Myanmar's new cardinal in plea for religious tolerance

Says he will push for an end to sectarian violence in his country.

Newly appointed cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar talks during an interview at his office in Yangon on Tuesday

Yangon: 
Myanmar's first cardinal said Tuesday he would push for an end to sectarian violence in his country, two days after he was elevated to the heights of the Roman Catholic Church.

Charles Maung Bo, 66, was promoted to cardinal on Sunday by Pope Francis alongside 19 others. Many hail from the developing world as the Vatican's support shifts from its traditional European stronghold.

Overwhelmingly Buddhist Myanmar has seen a spate of communal unrest in recent years, particularly in the states of Rakhine and Kachin.

Bo called on religious leaders of all faiths to help ease tensions.

"If religious leaders show unity, their followers will gradually gain greater understanding and I think the violence will then lessen," he told AFP from his office in St Mary's Church in Yangon.

"I will make a strong effort to achieve stability in Rakhine and Kachin states where there has been unrest among different ethnic groups," he added.

The western state of Rakhine has seen a spate of religiously-inspired violence between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya.

Myanmar views its population of roughly 800,000 Rohingya — described by the United Nations as one of the world's most persecuted minorities — as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and denies them citizenship.

Thousands of Rohingya have fled deadly communal unrest since 2012.

Kachin in the north, a majority Christian state, has long been racked by a civil war between troops and ethnic Kachin rebels. Around 100,000 people have fled their homes since a 17-year ceasefire ended in 2011.

Myanmar's minority religions have looked on with alarm at growing instances of intolerance from a small but increasingly vocal core of Buddhist nationalists.

Overall, Christians are thought to make up about four percent of Myanmar's 51 million population — around 500,000 of them Catholics.

Muslims make up another four percent and Buddhists around 90 percent, with other religions including Hinduism and animism.

Bo warned there were no quick solutions to solving the country's religious tensions.

"Although the problems of religious conflict cannot be solved immediately, I believe that we can solve these problems if we continue trying with noble and good spirit."

Source: AFP/UCAN

Indian MP calls on Hindu women to have at least four kids

The remarks by the BJP's Sakshi Maharaj sparked backlash on social media.

India:  A lawmaker from India's ruling party has called for Hindu women to have at least four children to "protect" their religion, sparking calls for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in his hardline supporters.

Sakshi Maharaj, who represents a seat in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said in a speech Tuesday that Hindus should see it as their duty to have large families.

"The time has come when a Hindu woman must produce at least four children in order to protect the Hindu religion," Maharaj said at a religious congregation in the city of Meerut.

Maharaj's remarks sparked a backlash on social media with his name trending on Twitter while political opponents demanded an explanation from Modi who has a reputation as an unashamed Hindu nationalist.

"Why has the prime minister maintained silence even for 24 hours? Is this the new population policy of India? The country wants to know, the nation wants an answer," said Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a senior figure in the former ruling Congress party.

Modi also came under fire last month for rejecting calls to sack another BJP lawmaker who told a campaign rally crowd to decide whether they wanted a government run by "the children of (Hindu god) Ram or the children of bastards".

In his speech, Maharaj went on to support a recent spate of 're-conversions' to Hinduism, an issue which paralyzed parliament last month and stalled the right-wing government's economic reforms agenda.

Religious groups and political opponents have accused radical organizations linked to the BJP of forcing or enticing religious minorities to convert to Hinduism.

While Hindus account for more than 80 percent of India's 1.2 billion population, the country is officially secular and is home to sizeable numbers of Muslims, Buddhists and Christians.

India's birth rate has declined dramatically in the last two decades due in part to rising female literacy, according to a government study published last month.

The Total Fertility Rate — the number of children the average woman will have in her lifetime based on current trends — fell to 2.3 in 2013 from 3.6 in 1991.

Maharaj's latest comments came barely a month after he stirred controversy by calling independence hero Mahatma Gandhi's assassin a 'patriot'.

Source: AFP/UCAN

First Rongmei priest from Kohima diocese ordained

Bishop exhorted the community to support their priests through prayers, correction, appreciation and encouragement.

Kohima:  Kohima diocese in Nagaland has got its first priest from the Rongmei community.

