Part II of II

This article is Part II of my earlier post (July 24, 2009) titled, “Brief Introduction to Hinduism.”

There are four intersecting areas that are present in all religions. They are: an Ultimate Reality which some call God or Truth or Enlightenment, the human condition, salvation, and the nature of evil. In all religions there is a sense of doing the right thing. People are instructed to do several things: Keep promises, don’t lie, don’t steal, help others, take care of yourself, don’t hurt people, attend a place of worship regularly, or worship regularly.

Confucianism

Rather than a religion, Confucius (6th century, BC) founded an ethical system in order to bring out good social relations in the Chinese state.   Although Confucius respected the religious traditions of his time, he gave them a mere ethical interpretation. The supreme principle in the universe according to him is the moral law – a universal principle, omnipresent, hidden, and eternal.   His main concern was social life and the principles that should govern it for the welfare of society, family, and personal life. Human perfection cannot be attained by religious rituals or meditations, but only by proper education and by respecting moral values. Therefore, religious traditions have value only as the means to moral living. The most important ethical principle emphasized by Confucius was reciprocity.  He stressed three basic principles of living:   “What you do not want others to do to you, don’t do to them; do good for the benefit of others; and love and respect your parents.”  Confucius was interested in solving human problems so that his main concern was not the worship of gods but guides for good behavior.

Buddhism

Buddha believed that gods exist, but that they are only temporary beings that attained heaven using the same virtues as any human  disciple.  Gods are not worshiped, do not represent morality, and happiness is not found in them. The Ultimate Reality is   a      transcendent truth which governs the universe and human life.  Life itself is suffering. There is no grace from a personal god. Karma passes from one life to another so that one is reborn without transferring to another body.  According to the Buddha, one can stop the suffering if four noble truths are accepted and lived:  (1) The nature of existence is suffering; (2) Suffering is caused by desire, or thirst (tanha) to experience existence; (3) The complete cessation of desire leads to the cessation of suffering; and (4) Follow the Noble Eightfold Path, consisting of the eight practices of self-training (Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration).  Buddha saw evil as ignorance which can only be overcome by karma and reincarnation.   Once man knows the true nature of things he can escape from ignorance and suffering.

Christianity

All Christians believe that Jesus Christ, a Jewish carpenter, who was both God and man, died in 33 A. D. and rose from the dead.  There are many different sects that believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the basic belief of Christians.  However, not all denominations believe the same things.  All Christians hold the Bible as a sacred book.   Catholics believe in praying to saints to intercede to God.  Jesus was a spiritual, but not a political leader, and today most dominantly Christian countries practice a separation of church and state.  According to Christianity, sin has thoroughly affected human nature, conferring a hereditary status. This is called “the sinful nature” or “original sin.”    According to Christianity, salvation is only through belief in Jesus Christ as Savior.

Judaism

Judaism, the earliest monotheistic religion, centers around the personal God who revealed himself through the story of the Jewish people. About 4,000 years ago, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the Torah.  The emphasis of this religion is on practice than beliefs.  We find it in the scriptures called the Torah by the Jews and the Old Testament by the Christians.  In the very beginning of the Old Testament, God is presented creating the universe out of nothing.

Islam

Islam was founded by the prophet Muhammad at the beginning of the sixth century AD. The god of Islam, Allah, is presented in the Quran as an eternal being, transcendent and almighty. The Quran presents the creation and fall in a way similar to the Judeo-Christian tradition. Humans and angels were created to worship Allah. However, there is a major difference from the Biblical account. Allah created Adam and commanded that he be worshiped by all angels. Satan (Iblis) opposed this command and only then was he banished from heaven.  However, in Islam there is no such thing as original sin. Although Adam and Eve sinned, they repented and were forgiven, so that their sin had no repercussions for the rest of the human race.  Muslims believe that God is only one person, and that the Trinity is the belief in three Gods.   Muhammad is the founder of Islam. He, like all other Muslim prophets is believed by Muslims to be infallible and sinless. He was not only a religious leader, but also a political leader, which explains the common practice of integrated church and state in many Muslim countries.

