PETA's ar- Rama, thollsands SAHAJ MUNI, A JAIN SAINT, is patiently fast-
gument that Jesus belong to the Essene died in riofs across ing himself a world record, but it is not
Jewish sect, who were vegetarians. PETA India, alld thou- likely to end up in the Guinness Book of '.
spokesman Bruce Friec;lrich scolded, "The sands of Hindu World Records. The record-keepers have
church was on the wrong side of the slavery temples were dam- dropped the category, apparently because
issue and women's rights, and if they con- aged in Pakistan of the difficulty in confrrming the fast, and
tinue to support die eat~g of animals, and Bangladesh. Babri Masjid razing because one can die trying. Sahaj Muni has
they'll be. on the wrong side of this issue." consumed only glasses of hot water since
Contact: PE:rA, 501 Front Street, Norfolk, MAHATMA GANDHI IS GETTING RECOGNITION in April, 1997, and was e pected to break his
• . Vrrgmia 23510 USA. www.peta-online.org Gerrrtany with the renaming of a Berlin fast May 1. His weight has dropped from
' high school as "Mahatma Gandhi Ober- , 158 pounds to 70, but attending doctors
·MEMORENTM DID YOU MIISS INDIA'S schule." The name was decided by a vote of maintain his health is good. He is doing it,
Nutritional Support for the team in the Winter teachers and students. In America, the first he explained, to rid himself of the bad
brain. The herbs in this Olympics at Nagano, statue of the Mahatma on federal land was deeds of previous births. According to the
formula are known for their Japan? Mitch Albom, unveiled in Atlanta, Georgia, in January at Encyclopedia Britannica, an extreII).ely
nutritional support for the sports commentator the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical. Na- obese person can go without food for a
brain and intellect. Helps of the ~etroit Free tional Park. King patterned his civil rights year, but most fasters, such as ten jailed
with fatigue and forget- Press, didn't. He in- movem:nt after Gandhis satyagraha and Irish Republican Army members in 1981,
fullness. terviewed 16-year- traveled to India in the early 1950S to meet die:within a couple of months.
old Shiva Keshavan, with prominent Gandhians.
the sole Indian repre- PLANNING ON GOING TO MARS? Better ife a
• ALMA KALpTM sentative at the INDIA- FIJI RELATIONS ARE SLOWLY RETURNING vegetarian, because the Cor-
Antioxidant formula, games. Shi.va to normal with the adoption·of a new, non- nell University team design-
known in Ayurveda placed a respect- A '1uge" snow sled racist constituti0n in Fiji and the subse- ing the menus for future
for thousands of years able 28th iin the quent lifting of the ten-year trade embargo lunar or Mars colonies
as the "jam of youth." luge race--ahead of every other Asian com- by India. rnplomatic ties were severed in aren't planning on
AMLA (the main petitor except Japan. He doesn't get much 1990, three years after a coup deposed an shipping Big Macs
ingredient), known practice at his home in the Himalayas, as . Indian-led government. Indian Fijians along. Their goal is tQ
to have one of the he doesn't own the special sled used in the make up' 46 percent of the country's have astronauts grow 30
highest concentrations • event/ but he was immensely proud to rep- 750,000 population. crops in hydroponic
of vitamin C, 30 times resent his country. space farms. Cattle
that of an orange. DAVID BARRET, EDITOR of the World Christ- ranching on Mars, it ap-
INDIA AND CHINA HAVE AGREED to cooperate ian Efll?Yclopedia, has issued a revised set pears they concluded, just
in promoting eacl1 other's indigenous medi- of statist;ics on religious affiliation. The fig- wasn't a reasonable
cine in a program of fellowships and ex- ures represent a recalculation of certain. es- option. ' Vegi-astronaut
''Belt fIllDdustry" (product exceIlence),"21st Century"1IiJd
~ PrIde for 1997" (presented by the PresIdent of india) CLOCKWISE ?,OM TOP: INDIA T ODAY; NEWSWEE~; COREL
48 JUNE , 199B HINDUISM TODAY 49

MINISTER'S MESSAGE
The Divine Mathe'l:
• Is there not enough evidence to understand
Of All Languages
Sanskrit is a Godly gift, complete anQ complex,
recognized as the parent of EUFopean dialects
. '
BY SWAMI P .R A K ASH A NAN D S A
UR HOLY SCRIPTURES ORIGINATED FROM GOD HIM-
self They were first revealed to the people of Earth
by Brahma through the sages and recently by Bhag-
Ved Vyas. They are not the writings of a person,
as some assume. They remain in the same form in all
the ages. The Sanskrit language came with the scriptures,
along with all of its grammar. This fact is rrientio~ed in many
places in the Upanishads. The VecitM, Upanishads and Pu-
ranas,·etc., were received by Brahma from the supreme per-
sonality of God, which Brahma conceived of and revealed to
the sages the very first day of His life, which is more than
155 trillion years ago. Then it was re-revealed by a decision
of God Himself whenever it was needed, or whenever there
was destruction of civilization. The latest and last revelation was
by Bhagwan Ved Vyas about 5,000 years ago when he rewrote all
the scriptures in their original form and taught it to his disciples.
