Sonntag, November 08, 2009

dasavatharam Tamil Movie and the history of india

recently i came across trough a friend in the indian grossary store from who i buy always puja samagri to hand me over a new Tamil movie by the name "dasavatharam" on VCD. At home i started to watch the movie, and i liked the movie - even with all this interchanging of facts, mythology and fiction. The story goes like this:"in the ancient time before the mleccha muslim invasion started in india, around the 12th century AD, great rivalry between shaivas and Vaishnavas reached his peak in replacing Govindaraj Swamy from Chidambaram Temple into the indian ocean near by. A great hero "Nambi Narayana" (played by the actor Kamal Hassan) trying to prevent this sacrilege, but is tied on the big Govindaraj Mula Vigraha and trown inside the ocean and killed ordered by the Kulotunga chola king. Later the movie turns to the modern day where CIA, Karunanidhi (the president of tamil nadu Goverment and a strong atheist, who gave his son the name "Stalin"!!!) and some mafia gang is trying to fight over lost biochemical weapon material... The actor slips into 10 different roles therefore the movie is called "Dasavatara".
He becomes:
a Spy- Matsya
Scientist- Kurma
An Outcast- Varaha
Karate Fighter- Narasimha
Dwarf- Vamana
Brahmin- Parasu Rama
Dark Man- Rama
Robber- Krishna
Philosopher- Buddha
Unknown- Kalki

and finally he plays even the ex president of USA, Bush in such a strange mask, that one is laughing his tits off.
But lets come to the point why im writing all this: Of course historians and in the Vaishnava literature we find traces of enmity and rivalry between those two sections of vedic dharma - shaivas and Vaishnavas - and it is also a fact that in the time of the cholas one very cruel King by the name Kulothunga chola harassed the vaishnava community, trying to kill the great acarya Sri Ramanujacarya, to establish that Lord Shiva is the only Deity what is Supreme. Nowadays scholars of different schools have not really traced which of the Kings of the Chola empire by the name "Kulothunga" could be the fanatic marauder. There are at least 3 kings with the same name, and Kulothunga the first and second fall into the time of Sri Ramanuja. But both contributed with large amount of wealth to built temples of Lord Vishnu or support their seva ongoing. So who was this Kulothunga Chola, which some historians decribe as "Krimikantha chola", who died from a curse with a troat full of worms ? May we will never know the full story. But one facts stands, in the controversy over the Govindaraj Swamy temple inside the Nataraja Chidambaram Temple, that both shrines are coexisting for more then 700 years under the same roof now. Coming back to the movie, showing this part of history of ancient india in such strange light of fiction, bollywood glamour and mixing it with mythology is a bold act. Also showing demons like Bush and Karunanidhi as the saviours of mankind and godlovers - is really stange. But the most thing what hit me when i saw the movie, was why they did not make the story around the looting the destroying of temples in the muslim invasion times? That of course could be proofed by historical facts, but it would ignite the wraths of the muslim community in india... and an actor of atheist political supporter of dravida kalakam would not play such act. But out of fear history has to be re written ? - just to please one community in the world? There are several books covering this subject but has been very much neglected over the mainstream of history tellers. I got few very interesting stories which i will share with you in the next few blogs and i hope you stay tuned...

Samstag, Oktober 10, 2009

what this has to do with spirituality?





well that question might be raised here, but remember Vaishnavas and other faiths were persecuted and killed under the communist regime in Ussr, Hungary, GDR. From the year 1980 - 1987 more then 150 Hare Krishna members were put in labor camps, and few were even killed there. To stand up against cruelty is not just the duty of the fighting class of men. Every person has a brain to think and a mouth to speak. As i have lived under this regime in my child and teenager time, it is my duty to share my feelings with you. Every fanatism of the modern lifestyle can effect your mental constitution and bring fatal decisions to drag you away from the truth. Where ever there is injustice and you keep silence, will bring disaster in ones own life. I have seen this in my personal life, and not just in the old GDR people used to be lazy, scarred or indifferent. It can be in any place, any time and even in our heart.. to let in the dark side of life!

camp and GDR secret police






The remains of the GDR secret police "Stasi" buildings, the only one left over watch tower from the terrain. I went inside this tower, but the steps were broken. So i lifted my self up with old energy cables hanging down from the platform. From there you have a good view over the area, but i guess this tower will not stay longer then few years. Then there will be even less memory on the history of communism in germany... and we all can vote again idiots for our rulership to kill, torture and suppress our personality.