Similarities and Differences

In all religions except Confucianism, there is a singular being or many beings that are superior to mankind.  In the case of a religion having more than a dozen deities, there will be one that is dominant in some way, or there will be a hierarchy.  In the Eastern religions, superiority to the human race is represented as: The Truth, Enlightenment, Oneness, Ultimate Reality, The Universe, Completion, Absolution, or Perfection.    In the case of a god, this god is often merciful, forgiving, righteous, perfect, etc., but he, she, or they will damn you to burn in hell, die, suffer for all eternity, suffer temporarily, give  bad karma, or something similar. If you ask for forgiveness, or complete a purification ritual of some sort, you will be forgiven.

The concept of evil is present in all of the religions although they are manifested differently.  The Eastern religions consider evil as the effect of spiritual ignorance. The first noble truth proclaimed by the Buddha states that the only reality of human existence is the all-pervading reality of suffering. The only possibility of escaping suffering is to know the true nature of things and thus escape from the dominion of ignorance, karma, and reincarnation. In the dualistic religions, evil is co-eternal with good.  Matter and embodied existence are evil, and our ignorance keeps us from attaining perfection as angelic beings. According to Christianity, evil is neither created nor a natural element. It is a state that perpetuates itself when individuals sin and inexperience an absence of God.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam do not regard salvation as an impersonal merging with the Absolute or God, but as liberation from the bondage of sin and re-establishing a personal communion with the creator. In Hinduism and Buddhism hell is analogous to the Catholic concept of Purgatory. It is not an eternal damnation, but only a place to expiate bad karma in order that the purified soul can continue its advance toward liberation.  The Western religions do not believe in reincarnation.

Paden in his book entitled, Religious Worlds: The Comparative Study of Religion mentions that there is a second dimension in studying the structures of religion.  Each religion is similar because they have events of human activity that have typical expressive forms such as initiation rites, passage rites, and marriage rites. All religions have stories that are myths or legends that describe gods, rituals, and sacrifices made by humans.   For instance, the Quran is a book of mostly sayings and injunctions.  The Hindu Vedas are a collection of hymns, chants, rituals, and teaching dialogue.  Confucius’ writings are quoted at every opportunity and discussion on the discourses of life.  The Holy Bible tells stories, but also lists laws, proverbs, psalms, genealogies, and prophecies.  The Jewish Torah surrounds every syllable with commentary and interpretation. The holiness of all these words are memorized, traditional education is based on them and every major event includes mention of them.  Christians say “Our Father,” Buddhists say nembutsu, and Hindus say Om (pronounced A-U-M).

Many writers have described Om as the real name of the Almighty. This word does not belong to any particular religion or language. It is nature’s word, nature’s mantra. Om occupies a very prominent place in all languages of the world. Omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent are the highest names for god. Hindu prayers usually end with Om, English prayers with Amen, and Arabic, Persian and Hindustani prayers with Amin.

References

1. I. Bloom, J. Martin, & W. Proudfoot (Eds.), Religious Diversity and Human Rights, Columbia University Press, New York, 1996.
2. John Bowker (Ed.), The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions, Cambridge University Press, 2002.
3. William Paden, Religious Worlds:  The Comparative Study of Religion, Beacon, 1994.
4. Subhash Kak, The Wishing Tree: Presence and Promise of India, iUniverse, 2008.

The following article is meant to encourage the younger generation to research and write about their own family history. As families become more diverse and dispersed all over the planet, it becomes even more important that children (and even adults) know about their ancestors.

Every day should be Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day. This Mothers’ Day (May 11), I started to pen some thoughts regarding my parents (Dr. Vasant R. and Mrs. Uma Koppikar), but life intruded and I did not complete my piece to honor them. One awful summer in 1978, we were devastated by my father’s fatal heart attack on July 2. Within a couple of months (Sept. 3) my mother lost her brave fight against leukemia. Doubly mourning, numb with shock, we could barely function. All 5 sisters (I am the second) consoled each other, drew strength from our spouses, and managed to live through bereavement. Sadly, the third of the daughters, Padmini Rao, succumbed to multiple myeloma in Sept. 2006. This article is dedicated to her memory, with thanks to her husband, B. Udayanand Rao for being such a dedicated care-giver.

