Some Sanskrit rap please ! For my Swaminarayan was born today ! !

Very nice, Janak. And great pics and  music.

Good for Swaminarayan! :)

We need more men like that in the world! Men wIlling to stick up for womens basic needs (like life) - and the even simple kindnesses, and respect they deserve.

My cousin helped create a documentary film called “White Rainbow”. It refers to the widows of India who are forced to wear white saris, and how they are mistreated. Soon coming out. Blog readers may want to look for it.

To be aware of the darkness, means we can turn it to light.
Here is a little article about some of the things that we need to turn to light. Maybe some nice man, women, or a team of people can change the following…like your Lord did.

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1794/

Ritual Humiliation

Although the horrific practice of sati–requiring widows to throw themselves on their husbands' funeral pyres–was abolished in 1829, widows still undergo ritual humiliations. After the death of a husband, a woman is shorn of her bridal ornamentation; her head is shaved by the local barber and her body is wrapped in a stark white sari so she may not arouse carnal pleasures in other men.

The bright red sindoor, the red smear that a married woman wears in the parting of her hairline, is substituted by a vertical ash smear from the top of her forehead to the top of her nose. Her very presence is considered so inauspicious that even her shadow may not fall on a married woman lest her terrible fate befall the other woman.

“In India a woman is respected only if she is a mother, daughter and wife,” says Giri. “While we have come to accept death we have unfortunately not learned to accept widows.”

The 1856 Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act gave women the legal right to remarry and the Hindu Succession Act of 1956 gave women the same inheritance rights as men. Those rights, however, are rarely put into practice.

Since women in India are often married off at a young age instead of being educated, they usually lack the skills and knowledge to fend for themselves economically and fight for their basic rights.

When they arrive at Vrindavan and Varanasi, the widows find shelters that were built almost a century ago for local ashrams or religious institutions. Today, the cramped, leaky spaces–administered by local government officials–accommodate about three women each, who sleep on torn sacks.

They receive meager rations of rice and lentils only if they spend six hours singing devotional songs at the ashram. Young widows are often lured into sex in exchange for more food or money.

I think it is great Swaminarayan took care of some of the darkness in his time. A kind, wise man…looking out for God's other half of creation. I can see why so many adore him. Thanks for sharing his history. Much much more to do, and we can get it done if we all work together :)

The children are good light spreaders :)

Where are the women and little girls? Do they get to go to the celebration?

:-)    And my Indian Bhaiya is the smartest of them all.  He shines brightest too…

Love the blog.  Very educational..and so sweet of you to touch on such a topic.

Love the sanskrit rap too…so kool, dude.

The Lord is sweetly awesome for sure 

TWO FUTURES AS ONE

Happy Birthday Swaminarayan.  Thanks for including the music!

Thank you for sharing this information with us!  Why were the women and children separated from the men in worship?

You had me at hello, (smile). “His lifes teachings were that of Compassion to all, regardless of race, creed or colour….”  That is the goal we should all be working towards.

This is a very beautiful blog.  I admire and respect you for helping India heal of the separation that has been for so many years. 

I am so joyful and excited to know there are wonderful, compassionate men like you there, who understand Oneness and Love of All, and who respect and honor all things. 

Thank you for making a difference.   Your Divinity is shining brightly.  Thank you for shining that Light on me.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!