Jagat

Here's what the DNA has to say about the "Aryan invasion". Maybe we should start calling it the Yamnaya invasion. Well I tend to believe the DNA evidence. It will be hard for the Sanatanis to accept. Especially since so much hinges on the "orientalist" critique.  

On the way back from the Taj Literature Festival conference on Braj Bhasha and Sahitya I happened on another event that had been advertised all over Vrindavan for at least a month. It was being held at Modi Bhavan on the Mathura Road just across the street from the Ramkrishna Mission hospital. Bhupendra Kumar Modi, scion of the Modinagar business empire, was present in person, but I did not get a photo of him. I was tempted to take pictures of his Rolls-Royce and Jaguar, though, as his cortege ostentatiously left Modi Bhavan (named after his grandfather). The conference was to be about "omniscience" but I came too late to hear what the main speakers had to say. I only heard Sadhvi Niranjana Jyoti, one of the BJP's firebrand feminine leaders who spoke very nicely with plenty of Gita shlokas. Paramadvaita Maharaj was given about 30 seconds to say his piece.

My friend Braj Khandelwal, a senior journalist of the Times of India, whom I had met through Jagannath Poddar, invited me to be a part of the Taj Literature Festival. It was being held in Vrindavan for a special session about Braj literature. Several notable persons were honored on this occasion and for some reason I was also chosen for a minor award.

This photo is from 2005 when I came back to India for the first time in 20 years. After a short break I was in India again for nearly 15 years and now I am back, not sure for how long. Anyway, my debt to Markus is very great as it is to the other people on Gaudiya Discussions who helped make that a possibility.  I am grateful beyond words. Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe ! Feb 4 2011 Lament your misfortune if you can't live in Vrindavan vṛndāraṇyam ananya-bhāva-madhurākārehito rādhikā- kṛṣṇa-krīḍita-rañjita-pravilasat-kuñjāvalī-mañjulam| yo’nyatrāpi kṛta-sthitir vidhi-vaśāc chocan sadā cintayen nityaṁ tan-milanaṁ vicinta yad ahaṁ tad-dhāma-yugmaṁ bhaje || He whose only desire takes the form of sweetness in exclusive love in Vrindavan, but by destiny is forced to live elsewhere, should lament his misfortune and always remember Vrindavan as a beautiful place with splendid groves where Radhika and Krishna enjoy their pastimes, and always meditating on their union, should think, "I...

Someone tells me that all the girls cry when they take darshan of Radha Raman. Is that true?