In the preface to “Manache Shloka” (24 Feb. 2000), His Holiness Sadyojat Shankarashram Swamiji writes “Our Parama Guru, Swami Anandashram used to speak of three Shankars in our community. They were Justice K. Shankarnarayan Rao, HSR (H Shankar Rau) and A.V. Shankar Rao.” I am proud to call the first-named Shankar my maternal grandfather. He bequeathed to us a precious legacy of caring and sharing which we hope to pass on to future generations. My parents were karma-yogis and are my role models. They touched many lives and helped make this world a better place. Even after 30 years, people remember my parents and speak respectfully of them. They express gratitude for their kindnesses: e.g., being surrogate parents to homesick young brides, assisting families over rough patches, lending a helping hand in financial crises, and simply being there when needed. All this was done quietly, unobtrusively, and with no strings attached. We grew up surrounded by warmth and affection, compassion for the less fortunate, and kindness and consideration for all. Our household was the opposite of the “himTee” (miserly, penny-pinching) reputation attached to Koppikars.  Indeed my parents were generous almost to a fault. Hardly a day went by when they were no guests. Doors were open and no alms-seekers were turned away. Midway between Mumbai/Pune and southern destinations such as Shirali, Mangalore, Bangalore, travelers would halt in Belgaum and were treated as part of the family. If there were people travelling with no stops, my mother brought tiffin carriers full of home-made food to them. Rather than purchasing a railway platform ticket each time, she would buy a season pass for convenience. On the off chance that someone may come in on a late bus etc., extra food was put aside. She followed the tradition of her parents’ home (nicknamed “Liberty Hall”) where many young men from smaller places lived to complete their education, and generosity was the byword. My paternal grandparents also created a haven. A well-known ophthalmic surgeon, Dr. Ramdas Koppikar was also a reputed dentist, and patented and manufactured affordable medicines.

My parents’ house was “KuLaar” (Parents’ place) for everybody, regardless of gender or age. Entire families would come over if one person had eye surgery. My father was the official opthalmologist to our revered Swamijis. Rich and poor alike were treated with equal care. Patients with modest incomes sometimes voluntarily paid in kind. He was one of the few to treat inmates of the missionary leper colony. He set up one of the first eye banks in that part of the world and participated in the Lions Club, cooperating in vaccination drives, fundraisers, eyeglasses for the needy, etc. Even after death he kept on giving the gift of sight via organ donation. His corneas have been successfully implanted in 2 individuals.

My mother was his partner in all ways, from helping him at his clinic to working side-by-side for deserving causes. She taught Hindi to poor children, found homes for neglected kids, helped unwed mothers, and volunteered for the Red Cross. Many a bride was given a mangal-sutra and a sari for her wedding if the parents could not afford these marriage must-haves. It was a warm and jolly household, filled with laughter, brimming with art projects in various stages of completion, observation of festivals, etc. Along with good food and fragrant filter coffee, classical music and dancing, books in various languages, Winsor and Newton paints, easels, beads, embroidery hoops and colorful yarns were part and parcel of our lives. Encouraging our hobbies, tolerant and non-judgmental, forgiving our childish transgressions, my mother let each of us pursue our interests in our own fashion with no pressures. She was ahead of her time and was a true feminist. The best advice she gave us was that we should be self-sufficient, see the bright side of everything, that every individual has something they excel at and can share, and that we should walk in another’s shoes before criticizing.

We grew up believing that beauty is skin-deep and actions speak louder than words. “Handsome is as handsome does” is a motto we still strive to live by. Though he brought us up with firm discipline, my father advised us not to take ourselves too seriously and find humor in everyday situations. “Even if everyone around you is goofing off, do your work diligently and do the right thing. Remember good actions as well as bad ones have consequences, so behave accordingly.” We got an education for life, one which no school or university can ever offer. They taught us by example as well as precept. I can never forget how, even during her terminal illness, my mother treated the visiting Ranisahebs of Kurundwad and Sawantwadi with the same courtesy as the humble “bhaajiwalis” (vegetable sellers) whose produce she bought. Nor can I forget how, on the heels of my marriage expenses, my father emptied out his savings account so I could join my husband in the U.S. after the rupee was devalued and my own tiny savings as a college lecturer got swallowed up. These were lessons in grace under fire.

