Ramayan of Thailand

Thai Ramayan is the national epic of Thailand, it is taught also in universities and schools of Thailand.

The names of the characters-

Phra Narai/Witsanu (Narayana/Vishnu)

Phra Isuan/Siwa (Isvara/Shiva)

Phra Phrom (Brahma)

Phra Uma-thewi (Uma/Parvati) - Consort of Phra Isuan

Phra Laksami (Lakshmi) Consort of

Phra Narai Phra In (Indra) - The King of thevadas- lesser celestial deities. Father of Pali.

A-thit (Aditya or Surya) - the solar deity.

Phra Phai (Vayu) - the wind deity. Father of Hanuman

Phra Witsawakam/Witsanukam (Vishvakarman)

Phra Ram (Ram) - The son of the king Tosarot of Ayutthaya and the Incarnation of Pra Narai. Nang Sida (Sita) - The wife of Pra Ram, who embodies purity and fidelity. Incarnation of Nang Lakshmi. Phra Lak (Lakshman), Pra Phrot (Bharata) and Pra Satrut (Shatrughna) - half-brothers of Pra Ram, who represent the reincarnated possessions of Pra Narai. Thotsarot (Dasaratha) -often called Thao Tosarot. King of Ayutthaya and father of Pra Ram and his brothers. Nang Kaosuriya (Kausalya) - one of the three wives of Tosarot, mother of Pra Ram. Nang Kaiyakesi (Kaikeyi) - one of the three wives of Tosarot, mother of Pra Phrot. Nang Samut-thewi (Sumitra) - one of the three wives of Tosarot, mother of Pra Laks and Pra Satrut. Friends of Phra Ram Hanuman - God-king of the apes, who supported Pra Ram and acted as the monkey general. Pali Thirat (Vali) - King of Kitkin, elder brother of Sukreep and uncle of Hanuman. Sukreep (Sugriv) - Viceroy of Kitkin, younger brother of Pali and uncle of Hanuman.

Some Distinguishing features of Hinduism

Hinduism has certain unique features that distinguishes it from all other religions.

1. According to Hinduism God is one indivisible, universal and eternal self. The one becomes many and the many have to return eventually to the one as a part of the process of creation and destruction.

2. Hinduism believes that man is eventually divine in nature.The basic purpose of a human being is to realize his divine nature and return to his original abode.

3. Hinduism firmly declared that desire is the root cause of suffering. Actions performed out of desires and attachment lead to bondage and suffering.

4. Hinduism also believes that world is an illusion or maya. Attachment with it is the cause of birth and death. When a person overcomes his delusion and attachment to the world with his knowledge, selfless actions, detachment and withdrawal of senses, he attains liberation.

5. It is said that each being is born numerous times on earth until it attains liberation. The physical body is just like a garment which is worn and discarded at the end of each lifetime of the soul.

6. Not only human being but also all living beings contains the individual self. Beings continue to evolve and degenerate in to lower life forms upon the actions they perform in the period of lifetime. Human life is a precious opportunity to attain liberation.

7. God is a dynamic and active principle who is responsible for all happenings in all worlds. He upholds and enforces the divine law(Dharma) to keep the world in peace. When the world goes in to disorder or when evil gains ascendance, he incarnates upon earth to destroy the evil.

8. Hinduism also believes in the concept of Karma according to which all actions produce positive or negative consequences. One should perform their actions selflessly without desire for their fruit and offer them to god as sacrificial offering.

9. Hinduism is not a dogmatic religion. It affirms that the paths to God are many and whatever path one may choose, one will attain them only at the end. One should exercise discretion in choosing one's spiritual path and methods of worship.

10. Hinduism does not believe in converting other people to its faith especially when they are not qualified and when they are not ready. An individual has the freedom to choose his or her faith but no one should force others or tempt them with reward to change their faith. It would be a great disservice to humanity.

Upanishads

The term Upanishad literally means "sitting down near" or "sitting close to" and implies listening close to the mystic doctrines of a guru or a spiritual teacher who has cognized the fundamental truths of universe. In other words Upanishads means Brahma knowledge by which ignorance is annihilated. Historians say that Upanishads were composed from around 800-400 BC. Several versions of the writings have been written later several times.