Fr. Gaikhang Gabriel was ordained by Bishop James Thoppil of Kohima at St. Joseph’s Parish’s Church, Chumukedima on January 6.

A press release from the bishop's office informed that the Bishop in his homily highlighted the role of a priest as one of lifting Jesus to the people so that Jesus may draw them to Himself and be saved.

“Every priest does this through his pastoral, prophetic and leadership roles. Once ordained a person remains a priest for ever because of the indelible character imprinted with the ordination,” the Bishop stated.

He further exhorted the community to support their priests through prayers, correction, appreciation and encouragement.

Reverend Deacon Gabriel was brought to the Church by the parents and relatives accompanied by Rongmei traditional songs and dances.

The deacon was presented by the parents for ordination after praying over him and removing the traditional dress, symbolizing that he is being set apart for God’s work, the release added. After the ordination ceremony, the newly ordained priest continued the Holy Mass; he gave his first priestly blessing to the people at the end.

Fr. Gabriel is the second child of G. Jacob and Christina from Diphupar village in Dimapur. He has a brother and a sister who serve in the Army and IRB respectively. He studied at Christian Unity Higher Secondary and Carmel Hr. Sec. School, Dimapur. He joined the Seminary in Jalukie and finished his Class XII from St. Xavier Hr. Sec. School, Jalukie. He did one year of orientation course at Chabua, Assam and did his Philosophy studies and graduation from Salesian College, Dimapur. He also completed his Theological studies at Oriens Theological, College, Shillong, the release informed.

Ashuli Joseph anchored the felicitation programme, where special item from CMC Novitiate, Parish, Women Association, CYA, Diphupar ‘A’ were presented. A cassette titled “Saviour: salvatoriam songs” for which Fr. Gabriel Gaikhang provided the music, was released by the Bishop during the felicitation program.

Source: morungexpress

இந்தியாவில் உள்ள ஒரு இலட்சம் கல்வெட்டுகளில் 55,000 கல்வெட்டு தமிழில் பொறிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.