My father was born in Karwar. Educated in Karwar, Dharwar, Mumbai and London, he got married to K[undapur] Uma Rao. After a distinguished career in the Indian Army Medical Corps, he worked for the government touring seven districts with a mobile unit. He settled down in Belgaum and made a name for himself in his profession as well as social work. Born in Shimoga, brought up in Bangalore, my mother married at the tender age of 14. She was yanked away from her loving home and parents (K. Shakarrnarayan and Mrs. K. Shyambhavi Rao). The sheltered teenage bride had to cope with the vagaries of being an Army wife. Together my parents accomplished the tough job of bringing up 5 daughters, educating them, finding husbands for each and marrying them off. My father used to joke that they only got the “Pancha kanya” portion of the traditional marriage blessing and ignored the “Ashta-putra” part! (After a Hindu wedding, the priest blesses the newlyweds and prays that they will have healthy kids: 8 sons and 5 daughters and have a happy married life) Though they had no sons, they gained 5 great sons-in-law. Today, scattered over 3 continents, they have 9 accomplished grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

My second son (Dr. Samir Bangalore) met and married a brilliant corporate lawyer, Sheila, granddaughter of my father’s friend and fellow ophthalmic surgeon, Dr. (M.) Ramanath Bhandari. Among all the eligible matches, he chose this gem of a young woman to join our family. What an amazing coincidence!

I thank God for this and all His Blessings. If we can pass on even a minuscule portion of the values they brought us up with, we will truly honor the memory of my parents. May their souls rest in peace!

Boston Konkani Diwali Celebration!

On Saturday, Oct 17, 2009, 5:00- 9:30 om
at the Unted Methodist Church, 87 Church St, Wilmington, MA 01887

Includes Bhajans, Pooja, and Entertainment Program, followed by Pot-luck Dinner.
5:00 pm Snacks and Socializing
6:00 – 6:30 pm Bhajan and Arati
6:30 – 7:30 pm Cultural/Talent Show
7:30 – 8:00 pm Admission [Shreya Pai and Mithali Shenoy]
8:00 – 9:30 pm Dinner & Dessert

RSVP by October 10th, 2009.
Contact Sabita Pai [Sabita_pai At yahoo]

Konkani Association of California (KAOCA) Celebrating its Silver Jubilee!

INVITATION TO DIWALI CELEBRATION

A Day-long Celebration of KAOCA’s 25 years of thriving existence
Program Includes
Konkani Entertainment – Music, Dance, Skits, Plays
And of course Konkani Food -
Lunch, Tannik, Banquet Dinner and Dance Included

All North American Konkanis Invited !!

Saturday, October 24, 2009
10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Campbell Heritage Theater, Campbell (Bay Area), CA

Limited seats (100 tickets) available for Konkanis outside Bay Area
Non-member Ticket Price $75.00 each, on First-Come-First-Served Basis

Please make payment by October 1:
Muralidhar Kamath: mkamath98 AT yahoo)

Payments thru PayPal: www.kaoca.org/2009/page816.html
www.kaoca.org for details

Ganesh Chaturthi (or Ganapati Chovati as we Konkanis call it) is THE celebration in our extended family home in Mumbai. During the five days of Ganapati, all pujas are performed as prescribed in the Puranas, including recitations from the Vedas. At the end of the fifth day, the murthy is consigned to the seas (visarjan), leaving us all melancholy. Even Meera was puzzled that beautiful “Ganapati Bappa” was missing. He’ll be back next year, Meera! And so will we all.

See an earlier post for a brief background on Ganapati.

During aarti on the last (5th) day.

Read more; additional Ganapati pics!

A Brief Introduction to Hinduism
Part I of II

This article was written with the purpose of educating my children on the essence of Hinduism and how it compares with other religions. My forthcoming article will contain a brief comparison of other religions.

Religion has been a part of every society since the beginning of humans. Oral traditions passed on the beliefs and practices of societies that did not have a writing system to record the history of religion. In these early societies, religion played a controlling part in the lives of people, much as some religions do today.

According to Stephen Oppenheimer of Oxford, the journey of humankind started with its roots in Ethiopia over 160,000 years ago (see www.bradshawfoundation.com/journey). It took a considerable amount of time for the human mind to evolve and introduce the concept of religion as it is known today. By most scholarly estimates this may have occurred between 5,000 and 7,000 years ago.

So, how did humankind survive as a society for such a long period of time? It is believed that society could not have survived without Dharma which is ingrained in every living being. Dharma can be defined as “our right to live a truthful and just life,” which implies that we are at liberty to live our lives without encroaching upon the rights of other individuals. This right of Dharma gives freedom to every individual human being to live an independent life. Dharma provides a rational approach to distinguish right from wrong and good from evil. In this philosophy, duties and responsibilities are emphasized more than rights and privileges.