the deep dark side of life




Recently i have found a newly build cemetery to remember the innocent people killed by the NKWD (KGB) right after the world war 2, near berlin city. That was called cleansing the members of nazis, but in fact mostly youngsters where caught and forced inside this labor camp. Starved to death was the first thing, everyone who lived more then 2 month were killed by shooting. Later on the same spot the GDR secret police "Stasi" occupied the area with buildings for their spy and military activities. Only when the GDR came down in the year 1990 this area where researched and one discovered bones of more then 1500 people from that old concentration camp area. The buildings were destroyed and only few things remember one on the dark age of this place. I went around and made some shoots for your to drench on this...!

no song from the bright side of life..


as i have mentioned in the last vote for the german government, the left party "die linke" recieved more the 30% of all votes from all germany voters...! People who were persecuted under the rulership of communism in old GDR are shocked, but common people dont ask for history. So not to forget that communism is general against religion, free mind people and other beliefs than their own i paint a picture for you to see to remember before you go voting communism again. It is a very vicious belief, which had rules like stalin, pol pot, causescu and other blood suckers. Those 3 only killed more then a billion people in their time of rule. In east germany we had 40 years of communist rule, but had more then 2000 dead on the wall, more then 200 death sentences, more then 250000 people in jails for political reasons and more then 3 million people escaped from this regime of terror. What more is to proof that this concept of communism failed, and is similar to the fascism a totalitarian concept of brutality and inhuman believe of mankind.

Germany go vote and some thought..



This is a picture i have found just before the votes were given to our government. In germany right now we have few parties which one would consider to be antidemocratic or even fascistic. The party of old communistic dictatorship of GDR turned in to be a leading opposition in whole (!!!) germany, with more of 32% of all the votes!! Then we have the other side of the extremistic thoughts, the brownish parties of the right wing, which got only 3,2 % of the votes.
The funny thing you see here is that a indian born member of the social party is a candidate for mostly extreme left or right wing ruled area in eastern part of germany. The satire goes as so far, that on the same lamp pole hangs another poster of the right wing party saying "vote first German"... sarcasim pure!
But then you hear voices in india, that india is the only country in the world were a foreign is voted in... so dear brothers, that is not true. And by the way, if a foreign wants to become a indian by passport, that is what is impossible in your country!!! Here in germany we have around 6 millionen foreigners living here, and they all can apply to be citizens of germany. But they dont want...! Maybe the culture is to odd ?

Sonntag, September 20, 2009

Wall paintings in Sri Rangam





As in ancient times the Temples of south india were painted with natural colours, telling the stories of Puranas or mahatmiyas of the local place. Especially in the area of Srirangam a lot of input of rural painting were given. But somehow this tradtion stopped out of sudden in the last century. Most probably the ingredients of the natural colours or the recipes of the mixture got lost. Or maybe the painters didnt get much payed for, so they looked for some other opportunity to get their household together. But anyhow it is very sad to see the conditions of those temples with the paintings fading away. Especially if you visit the temple of Ranganayaki in Sri Rangam sanctum sanctorum. In the outer prakara there was wallpaintings all over the place. One could find the story of all Vishnu Avatars, the Alwarstories and the appearance of Lord Ranganatha in this world - in very detail. From the floor up to the roof ceiling!!! Here you see only few pics from the roof i made with a high resolution camera. Imagine it is all in dark halls, lot of bats flying around, and poorly maintained... so anybody has a good idea to reestablish those paintings?

annaprasana samskara on Narasimha Farm Germany




Our Prahlad has now turned the 6. month of birth and it was time for him to get his first grains as well. Our family priest Padmanabha did the ceremony and our Prahlad liked the sweet rice very much!

my new meditation in this world


as time has passed i recieved a very nice gift from our Lord Narasimha, in last february under the nakshatra star Uttarabadrapada, we named him Prahlada. So now he is our Meditation and we hope by his blessings we get the anugraha of our Lord it self. Anyhow see his feet.. how wonderful nature is... so small and sooo cute!

Dienstag, August 11, 2009

Tapa Mudra


One of the very important sign of a Vaishnava is the Tapa Mudra, or the signs of Lord Vishnu Conch and Firewheel burned on the skin. Most of the time it will be done in the initiation ceremony tobe part of the panca samskara. In some cases it is given with the start of every year of Caturmasya or other spiritual festivals. So dont hesitate just get it done!