It has been found that there are more than 200 Upanishads written. But only 13 of it has been identified out as presenting core teachings. They are Chandogya, Kena, Aitareya, Kaushitaki, Katha, Mundaka, Taittriyaka, Brihadaranyaka, Svetasvatara, Isa, Prasna, Mandukya and Maitri Upanishads.

One of the writing in Brihadaranyaka upanishad is as follows: 
"From the unreal lead me to the real!
From darkness lead me to light!
From death lead me to immortality!"

The authors of upanishads are many and cannot be highlighted with a single author. According to some scholars the main figure in the upanishads is Yajnavalkya , the great sage who propounded the doctrine of neti-neti, the view that 'truth can be found only through the negation of all thoughts about it'. Other important sages are Uddalaka Aruni, Shwetaketu, Shandiliya, Aitareya, Pippalada, Sanat kumara etc. Many earlier Vedic philosophers like Manu, Brihaspathi, Ayasya and Narada are also in upanishads.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Buddhism

Dr. B.R.Ambedkar popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar was the architect of Indian constitution. He was born on April 14 1891 in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. He was a well-known politician and an eminent jurist. Ambedkar’s efforts to eradicate the social evils like untouchablity and caste restrictions were remarkable. Dr. B.R.Ambedkar a great scholar, Lawyer and freedom fighter along with hundreds of thousands of Mahar’s an untouchable caste, converted to Buddhism and changed the face of Buddhism in India. Dr. Ambedkar’s conversion was a symbolic protest to the oppression of caste inequality.

Bhimrao Ambedkar experienced caste discrimination right from the childhood. After his retirement from the Indian Army, Bhimrao’s father settled in Satara Maharashtra. Bhimrao was enrolled in the local school. Here, he had to sit on the floor in one corner in the classroom and the teachers would not touch his notebooks. In spite of these hardships, Bhimrao continued his studies and passed his Matriculation examination from Bombay Universitywith flying colours in 1908. Bhim Rao Ambedkar joined the Elphinstone College for further education. In 1912, he graduated in Political Science and Economics from Bombay University and got a job in Baroda. In 1913, Bhimrao Ambedkar lost his father. In the same year Maharaja of Baroda awarded scholarship to Bhim Rao Ambedkar and sent him to America for further studies. Bhimrao reached New York in July 1913.  He immersed himself in the studies and attained a degree in Master of Arts and a Doctorate in Philosophy from Columbia University in 1916 for his thesis “National Dividend for India: A Historical and Analytical Study.”  From America, Dr.Ambedkar proceeded to London to study economics and political science. The Maharaja also convened many meetings and conferences of the “untouchables” which Bhimrao addressed. In September 1920, after accumulating sufficient funds, Ambedkar went back to London to complete his studies. He became a barrister and got a Doctorate in science.

In 1947, when India became Independent, the first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, invited Dr.Bhimrao Ambedkar, who had been elected as a Member of the Constituent Assembly from Bengal, to join his Cabinet as a Law Minister. The Constituent Assembly entrusted the job of drafting the Constitution to a committee and Dr. Ambedkar was elected as Chairman of this Drafting Committee. In February 1948, Dr. Ambedkar presented the Draft Constitution before the people of India; it was adopted on November 26, 1949. In 1950,Ambedkar traveled to Sri Lanka to attend a convention of Buddhist scholars and monks. After his return he decided to write a book on Buddhism and soon, converted himself to Buddhism.  Ambedkar founded the Bharatiya Bauddha Mahasabha In 1955. His book “The Buddha and His Dhamma” was published posthumously.

On May 24, 1956, on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti, he declared in Bombay, that he would adopt Buddhism. On 0ctober 14, 1956 he embraced Buddhism along with many of his followers. On October 14, 1956Ambedkar organized a public ceremony to convert around five lakh of his supporters into Buddhism. In his speech on the Eve of the great conversion at Nagpur Dr. Ambedkar said that Buddhism can serve not only this country, India, but the whole World at this juncture in the world affairs; Buddhism is indispensable for world peace you must pledge today that you, the followers of Buddha, will not only work to liberate yourself, but will try to elevate your country and the world in general.