Sanatana Dharma
Even before the advent of organized religion and Gods like Krishna, Moses, or Jesus, and even before the human mind could even comprehend and articulate the concept of religion, Dharma is what helped humanity survive. The root of Dharma is Sanatana Dharma which has existed since time immemorial.

Sanatana denotes that which always is, that which has neither beginning nor end, that which is eternal in its very essence. Dharma is designed to communicate the view that there is an underlying structure of natural law that is inherent in the very intrinsic constitution of Being itself – an essential nature.

Sanatana Dharma comprises spiritual laws which govern human existence. Sanatana Dharma is to human life what natural laws are to physical phenomena. Just as gravitation existed before it was discovered, the spiritual laws of life existed before they were discovered by the ancient sages. Sanatana Dharma declares that something cannot come out of nothing, and therefore, the universe itself is the manifestation of the Divine being.

The universe comes forth from the Divine and therefore all things and beings are sacred and must be treated so in human thought and action. The Divine sleeps in minerals, awakens in plants, walks in animals, and thinks in humans.

Sanatana Dharma recognizes that the Ultimate Reality, which is the ground of infinite potentiality and actualization, cannot be limited by any name or concept. The potential for human wholeness (or in other frames of reference, enlightenment, salvation, liberation, transformation, blessedness, nirvana, moksha) is present in every human being. No race or religion is superior and no color or creed is inferior. All humans are spiritually united like the drops of water in an ocean.

Hinduism
Hinduism appears a strange amalgam of classical literature with gods and goddesses, rituals and festivals, ceremonies and celebrations. The Hindus themselves are confused and confounded by this mixture. Hinduism is not a polytheistic religion. The different forms of worship, the number of superstitions and misleading spiritual practices have all contributed to the wrong impression that the Hindus are polytheistic. The different gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon are mere representatives of the powers and functions of the one Supreme God in the manifested world.

The terms Hindu and Hinduism were created by Persian invaders, sometimes using them as derogatory terms, to refer to the culture of the people on the other side of the Sindhu River. The original term describing the religion of these people predates these terms by thousands of years and is called Sanatana Dharma. The modern religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, all emerged out of Sanatana Dharma.

Sanatana Dharma has existed since time immemorial and therefore Hinduism is not a religion about preaching, but when defined as Sanatana Dharma Hinduism has existed for the existence of life itself. Society has survived because of the ingrained Dharma in every living being and even before the word Hindu was coined by Persians.

Sanatana Dharma teaches that all forms of life are different manifestations of Brahman (the Ultimate Reality or the Ultimate Self, and not to be confused with Brahmin which is a caste). The individual Self is called Atman, and it is identical with Brahman in the sense that our real Self is not different from the ultimate Reality called God (or Brahman). This realization is described in the Hindu Upanishads by the phrase “Tat tvam asi” meaning “Thou art That.”

Sanatana Dharma looks upon a person as a part and parcel of the mighty Whole, but never regards a person as “the Measure of all things.” In the West, “person” is a supreme and final value, while Sanatana Dharma regards person as a part of the Whole, having the same vital essence as all other human and sub-human creatures of the universe. This cosmic view of Hinduism transcends the sectarian or group dogmas and paves a way for the coexistence of all creatures under the Vedic principle of “The Universe is One Family” (Vasudev Kutumbhkam). This principle guides humankind towards universal harmony through acceptance and tolerance.

The three main Hindu Gods who are worshipped, Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva (Shiva), represent the three fundamental powers of nature which are manifested in the universe, namely, creation, maintenance, and destruction, respectively. The word karma literally means “deed or action” but implies the entire cycle of cause and its effects. According to the Law of Karma, every human action—in thought, word, or deed—inevitably leads to results, good or bad, depending upon the moral quality of the action. It adjusts wisely, intelligently and equitably each effect to its cause. But it is also the law of opportunity, which allows an individual to change his past for a better future. If we understand karma as the law of order and opportunity, we will become self-reliant and understand that we cannot and should not escape responsibility. In this sense the law of karma is a law of harmony and equilibrium and not a doctrine that punishes the wicked and rewards the virtuous.