இந்தியாவில் உள்ள ஒரு இலட்சம் கல்வெட்டுகளில் 55,000 கல்வெட்டு தமிழில் பொறிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. தமிழ் கல்வெட்டை அழிக்க காரணம் இதுதான்.
http://www.tnarch.gov.in/epi.htm
தொல்லியல் துறையில் பதிப்பிக்கப்படாமல் அழியும் தமிழ் கல்வெட்டுப் படிகள்: மைசூருவில் முடங்கும் தமிழ் வரலாறு...
சுமார் நானூறு ஆண்டுகளாக, கர்நாடக மாநிலம் மைசூருவில் உள்ள இந்திய தொல்லியல் ஆய்வகக்தில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டுப் படிகளில் பல இன்னும் முழுமையாக பதிப்பிக்கப்படாமல் உள்ளன. 50 சதவீத கல்வெட்டுப் படிகள் பதிப்பிக்கப்படாமலேயே அழிந்து விட்டதாக புகார் எழுந்துள்ளது.
இது குறித்து ‘தி இந்து’விடம் உத்தரப்பிரதேச மாநிலம் அலிகர் முஸ்லிம் பல்கலைக்கழக வரலாற்றுத்துறை உதவிப் பேராசிரியர் எஸ்.சாந்தினிபீ கூறியதாவது
DR. S. CHANDNI BI
Assistant Professor, Aligarh Muslim University, U.P.
http://www.amu.ac.in/dshowfacultydata.jsp…
http://www.amu.ac.in/empcv/10057750.pdf
கடந்த 2008- மார்ச்சில் மைசூர் தொல்லியல் அலுவலகம் புதிய கட்டிடத்துக்கு இடமாற்றம் செய்யப்பட்ட போது, அங்கு படி எடுக்கப்பட்டு பாதுகாப்பாக பல நூறு தமிழ் கல்வெட்டுகள் வீணாகப் போய் விட்டன. அவற்றை மீண்டும் படி எடுக்க வேண்டும் எனில் அதன் மூலஆதாரங்கள் பதிக்கப்பட்ட கல்வெட்டுகளை கோயில், குளம் எனத் தேடித் திரட்ட வேண்டும். இது மிகச் சிரமமான ஒன்று.
கல்வெட்டுக்களில் படி எடுக்கப்பட்டு மைசூர் அலுவலகத்தில் சுருட்டி வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள பலவும், நூறு வருடங்களுக்கு முன் எடுக்கப்பட்ட படிகள் ஆகும். படி எடுக்கப்படும் தாள்கள் சுமார் 75 ஆண்டுகள் ஆயுள் கொண்டவை. இப்போது அவையும் வீணாகப் போகும் நிலை உருவாகி உள்ளது. கல்வெட்டுகளைப் படிக்க முறையான கல்வெட்டிய லாளர்களின் பற்றாக்குறை அதிகமாகி விட்டது. இதை முன்கூட்டியே அறிந்தும் மைசூர் அலுவலகம் குறிப்பிட்ட காலத்தில் அந்த குறைகளை நிவர்த்தி செய்யத் தவறி விட்டது.
இந்தியாவில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டுகளில் பெரும் பாலானவை தமிழ் மொழியில் எழுதப்பட்டவை. மற்றவை சமஸ்கிருதம், பாரசீகம், அரபி, உருது, தெலுங்கு, கன்னடம், வங்காளம் மற்றும் மலையாள மொழிகளில் எழுதப்பட்டவை. இந்த மொழி கல்வெட்டுகள் பதிப்பிக்கும் கல்வெட்டாளர்கள் பதவிகள் நிரப்பப்படாமல் அதன் பணிகளிலும் தொய்வு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இதில், தமிழ் கல்வெட்டுகள் அதிகம் என்பதால் மற்ற மொழி கல்வெட்டுகளை விட, தமிழ் கல்வெட்டு படிகளுக்கு அதிக பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இன்றும் கூட தமிழகத்தில் கல்வெட்டுகள் அவ்வப்போது கிடைத்து வருவதால், தமிழ் கல்வெட்டுகளின் எண்ணிக்கை கூடி வருகிறது. இதனால், தமிழக வரலாறு மைசூரிலேயே முடங்கும் சூழல் நிலவுகிறது. இவ்வாறு அவர் தெரிவித்தார்.
மைசூரு அலுவலக பின்னணி
மன்னராட்சிக் காலத்தில், ஆட்சிக் காலத்தின் நிகழ்வுகளை கற்களில் செதுக்கி வைப்பது வழக்கம். கோயில், குளக்கரை, மலைகள், குகைகள் போன்ற இடங்களில் எழுதப்பட்ட இந்த கல்வெட்டுகள், இந்திய தொல்லியல் ஆய்வகம் சார்பில் காகித நகல்களாக 1889-ம் ஆண்டு முதல் படி எடுக்கப்படுகிறது. இதை ஆய்வுக்கு பயனுள்ள வகையில் இந்திய தொல்லியல் ஆய்வகம் அவ்வப்போது பதிப்பித்து வெளியிடுகிறது.
இந்திய வரலாற்றுக்கு முக்கிய ஆதாரங்களாக விளங்கும் இந்த பழங்கால கல்வெட்டுகளை ஆய்வு செய்யவும், கண்டுபிடிக்கப்படும் கல்வெட்டுகளை படி எடுத்து பதிப்பிப்பதற்கும் தொல்லியல் ஆய்வகத்தின் மைசூரு அலுவலகத்தில் தனியாக கல்வெட்டு தலைமையகம் ஒன்று இயங்குகிறது. ஆரம்பத்தில் சென்னையில் இருந்த அந்த அலுவலகம், தட்பவெட்பநிலை காரணமாக எடுத்த
படிகள் வீணாகப் போய் விடும் என ஊட்டிக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டது. அதன் இயக்குநராக பொறுப்பேற்ற மைசூரை சேர்ந்த ஒரு அதிகாரி அதை தம் சொந்த ஊருக்கு மாற்றிக் கொண்டதாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது.
http://tamil.thehindu.com/…/%E0%AE%A4%E0…/article6763471.ece
.....
2006ம் ஆண்டே சூனியர் விகடனில் வெளிவந்த கட்டுரை
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204734677785079&set=pb.1181021391.-2207520000.1420633644.
தமிழ் கல்வெட்டுகளை அழிக்கும் கர்நாடகா... கண்டு கொள்ளாத தமிழகம்!
http://m.vikatan.com/tiny/index.php?module=news&aid=14440
இந்தியாவில் இதுவரை கிடைத்த மொத்த கல்வெட்டுகள் ஒரு இலட்சம்... அதில் அறுபதாயிரம் கல்வெட்டுகள் தமிழில்...
http://www.vikatan.com/new/article.php…
http://news.vikatan.com/article.php?aid=14440
தமிழர்களே அழியும், அழிக்கப்பட்டு கொண்டிருக்கும் கல்வெட்டுகளை பாதுகாக்க மத்திய, மாநில தொல்லியல் துறையினருக்கு நாகரிகமாகவும், நயமாகவும்
மின்னஞசல் ஊடாக வேண்டுகோள் வைக்க:
Department of Archaeology
tnarch@tn.nic.in
circleche.asi@gmail.com
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asitrysubcircle@gmail.com
asitmysubcircle@gmail.com
http://www.tn.gov.in/detail_contact/1810/4
http://www.asichennai.gov.in/contact.html
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
directorgeneralasi@gmail.com
adg1.asi@gmail.com
adg2.asi@gmail.com
jdg57.asi@gmail.com
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dircep.asi@gmail.com
ddac.asi.2014@gmail.com
http://asi.nic.in/asi_aboutus_organization_headquarter.asp

