Tag Archives: Ayodhya

Life

Ram Ghar Aaye Hain… Ram Ji is finally home.

January 22, 2024 jcisnowjs 4 Comments

Itni Khushi kabhi pehle nahi mili…
Jai Siya Ram!!!

Today marks a day of unparalleled joy, a celebration that feels like a culmination of a lifetime of anticipation. I waited my whole life for this day. I am so happy that I want to shout from the rooftops, sing, dance, and wander the streets of Ayodhya today.

Here is one of the videos of me singing Ram Bhajan on this occasion https://youtu.be/c8VqPy11PbY

Ram Lala has rightfully taken his place in the newly built grandeur Ram temple in Ayodhya, India. This is the truest form of Diwali as Ram returns after a long period. In Treta Yug, his exile lasted only 14 years, but in Kalyug, we kept Ram in exile for 500 years. How many generations have waited to see this day today? We are so blessed to see this auspicious occasion in our lifetime and be able to feel this blessed moment in our hearts.

I had the privilege of visiting Ayodhya 14 years ago. I explored Dashrath Bhavan, Kaushalya Ji’s place, Hanuman Garhi, and more, but there was no sign of a temple for Ram. Barricades and armed forces dominated the scene. Moving forward, I saw a small tent from a distance on what seemed like a construction site. Police officers guided us, indicating that this makeshift tent temple is where we should pray. In that tent, my baby Ram sat in harsh weather.

At that time, I didn’t feel devotion; instead, I felt guilt seeing my Ram in a tent under such conditions. Today, that feeling has dissolved into tears of joy. I am blessed to witness this day.

This day hasn’t come easy. It follows numerous sacrifices, including unnamed individuals and many in their prime youth. Saints and devotees, never expecting to be killed by their own people in their own country, sacrificed their lives.

This struggle went on for years but I specifically remember the time around 6^th December 1992. There was a curfew everywhere after Shaurya Divas and I remember when a few people joined at our place and we watched an unedited video recording of how those events unfolded. Hundreds and thousands of Karya Sevaks beaten up and many of them were shot at; most of them were unarmed and with folded hands praying and taking the name of Bhagvaan Ram with their last breath. To see those dead bodies floating in river Sarayu, filled with youth of India and Mulayam’s goons in police derogating their corpses. To see the Saadhvi and Saints beaten up by police with their lathis, seeing the marks of this beating on their body and the shame it brought to us to see them treated this way in independent India. Shameful!!

All this struggle and sacrifice have led to today’s celebration. As you celebrate Diwali, please light a Diya in memory of those who lost their lives, enabling us to witness this joyous day.

Ram as a Suryavanshi is not only a Bhagavan to me but also my ancestor my father. Seeing Ram Lala in the temple today felt like I was seeing my parampita my father in her baby form. The love it emanates is unimaginable and cannot be expressed in words.

Ram Rajya, the dreams of many Bhartiya have come true today. I congratulate all of you as this year, we are fortunate to celebrate not just one but two Diwalis with our beloved Ram Lala.

As we revel in the joy of this momentous occasion, let us cherish the significance of this day and the unity it brings to our diverse and culturally rich nation. Jai Siya Ram!

Movies

Tuesday Talkies – Horns

Image February 10, 2015 jcisnowjs Leave a comment

“The Devil is Inside”, If you want to explain ‘Horns‘, in one statement, it will be this. But it has to be more complicated than this, and it is.

‘Horns’ is a supernatural thriller film based on novel of the same name, by Joe Hill. This film is directed by Alexandre Aja, and stars ‘Daniel Radcliffe‘ in the main lead.

Most disturbing part of this movie is to see our beloved pure soul Harry Potter play the satanic role in Horns. You know something is wrong when you see Harry without his nerdy glasses but instead with two devilish horns on his head.

Daniel is portraying the role of ‘Ig Perrish‘, the troubled soul who is accused of murdering his sweet girlfriend ‘Merrin’, played by Juno Temple. Other supporting cast includes Max Minghella as Lee, Ig’s lawyer friend, and only believer of Ig’s innocence; Joe Anderson plays Terry, Ig’s brother, who is addicted to drugs and music; Kelli Garner who plays Glenna, a childhood friend who secretly loves Ig but has made some terrible choices in life.