The goal of a Hindu is to realize that God has become this universe and everything in it. Till this goal is realized, an individual goes through a cycle of births and deaths until he achieves the state of moksha, or freedom from limitations where there is no more need for birth or death. And when one prays to God, it should not be, as many do, for personal gain or wealth, but for help in enlightening one’s understanding of the mystery of creation. The traditional Hindu prayer, the Gayatri mantra can be translated as: “O Lord, You are the Light of the World. Please enlighten my understanding. Let me see everything in the right light.” The attitude when praying should be one of thankfulness for what you have, and of seeking guidance to put you on the right path towards your goal in life.

Practical Spirituality
There are many so-called Hindu “worshippers” who give donations to temples and go temple-hopping (like bar-hopping) to curry personal favors from God for their continued professional success and wealth accumulation. These very same worshippers, however, engage in selfish actions and activities based on a question of greed, namely, “What’s in it for me?” This question, though, is not the right one to ask and answer. A fundamental question one must answer is: Are we essentially human with occasional spiritual experiences, or essentially spiritual beings with occasional human experiences? Spiritual seekers of Vedic Dharma believe in the second part of the question.

For a spiritual seeker, there are two practical approaches to life, regardless of which religion he or she follows. The first is to choose actions that bring happiness and success to oneself and to others. By so doing, the fruits of your own karma will be happiness and success. The second is to acknowledge that every human being, including you, has unique talents. You should discover and develop your unique talents and list all the things that you love to do when expressing your unique talents. When you use these unique talents in the service of humanity you create abundance both in your life as well as in the lives of others. Only by being true to your own Self will you be able to open the door to the Divine Self within you (being true to your own Self is how Lord Krishna summarizes the concept of Dharma to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita).

1. Kim Knott, Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 1998.
2. Stephen Knapp, The Power of the Dharma: An Introduction to Hinduism and Vedic Culture, iUniverse, 2006.
3. Arun Shanbhag, Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms, 2007, www.ArunsPrarthana.com
4. Stephen Oppenheimer, The Real Eve: Modern Man’s Journey Out of Africa, Basic Books, 2004.

Turmeric is an ubiquitous indian spice and a common ingredient of pre-mixed curry or masala powders. Turmeric (haldi, Konkani; haridra, Sanskrit) is also an essential component of fish marinade.

While I take for granted the turmeric used in cooking, I distinctly remember my grandma preparing scalding hot, turmeric milk whenever we had a sore throat or cold. And grandma admonished us to sip it hot, letting it course its way down the back of our throats. Haaiiii! She had alchemized this common root, to a piping hot, golden elixir, which not only got us back to school the next day (unfortunately), but also back on the playground (v good). Something magical about that turmeric milk! If she only knew!

A few months ago when experimenting in the kitchen I had cut my palm. Having seen my aunts and mother for ages in the kitchen, I instinctively reached for the turmeric powder and dabbed it in the cut stanching the blood and forming a clot. Now scientists tell us that turmeric is anti-bacterial – preventing infection and also helping heal the wound! Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric is responsible for its medicinal activity and pigmentation.

Ensconced in multimillion dollar laboratories, western scientists are slowly catching up to what our grandmothers, armed with stone mortar and pestles have known for millennia. Something magical about that turmeric!

Scientists now tell us that curcumin is anti-inflammatory, in that it can reduce soreness and fever, much like tylenol or paracetamol. And it acts like those latest anti-inflammatory drugs called cox-2 inhibitors: Celecoxib and Vioxx. Both of these medicines have serious side effects and vioxx has been withdrawn by the FDA for safety reasons. On the other hand, turmeric as a dietary constituent is safe and well tolerated!

A host of scientific investigations have also looked at the ability of curcumin to fight cancer. Curcumin kills several types of cancer cells in the laboratory. In animals, curcumin prevents or slows cancer in the skin, breast, liver, fore-stomach, duodenum and colon. Curcumin also has anti-angiogenic properties; translation: curcumin seriously slows new blood vessel formation in tumors, causes asphyxiation of tumors and thus preventing their growth and metastases.

Without turning this into a scientific review paper, I hope you are convinced that turmeric is really good for you. Daily consumption of dietary turmeric in the form of added spices, or this turmeric milk can have near magical properties.

No wonder that in Hindu pujas, devas (Gods as crude approximation) and young brides are doused in turmeric powder!