Robert John Kennedy

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Goa subsidises Catholic pilgrimage to Sri Lanka

Vaz will be canonized Jan 14 and will be Sri Lanka's first Catholic saint.

Panaji:  Goa's BJP-led coalition government Wednesday launched a scheme to subsidise travel costs for 500 Goans who are keen to witness the canonisation ceremony of Blessed Joseph Vaz, a Catholic priest of Goan-origin, in Sri Lanka.

Vaz will be canonized Jan 14 and will be Sri Lanka's first Catholic saint.

The policy which was officially unveiled Wednesday allows 500 Goan pilgrim with an Indian passport to undertake a four-day tour and covers 50 percent of the airfare to and from Sri Lanka or Rs.12,000 whichever is lower.

Only two members of a family, whose annual income does not exceed Rs.3 lakh will be covered under the scheme, a government spokesperson said.

Vaz was born in Goa Apr 21, 1651, at a time when the colonial Portuguese forces were already entrenched in the state for nearly 150 years.

In 1686, Vaz left for Sri Lanka to propagate Catholicism in Dutch-held Sri Lanka, where Calvinism, a major Protestant branch, had begun taking root.

His socio-religious contributions in the island country earned him accolades and the title Blessed subsequently. His canonisation ceremony will be presided over by Pope Francis.

Out of Goa's 1.5 lakh population, nearly 26 percent are Roman Catholics.

IANS

Hindus in doorless Indian village rest assured thieves won't come a knockin'

Devotees flock to see the community said to be protected by the deity Shani.

A family gathers outside their doorless home in the village of Shani Shignapur in Ahmednagar District, in the western state of Maharashtra

India:  Members of the Gade family proudly show off a stash of Indian rupees kept in an unlocked tin barrel in their bedroom, despite their home not having a front door.

In Shani Shingnapur village in western India, residents see little need for such security, thanks to their belief in special protection from the Hindu deity Shani.

As farmers trundle the roads in bullock carts piled high with sugarcane, they pass rows of homes bearing empty door frames — a village tradition that goes back for generations.

"Years ago, Shani came in the dreams of devotees and told them you don't need to put any doors on your homes," said housewife Jayashree Gade.

"He said: 'I will protect you'. That's why we don't have any doors."

According to legend, an iron and stone slab washed up in a nearby river during a flood more than 300 years ago, and began oozing blood when cattle herders poked it with a stick.

In a vision to a villager later that night, the slab was revealed to be an idol of Shani, and today it stands in an open square adorned with garlands of flowers, drawing crowds of pilgrims.

Shani, who is believed to be manifested in the planet Saturn, is considered so mighty that his shrine cannot be kept under a shelter — and he will not let thieves in the village of open homes go unpunished.

"The power of Shani is such that if someone steals, he will keep walking all night and think he has left the village, but when the sun comes up he will still be there," said mill worker Balasaheb Borude.