Udupi Krishna in Venkateshwara Mood

Montag, August 10, 2009

history of engeland part 2


Some of the visitors are very special, like this women having a text of the latin lipi with some egypt script tattooed on her back.

history of engeland






If you go back to the pre-christian tradition of engeland, you will meet with the same ancient sun worship as other lost cults have done in the past. One of the world famous one in engeland is stonehenge! We went there to meet with the local celt priests and get a more deeper understanding of the culture of Sun worshippers from that time. He told us about the woodhenge holy place just close by - and we went there too. Just about few kilometers away from stonehenge a similar place of worship but it was made from wood. There the dead was cremated and carried in procession to stonehenge to meet with the shafts of sunlight on the appropriate day, and travel to the next selected destination. Stonehenge was considered to be the door to the higher realm of livin as well consciousness. In 12 zodiacs 12 doors open up with the Sunlight falling trough those doors, were the spirit will trevel to his next destination. 32 tumulus are placed in a distance of 1 km around stonehenge, marking the number as important (as in indian tradition the 32 is a holy number; the anusthub mantra of Narasimha has 32 bjiaksharas, 32 are the knowlegde given in the Upanishad's etc.). The whole place was built in time of the last Yuga - Dwarapa - 3000 years before Christ! That means, stonehenge was built in the time of Lord Krishna been on this planet!
And if you are in front of it, you feel it is not a ordinary place, it has special power. In the early years 1979 Kripamoya Prabhu and some other Krishna Devotees did a Yagya (Fire ceremony) inside the circle! Nowadays you are banned to go close. Time changes... lets see what the next 30 years bring.

white elephant puja



And as we getting closer to the kriyas of engeland* we see white elephants* doing all kind of puja. Especially Vivaha (Marriage) - and some Naimittika prayogas for the welfare of the country. So vedic dharma has spread all over engeland...

engeland is india land






If you visit east London you think you are in chennai or Mumbai... and some good temple buildings as well! Just next to a butcher store or some huge mosque! And so many shopping stores for puja items, really great! If that we would have in berlin, whauh!

engeland tour july 2009




i have been visiting the great enemy of germany in that century, by now the great friend of our country - england. Spiritually the country has some good things to show, so i will take you on a tour with my friend Kripamoya Prabhu, the greatest of all english men - a true spiritual teacher (deshika!). If interested you might see his blog (www.deshika.wordpress.com). Anyhow we start with.... i think you guess - London!
the madness of subway you have to go trough to see good stuff like... swamy narayana Mandir! It is such a beautyful carved temple, that one forgets about the philosophy and the puja the Swami followers offer...! Yes amazing!!!

Donnerstag, August 06, 2009

Vara Lakshmi puja 2009






Here are some new inprints on our puja on Vara lakshmi Vrata day 2009.

Sonntag, April 19, 2009


a very old painting of Lakshmi Narasimha!

ancient pictures of Ahobilam



As the installation of the new Sannyas Jeeyar of Ahobilam is approaching on the auspicious Day of Narasimha Jayanthi, let us look into the past of the history of Ahobilam Ksetra. The previous Jeeyars, especially the last ones had dedicated lot of funds and support to restore the ancient place of Ahobilam, by renovating the main temple in Lower Ahobilam and some of the 9 shrines in the forest and mountain area. I have found few interesting pictures from the year 1890, when one english officer visited Ahobilam, and did some pictures of Lower Ahobilam area. Everyone who has visited recently can just recall how easy the access of temples and caves are, and how difficult it may be in those days. What to speak of the days of Tirumangai Alwar or others. He speaks out that only Lions and other wild animals living in the area of the caves of Lord Narasimha, and no human can go there.
By the grace of those Acharyas of Ahobilam Matham it is now a easy visit with much less risk, to have darshan of all 9 Narasimhas in Ahobilam.

new Sannyasi of Ahobilam Matham


Agnihotram Ganapadi Sri Rangarajachariyar, will be the next Acharya of the Ahobilam Matham, or the 46th Jeer of Ahobila Math Line.
Sri Rangarajachariyar has been an Rg Veda Agnihotri — one who nurtures ‘fire’ continuously by performing yagna every day before sunrise and after sunset. “I have been doing agnihotram for the past ten years. This calls for a strict regimen and places a lot of restrictions on my wife, Kausalya, also. She has been a pillar of support, not only in my performing agnihotram, but generally in my spiritual journey all these years,” says Sri Rangarajachariyar.
“Agnihotram is done for world peace and welfare. I wholeheartedly helped him in this. Now I wholeheartedly accept his sannyas,” responds the spouse!
Ashrama SwIgaram (installation of Sri Rangarajachariyar as the new Jeeyar) will take place on May 8 at Dasavathara Sannidhi, in the 7th prakaram of Sri Ranganatha temple, Srirangam.
Please see the picture of the Agnihotra altar he has in his home...