Here is a really simple recipe for the magical turmeric milk (haldi dudh, in konkani). At the first signs of a sore throat, or feverishness, sip this hot milk drink and call it a night! Wake up fresh and ready to take on the world!

When you do try this recipe, I’d love to hear your experience.

Note: Ginger (adrak, Sanskrit) used in this recipe is well recognized in Ayurvedic and western medicine as having anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. It is widely used to prevent motion sickness, to prevent nausea and most importantly suppresses cough. More on that in another recipe.

• In a mug, place 1 tsp turmeric powder



• 1 tsp minced ginger



• Add a quarter cup water and twirl to mix in turmeric
• Top off with milk. You can also skip the milk and do this in water!
• Microwave ~ 2 min (depends on power rating of your microwave) bringing milk nearly to a boil)
• Leave milk in the microwave for ~ 5 min, allowing the active ingredients of ginger and turmeric to seep into the milk
• Add a teaspoon of jaggery. Alternately use honey, cane or regular sugar to taste. Mix well and reheat milk
• Spoon out and discard ginger bits; turmeric settles to the bottom. If it bothers you, you can strain
• Sip this very hot and feel the heat course over your gullet
• Off to bed! Awake refreshed and energized!

• Sharma and others, Curcumin: The story so far, European Journal of Cancer (2005) (PDF).
• Villengas and others, New mechanisms and therapeutic potential of curcumin for colorectal cancer, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (2008) (PDF).
• Goel and others, Specific inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) expression by dietary curcumiin in HT-29 human colon cancer cells, Cancer Letters (2001) (PDF).
• Tiwari, Ayurveda: Secrets of Healing, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, India (1995)

I could have a tough day at work, or come in cold and shivering from shoveling snow. On days when things just don’t go right and you start wondering if the Universe is conspiring against you. I walk in the front door and get a whiff of roasting wheat, … Yaay! Its Shira for dessert! What problems?

M is not a sweets person, but after a tough day, she too instinctively thinks of shira. That warm cream of wheat halwa, also called kesar halwa, sooji halwa, or any of a myriad terms.

Just a whiff and our moods brighten. Like if a gentle breeze lifted the burdens off our shoulders, forgotten for ever. The Universe can take care of itself, I’ll settle in and savor the shira, one warm, nectarine morsel at a time.

Perhaps it reminds us of our childhood. For any religious festival, a puja, a birthday, an anniversary, or celebration of a good report card from school – my brother’s report card, that is – aiee made shira. Now it is hardwired in my DNA, a whiff of shira equals a celebration!

Few simple ingredients for the basic shira! But what an opportunity to experiment. Add just about anything, you are limited only by your creativity!

Most commonly added are sliced bananas and raisins. M occasionally makes shira with crushed pineapple from a can, which comes out delicious. This time we tried supplementing with bananas, mango pulp and bits of cashew! Aaaaaah! But then, even the most simple shira is heavenly!

Try it sometime! And please tell us of all your variations, so we can emulate.

Ingredients:

• Rava (Sooji, a variant of cream of wheat, 1 cup)

Rava is coarsely ground wheat after the husk has been removed and the bran sifted out. It is not as finely ground as the wheat flour used to make chapattis or roti. Rava is a much coarser ground much like the texture of grains of sand. When looking for it in Indian grocery stores, rava is called Sooji, or wheat semolina. Couscous wheat is a much coarser ground and I don’t relish it for making shira.

• tuup (home made clarified butter, 2 tbsp (low cal version); or use ghee or butter; Aiee, who likes her sons “well-fed”, adds twice as much tuup/ghee)
• sugar, 3/4 cup
• mango pulp, 2-3 tbsp; see what you like
• cashew bits, 2 tbsp roasted on the side
• cardamom, 20 cloves; powder seeds in mortar-pestle
• kesar (saffron, we are currently using Iranian saffron gifted by a friend; splurge with 25+ strands)
• hot water, 2 cups; on the side, keep a kettle of water ready at a boil.
• milk, 2% low fat, 1/4 cup (Aiee uses whole milk … of course)