Ambedkar traveled to Kathmandu to attend the Fourth World Buddhist Conference. He completed his final manuscript, “The Buddha or Karl Marx” on December 2, 1956. Dr. Ambedkar dedicated himself to the propagation of the Buddhist faith in India. He wrote a book on Buddhism titled “Buddha and His Dhamma” explaining its tenets in simple language to the common man. His another book is “Revolution and Counter Revolution in India”. He made the provision for the study of Pali in the Indian Constitution.

”.Ambedkar discovered from his research on ancient India and anthropology that the Mahar people was an ancient Buddhist community of India who were forced to live outside the villages as outcasts as they refused to renounce their Buddhist practices. Ambedkar's decision was not on an impulse. He said it was a result of 35 years of his comparative study about various religion. He said Buddha's Dhamma is the best as it is the most scientific religion. He was impressed of Buddha's personality, leadership qualities, humanism, compassion for all and his sense of equality for all. In the hymns of the Rig Veda, as Ambedkar put it, “we see man’s thoughts turned outwards, away from himself, to the world of the gods”. Buddhism “directed man’s search inwards to the potentiality hidden within himself”. Whereas the Vedas are full of “prayer, praise and worship” of the gods, Buddhism aims at “training of the mind to make it act righteously

About Muslim Religion

Islam or Muslim is a religion based on the faith in one supreme God,Allah. Every Follower of Islam believes in central doctrine and Prophet Muhammad who has been the last messenger of God. The Holy book Quran is a compilation of all God's revelation to Muhammad. It is believed that God revealed his message to Muhammad through the archangel Gabriel which mainly constitutes ideas about oneness of god, how to worship him and the perfected way of life. For Muslims God is unique and without equal. The Quran prevents the chances of creating a physical shape for God which may lead to projecting him as a human. 

The two foundations of Muslim faith are revelations of God and the reports about Muhammad's life and deeds which are known as Hadith. Muslims believe that God has previously revealed himself to the earlier prophets of Jews and Christians such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus. Muslims therefore believe the teachings of both the Jewish Torah and the Christian Gospels. They believe that Islam is the perfection of the religion revealed first to Abraham(who is considered as first Muslim) and later to other prophets.

Quran consists of 114 chapters of varying length. It opens with Fatiha and other chapters follow in descending order of length. It can be comprehended only in the majestic and glorious Arabic language. This requirement has created a linguistic bond among the believers. The second basis of Muslim religion is the example of Prophet. As the perfect Muslim Muhammad served and still serves as the model for all believers. His sayings and deeds were remembered by his associates and preserved in traditions. These traditions normally take in the form of a chain. 

Islam is followed by more than 1 billion people today and is the fastest growing religion. The most populous Muslim countries are Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. 

The Vedas

THE VEDAS

The Vedas are considered the earliest literary record of Indo-Aryan civilization, and the most sacred books of India. They are the original scriptures of Hindu teachings, and contain spiritual knowledge encompassing all aspects of our life. Vedic literature with its philosophical maxims has stood the test of time and is the highest religious authority for all sections of Hindus in particular and for mankind in general.
“Veda” means wisdom, knowledge or vision, and it manifests the language of the gods in human speech. The laws of the Vedas regulate the social, legal, domestic and religious customs of the Hindus to the present day.

