Setu-Ram ! Scrap the Setu project. Enshrine Ramayana...

Setu-Ram ! Scrap the Setu project. Enshrine Ramayana in peoples’ hearts and celebrate coastal people with Marine Economic Zones.

This note is about three events.

1. Ramayana Exhibition at the British Library
2. Release of a book titled, ‘Ramayana – around the world – a living legend’ by Ravi Kumar
3. MuKa’s birthday poem of self-eulogy but lamenting on Setu project and naming Setu-Ram !

I will talk about the book published on May 30, 2008. Publisher: Bharatiya Itihas Sankalana Samiti, Kokan Prant, Mumbai. Price Rs. 100. This book should be translated into all languages of the world and adorn the library of every child.

The Table of Contents:

The Timeless Tale
The universal relevance of Ramayan
Ramayan scriptures in South East Asian languages
Ramayana in the West
Ramayana in Islamic Countries
Ramayana in Indonesia: Islam is our religion but Ramayana is our culture
Indonesia Ramayan presented in open air theatres
Ramayan in Malaysia: we rule in the name of Ram’s Paduka
Ramayan among the Muslims of Philippines
Persian and Arabic Ramayan
The borderless appeal of Ramayan
Influence of Ramayan in Asia Countries
Influence of Ramayan in Cambodia
Influence of Ramayan in Thailand
Ramayana the National Epic of Thailand
Influence of Ramayan in Burma
Influence of Ramayan in Laos
Weyang Kulit or South East Asian Puppet shows
Ramayan in Vietnam
Sino Ramayana
Ramayan in Japan
Award winning animated Ramayan
Japanese interest in Ramayan
Ramayan in Mongolia, Tibet, Korea, Siberia
Sri Lanka and Nepal
Ramayan in Bharat
Indian contemporary versions
Ramayana landmarks
The popularity of Ramayana
Rama Nawami celebrations of People of Indian origin
International Ramayana Conferences
Epi Expressions
Modern Ram Setus

Annexures
1. Important Ramayan Names depending on foreign versions
2. Lord Ram did exist
3. Why Lord Ram will not appear now
4. Diwali festival around the world
5. Significance of Easster to Hindus
6. Pre-Christian origin of Christmas and Easter
7. Anecdotes on Ramayan from Panchamritam
8. Ramayan in computer language
9. Ramayan in Sri Lanka

The Ramayana Exhibition at the British Library
(16 May-14 September 2008)

In ancient India sage Valmiki told the story of prince Rama in the epic Ramayana in Sanskrit, consisting of 24000 verses. Traditionally Hindus believe that Lord Rama lived in Treta Yuga, one of the four Yugas (aeons) namely Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali.

The Ramayana exhibition was formally opened on Thursday 15 May 2008 by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar the Maharana of Udaipur. The Mewar Maharana family dynasty is over 1200 years old.

The Ramayana was a favourite subject for Rajsthani painters of 17th century. Illustrated Ramayana manuscripts were prepared between 1649-1653 for Rana Jagat Singh of Mewar in his court studio at Udaipur. Maharana Bhim Singh presented the manuscripts to Colonel James Tod, author of Annals and Antiquities of Rajsthan in 1820. The British Museum Library acquired the manuscripts in 1844.

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The exhibition covers the story of prince Rama in 12 episodes starting from his boyhood, marriage, exile, search for his lost wife princess Sita, concluding with her recovery following the slaying of the demon king Ravana.

In the autumn of 2007 I was delighted to learn from the British Library that a Ramayana exhibition was planned for May - September 2008, thanks to the Chairman Sir Colin Lucas, his team and especially Jerry Losty, curator of the British Library and former head of Prints, Drawings and Photographs also at the British Library.

The exhibition is well worth a visit.


Dr Rishi Agarwal
Representative - Hindu Heritage
Hindu Council UK
Note : Hindu Council UK (HCUK) is the foremost and largest national network of the Hindu temple bodies and cultural organisations co-ordinating all different schools of Hindu theology within the UK. HCUK is the representative umbrella body for the British Hindu issues for which a UK wide mandate was received during a two year consultation with the British Hindu public culminating in its launch in November 1994.

HCUK Admin Office:Boardman House, 64 The Broadway, London E15 1NG. T: 020 8432 0400 W: www.hinducounciluk.org F: 020 8432 0393

Mu. Karunanidhi’s birthday poem of self-eulogy (translated from Tamil) for his 85th birthday on 3 June 2008.

Made me a old-man reminding me that I am 85
But at the age of 8 plus 5, thirteen,
I pushed down the "Vedism" warning, "be at a distance, don't touch"!
There is no bar for becoming "Archaka" in temples
Enacted accordingly to act in the sanctum sanctorum of temples
For Periyar, it took 60 years to bring out such ideology, but
I implemented it as a service to him!
Not only for Dravidian bigwigs,
Even for common people daily we implement
What we swore as electioneering promises!
But still, I have one worry
My heart throbs as the dream of Kamaraj could not be fulfilled.
To fulfill that dream only,
we go on implement plans one by one targeting it.
Sethu-samutharam has been one of such wonderful dream-projects.
Lushness to dance in the land of chaste Tamil
Benefits accrue by the increase of trade
We do not have any other way!
Sethu-samuthram has been our historical necessity!
Without preventing it with trickery
Respecting my trembling voice,
As I worked for this land, language during my lifetime,
Instead of killing the project by telling the name of Ram,
I appeal on the day my birth as a message:
If you want name it "Sethu-Ram", do it!
This is my birth-day message for the country –
to live without any love or hate and for removal of fragility.