From: suseela
"An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory." Karl Marx
"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." Dale Carnegie quotes (American lecturer, author, 1888-1955)
It is time for all the Hindus to participate in activism that bring changes. It is through Pada Yatra we can raise the consciousness and increase the level of understanding of the issues affecting our culture. It is through demonstrations that can demand justice and make case for righteousness so that Hindu culture is preserved. It is also time to engage in protests to bring much needed attention to the violation of human rights to the national and international level. It is also time for every Hindu to divert their energies, skills, resources, power, and muscle to protect Hinduism through direct activism. We have been building Temples, conducting workshops and conferences, organizing performing arts, giving discourses and lectures, writing books, inviting mega movie actors to give mega concerts, and exploiting Hindus resources for selfish interests to the total neglect of preserving, protecting and promoting Hinduism. Now is time to think differently and champion the cause of activism. As Karl Max said that one ounce of action is worth a ton of theory. We should give the highest priority to activism or action oriented approaches. We have to go out and work for the welfare of our Temples, welfare of our Hindus, and welfare of our pilgrims. We cannot sit in the glass houses and be content with what we have. These glass houses will be shattered, encroached and bulldozed before you know it if you do not plan to protect from government intruders and unscrupulous missionary. We cannot show blind eye to the impending destruction of our heritage.
Amarnath has taught us a lesson. We all should emulate those brave soldiers who risked their lives for the sake of protecting Sanatana dharma. They have given us direction, strength, and courage to take up the course of action that works. It is through collective action, activism, protests, demonstrations, those proud Hindus were able to change the course of history. Lesson is that we can achieve the goal of preserving our culture if we all spend all our energies.
If we must, we should put all other activities at abeyance for the time being until we achieve our rights to manage our Temples, protect our Kashmiri pandits, prevent the secular government from destroying our culture, scrap all kinds of reservations, abolish subsidies for other religious people to go to Mecca and Jerusalem, repeal article 370, pass one uniform civil law for all the citizens of India, pass Patriotic Act, stop forcible conversion, impose family planning and other anti-Hindu measures.
Pada Yatra 2 has started on August 16 to highlight the plight of Hindu Temples and the sinister acts of different governments and the Central government and the responsibility of all the Hindus in preserving and managing Hindu Temples.
Sri Kamala Kumar Swamy has taken the responsibility of highlighting the neglect, exploitation, destruction, demolition of Hindu Temples in the hands of government of Andhra Pradesh. Pada Yatra 2 has just completed walking through Srikakulam district. He and the villagers walked 392 kilometers going through 102 villages and towns, visiting more than 200 Hindu Temples. Thousands and thousand of villagers joined this historic Pada Yatra 2 and took oath promising that they would protect their Temples from the government control by taking necessary pro-active steps to protect them.
The Highlights of Pada Yatra 2
Ravi Vaasa:
Pada Yatra 2 went through this village. It is about 5kms from Tekkali, 4 kms form Talagam. Sri Endala Mallikarjuna Swamy is the deity. The uniqueness of this Temple is that it is a Swayambhu Siva Linga. There is no ceiling or roof to the Temple. It is situated in the middle of a huge rock. One has to climb up the rock and have the darshan of Mallikarjuna lingam. Abhishekam to Shiva Linga is done by pouring over the open roof. On Maha Sivaratri and Kartika Mondays large gathering of devotees worship this deity.
Mandasa:
It is 26kms from Sompet and at foot points of Mahendragiri. Mahendra giri is the highest mountain range in South India. There is a Shiva Temple with a Priest who is given a salary of only Rupees 200 per month. Our office agreed to take up the issue of his salary with the Endowment Deoartmeny. Mahasivaratri is celebrated with fanfare here. The village also has Varaha Swamy Temple as well as Vasudeva Devalayam. Efforts are underway to renovate Vasudeva Temple which was built more than 400 years ago. Sri China Jeera Swamy is renovating this Vasudeva Temple at the cost of 120 lakh rupees. It is believed that the Guru of Peda Jeera Swamy learnt Vedas here at this Temple.