Who wrote the Vedas?
It is believed that humans did not compose the revered compositions of the Vedas, which were handed down through generations by the word of mouth from time immemorial. The general assumption is that the Vedic hymns were either taught by God to the sages or that they were revealed themselves to the sages who were the seers or “mantradrasta” of the hymns. The Vedas were mainly compiled by Vyasa Krishna Dwaipayana around the time of Lord Krishna (c. 1500 BC)
Classification of the Vedas
The Vedas are four: The Rig-Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda, the Rig Veda being the main. The four Vedas are collectively known as “Chathurveda, ” of which the first three Vedas  Rig Veda, Sama Veda and Yajur Veda agree in form, language and content.
The Rig Veda: The Book of Mantra
The Rig Veda is a collection of inspired songs or hymns and is a main source of information on the Rig Vedic civilization. It is the oldest book in any Indo-European language and contains the earliest form of all Sanskrit mantras that date back to 1500 B.C. - 1000 B.C.
The Sama Veda: The Book of Song
The Sama Veda is purely a liturgical collection of melodies (‘saman’). The hymns in the Sama Veda, used as musical notes, were almost completely drawn from the Rig Veda and have no distinctive lessons of their own.

The Yajur Veda: The Book of Ritual
The Yajur Veda is also a liturgical collection and was made to meet the demands of a ceremonial religion. The Yajur Veda practically served as a guidebook for the priests who execute sacrificial acts muttering simultaneously the prose prayers and the sacrificial formulae (‘yajus’).
The Atharva Veda: The Book of Spell
The last of the Vedas, this is completely different from the other three Vedas and is next in importance to Rig-Veda with regard to history and sociology. A different spirit pervades this Veda. Its hymns are of a more diverse character than the Rig Veda and are also simpler in language

Mullackal chirappu

                                                        Mullackal chirappu

Mullackal Sri Rajarajeswari temple is main temple at Alappuzha around which the town is built. The main diety of this temple is the Mullackal Devi. The main Mullackal chirappu is on the Malayalam month of vrishchikam (November-December).  The chirappu is a 41 day festival out of which last 12 days are the most important. Festivities take place here in all the evenings all through this month. Kalabham Charth (application of perfumed sandalwood powder) on the idol occurs at the temple during these days. An individual or an organisation usually sponsors each day of the chirappu. 

The mullackal streets are usually filled with a stream of people during the chirappu evenings. Many small stalls pop up along the sides of the street selling toys, bangles etc.

Fireworks light up the town’s skies at night. Crowds gather at the town center to see the spectacular fireworks display. On some nights, the fireworks are followed by many cultural programmes like music, dance etc. Many renowned Malayalam singers have sung here during this time.The Mullakkal temple is dedicated to the Goddess Rajarajeswari. The nine day Navratri festival celebrated is of special significance.

This temple is estimated to be 500 years old and there are different stories regarding its origin. One says that the idol consecrated here was brought by the banished soldiers of the Thekkumkur king. They were supposed to have brought this idol and kept it in a jasmine Garden. The idol got permanently fixed at that spot and later a temple was constructed by the king Devanarayana of Chembagasery. Another story says that once that great king went to the Kodungallore Bhagawathy temple for worship and wanted to have the Bhagawathy in his town. That night, the goddess appeared in his dreams and told him that she would accompany him to his kingdom. When he reached Alappuzha, the king kept his Umbrella in the jasmine garden before taking rest. The umbrella got fixed there. Later, the astrologers who were brought in, found that the Goddess wished to stay there and hence the king built a temple for her at that spot. Another story tells about how during the invasion of Kerala by Tippu Sultan, some Namboodiri Brahmins who ran away from Malabar along with the idol of Annapurneswari they were worshiping decided to consecrate the idol at this spot.

The idol worshipped prior to 1961 in this temple was indeed that of Annapurneswari with a ladle in one hand and a pot in the other. Since the temple was built in a jasmine garden, she was known also as Mullakkal Bhagawthy. She was consecrated in the standing pose facing west.

In 1961 when they were consecrating the golden flag staff for the Goddess, a mentally unstable person got inside the sanctum sanctorum and embraced the idol. Subsequently it was found that cracks had developed on the idol. A deva prasnam (getting divine opinion through astrology) which was conducted revealed that the Goddess wanted a new idol to be made and installed there. Therefore on 16th July 1962 a four feet tall Rajarajeswari idol was consecrated in the same place replacing the damaged one. Apart from the main Goddess there are also small temples for Hanuman, Subramanya and Nagas (serpents) in the temple. An idol of Lord Krishna and Lord Ayyappa has also been consecrated.