In this way all these scriptures were revealed in the same se-
quence of time, in a continuous succession, of which the last one
was Bhagwatam, whiGh, according to our history, was related to
King Parikchit by Paramahahs Shukdeo just 30 years after the
beginning of the Kali Yuga in 3072 BCE. Variation of the style of
the language of Samhita, Upanishad and Purana is just their style.
It does not mean an"earlier or later date of writing. Our Sanskrit
grammar is perfect since it first landed on the planet Earth.
Ifhe names of rishis and saints that appear in the reference and
stori~s of our scriptures are all eternal saints; eternally they reside
in the Divine abodes. They do come on Earth. So, the names of
such saints that are mentioned in our scriptures are also eternaJ.
Such a story form of writing is easy to understand for a common
person. That's why the scriptures are eternalls made like that. One
should not think that if an event is described in a scripture, it
should have happened first and then be recorded by someone at a
later date. It is not like this.
As regards to divineness of the Sanskrit language, it is self-evi-
dent. You don't light up a torch to see the sun, just open your eyes
and see it. But if you close your Wes you can't see it. Since the first
time historians learned about the existence of Sanskrit, they have
seen it in the same perfect form up till now, without any "sound .
shift" or change in "inflection," as happens to other languages of
the world-and all the anthropological linguists know that. In the
last 3,000 years there was no genius born who could introduce a
perfect grammar like Sanskrit. Even the advanced English lan-
guage of today only had 3,000 words when its first dictionary was
published in 1604- Prior to that it had been through so many
transformations since its birth. The oldest prime languages, like
Latin and Greek, in their primitive stages had few words, just
50 HINDUISM TODA,Y JUNE , 1998
enough for people to communicate with
each other in the community. If you look to
the history of these ancie"nt languages of
the world, you will find in them varied,
slow developments. But the Sanskrit lan-
guage was perfect from the very beginning.
that it is not man made, but a divine gift?
Everyone who learns the Sanskrit gram- .
mar knows the intelligence of words that
formed from the root word called dhatu.
For one single verb there are go forms used
in its 10 tenses. Even a simple noun or pro-
noun has 21 forms of the same word.
Knowing all that, still, Sir William Jones
made a declaration ata 1786 meeting in his
R A S W A T I .own Calcutta society that because some .
words of Sanskrit, Latin and Greek are
similar, there must have been another par-
ent language from where they were bor-
rowed. On his speculation the plirases
"Indo-European Language" and "Indo-
European people" were introduced, which
never existed. Attention of linguists was
wrongly toward an unknown side, like look-
ing for water in a desert mirage. Unfortu-
nately, even our Indlan writers followed the
same gossip and hampered the reputation,
authenticity and divineness of our Sanskrit
language, and our scriptures as well.
In{act, Sanskrit is, the mother language
of all other world languages, and the specu-
lated "Indo-European Language" is Sanskrit. The speculated 0
"Indo-European people" are inhabitants of Bharatvarsh, or India,
which is also called Aryavat. Thus, it is self evident from the above
descriptions that Aryans of Aryavart or Bharatiya of Bharatvarsh
are the same.
What happened is fhat in ancient times, Indian people traveled
to neighboring Asian and European countries, settled there and
over time almost forgot India. But in local spoken tongues, they
held instincts of Sanskrit words of general communication. That's
how, in due course, when languages like Latin, Greek, Celtic and
Iranian were developed according to advancement of their own
civilizations, they still retained some original Sanskrit words which
are reflected'in their languages as a similarity of words between
Latin, Greek and Sanskrit.
Now we know that Sanskrit originated from India. There is no
such thing as a tribe coming to India with a language called San-
skrit, and there is no such thing as a pre- Vedi~ or pre-Aryan peri-
od, as our Vedic literatur~ is the first to appear on Earth. Our
scriptures are diVine writings, so they cannot be understood by
learning Sanskrit grammar and interpreting the words to on!{'s own
style of thinking. They can only be understood with the help of a
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