Ig is shunned by the society when everyone suspects that he has murdered his girlfriend. Even his parents are not sure of his innocence. One person who believes in him, is his best friend from childhood, his lawyer, Lee. Unable to clear his name from his girlfriend’s murder and frustrated of not knowing what exactly happened to her; Ig drinks heavily one night and landed on Glenna bed. Next morning he realize two strange scars on his head, which soon turn into two solid horns. Scared to death he rushed to doctor’s office and soon realizing that these horns are not some medical abnormality but instead there is something supernatural satanic essence to them.

Everyone around Ig’s horns starts behaving in a weird way, revealing a much darker side of themselves. Like a woman sitting in doctor’s office resents her screaming kid and wants to go away leaving her behind; while the kid actually wants to kill her parents; doctor wants to have sex with nurse right in front of Ig; media persons wants to kill their competition just to grab a exclusive bite. everyone is dark; everyone has an evil inside.

This is the theme of movie, which shows just how much darker we are from the inside. We want to do so many bad things so badly and the only thing that is controlling this rage inside is social norms. But, will you do it, if no one is watching you? Will you act on your darkest desires if there is no one stopping you, not even your consciousness? Will you be willing to kill someone if Satan asks you to?This is what Ig does. He notices that he can influence people in acting out their devilish desires and he use this paranormal strength of his horns, to find out Merrin’s killer.

This film could have offered so much, being a unique storyline and to have so many facets associated to it; but second half of this movie is turned into completely supernatural and absurd logic, that you kind of wonder what genre of film you are watching. It goes int so many modulations to bring that climax that a basic plot is lost. Only if it could be treated simpler, it could have been a masterpiece.

It is clumsy in the end with poor and stretchable editing. It is weird, unique and interesting but not streamlined. It has so many angles that in the end it looses the plot and you feel kind of cheated from a good sensible end. Worth a watch, just for the sake of watching Daniel performing something so out of his character, so beautifully.

Horns – Review(screenphiles.com)
Horns Review(coolreviewsrule.com)
Tuesday Talkies – From ‘I Saw The Devil’ To ‘Ek Villain’(jcisnowjs.wordpress.com)
Religion and My Ignorance(jcisnowjs.wordpress.com)

Life, Spiritual

Religion and My Ignorance

Image May 7, 2014 jcisnowjs 6 Comments

I have read so many mysteries and thrillers, but most mysterious and thrilling stories are from our Religious notions. There is so much that we don’t know, still there is so much that we believe in. Believing in something which we don’t know fully, still we have full faith in our beliefs. I am writing this post cause my curious mind took me to a journey of some of the widely practiced religions and stories behind them.

I am ashamed to say that I knew so little about them, even right now, I am so unsure of my limited knowledge(rather say ignorance), but I am eager to learn.

For instance, I didn’t knew that three of the most popular religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, originated from one. But, I did knew that, Hinduism is considered as the oldest Religion and it has given birth to several most widely practiced other religions too, like Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Most astounding fact being, that all these religions emerging from Hinduism are in accord and harmony (as far as I know).

The case is not same with Christinaism, Judaism, and Islam. They started from the same Abrahamic belief, and then along the way they distinguished themselves and took separate paths. A path which now seem, so extreme from each other that one can never imagine that their roots were in the very same area of Jerusalem.

A holy place captured and attacked so many times in history, and now surrounded by walls reaching the sky. A holy place which is the center point for the most controversial religious debates between three major Religions of the world. I wonder if God still resides there, enclosed in those walls.

This actually reminds me of my visit to disputed Ram temple site of Ayodhya, India. A place of worship and faith, surrounded by army and police, guarded in such a way, to make you feel like, distant from your own God. I read about and also watched some documentary on Jerusalem, and the only thought that came to my mind was, why can’t they all live in peace accepting each others Religion. What’s wrong if person of two religion wants to pray in a single place?

It strikes me, how I felt about the Ram Temple and Babri Masjid disorder. How would I feel, if I am praying their and at the same time my Muslim friend is offering his prayers too? Will it create more discord, or, it just won’t matter, as long as we both have a right to express our religious beliefs freely?

It’s too complicated, or maybe not. I am trying to understand, what need not require understanding. Religion is not meant to be interpreted. It’s for believing. It’s for practicing my beliefs, without hurting others. It should be about love and closeness with the Lord, and not about building walls. I believe in that.