Method

• On low heat, roast the rava with constant stirring
• rava will lightly brown
• add tuup (ghee), sugar and continue to roast
• add mango pulp, cardamom, roasted cashew bits
• once thoroughly mixed, add the hot water and milk
• sprinkle and mix in kesar strands
• a nice aroma fills the kitchen and taste buds start to salivate
• stir vigorously while cooking over medium heat till it reaches a thick doughy consistency
• Turn off heat and allow to cool;
• When entertaining guests, aiee used to transfer doughy shira to a thali (deep dish), pat flat and cut in diamonds
• Not done yet! We place a small silver bowl of shira and offer it to the divine at our family shrine. We say a small prayer in thanks for all the blessings bestowed on us. Then with much restraint we start to eat it slowly, relishing each tiny spoonful!

click image for larger version

The Mahamandap (Great Hall) at the Mahalakshmi Temple in Bandivade, Goa provides a therapeutic escape from many of Goa busy attractions. It is a perfect place to sit undisturbed and commune with the divine. On this early morning, regular devotees went about their prayers silently and tourist laden buses had not yet arrived.

In front of the Deul (Konkani for Temple, also Devasthan), notice the Deepa Stamba (Light tower), a characteristic of Goa Konkani temples. Around the temple are guest rooms for traveling devotees at nominal costs.

The Deul was originally in the village of Kolambe, near present day Colva beach. When the Portuguese destroyed it, devotees smuggled the murthy of Mahalakshmi (Great Lakshmi) first to the town of Talauli (aka Talavali, Talaulim) where it resided in the home of a priest. It was then moved to its present location in Bandivade in Ponda, where a small temple was established in 1866. Upgrades and expansions have occurred ever since. Today it is a magnificent example of Konkani temple architecture in Goa.

Mahalakshmi is respected as a form of Durga Devi, as described in the Durga Saptashati (aka Chandi PaTh or Devi Mahatmyam). Devi is an independent Goddess to whom the Gods turn for help in their hour of need. Mahalakshmi is depicted as the Goddess of Wealth and resides as an independent Goddess and not as a spouse of Vishnu.

A careful observation of shadows will reveal that the following pics were taken in the evening, during an earlier trip. Beautiful, no?

• Ramnathi Devasthan, A Konkani Temple
• Flower sellers at the Ramnathi Devasthan
• Mangeshi Devasthan
• Sacred Places: Avalanche of Christian Aid in India
• Revisionism about the Portuguese Inquisition

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References:
• VN Kudva, History of the Dakshinatya Saraswats, Madras, (1972, 1991).

In 2007, the Shanbhag School in Kumta (and their parent, the Konkan Education Trust), started to provide lunch for all their students. In the midst of a long day, the students had previously rushed home during their lunch hour. There are no cafeterias or restaurants near the school.

The school made a significant investment in cooking equipment and prepares a nutritious, vegetarian meal for the ~ 850 primary and secondary school students. Lunch is simply rice, sambar or daal, a lentil curry or vegetable and pickles (see actual student plate above).

During my meetings with parents of Scholarship recipients, and listening to comments at the Parents Teachers Meeting, parents absolutely love the school lunch program. Parents are relieved of the pressure to pack a lunch every morning, or have it ready for the lunch break. Parents are also surprised (and glad) their kids actually eat the variety of vegetables and lentils the school serves. The school subsidizes the lunch and charges students Rs 80 per month (~$2 per month, Rs 4 per meal or ~ 10 cents per lunch!). Students not on the meal plan can eat occasional meals and drop cash in an unmanned donation box.

Kids love the food too. Meals are taken in the company of friends (and associated peer-pressure to finish their plate). Lunch is done within 20-30 minutes, and since they still have an hour break, they get to play around, gossip, or browse the library.

Thus I showed up just before lunch time to “test the quality of the school lunch program.” I always have interesting reasons to be present wherever free lunch is served. Very delicious food and a primary reason why we included lunch as part of the scholarship package we provide needy students. Whenever you are in Kumta, you are welcome to join in for a free lunch!

See pics from the Lunch, below

Boys and girls line separately for their lunches; senior students (X Std/grade) take turns serving. This day they also served a special “payasam” (see nearest bucket)

Students wait for all their colleagues to be served before starting.

Then after a brief benediction in Sanskrit (Shanti Mantra),

They start to eat.

One more of the lunch/ auditorium

• Lunch at the Saraswati Vidya Kendra
• Shanbhag School in Kumta
• Academic Update from the Shanbhag School
• Scholarships for the Needy
• Scholarship Activities at Shikshan.org