Tekkali:
Pada yatra also went through Tekkali, a town which is located 50 kms far from Srikakulam towards North direction. This is central point to reach Ravivalasa and Telinilapuram(Pelicon birds). Late Dr. N.T.Rama Rao, The Great Actor and Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh got elected from Tekkali Legislative constituency once.
Kanchili
Pada Yatra went through Kanchili village which is the local hub for the Coconut traders of the 'Uddanam'(variance from the sanskrit word 'Udyanam' meaning 'Garden')area. There are many Coir factories located in Kanchili. Punjabis, Marwaris, Bengalis, Keralites, Tamilians and Rajasthanis are settled here and doing well as traders. That's why the village resembles "Mini India".
"Kanchili" village is believed to have acquired its name from the local village deity "KANCHAMMA" who is worshipped with all devotion by all the localites. The residents of Kanchili, as a matter of their social and moral responsibility, had renovated the old temple of goddess 'KANCHAMMA'. In her name they hold 'Sambaralu'(Festival) periodically.
The village also has Jaggnatham Matta with Sri Jagdish Patnaik as it's Peethadhipathi. Matt is supposed to have nearly 3000 acres of land. Only 10 acres are accounted for. Sri Kamal Kumar and others encouraged them to approach Endowment Department and get clarification on this land issue. The villagers were promised to take the matter to a legal system if it is not resolved through direct communication.
Makarampuram Village.
Pada Yatra 2 went through this village. It is located near the border of the state of Orissa. A huge Temple is built on a Oriya style. Sirpanch known as Tamarela Shobhana Babu is managing the village affairs. Nearly 40 acres of Temple land was encroached by people with some vested interests. Sirpanch was asked to petition the Endowment Department. Our office promised to help in this matter.
As mentioned earlier, 102 villages were visited by Pada Yatra 2 team over a nearly two week period.
Districts to be covered
Srikakulam District has been completed by the Pada Yatra 2 team, Following 10 districts are being planned to be covered by Pada Yatra2:
Vijayanagaram
Vishakapatnam
East Godavari
West Godavari
Khammam
Krishna
Guntur
Prakasam
Nellore
Chittoor
Pitures of Pada Yatra 2 of Srikakaulam District are included.
Hundreds of pictures are taken during the pada yatra 2. Please copy and paste it to see the pictures. We sincerely hope that you will grasp the extent of commitment to free the Temples from the government control. Please remember that we are not asking any favors from the government.
1--------http://picasaweb.google.com/kamalkumar.machavolu/PadayatraPhase2Photos
2--------http://picasaweb.google.com/kamalkumar.machavolu/PadayatraPhase2Photos02
COST: Cost of the Pada Yatra 2 for six months covering nearly half of Andhra Pradesh will be around $100,000. As mentioned earlier that we acquired a 9 seat capacity Jeep which can be converted to Radha Yatra vehicle.
Donations.
Your generous donations to complete the Maha Pada Yatra are essential. We are requesting all the individuals and organizations to support financially to continue our movement to free Hindu Temples from the government control.
Please send your donation to:
Global Hindu Heritage Foundation, 548 Silverstone Drive, Madison MS 39110
For more information:
V. V. Prakasa Rao, PhD, 601-918-7111 (cell), 601-856-4783 (home) / Prasad Yalamanchi, 630-832-2665; 630-359-5041 / D. Satya 732-939-2060 / Vinay 248-842-6964 /Srinivas Murthy 212-538-8716 / Dr. K. R. Venkatramaiah (Canada) 416-925-8167. Nemana Satya 732-762-7104
Why do we have to protect and preserve our Sanatana Dharma; read what Thoreau has to say:
"In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seems puny."
"What extracts from the Vedas I have read fall on me like the light of a higher and purer luminary, which describes a loftier course through purer stratum. It rises on me like the full moon after the stars have come out, wading through some far stratum in the sky."
"In the great teaching of the Vedas, there is no touch of sectarianism. It is of all ages, climes and nationalities and is the royal road for the attainment of the Great Knowledge."
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American Philosopher, Unitarian, social critic, transcendentalist and writer:
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