SOCIETY
Sati Goes Unpunished
All the three main accused in the infamous Deorala sati case, which had rocked the country about a decade back, have been acquitted.
The Additional District and Sessions Judge of Neemka Thana, Mr. Om Prakash Gupta, exonerated father-in-law of Roop Kanwar, the victim younger brother of Roop Kanwar's husband and Magan Singh were exonerated of the charges.
On September 4, 1987 after the death of Mal Singh, his young widow Roop Kanwar following the old but banned tradition of Sati, immolated herself along with the body of the blessings "for the welfare of entire humanity” her husband
According to FIR lodged by the police after a few days of the incident, Roop Kanwar did not commit Sati but was forced to immolate herself along with the body of her husband.
This episode not only rocked the country but also attracted the attention of the international media. The incident took place in a small village Deorala in Sikar district, about 100 km from (Jaipur).
Nobody was willing to come forward and say in the court that he had seen Roop Kanwar being forced to climb her husband's pyre. And the 39 accused went scot-free, lamented the Additional Public Prosecutor.
(Sati) which was witnessed by more than a thousand people has gone unpunished. But including Roop Kanwar's 65-year-old father-in-law. it is the victory of justice. Sitting in the village chaupal flanked by admirers. (He) is a retired Hindi lecturer is remorseless.
"It was her decision. We did not force her on to the pyre. At least 10,000 people had gathered at the 'RajputSamshan Bhumi' to witness the Sati", he said, sitting in his house in village Deorala, hailing the court judgement letting him and 38 others go scot-free.
"Ironically no one came forward in the court and said convincingly that Roop Kanwar was forced by her in-laws to immolate herself on her husband's funeral pyre", C.R.Yadav, additional public prosecutor at the Neem Ka Thana court.
Deorala the accused received a hero's welcome when they returned "victorious" from court.
Reminiscing, a Rajput farmer at the village, said that she had travelled almost three kilometres with her husband’s body to the pyre. The word has spread and thousands of people had already come in from far off places in trucks and tractor trollies. All the women were in their bridal finery and were singing hymns, chanting mantras. And like a true Sati she walked up to the pyre and sat down,” And then he lit it".
When asked who "he" was, the farmer turned away and said he did not want to end up in court. Sehrawat, meanwhile, refused to discuss this issue. "My son diedand so did his wife. Please don't probe so deep and make my wounds bleed again", he said.
Sehrawat and most others in the predominantly Rajput community village said that the lengthy court process was just to harass them. "I was made a pawn of State politics. Some sections of the Congress wanted to oust the Chief Minister and used this incident. They achieved their aim but we lost nine years, one month and seven days of our life, he said angrily.
"Roop Kanwar not the only woman in Rajasthan to have committed Sati", the father-in-law said "And there are so many Sati temples here. Even police officers go there to worship. We are Rajputs and our tradition will live on"
P.T. Bopanna on Mother of All Yagnas!
Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's name has been linked to one of the biggest-ever yagnas to be performed near Mangalore in Karnataka from December 11.The "mother of all yagnas", involving an expenditure of crores of rupees, will be held at a 900-year-old temple near Belthangady in Dakshina Kannada district for which1, 200 specially trained priests will be brought from Kanchi, Sringeri and Hyderabad.
An estimated 2,250 kg each of ghee and honey will be consigned to the flames to propitiate the gods to invoke the blessings "for the welfare of entire humanity".
The yagna will be held on a specially erected panda measuring 375 feet by 160 feet. An estimated 20 tonnes ofjackfruit tree barks will be used to keep the fire burning in120 pits.
Mr. Vasanth Bangera, Janata Dal MLA, who is the moving force behind the yagna, denied rumours that the yagna has been sponsored by Mr. Gowda on the advice ofastrologers to ensure the stability of the United Front Government at the Centre, though the local people in the area are referring to the event as "Gowda's yagna".
However,. the State Government has allotted Rs. 2crore for improving roads near the venue, and the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat has sanctioned Rs. 40 lakh for other preparations.
Over two lakh devotees are expected to converge on the Ayutha Chandika Yagna (site) from December 11 to 20.
As part of the ritual, a buffalo (usually a horse is used) is being taken around and has already covered 50 villages out of the 80 scheduled. After the yagna, the buffalo will be donated to (a) temple though rumours are rife that the animal will be sacrificed".