Some villagers said they put loose panels against their doorframes at night, but only to keep out wild animals.

Similarly, the local branch of state-owned UCO Bank prides itself on its "lockless" status. Although money is kept in a strongroom, the front of the building has just a glass door with no lock, to avert stray dogs.

"We have no trouble," said bank official Nagender Sehrawat, gesturing to the queue of customers when asked if they were happy with the arrangement.

Devotees pouring in

Today the center of the village, which lies in Maharashtra state, has the feel of bustling small town, with stalls lining the dusty main road selling souvenirs and flowers to religious tourists.

Home to about 5,000 people, Shani Shingnapur rose to fame across the country after appearing in a devotional Hindi film about its deity in the '90s.

"The whole world got to know that there is a place called Shani Shingnapur, where houses have no doors, there are trees but no shadows, there are gods but no temples," said Sayaram Bankar, a trustee at the shrine.

"Devotees from across the state and across India started pouring in to see this unusual village."

Shani Shingnapur's reputation has been somewhat dented in recent years by reports of a few thefts. In 2010, a visitor from northern India complained that cash and valuables worth 35,000 rupees (US$553) were taken from a vehicle. Bankar dismissed reports of stealing, saying it only happened outside the village.

Sceptics of the Shani legend remain unconvinced by the area's appeal.

"When you have a place in the middle of nowhere where no one goes and you have a legend like that — then people will go there," said Narendra Nayak, a leading Indian rationalist who works to expose fraudulent gurus and challenge superstitions.

According to a pamphlet handed out at the shrine, Shani Shingnapur is not just free from theft but from all sinful behavior, a "model village" in contrast to the corrupt outside world.

"Professional robbers, thieves, dacoits, non-vegetarians, drunkards, never come here," the pamphlet confidently stated. "If they come, they behave like gentlemen."

As for doors, a few have popped up over the years, but villagers were sure their tradition would continue — much to the envy of visiting devotees.

"This is something special about this god. He is a guardian of this place," said Amit Sharma, a hotel manager, after paying his respects at the shrine.

Source: AFP/UCAN

New group of Christian Montagnards flee to Cambodia

Several had been detained, threatened in Vietnam due to their beliefs.

Cambodia:  Montagnards hiding in Ratanakkiri province, speculation grew that more would arrive in the coming weeks.

Sev Lyn, chief of Pak Nhai commune’s Lom village, said police were searching the area for 18 Jarai Montagnards — indigenous villagers from Vietnam’s Central Highlands — and were under orders from Vietnam to deport the group.

A villager who asked to remain anonymous said five of the Montagnards who entered the Kingdom on Saturday had been mistreated in Vietnam over their Christian beliefs.

“They wanted to build a church . . . but the authorities did not agree. They were arrested, detained and threatened,” he said.

However, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said it had been unable to “verify any of the reports and has no immediate plan to travel to the reported area”.

“If there are additional individuals seeking to make asylum claims in Cambodia, we hope they will be allowed to do so,” said UNHCR regional press officer Vivian Tan.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was in touch with authorities in Ratannakkiri Monday, “trying to establish the facts and . . . determine what future steps to take”.

Authorities said further action would be unnecessary.

Ming Sineath, information officer at Ratanakkiri Provincial Hall, said there were “no Montagnards” in the province, while Chuob Vananark, O’Yadav district police chief, said door-to-door searches reported in Lom village were just an effort to “collect data on ethnic villagers”.

Reports of Montagnards in the province came just days after a group of 13 others, who spent more than seven weeks in hiding, were allowed safe passage to Phnom Penh to process asylum claims.

Sourn Butmao, acting director of the Minority Rights Organization, said he expects that “more Montagnards will come in [the] following weeks”.

Analyst Ou Virak — formerly of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights — also predicted that more Montagnards will arrive, but said he “would not expect a huge influx”.

“Vietnam will do more to . . . prevent people from leaving,” he said, explaining that an exodus would be a “PR nightmare”.

Asked whether it would be hard for Cambodia to deport Montagnards just days after others were allowed to file claims, Virak said: “If it’s beginning to be a sign of a potential influx . . . they will do it in a heartbeat”.

Source: The Phnom Penh Post