A Devout Hindu Mosque Builder in Kerala
On the day fanatics razed the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, a devout Hindu was building a holy structure for Muslims in Kerala. G. Gopalakrishnan, 59, is an expert on Islamic architecture and has painstakingly restored and created some of the most sacred mosques in the state. In a career spanning over four decades, he has built more than sixty, including the one at Beemapalli near Thiruvananthapuram, a major pilgrimage centre in South India. Gopalakrishnan has no formal training in architecture. His wife is a Christian, Jaya, and he has given the freedom to his three children to pursue the religion other choice. He believes, "the construction of religious centres becomes complete only when they are built in the minds of the people too".
Gopalakrishnan's flexibility towards matters religious finds an expression in his architecture too which is a blendof different cultures and concepts. For example, the Kaduvayil Jama Masjid has large domes typical of the Indo-Persian style with a sloped roof in Kerala vast tradition.
At the Kattumurackal Jama Masjid, it is a mix of both modern and traditional architecture. He has introduced lotus petals atop the domes of the Beemapalli mosque, to achieve a rare combination of traditional Indian and Muslim-Persian design at its best.
The re-building of the famed Vavar mosque at Erumely in the high ranges was among his most dauntingassignments. Vavar, the legend goes, was a follower of. Ayyappa, the deity at the Sabarimala shrine. During the annual pilgrimage, thousands of pilgrims circle the mosque, dedicated to Vavar, on their way to the shrine, making it a vivid symbol of religious amity. The re-building became necessary as the mosque could not cope with the increasing number of Muslim devotees.
Gopalakrishnan. Suggested building a huge pillaredverandah on the ground floor through which the Hindu devotees could go around the mosque without intruding into the sacred spaces; Muslims could use the same verandah to access the prayer hall. Construction which began in 1989 is expected to be completed soon.
Gopalakrishnan has never seen the Islamic architectural feats outside Kerala. He draws his inspiration from the Indian Architecture-Islamic Period written by Percy Brown. Though he has never seen the Taj Mahal, Gopalakrishnan has succeeded in capturing its essence in the Sheikh Masjid at Karunagapally.
Gopalakrishnan (says) "Perhaps I have been destined to build mosques and so bridges across the religions".
According to him, "attempt is an abode of mystery compared with the clarity of a mosque (makes it) more visible and intelligent ... and reveals a formal mind".
Son Sacrificed for Daughter's Normal Delivery
A mother sacrificed her son, a 32-year-old farm worker called Jagmal in (Mansoorpur village) 45 km from Meerut so that her 29-year-old daughter could have a normal childbirth. Jagmal's wife Rajdulari was also attacked along with her two sons and one daughter. Rajdulari is currently in hospital with serious injuries. The incident occurred when most members of Jagmal's family and many other residents of the village were present. Jagmal was forcibly dragged out of his room, beaten up and tied to a charpoy. His mother, Prakashee, then brought out a darantee and gave it to eight male members of her family who then beheaded Jagmal
It appears that nobody from the village tried to prevent the gruesome crime. The killers then caught hold of Rajdulari and tried to sacrifice her as well. But residents’ of the village foiled their attempt.
The decision to sacrifice Jagmal and his wife was taken three days ago by the family following Prakashee's return from the house of her pregnant daughter's in-laws.
Idol Offering Ghee and Milk to Devotees
A year after Lord Ganesha went on a nationwide milk-drinking spree, now. Sriman Kalki Bhagavan is said to be offering his devotees ghee, milk, and honey.
Bangalore's middle-class Austin Town is all agog with what one of its residents claims is a miracle - over the past week almost two kg of ghee has poured out from a picture of Sriman Kalki, who is believed to be the 10th avataar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Kalki Bhagavan is supposed to have been performing the "miracle" on November 17. In addition to the ghee, even milk had been coming out from the hands in the full-length picture, framed, complete with a glass screen. His devotees say that the avataar in human form currently lives in Chennai and is "due to give darshan to his devotees’ in1998". Kalki Bhagavan has lots of followers in TamilNadu and Andhra Pradesh and increasingly in Karnatakaas well.
Witch-Hunting in A.P.
(Under) Medchal Police at Sutarguda village three men were tortured, their skin scrapped off with a scalpel and then burnt by pouring acid, all under the suspicion that they were practising witch-craft in front of the villager's eyes, at community hall, by a group of 50- 60 persons. While eight have been arrested the rest are absconding.
